Bunny Care Basics

[FlyingBasil]

Hello everyone,

I recently offered to take care of a relative’s rabbit while they are out for a few days or a week. I’ve met it before several times while visiting and I absolutely wanted to befriend as much as possible, so the opportunity was appreciated.

I spent some time reading about the basics of taking care of one, and I understand the massive responsibility of being a caretaker. Because there’s just so much information available, I was hoping if someone could advise me on what major supplies to purchase and what are some of the most important things to consider. Much of the information I read online I hope to follow to a T, like providing a large, safe wire free room for it to stay in, but my head is spinning when it comes to all the different foods, handling, exercise, toys,etc.

I’m a safe and responsible person, so I know that taking care of one is not all fun and games – it can be a serious, involved affair.

I currently am not aware of it’s diet so I will provide that info when I receive it, although I doubt it’s received much leafy greens or exercise. I am also afraid that if I release it I will not be able to get it back into it’s cage, since I don’t know how to lift it up properly.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I’m sure they’ll tell me the specifics when they come to drop it off, along with some supplies, but just to be safe I’m doing some research.

[Eepster]

I would really just follow the instructions his owners leave with you. Rabbits have very variable needs, so what has been working for them may not exactly match more general guidelines.

As an example, general advice would be to give a rabbit the size and age of mine more lettuce and less broccoli stalks than I do. Trial and error though has shown me that Porky will get wet poops from what is a normal amount of lettuce, but never gets gassy which is the concern with too much broccoli. So, if you decided to follow general guidelines instead of my instructions Porky would not do as well.

I know that when I leave Porky with his usual sitter, my dad, he doesn’t get out of his pen. There is no way my dad could get him back into it safely. I think it is better to just have him cooped up a bit for a few days than to risk him being injured by my dad trying to grab him out from under furniture or something. Since you aren’t experienced picking up rabbits I would not recommend letting him loose. He will be fine without extra exercise, but being grabbed wrong can lead to injuries such as broken bones and even spinal cord injuries.

[Author]

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