Caring For Your Bunny

Changing Food
Bunnies can get very sick and even die from switching their food too quickly. Bunnies have very sensitive digestive tracts and changing food must be done slowly and cautiously. Mix the old food (half and half) with the new food for approx. one week. Slowly begin to increase the ratio of the new food and decrease the amount of old food with each day.

Food & Digestion Tips
It is highly recommended that bunnies be fed premium food containing at least 17% protein. We feed our bunnies Manna Pro Show feed that contains 18% protein. This feed is purchased in 50 lbs bags at Tractor Supply.

This particular feed contains specific vitamins and minerals that support bunny digestion, fur quality, growth, etc.
Be sure to store food in an air tight container to prevent large amounts going stale. You can usually order smaller 25 lb. bags online as well.

We do not recommend buying pet store bunny food because the food is mixed with high sugar snacks (the orange, green or red pieces in the food) which are not healthy for bunnies. Pet store foods also do not contain the recommend amount of protein, vitamins or minerals that rabbits need.
*Do not overfeed your rabbit. Overweight rabbits do not live as long and can develop various illnesses. Obesity is common in pet rabbits, and excessive amounts of food should be avoided.

Bunny Poop
Rabbits have two types of poop. The normal, hard circles that they drop all throughout the day, especially while eating. These typically have no odor and are dry.

​There are also odd shaped stools that a rabbit passes called cecotrophs. They usually come out in clumps or strings of shiny-looking/slimy poop. Rabbits will actually eat these. It sounds gross but this is a process of their digestive tracts that is actually very beneficial. These cecotrophs supply the rabbit with most of their vitamin B requirement. They also contain healthy bacteria that the rabbit needs to digest food and help prevents diarrhea.

If you are feeding your rabbit the proper amount of food, you may not even notice these cecotrophs. However, if you are seeing a large amount of these stools, it usually means your rabbit is being over fed and therefore does not need to eat the cecotrophs because they are getting too much nutrition. In this case, cut back on the pellets and make sure your giving plenty of hay for each day.

Urine Odor
Rabbit urine can be very strong. It’s important to clean their litter box 2-3 times per week in order to keep the scent away. By following my litter box recommendations (puppy pad, pine pellet, bedding) and cleaning the box regularly, you can keep urine odors away completely.

You can also add some Apple Cider Vinegar to their water bottle as well. 1/4 a cap full is plenty. This helps with urine odor as well as rabbit’s immune system, UTI prevention, pH balance, skin conditions, weepy eye prevention and prevention of other infections. This also helps keep fur soft and shiny, helps with digestion and acts as a flea repellent for rabbits who play outdoors.

Treats, Veggies & Fruits
I recommend waiting until bunnies are at least 4-6 months old before introducing anything other than pellets and hay. Giving snacks at a young age can cause diarrhea which can be fatal.

• Please see the list (BELOW) of Fruits and veggies that are safe vs unsafe for rabbits. Fruits should be given only 2-3 times per week in small amounts. They can also have plain Cheerios or oats as a snack.
• They CANNOT have iceberg lettuce, cauliflower, avocado, potatoes or anything that is acidic or high in water content.

Toys
Rabbits are usually very playful and love toys. You can purchase any bunny toys sold at the pet store, chew toys, hay balls, wooden toys, etc. Some very inexpensive toys include an empty toilet paper roll stuffed with hay, cat toy balls, pine cones and even empty boxes for bunnies to jump on and hide inside.

Bedding/Litter
*No cedar shavings. Cedar shavings can cause upper respiratory infection in rabbits.
I recommend horse stall pine pellets and CareFresh paper bedding. Pine pellets are sold at Tractor Supply for $6 per 40 lbs bag. Paper bedding is more expensive but it’s softer and very absorbent. I line my litter boxes with a puppy pad, a few cups of pine pellet and then top it with paper bedding.

Litter Training
You can find lots of good information online for litter training rabbits. Here are a few links:
Basic Litter Training:
https://youtu.be/zsB7SILsOns

​Choosing a Litter Box:
https://youtu.be/0wc5jraRBg4
​
Grooming/Dental
It’s important for rabbits to have access to wood, either toys or a small wood block, in order for them to chew and keep their teeth properly filed.
Rabbits also need their nails clipped regularly. Check YouTube for tips on nail trimming. You can also take your bunny to the vet to have their nails trimmed if you don’t feel comfortable doing so yourself.

Holding Your Bunny
When holding your bunny, be sure to always support the hind feet and bum. Bunnies tend to get nervous when their back feet are dangling and may try to kick free. Be sure to make your bunny feel secure when holding them. Most bunnies love to be held and cuddled when doing so the proper way :)

Questions and Answers
1. Do rabbits need vaccinations?
No, especially if kept inside.

2. Where can I buy my rabbit food and supplies?
I buy almost all of my supplies at The Tractor Supply and highly recommend them. You get more for your money and much better quality. You can shop at pet stores if you’d like but be careful not to buy foods high in sugar (the ones with the colorful food mixed in with pellets) as these are unhealthy for rabbits.

Safe vs Unsafe Treats-
Good
· Apples (no seeds)
· Grapes
· Pears (no seeds)
· Oranges
· Strawberries
· Cherries
· Raspberries
· Blueberries
· Papayas
· Pineapples
· Melons
· Mangoes
· Peas
· Kale
· Carrots
· Carrot Tops & Leaves
· Mustard Greens
· Dandelion Greens
· Parsnips
· Parsley
· Potato Peels
· Basil
· Celery
· Cilantro
· Clover
· Collard Greens
· Dill
· Lettuce – Romaine or dark leaf (no iceburg)
· Mint

Bad
· Acorns
· Almonds
· Apple Seeds
· Apricot Pits
· Asparagus Fern
· Azalea
· Bleeding Heart
· Cabbage
· Carnations
· Cherry Pits
· Clematis
· Creeping Charlie
· Daffodil Bulbs
· Daisy
· Eucalyptus
· Gladiola
· Hyacinth Bulbs
· Iceberg Lettuce
· Iris
· Ivy
· Jack-in-the-Pulpit
· Jonquil
· Lily of the Valley
· Milkweed
· Mustards
· Nutmeg
· Oak
· Peach Pits
· Pear Seeds
· Peony
· Philodendron
· Plum Pits
· Poinsettia
· Rhododendron
· Rhubarb Leaves
· Skunk Cabbage
· Tomato Leaves
· Tulip Bulbs