Feeding
A pet rabbit should be fed fresh hay (oats or alfalfa), pellets, and fresh vegetables. Pellets should make up less than half of the rabbit's diet as they get older. Hay should be available at all times as it makes hairballs and other problems less likely. Your rabbit should have a wide selection of vegetables available, with the exception of rhubarb or beans which should be avoided. And, of course, they should have fresh, clean water available at all times.

Baby rabbits should be nursing on their mother's milk until they're three weeks old. Or, if it is a situation where the rabbit is an orphan, they can be fed by milk replacement diets, which are available in our catalog. After the first three weeks, they should be gradually introduced to alfalfa hay and pellets until they're 8 weeks old. They should then be offered free choice of unlimited alfalfa hay and pellets. After the third month they should be given vegetables - also introduced gradually, keeping quantities under an ounce. From 6 months on, start changing over from alfalfa to hay, reduce pellets to 1/4 cup per 3 pounds of your rabbit's weight, gradually add more vegetables, and allow them 1/2 ounce of fruit per 3 pounds of your rabbit's weight.

At a year of age and over, they should be offered as much hay as they wish - but not alfalfa, just standard grass hay. They should be given about 1/4 cup of pellets per 3 pounds of their weight, depending on the amount of vegetables you're feeding. You should offer 1-2 cups of vegetables daily, and should offer fruit - about 1-2 oz per 3 pounds of your rabbit's weight.

Over 6 years of age, you may wish to give them all the pellets they want if their weight begins to drop. Alfalfa hay is will also bulk them up if they're underweight, but only if their calcium levels are okay. Regular checkups with your veterinarian are recommended.

Where to keep your rabbit

Rabbits should be caged - the bigger the better allowing more freedom for your rabbit. They will especially like multiple-story cages - cages with two or three stories are available. Wire cages are fine as long as you place some sort of flooring to limit the contact of their feet with the wire - direct contact with the wire can cause irritation and sores on a rabbit's feet. A plastic or solid floor is fine - we do not recommend wood, due to the fact that it cannot be disinfected. If they're used to using a litter box, cleaning is straight forward. When they're better trained, they can be allowed to run loose in your house under your supervision. You may also keep your rabbit outside, provided that there are not too many wild animals in your neighborhood. The cage should be 3-4 feet off the ground and protection from the elements is essential. If the weather is too extreme in the winter, it is wise to bring them indoors until the weather abates.

Rabbit Health

Rabbits may get ill and show no obvious signs of it. For example, their fur or coat can easily hide a weight loss, so check daily for obvious signs of illness. Make sure the rabbit is eating and drinking normally. Check the droppings, look for diarrhea or droppings with blood or mucus or for droppings with hair in them, which can be a sign of a internal blockage.

Check the following:

Skin - cuts, sores, dry or flaking skin
Activity - lethargic behavior, not eating - check its weight
Feet - sore, irritated or infection. You may change bedding or base of cage.
Eyes - watery, cloudy or irritated

When any of the above conditions persist, seek advice from your local veterinarian.
Or, go to our Forum

Clipping Nails

Clipping a rabbit's nails is not a difficult task, and is necessary. Naturally, a rabbit's burrowing and scratching activity wears them down, but in captivity they must depend on you for their manicure.

You will need nail clippers, a file & Quick Stop (if you cut into the vein this should stop the bleeding). Wear long sleeved clothing that will protect your arms from getting scratched.

A vein runs through the nail almost to the tip. If you're not that familiar with the nail clipping process, you want to take several small cuts rather than a large one. The reason for this is that if you accidentally cut the vein, you will cut into a smaller portion of that vein at the tip rather than higher up which can produce a significant amount of blood. If this happens, you have two choices: use the Quick Stop powder, or cauterize the tip of the nail. You can do this by placing the tip of a knife on your stove and when hot quickly and briefly touch the tip of the nail. No, this will not hurt your rabbit whatsoever. This is the same procedure used on birds and reptiles, and it has worked very well for us here.

If you're really uncertain about how to cut nails, and want a really safe alternative, you can simply take a nail file and file each nail until the desired length is reached. This will take off very minute quantities slowly, and if you do hit the vein, you will only hit the very edge of it, which will usually not bleed more than a drop or two before it stops on its own.