We're Not Toys!
Rabbits can live well beyond ten years and are a long term commitment! They do not make good starter pets for children. Rabbits are delicate, ground-loving creatures. Most rabbits do not like to be held or handled, and may try to escape a well-meaning child’s arms by biting and scratching. In addition, a rabbit’s back may be easily broken as a result of improper handling. I will not sell an animal as a child's pet where the child is to be the main care giver. An adult must take responsibility for the rabbit in all circumstances.
RABBITS ARE NOT FOR EASTER! I do not sell rabbits on or near easter to try to ensure that they are not being purchased as an easter gift. This video helps explain my reason.
http://youtu.be/G3BIVea90jE
RABBITS ARE NOT FOR EASTER! I do not sell rabbits on or near easter to try to ensure that they are not being purchased as an easter gift. This video helps explain my reason.
http://youtu.be/G3BIVea90jE
Bringing Bunny Home!
What You'll Need
1. Cage or Rabbit Hutch
2. Water Bottle/Dish
3. Food Dish
4. Rabbit Pellets (Plain)
5. Hay (Preferably Timothy)
6. Bedding (Wood Pellet, Carefresh, Aspen. NEVER Pine or Cedar)
7. Litter Pan (Optional, but I recommend it. A normal cat box works great)
8. White Vinegar or Pet Safe Cage Cleaner (Vinegar works great to clean litter pans and get rid of smell)
9. Slicker Brush for Grooming (usually not needed for Mini Rex)
10. Pet Nail Clippers
11. Toys
1. Cage or Rabbit Hutch
2. Water Bottle/Dish
3. Food Dish
4. Rabbit Pellets (Plain)
5. Hay (Preferably Timothy)
6. Bedding (Wood Pellet, Carefresh, Aspen. NEVER Pine or Cedar)
7. Litter Pan (Optional, but I recommend it. A normal cat box works great)
8. White Vinegar or Pet Safe Cage Cleaner (Vinegar works great to clean litter pans and get rid of smell)
9. Slicker Brush for Grooming (usually not needed for Mini Rex)
10. Pet Nail Clippers
11. Toys
Feeding Your Bunny
Young Rabbits (Under 6 Months Old)
Feed an unlimited amount of good quality plain rabbit pellet. Avoid foods mixed with corn, seeds, treats, and other little "fun" bits. They serve no real nutritional value and contain far too many calories for a healthy rabbit. Think of them as junk food. Its not healthy to eat candy and chocolate cake with every meal is it? Also provide unlimited clean water and hay. Timothy hay is best but other kinds such as orchard grass are ok. Since large amounts of Timothy are hard to find in my area I buy bales of good quality Pasture Blend for about $5 per bale. Avoid alfalfa as it is too high in calcium. Avoid feeding fruits and veggies until your rabbit is older due to sensitive tummies.
Adult Rabbits (6 Months and Over)
At this point you want to limit your rabbit's feed to avoid them becoming overweight. I recommend that adult Mini Rex be fed 1/2 cup of plain pellets per day. I feed my rabbits Mana Pro (available in 50lb bags) and they do quite well on it. Of course you also need to provide unlimited water and hay. You can also start to gradually introduce veggies and fruit (fruit should only be fed as a treat once in a while as it is high in sugar). Here is a list of safe fruits and vegetables.
Note: When you purchase a rabbit from Velvet Village I will provide you with a week's worth of Mana Pro. If you plan to use a different brand of pellet, transition your rabbit slowly, mixing the new brand with the Mana Pro, gradually increasing the new brand and decreasing the amount of Mana Pro.
Feed an unlimited amount of good quality plain rabbit pellet. Avoid foods mixed with corn, seeds, treats, and other little "fun" bits. They serve no real nutritional value and contain far too many calories for a healthy rabbit. Think of them as junk food. Its not healthy to eat candy and chocolate cake with every meal is it? Also provide unlimited clean water and hay. Timothy hay is best but other kinds such as orchard grass are ok. Since large amounts of Timothy are hard to find in my area I buy bales of good quality Pasture Blend for about $5 per bale. Avoid alfalfa as it is too high in calcium. Avoid feeding fruits and veggies until your rabbit is older due to sensitive tummies.
Adult Rabbits (6 Months and Over)
At this point you want to limit your rabbit's feed to avoid them becoming overweight. I recommend that adult Mini Rex be fed 1/2 cup of plain pellets per day. I feed my rabbits Mana Pro (available in 50lb bags) and they do quite well on it. Of course you also need to provide unlimited water and hay. You can also start to gradually introduce veggies and fruit (fruit should only be fed as a treat once in a while as it is high in sugar). Here is a list of safe fruits and vegetables.
Note: When you purchase a rabbit from Velvet Village I will provide you with a week's worth of Mana Pro. If you plan to use a different brand of pellet, transition your rabbit slowly, mixing the new brand with the Mana Pro, gradually increasing the new brand and decreasing the amount of Mana Pro.
Housing/Cages
The first decision is if you'd like to keep your new rabbit indoors or outdoors. No matter which you pick, make sure the cage has ample room for the supplies (Food/water dishes, litter box, toys) and for the rabbit to be able to move around/stretch out/stand up comfortably.
Outdoor Housing
Here are a few pictures of one of my does, Buttercup, in one of our hutches. We remove the divider before they give birth to give them the full 4ftx3ft space. I will also add pictures of the hutch with divider for the single rabbits (Sorry for the lack of hay and toys in that one. Those pictures were taken right after it was built.)
Outdoor Housing
Here are a few pictures of one of my does, Buttercup, in one of our hutches. We remove the divider before they give birth to give them the full 4ftx3ft space. I will also add pictures of the hutch with divider for the single rabbits (Sorry for the lack of hay and toys in that one. Those pictures were taken right after it was built.)
Indoor Housing
Here is a great thread on the rabbitsonline.net website that shows lots of great examples of indoor housing (and a few outdoor). It is a great website for anyone seeking advice for anything rabbit related =)
Litter Training
Litter training your rabbit is a pretty normal thing to do in this day and age as more and more people are bringing their rabbits inside. However you can also litter train your furry friend if they are using an outside hutch. It is a much cleaner condition to keep your rabbits in and it makes it a lot easier when cleaning out their cage/hutch. It is usually very easy to do. Simply fill the litter box with your desired bedding, add a scoop of you rabbit's droppings for scent, and place the litter pan in the corner your rabbit has chosen to use as its bathroom.
Exercise
Your rabbit should be let out of its cage for at least fifteen minutes daily, if not more. If this is done inside, make sure that the room is bunny proofed. Consider buying a pen or rabbit run so that your bunny can have outdoor exercise and nibble at the grass. Never leave your rabbit unsupervised out of its cage.
Toys
Rabbits love to play! They will chew, push, throw, and bump anything they can get their paws on. Some great toy ideas are paper shopping bags, cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls, and hard plastic baby keys. Below I'll add a picture of a homemade toy that my rabbits love =) Its a brown paper bag stuffed with hay, grass, and little bits of veggie. I've twisted the top shut and poked holes in the sides.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDZ97Br_UyI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDZ97Br_UyI&feature=related