What to buy for Rabbits?
A popular family choice of pet, rabbits are easy to look after once you have the right knowledge. With many varieties and breeds of domestic rabbit, their needs are generally the same which make it simpler to look after your bunny. Read on for more of our rabbit advice, perfect for first-time owners.
Bedding
Similar to guinea pigs and other rodents, your rabbit will prefer bedding consisting of hay/straw and shredded paper. By using hay, it also means that they will always have something to eat too! You will need to change the bedding every day, as it will quickly get soaked with urine and rotting vegetables. It can also smell very unpleasant when it needs changing, which isn’t nice for you or your rabbit.
Food
Rabbits are herbivores and enjoy fresh hay, dry pellet rabbit food and fresh vegetables. They should have a constant supply of hay, that can be used both for eating and bedding, whilst you should avoid rhubarb and tomatoes which can cause stomach problems. Carrots are ideal as chew toys but not all rabbits actually like to eat them. Your rabbit also needs freshwater, which can either be placed in a sturdy bowl or a plastic drip bottle fastened to your rabbit’s hutch.
Hutch
Rabbits are usually different sizes depending on their breed, so you can make sure their hutch is big enough by making sure there’s enough room for them to make three or four full hops. Obviously, bigger rabbits need bigger hutches; check with your vet or shelter to see how big your rabbit will grow. Your rabbit will also need somewhere to run around, like an outdoor enclosure, which should offer protection from predators and the weather. Rabbits often enjoy exploring indoors too, so rabbit-proof a room (electric wires, ornaments, wooden furniture etc) and let them hop about inside.
Carrier
A carrier is an ideal product for transporting your rabbit to and from places. As rabbits are small creatures, you don’t want to simply hold them whilst in a vehicle; they can get spooked and wriggle, leading to injuries. The carry case should be spacious enough for them to move around, with plenty of ventilation. It’s also recommended to place some hay inside with them to comfort them and provide them with a tasty snack too.
Grooming
Rabbits are very clean creatures and often groom themselves (even cleaning their ears!). If your rabbit isn’t keeping themselves clean, they are most likely unwell and should be taken to the vets. Additionally, rabbits can swallow hairballs but cannot vomit, so the fur will simply stay in their stomachs and prevent them from eating. To stop this happening, you can brush your rabbit regularly and more often when they are moulting.
Toys
As quite curious and playful animals, rabbits enjoy playing with toys. Some rabbits enjoy pushing a ball around with their nose or paw, whilst others could simply have fun ripping up newspapers. An ideal toy is something that they can chew on, to stop their teeth from growing too much. Often, rabbits will chew the wood of their hutch in order to wear their constantly-growing teeth down, so a durable and safe-to-chew toy is the best choice for your rabbit.