By Stacey Gonzalez
Photo by Svadilfari Foter.com CC BY-ND
Bringing Home the Bunny is a seven part blog series about what to expect when becoming a new rabbit owner.Habitat and homemakingRabbits love to dig and play in their bedding. It is important when choosing a bedding to avoid anything with cedar in it. If your rabbit starts to eat the bedding you should switch immediately. Never use any gravel litter or cat litter in the cage. If you use litter make sure it is for rabbits but there is no litter necessary as the bedding works to absorb the waste as well as enhance the pet’s habitat. Hay can be added to the floor to mix with the bedding and is also great for the rabbit to eat. Most bunnies are fairly easy to litter train. Rabbits will often pick a corner of their cage to urinate and continue to use that corner as their regular restroom. A litter tray can be added to the corner to make cleaning easier. But most rabbits will defecate anywhere in their habitat so daily cleanings are important. Rabbits love places to hide and rabbit owners often purchase a hiding box for their furry family member made of chewable materials. Rabbits also need a lot of chew toys since their front teeth never stop growing. Chews will clean their teeth and control over growth. Keep your rabbit’s home out of direct sunlight in a low humidity area to keep it happy and healthy. The recommended temperature is 65-75 degrees F (18-24 degrees C.) A water bottle must be available with fresh water at all times but water should never soak the bedding. Wet bedding should be removed as soon as possible.
Once your rabbit is comfortable in its new home it is time to look at the grooming situation. Grooming is easier when you start at a young age. To find out more read the next article Bringing Home the Bunny: Grooming and Cleanliness
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