BUNNY CARE
Everything you need to know about caring for your new bunny can be found here. If you still have questions, message me. I’m happy to help.
What you will need:
- Large cage, dog crate, exercise pen, or hutch
- Timothy hay
- High quality Rabbit pelleted food
- Water bowl or water bottle
- Hay rack
- Small food bowl
- Litter box
- Rabbit safe absorbent litter (no clay or clumping litter)
- Untreated wood chew toy
Cage / Enclosure:
- Although a small breed, Holland lops do need space to hop around freely and should be kept in a large cage, dog crate, hutch, or exercise pen, or may be kept as free roaming house bunnies as long as your home or space is bunny proofed (free from exposed wires, chords, or anything harmful for them to chew on)
- My bunnies are kept indoors but they can adapt to live outdoors in the right conditions
- I don’t recommend any enclosure for a bunny that is smaller than 30 in. x 24 in. and only if given plenty of exercise on a daily basis
- If you want your new furry friend to be a house bunny, make sure to cover wires and hide any electronics such as remotes, video gaming systems, phones, etc. or block off of those areas; bunnies love to chew wires and doing so could harm or kill them
- If you decide on a cage or hutch, I personally prefer a solid floor for my bunnies, just make sure that they are not slipping or sliding on the floor and can hold a grip. If you do get a cage with a wire floor, I recommend providing your bunny with a mat to give their feet some rest and to prevent sore hocks
- I highly recommend purchasing an exercise pen or get creative and build your own enclosure with easy stackable grids or other materials. Pinterest has a ton of ideas, and Amazon is great place to shop
Temperature:
- A comfortable temperature for bunnies is between 50-80 degrees
- Bunnies do not handle hot weather well. They cannot sweat like us to regulate their body temperature and can quickly die from intense heat exposure
- My bunnies live indoors and are used to living at 65-75 degree temperatures
- Never place your bunny in direct sunlight, next to an air-condition unit, heat source or any vent in the house
- If you want to transition your rabbit to live in an outdoor cage or hutch, do so with extreme caution, constantly monitoring the temperature, giving plenty of shade and warmth when necessary, and providing a shelter that will protect them from rain, wind, and predators
- If you notice your bunny looks lethargic on a hot or cold day, bring them indoors immediately
Daily Food:
- Their diet primarily consists of Timothy hay, plus a good, high quality pellet feed
- Timothy hay is the most important part of their diet and your bunny should be given an unlimited supply. They should be eating plenty of it everyday. I find that I fill hay feeders twice a day, a handful in the morning and a handful in the evening
- I order Small Pet Select Timothy hay but any brand is fine, as long as there’s no added food bits or flavor that may upset digestion
- Rabbit pellet food should be given in unrestricted amounts until 6 months old. After this age, be careful not to overfeed them food pellets, as it is considered a supplemental food and your bunny can become overweight if consumed in excess. I usually feed my bunnies 1/2 cup per day of Manna Pro Rabbit pelleted feed : 1/4 cup in the morning and 1/4 cup in the evening. I purchase Manna Pro from the Tractor Supply Store but if it is not easy for you to get, Oxbow is a great brand that you can conveniently get at your local pet store
- If you are switching brands, you will need to mix in the new brand gradually by increasing the amount about every 5 days over the next two weeks. Day 1-5 combine 1/4 new brand with 3/4 old brand. Day 6-10 combine 1/2 new brand with 1/2 old brand. Day 9-14 combine 3/4 new brand with 1/4 old brand. On day 15, you should be completely switched over to the new brand
- You will find that bunnies love oats and in a tiny amount they can tolerate it well in their daily feed. I mix in a pinch of Quaker rolled oats into their food pellets every day. This is the one tiny treat that I do give my bunnies before the age of 6 months
- Healthy veggies can be worked into to their diet at around 4-6 months slowly and in tiny amounts, as their tummies are very delicate and diarrhea can be fatal for a bunny
- I introduce healthy veggies such as dark leafy greens at 4 months old, but only a thumb size daily. If their stools remain normal, I increasing the amount gradually every few weeks. Eventually, healthy veggies can be incorporated into their diet daily. I feed my rabbits up to 1 cup of veggies a day
List of Healthy Veggies:
- Dark leaf lettuces
- Spinach
- Kale
- Parsley
- Romaine
- Collard greens
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Clover
- Carrot tops
- Radish tops
- Basil
- Escarole
- Endive
- Dandelions
- Mustard greens
Water Supply:
- Provide clean fresh water every day for your bunny. Bunnies drink plenty of water so make sure they never run out
- I use both water bowls and water bottles for my bunnies. Some bunnies prefer one over the other. It’s up to you which one you will want to use
- If you do get a water bottle, make sure that it is dispensing water before you put it in their enclosure
Stools & Urine:
- A bunny’s digestive system is a key part in maintaining their health and alerting us if something is wrong. Rabbits are very quiet creatures, making it difficult to detect if there is a health problem or if they are in pain. One way we can monitor their health at home is by checking their stools and making sure they are normal
- Normal stools consist of poop pellets (round balls) and cecotrophs (soft grape-like clusters). Rabbits need to reabsorb their cecotrophs for nutrition and will do this by eating them. Don’t confuse cecotrophs with mushy poop or diarrhea
- Mushy poops are softer, toothpaste-like textured blobs. If this continues, it can turn into diarrhea and could be life-threatening
- Mushy poop can happen when switching food brands and introducing new foods
- If you see your bunny’s poop getting too mushy, only feed them hay, no food pellets, and plenty of water until their poop returns to normal. If it does not get better or if the bunny stops eating altogether, bring your bunny to the vet asap
- A bunny’s urine ranges in color and can be yellow, orange or brown and is all normal
Handling:
- Handle your bunny daily in order to strengthen your bond and ensure they remain affectionate and cuddly. Start on ground level in a small space to get used to scooping them up and holding them properly
- To pick up your bunny, place your dominant hand under their bum and the other hand on their underside above their rib cage. In one swift motion, scoop them up, securing them close to you. If you hesitate your bunny will too. Be assertive and always make sure their bottoms are secure. There are a few ways to securely hold a bunny so do some research and practice with your bunny
- You can give your bunny a few oats when you pick up them up and when you put them down so they associate being handled with a reward
- The best place to bond with your rabbit is in a tiny area, where your bunny is left no choice but to interact with you. Spend as much time with them there in the beginning so that you both get to know each other
- Laying on your back, place your bunny on your tummy and pet them gently. Here, you can also let your bunny nibble a few oats from your fingers, one at a time. If they try to jump off or squiggle from your arms, put them back in their cage. Wait a few minutes and try again. Eventually they will learn to submit, and will become very snuggly with you
- This is important to do when you first get your bunny and before you give them a large exercise space, in order to form a bond and establish affectionate behavior immediately
- Never grab, squeeze, or chase your bunny. This will not only terrorize them but could also badly injure them
- If you ever hear your bunny squeak, this means it is terrified and you need to back off. It is possible to scare a bunny to death so be gentle
Exercise:
- Exercise is important for bunnies, so plan on giving them playtime in a safe, secure environment outside of their enclosures routinely
- I try to give my bunnies as much exercise as possible. I know they’ve had enough, when I find them splooted out on their tummies, lazy and easy to cuddle
- Once you and your bunny have become accustomed to each other, you can set up a large exercise pen for them indoors or outdoors, or give them a room to run around in freely, making sure they have plenty of water to stay hydrated
- You can also take them on harnessed walks outside or let them play in a fenced space that they cannot squeeze out of. If you do decide to bring your rabbit outdoors, to prevent mites and parasites, it may be a good idea to consult with a rabbit savvy vet to treat them beforehand
Litter Training
- Bunnies can be litter trained with a little patience, usually taking a few weeks
- All my bunnies have begun litter training with me
- You will need a litter box with absorbant material to fill it with such as paper bedding, wood pellets or shavings
- I recommend using a good sized litter box that is 4-6 inches deep so that your rabbit can grow into it and won’t be able to pee over the edge
- After testing countless litter boxes and litter, I believe I have finally mastered the bunny litter box
- I prefer to use wood pelleted litter and wire grated litter boxes to prevent mess and for an easy cleanup
- I use Petmate litter boxes (Large size) and pair it with a KW Cages replacement litter box floor grate (Medium size) to cover over the litter pellets to prevent digging and mess. They come in various sizes
- For litter, I find that pine pelleted litter works well and keeps odor under control (Cozy’n Fresh, Aspen Supreme, Feline Pine and Equine Fresh are some brands I prefer)
- Bunnies tend to eat and poop at the same time, so place their hay feeder above or the hay directly in the litter box, and their food bowl nearby
- Bunnies seem to prefer a specific corner to use so you may have to use more than one litter box and test a few corners in the beginning to see where your bunny likes to go
- Wipe up any accidents with a paper towel and place it in their litter pan. This scent reminds the bunny where to go
- Although bunnies can become very well litter trained, a rabbit’s digestive system is very fast, thus stray poops do pop out inevitably
- If you are having trouble litter training your bunny, fixing your rabbit can help significantly
Spaying / Neutering:
- Males can be neutered at around 3-4 months
- Females can be spayed at around 5-6 months
- Find an experienced rabbit savvy vet in your area to perform this surgery and know the risks involved
Cleaning:
- Clean out litter boxes and change litter every few days
- Wipe up messes and clean surfaces with a non toxic solution such as a water / vinegar mixture or a pet safe spray like Nature’s Miracle
- Clean bowls and water bottles frequently. You can use dish soap, but rinse off soap completely
Toys:
- To add some fun and entertainment, give your bunny toys
- Your bunny’s teeth is constantly growing and in order to keep their teeth in good shape, they will need something to chew on. Give your bunny a good rabbit-safe wood chew toy and they’ll be very appreciative
- Willow balls and untreated blocks of wood are good options. Other great toys include, toilet paper tubes filled with hay, whiffle balls, cardboard boxes, tunnels and toys for babies such as plastic teething rings and stackable cups
Treats:
- I do not feed bunnies treats, other than a daily dash of rolled oats before 6 months old
- I slowly begin to introduce fruits as well as other veggies and treats that contain a bit more sugar at 6 months
- I start with one small treat weekly, such as a quarter sized piece of fruit or carrot. You will find that your bunny may prefer certain treats over other ones
- Eventually, I feed bunnies a chunk of fruit or small handful of cheerios or oats about twice a week
- Be mindful that treats can be harmful to your bunny, especially if given frequently and in large amounts, and some rabbits just don’t do well with them at all. When feeding treats, be cautious. If your bunny develops mushy stools, you will need to stop
List of Treats:
- Apple
- Banana
- Berries: Raspberry, Strawberry, Blackberry, Blueberry
- Peaches
- Plums
- Melons
- Pineapple
- Mango
- Papaya
- Cheerios
- Rolled Oats
- Cherry (fresh and pitted)
Grooming:
- You will need to groom your bunny by trimming its nails and brushing its fur as needed
- Trim nails about every month or so, or when their nails are getting sharp. I find they typically need a nail trim every 8 weeks.
- You can trim their nails yourself or bring them to a pet store to have it done
- If you decide to trim them yourself, you will need to purchase a bunny nail trimmer. Always trim nails in good lighting and be careful not to hit the vein. Have flour of cornstarch ready to stop the bleeding in case you do
- Holland lops generally don’t need much brushing. They molt a few times a year, shedding more fur than usual during this time and may need more brushing then. I use a bristle brush, a comb and a pin brush for grooming
- Never fully bathe or submerse your bunny in water
- They can go into complete shock and possibly die from it
- Check their bottoms often and wipe off any stuck poops with a warm, wet towel
- If their bottoms get messy you can give them a “bum bath” by dipping their bottoms in a sink or basin filled with warm water while using a rabbit safe foaming cleanser such as Oasis Magic Pet-Bath to lather and rinse their lower half
Introducing Bunny to Pets:
- In the right environment and with a gentle introduction, it is possible for rabbits to get along with other house pets
- Once you bring your bunny home, you may be tempted to immediately introduce them to your cat or dog but it is imperative that you resist this urge and follow some important steps first
- In the wild, rabbits are prey animals and their instinct is to run away from potential predators. This may provoke your dog or cat to chase them which, in turn, will place a substantial amount of stress on both you and your new bunny. It is best to keep your rabbit completely separate from other pets for the first couple days, so that your bunny can acclimate to its new home in peace
- During this time, exchange scents between your pet and your bunny giving them a stuffed animal, blanket, etc. containing the other's smell so that they get used to each other's scent before they meet
- Allow them to meet in a neutral area of your home, keeping your bunny in a cage or exercise pen or where your dog or cat cannot get into. A space for your bunny to dash around in is ideal, so that your dog or cat will observe some bunny behavior and get accustomed to it. In the bunny's cage or pen, provide a space where it can hide in if it wants. A cardboard box with an opening just big enough for the rabbit is a good safe space. Let them watch and sniff each other through the cage or pen for a least a few sessions. Don't rush it. It is crucial that both pets are comfortable with each other's presence in order to begin a friendship
- Once you feel they are ready to move onto the next step, make sure that nails on both pets are trimmed and give them supervised time to interact directly with each other. Let them do their thing, but keep a watchful eye. Be prepared to intervene if one becomes aggressive or if you see that the bunny is becoming too stressed, cut the session short and go back to the cage phase. Avoid scolding either pet if it doesn't work out initially. The last thing you want to do is associate punishment or disapproval between each other. Keep it positive and light, rewarding your pet with a treat for good behavior around the bunny
- Once they have associated themselves with one another, and have proven to be a non threat, you can gradually increase their play time until they have developed a solid relationship
- Never leave your bunny alone with your dog or cat unless you are absolutely sure no harm will be done
- This process can take days, weeks or months to be successful. Eventually, most rabbits and other pets get used to each other but it's wise to consider your pet's personality and decide if you are able to approach this task with patience and diligence. If not, you will need to be prepared to keep your bunny permanently separate and secure from other pets