10 GOLDEN RULES:

1. A Dwarf rabbit is happiest when it lives with others of its species.
2. Rabbits need a lot of exercise. You should provide your rabbit time to exercise either in your home or outside in an outdoor pen.
3. Rabbits need a varied diet with occasional vegetables & fruit.
4. Your rabbit will love to be scratched behind its ears and gently run your fingers from it nose to its forehead.
5. Be sure to offer you rabbit ways to get exercise while he is still indoors.
6. Rabbits do not like to be scratched under their chin or on the underside of their body. They are very sensitive there. If you prod at your rabbit it may suddenly bite you.
7. Keep your rabbit’s cage clean. Dirty litter in the cage is not good for your rabbit at all. You rabbit does not enjoy it and also this can develop into diseases in unclean cages.
8. Do not bother your rabbit while it is sleeping, eating, or grooming itself.
9. When trying to catch your dwarf rabbit do not chase them or catch him by force. Sudden grabbing will scare your rabbit and that can result in your rabbit suffering a heart attack.
10. Regularly inspecting your rabbit’s teeth and nails is very important. If your rabbit’s nails are too long it can hinder your rabbits walking. You will need to trim your rabbits nails or you can bring you rabbit into V.I. Pets and we will be happy to cut your rabbits nails for you. If you do not have chew sticks or mineral wheels for your rabbit to chew on your rabbits teeth will get too long and hamper their eating.

FEEDING RULES: Rabbit Pellets should be available at all times. Always provide a variety and combinations of a good rabbit pellet and occasional fresh vegetables and fruit. Make sure your rabbit always have fresh hay and drinking water available. Feed your rabbit only fresh, clean and green rabbit pellets. You should always wash fruits and vegetables and then let them dry before giving them to your rabbit. You should remove leftovers after about two hours or at the latest the next morning. You should offer green food in a separate food dish. You should not give your rabbit moldy, withered, heavily polluted, chemical, or dirty food. Also do not feed your rabbit chocolate, cookies, or cake.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FEMALE AND MALE RABBITS:

MALE: When a mature, unneutered buck is not allowed to breed he shows sign of his sexual drive. He will scratch restlessly in cage litter; he will develop strong odor and sprays urine to mark his territory. He also will try to mount anything subordinate to him. To elimate this behavior you should have your male rabbit neutered at the age of four to six months and you will have a very affectionate dwarf rabbit.

FEMALE: Females make good pets even without being spayed. To have a female rabbit spayed is riskier than for a male. When the females are in heat they can be very aggressive with rivals and even mount other rabbit and guinea pigs. When this happens be sure to give the companions enough room to escape or temporarily keep the female rabbit in a separate cage.

A HEALTHY RABBIT: A healthy rabbit is bright and lively and you can observe this by watching the rabbit in their hutch or cage for a while. Their coat should be smooth and shiny without bare spots and have no parasites. Their eyes are bright and clear not dull or fixed. Discharges and inflammations can be signs of disease. A rabbit’s nose should be dry without discharge. Their ears should be clean without crust. The rabbits anal region should be clean, not wet.

SIGN OF YOUR RABBIT BEING ILL:
1. Eyes: They have lost their shine and look dim or dull.
2. Coat: Looks dull and their hair is bristle instead of lying close to their body.
3. Stool: Instead of being well-formed little balls and being black-brown to greenish brown. If your rabbit is ill the stool could become liquid pancakes or diarrhea.
4. Urine: Normal urine varies from whitish yellow to brown-red, brown-red is not a sign or disease. The color is affected by the feed. If intense coloration of the urine occurs that can be another sign of an ill rabbit
5. The body temperature of a healthy rabbit is between 101.3 degrees to 103.1 degrees. If the rabbit’s temperature is below or above the normal range, this is another sign of an ill rabbit.

CHECKLIST FOR NEEDED EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR RABBIT:

1. A cage for a dwarf rabbit should be at least 35 ½ x 20 inches and 18 inches high. It should have a plastic floor tray and a steel cage top.
2. A little house of plastic or wood for your rabbit to rest in.
3. A stoneware food dish for dry and a separate dish for moist food. You will need a hanging drinking bottle and tube with ball valve and a hay rack.
4. A “cat” littler pan with cat litter.
5. You will need a comb and brush for taking care of your rabbits coat.
6. Nail clippers for toe nailing cutting unless you plan on bringing your rabbit into V.I. Pets to have his nail cut.
7. You will need a Gnawing stone from the pet store for nibbling.