So, What Do You Need When Bringing Your Rabbit Home?
Before even bringing home your rabbit, you should set up his cage. (See links below for housing info)
Inside the cage should be the following: 1) Some sort of bedding/litter (see bedding and litter section for details on what's safe!) 2) A water bottle/bowl 3) A food bowl 4) A hay hack 5) A hidey-house 6) Chew toys! |
You should also have:
1) A brush (wirey cat brushes work best.) 2) Nail clippers (cat nail clippers with rounded blades-not human nail clippers!) 3) Plain alfalfa or timothy-based pellets 4) Lots of alfalfa or timothy hay 5) Cleaning supplies (vinegar and water solution used to clean rabbit cages, small broom and dust pan, etc.) 6) Carrier (for vet trips) OPTIONAL: 1) x-pen for supervised play (also works for outside play and can be used as permenant indoor cage.) The cage should be set up neatly and cleaned well before the rabbit is brought home. Don't wait until the last minute to pull something together for your rabbit to stay in. |
Cage setup
Here is a good example of a proper cage setup. Of course, this cage is much too small for an adult rabbit, but the representation of what goes inside of a cage is shown very well in this photo.
My rabbit is in his new cage...now what?
Once you've gotten your rabbit settled into his new cage, the first thing you're probably going to want to do is get him out and play with him. As tempting as it is, don't. Your new rabbit should not be bothered much (with the exception of the occasional stroke) in the first 24 hours of your bringing him home. He will need this time to adapt to his new surroundings. This means getting used to the sights, smells, and sounds of his new environment. Try not to pick him up, hover, or bother him too much during this time. He will be very nervous/frightened at first. He should be supplied with fresh pellets and hay. If he is over the age of 4 months, he should also have a daily serving of vegetables.
After the 24 hours are up, you can allow him a little bit more socialization. At this point, he should be pretty comfortable in his cage, although he will more than likely still be frightened by you (don't take it personally if your rabbit is afraid of you at first, it's completely normal!), but at this point, you just want your rabbit to feel comfotable in his new home. |
If you have a bunny-proofed area in mind for your rabbit to roam in for at least 3 supervised hours each day, the next few hours would be a good time to let your bunny test out the new area. When getting your rabbit out of his cage for the first time, the last thing you want to do is reach in and grab him. This will not only scare your rabbit, but it will make it harder for him to trust you. What you want to do is bunny proof the room his cage is in first. Make sure it's completely safe for him to play in (no cords, dangerous things, etc). And then open his cage and let him come out on his own. Sit in the bunnyproofed room on the floor and do something like use the computer, phone, or read while he expores the area (make sure you're supervising him as well). Just watch his behavior and let him get used to the room he will be playing in. Let this session last about 1-2 hrs. You don't want to overwhelm him. Let him wander back into his cage on his own (you can also coax him into the cage with treats or by gently "rounding him up" to go back into the cage. The point is that you dont want to pick him up and shove him back into his cage). During all supervised play, you want to leave your rabbit's cage open so that he can venture in and out of his cage on his own. This will establish the first bit of trust your rabbit will build for you: That you will not invade his personal space. This is very important.
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My rabbit is used to his surroundings now. When can I play with him?
You should wait about 48 hours to actually start playing with your rabbit. A lot of people ask about "bonding with your rabbit" after their first time playing with the new bunny. This is probably because the first time you try to openly interact with your rabbit, he will show signs of fear or he will ignore you for the most part. (My rabbit ignored me for the first month I had him!) What you want to do is find a small, enclosed place (Like inside of an x-pen or a closed off hallway) with no furniture, toys. etc. to distract your rabbit from you. When in this small, enclosed area, you should sit "indian style" and let your rabbit get used to where he is. He will start sniffing, and slowly, he will become interested in you. You may notice your rabbit will begin to climb on you or nudge you with his nose. If your bunny gets close enough for you to pet him, slowly
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reach your hand out towards him. Always approach your rabbit from the side of his head. Rabbit's cannot see directly in front of them and if appproached from the front will only see a large, shadowy object coming at them (which is pretty scary for a little bunny)! As you're slowly moving your hand towards your rabbit, you may notice that he quickly moves away from you. If he does this, don't continue trying to pet him (don't chase, grab, or corner him to pet him). By not petting him when he moves away, you're teaching him that you respect his space.
After a few sessions of this, he will start to be more comfortable around you and let you pet him. You just have to be patient! (Clicker training is also a great way to bond with your rabbit.) |
What if I do need to pick up my rabbit when he first arrives at home?
It's always advised not to pick up your rabbit when you first bring him home, but of course there are situations where some people may need to pick up their rabbit for some reason they day he arrives home. If you do, the best way to handle your rabbit when he's nervous is to wrap him in a towel. Approach him from the side, kneel down and give him a stroke, then place a towel on top of him slowly. This isn't meant to be a sneak attack! In a swift motion and with both hands, tuck the towel
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under his belly, lift him up against your chest and wrap the towel around him snuggly (not too tight!). Make sure to support his bottom and his back while also holding him against your chest. This will make him feel secure. Again, try to handle your rabbit as little as possible during his first few days. You want to focus that time on making him trust you and feel safe and happy in his new environment.
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