Pet-Rabbit Information ? What Is Domesticated Rabbits? How To Care For Your Pet-Rabbit?

Domesticated rabbits are one of the most popular pets, apart from dogs and cats. They look attractive, lovely, gentle, friendly and cute. They are easy to take care and undemanding in terms of care and housing. They will settle well either indoor or outdoor, at home.

There are 40 species of rabbits and hares worldwide. All domesticated rabbits are originated from European rabbits. The scientific name for domestic rabbit is Oryctolagus cuniculus.

Typically, domesticated rabbits weigh between 2.2-221lb (1-10kg). The domesticated rabbits can be fed on commercially produced rabbit food, pellets, hay, green food, root vegetables, tree bark, herbs and apple.

The gestation period of a rabbit is 31 days and the typical litter size ranges from 6-8 young. The lifespan varies with breed.

Keeping a rabbit as pet requires a good training system to prevent unnecessary destructions or hassle. For example, furniture and carpet chewing problems, pseudo pregnancy symptoms, litter problems, fights, behavioral problems, rabbit-house worries, sickness, fleas, predators and etc. Nevertheless, these challenges can be overcome when the owners have the knowledge and experience to deal with them. Thus, one of the recommended ways to acquire the important knowledge is to read widely and exchange practical information with experienced rabbit owners.

A good rabbit cage must be large enough for the average sized-rabbit. A rabbit's living area must be spacious enough for a litter box, toys, and perhaps a cardboard box, with enough room left over for him to be comfortable. The minimum size recommended is 4 times the rabbit's stretched out length as to ensure the cage is tall enough for the rabbit to stand up straight.

It is important to watch out for any abnormalities in your rabbits as rabbits are susceptible to various digestive ailments and other life-threatening diseases. For example, rabbits are vulnerable to myxomatosis and VHD viruses. These are the killer viruses!

There is no universal system of classification for rabbit breeds. Some popular breeds of rabbits include:

? Alaska
? American Fuzzy Lop
? American Sable
? Angora
? Belgian Hare
? Beveren
? Californian
? Champagne D'Argent
? Checkered Giant
? Chinchilla
? Dutch
? Dwarf Hotot
? English Lop
? Flemish Giant
? Florida White
? Harlequin
? Havana
? Himalayan
? Hotot
? Jersey Wooly
? Lilac
? Holland Lop
? Mini Lop
? Mini Rex
? Netherland Dwarf
? New Zealand
? Palomino
? Polish
? Rex
? Rhinelander
? Satin
? Silver
? Silver Fox
? Silver Marten
? Tan

Domesticated Rabbits As Pet

The most important criterion before deciding to adopt a domesticated rabbit as pet is that you MUST have interest, love and willingness to take great care of your rabbit. This little cute bunny will need care and attention for approximately 10 years. Never adopt a rabbit and leave it uncared for at the corner of your house and the worst case is to abandon it in shelters, parks or even woodland areas. Once the poor rabbit is left wild, it has very little chance to survive. I am a rabbit lover, so I cherish rabbits a lot and treat them with bundles of affection.

What Are The Daily Rabbit Care Rituals?

Balance Diet:

A rabbit's diet should be balance, made up of good quality pellets, fresh hay, fresh vegetables and water.

Water should be fresh. It is recommended to change it twice a day. If water is not available, the rabbit will stop eating. The water container should be washed daily.

Treats such as bananas or carrots should be given in small amounts and only on occasion. Rabbits have a sweet tooth and will consume sugary foods to the exclusion of healthy ones. Never give a rabbit chocolate, sweets or chocolates. These stuffs may lead to an overgrowth of "bad" bacteria in the gut that leads to fatal cases of enterotoxemia.

Litter Training:

Train your rabbits to use litter boxes. Replace litter boxes with fresh litter everyday.

PRECAUTION: Do not use any litter containing pine or cedar shavings as these contain oils, which can cause respiratory and liver disease in rabbits. Litter made of plant material (hay) or paper (cellulose) is the safest litter to use with rabbits.

Droppings should be inspected daily without fail. Normal droppings look like regular round dry marbles, called pills. There may also be some clusters. An abnormality in droppings can be the first sign of illness in rabbits. For example, if you find your rabbit's droppings that are getting smaller, infrequent or misshapen, it signifies less is coming through. Thus, you ought to check out the reasons. It could be intestinal problems or any other kinds of illnesses.

Grooming & Health Care:

Rabbits enjoy human touch and love. By brushing and combing your rabbits for a few minutes daily will help them to feel your care and presence. Typically, rabbits shed every 3 months. Hence, it is absolutely for you to free your rabbits of this excess fur. It is perfectly common for rabbit to shed. So, spend enough time to help your rabbits to remove loose hair or fur.

Nevertheless, rabbits are self-cleaning and healthy small animals. They can groom themselves too. How do they do that? They can swallow excess fur! Once swallowed, these rabbits cannot vomit a fur ball, as what a cat can do. This excess fur can cause an obstruction. Technically speaking, we say that the rabbit has developed GI Stasis, a common slowing down of the GI tract. The symptoms of GI Stasis are smaller size droppings, lesser droppings frequency, loss of appetite, hunched up situation and teeth grinding due to pain. Bring your rabbit to your vet at once when you see these symptoms.

Exercise And Play Time:

Human must get daily exercise, so must your rabbits! The benefits of exercise for rabbits include smoother flow of blood circulation, stronger muscles and prevention from fragile bones. A rabbit's bone weight is only 7% of his total body weight compared with 15% in a cat.

Rabbits are crepuscular. Crepuscular refers to animals that are most active at dawn and dusk. The perfect time for your rabbit to get exercise is in the morning, when you are getting ready for work and in the evening when you arrive home. By the time you get home, your rabbit will have been napping all day! Bet you will be happy and entertained to watch him running and hopping around and doing bunny dances in mid-air, better known as "binkies".

Similar to kids, rabbits love toys! Rabbits like new toys daily! So, what are the toys that your rabbits love dearly? Some ideas of toys include toilet paper roll, cardboard box with a rabbit side doors, newspapers, towels, untreated wicker baskets and paper bags. Tunnels of any kind are always welcomed too!

Spay/Neuter:

This procedure is necessary if you want your rabbit to lead a healthy life, free from cancer. The risk of ovarian cancer in an older female is approximately 85% if she is not spayed during puberty (4-6 months). The reason for a male rabbit to be neutered is mainly behavioral reason. It is crucial as well as to eliminate random spraying, reduce hormone-related aggression and for easier housetrain.

The process of spaying or neutering your rabbit with minimum risk can be performed professionally by your vet. A bonded pair should each be spayed and neutered to avoid pseudo-pregnancies.

Rabbit Proofing:

Rabbits like to gnaw as it is a expected action for them. Boredom is common reason for their chewing activity and other times, items such as electrical cords get in their way. Thus, they are smart to use their mouth and teeth to shift it. Rabbit is a must! It not only protects your belongings or furniture, it keeps your rabbit safe and sound.

All electrical cords should be concealed in vinyl tubing. Hide the cords before your rabbit move it.

By providing your rabbit with acceptable things like toys and card box boxes to chew will not hurt you rabbit. If you see your rabbit swallowing it whole, remove it.

All the best!

Warm regards,

Amanda Gates
A Rabbit Lover
Email: amanda@careforpet-rabbit.com
Website: http://www.careforpet-rabbit.com
Website: http://www.rabbitinfo.careforpet-rabbit.com

---

Scottie & Westie - This Mistake is Perfectly Understandable

Show an uninformed dog lover a photo of a Westie,... Read More

Float a Horses Teeth -- What Does that Mean and Why is it Necessary?

So what does it mean to float a horse's teeth?... Read More

5 Common Grooming Mistakes Made by Professionals

1. Using tranquilizers.This is illegal in many states but other... Read More

Does Your Dog Have An Irritating Jumping Habit?

Do you have a puppy that jumps on you, company... Read More

Do You Enjoy Watching Your Dog Wear Handmade Dog Scarfs Just To Suit Their Personality?

Yes! We love our wonderful and dear Pooches! We care... Read More

Dogs: Buy or Adopt?

Buy or Adopt - That is the question.If you intend... Read More

The 7 Stages of Puppy Development

Let's take a look at the different stages, but before... Read More

America; You Are Over Feeding Your Pets

As many of you know America is serious about our... Read More

Is Your House Killing Your Dog?

You love your dog. You would do anything for your... Read More

Rescue Dogs

We have all grown up with at least one hero... Read More

Puppy Development

Puppy development and growth is very exciting. After a puppy... Read More

A Guide to Bird Cages for Sale

As overwhelming as picking out a pet bird can be,... Read More

Why the Heck Would You Have a Pet Snake (or lizard, crocodile, monitor, frog, turtle etc)?

This is a question that has been asked of me... Read More

Grieving Our Pets Death

Our pets give us so much. They entertain us, listen... Read More

Feral Cats - Societys Problem Children

There is a lot of talk going on about what... Read More

Loyal Companions Promote Longevity

Have you ever wondered what a dog thinks, or if... Read More

Owning a Wild or Exotic Cat; Information, Laws, and Advice

Have you ever dreamed of living with a bobcat or... Read More

Does Your Dog Miss You Too Much?

Your dog seems to be driving you up the wall... Read More

Is He Chasing His Tail? What You Always Wanted To Know About Fleas

My dog has fleas. That one statement is enough to... Read More

Pet Services Are A Multi-Billion-Dollar Industry

There are many of us who consider our pets as... Read More

How To Recognize A Respiratory Tract Ailment In Your Parrot

A respiratory tract ailment can be fatal to your parrot... Read More

Breed Success in Your Puppy Search

The numbers will make any pet lover blanch with disgust,... Read More

Is Nail Trimming Time A Battle?

Does the idea of trimming your dog's nails send chills... Read More

Toy Dog Breeds

Toy dog breeds include greyhounds, terriers, pinschers, pugs, chihuahuas, pekingese,... Read More

Pets Looking for Humans, Humans Looking for Pets

Attention breeders, livestock owners and pet lovers! *Pets looking for... Read More

First Aid for Parrots

Unfortunately, accidents can - and DO happen, so it's always... Read More

Your Dog is a Social Animal - and Needs You!

Your dog is a social being, just like you! He/she... Read More

4 Ways In Which You Can Spoil Your Dog Rotten

You spoil your pooch as close to rotten as you... Read More

Charming Trends in Dog Jewelry

The wearing of charms dates back to 400 or 500... Read More

Canine Selection: A Guideline for Picking Your Perfect Companion

Let's face it ? everything is cute when it's small... Read More

Top Five Dog Breeds for Homes with Children

Top five dog breeds for homes with children* Beagle *... Read More

The One-Minute Horse Training Manager

If your life is so busy you literally only have... Read More

Pet Doors: Giving Your Pet Freedom to Come and Go as They Please Helps Solve Behavior Problems

Pet DoorsAre you considering installing a pet door for your... Read More