Rabbit Husbandry

Behavior

Rabbits are gentle and quiet creatures. If they become upset they can growl, and when scared, rabbits will scream. Thumping occurs as a warning or if they are agitated.
Male rabbits (occasionally females) may spray urine if upset. Neutering them young will often prevent many of these behavioral type problems.
Rabbits will eat their own fecal pellets. This is called cecotrophy and assists the rabbit in digestion of plant materials. Luckily this practice is often unobserved by pet owners, as rabbits will do this in the dawn hours.
Rabbits produce large quantities of fecal pellets daily. The good news is they can also be litter trained!

Diet

Rabbits are herbivores and therefore will eat continuously throughout the day.
Grass hay or Timothy hay should be provided in unlimited quantities to provide the necessary roughage. Alfalfa hay is not recommended for adult house rabbits due to its high calcium and calorie content. It is fine to give to a young, growing rabbit.
It is best to feed an adult rabbit a timothy based pellet. If it is unavailable an alfalfa-based pellet is acceptable, but the rabbit should receive no more than 1/8 cup per 5 pounds per day.
A minimum of 1 cup fresh vegetables per 4 pounds body weight per day should be provided. Good veggies to choose from include: alfalfa sprouts, basil, beet greens, endive, green peppers, parsley, romaine lettuce, kale, raspberry leaves, squash, radicchio, and dandelion leaves. Introduce new veggies gradually and only one at a time to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal upset.
Small amounts of fruit (1-2 Tbs. per 5 pounds) are fine as a snack. These can include apples, peaches, plums, pears, melon, raspberry, papaya, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, and pineapple. Sugary fruits such as bananas and grapes should be avoided. No fruits for dieting rabbits!

Housing

Enclosure needs to be strong so the rabbit cannot chew its way out. Choose a wire size the rabbit cannot grasp its teeth around.
The flooring is important and will depend on how well the rabbit is trained. A litter trained rabbit will do fine on a completely solid floor. If the rabbit will be on a wire floor, there should be at least one area the rabbit can move to with a solid flat surface. If this is not provided, the rabbit could develop ulcers on its feet, which require treatment. It is essential that whatever type of flooring is chosen that it be kept clean and dry.
Outdoor rabbits housing requirements include shelter from wind, rain, snow, and sun. Rabbits are very sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Also, the enclosure should keep the rabbit safe from other animals outdoors, wild or domestic. Feces should not be allowed to pile under the enclosure.
Indoor rabbits must have rabbit-proofed homes. Rabbits will chew anything, so make sure all electrical cords and other objects are out of the rabbit’s reach. Rabbits actually should only be out of their cages when supervised for their own safety

Preventative Care

Sanitation is very important! Keep the fecal pellets picked up.
Brushing is a good idea to reduce hairball formation and can be done 1-2 times per week. More often for the Angoras. A cat laxative or pineapple juice can be given as well for hairball prevention.
Nail trimmings can be a challenge with rabbits but should be done as needed. Be careful not to let them kick while you are trying to hold them, as they can cause themselves serious back injuries.
Flea products can be used if needed but make sure they say on the label “Safe for Rabbits.”
Check your rabbit’s teeth regularly. They are prone to malocclusion, which is a condition where the teeth don’t line up properly and therefore don’t grind down while chewing. Since rabbits teeth grow continuously throughout life this can cause serious problems including starvation. It is also important to provide good, rabbit-safe chew toys to prevent overgrown teeth.
Female rabbits are prone to developing uterine cancer, so have her spayed before 6 months of age.
Annual Veterinary exams will help catch problems early on.