Pet rabbit housing, environment and handling
Champaign County Humane Society
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Pet rabbit housing, environment and handling Champaign County Humane Society
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Cage
A metal cage with wire flooring of 14 gauge wire (1"x 1/2" square
openings is recommended. A portion of the bottom should have solid flooring
to prevent sore hocks and to provide a resting area. The size of the cage
should be at least 24" x 24" x 18" high for the small- and medium- sized
breeds and 36" x 36" x 24" high for the large breeds.
You can use a towel (unless you have a pet that likes to eat towels), or
piece of carpeting or wood for the solid area. The "synthetic fleece" cloth
sold in fabric stores works well. It is washable and if the pet chews on it,
there are no long strands of fabric that can get caught in the digestive
tract. Newspaper can be used under the wire. Do not use aquariums or solid
walled cages. Lack of sufficient air circulation has been directly
correlated with an increase in respiratory disease.
Litter box
Rabbits can be trained to use a litter box relatively easily.
Initially, you need to keep your pet in a small area, either a cage or a
blocked off section of the room. Place a litter box in the corner (try to
pick the corner your pet has already used). Make sure the sides of the box
are low enough so your pet can get in and out easily. It is helpful to put
some of the droppings in the box. You might also put some hay in the box to
encourage defecation in the box (they usually pass stool while they are
eating). You can reward your pet with a treat food whenever he or she has
used the box successfully.
Pelleted paper or other organic products make the best bedding or litter.
These products are non toxic and digestible if eaten, easier to clean up
than shavings or clay litter, control odor better and are compostable. Some
examples are Cellu-Dri and Yesterday's News (which are paper products),
Mountain Cat Kitty Litter or Harvest Litter (pelleted wheat grass products),
and Gentle Touch (pelleted aspen shavings).
Temperature
Rabbits should be kept in the coolest and least humid area of
the house. The best temperature range for a bunny is 60-70 degrees. If
temperatures reach the upper 80's and beyond, and especially if the humidity
is high, the potential for a fatal heat stroke is very real. On hot days,
when air conditioning is not available, it is helpful to leave a plastic
milk jug filled with frozen water in the cage, for a portable "air
conditioner."
Household hazards
you are going to have your bunny roaming the house,
make sure that you block off areas that your pet could get wedged in or
escape from. Also watch out for electrical cords, which they like to chew
on, carpeting, which they like to dig up and chew, and any toxic materials,
such as rodent poisons, that your pet could get into. Get on your hands and
knees and "bunny-proof" your home.
Handling
The main thing to remember is to support the hind quarters to
prevent serious spinal injuries. A rabbit's backbones are fragile and can
easily fracture if the animal kicks when the legs aren't supported. These
injuries are usually permanent and frequently result in the euthanasia of
the pet. Never pick up a bunny by its sensitive ears! Instead, grasp the
loose skin over the shoulders or scoop up under the forelegs, then place
your other hand under the back legs to lift your bunny from the floor. Work
near the floor when first learning to handle your pet so that if he jumps
out of your arms he won't fall far.
It is useful to teach your bunny to lie on its back for trimming nails. Most
rabbits will learn to relax in this position. Sit on the floor and put the
rabbit on its back with its head just over the edge of your knees. Restrain
the body firmly between your thighs, and place one hand over the chest to
help prevent him from turning over. Talk softly and stroke its chest and
abdomen gently.
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| © 1997 - Humane Education Committee, Champaign County Humane Society, 1911 East Main, Urbana, IL 61801 USA | ||