I need to know basics on bunnies. Please comment!!!!

[Brownies]

So I need to know basics of bunnies. Like these questions:

1) What size should their hutch be?
2) how can I tell the difference of a boy and a girl?
3) What type of food should I feed the bunny?
4) what supply should I get?
5) what else should I know?

I'm new and thinking of getting a bunny so any answers are appreciated

 

[Azerane]

1) What size should their hutch be?

The recommended size is generally four hops long and 1-2 hops wide (for the adult size of your bunny). If your bunny is going to have a lot of out of cage time in a larger playpen or room, the cage can be a little smaller, but the general rule is to get as big of a cage that you can afford and fit in the space.

2) how can I tell the difference of a boy and a girl?
It can be tricky without practice. You need to turn them on their back, and press gently but firmly down on either side of their genitals to make them "pop out". A female has more of a slit, and the male has more of a rounded shape. Presence of testicles is not always reliable as the males can tuck them up into their body a little to hide them.

3) What type of food should I feed the bunny?
A rabbit's diet should be mostly hay, a good quality grass hay like timothy (depending on your location) should be the main part of the diet. It contains lots of fiber and helps to keep their teeth worn down. Adult rabbits should also get roughly 1/4 - 1/2 cup of good quality rabbit pellets per day (per 5 pounds of rabbit). You can slowly introduce leafy greens to your rabbit, such as herbs, and lettuce varieties (not iceberg). Anything other than that: fruit, carrots, and other things are considered treats only and shouldn't be fed more than approximately 1teaspoon a day. All new additions to a rabbit's diet should be done very slowly, as their gut needs time to adjust.

4) what supply should I get?
A water bottle and/or bowl, food bowl, a litter tray and litter (pine pellets work well, don't use pine or cedar shavings), toys (toilet paper tubes, plastic baby keys, cardboard boxes, tunnel), a fleece blanket for bedding (some don't use it), a brush, nail clippers, a playpen/x-pen, simethicone (infant gas drops, in case your bunny gets an upset and gassy tummy, this stuff works wonders).

5) what else should I know?
Rabbits are very smart, they can be trained to do tricks, can be easily toilet trained and have very unique personalities. However they are very different to cats and dogs because they are prey animals. Most do not like to be picked up and held, but can be accustomed to it. If you plan on letting your bunny free-range in a room, you will need to bunny proof: put barriers in front of areas you don't want to allow access to, and protect those electrical wires! Probably the most common rabbit health problem is due to feeding too much of foods that either aren't good for the bunny, that the rabbit's tummy doesn't agree with, or introducing a new food too fast, so always be careful when introducing new foods and make sure you're not feeding too much of the wrong thing.

Hope that helps

 

[Brownies]

Thanks See I owned a hamster an didnt think pine and cedar would be good. So in safe w with that. Thanks though!!!!

 

[PaGal]

My suggestion is to read all you can here now and after you get a bun, if you do.

 

[ladysown]

Your questions with my answers following:

1) What size should their hutch be?
depends on the size of your rabbit. for small breed rabbit (under 3 pounds) minimum of 2 x 2 feet. And then work your way up size wise depending on size of rabbit. Generally speaking, bigger is better.

2) how can I tell the difference of a boy and a girl?
Boy a burrito (tube) girl a taco (basically a slit with two red lines alongside it).

3) What type of food should I feed the bunny?
Depends on what your protocol of feeding is.
Most people on this board will recommend daily hay, minimal pellets and lots of veggies. Not everyone thinks that is the only way to feed a rabbit. Some go all natural, some do grains, hay, green feed, fruits. Some do Pellets only, some do pellets with occasional hay. Depends on YOUR paradigm of thinking and what you have available around you.

4) what supply should I get? Not sure what you mean by supply? Do you mean food manufacture? or what products you need?
Again depends on your paradigm of thinking. Generally you'll need a bowl for pellets, a bowl for treats, a place to put hay (if choosing to feed). A water bottle (or crock). Litter for the litter pan. Cage of some sort. travel carrier perhaps.

5) what else should I know?
Research a lot.
Be aware that much of what is on the web is house rabbit society related, there are LOTS of ways to care for rabbits other than what the house rabbit society recommends. If getting a rabbit from a breeder, ask what they recommend.
You'll need to figure out funds ahead of time if you are looking to spay/neuter. I tend to recommend folks only do this surgery if their rabbit requires it, not all buns need to have this surgery and it IS surgery and rabbits don't tend to do well with aesthetic.
Decide what size rabbit is simply too large (or if size matters to you at all). Personality types might matter to you as well. Rabbits like spots, tans, petites etc tend to be more excitable, Larger breeds tend to be fairly calm, There are always variances within breeds and types though.
You may wish to build your cage rather than buying, Tends to be cheaper to do so. Dog kennels can make excellent housing areas, some use exercise pens (with a topper). I've seen some fantastic cages built out of old dressers/cabinets. So it's pretty flexible. if doing outside housing you'll need to consider predation and heat factors.

Hope that helps you out a bit.

 

[3willowsbunny]

I agree with the other posters, I had two rabbits years ago and grew up with rabbits but havn't had one for 10 years or so and read everything I could get my hands on. Read Read Read, knowledge is your best friend!