We understand that for many new bunny owners, preparing for your new addition may be overwhelming. We realize that there is so much to learn, so many decisions to make, and quite a bit of conflicting information online which makes things even more confusing. We hope to help eliminate some of this uncertainty and make preparing for your new bunny an exciting time for you and your family by providing some information below.
We also want our bunnies to be loved, healthy, and to live a long, happy life in their forever homes. Their quality of life is very important to us and we invest quite a bit of time, energy, and money into making sure that they have space to run, healthy foods to eat, good litter box habits, and lots of toys to enrich their lives. After many requests from our customers, we have decided to make many of the products that we build or buy available for purchase by our customers. Our "Starter Kit" includes many of the basics you will need when you first bring home your bunny while our "Deluxe Kit" offers everything in our Starter Kit and more.
Below are some of our thoughts about housing, feeding, litter box training, grooming, and entertaining your new bunny. We have also indicated if products related to each topic are available for purchase.
Although we do not ship anything, you are welcome to place an order and pick up supplies before, after, or while you are picking up your bunny. Simply complete the order form by clicking any of the links on this page. Once your order form is received, you will be contacted in order to arrange a convenient pick up time. Payment will be accepted in cash or PayPal when you pick up your order.
We also want our bunnies to be loved, healthy, and to live a long, happy life in their forever homes. Their quality of life is very important to us and we invest quite a bit of time, energy, and money into making sure that they have space to run, healthy foods to eat, good litter box habits, and lots of toys to enrich their lives. After many requests from our customers, we have decided to make many of the products that we build or buy available for purchase by our customers. Our "Starter Kit" includes many of the basics you will need when you first bring home your bunny while our "Deluxe Kit" offers everything in our Starter Kit and more.
Below are some of our thoughts about housing, feeding, litter box training, grooming, and entertaining your new bunny. We have also indicated if products related to each topic are available for purchase.
Although we do not ship anything, you are welcome to place an order and pick up supplies before, after, or while you are picking up your bunny. Simply complete the order form by clicking any of the links on this page. Once your order form is received, you will be contacted in order to arrange a convenient pick up time. Payment will be accepted in cash or PayPal when you pick up your order.
1. Housing Your Bunny
Many people assume they need to purchase a traditional "cage" to house their bunny. Unfortunately, most cages, especially those found in a pet store, are too small for your bunny. In addition to having enough space for your bunny to bounce around, the cage should have space for a litter box, a hidey house, a hay rack, food and water bowls, and some toys to entertain your bunny when you are not around. Most cages are simply not large enough.
The opposite end of the spectrum is choosing to allow your bunny to roam freely in all or part of your house. We don't recommend giving your bunny this much freedom until it is litter box trained and you have bunny-proofed your house. Bunnies are very curious animals and love to chew, especially on wires, carpet, house plants, and may get into things you didn't even think of. Even if you plan to eventually have a free-roaming bunny, it may take a while to get to this point and you will need to keep it safe while you work on training, trust, and bunny proofing.
So how can you give your bunny the space it needs, keep it safe, prevent it from destroying anything, and give it a place to call its own? Below are two options that work for many bunny owners and that we highly recommend.
1. X-Pen: You can enclose an area with an exercise pen traditionally sold for dogs.
2. Storage Cubes: You can connect panels in a variety of ways and build a "bunny condo".
Both options will provide your bunny with much more space than a traditional cage, can be arranged to fit any space, and can be expanded as your bunny grows. They can even be used in combination with traditional cage to give your bunny even more room. And both X-pens and storage cubes are much less expensive than a traditional cage!
Here a few examples of the spaces some bunny owners have created for their bunnies. Click this link to see some amazing examples or Google "DIY Bunny Cage Xpen" and "DIY Bunny Cage Cubes" to see more options. The possibilities are endless.
The opposite end of the spectrum is choosing to allow your bunny to roam freely in all or part of your house. We don't recommend giving your bunny this much freedom until it is litter box trained and you have bunny-proofed your house. Bunnies are very curious animals and love to chew, especially on wires, carpet, house plants, and may get into things you didn't even think of. Even if you plan to eventually have a free-roaming bunny, it may take a while to get to this point and you will need to keep it safe while you work on training, trust, and bunny proofing.
So how can you give your bunny the space it needs, keep it safe, prevent it from destroying anything, and give it a place to call its own? Below are two options that work for many bunny owners and that we highly recommend.
1. X-Pen: You can enclose an area with an exercise pen traditionally sold for dogs.
2. Storage Cubes: You can connect panels in a variety of ways and build a "bunny condo".
Both options will provide your bunny with much more space than a traditional cage, can be arranged to fit any space, and can be expanded as your bunny grows. They can even be used in combination with traditional cage to give your bunny even more room. And both X-pens and storage cubes are much less expensive than a traditional cage!
Here a few examples of the spaces some bunny owners have created for their bunnies. Click this link to see some amazing examples or Google "DIY Bunny Cage Xpen" and "DIY Bunny Cage Cubes" to see more options. The possibilities are endless.
2. Feeding Your Bunny
|
Hay: The majority of your bunny's diet should be Timothy hay.
|
We offer the following to our customers:
a 1 pound bag of Timothy Hay for $3 a 4 pound bag of Timothy Hay for $5 *Our Starter Kit includes 2 pounds of Timothy hay **Our Deluxe Kit includes 4 pounds of Timothy hay |
|
Hay Rack: Bunnies like to defecate when they eat so you should strategically position a hay rack next to your bunny's litter pan and give your bunny access to fresh hay all the time.
We have found plastic bag holders that we use as hay racks. They are easy to fill, help to contain the hay and reduce both mess and waste, and can easily be zip-tied anywhere in the bunny's habitat. We also build and sell a beautiful wooden litter box/hay rack combo. The removable top allows you to keep the back filled with fresh hay which your bunny can access through the opening. This contains the hay and prevents typical mess that results from using a wire hay rack or basket. The combo also includes our easy to clean, removable litter box and a 3 pound bag of litter to get you started. We also understand how important chewing is to the health of your rabbit, especially when it comes to keeping their teeth from getting too long, so we constructed the entire unit out of wood that is safe for your bunny to chew. Dimensions of Wooden Litter Box/Hay Rack Combo: Height 10", Width 12.25", Depth 20" |
We offer the following to our customers:
a plastic hay rack for $6 *Both the Starter Kit and the Deluxe Kit include a plastic hay rack The wooden litter box/hay rack combo can be purchased individually for $70. *The Starter and Deluxe kit both already include the white plastic litter box and a 3 lb bag of litter. Both kits can be upgraded to include this wooden structure for $60. |
|
Pellets: You will be given a free, 1 lb bag of transition food when you pick up your bunny. If you plan to feed your bunny a different type of food than what we use, we recommend slowly transitioning your bunny over to the new brand by mixing our food with a little of your food. Gradually change the proportions until it is only eating your food.
*Some new bunny owners feel more comfortable continuing to feed their bunny the same food we use. We feed our rabbits Blue Seal Show Hutch Deluxe 17 which we purchase at local farm store and Tractor Supply stores. |
*We give all of our customers a complimentary 1 pound bag of food when you pick up your bunny.
We offer the following to our customers: 3 pound bags of food for $5 *Our Starter Kit includes 9 pounds of food **Our Deluxe Kit includes 12 pounds of food |
Water: Your bun should also have access to fresh water all the time. Although a few of our adults drink from a bottle, all of our babies drink from a bowl and have not been exposed to water bottles. Keep this in mind if you plan to use a water bottle. You should provide a bowl initially until it gets used to your water bottle.
Bowls can quickly turn into toys if they are not attached to the sides of the cage or at the very least, have a wide bottom which will make it more difficult to flip over. You can find a wide variety of bowls at pet and farm stores.
Bowls can quickly turn into toys if they are not attached to the sides of the cage or at the very least, have a wide bottom which will make it more difficult to flip over. You can find a wide variety of bowls at pet and farm stores.
3. Litter Box Training Your Bunny
|
Rabbits are very clean animals and can be trained to use a litter box. They tend to defecate in the same corner of their area so once you know where this favorite spot is, simply put the litter box there. Your bunny will soon learn that he should hop into the litter box when he wants to relieve himself.
Rabbits also tend to defecate where they eat. We recommend putting your rabbit's hay rack right above the litter box so they will be more likely to use the litter box while they munch on clean, fresh hay. Litter Box: We have tried many, many different brands of litter boxes and finally found one that is large enough, has high enough sides, is easy to clean, and most importantly, that our rabbits like! Our bunnies are introduced to the litter box as soon as they leave their nest box and although they are not completely trained when they leave for their new homes, they understand the basic idea and have watched their mother model the process for them. Simply sprinkle a layer of litter on the bottom of the pan, place a layer of fresh hay on top of the litter, and put the litter box in the corner your bunny has designated as his favorite spot. Litter: There are many options you can use for litter. We use equine bedding/wood pellets and find that they do a great job absorbing urine and smells and are much cheaper than many of the other products found in stores. Look for Equine Pellets at Tractor Supply Stores. Dimensions of Wooden Litter Box/Hay Rack Combo: Height 10", Width 12.25", Depth 20" |
We offer the following to our customers:
A white, hard plastic, easy to clean litter box and a 3 pound bag of pellets to use as litter for $12. A 3 lb bag of litter for $3 A beautiful wooden litter box/hay rack combo with the tray and a 3 pound bag of litter for $70. *Our Starter Kit includes a litter box and a 3 pound bag of pellets. **Our Deluxe Kit includes a litter box and a 6 pound bag of pellets. Both kits can be upgraded to include the wooden litter box/hay rack for $60. |
4. Grooming Your Bunny
|
You will need to clip your bunny's nails periodically and some owners like to brush their bunny with a soft brush if they notice their bunny shedding.
Nail Clippers: You can use small nail clippers to trim the tips of your bunnies. Clippers designed for a cat work perfectly. Mesh Bag: Although some bunnies don´t mind getting their nails clipped, others are not a fan and will squirm and make the process more difficult than it should be. A trick we use with a few of our challenging rabbits is to gently put the rabbit in a small mesh bag and secure the rabbit on your lap. Their nails will poke through the mesh and the mesh will help to push the hair away from the nail, making it easier to see the blood supply and clip the nail. Lint Roller: I highly recommend investing in a lint roller. Rabbits do shed periodically and evidence of snuggle time will be left on your clothes! |
We offer the following to our customers:
Nail clippers for $10. Small mesh bag to help isolate the nail for $2. *Our Starter Kit includes a set of nail clippers. **Our Deluxe Kit includes a set of nail clippers and the small, mesh bag. |
5. Entertaining Your Bunny
|
Bunnies are extremely curious and playful animals and are happiest when they are interacting with their owners and playing with their toys. They also need safe objects to chew in order to keep their teeth trimmed since a rabbitś teeth and nails never stop growing.
Rabbits are prey animals and wild animals spend much of their time burrowing and hiding in safe spaces to avoid predators. A pet bunny has many of those same instincts and needs a safe place to hide when it gets scared or tired. We give all of our rabbits a hand-crafted, wooden "Hidey-House" so they have their very own place to escape to or relax in. They also enjoy hopping up on top of it and looking around from a higher point of view. Chewing on the edges also helps keep their teeth from growing too long. Dimensions: Height 8.5", Width 9.25", Depth 13" Many bunnies enjoy resting on a soft pillow. Once we are confident a bunny will not chew on the waterproof cover, we put a pillow in their living space to provide them with something soft to snuggle up on. In addition to building many of our own toys, we have purchased many products over the years with the hopes of enriching the lives of our rabbits. We did discover a few things that our rabbits really like and unfortunately, we also ended up with products that our rabbits completely ignored. We now offer many of the products that our bunnies enjoy playing with to our customers. We hope this will not only be convenient for our customers, but that it will also help them avoid the same trial and error process that we experienced. |
We offer the following products to help keep your bunny stimulated, entertained, and comfortable:
Hidey House (10" wide, 9" high, 12" deep) for $30 (included in Starter & Deluxe Kits) Pillow for $14 Hay/Treat Wire Ball for $8 (included in Starter & Deluxe Kits) Grass Mat for $5 (included in Starter & Deluxe Kits) Wood Blocks & Knots for $10 (included in Starter & Deluxe Kits) Willow Ball $5 (included in Starter & Deluxe Kits) Plastic Stacking Cups for $5 (included in Deluxe Kit) Wood Wheel Roller for $5 (included in Deluxe Kit) Wood Chew Barrel for $4 (included in Deluxe Kit) 10 Apple/Pear Sticks for $3 (included in Deluxe Kit) *Our Starter & Deluxe Kits include the items indicated above. |
Starter Kit vs. Deluxe Kit
|
Starter Kit: $90
2 pounds Timothy Hay 9 pounds of food 3 pounds of litter 1 plastic litter box Plastic hay rack Nail clippers Wooden Hidey House Hay/Treat Wire Ball Grass Mat Wood Blocks & Knots Willow Ball Wooden Litter Box/Hay Rack Upgrade: $60 add on |
Deluxe Kit: $120
4 pounds Timothy Hay 12 pounds of food 6 pounds of litter 1 plastic litter box Plastic hay rack Nail clippers Mesh Bag for Clipping Nails Wooden Hidey House Hay/Treat Wire Ball Grass Mat Wood Blocks & Knots Willow Ball Plastic Stacking Cups Wood Wheel Roller Wood Chew Barrel 10 Apple Branches Wooden Litter Box/Hay Rack Upgrade: $60 add on |