|
1. How long do pet rabbits live?
A. Pet rabbits can live between 7 and 12 years. To extend the life of your pet rabbit, consider neutering or spaying. 2. Which gender makes a better pet? A. Generally, male rabbits have a better pet personality. Female rabbits can become defensive of their potential nesting areas. Spaying or neutering makes either an even better pet. It is worth mentioning that some people have unaltered female pet rabbits that are wonderful. 3. How long is doe pregnancy cycle? A. Usually it will last around 28 to 32 days. That is around 4 weeks.. A. Hay or straw provides long fiber which promotes good health. This long fiber is not present in rabbit pellets. I recommend feeding hay or straw at least twice per week. I feed my rabbits straw daily. Except for young rabbits, do not choose alfalfa, which is too high in protein to be used as their source of fiber. 5. Do male rabbits always spray? A. I have a number of male rabbits that never spray and a few who have sprayed for a short period in their lives (after moving here, for example). I have had no rabbits spray on a long-term basis. The problem of spraying is overstated, in my opinion. 6. Do rabbits like carrots and lettuce? A. Yes, they do like them. But carrots should be regarded as a sugary treat and lettuces should be avoided altogether. A 1-inch slice of a large carrot or one baby carrot is enough for a daily treat. Some of the higher fiber leaf lettuces may be tolerated by some rabbits, but head lettuce can cause a watery diarrhea and lead to death. By the way, most rabbits actually prefer the green carrot top over the carrot itself. Some pet rabbits have been killed by being fed carrot-only diets or too much iceberg lettuce. 7. Do pet rabbits need shots like other pets? A. Being caged animals, pet rabbits do not require shots such as rabies. Vaccinations are not necessary. Always check with your vet for recommendations, however. 8. How big should a pet rabbit cage be? A. With smaller rabbit breeds, indoor pet rabbits may be housed in arabbit cage 15″ x 24″ as long as they spend part of their day outside their cage. A 30″ rabbit cage is a much better choice. Still better are rabbit condos and larger cages which help your rabbit get all of the exercise he or she needs. Obviously larger breeds require more space. 9. Is red urine from my pet rabbit a sign of a medical condition? A. No, unless the consistency is more like blood than urine. Normal rabbit urine ranges from a color that looks like lemonade with milk in it, to orange juice with milk in it, to fruit punch with milk in it. Sorry if I just ruined all of your favorite beverages. A red urine may be a sign of undigested protein. 10. What should I feed my pet rabbit? A. Pet rabbits should be fed a high-quality rabbit pellet, hay, and water. Treats such as fruits or grains are optional but will enhance your relationship with your rabbit. Raw vegetables may be used to substitute for part of the rabbit pellet ration. Feed your rabbit by weight according to the recommendations from the manufacturer. 11. When can my pet rabbit begin having treats? A. I think it’s best to wait until your rabbit is at or near adult weight before giving treats (about four to six months for dwarf breeds). It’s always possible that a treat would not agree with your pet rabbit and cause a reaction such as diarrhea, a serious condition in rabbits. An adult-size rabbit has a better chance of coping with the change in the diet and any resulting reactions. Treats should be introduced slowly, one at a time, with observation of any ill effects on your rabbit. 12. How old should a baby pet rabbit be when it goes to a new home? A. Unless a kit is being sold with its parent, it should not leave the barn until it is 8 weeks old and fully weaned. That age is the bare minimum. I do not recommend getting a pet rabbit that young, however. A three- to six-month is in a much better position to withstand the stresses of moving to a new home and can weather a mild illness better than a baby rabbit can. Families with young children especially should consider a junior rather than a baby rabbit to avoid having to deal with the death of a pet. I no longer sell pet rabbits below the age of 3 months due to the high mortality rate of young rabbits placed in pet homes. 13. When is rabbit fully grown? A. Dwarf breed rabbits are fully grown at about six months of age. He or she is fully sexually mature before that age. Although a pet rabbit may gain a few more ounces in weight after this age, he or she is pretty much the size they will be by then. Larger breeds take longer to mature, about 9 to 12 months. 14. Can my pet rabbits share a rabbit cage or rabbit hutch? A. Generally, pet rabbits should have their own rabbit cages. Occasionally, unaltered female raised from birth together may be able to cohabitate without incident. Altered rabbits (spayed or neutered) may become a bonded pair and live happily together (or they may continue to have dominance issues for life). Otherwise, you can expect females to scrap by the time they are 6 months old, at the latest. Male rabbits may begin to scrap around 3 to 4 months old. Pairs of opposite gender may breed as young as 3 months old, with disastrous results. A. First, separate the bunny from any other rabbits you have. Your bunny may have snuffles, which is like a human cold. But unlike a human cold, it is deadly in rabbits. Read up on snuffles on the web and give your vet a call. A. A head tilt is known as wry neck. It can be a slight tilt like a quizzical look or it can be a total tilt with the bunny’s eye on the floor. Wry neck is a symptom rather than a disease and it can have many causes. Take your pet rabbit to a rabbit savvy vet. 17. What can I do about fleas? A. Rabbits aren’t particularly prone to fleas, but they can get them from your other pets. Be sure to actually identify the fleas before treating. Scratching is not enough to diagnose flea infestation. If you see flea, be sure to avoid using Frontline on rabbits. My vet recommends Feline Revolution. It is important not to use over the counter flea preparations for rabbits since they may be toxic. Always check with your vet for recommendations. 18. My rabbit’s front teeth are HUGE! What should I do about it? A. Rabbit teeth are a bit on the long side normally, but if your rabbit’s teeth are growing out of control, curling, or affecting your rabbit’s ability to eat comfortably, they need some attention. One option is to take the rabbit to the vet to have its teeth clipped. You can expect a fee close to that of clipping dogs’ nails. Or, you can learn to clip them yourself. Some people use a Dremel with a sanding disk. Be sure to wear protective eye gear. You can clip off large excess with cat nail scissors and then smooth the edges with the Dremel. 19. Does my rabbit need a bath? A. In general, no, your rabbit does not need a bath. Rabbits are somewhat like cats in that they bathe themselves daily. A bath might be in order in an extreme circumstance such as due to an illness with diarrhea. But baths strip the fur of its natural oils and damages the coat. For urine stains or food stains, try dabbing with hydrogen peroxide and blotting dry. Several treatments may be necessary for stubborn stains. 20. Is it okay for my rabbit to nibble on my lawn? A. Maybe. First, you must make sure that the lawn has not been recently treated with chemical fertilizer or pesticide. Second, you should keep an eye out for mushrooms or strange weeds. Some plants are poisonous to rabbits. Another consideration is how used to fresh food your rabbit is. Consider fresh grass, clover, and dandelions to be new foods to your rabbit if he hasn’t had them before (recently). That means to allow only a small serving in the beginning and observe your rabbit for several days before adding any other new food. 21. What is a good first vegetable to introduce? A. The lowest carbohydrate vegetables are safest for your rabbit. I prefer that pet owners wait before adding vegetables to their rabbit’s diet – it’s too easy to overdo it. The safest vegetables would include cilantro, parsley, raspberry leaves, green carrot tops, and pesticide- and fertilizer-free dandelion greens. |
No comments:
Post a Comment