Rabbits, if spayed or neutered have a lifespan of seven to ten years. Spaying and neutering are simple operations that tend to reduce or prevent territorial behavior, spraying by males, moodiness, and aggressiveness, digging and chewing. They can also improve litter box habits.
Housing
Rabbits should generally be kept indoors and supervised while outdoors because the outside world is a dangerous place for them. If given the opportunity, they may dig up your yard and eat the flowers and plants.
Rabbits need a comfortable cage or other escape-proof enclosure free from hazards such as electrical wires, poisonous plants and predatory pets such as
cats and
dogs. Wire bottom cages are not comfortable for rabbit's feet, so get a cage with a solid bottom. The rabbit should have room to move about and is most happy if there are multiple levels and a house to hide in and sit on.
Bedding and Litter
Bedding material can be hay, straw, hardwood shavings (maple, oak, apple) or bits of newspaper or cloth (if the rabbit is well litter trained). Rabbits like to arrange their beds and comfortable material should be provided. The bedding should be partially changed at regular intervals (weekly) to keep the cage smelling fresh and the rabbit feeling comfortable. The bedding should be completely changed and the cage cleaned once every month or two (more frequently if the rabbit urinates outside the litter box).
Some material other than the bedding material should be provided in a litter box. The litter should be changed and the litter box cleaned with warm soapy water at least once a week or more frequently if required.
Feeding
Rabbits are herbivore, which means that they only eat fruits, vegetables and grasses in the wild. You should keep a bowl of commercial rabbit food in your pets eating area. However, you should feed your rabbit hay every day, as well. Many rabbit owners also feed their pets a few fruits and vegetables, such as a carrot or a bit of apple. Add a new food in small amounts, gradually increasing over time since a sudden change in diet can cause diarrhea which can be fatal in rabbits. Always provide something hard and crunchy for your rabbit to gnaw on. This will keep his teeth from becoming overgrown. You should also make sure your rabbit has access to water and that it is changed every day.
Rabbits can be very persuasive in begging for treats and trying to share our food, but giving in to the begging rabbit can be very bad for its health. Never give your rabbit salty crackers, sugary cookies or other human snack foods and be sure to read the ingredients of any commercial rabbit treats carefully. Avoid treats that contain seeds, nuts or are high in salt or sugar.
Exercise
Rabbits need exercise and they love to run and jump, go through tunnels and in and out of boxes. A cardboard box with a few holes cut in it placed in the middle of a room will entertain a rabbit and provide lots of exercise for the rabbit and entertainment for you. Rabbits should have some free time out of their cage every day in a supervised and rabbit-proofed area.
Grooming
Rabbits keep themselves clean. However, you should brush rabbits that have long hair regularly to keep their fur from matting. You should trim your rabbit's nails every six weeks. Also, check your rabbit's teeth when you trim his nails to be sure they are wearing evenly. If a rabbit's teeth don't meet evenly, they may grow too long and curl, preventing him from eating. To keep their teeth healthy, rabbits need hard items to chew on. If his teeth are growing too long, you will need to ask your vet to trim them on a regular basis.
Holding Rabbits
Rabbits are afraid of predators, and they can literally be scared to death. So when you pick up a rabbit, hold it securely so it feels safe. The reason many people, especially children, get scratched by rabbits is that they don't hold them properly.
Many domesticated rabbits become accustomed to be handled and even enjoy being held. However, you should always use both hands when picking up your rabbit. Place one hand under his chest and the other around his rump. You should never lift your rabbit by his ears.
Rabbits, by nature, are clean and neat. They can also be affectionate and social, intelligent and sensitive, playful, curious and mischievous. Many rabbits get along with cats and dogs, but the animals involved need to be trained, and you should closely supervise early interactions between rabbits and other pets.
Health Care
Rabbits do not need to go to the vet for vaccinations, but will benefit from a yearly checkup, just like any other pet. You should also take your rabbit to the vet if he has hair loss, loss of appetite, and a runny nose, has difficulty breathing or has any swelling or lumps on his body.