Difference between revisions of "House rabbits"
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=Rabbits as Pets= | |||
== Housing == | |||
Rabbits should NEVER be free roamed without supervision. It is important to have a properly sized wire bottomed cage for your rabbit to use as it's home base for times you can not monitor your rabbits activities. Free roaming should be supervised at all times. | Rabbits should NEVER be free roamed without supervision. It is important to have a properly sized wire bottomed cage for your rabbit to use as it's home base for times you can not monitor your rabbits activities. Free roaming should be supervised at all times. | ||
==Rest mats== | |||
Rabbits get friction from solid flooring which can cause sore hocks | Rabbits get friction from solid flooring which can cause sore hocks in Rabbits with narrow feet. Sore Hocks can be bred out of a line by selecting for Wide Well furred feet. Rest mats are used for extra Large Rabbits and Breeds like Rexes who are prone to getting sore hock due to there excessive weights, or thinner coat types and if a rabbit wants to get off the solid flooring. | ||
==Feeding== | |||
Feed your pet the SAME as a regular Maintenance feed for ANY rabbit. see the [https://mmcrabbits.com/BCWiki/index.php/Rabbit_Feeding_Guide Rabbit Feeding Guide]. Your Pets feed should consist of 80-100% complete balanced Pellets with a base protein of 15-17% higher for wool breeds, and a minimum Fibber content for 15%, up to 20% for wool breeds. Papaya enzyme should also be offered to wool breeds to assist with digestion and to prevent wool block. | |||
===Food=== | ===Food=== | ||
Heinold, Kalmblach, Manna Pro Sho | ARBA recommends feeding a complete balanced pellet as the main source of nutrition. Rule of thumb for selecting complete pellets for your rabbit should start with a baseline of 16% protein, 18% fiber, and a grass or legume as the first ingredient. Typically feed instructions will suggest you feed a measured amount to most adult rabbits rationed twice a day. Total daily intake should equal 1oz of pellet per lb of ideal adult body weight. Rabbits are crepuscular animals, active at dusk and dawn with a rest and digestion period during the day. ie:" a 10lb adult rabbit would receive 5oz of pellets in the morning and 5oz pellets at night. | ||
A complete balanced Pellets should make up between 80% and 100% of a rabbits diet. | |||
Some brands that have complete pellets are Heinold, Kalmblach, Manna Pro Sho . It is important to select a 100% completely balanced diet. No different than balanced kibble. | |||
==Enrichment== | |||
Rabbits 100% NEED enrichment, Can be found in pet stores. Forms of enrichment can be as simple as stuffing hay into paper towel rolls, or giving your rabbit safe wood toys such as Apple wood sticks or untreated pine blocks. | |||
Rabbits | ==Housing rabbits together== | ||
Rabbits naturally do not bond. When a rabbit doesn't want to be near it's "friend" They can kill one another or give severe injury. Domesticated rabbits descend from European wild rabbits. European wild rabbits live in groups depending upon resources available. The more resources that are available, the less tightly they group, and actually prefer quite a bit of distance from the other rabbits. A literature review concluded that wild rabbits are either dominant or subordinate and the subordinate animals live in a constant state of stress and fear when in a group setting. Dominant animals require submission from subordinate daily, and if not performed, leads to violent fighting. | |||
Domesticated rabbits allowed to live in colonies showed much aggression to each other, and the reviewers came to the conclusion that rabbits are very aggressively territorial animals and for their safety, should be housed individually | |||
==Interaction== | |||
Interaction | Interaction is important even with meat rabbits. Interacting daily with your Rabbits makes them calmer, and friendlier and reduces stress when taking to shows or even on butcher day. Playing with your Rabbit Calmly, letting them come to you, giving treats, Grooming, are all ways to stimulate your rabbits. | ||
Revision as of 12:02, 11 August 2022
Rabbits as Pets
Housing
Rabbits should NEVER be free roamed without supervision. It is important to have a properly sized wire bottomed cage for your rabbit to use as it's home base for times you can not monitor your rabbits activities. Free roaming should be supervised at all times.
Rest mats
Rabbits get friction from solid flooring which can cause sore hocks in Rabbits with narrow feet. Sore Hocks can be bred out of a line by selecting for Wide Well furred feet. Rest mats are used for extra Large Rabbits and Breeds like Rexes who are prone to getting sore hock due to there excessive weights, or thinner coat types and if a rabbit wants to get off the solid flooring.
Feeding
Feed your pet the SAME as a regular Maintenance feed for ANY rabbit. see the Rabbit Feeding Guide. Your Pets feed should consist of 80-100% complete balanced Pellets with a base protein of 15-17% higher for wool breeds, and a minimum Fibber content for 15%, up to 20% for wool breeds. Papaya enzyme should also be offered to wool breeds to assist with digestion and to prevent wool block.
Food
ARBA recommends feeding a complete balanced pellet as the main source of nutrition. Rule of thumb for selecting complete pellets for your rabbit should start with a baseline of 16% protein, 18% fiber, and a grass or legume as the first ingredient. Typically feed instructions will suggest you feed a measured amount to most adult rabbits rationed twice a day. Total daily intake should equal 1oz of pellet per lb of ideal adult body weight. Rabbits are crepuscular animals, active at dusk and dawn with a rest and digestion period during the day. ie:" a 10lb adult rabbit would receive 5oz of pellets in the morning and 5oz pellets at night.
A complete balanced Pellets should make up between 80% and 100% of a rabbits diet.
Some brands that have complete pellets are Heinold, Kalmblach, Manna Pro Sho . It is important to select a 100% completely balanced diet. No different than balanced kibble.
Enrichment
Rabbits 100% NEED enrichment, Can be found in pet stores. Forms of enrichment can be as simple as stuffing hay into paper towel rolls, or giving your rabbit safe wood toys such as Apple wood sticks or untreated pine blocks.
Housing rabbits together
Rabbits naturally do not bond. When a rabbit doesn't want to be near it's "friend" They can kill one another or give severe injury. Domesticated rabbits descend from European wild rabbits. European wild rabbits live in groups depending upon resources available. The more resources that are available, the less tightly they group, and actually prefer quite a bit of distance from the other rabbits. A literature review concluded that wild rabbits are either dominant or subordinate and the subordinate animals live in a constant state of stress and fear when in a group setting. Dominant animals require submission from subordinate daily, and if not performed, leads to violent fighting.
Domesticated rabbits allowed to live in colonies showed much aggression to each other, and the reviewers came to the conclusion that rabbits are very aggressively territorial animals and for their safety, should be housed individually
Interaction
Interaction is important even with meat rabbits. Interacting daily with your Rabbits makes them calmer, and friendlier and reduces stress when taking to shows or even on butcher day. Playing with your Rabbit Calmly, letting them come to you, giving treats, Grooming, are all ways to stimulate your rabbits.
