BUNNY LOVE

Rabbits can make absolutely wonderful companions, as long as you have appropriate expectations of life with a rabbit and are prepared to make the commitment for proper care over the whole life span of the rabbit.Pet rabbits come in every shape, size and colour. Lopeared bunnies have long ears that hang down the sides of their heads. Lion-head bunnies have puffy hair on the head and neck with very short hair on the body. Netherlands Dwarf bunnies are small, with longer, soft fur. Whatever the breed, caring for a pet rabbit is the fun and relatively easy.
Here are few pointers for rabbit owners: Clean and spacious abode Purchase or build a rabbit hutch large enough for the mature pet. Know what breed of rabbit you are adopting for a good estimate of the size at maturity. Provide a sleeping house inside the hutch for added privacy for the pet. A pet rabbit needs plenty of room to hop around inside a cage.
Clean the hutch lightly on a weekly basis. Deep clean the hutch on a monthly basis or as needed. Keep the pet rabbit healthy by keeping its surroundings meticulously clean.
Food and habit Feed the pet a diet of certified rabbit pellets and timothy hay daily with lots of fresh greens. Give pellets and timothy hay in the morning and fresh greens at night. Offer fresh water in a hanging bottle at all times. Provide solid hardwood toys for the rabbit to chew on and prevent the over growth of the incisors.
Litter train a bunny by placing a litter pan with cat litter in each corner available to the pet. Rabbits urinate and defecate in corners by nature, so have them all covered with litter pans and the rabbit will use them. Buy litter pans that are large enough for the pet and empty litter pans, rinse and refill daily to keep odours down.
Spay or neuter the pet to allow companionship with other animals. Rabbits have a strong sex drive and will mount or become aggressive with other pets if not neutered. Find a veterinarian that specialises in small animals to perform the surgery. Health and hygiene Groom a rabbit with a soft bristled brush for small animals and dry shampoo when necessary. Use the grooming time to check for fur loss and parasites like fleas and ticks.
Trim the rabbit's toenails using small animal nail clippers. Take the pet to the veterinarian for nail trimmings and tooth shavings if necessary. Take a pet rabbit to a veterinarian if you see runny eyes or nose, an upper respiratory infection may be setting in. Stay away from cedar and pine bedding as they cause liver damage and the onset of allergies.

Compatible species Socialise a bunny with other pets in the home. Bunnies are very social animals and isolation will cause stress and possible illness. Introduce other pets by rubbing the rabbit then allowing the other pet to smell your hands. Move the pets closer together under complete supervision. Do not rush the process of introducing pets to each other.

Guinea pigs and bunnies enjoy each other's company the most. A guinea pig and bunny can even be housed together, provided the rabbit is spayed or neutered.
Never leave a dog or cat alone with a pet rabbit. These are natural hunters of rabbits and can't be trusted without supervision.The perfect choice When choosing a rabbit, looking at a few simple things can help ensure that your new pet is a healthy one.
· Look at the overall body condition -the rabbit should be neither fat nor skinny, with no swellings.
· Its coat should be well groomed, with no bare patches. Check for soiling around the rear end, as this may indicate a problem with diarrhoea.
· Look at the ears, they should be pink, not red, and free of discharge.
The ear flaps shouldn't be damaged.
· The eyes should be bright and free from discharge.
Check the coat around the eyes for signs of wetness or tear staining.
· Check the nose, it should also be free of discharge.
· Try to get a look at the teeth, they should not be overgrown and should be well aligned.
Also check for wet or matted fur on the chin.
· Observe the rabbit's breathing, which should be quiet and not laboured.
· Watch the rabbit move around; it should have no signs of lameness, stiffness, or reluctance to move around.
· Look at the rabbit's surroundings; a rabbit kept in clean conditions, without crowding will have less exposure to stress and disease.
· Observe how the rabbit reacts to people; ideally pick a rabbit that is relatively calm about being approached and petted