The dwarf ram rabbit is the symbol of sympathy, with its small size and drooping ears. They are a breed of small rabbits that weigh only 1.5-2 kg when they reach full maturity. If you learn to care for them properly, your little friend can have a healthy and happy life in your home.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Prepare a Home for him
Step 1. Set up a cage for the bunny
Before you even take the animal home, you need to prepare its home. Look for one with a minimum size of 0.10m2 for each half kilo of weight of the adult rabbit; in the case of a dwarf ram rabbit, this means a cage of at least 0.4m2. It is a very active animal, so you need to make sure it has plenty of space in which to move and run. The width of the enclosure should be at least one and a half times the length of the adult rabbit, while the length of the cage should be at least three times that of the rabbit. For example, if the animal is 30 cm long, the width should be at least 50 cm and the length 90 cm; these are the dimensions suitable only for holding the rabbit.
You must then prepare the space for the litter, for the bowls of food, water and for a container in which the animal can rest; therefore, in the end you should get a cage that is at least double the space initially calculated
Step 2. Install an appropriate base in the cage
Make sure it is solid and not made of wire mesh, as this could injure the pads of the animal's paws, as well as the fact that those of a small specimen such as the dwarf ram could get stuck in the net and injure themselves. Place a piece of carpet or wood on the bottom that covers the entire floor of the cage.
- You can also use a piece of fleece fabric, because if the rabbit eats it, it doesn't have too long fibers left in the digestive tract.
- You can also place newspaper under the cage, but don't use it as a substrate.
Step 3. Determine if you want to keep the cage indoors or outdoors
There are advantages in both cases. Rabbits that stay indoors usually live longer, are happier and more sociable; those that stay outdoors are very lively, but susceptible to climate and temperature changes, exposed to predators, mites, flies, fleas and other complications.
- If you want to keep your friend indoors, but have limited space for him to play, you can also set up a cage outside to give the pet moments of play and movement.
- An outdoor run is easier to clean and gives the rabbit much more space to play and run around. If you opt for this solution, make sure not to expose it to direct sunlight and drafts, do not keep it in a humid area or subject to extreme temperatures and loud noises; it should also have a roof to shelter the rabbit from the rain. Make sure your pet is protected from predators, including cats and dogs.
Step 4. Insert the substrate
It is important to add it to the cage, as it serves as a "bed" for the animal; get an edible one, because the rabbit tends to eat it. Grass hay, timothy grass, a natural fiber blanket, paper pellets, or other organic products are all great alternatives.
- Add adequate amounts so that the rabbit can rummage around, move around, and dig when he wants to.
- Check the substrate every day and clean it if necessary. The rabbit shouldn't use it as a toilet, but if this happens, you need to provide him with a larger space to move, exercise and walk. Dirty substrate can attract flies, fleas and other pests.
- Do not use straw, cardboard, newspaper, wood shavings, sawdust, cat litter, or derivatives of cedar or pine as a substrate, as these are all materials that can harm the rabbit.
Step 5. Get him a litter box
Put a box inside the cage where he can do his business. If you have a dwarf ram rabbit, a medium-sized plastic box, such as one for cats, should suffice; however, it is better for it to be slightly larger rather than too small. Then add some hay in it, under which you can put some rabbit-safe substrate.
- Have a eating area and a bathroom space at either end of the cage. in the first, the rabbit can gnaw clean hay, while in the second you have to place the litter box where it can do its business.
- If you have more than one, get a very large box or several individual containers for the various animals.
- Change hay often to keep it clean. The rabbit uses the clean litter box, but avoids the dirty one. You have to change it at least every two days; To proceed, simply throw the old hay in the trash, add the new rabbit-safe hay and wash the box.
- You should keep the animal locked in the cage until it learns to use the "bathroom" regularly.
Step 6. Create a space for it to hide
Rabbits are naturally fearful animals and tend to hide from predators, loud noises or other elements that could scare them. You must therefore provide your little friend with places to burrow, such as a cardboard box, a tunnel system made with rolls of cardboard or an enclosed area, with a low roof and easily accessible; if you wish, you can purchase this type of "burrows" at pet stores.
Part 2 of 4: Making the Home Safe for the Rabbit
Step 1. Consider giving the rabbit an indoor space
If you decide to keep it indoors, you need to choose a room where it can move freely; make sure there is a litter box, a manger with hay, a bowl for food and another for water. Place a mat under the containers to protect the floor from spills. Inside the room you can put cardboard constructions, a small house in which he can climb and move, a fence or a cage.
Step 2. Cover or remove each electrical wire
Rabbits chew continuously; if you have decided to let your little friend wander around in a room, you must protect him by removing or covering all cables that could represent a danger; hide and protect them by inserting them in long hard plastic tubes on which you made a longitudinal incision just to pass the electrical wires. Optionally, you can also insert the cables behind the wood trims or fixtures or you can wrap them in spiral grommets or use a panel to hide them from view.
Step 3. Protect baseboards and furniture from rabbit teeth
This animal chews on accessories, door edges and furniture legs; it can also gnaw on wallpaper, plasterboard and carpet. Put a plank on any item the rabbit wants to chew; place cardboard or a board with a 5x10 cm section under the furniture, so that the rabbit cannot dig into the soft elements. You can also put clear plastic panels on the walls to keep them from nibbling.
Watch your little friend closely as he wanders around the room and provide him with items that he can chew if you see him trying to gnaw on other furniture or components in the house
Step 4. Provide several items for him to chew
To discourage him from gnawing on items he shouldn't, you have to offer him others that are allowed instead, such as alfalfa cubes, hay hidden in cardboard tubes, fresh wood branches (apple, willow or poplar only) or rolled up cotton towels..
Part 3 of 4: Feed him
Step 1. Place a water bowl in the cage
You can use a drinking bottle or a ceramic bowl; although the former is easier to clean, rabbits generally prefer to drink from a saucer.
If you allow your little friend to roam freely around the room, make sure he always has plenty of water available
Step 2. Give him hay
Rabbits need an adequate amount of fiber each day, as well as moist foods to keep their intestines healthy; otherwise, they can contract some disease and even die. One of the cornerstones of dwarf ram rabbit nutrition is high quality hay and you should guarantee them an unlimited amount. Make sure you throw out any leftover or wet food in the trash and give him more fresh food every day.
Hay is more suitable than alfalfa, which is too rich in protein, calcium and is not a good solution as a regular meal, but only as an occasional delicacy
Step 3. Feed him the food pellets
It represents another basic component of its diet; it is better than grain or seed mixes and is specially formulated to deliver all the nutrients your rabbit needs. If a specimen is fed with mixtures of seeds or cereals, it generally tends to eat only the parts it likes best, avoiding the other ingredients and therefore following an unbalanced diet.
- An adult dwarf ram rabbit should eat about 15-25g of pellets per day.
- Remember to change the food every day, so that the animal always has fresh products.
Step 4. Give him some vegetables
Green leafy ones are important for his nutrition, because they provide him with the fiber and hydration he needs. You can offer them any type of lettuce (except iceberg lettuce because it is nutrient-deficient), Chinese cabbage, broccoli stems and leaves, carrot leaves and dandelions. Don't give your little friend more than 30-50g of these vegetables every day.
Step 5. Offer him some tasty treats
The rabbit can eat starchy vegetables such as carrots and fresh fruit, but only a few spoonfuls a day; you must never give him food for human consumption, apart from corn or other grains. Maintain a diet based primarily on hay, pellets, and leafy greens.
Part 4 of 4: Caring for the Rabbit
Step 1. Take him to the vet
Most of these rabbits remain healthy as long as they are fed properly; however, you need to take your little friend to the vet once a year for a checkup and make sure he is okay. The doctor checks his teeth to make sure they are wearing out correctly; otherwise, he could file them to avoid injuries to his mouth or teeth.
Step 2. Castrate or sterilize it
You should neuter the male or spay the female when she is 4 to 6 months old. This way, you can avoid unwanted litters if you keep two of the opposite sex in the same cage, as well as inhibiting bad behavior, such as defining territory with urine or aggressive behavior. This procedure also avoids the risk of cancer and reproductive system infections.
Step 3. Look for signs of illness
A rabbit that follows a proper diet usually remains in good health. However, you must be aware of any symptoms of pathology; for example, refuses to eat or drink, has diarrhea, does not defecate for a day, has runny nose, nasal or eye discharge, skin is swollen and red, loses body hair, does not jump or move as usual, he is unable to use his hind legs, urine is dark or red or he has a fever above 40 ° C.
You must never ignore these symptoms; if you notice them, you should contact your vet right away for a visit
Advice
- Some handcrafted and fun toys you can offer them are: a thick cardboard box filled with hay, rolls of cardboard such as those of kitchen paper, toilet paper or wrapping paper or cardboard boxes lined up to create a tunnel.
- You can also fill a large paper bag with crumpled newspaper (and some treats) to give him another fun game he can explore and dig into.
Warnings
- If you don't grab the rabbit correctly, he can react with very strong kicks with the risk of breaking his back; hold it carefully with one hand under the hindquarters and the other under the chest.
- Typically, the rabbit produces soft stools during the night, which it then eats to help its digestive system; if he doesn't have diarrhea and is perfectly healthy, you don't have to worry.
- Go slowly when introducing a new food to your diet, whether it's leafy greens or fruit / vegetables. give him only a few pieces a day so as not to trigger intestinal problems.
