World largest rabbit

Meet, Annette Edwards. Annette owns a giant rabbit named Darius. At 4 ft 3 inches long and 50 pounds, Darius holds the Guinness World Record for world’s largest rabbit. Look at this big boy:

Mini Lop Rabbits Are Are Great Pets

Mini Lop Rabbits are the sweetest addition to anyones family, here we have compiled tips from our years of keeping and breeding rabbits.

Housing your rabbit is crucial and the bigger the better. Mini Lop Rabbits need somewhere they can run or be outside. They need sunlight too. However, on highly hot days they do need protection since they do not sweat and run a chance of dehydrating or overheating.

Feed your rabbit.

It is suggested that your mini lop rabbit eat a diet that's grass or hay based. For the bulk of rabbits, we recommend feeding them in limited quantities of top quality kind of rabbit food which is a mix or pellets and limitless hay. You can supplement this diet with other green foods. You can change the proportions of the foodstuff above and provide your rabbit with a natural diet that is composed of mainly hay and greens and smaller quantities of pellets or mix. This type of hay and plant diet suits most rabbits well as it is closely related to the diet of a wild rabbit.

Unfortunately, lettuce could cause runny stools and risk of dehydration which is the reason for it not being included in our list. Many of us think rabbits eat lettuce I continue to find people giving me lettuce for my rabbits, but it truly isnt good for them.

It is in the best interest of your mini lop rabbit to continue feeding them the food we offer you when you buy a baby rabbit and then tell you when to make a few changes. When this is not possible, you need to continue using the first food and then gradually add your present feed mixed up with the first feed. Just make sure that the food you do get is of top quality and the rabbit gets its advised daily necessities of minerals and vitamins. Remember that baby rabbits should not eat vegetables till around 3 to 4 months of age.

Litter, Bedding and Nesting Material for Your Pet Rabbit to absorb and collect waste, litter is the material placed on the floor of a rabbit hutch. Many owners call this bedding. Some of the materials used for litter can be useful for bedding. Nesting materials are materials that a rabbit uses to make a soft bed in its favorite place to sleep. Various sorts of Bedding and Litter for your Pet Rabbit

A variety of rabbit litter I open to you, for example sawdust slices, wood chips, clay and corncobs. The bottom of the cage should be covered with this type of litter materials in order to soak up the odours and collect waste. Cedar shavings are far more concentrated in smell. Pine and aspen bedding has lower amounts of aromatic oils. You need to talk with your veterinarian about the kind of bedding that's compatible with your rabbit, since its respiratory system can be compromised with overly aromatic oil smells. Corncob bedding may cause impactions after being consumed so this type is not recommended.

Changing a Rabbit's Litter and Bedding, you may change the litter weekly. It can be damaging to your rabbit if it is confined to a cage that holds a high concentration of ammonia smoke. You can reduce this smell by cleaning out the soiled corner daily. You may scale back the odours from your rabbit hutch by using an all natural Pet Deodoriser.

Children and Rabbits, Are you considering a rabbit for your children? Rabbits are wonderful family pets for children of every age as they can partake of its care. Remember that rabbits live for approximately 10 years and youngsters cannot be expected to maintain their interest in pet care for that period. A responsible adult is known as for when it comes to rabbit care. When children get busy with other issues the may not notice that a rabbit is not eating sensibly and this is essential for a rabbit.

Mini Lop Rabbits do not enjoy being picked up and when mishandled can be injured simply. They can die from falls or being dropped. Do not allow any kid under eight years old to pick up your rabbit. When young children are holding a rabbit, they deserve to be sitting on the ground so the rabbit can't fall. I have sadly heard of a child picking a rabbit up and dropping it causing such a severely broken bone the rabbit was put to sleep, children must be supervised it's way better to sit them on the floor so the rabbit can not fall, rabbits dont like being up in the air they are designed to be on the ground and may feel terribly insecure if you pick them up and carry them around.

It is highly recommended the mini lop rabbit similar to cats and dogs be desired by the adults of a family since when children loose their interest in the pet, it does not wind up in a shelter or out in the woods.

How to Litter Train Your Pet Rabbit

Train your rabbit

If you own a rabbit and aren't quite sure what to do with him or her why not train him. I will show you step by step how to litter train your pet rabbit. Within a few weeks, your rabbit will be trained to use a litter box both in and out of his cage. Don't worry, its not that hard to do, I did it with my six year old daughter.

Here are three things you should do before you start to actually train your rabbit.

1) Make sure you have a proper cage for your rabbit:
His cage should be big enough for him to have a "living" area and a "potty" area.

2)Let your rabbit exercise everyday.
You should have your rabbit out to exercise 1-2 times a day for 30-60 minutes.

3) Feed your rabbit
You should feed your rabbit a combination of fruits, vegetables and dry food three times a day.You will find that your rabbit has one or two favorite treats which you will use when you begin to train him.
Ok now that you have spent a some time getting to know your rabbit and have become friends its time to start training.

Litter Training Your Rabbit
This should be the first thing you teach your rabbit to do. It is a fairly easy task to do plus it will eliminate having to clean up after him while you are training himother commands. You will need a litterpan about 4 inches high and either hay or nonclumping rabbit litter to put in the litter box. DO NOT use regular cat litter. The dust can cause respiratory problems for your rabbit. Place the litter box in the room where you have been letting him exercise. Remove some "rabbit pebbles" from the bottom of your rabbits cage and place them in the litter box. Put your rabbit in the litter box and use a command like "rabbits name, go pebbles" or "rabbits name, go potty ". Don't worry if your rabbit hops out of the box, let him hop around for 10 minutes then place him back in the box and repeat the command. When you see your rabbit go potty in the box, praise him by scratching his nose or stroking his head and say "good rabbits name" or good boy/girl". DO NOT give your rabbit a treat for going potty. Do this everyday for a week. By the end of the week your rabbit should hop in the pan and go potty whenever you have him out of his cage.

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.

Some Different Styles of Rabbit Cages

Rabbits are clean animals and they enjoy being litter-trained; therefore, they are quite happy to live in rabbit cages which keep them safe and comfortable. There are many styles of prefabricated or do-it-yourself cages to choose from according to your preferences and needs. Well made, indoor and large outdoor cages or pens will help your pet live a happy, healthy life.

The first and most important factor to consider with any type of cage is, however, that the size ought to correspond proportionally to the size of the bunny. It is recommended that the cage be at least four times as big as your rabbit. A 36" x 36" cage, with a height of 24" to 36", ought to be sufficient to accommodate a single rabbit weighing over 8 pounds.

Any style of cage with a height of at least 24" could accommodate within it a second-story loft with a ramp. This type of cage, as well as those without a loft and only one story high, would benefit from having a ramp which leads from the exit-way allowing your pet to come and go leisurely from their little haven. It is for this specific reason that a cage with a side-door is recommended over one with a top door.

Your cage should have a secure locking device to ensure that it remains tightly closed, especially in the case of side doors. Otherwise, it would be unfortunate if the little furry guy or gal squeezed through, burrowed out, or got stuck in the doorway when no one was around to catch it or help it out of its dilemma!

A cage with a larger doorway on the side is preferable over a smaller one one so as to facilitate easy removal of a litter pan. And as previously mentioned, the rabbit can then get itself in and out easily without your help. Since the best cages are made of wire, it would be in your best interest, and that of your rabbit's, to ensure that the all side-door frames are smoothly covered to prevent injuries and deter rabbit-chewing.

A style of cage with wood flooring instead of wire would be cozier for your pet so its paws and skin do not become irritated. If treated with a non-toxic substance and fitted tightly against the sides of the cage, wood flooring would be safe for bunny, impossible to chew and easy to remove for cleaning. A soft layer of hay covering an easy-clean floor would be appreciated by your rabbit and the cleanliness of the cage would be simple to maintain.

Hay will stay fresh, soft and dry if there is a litter box available for your pet and if the hay-bed is replaced at least weekly. You can simply brush the old hay from the wood, wipe the floor clean using non-toxic cleaners and reduce your cleaning time while simultaneously making this style almost self-cleaning - you will be as happy as your pet!

Outdoor types of cages can be constructed or prefabricated just as easily as indoor ones. A well-covered, secure, outdoor playpen area would be appreciated by your pet, but don't forget to be sure that you have laid down an indestructible floor underneath it - as rabbits love to burrow and chew.

Bad weather and predators such as cats, dogs, hawks, etc. Will not be able to harm your pet in its safe, outdoor cage. In addition to the indoor styles mentioned earlier, an outdoor cage modeled with a bit of sophistication would sport a water-proof, covered top. If this cover allowed light in as well, your bunny would love to being out of doors while you are away during the workday provided it will be shielded from the blazing sun. It will also enjoy sleeping in its protected environment all night long.

The range of styles of rabbit cages is much larger than one would think. Given that wide selection, however, just a as with humans, the cleaner and safer rabbit cages are, the happier the rabbit.

Rabbit Cages - The Perfect Housing For Your Cuddly Pets

Rabbits are adorable and cuddly pets that both children and adults equally like. Providing a wonderful home for your innocent pet is the first thing that you need to consider before buying a rabbit. Usually, two types of housing options are available for rabbits: hutches and cages.

Rabbit Hutches

These are built as outdoor housing units for rabbits. Traditional designs have three sides made of wood with a wired front and bottom. Usually, there will be doors at the back. The whole structure is supported by long legs so that the rabbits can be kept away from the ground for protection from extreme chills and predators. A hutch can house many rabbits in independent compartments. Hutches are great for outdoor housing of rabbits as it does not require daily cleaning, though you need to remove the droppings occasionally.

However, there are also some negative sides to housing your pet rabbits in a hutch. Since they are placed outside, hutches are exposed to the changing weather conditions. Extreme cold climate can be hazardous for most varieties of pet rabbits. Likewise, they are also prone to attack from predators. Though they are safe inside the hutch, small animals like dogs, cats, etc. can scare them and even cause their death. Care must be taken to house the rabbits in warmer places and away from predator attack.

Rabbit Cages

Perhaps the best option to keep rabbits inside or outside the house is to put them in proper cages. Indoor cages help you to keep your pets inside the house with you. Since rabbits love the company of humans, they are also happy to see the people, hear their voices, and being cuddled and played with more often. Well-trained rabbits can even play in your house and retire to their cages whenever they like or when it is time to shut them up for the night. Weather changes do not affect them and they are also safe from predators, unless you have a pet cat or dog that has access to the indoors. You also need to clean the cage on a daily basis.

Different types of materials are used for rabbit cages. Most people prefer the wired variety as it is easier to clean. Another advantage of all-wire cages is that it does not let any odor remain in the cages as against the solid variety which accumulate the rabbit droppings. The odor will still be there in the solid rabbit cages even after you clean them.

When you buy or build rabbit cages, make sure that they are quite airy and has sufficient space for your big bunny to hop around. Even if your pet is small in size, it will be a good idea to have a big cage so that it does not feel crammed inside. While outdoor hutches are mainly for protection, indoor cages can be treated as decorative features. Since the rabbits are already protected by the walls of the house, the indoor cages can be considered as a supplementary housing. People who prefer indoor cages usually choose aesthetic models that complement the interior of the room where it is placed.

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.