Which Bunny Supplies are Needed?

Have you decided to get a bunny rabbit as a family pet and are now wondering which bunny supplies are needed? Keep reading because I’m going to help you with that.

The first thing you need to consider is the size that your new fluffy friend could possibly grow into. If you are buying a Holland Lop from me, then you are getting one of the smallest breeds of rabbits alive. Holland Lops weight an average of three pounds. However some rabbit breeds, such as the Flemish Giant, grow as large as fifteen pounds! That is bigger than most small dogs. When choosing your bunny supplies, be sure to plan ahead.

Which Bunny Supplies are Needed?

• Large cage or
• Rabbit Hutch <<—- I have this one and I love it!
• Water Bowl or
• Water Bottle
• Food Bowl
• Hay rack or
• Hay bag
• Litter Box
• Pine Pellet Litter <<—- Will last you forever!
• Nail Clippers
• Slicker Brush
• High quality pellet food (no seeds)
• Timothy Hay
• Rabbit toys <<—- See below for more suggestions.
• Rabbit treats

The Cage

When choosing a cage, plan ahead for how big your rabbit may grow and how much time they will be spending inside. Many people choose to free roam their pet rabbit. This means that they use the cage as their pet rabbit’s safe zone, but leave the door open 24 hours a day in order to allow the rabbit to come and go as it pleases. (Yes you can litter train your rabbit!!) If you plan to free roam your rabbit, then you can probably get away with a smaller cage that is just large enough to hold the liter box and the food and water bowls. If your rabbit will need to be locked in her cage for long amounts of time while you work or sleep, then you will need a large cage or possibly even a hutch.

Food and Water

Rabbits prefer to drink water out of a bowl rather than a water bottle. All of our bunnies use water bowls. This helps to make sure that they get plenty of water and do not dehydrate. You will learn that the more hay they eat, the more water they will drink. This is a good thing, because this keeps things flowing for your rabbit and helps prevent Gi Stasis. When choosing a food and water bowl, I suggest that you choose a heavy ceramic style crock in order to help prevent spills.

You will also need a hay rack or a hay bag. Your rabbit needs an unlimited amount of hay, so get creative. You may want to get a typical hay feeder or bag, or you may choose something like a plastic grocery bag holder that will hold more hay. I personally love the grocery bag storage hanger, and I simply attach them to the side of the cage using zip ties.

Choosing a high quality hay and pellet food is important. Rabbits have very sensitive digestive systems. Stay away from pet store brands, and never feed pellets that contain seeds and other ingredients. I personally use the Oxbow brand Timothy hay and pellets. Alfalfa hay is okay until your rabbit is about six months old. After than you need to switch to Timothy hay because the alfalfa contains too much protein for adult rabbits.

Litter Training

“Wait! What? Rabbits can be trained to use a litter box?” You have no idea how many times someone has asked me this question. The answer is yes! They certainly can! When choosing a litter box, I highly suggest that you choose one that is made for cats rather than rabbits. Litter boxes that are made for rabbits are too small, in my opinion. My rabbits always manage to pee outside the litter pan if it is too small. I chose the cheapest, smallest cat litter box I could find, and it works perfectly.

Grooming

Many people do not know that rabbits need to be groomed. It is important to keep their nails trimmed and the hair brushed regularly. Rabbits are very clean animals by nature, and they spend a lot of time grooming themselves.Be sure to brush your rabbit regularly to help prevent them from ingesting too much bunny fur. A slicker brush is the best tool for this, and a simple cat nail clipper works perfectly for trimming nails.

Treats and Toys

Rabbits get bored easily, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on treats and toys. My rabbits love to chew and play with the cardboard toilette paper roll. A simple cardboard box with a hole cut into the side can provide hours of entertainment. To keep them thinking, rabbits always enjoy a great puzzle game. And there is nothing more fun than a dig box! Rabbits LOVE to dig. Get creative. Cut a hole in the side of a plastic tote, and fill the tote with pit balls or shredded paper. Watch them crawl in and out of the box and dig. Hide treats in the box. You will both be entertained for hours.

Do not offer your rabbit any treats until they are over six months old. At that time you can begin feeding them a daily bowl of greens such as romaine lettuce and herbs such as basil and cilantro. Keep fruit treats such as strawberries and bananas to a minimum. No more than maybe once or twice a week. They LOVE berries and bananas, but too much is never a good thing. Also stay away from treat sticks that have seeds, or yogurt drops that are marketed for small animals. They are super unhealthy for your bun.

There you have it. I have included links throughout this post to help you find some of my favorite bunny supplies needed on Amazon. It doesn’t get much easier than that. Be sure to visit our Amazon store for more of our favorite bunny supplies and products.