2600 Winchester Road
Huntsville, AL
256-852-4494
Rabbits Make Great Pets
there are many varieties to choose from.
Dutch, dwarf lops, German lops, Lionheads
Dwarf rabbits have become very popular pets in recent years. Dwarf Lops make an ideal child's pet due to its manageable size and pleasant temperament.
They love to be held, pampered and cuddled. The more the better. Rabbits make fine pets
because the are easy to care for,
and inexpensive to feed. They tend to be friendly and have curious natures, causing them to follow their owners around. These small
rabbits typically do not exceed 4 to 5 lbs in weight and come in a variety of colors.
Dwarf Lop Rabbits are well known for their pleasant temperament and relaxed disposition. Usually weighing under 5 lbs as adults, these cute bunnies come in a variety of colors and patterns
Mini Lop Rabbits are even smaller, weighing 3-4 lbs with the same
personality characteristics as their larger dwarf cousins.
The LionHead Rabbit, pictured at right, is a fairly new breed of rabbit. The huge amount of hair around the face reminds one of the mane of a lion, hence the name Lion head.
The Angora Rabbit variety has a long, silky coat.
The angora breed has been in existence for centuries. There are German, French and English varieties of Angora Rabbit.
The French Angora bunny pictured here has a clean face, which differentiates her from other angoras.
These rabbits are not dwarfs and may weigh from 5 to 12 lbs as adults.
Housing and Care
Housing
Many rabbits do well in the home. They tend to be very clean, grooming themselves
thoroughly. The are not difficult to train to use a litter box as would a cat. However, they do like to chew, and can
get into trouble with electrical wires. They also may gnaw at your furniture. So a degree of caution must be taken.
For most people, a cage will provide a safe haven for their rabbit when they cannot monitor its activities. A proper
cage would hopefully be three to four feet in length to provide adequate room for the bunny to move around. If the cage has a wire bottom,
some sort of palnks or mats need to be provided. A rabbit's foot will not cope with a wire floor for very long.
Feeding
Commercially prepared rabbit diets are designed to completely provide for your rabbits nutritional needs. Alfalfa hay is preferred for babies and young rabbits, while timothy hay will better suite mature rabbits. Be sure to have som e hay as well as pellets avaialble at all times for the best nutrition for your pet. Some breeders and will supplement their rabbits with sunflower or oats, that adds some oil to the diet and can produce silkier coats. The rabbit is a crepuscular feeder, which means they primarily eat at sunrise and sunset. But many rabbits will eat at varying times throughout the day.