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Bunny Basics 101: What You Need to Know Before Getting a Pet Rabbit

Small and Furry, and Oh Such a Handful!

By Rebecca SlaneyPublished 6 years ago 8 min read
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So you have decided to get a new bunny? Congrats! I'm going to go ahead and assume you clicked on this post because you want to know what you NEED to know before you get a rabbit. Well, fear not, for you have come to the right place! Let me start with some background information about me and why you can trust my bunny knowledge!

I bought my first bunny 3 years ago. I was on vacation with my boyfriend, and I went to the pet store there to buy a toy for my mom's dog. I went in and was looking around the store at all the pets and toys when I spotted a small white fluffy bunny in the display window. It was love at first sight! I couldn't contain how excited I was to find this little bunny. So I bought her on impulse (something you should never do, as rabbits are so much work and require special care and vet treatment). My high from getting her quickly turned to panic as I got her home a few days later and realized I knew NOTHING about bunny care. I mean they like carrots, I think? But, seriously, I was up a creek without a paddle. So I did what any normal and rational human would do: I went to the web. I spent countless hours educating myself on rabbits, what they eat, how they behave, and what kind of vet care they need. I bought so many books on the topics of rabbits that I started to call myself the crazy bunny lady! Along with all my self-taught internet knowledge, I am also doing wildlife rehabilitation and animal medicine online, and, you guessed it, this includes rabbits! My information is genuine, but should not replace that of a knowledgeable veterinary!

In the end, however, my hard work and countless web hours paid off. I am now an overflowing fountain of rabbit knowledge! (what an accomplishment!) And, lucky for you, you just so happen to click on this post, and now you too shall become blessed with rabbit knowledge! I know I'm overselling this WAY too much, but rabbit care is important. If you don't know the basics when you get a bunny, they could become ill and die, and, let's face it, this little fuzzy creature is depending on you to keep it alive! So let's dive into the crazy and rewarding world of rabbit ownership!

Before You Get Your New Bunny!

Choosing to get a new pet is always both exciting and nerve-racking, and a bunny is no exception! You find yourself with so many questions. Will my bunny like me? Will they be a good fit for my home? What kind of things should I do to make them more comfortable? Let's start off with the most basic part of this new adventure: who you live with.

Yes, that's right, your family dynamic is very important for a bunny friendly home. You see, most people make the assumption that rabbits are a lot like hamsters. They can spend a lot of time in the cage and are great starter pets. Both of these statements couldn't be farther from the truth! Rabbits in the wild, live in complex and close-knit families. They are very social creatures and get quite lonely when they don't have regular interactions with either their human owner or another bunny.

So you're probably thinking, "Well, great, a big family with lots of kids will be perfect". While I'm not saying that a child couldn't care for a rabbit, I don't advise them as a starter pet. Rabbits are very timid by nature, so loud houses are a big no-no for rabbits. They also have very delicate spines and if not picked up and carried properly they could break their backs from kicking their hind legs trying to get away, and they are a lot stronger than they look! Another reason rabbits don't make good starter pets is the amount of time and energy required to care for them. I am not joking when I say they require as much care as a cat or dog! They need regular exercise time if they are in a cage. They also need their cage or living space cleaned quite often as rabbits use the bathroom a lot. (Trust me, that's a good thing!)

Setting Up Your Bunny's New Home!

Okay, so now that you have determined if your house is right for a rabbit, let's look at the basics of setting up for your new furry companion! The first thing you need to look at is how much space you have in your home. (Rabbits should always be housed indoors, as outside they are susceptible to predators and nasty weather.) Rabbits need lots of space to run around and play or their hips will give them problems later in life, which means expensive vet bills. The standard by law for setting up a rabbit enclosure states that the area must be twice the width of the rabbit and three times the length. Now, this is the bare minimum and I personally recommend a larger space. However, should this be the cage set up for your bunny, it will be a start. Ideally, you want to have a space for your rabbit where they can be social with family members, but also have enough quiet time to be comfortable. I house my two rabbits in a spare bedroom in my home. They see the daily traffic of me and my boyfriend walking around the house, but they have their own room with a gate to call their own.

So now you have picked a place for your bunny to live. Next, you have to decide if the bunny will be in a cage or have free roam in the area. Should you choose to cage your bunnies, which is a good choice if you're out of the house a lot, you need to choose a cage size. You can usually get this at a pet store or online. A good cage will have a hard plastic bottom and solid wire for the walls and roof. Inside the cage, you should have space where they can hide away should they feel frightened, a place to put their food and water dish (or water bottle, which is a personal choice you need to make based on what your rabbit likes more), an area for their litter box, somewhere to put hay, and a place for them to lie down.

​​I would suggest a cage from Living World. I use it for my rabbits, and they feel quite at home there. Plus, there is adequate space in there for them to move around and play. You can find a cage like this and in different sizes on Amazon.

Should you decide to let your bunny free roam, either in one room or the whole house, you need to bunny proof the area. Rabbits love to chew on things and get into mischief. Make sure the area is free from power cords and anything you wouldn't want your bunny friend to "sample". In my rabbit room, we took up the baseboards and replaced it with 2-inch tall plywood. They can chew this and it won't hurt them, however, they normally don't like the taste. We removed all of our free storage and computer desk from the room and now all that is left is some plastic storage containers that are stacked up high enough so they can't jump on them. I have their cages in there as well so they have somewhere that they know is theirs, plus a mat put down for them to run around on. (Always watch your rabbits when you have carpet down so they don't chew it!)

Getting Your New Bunny!

Once you have the cage set up, naturally the next step is getting a bunny! There are many different types and breeds of rabbits. I won't go into detail on this post, but ill make a separate post about rabbit types and breeds. When you go to the pet store (or shelter), look to see what kind of conditions the rabbits are housed in. They should have enough room to roam around and lie down. Next check the rabbit's eyes, they should be clear and free from discharge. Ask the owner how old the rabbit is. Anything younger than 8 weeks is too young to be taken from mom and you should not go there for pets. If its possible look at the rabbit's fecal droppings, they should be small round hard balls, if they are soft and runny or full of fur it can indicate a GI tract problem in the rabbit. Check their nails and teeth to make sure they are properly trimmed and in good shape and length. If this all checks out, this is a respectable place to get your bunny. Make sure you take the bunny home in a box or carrier as a baby bunny or bunny, in general, will be quite frightened in a new environment.

Bringing Your New Bunny Home!

Once you get home with your bunny, place them in their living area right away. I know as soon as you get home you just want to cuddle them and play with them, but he is very timid around both you and in his new home. It is best to give them some space and let them settle in before you start bonding and building trust. Make sure they have fresh water, pellets, and hay. Bunnies will spend several days smelling and exploring their new environment so it's important to make sure you give them time to do this. Check in on them periodically and let them sniff your hand if they want to. Let them come to you! If you are forceful with them they will become afraid of you and may start to bite and claw. Ouch! As the days pass, spend more and more time with them allowing them to come around you and sniff you, they may even jump into your lap once they feel safe enough. Remeber that rabbits are prey animals and building trust takes time and patience. I promise it will pay off in the end! There is a truly special bond between a rabbit and their owner, one only rabbit owners could understand! So relax, you got this!

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