There’s no better joy than seeing your child’s eyes light up when you hand them a baby bunny, but the novelty soon wears off and, most often, it’s the adult (that’s you) who ends up on duty. Here’s what you need to know.
- Okay, so you’ve decided to get a bunny; the next step is to check local shelters and social media platforms for adoption.
- Bunnies are social animals so consider getting two but know that male and female mates will, without doubt, reproduce.
- You need to let bunnies out of their cage at least once a day to run and hop around outside. They love toys too – something as simple as a paper towel roll is fun for them. There are loads of ideas online so get your kids involved in some toy DIY.
- You can litter train pet bunnies; they like to use the same litter box in the same place; the boxes need to be changed every few days.
- Eighty per cent of their diet should consist of grass hay; the rest is pellets and vegetables like carrots and lettuce. Don’t give them potatoes, avocados, tomato plants or onions. Nuts, seeds, chocolate, sweets and chips are also out, so keep an eye on things at your kids’ parties.
- Bunnies’ teeth constantly grow, which means they need to chew a lot to keep themselves healthy.
- Encourage your family to spend time with your bunny to discover its personality and temperament. While bunnies love attention, they don’t actually like being picked up too much and might scratch or kick to show they aren’t happy.
- If you’re making your own bunny bed, remember they often eat their bedding so don’t use anything toxic. Hay, shredded paper, blankets and towels work well.
- Take your rabbits to the vet for an annual check-up; they can live up to ten years if they are kept healthy.
- Health checks you can do at home:
- Eyes and nose for excess moisture or discharge.
- Ears for dirt and build-up.
- Fur for mites (they look like tiny black spots). Fur also needs to be combed so that the bunnies ingest less when they groom themselves.
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