Raising Baby Rabbits - First Thing To Do

Raising Baby Rabbits - First Thing To Do

Raising baby rabbits are not just like taking care of kittens or puppies because their mothers have a different way of nursing their young. Mother rabbits are very central to the lives of their babies or kits because they don't stop taking care of them until they are strong enough to fend for themselves. Thus, in keeping baby rabbits, one must also give equal care to the doe in order to properly support the young. The first thing that needs to be done in raising baby rabbits is setting up a comfortable nest for the doe days before it is about to give birth. Common nests used are the wooden nest box or even an ordinary litter box. The nest should first be lined with a bunny litter material that will help absorb urine or birth fluids to make the mother rabbit comfortable. Afterwards, the nest should be topped with hay, dried grasses, or even saw dust to help make the space warmer.


In most cases, the doe is the one who really feeds her young so there should be no problem when it comes to this part. The owner's only concern would be to provide the mother with the appropriate foods to make sure that she generates good milk for her babies. In raising baby rabbits, some people think that the mothers don't feed their young because they rarely see the doe doing it. This is a misconception, however, because unlike other animals, baby rabbits are only fed once a day and within 12 midnight to 5 am in the morning only.

Also, in raising baby rabbits, it is important to assess the attitude of the mother with regards to her babies. If the doe appears nervous and agitated in her cage days after she has given birth, this is the time when the owner has to directly monitor the babies to see if they are warm enough. 

If the kits look shriveled with baggy skin and sunken tummies then they have to be fed with other food instead. Monitoring the temperature is also important in when you are learning the ropes of how to raise rabbits. The babies should be kept from losing too much of their body heat because the more they use it, the higher their chances of eating more. This may be a problem given that they are only fed once a day. In rare situations when the mother is not up to nurse her babies, a heating pad must be placed on the nest to keep the babies warm during their first week.

Feeding Rabbits Correctly And Know What Not To Feed Them

Feeding Rabbits Correctly And Know What Not To Feed Them

Rabbits like to often chew on something. They chew on cage bars; they chew on rugs, broom and even on hair! They do this even after they are fed. This could be interpreted as animal pica, the behavior of eating inedible stuff. It could be indicative of something serious or not. But no matter what it is, feeding rabbits must not be taken for granted. Letting your bunny loose to eat anything it wants is a sure way to kill it.


Don't think that it's easy to feed rabbits. They are actually more sensitive in what you give them. You might also be thinking that all vegetables and all fruits are good for them but you're wrong. They are not that predictable. Feeding rabbits can be more complicated than just tossing them a bowl of your left-over salad for munching on. Be wise about choosing the food you give to your bunny.

What you should not give

- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Parsnips
- Swedes
- Potato Tops
- tomato leaves
- Too much rabbit pellets
- and certain plants that can be found in your garden (best not to let your rabbit loose then)

NEVER give your bunny sweets and junk food, too.

All vegetables mentioned can give serious problems to your rabbit. They can either cause diarrhea or gas to your bunny. Some are too high in calcium that's unhealthy for the rabbit. They can die from bloating. So be careful on what you give them. If you are busy during the entire day, put you pet rabbit in a cage or hutch. Don't let it loiter around the house because they literally eat anything! Not only because you're worried about your rug or blankets but also because you should be worried about your bunny. It must be kept healthy. Feeding rabbits sure is tough. Now you know why you can't simply tell your bunny to help itself to the leftover salad. There are other vegetables and fruits you can give to your rabbit as treats: apples, carrots, and banana. Don't let rabbit pellets become the bulk of its diet. You wouldn't want to eat cereals for breakfast, lunch and dinner would you? So alternate its diet by giving it fresh foods.

Learning how to raise rabbits as well as feeding them should not be difficult for you. You can already memorize the vegetables you should not give your pet bunny. Keep your rabbit healthy and happy by giving it the right food for its growth. Believe me, if you do this you'll have a very healthy and happy bunny that'll love you.

Outdoor Rabbit Hutch - 3 Specific Considerations

Outdoor Rabbit Hutch - 3 Specific Considerations

You may want to let your pet rabbit be domesticated while living outdoors. It is a sort of compromise between its natural habitat and its life with you. If that is what you want, you need to buy or to build an outdoor rabbit hutch. The outdoor rabbit hutch provides the sense of being in touch with nature but still domesticated.

Specific Considerations When Picking an Outdoor Rabbit Hutch 

1. Size

When choosing an outdoor rabbit hutch, you must make sure that it is comfortable for your pet. Just because your pet will be staying outdoors does not mean that it cannot get the kind of comfort living you are capable of giving it. Though in the great outdoors, the rabbit is still confined in the hutch. So, you need to make sure your pet will have enough space to move around inside. If you want to know just how much exact space your rabbit needs, you have to first gauge its fully-grown size. Then, multiply the area that it can take by four. The answer should be the minimum space you should provide. Of course, you can always go all out and buy a really large hutch, sort of like a mansion for rabbits.

2. Material

The design should be comfortable as well. Pick one in which your pet rabbit can move around freely without getting hurt by rough edges or hard walls or flooring. You may have decided that your pet is living outdoors and not in a cage inside your home but you should still ensure that your rabbit is not restrained by an uncomfortable hutch.

3. Safety

A rabbit living in an outdoor rabbit hutch can be vulnerable to some dangerous predators. So, you should make sure that the hutch does not only house your pet but actually keeps it safe from all sorts of harm. Your pet must also feel that sense of security. So, make sure that the hutch is built in a way that predators, even slithering snakes, cannot get into it. Your pet rabbit must not also live in constant fear. Even if a predator does not get to your pet, a heart attack may well be able to kill your pet rabbit instantly.

When you buy or volunteer to care for a pet rabbit, you take full responsibility of it. You do not just think of it as a plaything or any source of entertainment but you should also provide it with all its necessities. A hutch or cage should provide your pet comfort and a sense of security if you plan on raising rabbits seriously.