Springfield Rabbits

 All rabbits needs lots of love and attention and should be picked up and cuddled at least twice a day.  When you take your rabbit home they will take a few days to settle in.  For the first day they should not be handled and just left in their new hutch to quietly get used to their new surroundings as they will feel a little disorientated and nervous and will easily be stressed.  After a day or so when they have settled, a small square of carpet is an ideal mat to place on your lap to avoid any scratches whilst getting used to handling your new rabbit.

 Your rabbit is used to living outside so if you take them indoors try not to keep them in a warm environment for too long, as they may get too hot and returning them to the cold after being very warm may give them a chill.  However if you are keeping your rabbit as a house pet as long as you allow your rabbit to adjust slowly to a heated house they will be fine.

 A house rabbit will need an indoor cage with a litter tray. Rabbits can adjust well to indoor life and can even be litter trained, which is often easier with a neutered rabbit.  At first keep them in a room that is not heated or is kept cool and let your rabbit slowly acclimatise to being indoors.  I suggest the best idea is not to keep them on shavings and straw as this will end up all over your house, but instead to use a 'Vet bed' which is washable. You can obtain these in most pet shops or online.

A rabbit must feel safe, if you give them too much freedom they may become a bit scatty.  You must make your house 'rabbit proof' as rabbits will chew anything.  You must cover your electric wires or move them out of reach along with any furniture you wouldn't want nibbled.

 If your rabbit is to be kept outdoors their hutch should be placed in a shady part of your garden, away from direct sunlight and near to the house if possible so it is easily accessible to you.  In winter if you are not putting your hutch in a garage or shed, ensure you cover it with a blanket and then a waterproof cover or a made to measure hutch cover, to keep it free from frost, cold winds and driving rain.  You can buy special hutch snuggles/cosies on the internet or from some large pet stores. Here are a few good sites I have found: 

http://www.hutchmaster.co.uk/                                             http://www.happyhutch.co.uk/our-rabbit-hutches.php  http://stores.channeladvisor.com/The-Rabbit-Hutch-Shop?cc=1

 The hutch should be lined with a layer of wood shavings with some straw or hay in the bedding area.  Rabbits need their cage cleaned out at least once a week and treated with an animal cage disinfectant which kills any bacteria.  In the summer the toilet area must be cleaned away daily due to the risk from flies.  You will need to check your rabbit’s bottom is kept clean to avoid fly strike which can be a nasty death for a rabbit.

 A rabbit drinking bottle should be filled with water and attached to the front of the cage.  Water must be in the bottle at all times and the bottle should be cleaned and the water completely changed weekly.

 If you have an outside run you need to make sure that there is adequate shade for your rabbit and a supply of water.  If your rabbit gets too hot it could suffer from heat stroke.  It is also a good idea to have a shelter in the run that the rabbit can hide in if it feels afraid.

 To keep your rabbit healthy it is advisable to have them vaccinated against Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic disease once a year.  It is also advisable, especially in the summer, to use a mite and flea spot on treatment which is available from your pet shop or vet.  You will also need to keep and eye on your rabbits' claws as these will need clipping approx every 8 weeks. This can be done by your vet or by yourself using pet nail clippers available from your pet shop, However I would ask your vet to show you how to do it before you try.

 Your rabbit should be fed a small quantity of food twice a day.  They have been raised on a mix of hard feed of which you will be given a weeks supply when you collect the rabbit.  If you choose to use a different feed you will need to gradually wean them on to it. 

 Rabbits like to eat hay and they should always have some available to nibble on.  It can be given to them loose or in a hay rack or empty cardboard toilet roll, as I do. Another tip is to give them some fruit tree wood to chew on, like apple or plum- they love it!  However do not give them bits from any other types of trees as some are poisonous to rabbits.

 You can also give a small amount of vegetable to your rabbit on a daily basis.  The best ones to give are: carrots, spring greens, cabbage and broccoli florets.  Rabbits must not be fed any water based greens like Lettuce , as this will upset their tummy.  When introducing any new vegetable or treat it must be done slowly and in small amounts to check it agrees with them.

If you go away on holiday please make sure you leave your bunny with someone reliable who knows how to look after rabbits.  If you have trouble finding someone I do provide a rabbit boarding service.

There are some very good books you can purchase on caring for rabbits.  Many can be purchased from the Fur & Feather Magazine Bookshop: http://www.furandfeather.co.uk/shop.htm 

One I can highly recommend is 'Rabbitlopaedia - A Complete Guide to Rabbit Care by Meg Brown and Virginia Richardson'.