Traditionally, it is customary to keep small mammals as pets. The trend is easily explainable - all these animals are smart enough, it is interesting to observe them, many go in contact with the owner. Most recently, rabbits were kept at home for practical purposes - they were raised for meat and fur.
Today, a lot of decorative breeds are bred, representatives of which can be kept for pleasure. If such a baby has appeared in your house, it's time to learn how to care for decorative rabbits.
Equipping a home
The animal will spend most of the time in the cage. Under supervision, you can let out a pet and take a walk, but you should not allow constant free movement around the apartment. The cell must be selected according to the size of the adult of the selected breed. If you plan to have several animals at once, the dwelling should have a large area. At the bottom of the cage, lay hay or paper towels in several layers.
You still do not know how to care for decorative rabbits? The first thing to do is to equip the toilet in the home. A regular cat tray is suitable. A special filler will be needed - wood chips or hay. It is impossible to use a filler for cats, the rabbit will gnaw it from time to time. The cage should be placed away from possible drafts, radiators and sources of loud sounds. The rabbit's dwelling should be so that it was impossible to get to the nearest furniture and small items from it without the help of the owner of the animal.
The main thing is cleanliness
Once a week, clean the cage and change the coating of its bottom. The tray filler needs to be changed more often - at least 2-3 times a week. Care for decorative rabbits should include cleaning feeders. It is recommended to wash all plates under the main food every day. Change the water and wash the drinker with the same frequency or more often, as it gets dirty. To accustom a rabbit to a toilet is not difficult because of its cleanliness. It is enough to organize a place and transfer feces to it. If the pet does not seek to accept the new rule, then it makes sense to move the tray to another part of the cage.
Decorative rabbits: care, feeding
The basis of the diet of these animals is hay or fresh grass. If you plan to harvest greens from the street, you should only do this in ecologically clean areas. Remember that grass cut on the lawn near your home high-rise building can seriously harm your pet. The safest option is to buy special hay at a pet store. There you can buy grass seeds and grow it yourself at home. As a treat, you can give vegetables - cabbage and carrots, as well as apples. In addition, it is easy to find dry, balanced feeds for these animals on sale. Do not forget about water, it must be constantly present in the cell. Sometimes you can feed your pet with special vitamins. Choose complexes designed specifically for
dwarf rabbits , observe the dosage.
Hair and Claw Care
Many breeds have attractive long hair, but ordinary shorthair rabbits need special care. As soon as the pet settles in your home, accustom it to the combing procedure. To do this, purchase a special brush. It is enough to comb the rabbit about two times a week. During molting it is possible more often. Such a pet, like a decorative home rabbit, requires special care. Animals are afraid of water and do not like to wash themselves. But still a couple of times a year you need to bathe the animal. Do not wet your ears and face; clean water is used for washing without adding any means. After swimming, wrap the animal in a fluffy towel and pat it dry. The claws of these animals grow noticeably in a month. It is recommended to cut them using special nippers. Entrust the procedure to the veterinarian the first time and ask him to show how to perform it correctly.
Care for decorative rabbits: healthy teeth
This is a very important issue. Not all owners of animals know how to care for decorative rabbits correctly. These animals have outstanding teeth that need to be ground from time to time. Under natural conditions, rabbits gnaw hard roots and grass for this. At home, you can offer them a good replacement - special whetstones sold in pet stores. In addition, it is necessary to monitor the diversity of the diet, regularly offering the pet solid food. Remember - the pet will not be able to grind too much teeth, but if they protrude, soft tissues nearby will suffer. Gnawing an animal will be not only food and items intended for
dental care. Buy a cage and accessories from non-toxic materials, avoid small and too fragile elements.
We organize walks
The animals are quite curious and energetic, they need walks. But it’s not worth taking these kids to the street, they can catch a cold even in the summer or eat something dangerous. After all, these are not dogs or cats, but decorative rabbits. Care and maintenance of these animals involves some changes in the interior of your apartment. Make at least one room absolutely safe for your pet. The rabbit will certainly taste everything, which means that all wires, chemicals and products from toxic materials should be removed from the reach zone. During the walk, do not let the animal chew on plastic and rubber objects. Protect the rabbit from drafts and cold, it is likely that the animal will catch a cold.
How to make contact?
It makes sense to start a rabbit if you have enough time to communicate with him regularly. The animal is easily accustomed to the toilet, can remember the command "no" and its name. At first, the rabbits in the new house are experiencing severe stress. Do not try to pick them up at this time. Try to be in sight often, you can muffledly talk with the pet. In the early days, approach the cell slowly and smoothly. Feeding of decorative rabbits and cleaning at this time also need to be done as delicately as possible. Do not try to pick up the animal in your arms as quickly as possible. When he gets used to you enough, there will be no problems with this. Even if you have a very busy schedule, communicate with the animal every day and let it out for a walk. Rabbits do not tolerate lack of freedom and loneliness. And if you pay little attention to the animal and constantly keep it in the cage, it can become seriously ill. Do not forget to look under your feet when the animal is on a walk; pick up the rabbit very carefully.
Possible problems and troubles
Rabbits have a high susceptibility to various infections. If you want to live for many years side by side with your pet and not worry about his health, it makes sense to do all the necessary vaccinations. But even after that it’s not enough to know how to care for decorative rabbits, you need to understand the symptoms of malaise. The veterinarian must be consulted for any changes in the behavior of the animal. The most dangerous is a sharp decrease in activity, the rejection of food and water. Remember that an animal can become infected with an infectious disease without communicating with its relatives. In addition, animals are prone to colds and poisoning. Rabbits are very fragile animals, they should be handled with extreme care. It’s better not to touch these animals at all. If you want to take the rabbit in your arms, provide support to all of its legs. It is not worth turning the animal over on its back; this pose is unnatural for it. Care for decorative rabbits should be carried out with utmost care and attention. Subject to these recommendations, your pet will live a long and happy life.