Getting started with your new rabbit

Rabbits are most active in the morning and evening and sleep during the day and at night; hence, their schedule fits with those of active families. Bunny should be given only as much freedom as she can handle; some bunnies can be outside their cage all day, but many need greater limits. I happen to have gotten lucky and I can leave my rabbit out of his cage 24/7. Bunny needs 3-6 hr exercise daily outside the cage; remaining time is spent napping in a cage or attached playpen area. Bunnies are curious and need social interactions. Place the cage where you are active and going to spend a fair amount of time, family room, kitchen.Rabbits enjoy listening to people and will often position themselves to watch you. If bunny is kept in a very active area (e.g. den or rec room), a small "cave" should be added so bunny has a safe place to lounge when stressed or tired; cardboard boxes with a hole cut in one end, paper bags, and upturned milk crates all work well. Never keep bunny outdoors; there are too many predators (two- and four-legged) that can directly or indirectly kill a rabbit, plus many insects carry diseases (myxomytosis, botfly, maggots, fleas, mites, etc) that easily infect an outdoor rabbit. Outdoor rabbits also suffer from undetected illnesses and loneliness. If you let your rabbit outside during the day, make sure she is confined in a sturdy wire enclosure, protected from the weather, and safe from predators, on feet and wings.

Temperature is also a concern; rabbits are susceptible to heat stroke and will have problems in temperatures above 30 C . Keep bunny in a cool room (15-21 C); on hot days run the air conditioner or place a plastic soda container filled with frozen water in the cage with a fan. Sadly, I have heard of many rabbits with missing ears caused by exposure to a harsh winter. Rabbits belong indoors with your family during the cold weather .

A good minimum cage size is 24"x30"x18" (DxLxH); bigger is always better. Wire cages are fine; do not use aquariums or solid walls as these trap heat, reduce circulation, and prevent bunny from watching her people. A wire mesh of 14 gauge and with 1" X ½" openings is adequate. Another great choice are multi-level hutches connected with carpeted ramps . A wire-bottom cage is fine, as long as there are solid surfaces (rugs, litterpans) to protect the feet.

Place a throw rug, carpet square, or other washable surface on the cage floor to protect feet from wire damage (sore hocks) or add a solid floor; inexpensive throw rugs work well and are readily washed. For bunnies who like to chew their rugs, try woven grass mat squares . Metal urine guards help keep hay, poops, etc inside the cage. Place a removable litterpan (metal or plastic) beneath the cage to catch hay and debris. Place a smaller litterpan inside the cage (atop the wire) in a back corner for bunny to use; most rabbits will use this litterpan rather than the larger tray, making cage cleaning easier. Use a litterpan of sufficient size; many rabbits like to lounge and sleep in this pan. Change toys frequently to prevent boredom. Hang a filled hayrack on the cage exterior so she can nibble all day; place the hayrack over the litterpan to enforce litter training, as most rabbit like to graze while they defecate.

What to feed my rabbit???

DIET

Normal Rabbit Weight

Unfortunately, what we thought was a normal rabbit weight in the past has often been an overweight rabbit. Obesity is a problem with rabbits that eat a diet too high in calories and that don't get enough exercise. A healthy rabbit should be slim and sleek. You should be able to feel the ribs just under the skin without a thick layer of fat. The hindquarters should not have any folds of skin covering or interfering with the digestive tract or urinary openings. The dewlaps in females should not be so large as to interfere with grooming or eating. If you are in doubt about your rabbit's proper weight, please consult your veterinarian.

Cecotropes

Rabbits are herbivores with a marvelous gastrointestinal (GI) tract that allows them to extract nutrients from a variety of sources. Rabbits were designed to live on a diet composed of large quantities of grasses and leaves. They might also browse on flowers and fruits as they could find them at different times of the year. Rabbits are very successful at making the most out of the food they eat, food that many other animals could not even digest. One of the keys to their success is the production of cecotropes, which are a special type of dropping that is eaten by the rabbit directly from the anus and then digested. These droppings are not made up of waste materials but rather are rich in organisms that have come from the area of the intestinal tract called the cecum. These organisms are packed with nutrients such as amino acids (the “building blocks” of proteins), fatty acids and a variety of vitamins. In order for the rabbit to get these nutrients, the cecotropes and thus the organisms must be eaten and digested thereby extracting the nutrients. In this way, rabbits can extract the maximum nutrients from low energy food materials. They literally produce some of their own food! Rabbits will eat their cecotropes directly from the anus and you will not these special droppings in the cage. If a rabbit has a medical problem that prevents him/her from reaching the anus, then you may see cecotropes on the cage floor. Cecotropes are elongated, greenish in color, coated in mucous and have a strong odor. Please consult your veterinarian if you see a large number of cecotropes in the cage because your rabbit may be missing vital nutrition. If a rabbit is eating a diet that is too rich in nutrients, such as one that contains mostly commercial pellets, there may normally be a few cecotropes dropped in the cage.

Cecotropes are a vital part of your rabbit's diet.

Grass Hay

Grass hay is one of the most important parts of your pet's diet. Hay should be provided at all times in your pet's cage. Hay is appropriate for all ages of rabbits starting at weaning. Hay provides a number of important things for your rabbit's health.

• Rich in nutrients such as vitamins, mineral and protein
• Provides “food” for the micro-organisms that make up the cecotropes
• Provides indigestible fiber that promotes healthy motility (movement of contents) of the intestinal tract
• Provide healthy chewing activity to promote proper wear of the teeth (all rabbit teeth grow continuously throughout its life)
• Chewing also provides healthy mental activity which decreases chewing of inappropriate objects such as furniture and wallpaper
• Provides a “full feeling” in the stomach which is satisfying and may also prevent inappropriate chewing

Remember that rabbits are designed to live primarily on a diet of grasses and leaves, therefore grass hay can provide a good portion of that diet. There are two basic types of hay available: grass and legume.

• Legume hays are made from alfalfa, clover, peas, beans or peanuts. These hays are loaded with nutrients but have more calories, calcium and protein than a house rabbit needs. Feeding only legume hays may lead to GI disorders and obesity and for this reason we do not recommend feeding these hays. If you mix legume hay with grass hay, the rabbit may only pick out the calorie-rich legume hay and thus overload itself with calories, thus we do not recommend mixing grass and legume hay. If you live in an area where only legume hay is available it is preferable to use it rather then no hay at all. However you may wish to limit the amount of hay if your pet experiences excessive weight gain or GI problems.
  
• Grass hays are made from timothy, meadow, oat, rye, barley or Bermuda grasses. Grass hay availability varies greatly in different areas of the country and the world. You may only be able to obtain one variety where you live. However, if at all possible, try to feed mixed grass hay or provide two or more individual types. Grass hays are rich in nutrients but provide the lower energy diet appropriate for a house rabbit. These are the healthiest hays to feed. If you have a choice, choose sun-dried hay which has retained more of its nutrients than commercially dried hay. Do not feed straw. Straw is devoid of most nutrients and although it is not harmful in small amounts, it will lead to serious nutritional deficiencies if it is a major part of the rabbit diet.

Sources for hay include veterinary clinics, horse barns, feed stores and rabbit clubs. When you buy hay you need to consider the following:

• Buy hay that smells fresh, never buy damp or old hay
• Buy from a reputable source that replenishes the hay frequently
• If you buy from a feed store or horse barn, buy hay that has not been on the top of the pile to prevent contamination with animal or bird droppings.

Hay can be stored at home in a dry place that has good air circulation. Do not close the bag of hay but rather leave it open. Hay can be given to your pet in a variety of ways including in a hay rack on attached to the side of the cage, in a box or basket within the cage or exercise area, or even placed in the litter box. Rabbits often pass stools when they are eating and placing some hay in the litter box can help with bathroom training. They will not eat soiled hay, so you need not worry about sanitation. Always keep hay in the cage or exercise area and replenish as needed. Providing grass hay in the diet is a major key in preventing many diseases in the pet rabbit.

Green Foods

Green foods are equally as important as hay in the rabbit's diet. Remember I said that rabbits are designed to eat grasses and leaves, so green foods represent the “leaf” part of the diet. Green foods provide all the same benefits that we listed for hay. They also contain a wider variety of micronutrients and importantly provide water in the diet. Even though you may be providing a water container in the cage, rabbits do not always drink as much as they should. Feeding green foods forces the rabbit to take in liquid and thus helps promote healthy GI function as well as kidney and bladder function. You will notice that if you feed your pet a lot of green foods, he/she will drink very little water which is normal.

If your rabbit has never eaten green foods before, I recommend starting him/her on hay first. This will help to make the appropriate changes in the GI tract, including improving movement and production of cecotropes. In this way you can avoid the problem of 'soft stools” that is occasionally noted when a rabbit that has never eaten hay or greens is given greens. This is not a dangerous disease; it is only the rabbit's intestinal tract making changes from its sluggish state to a more active state. However, these soft stools can be messy, so making the change to hay first for a couple of weeks will avoid this problem. Greens are appropriate for any age of rabbit. If a weaned rabbit is eating hay, he can eat greens right away.

When selecting and using green foods follow these guidelines:

• Buy (or grow) organic if possible
• Wash any green foods first
• Feed a variety of green foods daily – a minimum would be three varieties – variety provides a wider range of micronutrients as well as mental stimulation for your pet
• Feed a minimum of 1 packed cup of green foods per 2 pounds of body weight at least once a day – feed more if your pet is eating hay as well, there is not real upper limit

There are two situations that can occur that will alter the manner with which you feed greens. The first situation is where a select green food causes a soft stool. You will know if this is the case within 12 hours of feeding the offending food. If you are feeding a variety of greens, and not sure which one is causing the problem, then feed only one green food every 48 hours until the offending food is identified and then simply remove it from the diet. This is not a dangerous situation, but it can be messy and there is no need to feed a food that is causing a problem. There are many green foods from which to choose.

The second situation concerns rabbits that have lost too much weight that need to gain weight after a serious illness. It is extremely rare to see a rabbit lose too much weight on a diet of hay and green foods, unless the rabbit is not eating the hay and is only eating greens. Hay is a more concentrated food then greens. In any event, if you are trying to put weight back on a rabbit, you can limit the greens to one cup/2lbs of body weight maximum to encourage an increase in hay consumption.

There are a huge variety of green foods that you can offer your pet. You might even consider growing some yourself! This would include grass that you grow in your yard but it can only be used if there have been no pesticides or other chemicals used on it. You might consider growing a patch of grass just for your bunnies. And don't throw away those dandelions when you pull them up, if they have not been treated with any chemicals they are an excellent source of nutrition. In general, the darker green a food is the higher the nutritional value. You can use packages of mixed salad greens s if they contain dark colored greens and are not comprised primarily of iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce. Please, no salad dressing!

Here is a list of some of the green foods you might consider:

Broccoli (leaves and top)	Brussels sprouts	Bok choy
Cabbage (red, green, Chinese)	Celery (leaves are good	Chickory
Chickory	Collard greens	Dock
Dandelion greens (and flower)	Borage	Basil
Swiss chard (any color)	Endive	Escarole
Parsley (Italian or flat leaf best)	Mustard greens	Kale
Romaine lettuce	Leaf lettuce	Baby greens
Water cress	Raddichio	Carrot/beet tops

Fruits and Other Vegetables (Treat Foods)

Depending on the time of year, rabbits in the wild would have access to additional foods such as fruits, vegetables and flowers. Since these items do not make up the majority of the diet, I recommend feeding these special items in limited quantities. Another reason for limiting the amount is because some rabbits like these foods so well, that they will eat them to the exclusion of all others thereby creating a potential for health problems. Foods from this list can be fed daily and you may even wish to use them as part of a reward or training system. These treat foods are far healthier (and less expensive) that the commercial treat foods sold for rabbits. Commercial treat foods should be totally avoided because they are loaded with starch and fat and if fed in quantity can cause serious health problems. Stick to “natural” and healthy treats for your pet.

Follow the same guidelines as listed for selecting and using green foods with the exception of the amount. You can feed your pet a total of 1 heaping tablespoon per 2 pounds of body weight per day of any combination of the foods below:

Kiwi Fruit	Strawberries	Blueberries
Raspberries	Blackberries	Apple
Pear	Peach	Papaya
Pineapple	Cactus fruit	Melons
Bean or alfalfa sprouts	Green or red bell peppers	Mango
Pea pods (flat, NO peas)	Cherries	Cranberries
Edible flowers from the garden (organically grown and NOT from a florist) such as roses, nasturtiums, day lilies, pansies and snap dragons	Carrots	Squash

Dried fruit can be used as well, but since it is so concentrated, use only half the amount as fresh. We do not recommend feeding bananas and grapes as rabbits sometimes become “addicted” to these foods. If you do chose to feed them, watch your pet carefully to ensure he/she is also eating sufficient quantities of green foods and hay.

Forbidden Foods

A diet of grass hay and green foods with small amounts of fruits and vegetables contains all the nutrition necessary for the pet rabbit. Unfortunately there are many commercial treat foods sold for rabbits that contain high levels of starch and fat. In addition, some people still feel that it is necessary to feed rabbits high starch foods. Although a pet rabbit can eat very small amounts of starchy or fatty foods, without ill effect, the problem is that people often feed excess amounts because the rabbits eat these foods so greedily. My recommendation is to completely avoid high starch and/or fat foods for your pet. In this way you will avoid any potential problems these foods can cause including obesity and serious GI disease. It is always easier to prevent than to treat a disease.

Examples of high fat and/or starch foods to AVOID include:

Beans (of any kind)	Peas	Corn
Breads	Cereals	Nuts
Seeds	Oats	Wheat
Chocolate	Refined sugar	Any other grains

Water

Water should always be available, and changed daily. A dirty water container can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Use either a water bottle or a heavy bowl that is weighted or secured to the side of the cage so that it does not tip over. Do not use medications or vitamins in the water, because your pet may not drink the water if the taste or color is altered. Please remember if your pet is eating a large quantity of greens that the water consumption may be minimal.

Vitamins/Lactobacillus/Enzymes

Vitamins are not necessary for the healthy rabbit. Rabbits will obtain all the vitamins they need from their cecotropes, grass hay and green foods. The misuse of vitamins can cause serious disease. If your pet becomes ill, particularly if he/she is unable to eat the cecotropes, then your veterinarian may prescribe vitamin therapy. Please do not use supplemental vitamins in a healthy pet. In addition, rabbits on a healthy diet do not need a salt or mineral block.

Lactobacillus or acidophilus are bacteria found in the GI tracts of a number of different species. In some older texts there was a recommendation to feed rabbits yogurt (which contains active cultures of these organisms) to improve the health of the GI tract. However, there is no benefit to feeding these bacteria to the rabbit because Lactobacillus does not hold an important place in the rabbit GI tract and adult rabbits may not be able to adequately digest dairy products. Other products, called probiotics, that contain bacteria more specific to the rabbit GI tract, are available but their benefits are still controversial. A rabbit on a healthy diet of grass hay and green foods should be able to maintain a normal population of bacteria without additional supplementation. I do not recommend the routine use of probiotics in the healthy rabbit.

Some older texts recommend feeding digestive enzymes to rabbits to help dissolve hairballs. This is of no benefit to the rabbit because such products do not dissolve hair and the problem is not the hair anyway. Although these products will not harm the rabbit, they are of no use.

Commercial Rabbit Pellets

It may seem odd that this topic is the last on our diet list. This is because I feel that commercial rabbit pellets DO NOT need to be part of a healthy house rabbit diet. As mentioned several times, rabbits gain all the nutrition they need from a grass hay and green foods diet along with their cecotropes. In addition, these foods promote a healthy GI tract and proper wear for the teeth.

Pellets were originally developed for the rabbit in the meat, fur and laboratory animal industry to provide a uniform and highly concentrated food that could easily be fed to large numbers of animals. The pellets are loaded with concentrated nutrition to promote rapid growth. Rabbits in these industries have a shortened life span, unlike the house rabbit. Commercial pellets work well in these industries, but can wreak havoc with the house rabbit.

The problems that a diet comprised primarily of commercial pellets can create in the house rabbit include:

• High calorie content can lead to obesity – easy to overfeed because the rabbit is always acting “hungry”
• High protein content can lead to eating less cecotropes which are dropped in the cage
• Low indigestible fiber content can lead to a sluggish GI tract and eventually more serious GI disease including complete GI shutdown
• Doesn't promote normal tooth wear due to the concentrated nature of the food – a couple of chews and the food is pulverized
• Lack of sufficient chewing activity and “full feeling” in stomach due to concentrated nature of the food may lead to inappropriate or excessive chewing on furniture, plants, wallboard, etc. – could be related to “boredom”?
• Concentrated, dry nature of food may not promote normal water intake resulting in potential urinary tract disease

There have been improvements in a few of the commercial pellet brands available to the public, including increased indigestible fiber levels and decreased calorie, protein and calcium content. There have also been some unfortunate changes such as adding seeds and nuts or sugars to the diet, which are all detrimental to your pet. However it still remains that pellets are not a necessary component of a healthy house rabbit diet and need not be fed. Remember that rabbits were designed to eat a diet comprised of a large volume of grasses and leaves, not a low volume, highly concentrated diet. Rabbits in the wild do not need to come to a feed station for a meal of pellets to survive and our pets do not need this either!

So, are there any circumstances where we might consider feeding pellets to our pets?

The following is a list of situations where a good quality commercial pellet might be useful as part of a diet, but not the complete diet.

• In households where hay cannot be used due to human allergies or unavailability
• To implement a weight gain most often related to a debilitating illness
• When the owners are unable to feed a varied diet of good quality grass hay and a variety of green foods.!

If we really want to provide the healthiest diet for out pets we should be striving to reproduce its natural diet, not taking the easy way out for our own convenience. Providing a healthy diet for a rabbit is neither difficult nor expensive and in addition will save you many dollars in veterinary bills. The number one cause of disease in the rabbit remains an inappropriate diet, and the number one prevention for these diseases is a diet of quality grass hay and a variety of green foods.

If you do need to feed pellets for any reason then buy those that are at least 18% or higher in fiber, 2.5% or lower in fat, 16% or less in protein, and 1.0 % or less in calcium. Do not buy pellet mixes that also contain seeds, dried fruits or nuts. Please consult your veterinarian for the amount that you need to feed your pet if you fall into one of these categories. However, try to avoid feeding your rabbit a diet of exclusively commercial pellets.

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Litter Training???

Rabbits litter-train easily if you understand bunny logic. The greatest key to success is to spay or neuter your bunny (see below); this reduces the hormone surges that drive territory marking. Rabbits are neat by nature and will chose only 1-2 spots to urinate in. They also prefer to eat and defecate in the same location; indeed, it's natural for bunnies to consume some of their hard pellets and all of their soft cecal pellets. You can use this natural behavior to encourage good litter habits: place hay inside of or hang it above bunny's litterpan. Keep a litterpan inside the cage and atop the wire floor in a favorite back corner; place one or two litterpans in a location that bunny selects outside the cage (generally a back corner). A throw rug beneath helps clean accidents. Cat litter pans without tops make good litter pans. Some bunnies prefer two litterpans in the cage, one for potty and one for sleeping. Change litter every 2-3 days to maintain good potty habits. Some rabbits prefer to defecate atop litter; others prefer wire. Clean litterbox stains with vinegar and let them soak overnight before scrubbing with a stiff brush. Rubber spatulas or cat litter scoops are great for emptying the litter pan, and rabbit manure will make your garden the envy of the neighborhood.

Now What to use for litter??

A variety of materials can absorb urine; some are safer than others. Good choices include compressed wood pellets (woodstove fuel or Feline Pine), hardwood shavings (i.e. aspen, birch), and recycled newspaper products. Do not use oat hulls or citrus peels if bunny likes to eat the litter, as these are calorie-rich. Never use cedar or pine shavings, because they give off natural toxins that can alter bunny's drug metabolism in the event of a medical emergency. Some bunnies are picky about their litter; you may need to experiment to discover her preferences. Most rabbits do not like the texture of cat litter, and it is dangerous if ingested. Never use clumping cat litter in the rabbit's litterpan.

To train bunny to her new litterpan, keep her inside the new cage for the first week and restrict outside cage time to 10-20 min at a time. Hay in and above the litterpan reinforces good habits. Gradually add space to her territory, one room at a time. Anticipate bunny, and if she backs up and lifts her tail, transfer her back to the cage litterpan immediately. It does no good to scold afterward, as bunny cannot link the behavior to punishment. For the first several days, bunny will naturally scatter poops everywhere to mark her new territory; if this doesn't stop in a neutered rabbit, then territory restriction and retraining may be necessary.

Bunnies make up to 200-300 hard poops daily! A few are bound to escape. A small vacuum (Dust-Buster, Dirt Devil) makes cleaning these a cinch. To clean urine accidents, wipe immediately with water. Remove dried urine with vinegar; rabbit urine is rich in calcium salts and the vinegar readily dissolves this.

When rabbits break litter training, search for a reason. Common ones include: urinary tract infection, new/disliked litter, infrequent changing of litter pan, family stress, too much freedom, injury or disease causing incontinence, or boredom. Rabbits with true incontinence are treated with medication; rabbits who have lost bladder control are easily diapered; contact your vet or www.rabbit.org for further information.