New Rabbit - 5/21/2005

WELCOMING YOUR RABBIT HOME
The first few days for your rabbit in their new home are very important. As tempting as it may be to arrive home and play with them straight away, this is not advised as they are likely to be stressed after the journey and unsure of their new surroundings.

Have their living area ready for them with fresh water, hay and a bowl of their usual food. For their dried food, here at Bobtails they eat Burgess Supa Rabbit Excel and we recommend you continue with this to prevent selective feeding.

Talk to them gently and let them settle in to their new home for a good few hours, overnight if possible.


BABY RABBITS
If your rabbit is young and if their sleeping hutch is situated inside a run, you should ensure that they can easily hop back inside when they wants to. Ideally, make a safe ramp for them to use – their bones can easily break and even relatively low heights can be dangerous for baby rabbits.

All rabbits must be protected from getting wet or cold – this is even more important for those under 6 months old. Our young rabbits are housed inside at night with enough bedding to keep warm if the temperature should drop.

Rabbits like to play! Decorate their runs with items to climb on, run through and throw around, eg boxes, tunnels and smaller toys. Cardboard boxes with holes make great fun (ensure staples and tape are removed first). As well as the variety of toys offered in pet shops and via web-based shops, something as simple as an empty toilet roll tube or empty yoghurt carton can provide amusement! Make sure there are no sharp edges and your rabbit does not swallow any nibbled cardboard.

If you need any further advice, or have any concerns regarding your new pet, please contact us.