What to Consider When Getting a Rabbit

Every Easter a recurring pet fad rears its floppy ears: the rabbit. Previous pet blogger Aimee Amodio covered many details one needs to consider when getting a rabbit. Today’s blog is instead for those just curious as to whether or not their lifestyles can fit a pet rabbit at this time. I’ll cover the basics of what rabbit care will entail. As always, the first idea to consider is for whom is the rabbit intended? Rabbits live for 5-10 years, depending on their breed and their indoor/outdoor situation. Make sure the rabbit’s intended caretaker can commit to that length of … Continue reading →

Netherland Dwarf Rabbits

Also known as the Dutch dwarf, Netherland dwarf rabbits are a popular choice for pet rabbits. The Netherland dwarf is smaller than most rabbit breeds, weighing in between one and three pounds. In fact, many of the rabbits you encounter in a pet store are Netherland dwarfs or breeds derived from Netherland dwarfs. The breed was first produced in the Netherlands in the early twentieth century. Smaller wild rabbits were bred with small Polish rabbits in an attempt to produce very small bunnies available in a wide range of colors and patterns. By 1948, the Netherland dwarf had crossed the … Continue reading →

Chinchilla Rabbits

This breed of rabbit is named for the chinchilla — a rodent known for its silky, uniquely colored fur. What’s so special about the coat? The fur is slate blue at the base, a pearly grey in the middle, and white tipped with black at the ends. There are three breeds of chinchilla rabbits recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders’ Association. Standard Chinchilla: a breed that originated in France and was introduced after World War One. The average weight of a standard chinchilla rabbit is between five and seven and a half pounds. Females (does) are generally heavier than males … Continue reading →

Lop and Mini-Lop Rabbits

Lops are known for their distinctive ears — which flop over, rather than stand straight up. Lops are among the oldest breeds of domesticated rabbits, and come in many different varieties. English Lop: the lop known for the longest ears. Some English lop ears can be more than twenty inches long! French Lop: a variety of lop thought to come from cross breeding the English lop with another breed. Holland Lop: a variety of lop that is muscular and compact. Ears are slightly shorter, and should be no more than one inch below the chin. Dwarf Lop: a variety of … Continue reading →

Dutch Rabbits

The Dutch rabbit is one of the ten most popular rabbit breeds in the world. It used to hold the top spot before dwarf rabbits came along. The breed is believed to have developed in the United Kingdom — ancestors from the Netherlands and Belgium give the breed its name. This breed of rabbit is easy to identify because it has a very unique color pattern. The front of the face, front of the body, and approximately one third of the rear paws are white. The cheeks, ears, and stomach are colored, as is the saddle — the line of … Continue reading →

Angora Rabbits

The Angora rabbit is a type of domestic rabbit bred for its extremely long, amazingly soft hair. Like the Angora cat and the Angora goat, the Angora rabbit is thought to have come from Turkey. There are five different varieties of Angora rabbits, but only four are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders’ Association: English Angora: the smallest variety of Angora rabbit. Wooly tufts on the face and ears give it a puppy-like or teddy bear-like appearance, making it a common choice for a pet. English Angoras come in many colors: white, black, blue (grey), chocolate, fawn, tortoise, chinchilla (silver … Continue reading →

Pavlov’s Rabbit

In honor of Rabbit Week (July 15-21), I thought it was time to tell a story of a rabbit, a girl, and a science fair. The girl was me — little Aimee. The rabbit was our family pet, Bun-bun. Bun-bun was an outside rabbit, thanks to some pretty severe animal dander allergies rearing their ugly heads in my brother and me. He had a spiffy bunny condo, made from combining two hutches into one gigantic MegaHutch with a large play space and an enclosed room at each end. One for sleeping and one for potty. Little Aimee had yet another … Continue reading →

Make That Rabbit Cage Feel Like Home

Whether your house rabbit only uses her cage for sleeping or spends most of the time in her cage, it needs to be a place she wants to go. So how do you make that cage into a home? Make sure there’s good ventilation. Don’t pick an aquarium or solid-walled cage for your rabbit; the poor air circulation can lead to respiratory problems. Make sure the temperature is right. More than eighty degrees Fahrenheit can lead to heat stroke! Cool and non-humid is best for your bunny; between sixty and seventy degrees is ideal. Keep the cage in a place … Continue reading →

Rabbit Cage Basics

When it comes to housing your rabbit, bigger is always better! A good rule of thumb is that your cage should be at least four times the size of your rabbit — even more if your bun will spend most of his time in the cage. The more time your bunny spends outside the cage, the smaller his cage needs to be. That doesn’t mean a large cage can replace free-running time! Bunnies need space to move around, or you’re going to have a chubby bun on your hands. For your rabbit to be happy in his cage, he should … Continue reading →

Giving Your Rabbit Fresh Fruits

The image of rabbits nibbling at the vegetables in your garden is a popular one — remember Peter Rabbit getting into trouble in Farmer MacGregor’s garden? But rabbits also love fresh fruits! A varied diet ensures that your pet rabbit gets all the nutrients he needs. You should offer three different types of green vegetables daily, and at least one kind of fruit. Fruits are also a great way for your bun to get extra moisture into his system. Remember that you should clean out uneaten fruit and vegetables on a daily basis and replace them with fresh fruit and … Continue reading →