Care and Responsibility - Cadence Heeren
- Ms. Knutson
- Sep 23, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 6, 2019
Space Requirement
You should get a cage that is 8 square feet by 24 square feet so the rabbit has room for when its older and room so it can stretch out. Even if you put toys in your rabbit's cage they will still get bored so don't leave your rabbit cooped up in a cage all day long the most they should be in a cage at a time is five hours. Your rabbit may not even need a cage during the day, you can let your rabbit roam free around your house but you will want to do it gradually so they can feel safe in the new environment. Putting them back in their cage while nobody is home is a good idea just to keep them out of trouble because if they get bored they tend to be naughty, putting them back in their cage will help potty train them. Rabbits also have their own home base, so the will more than likely go back to their cage at night to sleep so they feel safe and not so alone.
Cleaning this Space
Sticking to a cleaning schedule will help make it less work in the future, you do not have to clean it daily there is actually no set rules to cleaning the cage but doing it often will help you personally. Most people will clean it once a week but deep clean it about every other week, the more rabbits you have the more it should be cleaned and depending on the size of the cage, the smaller the cage usually cleaning more often is best. Some things you should do everyday just to keep the cage looking and smelling fresh like throwing out the uneaten foods that aren't in a bowl you should do this twice daily in the morning and at night, cleaning out their food bowl, washing and refilling the water bottle, deep cleaning up the stuff that has fallen out of the litter box like urine clumps and water spills and putting fresh hay where you just cleaned, and lastly cleaning the litter bot and putting in new litter as needed. You should remove all accessories and toys and wash them, remove all fabric bedding and wash them and replace them with new or fresh bedding, and wipe down cage using hot water and vinegar to keep the smell away weekly.
Health and Food Cost
If you want to get your rabbit neutered or spayed it can cost between $125-$250. Usually, a regular annual check up cost between $35-$65. You can also get pet insurance on your rabbit usually the people who get this are concerned about big emergency costs or a major illness like ileus or tooth issues. Some rabbits won't have any issues but they more than likely will since they live a fairly long life. You will also have to pay for things like nail trimming, teeth trimming things to groom them, and if they chew anything in your house like your carpet and furniture.
Health Care
You have to keep their cages fresh daily so cleaning the hay, fresh food and water, and cleaning out the litter box. Really the only thing that needs to be done monthly is getting their nails trimmed. Annually they should clean and disinfect their cage and dishes, and a veterinary checkup.
Attention Needed
Since rabbits are loving caring creatures they love their humans so they nt only love to be with them but they are required to be with them. Without it, they can get bored to the point where they are lonely and depressed. Even if you give them toys they will eventually get bored of them. Giving them another rabbit friend will help a little bit but not much.
Care and Grooming
Rabbits usually spend time grooming themselves, but we still need to brush them to prevent hairballs. If you have a short haired breed of rabbit the shed about every three months so brushing them once a week can help keep them from getting hairballs and keep them looking good. During those three months, they shed like crazy so daily brushing would be ideal. Rabbit’s skin is sensitive so a brush meant for rabbits will help you from hurting them and scratching their skin. If you have a long-haired rabbit a daily routine so their hair doesn't get all tangled up. Rabbits are very prone to getting hairballs, which causes blockage in their stomachs when they ingest long hairs.
Cleansing and Bathing
Giving your rabbit any type of bath is not a good idea, it can cause them to get upset and sometimes putting them into shock. Spot bathing is okay like if they have dirty feet you would just clean their feet not their whole body. If you use a hairdryer to dry them never put it on high heat it will cause the bunny to overheat, instead put it on medium heat and keep it at least 12 inches away from them.
Local Laws Prohibiting
There are no laws to owning rabbits in South Dakota. In other states they require you to have a certain amount of space for your rabbit otherwise it can be considered animal cruelty.
Other Requirements
Like some animals, you may want to bunny proof your house so they don't chew on things or get lost while you aren't watching them. You may be able to feed your cats and dogs food in big bags at the store rabbits need fresh greens. Rabbits can get very bored so they need toys and loads of attention. Pet rabbits are different than other animals, you need to understand their language so that they can live a happy life, it also builds your rabbit's trust in you. Unlike dogs, rabbits tend to go to the bathroom in one spot kind of like cats. So giving them a litter box is a good idea so their cage doesn't get all gross.
CITES
Comments