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)

The French Lop Rabbit Breed

The French Lop rabbit breed is an amazing breed of rabbit for nearly any living situation. These rabbits are extremely loving and affectionate, and are guaranteed to win your heart over. To learn more, continue on with this post.

The History Behind the French Lop Rabbit Breed:

It is believed that the French Lop rabbit breed came to be from an English Lop and a French Butterfly rabbit, which resulted in the French Lop rabbit breed. This rabbit breed, the French Lop, was used for meat industry purposes, but now, rabbits aren’t really used for meat, at least where I live.

The French Lop was first bred is 1850, which is when the meat industry was really going for his rabbit breed. The neighboring countries, such as Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany were starting to favor this rabbit breed too. It was reported that 10 French Lops were brought from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom. It took 27 years for these rabbits to become popular in the UK. It took until 1970-1971 for these rabbits to come on over to the United States.

Common Characteristics Found in French Lops:

French Lops are very similar to Flemish Giants, but with a shorter body, and heavier. French Lops have short front legs, and back legs that should lay parallel to the rabbit’s body. Their ears average the length of 5 to 8 inches long, usually a bit below their jaw. They also have a large head, and the most adorable and chubby cheeks.

The coat to this rabbit is very dense, silky, and soft. This fur isn’t quite long enough to be spun into any sort of wool, but it does have the texture to it. As for the certified colors, French Lops have the certified colors of white, brown, blue, black, opal, fawn, chinchilla, steel, along with siamese. These colors are both accepted in solid and broken.

Personalities Commonly Found in French Lops:

The French Lop rabbit breed is well known to be very affectionate and connected to their owners, which also ties in with how gentle this rabbit breed is. These rabbits are very playful and lively, just to tie in with how sweet these rabbits are.

With this, French Lops are great for nearly any living situation, assuming the family known the basics of proper rabbit care. These rabbits are great for free roaming, families with older children, as singles, even though rabbits are best in pairs, with a couple, and with a singular owner. They also do great as apartment free-roamers, and in large bunny-proofed rooms.

Sizing and Weight:

The size of this rabbit is considered to be a giant rabbit breed. This is very considerable due to the size comparison, considering the fact that Flemish giants are lighter than these rabbits, despite the fact that these rabbits are shorter, and overall, just barely smaller than Flemish Giants.

As for the weight, the average weight of a healthy French Lop is anywhere from 10 to 15 pounds, which like I said, is heavier than a Flemish Giant. This is quite heavy for a rabbit, but is very easily displayed through this rabbit breed’s bigger features. This rabbit breed is especially known for its adorable chubby cheeks.

Common Medical Problems:

French Lops aren’t affected by any particular illnesses through their bloodline and genetics, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t susceptible to nearly any sickness out there for rabbits. Make sure to look out for signs of illnesses in rabbits, no matter how often they seem to get sick, look for signs any time you go to see your rabbit for a while.

Extra Care:

This rabbit breed isn’t in any need for any necessary extra care, but that doesn’t mean that this rabbit breed’s size will slow them down. Because of this overbearing weight that this rabbit breed has to lug around, these rabbits, like all others, need plenty of support and padding for their hocks.

Works Cited:

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

Sources:

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

Posting Dates and Times:

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)
Rabbit Care Necessities: Rabbit Bedding: 9/29/2019: 5:25 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)

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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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)

The Florida White Rabbit Breed

The Florida White rabbit breed is a very self explanatory breed, and is much more recognizable, and popular after realizing that this rabbit breed happens to be popular, and very multi purpose, but not exactly anymore. These rabbits are much more known now for their color and body, but not exactly by their name. The reasoning of this is spoken about below.

The History Behind the Florida White Rabbit Breed:

The history of this rabbit is very simple compared to most rabbit breeds. There was a man by the name of Orville Miliken, that happened to be a rabbit judge for what was common at this time, rabbit shows. What he was really looking for was to form a breed that would be all purpose, which meant the rabbit would have to reach the standards for meat, fur, shows, and to be a fantastic pet.

The most interesting reason why Miliken wanted to create this new breed, was for testing, yeah, this guy’s new creation, was made to be a test subject, WHAT? The reasoning is quite simplistic though. New Zealands had been used as test subjects for the longest time, but the laboratory workers really wanted to see a much smaller rabbit for a change, which is where Miliken decided that he would make a smaller rabbit for this testing. This is why the Florida White came along.

The name choice was extremely simple. Miliken desperately wanted to name the rabbit after where he came from, Florida, but because this rabbit was so distinctively known for its color, he decided to include that too. This is how the Florida White rabbit breed came along and into our arms, with its very self-explanatory name.

The Common Characteristics of Florida Whites:

For this rabbit breed’s overall posture, looks, and muscular build, sometimes this rabbit can look a little odd from different angles. This rabbit breed has quite the rounded body with stubbier front legs, and very large back legs. The back legs (hindquarters) of these rabbits are extremely muscular, and large, for their size and overall body shape. Because their hindquarters are so large, this particular rabbit breed is known to have more slender looking shoulders, and large, wide, hindquarters.

These rabbits’ heads are a decent size for their body, and fit quite well, considering how odd these rabbit’s bodies can look. This rabbit breed’s head should be well rounded, a bit on the smaller side, but still fitting, with a more pointed muzzle and large ears to top it all off. The rabbit’s ears are meant to be on the smaller side, despite the fact that they look very large compared to the rabbit, most likely because its head looks a bit too small at times. These rabbit’s ears are known to fall to one side at times, so don’t worry when there’s a Florida White with partially lopped ears, it’s actually quite common.

Moving to this rabbit’s coat of fur, the fur is meant to be on the much shorter side, with a soft and partially silky texture. These rabbits don’t exactly shed all that much because of their short fur, which can become a large factor when considering when and which rabbit will be welcomed into your household.

To go along, but sort of against this rabbit’s color, white, these rabbits are known to have a red, or sometimes, pink hue to their eye color. This doesn’t make them an albino, but they definitely have similar characteristics to what would be an albino rabbit.

Common Personalities Found in Florida Whites:

Overall, this rabbit is extremely sweet, and for those out there who haven’t met one of these rabbits, they are very docile, and work great for nearly anybody in nearly every situation. The most common personality that truly shines in this rabbit breed is how amazingly docile this rabbit breed is, despite how lazy or active the rabbit is on that specific day.

These rabbits work great for families of nearly any situation, for single men and women, for those living in an apartment or house, or if the owner happens to be trying out a new lifestyle with a different pet. This rabbit breed is genuinely amazing for practically anybody, and for others to see that, would be amazing, especially for those who don’t feel that rabbits are truthfully amazing pets.

Sizing and Weight:

This rabbit breed happens to fall under the small and mini rabbit size category. This category happens to be the section to the most petite rabbits, whether their overall size is just ridiculously tiny or if the weight is unbearable, in a light manner.

Speaking of weight, the average weight for a healthy Florida White rabbit is anywhere from 4 to 6 pounds, which is a decently light rabbit. The weight of this rabbit can be best compared to a Dutch, or a Satin breed rabbit. A Dutch rabbit would be towards the lighter side of the weight range, while Satin rabbits would be closer to the median point.

Common Medical Problems Found in This Breed:

There aren’t any medical problems that are extremely well known, or even genetically carried for this particular breed. Even though this breed isn’t well know to be susceptible to any specific illnesses or overall medical predicaments, this rabbit breed, like all others, can obviously still become extremely ill without proper care and dieting.

Extra Care:

This breed doesn’t have any extra care to consider, at least when this breed is compared to other rabbit breeds. Because this rabbit breed isn’t particularly known to be needy, still keeping a close eye is key, just because it is hard to pay intense attention when you really don’t feel that you have to all that often.

Works Cited:

“Florida White Rabbit Breed Information and Pictures.” PetGuide, 28 Mar. 2019, www.petguide.com/breeds/rabbit/florida-white-rabbit/.

Sources:

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

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Posting Dates and Times:

The Florida White Rabbit Breed: 9/7/2019: 4:00 P.M. Central Time, AKA CT., (USA)
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)

How to Form a Bond With a Newly Adopted Rabbit

Bonding with an adopted rabbit that recently came into the arms of your household can be somewhat confusing, and in some instances, very complicated. I like to make owning a rabbit as simplistic as possible, and because of that, I will be going over the steps in as much detail as possible. Please know that this is for the sake of your education and learning, so if the paragraph is more like an essay, it’s simply because I want to get an important point across, and include the details as well.

Step 1: Know What Strategy You’d Like to Use

Being confident in what strategy you would like to use for bonding, and in some ways training, with your rabbit, is actually very important. With bonding, you will have to show that even though you are soft hearted for your furry friend, that you’re also in control, still in a loving manner.

There are multiple different strategies to choose from, which have all been discussed in an abundance of details, just for you to understand and comprehend. These different opportunities, or strategies, are what you’ll plan on doing with your rabbit, to keep them active, reliant, and submissive. The rabbit is new to you, so keeping the pace steady and reasonable can be a make it or break it situation. Rabbits can’t speak, and they will become confused very easily, so running through your activity slowly, and in a comfortable, reasonable pace.

If you’d like to check out this post that I went over these different strategies and techniques, please click on the following link to lead you to the post, or just look it up by the title that I have it linked as.

Step 2: Know What You Need As For Materials

This step, like the last step, is also included in a post of mine, and if you’d like to know more of the details, please check out that post, I can promise you that there will be a tip in there that will help you, but if not, let me know, and I’ll gladly help you out.

Now that you should know the strategy that you’d like to use, I’d recommend looking into what materials you’ll need for the activity that you’ve planned for your rabbit(s). These materials are listed according to each activity in the post that I’ve done on this subject, so please check that out if you haven’t already.

Step 3: Spend Time With the Rabbit(s)

The 3rd, and most important step, is to actually bond with your rabbit, the main hint, is to simply spend a reasonable amount of time with your rabbit. The most simple actions taken when you’re around your rabbit could increase your bond with your fluffy friend, one of the possibilities could be sitting and reading on the floor near your rabbit. If you’d really like to, I guess you could even read to your rabbit.

The most simple acts and actions could really benefit your rabbit’s feedback and overall bond with you. The most important section of this step, is what it says, just spend whatever spare time you have, with your rabbit. I find that going to my rabbit’s room is one of the most enjoyable parts of the day.

Even if you only have a couple of minutes, just go to your rabbit’s area and spend some time with them. The more time spent with your rabbit(s), the more your rabbit(s) will grow to appreciate you, but also grow a stronger bond with you.

Step 4: Give the Rabbit Positive Feedback

Giving rabbits positive feedback after doing a trick, or even coming over to you, is essential. Rewarding rabbits with a new or favorite toy could be one way. Other ways could be petting your rabbit, giving them a treat, or even just talking in a positive and welcoming manner.

Positive feedback allows the rabbit to process in the perspective of whatever action they just took, is correct, and what you’d like to see from them. Rabbits are more physical learners, at least from my experience with them. Rabbits really do like to know when they are doing an act correct, so allow them to know what is being done correct, reward them.

Step 5: Keep Promoting Positive Reinforcement

Last, but not least, is that it is so incredibly important to promote and stress positive reinforcement through every action you decide to take around and with your rabbit(s). When you have recently adopted a rabbit, they’ll already be very stressed out from the move, and they’ll probably want nothing to do with you. This is something to be prepared for.

When a rabbit has been in a stressful situation in their past, they will hold on to that one situation, and will use it against you. It really shouldn’t take long to observe and learn about your rabbit’s past. Rabbits will make it very obvious when they aren’t in agreement with a decision of yours, especially when you’re handling rabbits. For those who have handled rabbits quite a lot, you’ll know a rabbit’s past problems, and maybe some of the rabbit’s background, just from their reaction. Most rabbit shelters will inform you with this information, they really should, but sometimes, the shelter just doesn’t know too much about that specific rabbit.

If you are working on touching your rabbit’s paws without a negative reaction, or handle him/her, allowing the rabbit to know that this is meant to be a simple and positive process is a must. Rabbits will need as much positive energy as possible at these moments. Allowing the rabbit know that they’re okay, and that they’re in good hands, is so incredibly important to allow this process to be successful.

Posting Dates and Times:

How to Form a Bond With a Newly Adopted Rabbit: 9/5/2019: 5:45 P.M. CT. (USA)
The Florida White Rabbit Breed: 9/7/2019: 4:00 P.M. Central Time, AKA CT., (USA)
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: Litter boxes

Litter training rabbits can really take a toll on whether families will allow a rabbit into their home. I, personally, feel that litter boxes aren’t discussed enough, especially with pet store companies selling tiny litter boxes that aren’t even large enough for a dwarf rabbit, but advertise it for a small to medium bunny.

Why Are Litter Boxes So Important?

If a rabbit wasn’t litter box trained, or didn’t have a litter box in general, it would be like a dog just constantly using the house flooring for a toilet because it couldn’t go in the backyard, or it doesn’t have a backyard.

Litter box trained rabbits are noted to live a happier, healthier, and longer life than rabbits without a litter box, and aren’t trained. This is because when a rabbit doesn’t have a “toilet” to use, they just go anywhere, which means they have the chance of stepping, laying, whatever, in it. This also means that the feces and urine are building up over time, which could attract bugs and cause many bug invasions, along with diseases that could potentially be carried by that bug. Don’t forget that the building up feces and urine could also build up on the rabbit’s fur, which would definitely cause many predicaments, including indoor flystrike.

I’d also like to stress the importance of keeping a rabbit’s area tidy. I just mentioned how urine and stools can attract different insects, but when you have these bugs trapped in the shelter containing the rabbit, the flies, mites, fleas, whatever, are also trapped, which means your rabbit is stuck with all of these insects that could cause plenty of unnecessary harm, all because you didn’t supply a litter box.

Litter boxes are very easily accessible, and there really isn’t an excuse to avoid giving an opportunity for a much more pleasant life by litter training a rabbit. Rabbits are excellent at learning new skills, and take it quite seriously, plus you’re adding years to your rabbit. These years that I’m expressing and stressing about are the years that you could add on to your rabbit’s life through preventing serious diseases from insects, preventing stress from the illnesses, helping the rabbit’s respiratory that is struggling from the smell, last but not least, the hygiene that is required for every rabbit to live an astounding life.

Think of rabbit care in a human’s perspective, humans need the hygiene, care, and products to live a healthy and beneficial life, so do rabbits. This is why they need litter boxes, it’s a rabbit product necessity for a great life, it encourages amazing hygiene, and allows the rabbit great care through keeping them more hygienic than what it would be without a good quality litter box, or a litter box in the first place.

Are Small Litter Boxes Bad?

Yes, small litter boxes are terrible for rabbits. Not only do they restrict movement and comfort, but the odds of your rabbit actually making the feces in the litter box is highly unlikely, especially if it’s crammed and undersized.

The biggest problem with small litter boxes, is the size itself, if it’s small, it’s too small! Small litter boxes will limit the rabbit’s movement in the box, make the rabbit uncomfortable, and most likely stick the feces to the rabbit’s back end, or the side of the box, definitely nothing you want.

What is the Problem With Pet Store Litter boxes That Are Made For Small Animals?

Rabbits aren’t really all that small of animals, especially when you consider their size compared to the “small animal” litter boxes, specifically advertised for rabbits and guinea pigs, even though they’re barely a decent size for the average guinea pig.

Small animal advertised litter boxes are NOT in any way large enough for a rabbit of any size, not to forget that the sides aren’t even sides, and the box itself will need daily cleaning. These litter boxes aren’t appropriately sized, and no rabbit owner should ever feel tricked when it comes to buying an advertised, “appropriately” sized litter box.

What Do I Recommend For Rabbit Litter Boxes?

Personally, as a rabbit owner and a person who enjoys researching rabbit care, now for three years, I feel that the best litter box for a mini & small to large sized rabbit would be any large sized cat litter box, with high sides, and a great width to allow a full 360 degree turn for your rabbit, with plenty of space and comfort.

The reasoning behind this is quite simple. A rabbit that is anywhere from a mini sized breed, to a large sized breed, that is able to spin a full 360 degrees in the litter box, with comfort and ease, will be willing to use the box. This should show the owner that the rabbit is comfortable with the size, and it fits well for the breed and size. For a small breed of rabbit, I would look for lower sides if they are very short, if they can jump just fine, and don’t struggle with hock issues, or arthritis, then you’re all set.

For any giant breed rabbit, I would recommend purchasing a large plastic tub that is commonly used for storage purposes, to be used as their litter box. Storage boxes will usually have very high sides, and an amazing area the work with. This allows a giant breed rabbit to be able to move appropriately, still in a comfortable manner.

If you find that the box is still too small, I would recommend looking into a full sized, covered, cat litter box base, just focusing on the base, this will ensure that the litter box itself is large enough for your not so little rabbit. If you would like to invest in a covered cat litter box for your rabbit, go right ahead.

Covered Litter Boxes?

Covered litter boxes are amazing for rabbits, especially for those who find joy in kicking the litter and hay everywhere. The cover will prohibit the rabbit’s access to shooting feces, litter, and hay across the enclosure, from one, simple, foot-flick. Covered litter boxes are also amazing for anyone who hosts plenty of gatherings, because the roof and sides of the box is enough to enclose and hide the rabbit’s feces.

Posting Dates and Times:

Rabbit Care Necessities: Litter Boxes: 9/3/2019: 5:25 P.M. Central Time (USA)
How to Form a Bond With a Newly Adopted Rabbit: 9/5/2019: 5:45 P.M. CT. (USA)
The Florida White Rabbit Breed: 9/7/2019: 4:00 P.M. Central Time, AKA CT., (USA)
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)