14 Common Mistakes Rabbit Owners Make
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- Опубліковано 25 січ 2021
- In this video, we will talk about the 14 most common mistakes that rabbit owners make.
Bathing your rabbit
Rabbits are very clean animals and they never need a bath.
If your rabbit doesn’t clean itself properly, it could be a sign that they need a visit to the vet.
Bathing your rabbit can be harmful because rabbits may panic and fracture their spine or a limb if they thrash around. Bathing is very stressful for most rabbits and can cause respiratory infections and even heart attacks. And your rabbit may develop hypothermia
And remember, a rabbit’s skin is very sensitive and delicate. Bathing them strips away the natural oils on their body and irritates their skin.
If your rabbit needs to be cleaned, you must only spot-clean them, or give them a dry bath.
Feeding them too many carrots and fruits
In the wild, rabbits don't naturally eat root vegetables or fruit.
Carrots and fruit are high in sugar and should only be given to bunnies as occasional treats in small amounts.
As a rule of thumb, an approximate amount of fruit to feed your rabbit is one teaspoon per 2 pounds of body weight per day.
And believe it or not, some light-colored lettuce, like iceberg, contains lactucarium and can be harmful to your rabbit
Darker, fibrous and more leafy varieties of lettuce, like romaine lettuce should be fed, as they are higher in actual nutrients and fiber.
Likewise, muesli should never be fed to rabbits as it can cause health problems in bunnies.
Keeping rabbits outside
The outdoors is full of dangers for pet rabbits.
Not bunny proofing your house
Some rabbits can be trouble makers. They may chew on the objects around your home, or dig into carpeted floors. Rabbit-proofing your home is a must for protecting both your pet and your belongings.
Make sure to cover your exposed wires with plastic sleeves or flex tubing. Seal off spaces behind and beneath furniture and cabinets, and wrap your wooden table or chair legs with flex tubing.
And it is important to keep any houseplants out of the reach of your bunny. Many plants are toxic to rabbits, and rabbits’ instincts don’t always guide them about what plant is safe for them.
Not Spaying or Neutering Your Rabbit
Spaying or neutering your bunny also lowers the risk of reproductive cancer and urinary tract infections. In particular, female rabbits are in danger. If they have not been spayed, they have 80% chance of facing uterine cancer by the time they are 6 years old.
High Temperatures
Rabbits prefer temperatures of about 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. And temperatures above 85 degrees are hazardous to domesticated bunnies as they can easily develop a heatstroke.
Wrong diet
Rabbits should have a constant, unlimited supply of high-quality grass hay, such as Timothy, orchard or brome, to graze on throughout the day.
Feeding too many pellets can make your rabbit overweight and may cause problems with their digestion. Your rabbit will likely beg for more treats, but don’t give in!
A very small litter box
A rabbit’s litter box should be big enough so they can sit within the litter and turn around without a problem.
Proper litter boxes can be found in the cat section. But remember, most cat litters contain clays and chemicals that are harmful to rabbits. Clay-based litters are very dusty and can cause respiratory problems in bunnies. Instead, it’s best to use a paper-based litter, or simple plain hay.
Small Enclosures
Your rabbit should either live in a bunny-proofed space, or in a large exercise pen. They should be able to run back and forth, and have separate spaces to sleep, eat, and use the bathroom.
Lack of attention
Interestingly enough, rabbits are prey animals and evolved to hide their weaknesses or illnesses. This can prevent them from appearing as an easy target to stalking predators.Any change in their posture, eating, grooming, urination habits, or even increased aggression or a lack of energy, can be a sign of illness.
Lack of socialization
Rabbits are very social animals and they need daily interaction and socialization.
Ideally bunnies should be kept in pairs - but if you have a single rabbit, then make sure the company comes from you. A lonely bunny can suffer from depression, stress and boredom.
Trusting the pet store
Most pet stores don’t have aisles dedicated to rabbits. In fact, rabbits’ supplies are often put in the same sections as hamsters, guinea pigs, or rats. However, rabbits are actually quite different from all these animals.
Using a water bottle
It’s not easy for rabbits to drink water from a water bottle, and lack of water can cause dehydration or kidney disease in bunnies.
Eye catchy pellet mixes
Many eye-catchy pellet mixes marketed toward rabbits contain sugary pieces, seeds, peas, and other ingredients that often lead to an unhealthy rabbit digestive system and obesity. Instead, give your rabbit just those plain, boring-looking pellets, and your rabbit will love you for it.
I think the biggest mistake is when they live alone in a cage
I have a few things to add.
Surprisingly accurate. The person who wrote this definitely knows their rabbits.
It’s so hard not to give in when they want another treat 😓
new things that i learned about
This is the only rabbit video that I have watched and agreed to every point! Thank you! I have a bonded pair of 2 year old house bunnies and an 8 year old rescue house bunny. They are such amazing pets, but so misunderstood!
I’m so glad that my daughter and I watched this! We were given a sweet rabbit that was no longer wanted and although we’ve tried to take great care of it, we realize we’ve done some things wrong, and are happy to correct them as soon as we can! thank you to the creator of this video!
I actually noticed my bunny was sick cause he didn’t have as much energy as he did before and now he is recovering
I feel like this video is going to save so many rabbit lives, and I'm so grateful for that. Thank you guys. From our rescue house and our 5 rabbits, to anyone reading this, this is information to live by.
My litter box is so big.,.... that my bun....just plops in there😂😂😂😂
I don't have rabbit
My mom keeps giving my bunny like two handfuls of carrots everyday, I keep telling her to stop.
If you use a bowl of water keep an eye on how dry their fur is under their neck and behind their ears. My longer haired bun wasn't able to keep himself dry so he developed a skin infection in those areas.
Giving more littles advices:
ive always thought there was a problem with my bunny since she was potty trained but will often have accidents, and after this video i tried to clean out her litter box Everyday and she's stopped! turns out she was just extremely sensitive to the smell of pee and would much rather pee in places that are clean so thank you!! disclaimer i used to clean out her litterbox every 1-2 days and now i do it Everyday or sometimes twice a day
Tragically misunderstood. Incredibly intelligent. Unbelievably clean-although messy lol (there’s a difference). Wildly curious and mischievous. Before becoming a bunny owner, I hadn’t a clue about them. Like so many others, I believed in tons of misconceptions. I was surprised to learn that they aren’t classified as rodents…or that they roam free…or that they can be litter- trained....or that they even required hay as the bulk of their diets. My 1st bunny came into my life by sheer coincidence, fate, chance-whatever you want to call it. And although I've owned dogs and am a huge dog lover, the relationship I have with my bunnies is so very different. I speak to them, and they speak to me. I know that sounds crazy, but I think the majority of bun owners would agree. The understanding is unspoken yet speaks volumes. They understand me and I them. People thought I was losing my marbles until they witnessed instances for themselves. They're considered high maintenace, but that depends more on the individual owner than the bun. It's all about how much you're willing to commit to the dedication of raising them properly....by following this video as a guide...doing research...making minor adjustments...
Im getting my bunny in two weeks and honestly her room is nicer than mine. Im so excited
Excellent examples! I have five house bunnies and have fostered over 50 rabbits, myself. This is one of the most concise videos on mistakes commonly made by bunny slaves aka owners. Thank you! I’m sharing on my FB!
My Rabbit is just sitting with me while watch this 😂😂
The thumbnail makes me feel sad😢