GENERAL RABBIT CARE

A young bunny should not be given any fresh vegetables like apples or carrots until he is six months old, and then use only as a treat once or twice a week. Never give a rabbit, of any age, lettuce!! It is not good for him. You shouldn't overfeed your rabbit. A general guideline is about one ounce of food for a pound of adult body weight. Some recommendations for feed amounts are:

Dwarfs - ½ cup; Mini Lops - ¾ cup; Holland Lops - ½ cup;
New Zealands - 1 cup; Rexes - 1 cup; Mini Rex - ½ cup;
Satins - 1 cup; Mixed breeds - 1 cup;
Jersey Wooly's - ½ cup; American Fuzzy Lops - ½ cup

Bunnies under six months of age should get slightly less than this. Don't keep feeding him because his bowl is empty. He will keep eating as long as there is food in the bowl. And, ALWAYS keep plenty of fresh water available. In the winter, you may have to replace frozen water twice a day, even more in extreme weather.

Don't neglect signs of diarrhea. Diarrhea indicates a serious problem. Please contact the breeder you purchased the bunny from, or someone from the Long Island Rabbit Breeders Association for help.

Don't let your rabbit run on chemically treated lawns. Be careful of tree spraying (also your neighbors' spraying). Cover your hutch when the area is being sprayed. If your lawn is not treated and you let your rabbit loose, watch him carefully, because rabbits will dig and he might find a way out.

You should not switch brands of food. Find one that is convenient and stick with it. If you must switch brands, do so very gradually.

Don't let droppings accumulate under the cage. They should be raked up once a week. If you have a tray under your cage it should be cleaned every two or three days. The whole cage should be cleaned with Lysol and water every month.

Rabbit do better in cold weather then they do in heat. They can withstand temperatures below zero degrees as long as they are protected from drafts. Enclose your hutch using clear plastic on the sides and back from the top of the hutch to three inches off the ground during winter. A burlap flap should be placed across the front of the cage. The reason for this is to insure a mild exchange of fresh air while preventing drafts.

To guard against wool block, long haired rabbits (Angora's, Fuzzy Lops, and Jersey Wooly's) should be fed a chewable papaya enzyme tablet every day in addition to their regular rabbit pellets. These can be purchased at most vitamin shops. Pet stores do not carry it.

How big will your new bunny get?

Dutch - 5 ½ lbs.; Rex - 9 lbs.; American Fuzzy Lop - 4 lbs.;
Havana - 5 ½ lbs.; Satin - 11 lbs.; Flemish Giant - 15 lbs.;
French Lop - 12 lbs.; Jersey Wooly - 3 ½ lbs.;

Netherland Dwarf - 2 ½ lbs.; Mini Lop - 6 ½ lbs.;

Mini Rex - 4 ½ lbs.; Palomino - 10 lbs.