Right here we have it the final complete (almost) list of everything a new rabbit owner will need to know.

For all those new rabbit owners this is a bank of all the knowledge shared between us rabbit people on this forum, it is well worth a good read and will tell you all you need for a first time owner.

Ideal hutch size:
- Any rabbit hutch you get should be a MINIMUM of 6ft x 2ft x 2ft, heres a link to a thread detailing the ideal living space more including some pictures of what we on the forums use Rabbit Accommodation..

Ideal run size:
- Rabbits should have access to a run all day long not just in evenings, the size depends on the breed, however it is important to let your rabbits out of their run daily so they can have a proper run around and binky(jump mid air, this is very fun to watch). The majority of rabbit rescues will only re-home a small/medium rabbit to you if it has a run no smaller than 4ft x6ft which should be attached to the hutch and for 2 small/medium rabbits 6ft x 6ft. additionally the rabbit should be able to stand on its back legs, so a height of at least 2 foot is required depending on breed. By attaching the run to the hutch the rabbit is less likely to have territorial behaviour problems. A large rabbit such as French Lop, English Lop and Continental Giant will require a much larger run and it is because of this they can be more suited to house rabbits. Additionally it is important that even a small/medium house rabbit has access to a space at least the size of runs stated above, a kitchen or spare bedroom is ideal for the entire day not just in evening.

Best type of bedding for bun:
- Saw dust and wood shavings from pine or cedar should NEVER be used, heres the reason http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/guine...odshavings.htm
- Hay is probably by far the best bedding, its soft and comfortable plus they can snack on it. Meadow hay and Timothy hay are the best to get.
- Newspaper can be ok as a kind of underlay to protect the bottom of the hutch from poo being stuck to it but needs something on top or bunny with have a very hard bed.
- Straw is good for bedding too but can sometimes be a bit course and not as soft as hay. It also provides good insulation during the winter months.

Caring for bun in winter:
- Pets at home advice, http://www.petsathome.com/advice/sma...care-in-winter
- Rabbit Rehome advice, http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/winter.asp
- Please use both sites for advice as pets at home may be bias towards you buying their products for winter care, whereas Rabbit Rehome gives general advice.

Feeding, fruit, veg, plants. Good and bad:
- General advice on food: http://www.beechwoodvets.com/html/pd.../24_265656.pdf
- Here is a link to a food list that has absolutely everything listed that is good, bad and just ok for the bun http://www.petforums.co.uk/rabbits/39071-food-list.html.
- Heres a link to several articles all with valuable information on food http://www.petarticleworld.co.uk/Art...bbits/food.htm

Vaccinations needed:
There are two very important vaccines rabbits need:
- Myxomatosis every 6 months (some vets say once a year but this is wrong and not a very good bunny vet),
- Vhd once a year. These vaccines are done at least two weeks apart as it can be dangerous to do both at the same time.
- heres a link to explain these diseases fully http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/vaccination.asp

Why to neuter:
- Males - Stops them spraying, humping, hormonal behaviour.
- Female - stops pseudo (false) pregnancies. 80% of unspayed females over the age of 3 get uterine cancer.

Common health problems to look out for: Heres a few links to common illnesses that rabbits may get, some more preventable than others so well worth reading all these links:
- Sunffles/Pasteurella,
- Fkystrike,
- GI Stasis,
- E.cuniculi info: http://www.thebrc.org/health.htm,
- All common health problems listed with short summary about each: http://www.mismatch.co.uk/rabbithealth.htm.

Dental Problems: Rabbit’s teeth continue to grow throughout their life, at a rate of 2-3mm per week. Rabbits require a high fibre diet to ensure the teeth are evenly worn and to prevent overgrowth. If the teeth are not worn down, they grow incorrectly leading to discomfort, abscesses, anorexia, etc. Indication of dental problems may be saliva around the mouth, on the chest or front paws, an inability to eat or teeth grinding.

Srhdufe found the info on here, well worth a good look.. Russel's Guide to Rabbits @ http://www.petcentreonline.co.uk/eco...t~idPage~8.htm
How to handle your rabbit:
- As I call it, cup and bum! One hand supporting chest, behind front legs, the other, supporting bum.

Indoor vs outdoor:
- Indoors- More secure against predators, more one to one contact.
- Outside- more natural, fresher air and freedom to run in a natural environment.
- Indoor setups- minimum of 6ft of space x 4ft. A link on everything you need to know about bunny-proofing your house before letting them loose FAQ: Rabbit Proofing.

One bun or two:
- If one rabbit is kept on its own it will need considerably more time spent with it than if you have a pair of rabbits, as you are its only playmate. A bonded pair of rabbits is a really lovely sight and the rabbits have company all the time, making them an all round happier bunny. Take into consideration that they will need much larger accommodation, and all bills will effectively double with a pair.

Best bonded combination (MM/FF/MF):
- While it is possible to keep two males or two females together, it is generally much more difficult than a mixed sex pair.
- Same Sex - Two litter mates tend to get on better than introducing the same sex at a later date, and as always it all depends on the temperament of the rabbit. Having both of the rabbits neutered will help to keep them bonded and/or bond them.
- Mixed Sex - At least the male will have to be neutered in order to stop unwanted pregnancies, and baby buns. It is also often easier, as with same sex pairs, to have both of the rabbits "done" as this makes them less hormonal, so they should get on better plus theres the risk of uterine cancer in females so as said above it is always recommended that females be spayed.
- It is also possible to bond more than two rabbits but it can be considerably harder than with two. Two females and a male is a popular mix, and seem to work well in most cases. Bear in mind that the more rabbits that are bonded together, the bigger the accommodation needs to be!!!

Why not a guinea pig?
- A lot of pet shops will tell you its fine to keep rabbits with guinea pigs for company. This is actually far from the truth rabbits should NEVER be kept with guinea pigs, and heres why:

- Rabbits and guinea pigs eat different types of food even though it looks the same.
- Along with the reason above guinea pigs need a certain amount of vitamin C which rabbits don't therefore the food has different ingredients aimed at their needs.
- Guinea pigs are a lot smaller than most rabbits and could be seriously be injured by the rabbit.
- The best company for a rabbit is another rabbit, nothing elsse will even come close. Rabbits do like human company and can even like a friend guinea pig but at the end of the day a rabbit will prefer company of another rabbit
- Rabbits can harbour Bordetella, harmless to the rabbit, but pathogenic for the guinea pig

Bunny playtime:
- Bunnies are lively, active pets and enjoy having toys to play with. They like things they can pick up in their mouths and throw. You can buy special balls with treats hidden in for them to get out. An inexpensive toy for bunnies is cardboard. Mine love boxes. They can hide in them, climb on them and if all else fails, chew them. They are easily renewed when they get tatty. Many rabbits also like to dig - fulfilling their natural instinct to burrow. Providing a sandpit filled with earth gives bunnies many happy hours digging - they often don't seem to realise they aren't getting anywhere! Also hard baby rattles can be bought at a charity shop or boot sale for approx 10p rabbits love these!
- Little linky of toys you can make yourself at home: http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/budgettoys.asp

What does it mean when my rabbit...?:
-A rabbits body language and some sounds: http://www.rabbit.org/behavior/body-language.html

Rabbit savvy vets:
- A good site to look at is http://www.rabbit-vet.co.uk/

Insurance, is it worth it?
- Although some people swear by insurance it may not always be the best way to go. There are only two insurance companies that cover rabbits (that I know of) and both don't cover for any teeth problems which is in my experience a main problem with rabbits. I know of some people including myself who put a bit of money aside each month in a separate account to save for any vet bills rather than putting it all to insurance when they may not cover for something you may need treatment for.
- For those who would like to look into insurance for your bun these are the two companies that will cover them:
- http://www.petplan.co.uk/therightcover/rabbit.asp
- http://www.helpucover.co.uk/product/...ance-benefits/

Other good bits of info:
-http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resou...e_bill_lft.pdf

This is still a work in progress and I will add more as people share more and more information and advice. Please PM me or post here anything you'd like to add. Please let me know about any broken links you find as well as some are external and may have been discontinued.

Many thanks to Kellyrich, Crofty, Hazyreality, Emzybabe, VampiricLust, Frags, Umber and Srhdufe for all their information given. Hoping I haven't missed any names but yell at me if I have and I'll add you to the list of fame.

Great stuff.

I think though this should be aimed at ALL rabbit owners, not just newbies.

Many people still keep their bunnies in an inappropriate manner.

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November 2nd

Well done Kammie thats really good! You deserve a green blobby!!

But i cant see the links for the health probs!

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Thanks for pointing that out Kelly, fixed now.

well done kammie you have done an excellent job!!

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Exhibitor and breeder of blue eye white french lops

www.lilys-litters.webs.com

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Good Stuff! How about mentioning that GP and Rabbits should not be housed together as that seems to be a common misconception or should that be somewhere else lol!

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Do'nt keep rabbits with guinea pigs. The rabbits will kill them!

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THE MORE PEOPLE I MEET THE MORE I LOVE MY ANIMALS!!!!

Thanks for doing this Kammie (no R this time!) you have done a fine job!
Thanks for using my bit

*Heidi*

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Oh well thought of Umber!!

Brilliant stickie

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There are 33,000 bunnies young, middle aged, old, large and small all looking for a second chance and loving home, can you help? www.rabbitrehome.org.uk



My heart has joined the Thousand, for my friend stopped running today.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP1TzggYeLg

RABBITS LOVE TO PLAY

Bunnies are lively, active pets and enjoy having toys to play with. They like things they can pick up in their mouths and throw. You can buy special balls with treats hidden in for them to get out. An inexpensive toy for bunnies is cardboard. Mine love boxes. They can hide in them, climb on them and if all else fails, chew them. They are easily renewed when they get tatty.

Many rabbits also like to dig - fulfilling their natural instinct to burrow. Providing a sandpit filled with earth gives bunnies many happy hours digging - they often don't seem to realise they aren't getting anywhere!

also hard baby rattles can be bought at a charity shop or boot sale for approx 10p rabbits love these!

__________________

Exhibitor and breeder of blue eye white french lops

www.lilys-litters.webs.com

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