We came to have all these house rabbits suddenly, as a result of un-planned parenthood in a rescued rabbit we had been told was male. Once we got over the shock of the population explosion, we decided to do the best we could to give the bunnies lives that were rich with opportunities to climb, peek, move and choose independent routines, enhanced by appropriate furniture that also adds an esthetic quality to our home. While we can't say it's no work, with some creative thinking we've been able to find a happy balance between effort and enjoyment.Through our experiences with our house rabbits, we have tried to reach a happy medium between living with an animal in a cage and living with a true house rabbit companion. Observing the needs of the rabbits and incorporating the esthetic qualities of home decor, we think we have reached a pleasing answer. Enjoy this exploration into the possibilities of creating a true rabbit home within your home.
The Daily Rabbit Potty Routine at RabbitHouses.net
We’ve discovered that the rabbits need to have their own litter box that is lined with grass hay. Rabbits are very habitual and your rabbit may need help establishing a daily routine. Check out our video, above, to see the simple daily routine that our rabbits have gotten used to. In the idea of creating a higher concept in the form of a harmonizing daily routine with your house rabbits, it’s very nice to have a free-roaming rabbit with some exceptions. We feel that when the rabbit is enclosed in it’s pen it should be with one of the original RabbitHouses or something similar. Another item that should accompany the rabbits in their nightly enclosure is a Rabbit Potty or other high-sided litter pan. For an affordable option ($5-7) we like the Sterilite 18Quart plastic rectangular tote made, at 7 inches the sides are high enough that their bottom can’t hang over the edge, which prevents accidents.
We’ve observed that if the rabbit is given an alternative restroom or potty room, they will choose to urinate and do most of their pooping in the potty. Hence the grass den inside the RabbitHouse stays relatively clean and is used mainly for eating the grass hay, which is refreshed every day or so depending on the rabbit’s consumption. We allow our rabbits free run of the house during the daylight hours, and so the morning begins with the potty being lifted out of their enclosure and the lining pan cleaned and refreshed with new hay. The pen is collapsed and removed to the closet. The simple throw carpets are rolled up, shaken outside, and a quick sweep done around the RabbitHouse. Meanwhile, you’ll discover that the rabbits are very interested in the fresh hay in their potty, which has been placed in the room in the spot they most prefer to pee. (In a sense, this is how your rabbits will help you orientate the positioning of the Rabbit Potty in your room.)
CLEANING TIP: An important thing to consider is to clean any accident areas well, removing as much of the scent as possible. Vinegar works very well for this, and also for cleaning the potty plastic liner pan of built up pee residue. Once cleaned with the vinegar, warm soap and water is great to finish up.)
By establishing a consistent routine, gradually the rabbits will focus on their potty more and more. Their routine, which they highly enjoy, is to exit their enclosure in the morning on their excited rabbit-run down that same rabbit trail to their favorite rabbit meeting place. This would be where all the rabbits come by from time to time, to see what’s up, to sniff around with great interest in revealing who has been by. The social routine is part of their morning constitution, as most people have their morning constitution. This setup works quite well, with the exception that there is no potty next to their main house now, so you may find that they have an accident around their house. The key here is either a second rabbit potty or what we offer at RabbitHouses.net is the Rabbit Cabana. The Rabbit Cabana is a larger version of our Rabbit Potty, with more hay and an easy to change pan since they will use this also as their potty, and the ability to hold a bouquet of fresh grass or greens of your choosing.
LITTER TIPS: A special caution about Pet Litters. We recommend grass hay or timothy hay to be used as litter, partly because there can be problems with some pet litters that rabbits may eat, especially ones containing zinc. Also wood shavings or wood based litters can be risky because of fumes they emit. The soiled hay with droppings make a great compost or mulch for your garden or flowerbeds, unlike some of the commercial pet litters. Look to your local rabbit rescue organization or House Rabbit Society for more on this topic.
The Importance of Nutrition for Companion Bunnies In the afternoon or the evening, usually around 5 o’clock, 6:30 or 7 is too late, we notice the rabbits rowdy around, and this is a sign that they are going to riot if they don’t get some dinner. So it’s very simple to put a handful of fresh hay into the RabbitHouse, the Rabbit Potties and the Rabbit Cabana; everybody goes home for dinner. If it’s time for bed, we move the remote potty to the other side of their house, the portable fence is taken from the closet and unfolded around the RabbitHouse and trainer pan if needed, and they are all snug little bunnies in their special Rabbit Home.
We’ve learned so much at the House Rabbit Society (www.rabbit.org)including that the main part of a rabbit’s diet should be grass hay, with a cup to two cups of greens/vegetables each day. (Celery should be cut into 1 inch pieces, as tough celery strings sometimes wrap around rabbit’s teeth and get stuck!) Limit sweets, such as fruit & carrots; no more than a tablespoon per rabbit per day, and no grains or nuts because they’re too rich for bunny’s digestive system. You may also want to reconsider the rabbit pellet food, most of these are designed for raising meat rabbits and are not nutritionally balanced for house rabbits. If you decide to feed pellets, try to find the ones that are not based on alfalfa, as alfalfa is too high in protein. If your rabbits are given treats too often, too much sugar can affect their attitude just like it does with little kids. If your rabbits eat mostly hay and veggies with fruit in moderation, they will have a mellower disposition and a happier digestion & elimination system.
Okay, let’s review really quickly. Rabbits love routine. Rabbit’s main routine revolves around their potty habits. The potty habit of the rabbit is to read the smells left in the most communal place that all their buddies and family are sure to frequent. The Rabbit Potty is always in the same place, once your rabbits show you where it is going to be, and this will be basically where you can’t get them to stop peeing! A plexiglass or plastic pan can help in this potty training stage, and recognizing the need to confine the little guys through the night to the smaller space which they will learn to keep clean and dry. Remember to use phrases like “Ricky, use your potty. Ricky! Use your potty!” and in the beginning to go over and help them remember to turn around and just jump into their potty. After your rabbits learn their names and get the idea, they will know what to do when you are telling them to use their potty. Like with children you may have to remind them simply, respectfully, Many times. Be patient and stick to it. Rabbits can learn to understand you, so work with them on their level, recognize their simple needs, and if you take a little pride in their home, they will also!
Bunnies & people becoming friends We’ve found that rabbits generally like to be close to the ground and do not enjoy being held unless it was their idea. Since a rabbit can stand 10 to 12 inches high, and we stand 40 to 80 inches tall; we tower like giants to the fuzzy guys. Children may want to pick up the rabbit, but this can cause a lot of fear and struggling, and if dropped only once can make a lifelong impression and the animal may always struggle when lifted from the safety of the ground. Sitting or laying quietly on the floor during bunny playtime gives them a chance to get accustomed to you & your smells.
Rabbit language is about learning a little of their body language. As you sit still, the rabbit will eventually come up to you and bump you with it’s nose. This means hello, who are you? what are you? you got anything to eat? Respond slowly & calmly, speaking softly. If bunny is still interested, try gently rubbing the rabbit’s cheek, generally not touching the ears or neck. The courtesy between rabbits is to lick the cheek & eye area, and the social touching, grooming included, is about it. Sometimes the rabbit likes the lower part of the jaw rubbed gently, and some rabbits will grind their teeth a little bit in a form of enjoyment. The rest of the body, from the shoulders back around to the butt, including the lower part of the back, are kind of off limits, unless there is a lot of trust, because when rabbits are upset or angry with each other, they will nose or bite at the sides or back in order to irritate their fellow rabbit so they will move away. So getting to know your rabbit sometimes is completely on their terms, especially if your rabbit has had anything less than a sweet home childhood up till they come into your life. Hopefully, like with most children, with help they can transcend these rough times and enjoy the best rabbit life we can offer.
We'd love to hear from you about our blog and also about our products and website where we introduce a new concept in rabbit housing, which we like to call A Better Rabbit House
Thanks for reading our first ever Blog. Happy times on the bunny trail!
Nancy & Eric of RabbitHouses.net
