by Toni Rodriguez

Created on: September 02, 2009   Last Updated: September 09, 2009

Rabbits are so beautiful and make wonderful indoor pets. Each rabbit that you encounter will be different but how you care for them will be the same. Rabbits require a lot of room to move around and picking the right cage is imperative. If you purchase a cage that is not big enough for your rabbit they eventually will have problems with their bones. Keeping a rabbit in a cage that is too small will cause agitation and aggression as well.

Rabbits should be fed a well rounded diet of rabbit pellets, fruits, herbs, Timothy hay and vegetables. Rabbit pellets need to be kept in the cage at all times along with Timothy hay. Other hays may be used such as Oat hay and Sun dried hays, but Timothy hay should be used most of the time. One cup of greens should be feed to your rabbit on a daily bases. Most greens are tolerable with rabbits except for iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce should never be fed to a rabbit as it can cause digestion problems and even death.

As you experiment with greens, you will find what your rabbit likes and dislikes. When you start introducing greens do so gradually. Some of the greens that I have found to be well tolerated and liked by rabbits are Romaine lettuce, parsley in small amounts and not daily, cilantro, turnip greens, green beans, and green, red and yellow peppers chopped into small pieces. Watercress and kale are very well liked by most rabbits and is good to give if and when you notice your rabbit straining to have a bowl movement.

A variety of greens and a lot of Timothy hay will help to keep your rabbit regulated. All fruits are liked by rabbits, but should be fed sparingly. Too many sweets will cause excessive weight gain and rabbits do tend to have a sweet tooth. Bananas have been found to be a favorite along with apples, peaches, grapes, raisins and pears. As fruit is introduced it should be given by one tablespoon only. That is plenty to give on a daily bases or every other day.

Fresh water is needed daily for your rabbit. When cleaning the water bottle clean in hot water with a mild solution of soap or vinegar and makes sure you rinse the bottle well. Rabbits drink a lot of water so be sure to give them fresh clean water everyday.

Cage cleaning needs to be done at least two or three times a week depending on the size of the rabbit. Pine chips and shavings are no longer recommended as a bedding for rabbits. The toxins that can build up with their urine and the pine can be deadly to a rabbit. Environmental friendly bedding is

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