Wild rabbit?

Question

i was at my cousins house and their cat found a rabbit and my uncle took it in and i might keep it so i need some tips on how to take care of it please

Answer 1

Well if the rabbit is wild, and it looks like a wild rabbit, then it most likely has everything it needs to take care of itself in the wild..  I don't know if keeping a wild rabbit is too good, but idk.

But if you do decide to keep it, here's a website with a complete guide on how to care for a rabbit.  :)

http://rabbits-n-bunnies.com/rabbit-guid...

Answer 2

how old is it? is it sick or injured? i'd imgine it would have flea (most wild animals do) so you may need medication. If i's injured by the cat it will need to be seen by a vet, who will probley recommend that u release it after it heals.

Answer 3

Same thing happened to me, instead of me typing out tons of information checkout this website, I used it constantly when I first got my bunny. It has the best information on the web, and I checked alot of sites.  when you are googling for rabbit info be careful because I found that there was tons of misinfromation on rabbit care and alot of the information is for breeders, and that is not good for people keeping them as pets.

http://www.rabbit.org/

Answer 4

Rabbits can live to be around ten years old or older. They can make furry, friendly, lovable pets if they are treated gently and taken care of well. Before you decide to keep a rabbit as a pet, though, you should first consider its needs.

Rabbits can be kept either inside the house in a cage, or they can be kept outside in a rabbit hutch. If you keep a rabbit indoors, it needs to have shavings, sawdust, or straw put on the floor of its cage. These shavings need to be changed every day as they will become soiled. For a rabbit that is kept outdoors, you will need to build it a hutch. Some pet rabbits grow to be a considerably large size, so their hutch must be big enough to accomodate them. A hutch for a single rabbit should be a wood frame at least four feet long and a couple feet wide. Section a place off at one end of the hutch with pieces of wood as this will be its sleeping quarters. THe hutch will need to be raised up off of the ground by attaching legs to it. It should be about four feet high. Cover the entire structure with chicken wire.The roof should be made with wood, and attached to the frame with hinges on one side.The roof will need to be opened so you can clean the cage and also get your rabbit in and out of it. THe floor should be wood too.

In the winter time, if you live in a cold climate, you should cover the front of your rabbit's hutch with old rugs, blankets, or tarps to help keep the cold winds off your rabbit. In the summertime, you can hang tarps above the top of the rabbit's hutch--do not lay it directly on it, or it will just hold in the heat--in order to help keep your pet shaded from the hot sun.

Feeding your rabbit will be an easy task. Remember the childhood story of Peter Rabbit? RABBITS love vegetables, espeically carrots. Pet rabbits also need to eat rabbit pellets to ensure they get the proper nutrition they need. You can purchase these at your local feed store. You can also feed your rabbit hay, clover, oats, and grass. Be sure to keep a water bowl in its cage too and keep it filled with clean, fresh water.

The proper way to lift your rabbit up is to gently pick it up by the scruff of the neck. HOld it against your chest and keep a hand underneath its hind end, especially its legs, to support them. Supporting the back legs also helps to make your rabbit feel secure. Never pull or pick your rabbit up by its ears! Nowhere except by the scruff of its neck if you are lifting it up.

Your pet rabbit will also need to visit a veterinarian on a regular basis to make sure it stays healthy and in good shape. Signs of illness may include loss of appetite, hair loss, diarrhea, constipation, blood in its stool, dull eyes, or general inactivity. Be sure to watch for these signs in your pet rabbit.

Rabbits may be easy to love, but they're not quite as easy to care for.

These lovable, social animals are wonderful companions for people who take the time to learn about their needs.

Though providing care for these adorable creatures isn't difficult, rabbits have a long lifespan—more than 10 years—and many specific care requirements. Anyone considering adding a rabbit to their family should carefully research books and web sites on rabbit care before making a decision. Here are some quick tips to get you started:

Home Sweet Home

Indoors or Outdoors?

Every rabbit owner should know that the safest place for a rabbit to live is indoors. Rabbits should never be kept outdoors! Domestic rabbits are different from their wild relatives—they do not tolerate extreme temperatures well, especially in the hot summer months. Even in a safe enclosure, rabbits are at risk from predators. Merely the sight or sound of a nearby wild animal can cause rabbits so much stress that they can suffer a heart attack and literally die of fear.

Caged or Free to Roam?

Whether you decide to let your rabbit roam free in your entire home or just a limited area, it is important that you make everything rabbit-safe. One little bunny can easily find a whole lot of trouble in an average home. Because rabbits like to chew, make sure that all electrical cords are out of reach and outlets are covered. Chewing through a plugged-in cord can result in severe injury or even death. Their chewing can also result in poisoning if the wrong objects are left in the open or in unlocked low cabinets. Aside from obvious toxins like insecticides, rodenticides, and cleaning supplies, be aware that common plants such as aloe, azalea, Calla lily, Lily of the Valley, philodendron, and assorted plant bulbs can be poisonous to rabbits.

If kept in a cage, rabbits need a lot of room to easily move around. A rabbit's cage should be a minimum of five times the size of the rabbit. Your rabbit should be able to completely stretch out in his cage and stand up on his hind legs without bumping his head on the top of the cage. Additionally, cages with wire flooring are hard on rabbits' feet, which do not have protective pads like those of dogs and cats. If you place your rabbit in a wire cage, be sure to layer the floor with cardboard or other material. Place a cardboard box or "rabbit condo" in the cage so the bunny has a comfortable place to hide, and respect your animal's need for quiet time (rabbits usually sleep during the day and night, becoming playful at dawn and dusk).

When rabbits are kept in a cage, they need to be let out for several hours each day for exercise. Aside from running and jumping, rabbits also enjoy exploring their surroundings. This is an ideal time to play and interact with your rabbit. Make sure that he has a safe area to play and explore.

Bunny Bathrooms

Just like cats, rabbits can easily learn to use a litter box. Place a litter box in the cage to encourage this behavior. If your rabbit roams freely through multiple rooms of your home, it's a good idea to have litter boxes in several places. Many rabbits enjoy spending time relaxing in their litter box, so make sure that it is of ample size. For bedding (litter), stay away from wood shavings, especially cedar and pine, which may cause liver damage or trigger allergic reactions in rabbits. Also avoid clumping or dusty kitty litters, which can cause serious health problems if eaten. Instead, stick with organic litters made of paper, wood pulp, or citrus. Newspaper can work too, but may not be as absorbent. Be sure to put fresh hay in the litter box daily, as many rabbits like to have a snack while sitting in their litter box.

A Balanced Diet

Rabbits have complex digestive systems, so it's very important that they receive a proper diet. Many health problems in rabbits are caused by foods that are incompatible with their digestive physiology. A basic rabbit diet should consist of the following foods:

Hay

Rabbits need hay—specifically, Timothy grass hay. Rabbits should have access to a constant supply of this hay, which aids their digestive systems and provides the necessary fiber to help prevent health problems such as hair balls, diarrhea, and obesity. Alfalfa hay, on the other hand, should only be given to adult rabbits in very limited quantities, if at all, because it's high in protein, calcium, and calories.

Vegetables

In addition to hay, the basic diet of an adult rabbit should consist of leafy, dark green vegetables such as romaine and leaf lettuces, parsley, cilantro, collard greens, arugula, escarole, endive, dandelion greens, and others. Variety is important, so feed your rabbit three different vegetables at a time. When introducing new veggies to a rabbit's diet, try just one at a time and keep quantities limited.

Fruits and Treats

While hay and vegetables are the basis of a healthy diet, rabbits also enjoy treats. Cartoons and other fictional portrayals of rabbits would lead us to believe that carrots are the basis of a healthy rabbit diet. Many rabbits enjoy carrots, but they are a starchy vegetable and should only be given sparingly as a treat. Other treats your rabbit might enjoy are apples (without stems or seeds), blueberries, papaya, strawberries, pears, peaches, plums, or melon. Extra-sugary fruits like bananas, grapes, and raisins are good too, but should be given on a more limited basis.

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Foods to Avoid

With such sensitive digestive systems, there are a number of foods that rabbits should avoid eating. These include iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, beans, peas, potatoes, beets, onions, rhubarb, bamboo, seeds, grains, and many others. Also, don't feed your rabbit chocolate, candy, anything moldy, or most human foods. If you are not sure about a certain food, ask your rabbit's veterinarian.

Pellets

If you choose to make pellets a part of your rabbit's diet, it is best to use them as a supplement to the dark green, leafy vegetables, not as a substitute. These pellets should only be given in small quantities (1/8 -1/4 cup per five pounds of body weight per day, spread out over two daily feedings). Also, make sure to purchase Timothy-based pellets. Many brands of rabbit feed contain seeds, corn, and other foods that are too high in calories to be the basis for a healthy rabbit's diet.

Water

Rabbits should always have an ample supply of fresh water available. Be sure to change your rabbit's water at least once each day. Water can be kept in a sipper bottle or bowl. If you use a sipper bottle, watch new rabbits to make sure they know how to use the bottles, and clean bottles daily so the tubes don't get clogged. If you use a bowl, make sure that the bowl is heavy enough to avoid tipping and spilling.

Chew on This

Chewing is part of a rabbit's natural behavior, but it doesn't have to be destructive. To keep rabbits active and amused, you may want to put untreated wood blocks or cardboard in their cages (Be sure to remove any staples or tape from cardboard first!). Bowls, balls, and rin