Thanks for reading the Caring for Animals Blog Article on keeping your pet rabbits healthy. We hope you learn something new and that this blog article is helpful for you raising some wonderful rabbits in your family. Enjoy reading this thoughtfully prepared blog article.
Keep Your Pet Rabbits Healthy
Rabbits make great pets as they are lovely, curious, playful, and sociable with their owners. They also get along well with dogs and cats, which creates a positive environment all around in the house. Honestly, the easiest way to keep your rabbit(s) healthy is to supply fresh, clean drinking water and good-quality hay.
Remember that grass should make up the majority of any rabbits’ diet. A rabbit’s digestive system needs this to function properly. By making certain your rabbit has a healthy supply is super important. You can supplement with leafy greens and pellets which are available at most pet stores.
Maybe you have just adopted a rabbit – well congratulations! We are pretty sure that if you are reading this article then you want only the best for your new bunny. So, we are going to offer you some amazingly useful tips to keep your bunny in superb health. In this blog, you will see some of the best healthcare tips that ensure superb health and happiness in your pet rabbits.
1) Give Nutritional Foods – Keep Your Pet Rabbits Healthy
Did you know that a healthy and nutritional diet for rabbits plays a huge role in keeping them healthy as well as happy? It is true! As mentioned earlier, we can’t stress this enough. Your new baby bunny may show a little hesitancy while adapting to a healthy diet at first – which is totally normal by the way. Just remember to stick with it and soon your healthy diet plan become normal. This dietary plan will help to prevent digestive upsets in your bunny throughout its life.
It is also essential to provide a hay-based diet to your bunnies as it keeps their teeth healthy and its roughage prevents digestive issues. In fact, 80% of your rabbit’s diet should be grass-based hay.
Instead of giving sugar-based foods to your rabbits, you can give them washed leafy green vegetables and herbs which are safe to eat. Remember to wash the food, sometimes there are chemicals on them which is not good for your pet or yourself for that matter.
Some people have been feeding fruits to their bunnies. Fruits in limited predetermined amounts are better. It is important to keep in mind that this animal is 25 times smaller than we are – so, therefore, they should only be given in smaller amounts as most fruits are loaded with natural sugars.
2) Ensure Plenty of Exercises – Keep Your Pet Rabbits Healthy
Who loves to run? Well, rabbits are born to run and they love doing it. Not giving them enough exercise can terribly slow down their digestive system. Running can stop issues like this from becoming a serious health concern for pet owners. Plus, the limited exercise increases the chances of obesity in them.
You need to ensure that your bunnies are out of the cage, at least once a day, either to run outside in a safe fenced back yard or inside a room in your home. If you want to stimulate their wild instincts, you can feed them in a dispenser which will help them to eat as well as move around simultaneously.
3) Play with Them Daily For At Least 15 Minutes – Keep Your Pet Rabbits Healthy
Yup, at least 15 minutes a day will help your bunny live a full and healthy life. Did you know that rabbits are among those animals who tend to get bored very easily. Playing with them will not only stimulate their brain but will also help in keeping them healthy as well as happy.
Remember, the main goal is to spend a good amount of quality time with them. Rabbits actually crave a lot of attention from you – their pet owner. Social interaction with family plays a vital role in ensuring excellent physical and mental health. So also encourage your family to feel free and play with your rabbit(s).
Speaking of stimulation with only 15 minutes to spare, you can build an obstacle course for your rabbit out of cardboard boxes, or even out of newspapers to let them challenge themselves. It is quick and easy to do, plus you can clean it up fast as well.
4) Check For Signs of Injury or Illnesses Often
Rabbits can’t show their pain in case of injury or illness, and hence it becomes essential for owners to be conscious about their bunny’s behavior. There are some simple tips that will help you to check if your bunny is experiencing some health problem.
Firstly, you should often monitor the energy levels of your Rabbits. Healthy rabbits enjoy moving, hopping, and exploring their surroundings. If a rabbit is experiencing pain, it tends to stay idle for a long time.
Secondly, rabbits may show uncanny aggression and may lash out at fellow rabbits and owners, if they are anxious or stressed.
But there is some good news, your rabbit will prefer healing at home in a warm, clean space that it’s familiar with. Give your rabbit plenty of cozy things to snuggle up with so it will rest easy. Place the cage in a warm and quiet place where it won’t be bothered. This will keep your rabbit feeling stress-free during its recovery period.
Last but not the least, rabbits too may lose their appetite if they are ill, just like any other animals. If they show reluctance towards food, know that their health might be declining. We recommend going to the vet clinic right away. If it is the weekend, try to use a feeding syringe for your rabbit with baby food or veggies. A feeding syringe can be used to insert fluid directly into the rabbit’s mouth and it is something you can get at the pet store.
5) Neuter Your Rabbit – Keep Your Pet Rabbits Healthy
Getting a rabbit neutered or spayed helps a lot in preventing that extra aggression that usually comes with the raging hormones. Young rabbits do exhibit aggression especially at phases when they have almost reached adulthood. This is true for both male and female bunnies.
Once your rabbits have been altered, their hormones will calm down and so will their unwanted aggression. You should know that male rabbits are usually neutered when they are around three and half months while females are spayed at around six months.
6) Give Massages to Them – Keep Your Pet Rabbits Healthy
Do you like getting a massage – well so does your rabbit believe it or not. Almost all pet rabbits love to be petted. They really like to be scratched around their forehead and also behind their ears. A pet owner can give them a quick massage. Try stroking their back or rubbing their cheeks and shoulders is what they really like.
Rabbits purr when they are happy and absolutely at ease. Once your rabbits start settling down, you may start to feel a vibration on their forehead. On close observation, you may also see their whiskers twitching a little, a sign that tells you that your bunny is super relaxed.
7) Do Annual Check-Ups – Keep Your Pet Rabbits Healthy
Just like any other pets, rabbits too need an annual check-up by the vet, for ensuring that they are maintaining excellent health. It is essential to consult the vet not only when your bunnies are showing unusual behavior, but also on a yearly basis to check any hidden signs of illnesses. We recommend finding a vet clinic that specializes in bunnies.
Your vet will check your bunny’s teeth and see if they have not grown too long or if they are infected. They will also examine their weight, breathing and heart rate, eyes and ears just to make sure that they are in tip-top condition.
Final Thoughts from Caring For Animals
Thanks for reading this blog article on ways to “Keep Your Pet Rabbits Healthy”. Hopefully, you have found some useful ideas and/or tips to keep your lovely pet rabbits in good health. One thing all rabbit owners should know is that keeping the bunnies in excellent shape is in fact a long-term commitment. Pet owners should give a lot of attention as well as love to their new family member that just so happens to be a rabbit. For more great blog articles – please visit our blog web page now! And please consider following us on Facebook too!
