| One of the most popular household pets, rabbits are | | | | absorbent paper which should be changed daily to |
| the perfect choice especially if there are young | | | | ensure their comfort and also hygiene. Be very |
| children in the household. They are extremely sociable | | | | careful on the siting of the hutch as too much heat |
| creatures and it is always better if you take them | | | | and too much cold will have detrimental |
| from the same litter if at all possible to prevent any | | | | consequences as the Seasons change. The hutch |
| fighting although if male rabbits are from different | | | | should be brought inside/garage when winter comes |
| litters this usually leads to one becoming more | | | | and you must ensure that enough heat is provided |
| dominant than the other and could lead to behavioural | | | | by giving more hay for bedding purposes and also |
| problems. If your rabbit is a family pet then it is a | | | | cover the hutch at night to keep any heat inside. |
| good idea to teach your children the importance of | | | | Rabbits are fairly fastidious in their cleanliness so |
| caring for it correctly, even if they are very young. | | | | always ensure that you change the newspapers and |
| What you teach them will go a long way in improving | | | | put fresh wood chippings in their bedding on a regular |
| the quality of life for the rabbit. | | | | basis. |
| It may take some time for a rabbit to feel confident | | | | Crucially, part of your rabbit care is correct feeding |
| in its new surroundings, therefore give it time to | | | | and like many of their relatives they need to be fed |
| adjust and they will come round slowly and become | | | | with two kinds of fibre namely digestible and |
| used to handling. Rabbits are playful creatures and | | | | indigestible. Nutrition cannot be extracted on the first |
| require mental and physical stimulation in order for | | | | movement through the gut so it is expelled by them |
| them to remain content. Safe playthings are a | | | | and taken in again. Avoid all types of sweet foods |
| necessity and many unwanted household articles can | | | | altogether and be very careful if giving a muesli |
| be adapted for them as long as they are chew proof | | | | based food as these can contain far too much sugar |
| and you can also buy safety toys from your rabbit | | | | and provide a negligible amount of fibre to the diet. |
| care provider. | | | | You can use a specialist rabbit food mix which |
| With regards to the hutch there are certain | | | | contains a complete balance of all the vitamins and |
| requirements to be met remembering that your | | | | minerals required to maintain optimum good health. |
| rabbit(s) will grow so think ahead when planning the | | | | Hay if given in sufficient quantity will act as a grinder |
| size of your rabbit housing. The height should allow a | | | | as they can have problems with overgrown teeth. It |
| fully grown rabbit to comfortably stand on its hind | | | | is important to supplement a dry food diet with fresh |
| legs with enough space to enable it to hop around. If | | | | greens daily and these should include carrots, brussel |
| you can split the housing into two compartments this | | | | sprouts, broccoli, grass and many more vegetables |
| would be ideal as they would prefer to have a | | | | but check carefully as some can be very harmful to |
| separate toilet area as well as a living space. This | | | | a rabbit and cause serious abdominal problems. |
| area should be laid out with fresh hay and perhaps | | | | |