W A B B I T S :

GOOD FOODS:

- Timothy hay, rolled oats, parsley, carrots, alfalfa pellets (in moderation), apple, broccoli (in moderation), clover, peapods (not the peas), beet tops, pear, dandelion greens, grasses, green peppers, squash, and edible leaves (rabbits typically know which leaves they can and can't eat). Note: 80% of your rabbit's diet should be comprised of timothy hay. This is very important. Hay is the primary food item. Be sure to avoid over-feeding alfalfa pellets, since it can lead to serious health problems for your bunny. Alfalfa pellets are too rich for the rabbit digestive system.

One of my two rabbits has a very sensitive digestive system, and is fed -- almost exclusively: timothy hay, rolled oats, parsley, and carrots. This works very well for him.

If your rabbit likes to forage in your garden or back yard, let him or her do so. They will search for leaves, roots, grasses, and other herbs that they require. Many caged rabbits miss out on the important nutrients that are found in a
natural setting.

NOT SO GOOD FOODS:

- Lettuce (too much will make your rabbit ill). - Celery, cereals, pasta, potatoes, yams, and bread. Rabbits should get little or none of these foods

BAD FOODS !:

- Sweets (incl. chocolate), milk and milk products (no butter or cheese), potato chips (obviously),or anything that contains synthetic fats or refined sugar.

HOUSING:

Most breeds of domesticated rabbit cannot withstand the cold weather of many parts of the world. They should either be given good shelter from the wind and some type of safe source of heat for the winter, or be kept in the house during the colder months. Keep in mind that rabbits CAN be litter trained. Personally, I've found that using a low-cut box with a bottom layer of plastic and a top layer of shredded newspaper to work quite well. Other possibilities are to place actual ground soil on the plastic (although this could get messy if your rabbit starts to kick dirt out of the box). Wood chips are also a possibility, although they tend to get stuck to the rabbit's hair and track all over the house. Lowest on my list is kitty litter. If you can find a brand of kitty litter that creates little or no dust, and your rabbit actually likes the stuff -- then it should work alright. The important thing is to keep your rabbit's environment dry. Not too warm, and not too cold. Cool is okay. Moist environments can be a problem.

For warmer climates, make sure that your rabbit has shelter from direct sunlight, and also has proper ventilation. As well, they require a CONSTANT water supply. Dehydration can kill quite quickly.

Regardless of where your rabbit lives, s/he should never be kept in a cage all of the time. Arrange time for your rabbit to roam. Just like any animal, they need their territory, and they're very curious about their surroundings (you'll find that out quickly, when you start re-arranging the furniture in the house). An alternative to a cage is to build a large pen. Be sure to place items in the rabbit's pen or cage for entertainment (eg. a tube to run through, paper to shred, a rag to make a scrape out of, and possibly something to hide under).

If your rabbit has the run of the house, keep in mind that they can learn to navagate stairs (carpeted stairs only. Wooden or metal stairs are too dangerous). Be sure to place protective tubing around all wires that are within reach of your rabbit, since many of them like to chew on electrical cords. Also, move any other valuable -- yet chewable -- items up above their reach.You may also want to consider having your rabbit spayed or neutered, since this keeps them from spraying things (marking their territory in the most annoying way possible)... just make sure that the vet that you choose has plenty of experience with doing surgery on rabbits.

GENERAL:

Contrary to common belief, rabbits are not great pets for young children. Many children try to treat rabbits like they are toys. If you do have young children, make sure that they know the do's and don'ts. They must be told to NEVER pick a rabbit up by the ears, or let it fall onto a hard surface (a rabbit's skeleton is very brittle -- especially in the legs. Lateral force on a joint is a definite danger).

When picking up a rabbit, make sure that s/he is supported well. Get your left arm under and around the rabbit, supporting him/her under the front paws with the right hand. Hold the rabbit close to your body, since it helps to keep them from kicking. Only some rabbits will put up with being on their backs. Most do not like this. Right side up is your best bet. If your rabbit likes to kick, keep him/her pinned snugly against your body, and partly under your arm.

GROOMING:

Be very careful when clipping your rabbit's nails! It is only safe to clip the VERY tip of the nail. You'll see a solid section of nail at the tip. As you look farther down the nail, notice that it starts to look pink. This area is filled with blood. You must NOT cut into this section of the nail. It's like slicing into your own finger tip (not very pleasant).

Even more bunny info.:

In PDF format:

Info sheets pages 1 through 5

In Text format:

Rabbit Info Sheet 1
Rabbit Info Sheet 2
Rabbit Info Sheet 3
Rabbit Info Sheet 4
Rabbit Info Sheet 5
Rabbit Info Sheet 6
Rabbit Motility Regimen
Rabbit Motility Regimen Images