Keeping a rabbit healthy

Is it normal for a rabbit to rest a lot and to lay in his litter box? How do I know if they are getting enough vitamins? And how often can I give pellets and greens?

***** Karen Sez*****

These are great questions. Keeping a rabbit healthy is far better than trying to cure a sick one.

Is it normal for a rabbit to rest a lot and to lay in his litter box?

Yes, a rabbit sleeps a lot during the day, because it is most active only at dawn and dusk. Where it chooses to rest depends on the rabbit and on the weather. On hot days, a rabbit may choose to rest on the cage's wire floor. On cooler days, they might choose a litter box.

How do I know if they are getting enough vitamins?

Rabbits generally do not require any vitamins. If you are feeding it rabbit pellets and hay along with as much water as desired, your rabbit will get all the nutrition required.

Rabbits also run their food through their guts a second time. This gives them opportunity to extract from the food they eat every bit of nutrition and vitamins that they can.

And how often can I give pellets and greens?

Young rabbits should receive all the pellets they wish to eat. Adult rabbits (6 months old and older) should receive roughly 1 ounce per pound of weight per day. We like to feed our rabbits in the evening. This is because they are waking up and becoming active in the evening. Any greens you feed the rabbit should be organic and pesticide-free. The staple (main) part of the rabbit diet is the pellets; greens or root veggies are the dessert - not too much, so the balance of nutrients is not disrupted, and so the balance of intestinal flora remains healthy (to prevent diarrhea).

Enjoy your rabbit!

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