Nowadays, almost everyone has a pet. Some choose dogs, cats, while others stop at smaller pets like hamsters, guinea pigs and rabbits, which will be discussed today.
We hope that thanks to this article you will carefully weigh the efforts that you are willing to spend on a new family member and make the right choice!
First meeting
First, let's take a closer look at the decorative rabbit. This is a miniature fluffy rodent with large erect or hanging ears, with long or short hair and a wide variety of colors.
Thanks to the work of breeders, you can definitely find a rabbit that you like by color. In addition, this also applies to the type of coat and ears. You can tell more about the latter. Since all rabbits have ears upward at birth, only a trusted breeder will help you choose the fold. The fact is that there are cases when the ears remain in their former position.
When choosing a pet, always be guided by the advice of a good breeder, but if you could not find one, then carefully look at the appearance of the animal. A decorative rabbit is always an animal with fluffy and shiny hair, so make sure that there are no bald spots and sores on the skin.
Also look at the condition of the teeth and claws, especially if you are buying an adult animal. If the decorative rabbit has completely passed your test, do not rush to immediately lead him to your home, first read the conditions of its detention.
Home care and maintenance
Caring for a rabbit is something that you cannot learn right away, as these animals are very gentle and sensitive in nature. Sure, they require a lot of attention, but we will talk about this a little later, and now we will discuss what you will need to become a happy owner of a decorative rabbit:
- The most important thing is the cell. In fact, the house for the rabbit does not resemble a real cage at all: it has long been composed of a convenient and deep tray, thanks to which the pet does not throw out filler, food and hay, as well as from a grid with rare twigs. Even though the twigs are rare, the rabbit will never run away. The house for this animal is a real fortress. Most of the time the rabbit remains inside, so make sure that there is enough space in the cage for small movements.
- The second most important is the filler. It is better to choose wood and pressed, as it is convenient to clean when contaminated - it has no smell and also does not dust, which is inconvenient when using sawdust. We recommend that you lay the paper at the very bottom. In addition, a decorative rabbit cannot live without hay, which is not only a wonderful soft bedding, but also a good food. Most rabbits love to crunch fresh hay.
- It is also important to buy good dry food. It should contain various vegetable and fruit additives that will provide the necessary amount of vitamins and minerals for an eared pet.
- Do not forget to buy a good hanging drinking bowl with the above things, the water in which will definitely not get dirty from the filler, as well as the feeder.
Decorative rabbit ration
If you think that with a purchased feed all the pet’s nutrition is ending, then you are deeply mistaken. In fact, feed is just the foundation. Now we will list what else you can treat your eared friend to, and at the same time give some useful recommendations:
- Food is mainly given 1-2 times a day in the amount necessary for the rabbit. It is determined in accordance with the mass and age of the animal.
- Hay must be constantly in the cage. Keep it clean and fresh.
- In the summer, you can safely pamper your friend with fresh herbs (celery, oats). But do not get carried away, as it can cause diarrhea. In addition, you can treat your pet vegetables, such as carrots, as well as potato peeling from young tubers, young branches with kidneys. At the same time, keep in mind that all animals are different, so their preferences may vary.
- For periods when there is not much access to vegetables, you should prepare in advance by drying pieces of apples, carrots and even summer grass as a great alternative to purchased hay.
- Do not forget that rabbits have constantly growing teeth, so they should always have access to a special chalk stone that can be bought in animal stores, hard twigs or a small cracker of rye bread.
- If you really love your little pet, then try to grow grass for him in a small container that will provide him with the necessary amount of vitamins even in the winter.
Training of a decorative rabbit
For some reason, many people are sure that it is useless to train an animal of this type, but they are absolutely wrong. After all, a decorative rabbit is an independent and very quick-witted animal with an individual character.
Of course, you will not be able to teach him difficult teams - he will not bring you slippers or sit still, but he can do the basic tricks.
You can practice the exercise with barriers when a rabbit runs around you while jumping, for example, through a book. You can also teach your pet to jump through the ring, do a stance and so on. And so that an eared friend does it with pleasure, encourage any of his work as a treat.
It is very important that the rabbit move well on walks, since the animal sits in a cage all day. To do this, you can purchase a tunnel or make a small slide. Such active training twice a day will be enough to socialize and stretch.
Walking a rabbit on the street is also possible, especially if you live in a private house with a good fence. Never leave the rabbit alone even in your yard, not to mention the ordinary streets where your pet will face many dangers. Since rabbits are not very courageous in nature, they can get scared and hide so that it will be difficult to find them later. By the way, for such cases, you can buy a special harness that will ensure the safety of your friend.
Decorative Rabbit Health
Rabbits themselves are quite susceptible to various diseases, so be careful and always monitor the condition of your pet.
In this case, it is very simple to notice any deviations, since the rabbit stops eating, drinking, and actively moving. We will give you basic tips to keep in mind:
- Avoid drafts and large temperature changes! Remember, decorative rabbits are very different from those that our grandparents kept in sheds all year round!
- Observe the pet’s behavior and consider any change in it to be an alarming bell, evidence that it needs help, because the rabbit cannot directly say that it hurts!
- Check your teeth regularly (if necessary, grind them at the veterinarian), nails (you can cut them at home with a special nail clipper), eyes and ears!
- Monitor the condition of the coat and consult your veterinarian about vitamins if necessary!
- Daily let the rabbit go for a walk, as movement is a long and happy life for your pet!
- Carefully clean the house (especially the place where it goes to the toilet) with gentle detergents (it is better to stop on chamomile infusion), carefully rinse the tray after them!
- And most importantly - love your decorative rabbit, then he will answer you the same!