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Gear for Your Rabbit
Before bringing your rabbit home, purchase everything you require for his care. You must decide on a housing setup and buy food, bowls, a water bottle, bedding material, and furnishings. Fortunately, everything your pet needs should be available from your local pet store. The following are the basic must-have supplies.
Housing
Your rabbit’s cage is the most important, and expensive, piece of equipment you’ll need to buy. Cages are available in many shapes, sizes, and styles but are typically made of galvanized steel with a metal or plastic tray that slides out or snaps off for quick cleaning. Some trays are attractively colored, allowing you to coordinate your rabbit’s cage to match a room’s decor.
Size
The size of the cage you need depends on the type and number of rabbits you’re planning to keep. A single dwarf rabbit needs a cage that’s a minimum of 36" (0.9 m) long, 24" (0.6 m) wide, and 18" (0.5 m) high. Because rabbits aren’t natural climbers, a cage that provides maximum floor space rather than vertical height is best. In general, a good rule of thumb is to buy the largest cage you can afford and have room for in your home.
The cage you choose must be a comfortable, roomy home for an adult-sized rabbit. (If you purchase a baby rabbit, buy a cage according to how big he’ll be as an adult. If he’s a mixed breed, and you don’t know how large he will get, it’s much better to overestimate than provide him with a cage that’s too small.) Ideally, he should be able to move at least three hops along the enclosure’s length without running into any cage furniture, and he should be able to stand on his hind legs without his ears touching the top of the enclosure.
Floor Type
Rabbit cages have three types of floors: wire mesh, slat, and solid.
- Wire mesh: This type of floor allows droppings and urine to fall below the mesh so that the rabbit stays clean and dry. The design predates the use of litter boxes, however, and now that rabbits are commonly litter trained, a wire floor is no longer a necessity (although it’s useful when your rabbit is first learning to use his litter box). However, rabbits housed on exposed wire floors often develop sore feet, so this floor isn’t ideal for your pet’s cage.
- Slat: Cages with a slat bottom were designed to alleviate sore feet and are more comfortable for rabbits than wire mesh. The spaces between the slats allow excrement to drop below your rabbit’s living space, but it’s best to provide at least some solid flooring in the cage to further prevent sore feet. You can use a piece of untreated wood or cardboard in the cage to do this, but your rabbit is likely to chew on both of these items, so you’ll need to replace them occasionally.
- Solid: This is generally the best type of cage floor to use when housing a rabbit, but only if you provide a suitable litter box. Because rabbits produce a lot of urine and droppings, it’s unsanitary to keep rabbits in a cage with a solid floor and no litter box.
Placement
A rabbit’s cage is relatively large, and deciding where to keep it takes some thought. Your rabbit should be part of your family, and his cage should be in a location where everyone can enjoy him. A family room is often the best location, while a bedroom is typically unsuitable—nighttime feeding noises and hind-foot thumping can disturb sleep.
Take the following into consideration when placing your rabbit’s cage:
- Height: Don’t keep the cage on the floor because it can get too drafty in the winter. Keeping the cage somewhat low to the ground enables your rabbit to easily enter and exit the enclosure via the door, which acts as a ramp when he’s allowed outside to play. You can place the cage on a small table or put it up on cinder blocks (available at lumber stores) covered with an attractive fabric.
- Temperature changes: Keep your rabbit’s cage away from heating or air-conditioning vents, fireplaces or wood stoves, drafty windows, frequently opened doors, and direct sunlight. Rabbits are very sensitive to heat and are prone to heatstroke in temperatures above 85°F (29°C). Comfortable temperatures for a rabbit correspond to those found in most homes: in the 59–72°F (15–22°C) range.
- Other pets: At least until your rabbit has been safely introduced to your other pets, keep his cage out of their eye-level view. A dog or cat outside or on top of the cage will alarm your rabbit.
Litter Box
Litter boxes made specifically for small animals, such as rabbits and ferrets, are available at pet stores. They are either similar to those designed for cats, or they are triangular in shape and fit in a corner of the cage. The box you select should be large enough for your adult rabbit to comfortably sit and turn around in. Most litter boxes are made of plastic, but some are constructed of metal or wire mesh.
Position the litter box at one end of the cage and your rabbit’s nest box, food dishes, and water bottle at the other end to prevent waste or soiled litter from coming into contact with those items.
Litter
You can use one of a variety of absorbent materials in your litter box, including wood shavings, bedding products, newspaper, or cat litter.
- Wood shavings: Pine, aspen, or spruce shavings can all make suitable litter. Make sure that the shavings you use have been treated with chlorophyll for odor control. Also, never use cedar shavings for litter or bedding because they can irritate your rabbit’s skin and respiratory system and may also be toxic to his liver.
- Bedding products: Products made from recycled paper or wood pulp help to control or eliminate odor and make suitable litter. Recycled paper doesn’t contain harmful inks, dyes, or significant levels of heavy metals and so is safe for your pet.
-
Newspaper: Most
newspaper inks are now vegetable based rather than petroleum based and are safe to use in your rabbit’s cage.
- Cat litter: Cat litter made from recycled newspaper or compressed sawdust is suitable for your cage, but don’t use cat litter that clumps. Rabbits taste and sometimes eat whatever is put into their cage, and this includes their litter. Consumption of clumping cat litter can lead to a gut impaction (blockage), which requires expensive and potentially risky surgery to remove. The suitability of regular clay cat litter is subject to debate: some believe it’s fine as long as it’s dust-free and unscented; others believe the danger of the rabbit ingesting it and being unable to pass it is too great.
Litter varies in price, absorbency, and odor control. If you use a less absorbent material as litter, expect to change the litter box at least every day. With more absorbent products, you can clean the litter box every other day.
Bedding
Bedding absorbs moisture (from urine or water from the occasional leaky bottle), reduces odors, and provides a warm, dry environment for your rabbit. The same material you use as litter in the litter box can usually serve as bedding on the cage floor.
If you have a wire-frame cage, keep a thin layer in the tray below the cage to absorb mess and odor. If your cage has a solid floor, place enough bedding in it to cover the smooth floor and provide traction for your rabbit.
Ideally, neither your bedding nor your litter should be dusty, as this can irritate your pet’s respiratory system or aggravate an existing respiratory ailment. Paper pulp and recycled paper products tend to be lower in dust compared to wood shavings and other bedding and litter materials.
Nest Box
A nest box provides your rabbit with a secure place to sleep. This “bedroom” also serves as a safe hiding place for him to retreat from loud noises or any disturbing activity outside his cage. It must be large enough for your rabbit to comfortably stretch out in and have an opening that allows easy entry. Place some comfortable nesting material, such as straw or pine shavings, inside the box to create a cozy environment for your pet.
Nest boxes are typically constructed of metal, wood, or plastic, and they are available at pet stores. Of the three materials, metal is the most durable, but a wood box will provide something for your rabbit to chew on, which helps to keep his teeth trim. (As a result, It becomes necessary to replace a wood box over time.) Your rabbit may chew on a plastic box as well, but don’t encourage this—he may swallow some plastic and be unable to digest it. Don’t keep a plastic nest box if your rabbit chews on it.
Food Dishes
Your rabbit needs two dishes for his food. One should be for dry foods, and the other should contain only moist foods. These dishes should be made of sturdy ceramic or durable plastic and should be heavy enough that your rabbit can’t tip them over easily. A rabbit can easily move a lightweight dish, unless it clips to the side of the cage, and scatter the contents about the floor—and will almost certainly do so if given the opportunity. If your rabbit chews on his plastic food dish, switch to a ceramic dish to prevent him from ingesting pieces of the plastic.
Hay Rack
Attach a hay rack to the side of your rabbit’s cage slightly above ground level or higher so that he must stretch up to eat. If you place hay on the cage floor, your pet will waste some when he tramples on it, and he might also defecate on it. (Rabbits do enjoy burrowing and tromping through hay, so if you have an inexpensive source of quality hay, you may want to place some on the floor of his cage for this purpose.)
Water Bottle
Your rabbit should always have access to clean, fresh water. Provide water for your pet in a gravity-flow water bottle, available in most pet stores. The sipper tube should be at a height that’s comfortable for your rabbit—typically a bit higher than his head. To prevent leaks, the tip of the bottle shouldn’t touch the bedding or any cage furnishings. Don’t place the bottle over your rabbit’s food dish.
Choose the largest water bottle available made specifically for rabbits. It should have hatch marks to help you monitor your pet’s water intake, but you can make your own hatch marks with a permanent marker if necessary.
Toys
While in his cage, your rabbit requires some form of entertainment. Otherwise he’ll grow bored and depressed. He will enjoy playing with almost anything you put in his cage. Play for rabbits typically involves chewing—and the eventual destruction of the toy—so make sure that the items you offer are safe. The following items make suitable toys for your rabbit:
- Cardboard boxes and tubes
- Paper (newspaper or old books with no glossy coating on the pages and the covers removed)
- Tree branches (taken from untreated alder, willow, maple, ash, or apple trees)
- Wood blocks
Wood chews are especially good for rabbits—along with keeping them busy and active, they provide a hard surface to gnaw on, which keeps their teeth in good shape.
Offer your rabbit a variety of toys. The more toys your pet has, the more fun he’ll have, and the more fun he’ll be to watch. Having lots of options for play and exploration also reduces the likelihood of his becoming overweight.
Don’t overcrowd the cage, though—let your pet play with a toy for a week, then take it away and replace it with a different one. By continually switching his toys, you’ll keep him active and interested in exploring his environment.
Exercise Areas
To stay healthy, your rabbit needs to spend time exercising and playing outside his cage. If you don’t want to give him roaming privileges in the rooms of your house, or if you have a backyard and want to give your pet a chance to get outdoors, buy an exercise pen or grazing run.
For small animals, pet stores carry portable exercise pens that fold away for easy storage. The space between the bars of the pen should be small enough that your rabbit can’t escape, and the pen itself must be at least 3 feet
(0.9 m) high for small breeds and 4 feet (1.2 m) high for large breeds to prevent the rabbit from hopping out.
Indoors, place the pen on a tarp to protect the floor from any accidents or destructive activities.
Letting Your Rabbit Roam
Time to play and exercise outside the cage is essential for your rabbit. Decide if you will let yours have the run of one room or if you’ll provide him with an exercise pen. If you allow your rabbit to play in a room, you must pet-proof it before you let him loose. A rabbit is a natural digger and burrower who will find his way into places you may not expect. Without proper supervision, he can do serious damage to a room and furnishings.
Take the following steps to pet-proof the room in which you allow your rabbit to roam:
- Move phone wires and exposed electrical cords out of reach of your rabbit.
- Remove or relocate any items lying about that your rabbit can reach, such as shoes, plants, or books that are on a low shelf.
- Protect your wooden furniture, which your rabbit will chew on. You can do this by wrapping bubble wrap around the legs. Pet stores sell sprays with a bitter taste that you can apply to your furniture or other items to discourage chewing, but the sprays generally don’t work on rabbits.
- Always supervise your pet when he’s out of his cage. Although you can’t change his natural behavior, you can plan for it, redirect it, and monitor it to keep both your pet and your home safe.
Grazing Run
An outdoor grazing run provides an enjoyable means for your rabbit to exercise and graze on fresh grass (untreated by pesticides or weed killers) during nice weather. Because of a rabbit’s sensitivity to hot weather, don’t place your pet outside when temperatures are above 85°F (29°C).
Cage Maintenance
A clean home plays an important role in keeping your pet healthy, and you will need to perform regular maintenance on your rabbit’s cage and furnishings to maintain a sanitary environment for him.
Daily or Alternate-Day Tasks
Perform the following tasks once a day or every other day:
- Empty the litter box.
- Using a litter scoop, remove any droppings or urine-soaked bedding from the enclosure.
- Wash the food dishes every few days—you can safely clean most dishes in a dishwasher. Dishes for moist foods require more frequent washing to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria.
- Replace any dishes that are cracked or chipped. Purchasing a second set can make cleaning easier because you can provide food in clean receptacles while you’re washing the others.
Weekly Tasks
Perform the following tasks once a week:
- Completely change the bedding on the cage floor and in the litter box. (You may need to change the bedding more frequently if your cage has a solid floor because your rabbit may not use his litter box consistently.)
- Wash and dry the litter box thoroughly.
- Using a narrow, flexible brush, clean the slimy film that develops inside the water bottle. Check that the bedding and food aren’t clogging the sipper tube.
Monthly Tasks
Perform the following tasks once a month:
- Scour the entire cage. Use a vacuum to remove any hairs that are stuck to the cage wires. Then wash the cage thoroughly with warm, soapy water, and dry it thoroughly.
- If necessary, disinfect the cage with a weak bleach solution (about 10% bleach and 90% water). Rinse the cage well until no smell of bleach remains. Allow the enclosure to dry completely before returning your rabbit to it.
- Wash all plastic toys, and scrape grime or dirt off of wooden toys with a file. (Wooden toys can splinter if washed in water.)
- If necessary, replace the nest box.
| Text & Photos Copyright © 2007 TFH Publications, Inc. | Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
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