Rabbit Guide

Did you just adopt or buy a pet rabbit?

Maybe a loved one got you a rabbit as a Christmas present. Maybe you got one for your birthday. Maybe you saw a rabbit at the pet store and couldn’t resist. Maybe you picked up a stray rabbit that was dumped by a previous owner.

While it’s not ideal, sometimes people end up with a bunny they didn’t expect would be in their lives.

Here’s a crash course on rabbit care if you find yourself in a situation like this.

Know the financial cost of owning a rabbit

Despite common belief, owning a rabbit is not cheap — if you’re doing it right, that is.

They can’t just live off love and attention.

Rabbits need:

Food
Shelter
Medical Care

Here is a realistic breakdown of what it has cost me to own my lionhead rabbit, Baby.

Find a veterinarian that specializes in rabbits

You’ll want to find an exotics vet for your bunny. Not all veterinarians treat rabbits.

Make sure to sign them up for an initial check-up.

See if your rabbit has any pre-existing conditions
Ask whether your rabbit is a boy or girl (this is a common mix-up and can lead to unwanted pregnancies if there are pairs)
Ask for a spay or neuter quote

It’s important to establish yourself with a vet BEFORE an emergency happens.

You may also want to consider getting pet insurance.

Know what to feed your rabbit

One of the most common mistakes new rabbit owners make is only feeding their rabbit pellets. It’s an easy mistake to make when even pet stores are giving out this false information.

Adult rabbits should primarily be eating timothy hay. If you’re allergic, you can always try oat or meadow hay instead.

You’ll also want to make sure you’re feeding your rabbit some veggies. And no, that doesn’t mean give them a giant carrot and call it a day. Cartoons like Bugs Bunny have been toting that narrative, but in reality, carrots are a bit too sugary to be their main course.

Before buying any treats, make sure you know what companies to trust and which companies sell dangerous treats marketed towards rabbits.

It’s a highly debated topic in the rabbit community, but you’ll have to decide whether to give your rabbit water in a bottle or a bowl.

Find a rabbit setup that works for you

If you have a rabbit, please avoid keeping him/her in a cage 24/7. It’s like being quarantined in a small bedroom and never getting a chance to stretch your legs.

It’s even worse if you keep your rabbit outside in a hutch, exposed to the elements and potential predators. That’s very pre-2000’s rabbit care.

Ideally, your rabbit would be able to free roam. That means free reign of the entire house or certain rooms.

This isn’t possible for all pet owners. Some rabbits are extremely destructive. It may be for their own safety that they are only let out when they can be supervised.

In these cases, it’s great to have a playpen set up with additional flooring underneath, like an area rug. This way your rabbit can have lots of room to move around, and you can have peace of mind that they won’t eat anything dangerous.

Either way, you’ll have to make sure the areas your rabbit has access to are rabbit proofed.

Make sure to:

Hide all electrical cords or wires
Gate off areas that are not rabbit proofed
Cover baseboards if your bunny is a chewer
Move house plants out of reach (some are toxic to rabbits)

The fun part about “rabbitats” is that you can give them a fun aesthetic. You can decorate your rabbit pen with the seasons or choose a theme.

Groom your rabbit

You may notice that your rabbit grooms himself. But all bunnies need grooming, especially during shedding season.

You’ll want to set time aside each day to groom your rabbit.

You can:

Brush your rabbit with the HairBuster
Pet your rabbit while wearing grooming gloves
Pet your rabbit with wet hands

Rabbits DO NOT need baths. It can actually shock their body to experience that. If they have a “poopy bum,” you can give them a sponge bath on their butt with a damp cloth to loosen the mess.

Make sure get your rabbit’s nails clipped regularly. If they’re left too long, the nails can get caught on things and break. It can also make it very uncomfortable for your rabbit to walk. You can either learn to clip your rabbits nails yourself by watching YouTube videos or take your rabbit to a professional. Some vets will clip nails for a fee as well as some workers are pet supply stores.

Litter train your rabbit

Rabbits can be taught to use a litter box.

Make sure to get a large cat sized litter box and fill with either paper bedding or pine pellet bedding. Steer clear of pine shaving, since that can be bad for your rabbit’s lungs.

You can give your rabbit a hint at what you want by placing some dropping in the bin and putting hay there. Most rabbits like to snack and poop at the same time.

How to get to know your rabbit

This is the fun part of owning a rabbit.

Get to know your rabbit and their personality by spending some quality time together. Just sit down on the floor while your rabbit is running around. Eventually they’ll get curious and come to you.

It’s important to establish that trust and not force anything. Remember, rabbits are prey animals, so they likely won’t take kindly to being smothered by a stranger. It takes time to develop a bond.

In the beginning, try not to pick up your rabbit unless necessary for grooming, vet visits, or emergencies. Most rabbits prefer having all four feet on safe, solid ground.

You’ll also want to start listening and learning what different rabbit sounds mean. You may be surprised by how expressive they are!

Once you’re comfortable with each other, you can even train your rabbit to do tricks!