Begginer rabbit keeper questions?

I have just bought two beautiful female Netherland dwarf rabbits as indoor pets. As a newbie I have two questions:

Firstly, I have read that I need to keep fresh hay in their cage every day. They seem to be eating loads of it. Should I be limiting their hay intake just as much as any other type of food?

Secondly, I have lined the cage with dust free wood chip and used hay for sleeping area and litter area. The problem I have is not with the rabbit smell but in fact with the wood chip smell. It's the wood chips making my place smell like a hutch, not the rabbits. Are there any good alternatives for cage lining?

NetherlandHolly2009-03-08T16:54:40Z

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Wood chips (cedar/pine) are not recommended for rabbits. This type of bedding causes resp. problems, liver and kidney damage.

I use Care Fresh bedding for my rabbits. I clean their cages out every two days with hot water and vinegar and replace the bedding.

As far as the hay goes, give unlimited amounts of hay daily. Please do not give your rabbit lettuce or cabbage and if you offer any treats, make sure it is in small quantities so that your rabbit does not get upset stomach.

Congrats on your rabbit!

btamee2009-03-08T17:18:16Z

Yes, give them unlimited timothy hay! I keep it in the litter box, it helps with litter box training because they like to munch on it while they do there business. Just make sure your litter box is big enough and keep the hay at the opposite end of where they do their business.

I use aspen bedding in my rabbits cage, it does not make my house smell like a hutch. It's less expensive than Care Fresh and there's more in a bag. Now in my rabbit's litter box I use Care Fresh because it absorbs urine really well. On top of the Care Fresh I will put some aspen bedding. I find the Care Fresh dusty, this another reason I don't use it thoughout the cage because it sticks to my rabbit's fur (he's a lionhead and has some long fur).

Good luck :)

Hi my name is: ANIMAL2009-03-08T15:57:45Z

Congrats on the new bunnies.

Never limit the intake of hay it is very important to their digestive tract.


Before my rabbit was litter trained I lined the bottom of his cage with soy based ink newspaper. Now that he is litter box trained he has a blanket he can move around and a small dog bed on the floor.

welonheadmoo2009-03-08T18:11:08Z

Don't limit the hay.

I recommend carefresh also, since it's paper based. I personally use Yesterday's News cat litter for the litter box - recycled newspaper.

?2016-10-05T09:38:28Z

a million) i might desire to take her/him out for walks somtime yet i'm nerve-racking this is going to %. up some ailment for being out part too plenty - its a house rabbit. - Rabbits are completely high-quality going exterior =] many rabbit proprietors take their rabbits exterior for walks, mine go exterior in the time of the day contained in the summertime. 2) are you able to feed rabbits seeds? particular, yet in limited quantities. Black Oil Sunflower seeds are stable for convalescing your rabbits coat yet a medium length person rabbit might desire to basically acquire 5 an afternoon, some breeders will additionally supply flax seeds to their rabbits to develop coat. 3) what meals so which you compliment them with in the event that they do somthing stable? For treats I supply papaya, banana, apples, and yogurt drops. 4) what toys do they like maximum suitable. - something made out of stressful plastic they won't somewhat bite, many cat toys paintings nicely for this, like the balls with the bells interior. additionally in case you stuff hay interior a rest room paper roll, rabbits will paintings to get the hay out and then play with the roll after. 5) is it extra possibly this is going to die of somthing else than old age whether i seem after it nicely? - while you're looking after your rabbit perfect then your rabbit might desire to stay a protracted healthful existence and die of old age. although rabbits are fairly fragile animals and there are a number of deadly illnesses that are hassle-free. 6) how plenty are the injections you will possibly desire to offer them. - Rabbits do no longer desire injections. 7) how plenty is a decrease priced bunny hotel according to a nighttime? - It relies upon on the place you go, frequently i've got chanced on puppy sitters extra value-effective for the type of animals I even have and the rabbits stay delicate of their usual environment. I pay $30 a nighttime for 15 rabbits.

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