Category: Rabbit Safety

The Materials Needed & Recommended For Bonding a Pair of Bunnies

There are many materials recommended for rabbits that aren’t all that useful, but in some situations, maybe they could be. Today, these materials will get their stand and explanation of whether they will work for you. Many materials are necessary for every bonding session, but others, not so much, which is why this post will be going through what is necessary no matter what, and what will work for certain situations and techniques.

The Materials List:

  • Natural Treats: Natural treats are extremely easy to find, despite what you may or may not look for. For many rabbit owners, their first reaction would be to look for a packaged rabbit treat, but instead, I encourage any rabbit owner to use fruit for treats. This way, it’s so much easier to know what really is in the inside, not forget that it is so much cheaper, plus you can share!
  • Clothing That Won’t Attract Fur: The process of finding some sort of clothing that won’t attract, or show fur, is pretty hard. I find that grey athletic leggings, jeans, cotton shirts, and athletic sweatshirts aren’t all that bad. Check out my last bonding post from six days ago for more details. These clothing pieces should be found in any clothing store, if not, at sporting goods stores.
  • Carrier: A carrier or a small, enclosed area is necessary for stress bonding. This stress bonding session sounds and looks worse than it really is. Stress bonding is a great way to strengthen your rabbits’ relationships.

Why These Materials?

  • As for the clothing, it’s so easy to look in your closet, bins, dresser, whatever, and find clothing that won’t show, or attract, rabbit fur. The thing about rabbit fur is how fine it can become, along with how easily it sticks to all clothing, some more that the others. Personally, I feel that this is one of the most important steps, especially for anyone who lives with their family, who may or may not be bothered by a clump of fur stuck to your entire body.
  • Natural treats are great to reward your rabbit for their great behavior.
  • The carrier, like I said is a base/area where the rabbits will usually bond. This area is key to bonding rabbits.

Where to Find These Utensils & Materials:

Most of these materials can be found in these stores/areas:

  • Petstores
  • Hardware Stores
  • Convenience Stores
  • Home Goods Stores

Posting Dates and Times:

  • The Materials Needed and Recommended For Bonding a Pair of Bunnies: 9/23/2019: 7:15 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • The Giant Angora Rabbit Breed: 9/26/2019: 6:15 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Rabbit Care Necessities: Rabbit Bedding: 9/29/2019: 5:25 P.M. Central Time (USA)
  • Bonding A Pair of Bunnies Step-By-Step: 10/1/2019: 5:30 P.M. Central Time (USA)

Rabbit Care Necessities: Bunny-proofing Supplies

The amount of times that bunny-proofing has made its stand on this blog is pretty large, but it’s all for a reason. Many rabbit owners don’t realize how simple bunny-proofing really is. With bunny-proofing, the amount of money that can be saved from destruction is quite insane.

Bunny-Proofing Shopping List

  • Cable protectors
  • Baby-proof outlet plugs
  • NIC grids
  • Zip ties
  • Natural Area Rug(s)/Sturdy rugs
  • Exercise pen(s)

Descriptions:

  • Cable protectors: Cable protectors are large plastic tubes with a minuscule slit in the top of which the cables can be slipped into. These cable protectors prohibit rabbit from targeting cables to chew on, and can protect the rabbit(s), and the cords from harm. These cable protectors can be found in almost, if not all, hardware stores.
  • Baby-proof outlet plugs: These outlet plugs are very well known for babies to prevent them from sticking their fingers in the outlets, the same goes for rabbits. Rabbit claws are susceptible to sliding into outlets, of which the rabbit may try to chew at the outlet in some way. The outlet plugs prohibit the rabbit from accessing the outlet, to then prohibit any injury. These plugs are available at nearly any store.
  • NIC/grids: NIC grids are small wire grids built together to form a large square of grids, which are usually used for organizers and shelving. These grids are absolutely amazing for blocking off small areas where the rabbit shouldn’t have access to. NIC grids are found at most home stores, if not, they can be found on Amazon.
  • Zip ties: Zip ties are lifesavers to most rabbit owners. Even though they may seem irrelevant, zip ties can really take a toll on your rabbit’s safety. With zip ties, putting together a barrier for a small area with the NIC grids is extraordinarily simple. Other rabbit owners use the NIC grids and the zip ties to make a cage door, or even a rabbit condo, it’s all up to the owner’s wants and needs. Zip ties are easy access in all hardware stores.
  • Natural Area Rug(s)/Sturdy rugs: Rabbit safe area rugs are a must for owning rabbits, more for those who don’t choose to use fleece and towels on the floor. These rugs are amazing for those who choose to free-roam their rabbit. These rugs allow a traction spot for the rabbit to run. With this, these rugs must be a sturdy and woven material without any fringes to be considered safe for rabbits. These rugs are most commonly found in home good stores.
  • Exercise pen(s): Exercise pens are magnificent for any large situations of which an owner may want to block off a very large area. With this said, these exercise pens have to be sturdy, tall, and long enough to work for a rabbit. Rabbit exercise pens should be made of a sturdy metal material, they should be pretty long, and should be at least 3 feet tall. These standard ensures that the rabbit will stay happy, healthy, and safe in their bunny-proofed area.

Reasons:

  • Cable protectors:
    • Save your cords
    • Save your rabbit
    • Save your money
  • Baby-proof outlet plugs:
    • Prevent chewing and clawing at and in outlets
    • Save your rabbit’s life
    • Prohibits hay from accidentally frying in the outlet
  • NIC/grids:
    • Prevent the rabbit’s access to unnecessary access spots, more commonly for small spots
    • Cage doors
    • Cage walls
    • Can be bent into a slotted cord organizer/shelf
  • Zip ties:
    • Repair cages and doors
    • Connect NIC grids
    • Reconnect doors to cages and carriers
    • Flip lid connector for hay racks
  • Natural Area Rug(s)/Sturdy rugs:
    • Allow appropriate traction
    • Prevent excess slipping
    • Padding to hocks
  • Exercise pen(s):
    • Prevent access to extremely large areas
    • Enclosure
    • Can be a cage itself

Posting Dates and Times:

  • Rabbit Care Necessities: Bunny-proofing Supplies: 9/21/2019: 4:45 P.M. CT., (USA)
  • The Materials Needed and Recommended For Bonding a Pair of Bunnies: 9/23/2019: 6:15 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • The Giant Angora Rabbit Breed: 9/26/2019: 6:15 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Rabbit Care Necessities: Rabbit Bedding: 9/29/2019: 5:25 P.M. Central Time (USA)
  • Bonding A Pair of Bunnies Step-By-Step: 10/1/2019: 5:30 P.M. Central Time (USA)

Why Should Rabbits Be Kept In Pairs?

Rabbits are very reluctant, and reliant, when it comes to their life of eating hay and acting innocent when they are getting themselves in trouble, so why not double that fun? A pair of rabbits is majorly recommended for any rabbit owner, and because it is so incredibly important to keep your rabbit happy and healthy, I found the information for you.

Rabbits Do Better in Pairs:

Overall, rabbits are very reliant on their partners and family, and with the pairs present, these rabbits are allowed to rely on each other in stressful situations. These pairs allow the rabbits to lean on each other. With the pairs, rabbits are allowed to translate comfort throughout their life, and allow the pair’s chemistry to take over.

Stress Levels:

Because rabbits stress out very easily, allowing these rabbits to bond and connect in these stressful moments is a key to a happy and healthy rabbit. These bonds can strengthen through this usual daily stress that rabbits go through, just like how humans go through stress.

To think about it this way, all humans go through plenty of stress in there life, and for us to deal with stress, us humans, usually rely on our close ones, so why wouldn’t rabbits? Rabbits, like us, rely on our close family and friends to support and comfort us, which helps reduce stress. This reduction of stress is crucial for rabbits, considering major side effects that come with a long stretch of stress.

If you don’t believe that rabbits can bond through stress, then all I have to say is that rabbits have this process of bonding called stress bonding that is meant to stress out the two rabbits so that they feel the comfort of relying on each other.

Natural Behaviors:

By natural instincts, and overall behavior, rabbits are well known to live in large amounts, produce large amounts, and in a result, they rely on each other to live. Because of this, rabbits are very reliant on each other, and pairs allow these natural behaviors to thrive.

Rabbits, in the wild, live in large burrows that allowed a large, vacant area for these rabbit families. Because rabbits reproduce in such a rapid pace, rabbits are constantly in need for large areas for their family. Like us, rabbits tend to have a closer, and more distant family. Rabbits will also have a stronger bond with one rabbit, rather than the other, just like us. For rabbits, their bonded partner, whether the rabbits are the same gender, or not, is like their spouse, or favorite sister, or a brother from another mother.

Posting Dates and Times:

  • Why Should Rabbits Be Kept in Pairs?: 9/17/2019: 5:25 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • The French Lop Rabbit Breed: 9/19/2019: 5:45 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Rabbit Care Necessities: Bunny-proofing Supplies: 9/21/2019: 4:45 P.M. CT., (USA)
  • The Materials Needed and Recommended For Bonding a Pair of Bunnies: 9/23/2019: 6:15 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • The Giant Angora Rabbit Breed: 9/26/2019: 6:15 P.M. Central Time, (USA)

 

Link to Thumbnail Image (All credit goes to the photographer and owner of this picture)

Rabbit Care Necessities: The Exercise Pen

Exercise pens are very well known for pet dogs, but for whatever reason, many people out there don’t think to use them for other animals. Whether it’s for a cat to prohibit it from getting into an area, or for a rabbit from accessing dangerous areas of the house, these exercise pens are extremely important, here’s why.

Why Are Exercise Pens Necessary?

Many rabbit owners think that all rabbits need an exercise pen, but some really don’t. For the rabbit owners that choose to free roam, and bunny-proof, which I highly recommend, they really don’t need an exercise pen, they have the entire house! If you happen to choose to free roam your rabbit, some people may choose to use an exercise pen for bunny-proofing.

For those who aren’t free roaming, exercise pens are crucial for your rabbit’s health. Not only is it important give rabbits the 24/7 access to roam and play around, but they also need protection from certain areas of their room to prevent injuries. Rabbit exercise pens work great to spread across a wall as a barrier, and as an area for playtime outside of their usual area. Rabbits need plenty of enrichment from different areas of playtime, an exercise pen can make the process much easier.

Different ways to use exercise pens would be by making a wall to enlarge a rabbit’s area, rather than just a circle, but still blocking an area off. Another option would be to use the pen to prevent the rabbit’s access to a catastrophe of cords, or a large area of outlets that aren’t quite bunny-proofed. Some other ways would be using the pen for different playtime areas, for bringing a rabbit outside for playtime, etc.

What Are the Requirements For a Rabbit’s Exercise Pen?

The requirements that I would expect an exercise pen to meet, when regarding a rabbit would be that the pen should be sturdy, with an easy access door, and the pen has to be at least three feet tall. The reasoning behind this all is below:

Sturdiness:

Sturdiness is no surprise, especially when the subject is about containing an animal, in a safe, and reliable manner. Rabbits can be extremely stealthy animals, and making sure that a rabbit isn’t capable of escaping their pen is vital for your sanity, and their well being.

Easy Access Door:

An easy access door is great for those who are constantly going in and out. An easy access door is great for rabbit owners that have to go in and out of the pen to clean dishes, prepare veggies, grab hay, grab fleece, etc.

I find that having an easy access door on my rabbit pen is so extremely helpful, especially when the bunnies are following me around when my hands are full and my sister isn’t down in their room to help me. These rabbit pens can be very tedious, so staying in safe parameters is the best way to go.

At Least Three Feet Tall:

The reasoning behind why the pen should be at least three feet tall is very simple. Rabbits, by nature, are astounding at jumping ginormous heights, which brings in one of the most simple factors of keeping a rabbit safe, actually keeping them in their area.

If you find your rabbit outside of its pen, and there wasn’t any change to setup or positioning, I would recommend getting a taller exercise pen, just for your rabbit’s safety, and your own mindset and reassurance.

Where to Find Exercise Pens:

Pet exercise pens are practically everywhere, but I would recommend looking at online options for cheaper prices, or less there is a sale on an exercise pen in a store, then go right ahead. If I were you, I’d look into pens from the stores, and then resort to online stores, that way, you are allowing yourself to experience more options, and allowing yourself to have more fun.

Some places to look into for exercise pens would be:

  • Petco, Petsmart, or any generic pet store.
  • Hardware stores, such as Ace Hardware, Charlie’s Hardware, etc. The pens should be for sale in the pet section of these stores.
  • Otherwise, there are always the online stores, like Amazon, where literally everything is sold.

 

Posting Dates and Times:

  • Rabbit Care Necessities: The Exercise Pen: 9/15/2019: 4:55 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Why Should Rabbits Be Kept in Pairs?: 9/17/2019: 5:25 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • The French Lop Rabbit Breed: 9/19/2019: 5:45 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Rabbit Care Necessities: Bunny-proofing Supplies: 9/21/2019: 4:45 P.M. CT., (USA)
  • The Materials Needed and Recommended For Bonding a Pair of Bunnies: 9/23/2019: 6:15 P.M. Central Time, (USA)

The French Angora Rabbit Breed

The French Angora is an amazing pet rabbit option, like many other rabbit breeds are. This breed stands out from many other rabbit breeds, not only because of its looks, but its personality as well. French Angoras are a great option for a pet, so why not learn more about this awesome rabbit breed?

The History Behind the French Angora Rabbit Breed:

The history behind this rabbit and its breed is quite simple, actually. The French Angora is said to be the most similar rabbit to the original Angora, from Ankara, or Angora, Turkey. The first Angora to set a paw on American land was said to be around 1723, brought over from France.

This original Angora rabbit was known to be an “Angora Wooler”. At this time, the four different types of Angora rabbits didn’t exist quite yet, they were all known to be one large breed. It took until 1944 for the ARBA, American Rabbit Breeder’s Association, to split these rabbits into different breeds. This is where the French, Satin, English, and Giant Angora came along. At this point in time, the French Angora is still runner up as the second most popular Angora rabbit breed, the English Angora taking first.

The Common Characteristics of French Angoras:

French Angoras are owners of decently large bodies, along with plenty of muscle, which is hidden by all of their fluff. The French Angora’s coat is very long and coarse, causing the undercoat to be considered under-wool, and allowing many to agree that they grow wool, rather than fur.

The coat of this rabbit is considered wool, and this wool is known to cover the rabbit’s entire body, except for the rabbit’s face. The maintenance that will be needed to keep the rabbit’s coat well-maintained is necessary, not only for looks, but for the internal health of the rabbit.

The accepted colors and patterns for this rabbit include the following:

  • Pointed White Angoras: pure white with markings on the rabbit’s nose, tail, feet, and ears.
  • The “Self Group”: blue/ruby eyed rabbits (white coat), black, blue, chocolate, and lilac are the other colors to this group.
  • The “Agouti” colored Angoras: chestnut, chocolate agouti, copper, lynx, and opal.
  • The “Chinchilla” coloring: plain chinchilla, chocolate chin, lilac chin, and squirrel chin.
  • Along with this, there are also more color groups, these being the shaded, ticked, and wide band color groups, which all have specific colors that fall under these categories. These different categories can be looked over on the website I used, which is cited below.

Common Personalities Found in French Angoras:

French Angoras are extremely docile and sweet. These rabbits would work great for those willing to take more time on one rabbit, which would pertain to grooming, and maintaining its coat. This rabbit is amazing with nearly everybody, but seems to work better with older children for the families out there. These rabbits are extremely calm when they feel the need to, so don’t be surprised to see this rabbit splayed out and relaxed as ever, strongly enough to say, many agree that there is a 100 percent guarantee that they are just having a lazy day, as long as there haven’t been any signs for GI stasis.

Like mentioned before, these rabbits work great with nearly any rabbit owner in any situation, so for those out there with a family with younger children, I would consider looking into a different breed, or figuring out how well the rabbit does with your children ahead of time.

Sizing and Weight:

The size of this rabbit breed is considered to be large, which really shouldn’t be all that surprising for those who consider the muscle mass on this rabbit breed, it’s astounding. This rabbit is very muscular despite the looks of the rabbit, mostly because the fur/wool of this rabbit covers up what could be considered its “true identity”.

The average weight for a healthy French Angora should be anywhere from 7 and a half pounds, to ten pounds, which is quite a bit of weight for the size of the rabbit, yet again, it’s that muscle mass. This rabbit breed is very unpredictable when it all comes down to the estimated measurements, so many people would assume that this rabbit breed is very large, rounded, and stocky, but it really isn’t, it’s just the fur/wool that throws us off.

Common Medical Problems Found in This Breed:

Because of the unbelievably long fur that this rabbit breed can grow, woodblock is a very common illness that can easily overtake the rabbit. Woodblock is when a rabbit ingests too much fur from grooming itself, which blocks up and congests the GI track of the rabbit, so in other words, woodblock is almost another, not so serious version of GI stasis. The difference is that woodblock still allows the GI track to function, when GI stasis doesn’t.

Extra Care:

The only extra care that should be addressed specifically for this rabbit breed would be the excessive grooming that will be necessary to keep this rabbit healthy. To prevent woodblock and matting, this rabbit should be groomed every day, once a week being the very minimum amount in a time span.

Works Cited:

“French Angora Rabbit Breed Information and Pictures.” PetGuide, 21 Oct. 2017,                             www.petguide.com/breeds/rabbit/french-angora-rabbit/.

Sources:

Link to Thumbnail Image (All credit goes to the photographer and owner of this photo)

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Posting Dates and Times:

  • The French Angora Rabbit Breed: 9/13/2019: 4:50 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Rabbit Care Necessities: The Exercise Pen: 9/15/2019: 4:55 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Why Should Rabbits Be Kept in Pairs?: 9/17/2019: 5:25 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • The French Lop Rabbit Breed: 9/19/2019: 5:45 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Rabbit Care Necessities: Bunny-proofing Supplies: 9/21/2019: 4:45, CT., (USA)

 

 

 

Is a Pair of Bunnies Right For You? For Everyone?

For those out there who are looking for a rabbit currently, just know that you’re not alone in the decisions of one bunny, or two. Deciding whether it would be best to only have one rabbit is definitely difficult, but that’s why this post is out there, rabbit owners know how excruciating the decision is.

Is a Pair of Bunnies Right For You?

If any person would consider owning a rabbit, I would most definitely recommend the future rabbit owner to look into pairing two rabbits up. What is it that I’m getting at? What I’m trying to get at is that rabbits should always be kept in pairs if possible, the act could save the rabbit from years of stress, lack of comfort, etc., which should be important to any rabbit owner.

For those who plan to become rabbit owners, here is the guide to whether a pair of bunnies will work great, or not all that great for you:

A Pair Will Work Great!:

A pair of rabbits will work great for those who find that any rabbit, despite their shape, size, breed, or even personality, will give them proper and fair care. All rabbits deserve to have the opportunity with a partner, and if the process doesn’t work after about 6 months, I’d consider going more stress bonding, or just consider keeping the valued work up.

Maybe Not:

For those out there that plan to get two rabbits, but one of them is theirs, please don’t be the rabbit owner that only cares for their bunny, and doesn’t pay any attention to the other rabbit. For example, Ollie is my rabbit, so if I only took care of Ollie, that wouldn’t be fair to Luna, especially when you think of their perspective. They wouldn’t understand why only one rabbit is being take care of, which will leave one of them in the dust.

Should All Rabbits Be Kept in Pairs?

Yes, if the circumstances are correct, all rabbits should be kept in pairs, and here is a slight reasoning of why. If you’d like to know the full description and reasoning, make sure to keep an eye out for the next coming bonding post, the title will be Why Should Rabbits Be Kept in Pairs? The extra details of posting times and the time zone that I’m basing it all off of are all in the posting dates and times section of this post, so please make sure to check that out.

The overall reason of why rabbits should always be kept in pairs, if possible, is because of rabbits’ natural behaviors. Wild rabbits live in burrows, along with plenty of other rabbits. This means that rabbits are used to living in clusters, so why would anyone want to break that apart? Keeping natural instincts as refreshed and positive as possible is key to allowing the rabbit to live an enjoyable life with their friend.

Circumstances That Need Avoiding:

  1. Only allowing one rabbit into a home: Be open, please, just be open. If you are stuck in a situation of only allowing one rabbit into your home, I wouldn’t recommend looking into getting a rabbit. Even though many rabbits will thrive without other bunnies, and I accept those circumstances, at least consider allowing two bunnies to live with you.
  2. Caring for one rabbit more than the other: For those who do plan to own a pair of rabbits, please give equal attention. This is necessary not only for your bond with your rabbit, but also their reliability that they have for you.
  3. Only allowing one rabbit to access certain areas: Like the last example, please do not favor one rabbit. Even though one of the rabbits might be yours, and the other one is your sibling’s, please make sure to give equivalent care and respect, along with love, to each bunny.
  4. Taking a rabbit away from it’s paired partner: For those who are looking into only owning one rabbit, but they happen to already be bonded and paired, don’t even dare to pull their bond apart, because those two little rabbits rely on each other, and the moment that they end up in some sort of predicament, and they don’t have anyone to lean on, that can truly understand them, it can really let down the rabbit, and its original partner.
  5. Pairing up unfixed rabbits: As a rabbit lover and owner, I’d expect that this is an obvious statement. Never pair an unfixed pair together, whether they’re the same gender, no matter what rabbit you get, please make sure that the rabbit is fixed before they are brought into your household, or as soon as possible. Fixing rabbits can not only control odors, control protectiveness, expand lifespans, and prevent illnesses, but it can also prevent the obvious, unwanted pregnancies of a female rabbit.

Posting Dates and Times:

  • Is a Pair of Bunnies Right For You? For Everyone? 9/11/2019: 6:00 P.M. CT., (USA)
  • The French Angora Rabbit Breed: 9/13/2019: 4:50 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Rabbit Care Necessities: The Exercise Pen: 9/15/2019: 4:55 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Why Should Rabbits Be Kept in Pairs?: 9/17/2019: 5:25 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • The French Lop Rabbit Breed: 9/19/2019: 5:45 P.M. Central Time, (USA)

 

Rabbit Care Necessities: Litter

Rabbit litter has been mentioned and talked about multiple times on the blog, but I feel that finding the correct litter for not only your situation, but your rabbit’s too. It’s so incredibly important to find a litter that fits your lifestyle and budget, along with what will work for your rabbit.

Finding the Right Litter For Your Situation, & Your Rabbit’s:

The following litter options that will be mentioned below will be hay, wood stove pellets, cat litter, paper bedding (Carefresh), and wood-stove pellets.

Hay:

There are rabbit owners that will use hay as litter, so that your rabbit can eat the clean hay, and ignore the soiled hay.

Reasons: Simple, easy to clean, convenient, and functional, very cheap.

To take into consideration:

  • Hay doesn’t absorb liquids
  • The pee may omit odors
  • The hay will be wasted
  • The litter pan will be very dirty without any protection

Wood Stove Pellets:

Wood stove pellets are great for anyone who happens to live in the country where wood stove pellets will be more commonly sold.

Reasons: Cheap, very easily accessed, absorption is definitely there.

To take into consideration:

  • May be dusty
  • Doesn’t have much of an odor control

Cat Litter:

Cat litter is absolutely great for anyone who already owns cats because you don’t need to worry about the new litter to buy.

Reasons: Very convenient, not too dusty, very helpful as for odor control reasons, some are environmentally safe.

To take into consideration:

  • Pretty expensive
  • Must be wood/paper pellets (no clay or clumping litter)
  • Has to be scent free to be safe for your rabbit’s respiratory system

Carefresh and Other Paper Bedding Brand:

Carefresh is great to get at pet stores for fun colors and different types of paper litter that is beneficial for the environment.

Reasons: Soft on hocks, very presentable,  makes exuberant and joyful themes.

To take into consideration:

  • Expensive
  • Isn’t very good with odor control, a better controlling litter will need to be underneath.
  • Dusty/messy

Horse stall Bedding:

Horse stall bedding pellets are great for easy access picking up at almost any store, and for great prices.

Reasons: Very cheap, convenient, very absorbent, odor control is great, wood smells nice, often found in bulk.

To take into consideration

  • The bag is often very heavy
  • Can be a little dusty, but not terrible overall

The Point of Litter:

The whole point of litter is to absorb liquids, that’s really what the run-down is. Even though finding the correct litter for your rabbit is a bit of a task because the average person would say something similar to, “It’s just litter,” finding the correct litter could save your rabbit’s life, and prevent plenty of pain.

Litter is very beneficial for many pets, and should be taken seriously, like any animal product should. The correct litter for the appropriate situation is key, so look out for the little tips that I gave out above, in case anyone would be willing to reread a bit.

What Happens to Rabbits Without Litter & Litter Boxes?

Obviously, for those who don’t know, any litter is meant to absorb fluids from pets, the most commonly known pet to use a litter box would be a cat. Rabbits are very similar in the way that cats would also use a litter box, besides the more serious side effects that come with avoiding the supplying process of a rabbit litter box.

I realize that this would most likely be the same for cats as well, but I feel that all cat owners already know that cats should have litter boxes, yet many out there don’t realize that rabbits should too.

The side-effects that come along when a rabbit isn’t properly litter box trained, or if the litter box isn’t even supplied include:

  • Potential indoor flystrike: Indoor flystrike is the same as usual flystrike, besides the fact that it is affecting an indoor rabbit. Indoor flystrike really is only possible if the rabbit has terrible hygiene, and if the litter and litter box isn’t properly cleaned and changed.
  • Other parasites and bug infestations: Realizing how many bugs and parasites come into access because a rabbit wasn’t given proper litter is just disgraceful. Keep in mind, these different creepy crawlies are also coming for you, because your rabbit lives in the same area as you. Why would anybody restrict a rabbit’s access to a litter box though? That’s like telling someone that they can’t use the toilet, even though they’re so easy access.
  • Matted fur: Matted fur isn’t all that bad right? WRONG! Matted fur can cause a rabbit’s set of stools to stick to it’s fur, which is a terrible situation to begin with, until the different illnesses that are more likely to occur show up because the stools are considered, it just makes everything even worse.

And the other side-effects that are guaranteed to occur and happen would be the terrible scent drifting around your house, along with the terrible hygiene that your rabbit was forced to live through. For most people, this alone would be enough to differ the person’s original perspective, but for others, maybe not. If this alone doesn’t persuade anyone, please read up on all of the predicaments that become major risks without proper litter and litter boxes.

Posting Dates and Times:

  • Rabbit Care Necessities: Litter: 9/9/2019: 5:45 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Is a Pair of Bunnies Right For You? For Everyone? 9/11/2019: 6:00 P.M. CT., (USA)
  • The French Angora Rabbit Breed: 9/13/2019: 4:50 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Rabbit Care Necessities: The Exercise Pen: 9/15/2019: 4:55 P.M. Central Time, (USA)
  • Why Should Rabbits Be Kept in Pairs?: 9/17/2019: 5:25 P.M. Central Time, (USA)

Rabbit Care Necessities: The Rabbit Care Haul

As a rabbit owner, the ginormous rabbit haul before you get your rabbit is probably the second most exciting thing, besides getting your rabbit. I, personally, enjoy shopping, especially when it’s for my pets. This time, I’ll be going over the different materials you’ll want to get, how to make the trip even more fun than it is, and how to select and detect the acceptable, and unacceptable products. (And more)

Stores and Shops to Go to:

For the different stores I’ll be listing and giving advice for, I’ll be going over actual stores, and online stores. Personally, I’d recommend going to an actual store, just because there are usually more options, cheaper prices, and of course, more fun. If you don’t find what you want in a store, then of course, you could resort to online stores, but I would go to an actual store first, then resort to online.

In Person:

Like I just mentioned, I would recommend to going to a store in person for rabbit materials, or really any materials. In store, there are usually more options, cheaper prices, and I find it more fun. This is the first resort if you were to take my recommendations.

  • Petco: Be cautious of what you choose. They care more for the sale, not exactly the facts.
  • Petsmart: Same as Petco, be aware.
  • Dr. Foster and Smith: They know their facts, feel free to ask questions.
  • Joann’s: You’re just there for bedding so, there isn’t much to ask.
  • Hardware Stores: Not much to ask besides where the different litter options are.
  • Any other pet stores: Just be aware of what is and isn’t safe for a rabbit.

Online:

Online would be my second resort of choice. This is only because I find that getting out of the house, getting a bit of exercise, and shopping with other animal lovers around is just so much better. If you can’t find what you would like in store, then online would be the way to go, just make sure to give your eyes a break when you’re on electronics ;).

  • Pet store websites: Yet again, be cautious of the products
  • Binky Bunny: They know what they’re doing, you can trust them
  •  Dr. Foster and Smith: Again, they know their facts
  •  Small Pet Select: They REALLY know their facts
  •  Bunny Supply Co.: A great site with great products, just know your facts, just in case. (They do seem very trustworthy though)
  • Rabbit Youtubers’ Online Stores (101Rabbits, StormyRabbits, Etc.): Extremely trustworthy

Materials to Put on the Shopping List:

The following items that I will be listing will be in categories, the categories being: Food, Bedding, Litter/Litter boxes, Habitat, and Miscellaneous.

Food:

  • Timothy Hay (Adult Rabbits)
  • Veggies
  • Rabbit Safe Pellets That Contain Healthy Ingredients (Optional)

Treats:

  • All Natural Treats
  • One Ingredient
  • Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Bedding:

  • Fleece
  • Towels (Old towels)
  • Foam Mats
  • Rugs

Litter and Litter boxes

  • Litter of Choice: Wood stove Pellets, Horse stall Pellets (My favorite), Yesterday’s News, Feline Pine, Etc.
  • Large Cat Litter box WITHOUT any sort of mesh, wire, etc.
    • High sides work best
    • Low sides for seniors
      • Can be cut down if necessary

Habitat:

  • Water Bowl
    • Large enough for at least three quarters of a glass of water
    • Changed 1-3 times a day
  • Exercise pen
    • At least three feet tall
  • Hidey House
    • Can be made out of a cardboard box
  • Hay Rack
    • Very easy to DIY

Miscellaneous:

  • Cat Nail Clippers
  • Rabbit Grooming Brush
    • Can be a DIY
      • All you need is a dog flea comb with large widths between the metal bristles that allow a cut rubber band to pass through.
  • Carrier
  • At Home Emergency Kit
    • Gauze
    • Baby Food
    • Critical Care
    • Syringe
    • Blood Clotting
    • Antiseptic
    • Pedialite
    • The Container itself

Making the Trip Even More Fun:

As a big shopper, the trip itself is already exhilarating and enjoyable, but for those out there that aren’t big into shopping, this section will help you out so that you aren’t complaining about how bored and annoyed you are, the average shopper, I know.

  1. Look at other items, despite the fact that you have things that you need for your rabbit, it’s still amazingly enjoyable to look through and buy the unnecessary items too.
  2. Look through the other animal items, because if you’re like me, you’ll find a way to make other animals’ items work for a rabbit.
  3. Look through all of the fun accessory items and the toys, really, please do, all of the exciting and adorable additives will be worth it when you get your rabbit.

Acceptable and Unacceptable Products: What to Look For…

This section is quite easy to interpret, but I would still like to incorporate how important it is to look at ingredients and the smallest little hints to interpret whether the product should be safe for a rabbit or not.

What to Look For:

What I prefer to do when I’m looking at a rabbit product, most likely food, is too look for what shouldn’t be in it. This way, the moment I find something that I wouldn’t want my rabbit in access of, I can immediately avoid that product, this way, you’ll save more time, more money, and prevent the stress of realizing how bad of a product you bought.

This is the same with toys. When looking for safe rabbit toys, avoid cloth toys to prohibit GI problems. Otherwise, what I will usually look to avoid in a rabbit toy would be corn of any sort, husk, artificial flavors, artificial colors, etc. These are the different additives that can potentially be very dangerous to rabbits, despite the fact that they like these materials most of the time, but please, avoid them.

These products will usually will have some sort of hidden description on the packaging. The hidden part is to prohibit lack sales, which shouldn’t be the case, but all that producers care about are the sales, not the thought or healthiness, at least this is the case for the usual chain pet stores, not exactly for other stores.

Acceptable:

Honestly, anything that isn’t unacceptable, should be okay for your rabbit. Please keep an open mind and use your brain and common sense. If rabbits can’t have corn husks, why would they be able to have corn? Plus, I have made a post on that subject.

Look for timothy hay, natural flavors, natural ingredients, one ingredient, etc. These are the main eye-catchers for a great quality rabbit product. Really any food with a small list of ingredients is a real eye-catcher.

Unacceptable:

Like I mentioned above, the different materials to avoid can be extremely hazardous, but so are the ingredients in some rabbit food too:

Food:

Food-wise, the additives and ingredients to avoid would be:

  • Corn
  • Added Sugars
  • Molasses
  • Wheat
  • Oils
  • Artificial Colors and Flavors
  • Any food that isn’t considered “safe” for a rabbit

Toys:

Like I mentioned before, the materials to avoid in rabbit toys would be:

  • Cloth and fabric chews
  • Treated wood
  • Artificially flavored chews
  • Corn or corn husk (anything corn)
  • Artificial colors

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Thank you so much for coming again to this post. If you found this post informational, please give this post a star and share this post with your family and friends. I post every other day, so if you would be willing to come back again then, that would be great. Until next time, continue to spread proper rabbit care, and I’ll talk to you soon.