What do I need to buy before I bring my new rabbit home?
A: Your shopping list should contain the following
The minimum recommended size for a hutch is 120 cm . It is essential that your rabbit have the room to stretch in all directions. A rabbit hutch that’s too small can affect your rabbits health – causing muscle wastage and obesity.
Wooden hutches are ideal for outside hutches cause it is easy to fly screen. Cages is ideal for inside since your rabbit have more interaction with you.
It is difficult to fly screen these hutches their for ideal for inside however it is easy to put outside for during the nice cooler weather and to bring in for extreme hot days.
The cage can be purchased without the stand. It make it easy for bunny to hop out and play and bounce back in to go eat or use the litter tray.
Rabbits should also be allowed out of their cage frequently unless your hutch have a play pen area already attached to the hutch. Rabbits need to play and exercise in a safe environment. A pet playpen is ideal for this purpose.
If you prefer to have a safer option then you can take your rabbit for a walk with a harness. They are available at pet stores.
Bedding material
Litter Tray
It is easy to litter tray rabbits so get a litter tray. Something that do not take too much space up in bunny’s hutch.
The reject stores sell litter trays for $3 as the yellow litter tray in the photo.
A triangle litter trays is good cause the urine can not leak in between the hutch and litter tray cause the back is much higher for this purpose.
See photo below.
Food
Rabbits will need hay. All kinds of hay is good especially oaten hay.
A rabbit pellet mix available from pet stores or City Farmers. I do sell 2.5 kg bags of food which is helpful to give your bunny a longer time to wean from my food to your food. To make the transition easier.
Also to prevent it that bunny do not stop eating all of a sudden cause it is new food.
A heavy feeding bowl of ceramic (not something that is too light, bunnies like to play with it and toss it in the air then all the food is out).
Water Bottle or Bowl
Q: What should I bring when I fetch my bunny?
A: Most people bring either a box or a carrier to put bunny in for the car ride. I suggest you do bring something to put him in and do not try and hold him in your arms.
You have to remember the car ride is stressful as it is and now a stranger holding him for so long and keep on pushing him down to sit still will be even more stressful especially since you are all strangers to bunny.
Please do not expect your child to hold him for the ride home. It will only end up in a disaster.
Bring a carrier or a box with some hay in or a towel or blanket in the bottom. Bring a bit of hay for bunny to chew on.
It is always good for bunny to chew on hay to relax him during the car ride.
Do remember to put water in if you have a long car ride.