What Rabbit Supplies Do You Need to Have Ready?
Purchasing rabbit supplies can be a bit confusing; there are more options than you could ever imagine. How do you choose? This list will hopefully make your life a bit easier. Be sure to read through it carefully and ask us any questions you may have. Linked articles about the different choices available are included in the reading (or as sub tabs of this page.)
1. Cage or pen. Bunny needs a safe, secure place to live. Do you have a cage that will provide
ample space for him to stretch out and be comfy? For a pet bunny, we love the Living World Deluxe Pet
Habitat in the X-Large size. It has a solid bottom, so is sure to be gentle on bunny feet and hocks. We
line ours with a soft bath towel, which is absorbent, easy to wash, and readily available.
We also like the KW Cages line of Bunny Villa Cages. They are pricey, but very nice. Plan ahead, though, because
they are made-to-order and take a couple weeks to arrive.
If you need help selecting a cage, please visit this page to help you.
We also recommend getting an exercise pen so Bunny can have a safe place to stretch his legs if you can't
supervise playtime. This article contains some helpful advice on suitable sizes.
One other thing to note when you are selecting a cage: there are many "cute" hutch designs being sold on Amazon
and other pet supply stores that are made from wood. Many of these are made with cedar, cypress, or other types
of wood that are actually toxic to rabbits. Look carefully at the materials from which these hutches are constructed
and do a search to determine if such wood is safe for rabbits. We advise our clients to give these habitats a pass and
stick with non-wood options. They may look pretty, but they can prove to be deadly, or at least ill-health inducing.
2. Food. Your bunny will come with a small transitional bag of Oxbow Essentials Young Rabbit food in
case you decide to switch brands, but you will definitely need a supply of your food of choice available.
If you stick with Oxbow, you will need a supply of the food to last until your bunny reaches 6 months of age
(purchasing in smaller quantities will keep the food fresher, with higher quality.) At that point it is safe to transition
bunny over an adult food. We are recommending the Oxbow line of products, with Essentials Adult, and Garden
Select seeming to be highly regarded choices. Please be aware that the only treat safe for baby bunnies' delicate
digestive system is old-fashioned rolled oats (NOT quick-cooking). We advise against any other treats until the bunny
is six months old.
3. Water. Your bunny will need a water bottle or heavy, chew proof bowl for drinking water. Be prepared
to give fresh water daily, and to check it frequently. If you would like more information about which is best for your
Bun, this article may help with the pros and cons of each option. Our favorite bottle is the 32-ounce Lix-it Wide
Mouth Bottle.
4. Food Bowl. A heavy crock or hanging feeder to hold the aforementioned food is very useful. This topic is addressed
in more depth here.
5. Fresh Timothy Hay, 2nd cutting. The key word is "fresh". The majority of the packaged hay available
at stores and pet supply shops is very poor quality and is contaminated with pesticides. Small Pet Select or Farmer
Dave Pet Supply are both excellent options. Bunnies need to eat hay for their digestion as well as for keeping their
teeth healthy. Good hay will help prevent wool block in bunnies. Since bunnies cannot vomit hairballs like cats, the
fur they ingest during grooming can make a thick fur ball in their tummies. The fiber in the hay helps keep the fur
moving along so the digestive tract doesn't become sluggish and form a blockage.
6. Papaya enzyme tablets are also beneficial in preventing wool block. Sherwood Pet Health's digestive tablets
are also highly recommended. Bunnies usually gobble them up like treats.
7. Litter box and absorbent litter material. If you intend to litter box train your bunny, you will need a place for him to
accomplish his bunny business. We like this pan available on Amazon.) There are several different listings by
supposedly different brands, but they are all the same, although the pan and plastic grate color may vary. You
should be able to purchase one for $12-$15. We do recommend having multiple litter boxes available for your Bun if
you plan to allow it to roam throughout your home.
We used compressed wood pellets in the bottom of our grated litter boxes for many years, but are now using
washable litter box liners that we sew from two pieces of fleece and an absorbent inner fabric. If you have an open
style litter box, where the bunny will be in direct contact with the litter, we recommend using a litter such as Care
Fresh paper style bedding. Some clients use a layer of paper towels to absorb urine and contain the poo balls for
easy disposal. Please be aware that pine and cedar type wood chips are not absorbent and they can be very
detrimental to your bunny's health, so please don't use either. If you must use wood chips, aspen is the only type of
wood that can be used around bunnies.
8. Brush or Comb. Your bunny will need to be brushed or combed periodically to keep loose fur from being
ingested. There are many options available. This brush is a good possibility, as is this comb. For bunnies going
through a heavy molt, the Sleek EZ deshedding tool is wonderful. The 2.5" size works really well for rabbits.
9. Nail clippers. We prefer the small cat nail clippers. They can often be purchased at the Dollar Tree. The little bitty
ones like these are great.
10. Hay Rack. Some bunnies really like hay racks, other bunnies could care less as long as there is fresh hay
available. We usually stuff empty toilet paper tubes with hay, which combines hay delivery with a fun
toy. Hay is also placed on their litter box tray because bunnies like to combine hay munching with their
potty time.
11. Towels or bedding. You will need some sort of absorbent layer for the bunny cage. We prefer washable
options like towels or fleece liners. Please be aware that pine and cedar bedding are toxic to rabbits. Aspen is
permissible.
12. Bunny toys. Nothing expensive is necessary. Bunnies love to play with cardboard boxes, shredded paper, paper
balls, small whiffle balls, socks, toilet paper tubes, plastic baby keys, and many more items that can be
found around the house.
13. Bunny- knowledgeable veterinarian. Please have the phone number of a veterinarian and back-up veterinarian who
are experienced in rabbit care by your phone, plus the numbers of one or two places your vet recommends for after-
hours emergencies, when s/he is not available. Bunnies always seem to wait until 8pm on a Sunday night to tell you
that something is wrong. Nothing leaves you feeling more helpless than not being able to find a knowledgeable
rabbit vet when you desperately need one for your furry friend.
14. Emergency supplies to combat GI Stasis. We strongly urge our families to keep a bottle or two of infant gas-relief
drops on hand. Most stores make their own version, but Mylicon drops are the biggest name brand. Bunnies can get
painful gas that causes them to stop eating. If you catch the warning signs of stasis quickly (not eating, not producing
poo balls normally), a dose or two of gas drops combined with some tummy massage can solve the problem quickly.
Sherwood Pet Health also makes two great products that you should keep in your emergency supplies - SARx Rescue
and SARx Rabbit, along with the dosing syringe that they sell are invaluable if you need to treat your rabbit quickly for
GI Stasis. SARx Rescue would be the next step (after gas drops and massage) to help keep your bunny's digestive
tract functioning. Once the poo balls begin to appear again, SARx Rabbit and a diet of hay only for 2-3 days should
keep bunny's tummy on the right track to healing.
When you are totally prepared, we will be ready and waiting to see you at Hot Cross Buns Holland Lops!
1. Cage or pen. Bunny needs a safe, secure place to live. Do you have a cage that will provide
ample space for him to stretch out and be comfy? For a pet bunny, we love the Living World Deluxe Pet
Habitat in the X-Large size. It has a solid bottom, so is sure to be gentle on bunny feet and hocks. We
line ours with a soft bath towel, which is absorbent, easy to wash, and readily available.
We also like the KW Cages line of Bunny Villa Cages. They are pricey, but very nice. Plan ahead, though, because
they are made-to-order and take a couple weeks to arrive.
If you need help selecting a cage, please visit this page to help you.
We also recommend getting an exercise pen so Bunny can have a safe place to stretch his legs if you can't
supervise playtime. This article contains some helpful advice on suitable sizes.
One other thing to note when you are selecting a cage: there are many "cute" hutch designs being sold on Amazon
and other pet supply stores that are made from wood. Many of these are made with cedar, cypress, or other types
of wood that are actually toxic to rabbits. Look carefully at the materials from which these hutches are constructed
and do a search to determine if such wood is safe for rabbits. We advise our clients to give these habitats a pass and
stick with non-wood options. They may look pretty, but they can prove to be deadly, or at least ill-health inducing.
2. Food. Your bunny will come with a small transitional bag of Oxbow Essentials Young Rabbit food in
case you decide to switch brands, but you will definitely need a supply of your food of choice available.
If you stick with Oxbow, you will need a supply of the food to last until your bunny reaches 6 months of age
(purchasing in smaller quantities will keep the food fresher, with higher quality.) At that point it is safe to transition
bunny over an adult food. We are recommending the Oxbow line of products, with Essentials Adult, and Garden
Select seeming to be highly regarded choices. Please be aware that the only treat safe for baby bunnies' delicate
digestive system is old-fashioned rolled oats (NOT quick-cooking). We advise against any other treats until the bunny
is six months old.
3. Water. Your bunny will need a water bottle or heavy, chew proof bowl for drinking water. Be prepared
to give fresh water daily, and to check it frequently. If you would like more information about which is best for your
Bun, this article may help with the pros and cons of each option. Our favorite bottle is the 32-ounce Lix-it Wide
Mouth Bottle.
4. Food Bowl. A heavy crock or hanging feeder to hold the aforementioned food is very useful. This topic is addressed
in more depth here.
5. Fresh Timothy Hay, 2nd cutting. The key word is "fresh". The majority of the packaged hay available
at stores and pet supply shops is very poor quality and is contaminated with pesticides. Small Pet Select or Farmer
Dave Pet Supply are both excellent options. Bunnies need to eat hay for their digestion as well as for keeping their
teeth healthy. Good hay will help prevent wool block in bunnies. Since bunnies cannot vomit hairballs like cats, the
fur they ingest during grooming can make a thick fur ball in their tummies. The fiber in the hay helps keep the fur
moving along so the digestive tract doesn't become sluggish and form a blockage.
6. Papaya enzyme tablets are also beneficial in preventing wool block. Sherwood Pet Health's digestive tablets
are also highly recommended. Bunnies usually gobble them up like treats.
7. Litter box and absorbent litter material. If you intend to litter box train your bunny, you will need a place for him to
accomplish his bunny business. We like this pan available on Amazon.) There are several different listings by
supposedly different brands, but they are all the same, although the pan and plastic grate color may vary. You
should be able to purchase one for $12-$15. We do recommend having multiple litter boxes available for your Bun if
you plan to allow it to roam throughout your home.
We used compressed wood pellets in the bottom of our grated litter boxes for many years, but are now using
washable litter box liners that we sew from two pieces of fleece and an absorbent inner fabric. If you have an open
style litter box, where the bunny will be in direct contact with the litter, we recommend using a litter such as Care
Fresh paper style bedding. Some clients use a layer of paper towels to absorb urine and contain the poo balls for
easy disposal. Please be aware that pine and cedar type wood chips are not absorbent and they can be very
detrimental to your bunny's health, so please don't use either. If you must use wood chips, aspen is the only type of
wood that can be used around bunnies.
8. Brush or Comb. Your bunny will need to be brushed or combed periodically to keep loose fur from being
ingested. There are many options available. This brush is a good possibility, as is this comb. For bunnies going
through a heavy molt, the Sleek EZ deshedding tool is wonderful. The 2.5" size works really well for rabbits.
9. Nail clippers. We prefer the small cat nail clippers. They can often be purchased at the Dollar Tree. The little bitty
ones like these are great.
10. Hay Rack. Some bunnies really like hay racks, other bunnies could care less as long as there is fresh hay
available. We usually stuff empty toilet paper tubes with hay, which combines hay delivery with a fun
toy. Hay is also placed on their litter box tray because bunnies like to combine hay munching with their
potty time.
11. Towels or bedding. You will need some sort of absorbent layer for the bunny cage. We prefer washable
options like towels or fleece liners. Please be aware that pine and cedar bedding are toxic to rabbits. Aspen is
permissible.
12. Bunny toys. Nothing expensive is necessary. Bunnies love to play with cardboard boxes, shredded paper, paper
balls, small whiffle balls, socks, toilet paper tubes, plastic baby keys, and many more items that can be
found around the house.
13. Bunny- knowledgeable veterinarian. Please have the phone number of a veterinarian and back-up veterinarian who
are experienced in rabbit care by your phone, plus the numbers of one or two places your vet recommends for after-
hours emergencies, when s/he is not available. Bunnies always seem to wait until 8pm on a Sunday night to tell you
that something is wrong. Nothing leaves you feeling more helpless than not being able to find a knowledgeable
rabbit vet when you desperately need one for your furry friend.
14. Emergency supplies to combat GI Stasis. We strongly urge our families to keep a bottle or two of infant gas-relief
drops on hand. Most stores make their own version, but Mylicon drops are the biggest name brand. Bunnies can get
painful gas that causes them to stop eating. If you catch the warning signs of stasis quickly (not eating, not producing
poo balls normally), a dose or two of gas drops combined with some tummy massage can solve the problem quickly.
Sherwood Pet Health also makes two great products that you should keep in your emergency supplies - SARx Rescue
and SARx Rabbit, along with the dosing syringe that they sell are invaluable if you need to treat your rabbit quickly for
GI Stasis. SARx Rescue would be the next step (after gas drops and massage) to help keep your bunny's digestive
tract functioning. Once the poo balls begin to appear again, SARx Rabbit and a diet of hay only for 2-3 days should
keep bunny's tummy on the right track to healing.
When you are totally prepared, we will be ready and waiting to see you at Hot Cross Buns Holland Lops!
"Before Bunny Comes Home" will be updated periodically, so be sure to check back from time to time in case we find some fabulous new bunny products to share with you.