Big Harry likes to greet me at the top of the stairs. He's letting me know I'm in his territory.
In the wild, rabbits typically live single, solitary lives, when over crowding is not a problem, in underground burrows when they're not out and about. They usually occupy a few acres of land each, and they get to know every square inch of it. This is their main defense against predators. So, rabbits by nature, are territorial creatures and have a huge expanse of land to occupy. Understanding how rabbits live in the wild is further testimony that caging them is a crime against nature.
I've observed my rabbits inspecting every aspect of my house, every nook and cranny. And when their progress is blocked by a barricade, they won't quit trying to get passed it. My male rabbit will hop up on my couch, jump up on the back and run along to an end table, and jump to freedom just to make it passed a barrier. It's the need to know every square inch of his/her home that helps a rabbit survive in the wild. Their defense is running away from predators. That is probably why rabbits are so incredibly inquisitive. Also helping to survive in the wild, a rabbit's eyes are capable of seeing in every direction making it possible to watch birds in the air and other predators on the ground. The ears are also very sensitive. When the rabbit's at ease, the ears will lie down along the back. But when aroused, the ears stand straight up and listen for possible enemies. Being so sensitive, a rabbit should never be picked up by the ears. Instead, a rabbit should be picked up by placing a hand under the chest with fingers between the front feet and another hand under the rump. A rabbit's nose is also very sensitive, so touching the immediate nose area should be avoided.
Territorial Behavior
Even in the home, the rabbit's territorial instinct survives. I've observed how my three rabbits treat each other where new territory or boundaries are concerned. I have one male, and two females. The two females, Annie and Alex, are frequently territorial with each other. The resulting run, hide and chase can be quite comical. The other day, I took delivery of a new dinette set. Rabbits love adopting furniture as their personal "happy place." This dinette set was placed in the middle of a small room, but very near my indoor rabbit cage. This did not stop Annie, the first to arrive on the scene by a good two hours, from staking this new shelter as "hers." Of course, my male rabbit Harry can go where ever he wants to. However, upon Alex's entry under the dinette set, a savage chase with hair biting activities soon took place. Annie was determined to keep Alex away from her new found home. I see the same result if the two girls have been separated for even eight hours. They seem to forget that they're friends and the let the ancient desire for territory take over. Needless to say, I had to stay up almost all night to work out this problem with them. I had to convince Annie that anytime she chased away Alex, it meant "time out" in another room. I even had to sit under the table with them to show that this is a community area. Annie soon gave up her quest for dominance under the dinette, but the sight of what happened instilled in me the fact that these guys are solitary creatures in the wild unless over population is a problem.
Care of Orphaned Bunnies
Recently I had the opportunity to care for an abandoned bunny. I named her Pluto because she was so far from home and she was so tiny. She couldn't have been much more than two weeks old. She had grown all her fur and her eyes were open, but she was still very small. I gave her KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) in an eye dropper, which can be purchased in some pet stores. She also ate hay and chopped up rabbit pellets. Actually, she ate quite a bit, but she didn't last more than a day and a half. The moral to this story is, being a foster parent to such a young rabbit is rarely rewarding. Rabbits that are under three weeks old will rarely survive without mothers milk. There is just no way to duplicate what a mother rabbit has in her milk. There is something that keeps these youngsters alive that there is no substitute for. That's why rabbit breeders ususally breed their females at the same time. Then, if one has trouble feeding her young, another lactating female can help. Rabbits really need to stay with their mothers at the very least four weeks (eight weeks is optimal). I also learned that many people mistakenly think a mother is ignoring her young if they don't see her with them often. In reality, a mother may only nurse her young one or two times per day. So don't intervene at all unless the babies look sunken or dehydrated. Chances are, the mother is doing her job quite well. Most of my email comes from people who found a rabbits nest and didn't see the mother, so they took the babies in. Don't do this! Leave the nest alone. The mother is probably out there watching you. Again, unless the babies look dehydrated or sunken, leave them alone. The mother is probably feeding them.
Again, if you find one stray baby rabbit, the best thing you can do (besides taking him/her in and out of danger) is to try to find the mother, or another lactating female (good luck)! If the rabbit turns out to be four weeks old or older, you may be able to save a life. The best thing to do is to keep the rabbit warm and feed it the kitten milk replacer mentioned above.
There is a fantastic website called Wildlife Rehabiliation Information Directory on the internet. It goes into great detail with instructions on how to care for abandon or orphaned animals. It's well worth a look.
Rabbit FAQs
1. You don't need to give your rabbit veggies or other treats in order to have a healthy pet. A good high fiber pellet, fresh water, clean place to live with fresh air will keep a rabbit healthy for years. Add fresh timothy and oat hay to the diet and you're a winner. Also, older rabbits will have a harder time with a low fiber diet, so with them, avoid most veggies and treats. With older rabbits, stick to leafy green veggies.
2. In my opinion, rabbits aren't "trained" to use a litterbox. They naturally like to jump into the box and sit on the litter. If you aren't having luck, try changing the litter. Most people use cheap supermarket unscented litter. But if your rabbit eats this or they just don't seem to like it, change it. Lately, my rabbits love using wheat litter. You can also use corn cob litter or paper litter products such as Carefresh. Put a small apple slice or carrot top in also to tempt them. Hay in the litterbox is also a big hit. Rabbits like to poop and eat at the same time. Remember to give rabbits freedom very gradully. Too much freedom too soon can overwhelm the best bunny.
3. Dont' fall for buying a rabbit in a pet store. You have no idea about the conditions this rabbit was raised in or the health of the parents. Many people email me with sick baby rabbits. You must see the parents and the rabbitry. Best thing to do.....Adopt a pet rabbit from the House Rabbit Society. These guys are already house trained and they need a good home. I fully support the House Rabbit Society.
Become a member today!!! 4. Many people have reported that their rabbit gets along famously with their cat or dog, or both. Whether or not your rabbit will get along with your cat or dog, to me, depends on the temperment of the cat or dog. Rabbits are sensitive creatures that get along with just about anyone. However, since the cat or dog are usually the ones who can do the real damage, their temperment is the crucial element. You will have to try to introduce them, buy stay nearby to seperate them if needed.
5. Dont' buy a rabbit if you're going to put them out in the backyard in a hutch. A rabbit or rabbits out in a hutch are soon forgotten pets. These guys have proven to so many people that they can be good members of the household. A rabbit in a hutch is waste of a highly spirited animal. Don't email me about hutches, hutch design, or run space ina backyard. Rabbits deserve to be with you in your home just like a dog or cat.
6. If you suspect that your rabbit is sick, get them to a vet fast. Vets don't cost much and rabbit problems can be treated. If your rabbit has an infection, your vet can perscribe Baytril as well as Bactrim. I've been amazed at the knowledge my small animal vet has. Don't delay!
7. Don't breed your rabbit. Again, this is my humble opinion, but there are so many rabbits that need good homes. These rabbits are in local shelters or House Rabbit Society homes. By breeding your rabbit, you're taking away a good home for one of these bunnys. Also, if you're like me, giving away the eight week old bunnies was heartbreaking. On top of that, you never know how they'll be treated by the purchaser.
8. Last, get your rabbit spayed or neutered. Many people ask if they should really do this. Spaying helps females prevent uterine cancer, a real killer of middle aged rabbits. Neutering helps males become better housepets by reducing their territorial drives. However, after time, males will still tend to get "frisky" around females.
Important Statistics:
Life Span..................................5 to 10 years, larger rabbits even longer
Body Temperature.....................101.5 - 103 degrees
Breeding Age.............................6 to 10 months
Gestation Period........................29 - 35 days
Litter Size.................................4 - 10
Weaning Age............................7 - 8 weeks