14 Common Mistakes Rabbit Owners Make
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Published 2021-01-26
Bathing your rabbit
Rabbits are very clean animals and they never need a bath.
If your rabbit doesn’t clean itself properly, it could be a sign that they need a visit to the vet.
Bathing your rabbit can be harmful because rabbits may panic and fracture their spine or a limb if they thrash around. Bathing is very stressful for most rabbits and can cause respiratory infections and even heart attacks. And your rabbit may develop hypothermia
And remember, a rabbit’s skin is very sensitive and delicate. Bathing them strips away the natural oils on their body and irritates their skin.
If your rabbit needs to be cleaned, you must only spot-clean them, or give them a dry bath.
Feeding them too many carrots and fruits
In the wild, rabbits don't naturally eat root vegetables or fruit.
Carrots and fruit are high in sugar and should only be given to bunnies as occasional treats in small amounts.
As a rule of thumb, an approximate amount of fruit to feed your rabbit is one teaspoon per 2 pounds of body weight per day.
And believe it or not, some light-colored lettuce, like iceberg, contains lactucarium and can be harmful to your rabbit
Darker, fibrous and more leafy varieties of lettuce, like romaine lettuce should be fed, as they are higher in actual nutrients and fiber.
Likewise, muesli should never be fed to rabbits as it can cause health problems in bunnies.
Keeping rabbits outside
The outdoors is full of dangers for pet rabbits.
Not bunny proofing your house
Some rabbits can be trouble makers. They may chew on the objects around your home, or dig into carpeted floors. Rabbit-proofing your home is a must for protecting both your pet and your belongings.
Make sure to cover your exposed wires with plastic sleeves or flex tubing. Seal off spaces behind and beneath furniture and cabinets, and wrap your wooden table or chair legs with flex tubing.
And it is important to keep any houseplants out of the reach of your bunny. Many plants are toxic to rabbits, and rabbits’ instincts don’t always guide them about what plant is safe for them.
Not Spaying or Neutering Your Rabbit
Spaying or neutering your bunny also lowers the risk of reproductive cancer and urinary tract infections. In particular, female rabbits are in danger. If they have not been spayed, they have 80% chance of facing uterine cancer by the time they are 6 years old.
High Temperatures
Rabbits prefer temperatures of about 60–65 degrees Fahrenheit. And temperatures above 85 degrees are hazardous to domesticated bunnies as they can easily develop a heatstroke.
Wrong diet
Rabbits should have a constant, unlimited supply of high-quality grass hay, such as Timothy, orchard or brome, to graze on throughout the day.
Feeding too many pellets can make your rabbit overweight and may cause problems with their digestion. Your rabbit will likely beg for more treats, but don’t give in!
A very small litter box
A rabbit’s litter box should be big enough so they can sit within the litter and turn around without a problem.
Proper litter boxes can be found in the cat section. But remember, most cat litters contain clays and chemicals that are harmful to rabbits. Clay-based litters are very dusty and can cause respiratory problems in bunnies. Instead, it’s best to use a paper-based litter, or simple plain hay.
Small Enclosures
Your rabbit should either live in a bunny-proofed space, or in a large exercise pen. They should be able to run back and forth, and have separate spaces to sleep, eat, and use the bathroom.
Lack of attention
Interestingly enough, rabbits are prey animals and evolved to hide their weaknesses or illnesses. This can prevent them from appearing as an easy target to stalking predators.Any change in their posture, eating, grooming, urination habits, or even increased aggression or a lack of energy, can be a sign of illness.
Lack of socialization
Rabbits are very social animals and they need daily interaction and socialization.
Ideally bunnies should be kept in pairs – but if you have a single rabbit, then make sure the company comes from you. A lonely bunny can suffer from depression, stress and boredom.
Trusting the pet store
Most pet stores don’t have aisles dedicated to rabbits. In fact, rabbits’ supplies are often put in the same sections as hamsters, guinea pigs, or rats. However, rabbits are actually quite different from all these animals.
Using a water bottle
It’s not easy for rabbits to drink water from a water bottle, and lack of water can cause dehydration or kidney disease in bunnies.
Eye catchy pellet mixes
Many eye-catchy pellet mixes marketed toward rabbits contain sugary pieces, seeds, peas, and other ingredients that often lead to an unhealthy rabbit digestive system and obesity. Instead, give your rabbit just those plain, boring-looking pellets, and your rabbit will love you for it.
All Comments (21)
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It’s so hard not to give in when they want another treat 😓
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I have a few things to add. 1. Bunnies don’t like to be held. They are prey animals and it stresses them out. Instead sit on the floor, bed or couch with him. Your bunny will bond with you and start licking you to show his love. 2. Never place a bunny on its back, it makes her think she’s being attacked. 3. Bunnies have delicate skeletons so be careful when putting one down because they may jump too soon (because they don’t like being held). 4. If you have hard floors, put down rugs or yoga mats for your bunny to run and hop on. Hard floors can cause them joint pain and it’s just difficult for them to get around on. Rabbits are incredibly fun, sweet and very intelligent creatures. They are wonderful pets but they do require a bit of effort so never get one impulsively or for a child thinking they are an easy pet like a hamster. But creating the right environment is worth it. I wouldn’t trade my bunny for anything.
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Surprisingly accurate. The person who wrote this definitely knows their rabbits.
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new things that i learned about 1. Spot cleaning 2. Food pallets 3.Bunny deppresion
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This is the only rabbit video that I have watched and agreed to every point! Thank you! I have a bonded pair of 2 year old house bunnies and an 8 year old rescue house bunny. They are such amazing pets, but so misunderstood!
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I’m so glad that my daughter and I watched this! We were given a sweet rabbit that was no longer wanted and although we’ve tried to take great care of it, we realize we’ve done some things wrong, and are happy to correct them as soon as we can! thank you to the creator of this video!
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I feel like this video is going to save so many rabbit lives, and I'm so grateful for that. Thank you guys. From our rescue house and our 5 rabbits, to anyone reading this, this is information to live by.
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I don't have rabbit And I am watching this.
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I actually noticed my bunny was sick cause he didn’t have as much energy as he did before and now he is recovering
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My litter box is so big.,.... that my bun....just plops in there😂😂😂😂
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The thumbnail makes me feel sad😢
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I think the biggest mistake is when they live alone in a cage
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Excellent examples! I have five house bunnies and have fostered over 50 rabbits, myself. This is one of the most concise videos on mistakes commonly made by bunny slaves aka owners. Thank you! I’m sharing on my FB! Oh and on the subject of litter boxes, I’ve found that portable potting bins or cement mixing bins are AWESOME litter boxes if you have two or more bunnies. One potting bin I’ve found at a mass hardware store has a low front which allows older bunnies to comfortably access the litterbox, and easily fits two bunnies at once with room to spare. And they are only $9!! The two I have have survived 3 yrs with regular cleanings. Large stoneware dog bowls make great water bowls for bunnies. And I use kids wire hanging wall baskets (from Target) for hay bins, and place them at litter box rim level on the wall. Kitty tunnels are awesome for play areas for bunnies, and for toys I like to get baby teething toys like plastic keys or use toilet paper cardboard rolls stuffed with Timothy hay and pellets (pellets act as a treat when they fall out during play).
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My Rabbit is just sitting with me while watch this 😂😂
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My mom keeps giving my bunny like two handfuls of carrots everyday, I keep telling her to stop.
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YOU SHOULD NOT CRADLE YOUR BUNNY ON THEIR BACK IT WILL FREAK THEM OUT.
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If you use a bowl of water keep an eye on how dry their fur is under their neck and behind their ears. My longer haired bun wasn't able to keep himself dry so he developed a skin infection in those areas.
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This video is gold. I give you all my respect as a member of a bunny lovers comunity
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Yes we need more videos like this! I have three rabbits and so many people have no idea. They’re sweet loving little animals when you know how to care for them. Just like if your children have special needs or differences of any kind you care for them. ❤️
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ive always thought there was a problem with my bunny since she was potty trained but will often have accidents, and after this video i tried to clean out her litter box Everyday and she's stopped! turns out she was just extremely sensitive to the smell of pee and would much rather pee in places that are clean so thank you!! disclaimer i used to clean out her litterbox every 1-2 days and now i do it Everyday or sometimes twice a day
