Currently, not only cats and dogs, but also rabbits are taken as pets for children. Each owner of such an animal should know what rabbits eat, what they love most, what is worth giving and what not, what conditions are needed for the animal to feel comfortable.
Pet choice
If you decide to get a domestic rabbit, then before you get it, you need to deal with all the nuances of caring for it. The fact is that such animals are very different from the usual dogs and cats. You need to understand what rabbits eat and whether you can provide normal care. It will not be possible to feed the animal from the table, therefore, the choice of a pet should be approached carefully and responsibly.
Next, you should determine the breed of the animal. Many people confuse the concepts of "decorative" and "dwarf" rabbit. And this is not the same thing at all. A decorative animal is an ordinary rabbit that lives in your house as a pet. It can be of absolutely any size and does not meet any standards.
But dwarf rabbits - this is an animal of a certain breed, corresponding to certain parameters (weight and size). So, for example, for standing rabbits, the standard provides for a body weight of not more than 1.3 kilograms and an ear length of not more than seven centimeters. Currently, there are more than sixty breeds of decorative animals. Among them: squirrel, butterfly, rex, ram.
Experts recommend purchasing rabbits in special nurseries or from breeders, as in stores they do not always follow all the rules for keeping rabbits. So, there is no certainty that you will get a healthy pet.
What to buy for a rabbit?
In order for your new friend to live comfortably, you should purchase a spacious cage for him. It should have enough space for drinking bowls and feeders, a house, a tray. It is necessary to take a plastic pallet, it will be inconvenient to walk along the trellised rabbit, its paws are not adapted to the net. Hay should be placed at the bottom of the cage, and paper in the sawdust of hardwood. On the rods you need to fix a manger for hay, a car-drinker.
The rabbit's cage must be placed in a place inaccessible to other animals, away from heating appliances, batteries, a TV and doors. Rabbits are afraid of drafts, and it is also not worth putting the pet's dwelling in a sunny place. Direct rays should not hit the cage. For animals, the most comfortable temperature is + 18-20 degrees.
Animal habitat
Rabbits are very fearful creatures, therefore, in order to avoid unnecessary stress, it is better to isolate them from communication with cats and dogs. You should not take such a fragile pet if you have a small child in your house who can grab the animal by the ears and skin. As a result of improper handling, the rabbit may simply wither away.
It must be remembered that delicate animals have a fragile spine, so you need to pick them up correctly so that they do not fall from a height. You need to do this as follows: skip one arm under the chest between the legs, and hold the pet with the other, holding it to you.
It is preferable to choose short-haired breeds, with long-haired there is more trouble. Even if you comb your pet’s fur coat daily, you can still encounter a problem such as warlocks. It is simply impossible to comb them, and therefore they are cut in special salons. With short-haired breeds such problems do not arise. Rabbits independently take care of their fur. It makes sense to bathe an animal only in very rare cases, for example, if it has diarrhea. After this, the pet must be protected from drafts until the coat is dry.
If the animal is hot, you can wipe its ears with a damp cloth. It is through the ears in rabbits that thermoregulation is carried out. You can also put a bottle of cold water inside the cage. This will help lower the temperature.
Decorative rabbits: care and maintenance
Rabbits need to clean the cage several times a month, and wash the tray twice a week, and preferably after each use. This will avoid the appearance of an unpleasant odor in the room, and the coat of the animal will always be clean and tidy. If you let your pet take a walk around the house, then several trays need to be arranged around the apartment.
Rabbits like to gnaw everything, therefore it is better to remove plants, shoes, electrical wires and other dangerous objects from their field of vision. It is better for the pet to buy special toys that he can sharpen his teeth about.
Rabbit food
The very first question that confronts newly minted owners of the animal is what do rabbits eat? After all, a pet should receive all the necessary elements for full development. It is so arranged by nature that rabbits constantly nibble something, their teeth need grinding. And the nutritional value of plant foods is much less than meat. Therefore, to replenish the body with all the necessary substances, you need to consume a lot of food. All these features make rabbits real gluttons. They eat both day and night. Surprisingly, these small creatures can be applied to feed up to 30 times a day. If we talk about what is better to feed a domestic rabbit, then it is worth noting that there are a wide variety of feeds that you can give your pet. But it is impossible to be limited only to them. A variety of foods must be present in the animal's diet. What is the most suitable food for decorative rabbits? All livestock farmers divide the feed into succulent, coarse, concentrates and food of animal origin. Each of these groups has its own specific characteristics in terms of moisture and nutrients.
Roughage
What do rabbits eat? Coarse feed must be present in their diet. They contain a huge amount of fiber and very little moisture. But according to the degree of nutrition, they are very different. Such feeds include straw, hay, and branch material.
Thinking about what to feed a domestic rabbit, you need to realize that hay is the most important component in a pet's diet. At first glance, it may seem that hay is a tasteless dry grass. But this is not so. It has a lot of protein, vitamins, carotenoids are present. Fiber is a low-digestible substance for humans, but rabbits process it perfectly, due to the presence of certain bacteria in their bodies. They live in the so-called pockets of the cecum. If rabbits get little fiber, their metabolism may be impaired. Therefore, in the cage, the pet should always have a lot of hay, even in the summer, when there is a lot of grass. Unlike other feeds, it can be given in any quantities, since it does not deteriorate.
Quality hay is the best food for rabbits. It should have a pleasant aroma, green leaves and should not be raw. Nettle hay is considered incredibly useful. It has a lot of vitamins. And in terms of protein, it is able to replace concentrated feed. For its preparation, nettle must be collected before the flowering period, and then dried in the shade.
Branches are also useful. Rabbits can be offered aspen, willow, linden, hazel, Canadian maple, acacia, fruit trees (currants, raspberries, apples) and raspberries. Animals gnaw on the bark, grinding their teeth. But poplar and walnut are not recommended for pets. Rabbits can also eat dry stems of dried crops: hops, asparagus, marigold.
As for straw, it is tasteless, and there are few nutrients in it. It is good to make litter in the cage of an animal.
Succulent feed
Speaking about what you can give domestic rabbits and what not, you should pay special attention to succulent feeds. This is all kinds of greens and vegetables. They contain a large amount of moisture, a little fiber, a lot of vitamins. Due to the presence of water, such feeds have a high nutritional value.
Very often, novice breeders wonder if rabbits can beets. Of course, beets, carrots, Jerusalem artichokes can be introduced into animal feed. These vegetables have a milk-producing property, and therefore are useful for females during the period of feeding offspring.
Beets contain a lot of potassium and iron, but still it sometimes causes diarrhea. It is also worth remembering that all nitrates accumulate in the root crop if it is grown on the ground, into which a lot of fertilizer was applied. Such a vegetable is dangerous for a pet. If you offer the rabbit tops and beets from your site, then this is completely safe, because you are confident in their quality.
Can rabbits have pumpkins? For animals, pumpkin, carrots, cucumbers, kohlrabi, zucchini, turnips, potatoes, apples, tomatoes are useful. Vegetables do not need to be peeled at all, but they must be washed with warm water, and then cut into small pieces. Products should only be fresh, not spoiled and not frozen.
Can rabbits have cabbage? Very often, it is associated with a vegetable that is harmful to the pet. This is actually not the case. It can be given, but in moderation, as it can cause frustration and flatulence. And for the animal it is dangerous. Therefore, it is better for inexperienced rabbit breeders not to conduct experiments, but to choose proven and safe products. Thin, almost dried leaves of the plant are less dangerous, but juicy with veins should not be given at all. Cauliflower and red cabbage also upset.
Fresh foods tend to deteriorate quickly, so their residues must be cleaned regularly in the cell, otherwise they can cause diarrhea. If the animal begins to have such problems, then it should be transferred to feeding hay for several days.
Grasses are no less necessary for animals. They should be collected away from the track. Rabbits love chicory, knotweed, leaves of young burdock, dandelion, quinoa, rhubarb, wheat grass, nettle and all seeded grass plants. From garden crops, radish, carrot, turnip, strawberry, and Jerusalem artichoke tops are excellent.
In the spring, fresh herbs must be administered with great care, as they can cause bloating. You need to start giving them gradually after a portion of hay. It is also possible in this period to offer the pet branches of the talnik, which have astringent properties.
Concentrated feed
How to feed a domestic rabbit? In his diet should be concentrated feed. They are called so, because they contain a large amount of carbohydrates, proteins, rather than in other species. They are very nutritious and well absorbed. Such feeds include grain: wheat, soy, corn, oats, bread, bran. Concentrates can also be classified as specialized mixtures for animals based on grain. Pets, as a rule, eat such food well, but at the same time quickly recover, which can lead to metabolic disorders. A rabbit needs only 20-30 grams of concentrate per day. The portion for nursing females can be slightly increased.
If you give a pet concentrated food, then it makes sense to choose granular. From it, animals do not choose only what they like. Concentrates with vitamin and mineral supplements are now on sale.
Animal feed
Rabbits can be included in the diet fish oil, milk, meat and bone meal. These products should be added to the finished feed. The need to receive animal feed in pets arises in case of lack of protein nutrition. They are especially useful for lactating rabbits.
Vitamin feed
Rabbits willingly consume vitamin feed. These include rosehip berries, mountain ash, nettle hay, pine branches, sprouted grain. It is recommended to take winter coniferous branches, since they have less resin.
General feeding scheme
If we summarize all the information about the nutrition of rabbits, then it can be reduced to the following scheme. In the summer, animals should be given juicy and green food with the addition of concentrated feed and hay. In winter, it is necessary to give hay with concentrated feed and vegetables. An indispensable condition for keeping a pet is the constant presence of hay in the cage. It can be hung up or purchased for it a separate feeder, then it will not get dirty. It is very important to give rabbits food for the night, because they are twilight animals in nature, and therefore they can eat in the dark.
Juicy feed is preferable to give in the morning, so that the leftovers can be removed on time. It is also worth watching if the disorder does not appear after eating. Concentrates can be given at night. If you have just purchased a pet, then on the road it is recommended to feed him exclusively with hay. And then gradually switch to other feeds. It is always necessary to remember that rabbits have a very sensitive digestive system. Sometimes they even respond to mild stress with diarrhea. But at the same time, pets quickly adapt to new conditions.
Dwarf ram
Dwarf ram - a decorative breed rabbit, which is incredibly popular nowadays. The fame of the animal is understandable, because the outwardly the pet looks simply charming. Rabbits of this breed really resemble small lamb. Their characteristic feature is the presence of ears in the form of a horseshoe. Their length is 23-28 centimeters.
Animals have a small cylindrical body and a small tail. Females are more modest in size than males. The ears of the rabbits are lowered, and the head is quite massive, with a wide forehead, for which the breed got its name. The fur of the animals is soft and even, with a thick undercoat.
Dwarf ram - a rabbit whose weight does not exceed two kilograms. Individuals with a large weight are not allowed to exhibitions, because they do not meet the standards. It is recommended to purchase thoroughbred pets from experienced breeders, as inexperienced buyers can purchase a small rabbit like a thoroughbred animal. Thus, dishonest sellers sometimes deceive customers.
In Russia, this breed appeared recently - 10-15 years ago, but has already become very popular among lovers of decorative animals. The young breed appeared as a result of crossing miniature individuals with French meat breed. She was taken out in Holland in 1950, she received universal recognition in 1964.
Dwarf sheep are common around the world, they are great for keeping at home. Such a pet can be the best friend for children over 10 years old. If you are purchasing an animal for a small child, then it is necessary to monitor their communication so that the baby does not injure the pet.
Small creatures have a rather proud disposition, despite their modest size. The animals lead a fairly active lifestyle, and therefore they will have to devote a sufficient amount of time.
Interesting facts about dwarf rabbits
The smallest rabbit in the world has been bred in North America. Its weight was only 400 grams.
Animals have an unusual eye structure: without turning their heads, they perfectly see everything that happens behind.
Even during the rest, the rabbits' muzzle and mustache are in constant motion, because they constantly draw in air in order to know in time about the approach of a predator.
The longest ears in the world have a pet named Nippers Geronimo, their length is 79 centimeters.
Instead of an afterword
In our article, we talked about what cute pets like decorative rabbits are like. The care and maintenance of animals at home is not entirely simple. Therefore, you should know all the nuances before you get yourself such a cute fluffy. We tried to describe in detail the rules for feeding rabbits, since nutrition is the most difficult moment in caring for animals.