9 Rabbit Care Basic Tips

Rabbit care basics are all about how you should treat your pet rabbit. It is about how they will be able to live a healthy life in your hands. But for you to be able to give them the love and attention they need you must be familiar with some of the guidelines of rabbit care basic which is very important in handling pet rabbits. Their health is in your hands.

Another factor of rabbit care basic is how you should see to it that they are in god health. As an owner, you must always check if your pet rabbit is feeling fine. Rabbits can't talk that's why you must know whether they are sick or not. You also must see to it that they are getting the right kind of food for their age and situations.

Rabbits' need differ from their condition and breeds. Small rabbits does not require large amount of food and shelter. Pregnant rabbits do need extra amount of pellets and veggies to help her body function well especially the she have litters inside her that are also getting nourishment from all the food she takes.

Here are some important guidelines you must understand and follow about rabbit care basics:

1. When trimming their nails, you must dampen their paws first before trimming it but never overtrim their nails because it might bleed.

2. Do not use any flea soap or flea shampoo when bathing your rabbit. These could get into their eyes and could really harm them. When you are going to bathe them, use no tears shampoo and if you suspects that they have fleas in their coats, never use any flea products instead consult your vet about flea comb.

3. See to it that your pet rabbit gets the right kind of food in right amount. Pellets should be given º cups every day and should also have their veggies and fruits too.

4. Always give your pet rabbits fresh and clean water. Rabbits are fluid drinkers and they could get dehydrated easily when they are not able to drink. If this happens, feed them with Pedialyte to replenish the loss fluid from their bodies.

5. A rabbit's cage should also be larger than his size so he can have enough room to move around.

6. Clean the cage at least twice a week.

7. Feed your pet rabbit with ample supply of oats and timothy hay.

8. Let your pet rabbit do his daily exercise and the ideal time for it is two hours every day.

9. Never give your pet rabbit any cedar because this might cause respiratory blockage or worse it could kill them when digested.

Rabbits Diet

Rabbits Diet: Is your rabbit eating right?

The typical diet for a pet rabbit consists of water, hay, pellets, fresh vegetables, and its own caecal pellets. Fruit and other treats are given only in very limited quantities, as they can cause obesity in a rabbit. Rabbits require a constant water supply as they dehydrate quickly.

Most sources recommend 80% of the diet should be Timothy hay or another grass hay. Too many vegetables in a rabbit's diet typically leads to diarrhea and other digestive problems.

Pellets

Rabbits are generally fed a pelleted feed available from pet stores, supermarkets, and farm suppliers. Pellets were originally designed for rabbit breeders for the purpose of providing as much food energy and vitamins as inexpensively as possible. This is optimal when the rabbits are being bred for food or for experimentation.

Most sources recommend a minimum of 18% fiber, low protein (14?15%), and less than 1% calcium. Depending on the amount of vegetables available, an adult rabbit should be given between 20 ml to 40 ml per kilogram (? and ? cup of pellets per 6 pounds) body weight daily. Pre-adolescent and adolescent rabbits (7 months and younger) can be given as much pelleted diet as they can consume, although additional vegetables are preferable to additional pellets. An older rabbit (over six years) can be given more pellets if they are having difficulty maintaining a steady body weight. Timothy hay-based pellets are great for rabbits that have stopped growing and do not need to gain weight. Alfalfa-based pellets are best only for young, growing rabbits or older rabbits who are under-weight.

Hay

Hay is essential for the health of all rabbits. A steady supply of hay will help prevent gastrointestinal stasis and other digestive tract problems in rabbits. Additionally, it provides a number of necessary vitamins and minerals at a low food energy cost. Rabbits enjoy chewing on hay, and always having hay available for the rabbit may reduce its tendency to chew on other items. Timothy hay and other grass hays are considered the healthiest to provide the rabbit. As a persistently high blood calcium level can prove harmful to the rabbit, hays such as alfalfa and clover hay should be avoided. Alfalfa is also relatively high in food energy, and a constant diet of it can cause obesity in rabbits.

Treats

Treats are unhealthy in large quantities for rabbits, just as they are for humans. Most treats sold in pet stores are filled with sugar and high food energy carbohydrates. If an owner is determined to feed the rabbit treats, the best treat to provide it with is fruit.

Acceptable fruits (seeds and pits MUST be removed): Banana, Mango, Pineapple, Peach, Apple, Kiwi, Berries, Orange and other citrus fruits.

Pineapple, mango, and papaya all contain a natural enzyme which is thought to reduce hairballs.

Fruits or other treats must be given in moderation, as rabbits easily become overweight and suffer health problems. Their diet should consist of no more than half a tablespoon of fruits or treats per day.

However, fresh fruits should not be given to rabbits under the age of 4 months because their digestive system are not always developed enough to handle the fruit. It can cause enteritis that causes death within 48 hours.

While a common myth that rabbits should be given lettuce, this is not a good idea because it contains little to no nutritional value for the rabbit and again can cause enteritis which leads to a quick death.

Caecal pellets

Do not be alarmed if you see your rabbit eat some of his feces. These are called cecal pellets, and are a vital part of his diet. Caecal pellets are soft, smelly, clumpy feces, and are a rabbit's only supply of Vitamin B12. Due to the design of the rabbit's digestive system, they cannot extract some vitamins and minerals directly from their food. At the end of their digestive system is an area called the caecum where cellulose and other plant fibers are broken down and ferment. After they have been broken down and passed, a rabbit's digestive system can finally extract the vitamins from them.

choosing the best Rabbit food

Owning a pet rabbit can be great fun. They are a very cute and loveable animal. But you need to understand exactly how to feed and care for your pet in the right manner to prevent sickness and disease form becoming a problem. One of the biggest considerations is what type of rabbit food to give to them.

Rabbits are naturally herbivores, this means that they only consume plants, so do not give them any scraps of meat from the kitchen table, save that for your pet dog. Most bunnies would enjoy eating herbs, grass, seeds, and vegetables. It is also possible to provide them with special rabbit pellets designed to ensure they have the maximum nutrition possible, if this is an option you are going to undertake then make sure the pellets you choose are correct for the age of your rabbit.

Understand that just like us humans, each rabbit with have its own particular likes and dislikes. For example, one individual may have a soft spot for carrots whereas another may prefer munching on lettuce leaves. If you are to give them an assortment of vegetables then it would be better to choose organic varieties rather than those that have been coated with high amounts of pesticides. A rabbit is not going to care over how its food looks; it is the taste and nutrition which is important.

You should avoid giving any food that is overly watery or sugary as this can have a negative impact on their digestive system. If you notice that your pet is not so inclined to eat the foods you are providing then change their diet.

It is also important that the rabbit can consume foods that need chewing. This helps them to maintain a healthy oral cavity and prevent gum infections and related diseases.