When I was little, I wanted a pet to play with. More than anything I wanted a little bunny that I could put bows on, carry around and watch hopping around chewing on dandelions.
When I got my wish, I got a little bunny and soon that little bunny turned into a large, heavy lop who disliked being picked up and seemed to sit and do nothing all day.
Like many children, I lost interest in my rabbit and moved on to other things. However, my bunny still had a few more years of life and must have felt very bored and lonely. She was rarely cleaned out and I’m pretty sure she was on the wrong food, bedding and had no exercise. I still feel bad about that to this day and I think about it a lot.
When I was thinking about it the other day, it dawned on me that as a child there’s no way I could have known how to look after that bunny properly. Now that I have been looking after them for 4 years as an adult, I realise what complex creatures they are. We got books from the library, but no one teaches you how to be a good friend to your rabbit, to gain it’s trust and to safely take care of it and keep it’s brain and body active.
Bunnies need companionship
Most bunnies are sold in pairs in pet shops and any rescue will recommend that you adopt a pair. If you think of a rabbit in the wild, rabbits move together in small groups. They help each other find shelter and to build warrens, to keep look out and enjoy each other's play and affection. A bunny thinks safety in numbers. A lone bunny will usually feel afraid and will spook easily, it will get bored very quickly and it will find no reason to move about and explore.
Rarely, a bunny will prefer the company of humans than other bunnies. We have found this to be the case once or twice, but only after we have tried unsuccessfully to find a friend for the bunny (usually after several failed attempts!)
But in 99% of cases, a bunny needs to spend time with it’s own kind. They will understand each other’s need for affection (and ways of showing it) and each other’s urge to keep look out, dig, thump and all the other things that come naturally to a bunny. It is for that reason that a bunny and guinea pig is not a recommended match!
The best match is a male and female bun, and both will need to be neutered or spayed to ensure a lasting bond and to prevent pregnancies. A bunny from a rescue will already be de-sexed.
Bunnies need to do what bunnies do
As mentioned above, bunnies need to do what comes naturally to them. In the wild, a rabbit will run miles in a day and a bunny hop can propel them pretty far. In a small hutch, a bunny’s muscles will waste away, which will then lead to bone problems. Their claws with overgrow and they will put on weight.
This article explains it really well using a real life example.
Natural bunny behaviour
Sleeping – yes bunnies sleep. But not usually with their eyes closed. They are always on the look-out. Dusk and dawn are their most wakeful times. Let them sleep in the day and give them lots of love at breakfast and dinner time.
Climbing - This is one of their many survival mechanisms. Bunnies in the wild have been known to climb into bushes for protection or just to get to the best leaves!
Digging - they will instinctively try to create a warren even when in a hutch!
Chewing - tree bark in the wild will keep their teeth short.
Eating everything in sight – bunnies can wreak havoc in the wild, destroying fields of greens overnight. Bunnies need to keep their digestion going all day long.
Struggling when picked up – bunnies are prey animals and amongst their natural enemies are large birds. Your bunny’s instinct is to struggle away from being picked up and they can even shed fur to make them slippery in your grasp.
Hiding/grunting/biting when you go near – again, this is a survival instinct. Your bunny hasn’t learnt to trust you yet (or has had a bad experience in the past.) This can be turned around with patience and perseverance.
Scent marking – bunnies will scent mark using the bottom of their chins or with urine! This says ‘I was here’ or ‘this is mine’.
Many ‘extreme’ behaviours (for example obsessively doing any of the above) will ‘improve’ considerably when a bunny is spayed or neutered. (Spraying should stop completely when a male bun is neutered.) If you are having problems, try this as the first port of call. The difference in behaviour before and after can be very surprising.
Turning natural behaviour into play
Climbing – If you have an indoor bun, you may have noticed that bun likes jumping up on the sofa. Make this a fun game by creating different levels around the room that bunny can jump onto. Make sure the item is secure at the bottom and non slip on the top.
Chewing/Digging - The most basic bunny toy is a cardboard box. Remove any tape or staples and close up both ends by folding the flaps in on themselves. Make one hole in the side big enough for a bunny to get into. Bunnies are very inquisitive and will hop in straight away to check it out – then spend a few days making it into the perfect ‘warren’!
You can add in a few more boxes and link them together with tubes or doorways to create an even more realistic warren for your bun. We once fostered a bunny that loved digging, so we filled a box with the yellow pages and let her go crazy. The book was confetti in days. It’s all great exercise and keeps the muscles moving.
Bunnies also love tree branches. Apple and pear tree branches are the best if you can get them. (Some trees and plants are poisonous to buns, so check
this guide first.)
Eating everything in sight – Bunnies need to keep eating as they have a unique digestive system that has to keep working all day. Make sure they have fresh hay to nibble on and keep their main food consistent (nuggets are better than muesli) as they can easily get an upset tummy.
Find out what your buns favourite foods are. Leafy greens are usually a hit. Carrots – not always! Fruit should only be given as a rare treat as it is very sugary. Use their favourite food in a game. The cups game is fun. Lay out a row of cups and put a piece of food underneath one of them. See how long it takes for your bun to discover it. Try putting a treat inside a bundle of hay which then goes inside a toilet roll holder. Or see if they can learn their name by giving them a treat every time you say it.
Struggling when picked up – If you have to pick up your bun, do it for really short periods of time. A bunny does not like heights! It is better to keep buns at floor level, open up the hutch door and let them come out on their own. An enticing food treat might help the process along.
Hiding/grunting/biting when you go near - Sit on the floor and let your bun come to you. Resist the urge to touch your bunny at all. Just let them explore you. Maybe have some of their favourite food in your hand and then when they get to your hand, they will ‘discover’ the food! This helps them to associate your hands with yumminess. Do this over and over until your bunny gets a bit braver around you. Then maybe wait until they are eating to pet them. They will then associate yumminess with your affection and know that it’s not going to bring them any harm. Use a calm voice and calm actions and no matter what don’t shout at or strike your bunny. It can be a long process but it is so worth the effort.
Bunnies can be house/litter trained
Bunnies are very clean animals and like many small animals in the wild, will prefer to go to the toilet outside of their living space. Your bunny will decide where the best place is (this should quickly become obvious in a big enough space) and you can start to use a low sided plastic litter tray, filled with newspaper and rabbit bedding in that area.
Once your bunny starts to use the tray, they can spend a lot more time on carpets, beds, sofas etc without the need for you to worry about big accidents (a bunny will never be 100% litter trained with poops as they will naturally leave a small trail of these wherever they go!)
Bunnies live a long time
Bunnies can live for up to 13 years. A bunny needs to become a part of the family (like a dog) so that they get the time and love that they need. Get into a cleaning routine quickly (litter training makes this a LOT easier) and if your bunny doesn’t have access to a whole garden or room in the house, make sure they have a large run attached to their hutch (that is fox proof!) or have a few hours to run around inside the house. Your bunny needs a check up and vaccines once a year and you need to keep an eye out for mites (they can often come from hay or straw) and for any signs of infection (give the ears, eyes and bum a check). Claws will need to be clipped regularly which can be done at home with some guidance or by the vet.
This is a good online guide. Your local rescue may also be able to help out.
A well socialised, happy bunny will quickly become another quirky and unique member of the family. Our bunnies make us giggle every day and we wish everyone could see what little characters they are. I hope this guide helps to show you how to ‘get the most from your rabbit’ and to give your bunny the happy home it deserves.
If you would like any more advice on this subject or more details on any of the above, please get in touch through my profile or leave a comment below.
