Throughout my life one of my favorite animals to have for a pet was a floppy-eared bunny. As a matter of fact, I had four pet bunnies all at once and thought they were the best pets to have ever because they were such gentle, sweet animals. However, my very first pet bunny only lived 2 years because I didn’t know how to take proper care of him, and neither did my parents.
Eventually after getting four more bunnies as pets, I had begun researching the friendly creatures at the library and online, so I could take care of them properly so they could then live longer, happier lives. The information I found out about raising bunnies as pets was astonishing. It was very important information that most people who had bunnies as pets didn’t even know about. The main reason why the important information on how to care for bunnies as pets wasn’t all over the Internet or in library’s was because many people raise and care for bunnies for their meat and not as pets. If any of you have bunnies as pets you need to hear this very important information so you can give your bunny a long and healthy life.
The very first thing you want to get before getting a pet bunny is a large cage filled with hay because bunnies like to burrow into the hay so they feel safe and warm. You will also want to get a bag of bunny grain and put a 1/2 cup of it into a little dish and place it into the cage so your bunny has something to snack on. Last thing you will need to have is a water bottle made for bunnies that will hook right onto your bunny’s cage for when he or she is thirsty.
The second piece of information I am going to give you is going to give your bunny a longer healthier life span. Did you know that veggies such as carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, celery, and cabbage are bad for your bunny’s diet? Well veggies are. Reason why veggies are bad for you’re pet bunny is because when the bunny eats the veggies it actually gives your bunny diarrhea and dehydrates them causing the bunny to get sick and have clog intestines, which stop the bunny from passing their small round stool pellets, which could then lead to death. Sounds horrible I know, but its true. The worse thing to give your bunny for food are veggies. Most people who give veggies to bunnies are raising them for their meat on a farm. However, it is okay to give your bunny one small veggie treat a week to keep their teeth cleaned, shaved down, and sharp because bunnies teeth do grow fast so it is good to give them something to chewy on once in awhile.
The next piece of information I am going to give you is on what bunnies should and can eat that is beneficial for your bunny’s overall health. A bunny’s diet should mostly consist of hay, clovers, alfalfa and lots of water. Once a day you should give your bunny a half a cup of grain to keep them full and energized. Did you know bunnies have sweet tooth and enjoy eating a peanut butter cookie once in awhile as a health snack, or a sliced apple with peanut butter on top? Well they do and its a perfect treat to give your bunny once in a great while to keep them happy and to cure their little sweet tooth. Don’t worry peanut butter cookies will not harm your bunny in any way. A matter a fact the peanut butter in the cookie provides a bit of protein in them which is great for your furry little friend.
The fourth bit of information I will tell you about is how to help your bunny get the most exercise. You want to let your bunny out of his or her cage at least twice a day for two hours at a time because bunnies are meant to hop around and be active and not pent up in a cage all day. Another great way to help your bunny stay active and get exercise is taking them for short walks, or should I say for some short hops. You can get collars and leashes made for bunnies right in your local pet store to use when walking your bunny. Bunnies also love having another bunny friend to play and hop with because they do get lonely. Just make sure their bunny friend is neutered, other wise your going to have more little baby bunnies hopping around in your home.
The next piece of information is on how to care of a sick bunny. You can usually tell your bunny is sick when they have a wet runny warm noise, warm ears, and lays down a lot. The best thing to do when your bunny is sick it to put Gatorade in their water bottles because Gatorade has electrolytes in it and will get your bunny hydrated and the sweet taste of the Gatorade will keep your bunny going back for more drinks. Another great tip is to put a juice Popsicle in there cage and allow your bunny to nibble on it to get some liquid into he or her. If you think something is extremely wrong with your bunnies health I would recommend taking them to the vet to get checked out for any serious illness.
Another small bit of information you will need to know is this. A bunny should have his claws clipped once a month by a groomer, or by your local vet. If your bunny’s claws get to long they can hurt themselves pretty badly and say scratch his/ or her eye. So go get those claws clipped. You should also give your bunny a bath once every two months with warm water and a light scent animal shampoo made for bunnies. This will keep your bunny neatly groomed and looking good since they do shed a lot of fur coats. You want to make sure that when your bunny is shedding to brush them with a small grooming brush to remove all the lose fur from there coat. Reason why you want to remove all lose fur from your bunny is because you do not want your bunny choking and getting fur balls in their throats.
The last piece of information your going to need is this, Always keep your bunnies cage clean. Make sure you empty out all the old hay, water and poop each week from the cage and replace the old hay with some fresh hay and water for your bunny to munch on. By doing that you will keep your bunny happy and healthy.
Now you know the really important information on how to care for your pet bunny. You know what and what not to feed your bunny and how to help your bunny when he or she is sick. You also now know how to help your bunny get the right amount of exercise to stay health and what treats to give your bunny when they have a sweet tooth. If you need more information on how to care for a bunny check out my link attached to my article.
