Are Rabbits Hard To Take Care Of?

Quick answer – yes. Rabbits are hard to take care of if you take a mediocre approach towards them. However, it can be easy and manageable if you have the needed equipment and the training.

For the sake of easiness and convenience, you may need to get an enclosure since some rabbit breeds are large. Also, you will need a constant supply of fresh hay, pellets, veggies, and fruits. Since rabbits are not as popular as cats and dogs, you will need a bunny-savvy vet to deal with any medical issues.

Neutering and spaying are things you may consider when your bunny achieves sexual maturity. The fixes are important and also quite costly since you will pay between $200 and $500. But that is part of the cost of taking care of the rabbit; there’s more to that.

Taking Care Of Rabbits (What You Need)

Here’s a table that captures the supplies you need to take care of the rabbit:

	Item	What To Know
1	Indoor housing	You should get a cage that is higher than 36 inches. With that height, the rabbit won’t be able to jump over.
2	Wire covers	Connect some plastic sleeves to the wall neatly. Another option would be using flex tubing.
3	Baseboard/furniture protection	Get wood panels since they can serve the same purpose (anti-chewing)
4	Baby gates	This will help in confining the rabbit to a safe place.
5	Litter box	You can get a storage container or a litter box to serve that purpose. After the rabbit is done training, the litter box will come in handy.
6	Rabbit fecal matter	For rabbits to start using the litter box, you need to give the impression that it is truly one. So, get some unscented poop and place them there.
7	Water and food bowls	These are obvious items because the rabbit will need to eat. Ensure that the bowls you pick are heavy enough such that the rabbit doesn’t tip them over.
8	Hay feeder	In a rabbit’s diet, hay is an essential food item. A hay feeder will ensure that the hay is available all the time.
9	Mat	You can go the extra mile of protecting the cage’s floor. A plastic mat will do the trick, seeing that the rabbit won’t chew on it.
10	Food	As mentioned in the intro section, you need veggies, fruits, pellets, and hay. If you’re in a rural area, go for a bale of hay from a nearby farmer or if not, get some online.
11	Cardboard box	To add some spice to the cage, make a castle out of a cardboard box and cut windows and doorways.
12	Toys	Rabbits are born to chew, so getting toys should be a priority. If you don’t wish to spend a lot, go for some safe wood options like pine. At pet stores, you will get chewable ropes and store; go for them.
13	Nail clippers	Grooming is essential, and clipping nails is reasonably sanitary. Get the clippers and use them regularly to make sure that the rabbit’s nails look good.

As you can see, rabbits are unique. Their needs are particular, and for them to live a long life, they need care. The following part gives you a list of some to-do items that will make it easy to care for your rabbit.

Rabbit Care 101: Making Things Easy

1. Establish Indoor Housing And Ensure That Everything Is Safe

Your rabbit doesn’t always have to live outside; you should bring it in. You can choose several inside-housing options, from caging to condos and rabbit-proofed homes. I suggest that you go for cages, and if you want to go all out, the condo option is yours.

Whichever option you choose, your rabbit should have enough space to hop around. But it shouldn’t stay inside all day long; it should be let out to exercise.

The rabbit should not stay away from your family, but it shouldn’t be in a family space. If you go for a cage, I suggest that you choose a silent room not very far from your own – a good, slightly-distant, quiet place. Noise is an irritant, and you wouldn’t wish to deal with a furious rabbit.

2. Since The Bunny Will Need Free Space, Ensure That The Room Or House Is Bunny-proof

Your bunny will not like it if you confine it to one space. But when you leave it outside, it may hop, step, and jump out of the door – and you don’t want that. Bunny-proofing is going for methods that will prevent the rabbit from escaping or going out of sight. Also, it means making it more challenging for the rabbit to destroy things, for example, through chewing.

If the room where the rabbit stays has a large window, put a wire mesh.

If you don’t want the bunny to gnaw your baseboards, get them covered with plastic guards.

The point – the rabbit will chew on anything and so, try and cover it with materials like plastic.

3. All Hay The Rabbit!

If you read about a rabbit’s dietary needs, you will pick out that hay is essential. Throughout the day, the food bowls should have fresh blades of grass.

If you’re dealing with a kit (a baby rabbit), you should give alfalfa. For adults, you should provide oat, grass, or timothy hay.

As pointed out on the table, you should get a hay feeder. It will help the rabbit to have all-day and all-time access to clean and dry hay.

4. On Top Of TThe Hay, Supplement The Rabbit’s Diet With Pellets, Veggies, And Fruits.

Supplements are essential for the rabbits since they add flavor to feeding. You can get pieces of fruits and veggies safe for rabbits and give them as treats. Fiber-rich pellets are also an excellent option if you’re looking for variety.

5. Establish A Litter Corner Using A Box

Like many other animals, rabbits are inclined to peeing and pooping in one place. To avoid random messes, place a poop box near the hay feeder and the feeding bowls.

To guide the rabbit in doing its business in the box, get some fecal matter and put it in the box. Then, cover it with fresh blades of hay. Since rabbits like multitasking – pooping and eating all at once – the litter box, fecal matter, and hay will encourage that. Soon after, the rabbit will have excellent litter box behavior.

6. Get Your Rabbit Groomed

Like cats, rabbits are self-consciously clean. They will spend a lot of their daytime trying to remain neat by licking their fur. But, there are things that they can’t do – like nail clipping and dealing with excessing fur.

Before shedding time comes, you should get a shaver and reduce the rabbit’s fur. If you’re not sure how to go about it, you can pay a pro to do it for you.

For long, overgrown nails, you will need a nail clipper—no need for a rabbit’s paw to have curled nails while you can do something about it.

7. Give Your Rabbit The Best Vet Care

Because of their fear of predators, rabbits will hide signs of illnesses and weakness. So, you need to activate your third eye and ensure that the rabbit drinks, eats, poops, and frequently pees, if not regularly.

Once you see that the rabbit is acting out of its norm, call a vet.

If you love your rabbit so much, do not take it to a general vet, you know, the kind that treats all pets – from cats to ocelots and then to pangolins. A rabbit-specific vet will know where to look and what to say when presenting them with the symptoms.

8. Learn How The Bunny Communicates

Rabbits are not dogs, and neither are they cats; they are unique. This implies that their communication cues mean different things. So, take your time and learn the nitty-gritty details of rabbit talk. Learn about the bunny language and know the dos and don’ts.

If you master the specifics, you will know how to care for your rabbit. And I promise – it won’t be difficult because rabbits are social to the core.

Now that rabbits are not too hard to take care of, why don’t you read about how much bunnies are at PetSmart?