Rabbit Care for Kids
Rabbits as Pets
This article is all about rabbit care for kids. If you are going to keep rabbits as pets you need to know about rabbit behavior.
A rabbit as pet has certain requirements for health.
Rabbits are mammals. They are herbivores (they eat plants)
Rabbits like to be together or have human company.
In the wild rabbits live in underground warrens with hundreds of other rabbits
Rabbits breed and have lots of babies each year around 5-9 pups in a litter.
Rabbits live in grassy and woodland areas.
You can see them most first thing in the morning and at dusk.
Rabbits can live for between 5 to 7 years.
So will you choose a rabbit as pet?
Read on to find information about care and feeding pet rabbit.
Care of Rabbits
Rabbits can live indoors and they can be litter trained.
Or your rabbit can live outside as long as he is kept warm in the winter months.
Rabbit habitat
Your cage or hutch should be four times bigger than your rabit so he has room to move and excercise.
A hutch needs to be stood off the ground
A hutch should be damp proofed
Place the hutch out of any draughts
Make sure the rain can't blow in
Place the hutch out of direct sunlight
Don't use a lead based paint to paint the hutch
A hutch should provide a sleeping area where your rabbit can go to get out of the cold.
If it is very cold and damp cover the hutch with a piece of carpet or move the hutch into a garage(without a car) or garden shed.
Put a layer of bedding down wood shavings with a layer of hay works well.
You could use shredded paper as well
Indoor cages
If you have an indoor cage the cage should be kept away from windows and radiators to stop your rabit habitat overheating.
A rabbit can be litter trained and can learn to live in a family home without being caged, with training.
A rabbit can hop around and sleep on your bed and give you kisses.
Your home will need bunny proofing though
Most houseplants are toxic to rabbits.
If your rabbit gets bored he will chew wires and get into mischief so keep an eye on him.
More rabbit care for kids info
Toys
- Rabbits will play with rolled up paper
- Cardboard boxes
- Balls
- Empty cotton reels
- Tubes
- Fruit tree wood braches to chew(only if not sprayed with pesticides.)
- Not cherry, peach, apricot, plum and redwood which are poisonous
- You can also buy toys from your local pet store.
What should I feed my rabbit?
Nice fresh hay should be freely available
A good quality pellet or rabbit mix should be given.
In addition rabbits should be given vegetables
Adult rabbits can have up 2 1/2 cups of vegetables a day
Recommended vegetables for rabbits are:
- Brussel Sprouts, cabbage, carrots, ,water cress. broccoli, cauliflower leaves, peas, carrot tops, cauliflower,
- celery, celery leaves, radish tops, rocket ,turnip kale, green beans, parsnip, pea pods,courgette,
- cucumber, pumpkin, spinach, squash, swede, and asparagus
Herbs and wild plants include:
Clover, dandelion, camomile, mallow, mint, groundsel, nettle, parsley and plantain and chickweed
- Fruit can be given as a treat. Good fruit includes:
- Apple,mango apricot, blackberries, banana, blueberries,
- grapes, kiwi, cherries, melon, nectarines, peaches, pears, pineapple, plum,
- raspberries, strawberries, and tomatoes
.
Some poisonous plants for pet rabbits include:
- Ivy, evergreen trees, foxglove, evergreen shrubs,
- peach and plum tree leaves, tomato leaves, deadly nightshade, potato tops and plants from bulbs.
Rabbit Behavior
- Here is a nice website about rabbits that tells you about rabbit care for kids and different behaviorsmyhouserabbits.com
- Try Rabbit Wise for more information on bunny behaviors
Rabbit equipment
- A cage or hutch 4 times bigger than your pet rabbit
- A run or enclosure for your rabbit to excercise in
- Toys
- Bedding
- Food
- A litter tray if kept indoors
This is not an exhaustive article on pet rabbit care for kids so do some more research if anything is
concerning you.
Rabbits are known to get
several illnesses if you think your rabbit is not well take it to the vets.
