Ok im a new bunny owner.....almost! And i have no idea on how to care for one! Im getting a netherland dwarf ?

Question

and.. i was wondering if any1 could tell me things about this particular rabbit. If not just some ideas of a regular rabbit route.

Answer 1

I'm not a bunny owner but I can give you some places to look for information. Here are some:

Yahoo search engine (don't search rabbits search netherland dwarf rabbit)

Google search

Wikipedia.com

try your local library for books on rabbits(normally you care for them  about the same way but I would make sure before I care for a netherland dwarf like any other rabbit)

That's about all I can help with you could also ask a pet shop if you want (preferably the place you got the rabbit).

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

they need a big enough cage to run around in

pellets

lettuce (but to baby bunnies)

carrots

fruit is good

hay

give your bunny treats when they have been good, not all time

shavings for the bedding

fresh water

let it run around at least an hour once a day, needs it's exercise

and pay attention to the bunny so it doesn't get lonley

Answer 3

Litterbox training is also a very good idea and fairly simple to do. Put a litterbox (one of the corner pans are the best) where they tend to go to the bathroom the most. Rabbits tend to pick a corner where they usually go so its pretty easy from there. Put some of their p**p in the litterbox and they should catch on from there.

Giving them some toys is good too. They are pretty easy to please. A cardboard box turned over with a hole cut so they can go in and out are good, a basket turned on the side, some small cat balls with bells in them are fun, they like to rip phone books too, if you take a empty soda can and put a rock in there they like those too. Oh and mine really enjoys throwing around a small metal bowl that makes noise when she throws it.

Here's more on their diet:

Care and feeding: Rabbits are herbivores and much has been learned in recent years about what they need for a long, healthy life. In their natural environment they eat large quantities of leaves and grasses, and occasionally browse on flowers, fruits, and vegetables.

The important foods in the basic rabbit diet are grass hay, green foods, and cecotropes. Rabbits have a wonderful digestive system with a very unique ability. Their digestive tract develops a special dropping called 'cecotropes'. The cecotropes contain organisms rich in additional nutrients, which the rabbit eats directly from the a**s. In this way rabbits get the most nutrition out of the foods they eat. Cecotropes are an essential part of the diet and you will generally not notice this special dropping in the cage.

Grass hay is made from timothy, meadow, oat, rye, barley or Bermuda grasses. A variety of grass hays should be available at all times and are good for all ages of rabbits starting at weaning. Grass hay is rich in nutrients, provides the "food" for the micro-organisms that make up the cecotropes, and has indigestible fiber to keep the intestinal tract working. It promotes healthy chewing activity which gives them proper wear on their teeth, satisfies their appetite, and may help keep them from chewing on inappropriate things such as furniture.

There is another type of hay called legume hay, which is made up of alfalfa, clover, peas, beans or peanuts. Legume hay however has more nutrients than a house rabbit needs, so should be used as a supplement or when grass hay is not available.

Green foods are just as important in their diet as hay, containing a wider variety of micronutrients as well as water. Greens can be fed to any age of rabbit starting with weaning. Feed one packed cup of greens for each 2 pounds of weight per day, more is fine. If you rabbit has not had green foods, they may get soft stools while their digestive tract is adjusting but this is not a health problem, just a bit messy until they are use to it. Start them with hay, and add the greens gradually. Some green foods include broccoli, brussels sprouts, bok choy, kale, cabbage, celery; romaine lettuce, water cress, and dark leafy greens like swiss chard, mustard greens, dandelion greens, parsley, and the tops of carrots or beets.

You can offer some supplements such as flowers, fruits, and vegetables too. These are also great as part of a reward or training system. These foods should be feed sparingly, at about 2 tablespoons for each 2 pounds of weight per day. Some fruits and vegetables you can offer include apples, pears, peaches, bell peppers, carrots, squash, bean sprouts; some berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries; and some flowers include roses, pansies, and snap dragons.

Commercial treats and other foods that are high in fat and/or starch should be avoided; though a rabbit can handle a very tiny amount they can cause health problems. Some of these include beans, peas, corn, breads, cereals, chocolate, refined sugar, nuts, seeds, wheat, oats, and other grains. It is better to use the supplements described above as treats for your pet.

The rabbit pelleted diets, which use to be recommended as the staple rabbit food, was actually designed for commercial use. Rabbit pellets are loaded with concentrated nutrition to promote rapid growth and they work great for industry purposes. But for a pet rabbit that will have a long life, they have been found to be too high in protein, have too many calories, and don't have enough indigestible fiber. Many brands today have changed their composition to be suitable for pet rabbits by increasing the indigestible fiber and reducing the proteins and calories, but some have also added seeds, nuts, and sugars which are nice to look at but not a good dietary staple. It is recommended that you use pellets only if hay is unavailable.

Make sure that a constant water supply is available, as water is very important. Gravity-flow water bottles, which can be found in pet stores, are a good idea. For a healthy rabbit it is not necessary to provide vitamins, nor do they need do a salt or mineral block.

Provide the green food in a heavy dish (ceramic works well) that can't be easily tipped over. You can put the hay directly in the cage or use a hayrack for less mess. Feed approximately once a day. Remove any fresh food at the end of each day so that it doesn't go bad. Clean food dishes with hot water at least once a week.

Sorry its so long! There is a lot of information. I've had a bunny for 2 months and i still research stuff.  

Answer 4

these are the smallest types and they weigh up o 3 pounds at the most, you have to groom tham and clip there nails, and ill tell you THEY ARE MESSY! Get him a litter box, that works real good.

Answer 5

The care of a pet is a serious responsibility that you should have researched and prepared for LONG before the pet comes.

I'd suggest going and researching rabbits (www.rabbit.org is a good place to start), to see if this kind of pet is even right for you. And IF you decide you'd like to take on this type of responsibility, THEN look into finding a bunny.

Answer 6

NEVER give a rabbit Iceberg lettuce, it will kill them.  There's not much else to it, just make sure they always have fresh water, and give them the proper rabbit pellets for their weight, I think Netherlands are 3/4 cup rabbit pellets a day, and clip their nails once every two weeks, if you don't do that, they'll get sore hocks.  That's pretty much it.

Answer 7

give it:

lots of love

attention

fruits and veggies (rabbits love watermelon)

fresh water everyday

free time to run around the house at least once a day

gently brush it when it sheds

clean the cage AT LEAST once a week if not twice a week

rabbits are vegans so dont attempt to give it meat or yogurt because it wont like it

give it fruits and veggies AS WELL as rabbit food.

If you have any questions, be sure to call a vet or buy a rabbit care book.

=)