CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW BUNNY PURCHASE’(S).
HERE IS SOME HELPFUL INFO, PLEASE FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPER CARE, & HEALTH
WORM-MONTHLY WITH PIPERAZINE -17. POULTRY WORMER. MIX 1 TBS. / 1 GALLON OF WATER.
1 X A MONTH, for 3 days!
(Keep in fridge)
I RECOMEND FEEDING- DAIRY PELLET 18% PROTEIN WITH CALF MANNA. COMES IN 50LB AT MOST FEED STORES.
YOU CAN ASK THEM TO ORDER, IF YOU CAN'T FIND.
PLEASE DO NOT OVER FEED YOUR BUNNIES THEY CAN GET OVERWEIGHT EASILY, I DON'T FEED ANYMORE THAN 16 OUNCES/DAY TO LARGE BREEDS AND 8 OUNCES FOR SMALL BREEDS. GIANT BREEDS I FREE FEED .
DO NOT DRASTICALY CHANGE THEIR DIET, PLEASE DO SO OVER A FEW DAY TIME FRAME.
YOUNG RABBITS UNDER 4 MONTHS NOTHING BUT HAY AND PELLETS, OTHER THAN YOGURT, DRY OATS (oatmeal from a grocery store) & OR BABY BANANNA’S, FOR THE FIRST WEEK. DO NOT FEED GRASS UNTILL AFTER 4 MONTHS OF AGE.
MIX THE OATS WITH THEIR PELLETS.
I RECOMEND USING A VITAMIN & ELECTROLITE POWDER IN THE WATER FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, 1 OUNCE/ GALLON OF WATER.
IF USING A LITTER FOR HOUSE TRAINING USE A NON SCENTED CAT LITTER OR PINE LITTER FOR SMALL ANIMALS, NO CEDAR CHIPS AT ALL.
ABSOLUTELY NO CABBAGE!
IT WILL KILL RABBITS.
THANKS AND I WISH THE BEST OF LUCK WITH YOUR NEW BUNNIE(S)
ANY QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME ANYTIME
ADVICE IS ALWAYS FREE!
MELISSA
~About the Rabbit~
RABBITS...
~~USUALLY STAY WITHIN 600 FEET OF THEIR BURROW
~~ARE CREPUSCULAR--MOST ACTIVE AT DUSK & DAWN
~~ARE AGILE AND QUICK SPRINTERS
~~CAN TRAVEL SPEEDS OF 24 mph FOR SHORT PERIODS
~~MOMS ONLY NURSE THEIR YOUNG ABOUT 15 MINUTES, ONCE A DAY
~~CAN'T RETRIEVE/CARRY THEIR YOUNG LIKE CATS/DOGS DO
~~EARS ARE HIGHLY VASCULARIZED--SEVERAL BLOOD VESSELS CLOSE
TO THE SKIN FOR CONTROLLING THEIR BODY TEMPERATURE
~~ARE INTELLIGENT, FREINDLY, QUIET AND TRAINABLE ANIMALS
~~DO NOT DO WELL IN HIGH TEMPS ALONG WITH HIGH HUMIDITY
~~HEART RATE IS 180-300 BEATS PER MINUTE
RESPIRATORY RATE IS 30-60 BREATHS PER MINUTE
TEMPERATURE IS 101.3-104 DEGREES FARENHEIGHT
**RANGE DEPENDS ON THE ANIMAL'S ACTUAL SIZE
~~WERE FORMERLY UNDER THE RODENTIA (RODENT) GROUP, NOW
CLASSIFIED AS LAGOMORPHA. RODENTS HAVE 4 INCISOR TEETH,
RABBITS HAVE 6 INCISOR TEETH
~~AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IS 7-10 YEARS
~~ARE CREATURES OF HABIT
~~HAVE 28 TEETH, UPPER AND LOWER
~~INCISOR TEETH CAN GROW 1/2"-3/4" PER MONTH
~~CAN NOT VOMIT, OR "COUGH UP A HAIRBALL"
~~CAN GO OFF FEED DUE TO AN IMBALANCE OF ORGANISMS IN THE
CECUM
~~BABIES ARE BORN NAKED AND BLIND
~~GESTATION PERIOD IS AN AVERAGE OF 28-32 DAYS
~~HAVE A LIGHT SESITIVITY 8 TIMES GREATER THAN A HUMAN
~~ARE UNABLE TO SEE THE SMALL AREA BELOW THEIR MOUTH
~~HAVE VERY SENSITIVE WHISKERS AND LIPS
~~HAVE 3 PAIRS OF SCENT GLANDS--UNDER THE CHIN, ANAL, AND
INGUINAL GLANDS
~~IN THE WILD LIVE IN GROUPS CALLED WARRENS. DOMESTIC RABBITS
CAN BE TERRITORIAL OVER THEIR CAGE SPACE
~~ARE NOT GREGARIOUS--NOT HERD ANIMALS. THEY DO NOT NEED TO
HAVE THE COMPANY OF OTHER RABBITS/ANIMALS
~~Some Little Known Facts~~
~~DO NOT NEED BATHS. MOST DON'T EVEN LIKE TO GET WET
~RABBITS WERE FIRST DOMESTICATED BY MONKS
~RABBITS WERE THE LAST TYPE OF LIVESTOCK DOMESTICATED BY MAN
~THE COUNTRY SPAIN TRANSLATES TO "RABBIT COAST"
~ONLY 600 HEAD OF PRODUCING ANIMALS WILL PROVIDE FULL TIME
EMPLOYMENT
~THE FIRST PELLETIZED RABBIT FEED APPEARED IN 1930
~THE LARGEST SINGLE LITTER BORN TO A RABBIT WAS 26 W/ 24 LIVING
~THERE ARE MORE BREEDS OF LOP EARED RABBITS THAN ANY OTHER
TYPE KNOWN
~WORLDS LONGEST EARED RABBIT, AN AMERICAN BRED ENGLISH LOP
MEASURING AT 31.125" (FROM TIP TO TIP), AS OF 2004
~THERE ARE 45 RECOGNIZED BREEDS IN AMERICA, OVER 180 WORLD
WIDE. THERE ARE OVER 60 EXTINCT BREEDS OF RABBITS
~THE HIGHEST PRICE RECORDED PAID FOR A SINGLE RABBIT WAS $5,000
HIGHEST PRICE PAID FOR A MEAT PEAN OF THREE RABBITS TO BE
EATEN WAS $15,000
~RABBIT IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST NUTRITIONAL MEATS AVAILABLE
~THE GLUE USED ON POSTAGE STAMPS IS MADE FROM RABBIT
~DOMESTIC RABBITS HAVE NO COMMUNICABLE DISEASE INJURIOUS
TO MAN
~MOST FELT HATS ARE MADE FROM RABBIT FUR
~QUEEN ELIZABETH THE FIRST KEPT RABBITS
~WOOL OF THE RABBIT IS LIGHTER & WARMER THAN ANY OTHER WOOL
BACTERIAL DISEASES
WEEPY EYE (conjunctivitis): inflammation of the conjunctiva, blockage of the tear duct between the lower eyelid and the nasal area
VENT DISEASE (rabbit syphilis): inflammation of the vent or external genitalia
FOOT ABCESSES:(sore hocks) local irritation, on the feet, may lead to infection of the area
PASTEURELLOSIS: complex disease, associated with several clinical forms
"Snuffles" (chronic): caused by the bacteria pasteurella multocida, produces sneezing with nasal discharge, thin or thick, white, yellow in color. Primarily an upper
respiratory infection.
Hemorrahaci septicemia (acute): same as snuffles, more acute
Abcesses: can also cause weepy eye, wry neck, and inflammation of other organs
PNEUMONIA: infection of the lungs, respiratory system. Commonly the final stage of "snuffles"
PARASITIC CONDITIONS
FUR MITES: Loss of fur around the face, neck, and back
EAR MITES(ear canker): infestation of the ear by a mite. Head shaking, scratching of ears, "scabby" material on the inside of the ear
MANGE MITE: infestation caused by mange mites. Frequent scratching, self inflicted trauma possible
Loss of hair on chin, head, base of ears and neck
E. CUNICULI: a parasite that relicates by spores, developes cysts on brain. Newest research may prove it's
a cause of wry neck.
NON INFECTIOUS CONDITIONS
WRY NECK (head tilt): inflammation of the middle ear. Most commonly due to Pastuerella sp. Turning of
the head to one side, loss of balance, can lead to continuous rolling.
RED URINE: normal observation in some rabbits, reddish/orange. Must be differentiated from bladder
infection. Associated with incomplete metabolism and compounds present in some animal feeds.
SORE HOCKS: occurs in animals that have small foot pad area for the size of their body. Long toenails may
complicate the problem. Ulcerated sore on the bottom of the foot. Or animal will sit with
his hind feet tucked under him to releave pressure
MALOCCLUSION (buck teeth, wolf teeth): may be an inherited condition in some animals. Elongation of
upper and/or lower incisor teeth due to lack of proper wear or a breakage
GLAUCOMA: genetic defect or a drainage problem in the eye. Enlarged eye, glazed or cloudiness to pupil or cornea of the eye
HEAT PROSTATION: caused by drastic increase in temperatures Animals kept in direct sunlight are
affected most. Too high of humidty. Increase in breath,wetness around nostrils &
mouth. Head may be held high. May be a blue tinge to the ears and mouth
HAIR BLOCKAGE(fur block, fur ball): caused by a physical blockage of the stomach and/or small intestine with fur or debris that will not allow digested food to flow proper Causes intermittent diarrhea, poor appetite, loss of weight, pulling of fur
COPROPHAGY (eating of night feces) a normal activity for rabbits. This activity provides rabbits a way to
increase digestion and absorption of nutrients
Many breeders have successfully used such antibiotics as Baytril and Penicillen G to control ailments in rabbits. With the use of antibiotics, one should use probiotics (substances with living organisms). Antibiotics kill the gram negative and positive bacteria in the rabbit's system. Probiotics build up the good bacteria which the rabbit needs in his system for fighting diseases/infections. For others, herbal rememadies have proven effective.
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar to 1 gallon water for diarrhea
Yogurt(with live cultures) for re-establishing good bacteria
Dandelion greens to get appetite going again or constipation
Comfrey, Dill, Garlic Glove, or Parsley for disease prevention.
When a rabbit goes off feed, it is due to an imbalance of organisms in the cecum. Offer treats that a rabbit is familiar with or use a probiotic to see if this will correct the problem.
Hope this helps let me know if you need anything else!
