Cheap Pet Insurance

January 18th, 2010 by John Brown

Before choosing a bunny as a pet you should learn as much as you can about these fascinating little creatures as their needs and behaviors are quite different from those of typical house pets such as cats and dogs. A pet bunny can live an average of five to 10 years, some even longer, and taking good care of them will give them the longest, happiest life possible.

Before heading to the breeder’s or pet store in search of your new bunny you will want to have ample living quarters ready for their arrival. If the rabbit will be kept outside, a well constructed hutch that provides shade as well as protection from the wind, snow, and rain is essential. Rabbits do enjoy being outside but be sure they are also protected from natural enemies like stray dogs, cats, and raccoons, skunks, or snakes.

If you’d rather keep your pet bunny indoors they will still need a cage or hutch where they can go to feel safe when needed. A sturdy wire cage with a tray that’s easily removed for cleaning can be the ideal place for a pet rabbit to call home. When out of the cage, always supervise your bunny who will exhibit normal bunny behavior including chewing on just about anything they can. Wires, carpeting, woodwork, furniture, shoes, books, toys or whatever is within nibbling distance will be fair game for your pet bunny so be sure to keep them and your home protected.

No matter where your bunny lives, he needs a good rabbit pellet to eat every day. Pellets can be found at pet supply and feed stores. If you open a bag of pellets and they are not a nice bright green, they have gotten old and have lost some nutrition your bunny needs. If you are buying pellets in the bag the manufacturer put them in, look at the tag. It should have the manufacturing date on it. Pellets that are six months old are too old to feed to your rabbit. Timothy or grass hay is appreciated by every rabbit. It provides fiber and entertainment. Treats like dandelion leaves, blackberry leaves and clover are perfect as long as they have not been treated with fertilizer or weed sprays.

Your bunny also needs fresh water every day. Some people use a ceramic crock for water in the rabbit’s cage, while others prefer to use a pet water bottle that hangs on the outside of the cage. Both work equally well, but you will need to monitor the crock more often to make sure it has not been spilled. In the winter, both need to be checked frequently for outdoor bunnies in case the water has frozen.

In the United States, rabbits are not required to be vaccinated the way pet dogs and cats are and you may have difficulties finding a veterinarian who treats rabbits in your area as not all of them do. Veterinary care such as spaying or neutering will be needed if you decide not to breed your rabbit. Female rabbits who will not be bred should be spayed to minimize their chances of developing cancer of the uterus.

Bunnies will also need grooming as several times a year they will molt and shed their hair. Brushing your rabbit frequently to remove the excess hairs will help to prevent the formation of hair balls. Also, a bunny’s nails will need to be clipped and trimmed on a regular basis as they can grow rather quickly.

Find out more about rabbit hutches and caring for your pet rabbit at http://rabbit-hutches.net