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"Rabits often eat carrots and twitch their noses. But they're capable of much, much more than that, and it's only bu truly sharing space and time with a rabbit that a human can begin to learn the sounds, postures and movements that signal fear, happiness, contentment, rage, affection"

 

- Susan Davis and Margo Demello from Stories Rabbits Tell

Basics About Rabbit Behavior

 

  • Rabbits are prey animals and their natural response to a perceived threat is often is to run and hide.

  • They need regular gentle handling from an early age.

  • Offer your rabbits lots of bolt holes/hiding places within their home and areas they have access to. 

  • If a rabbit is scared, they may thump and hide away.

  • Rabbits communicate through body langauge - click here for more informaiton on bunny body language.

 

 

Rabbits love chewing electrical cords and furniture - this is a normal behaviour and you must never punnish your rabbit. You need to be wise and protect your belongings and your rabbit as you would with any child. For more ideas, click on the links below:

 

 

 

 

 

Want to see how to handle a rabbit?

Click here (video)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rabbit Toys - some ideas

 

  • Tunnels (Large plumbing tubes are great and can be baught at your hardware but sand off any sharp edges)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Safe, unsprayed twigs from a plumb tree with the leaves removed (these can be hung up so that your rabbit can pull them down).

 

  • Suitable toys (there are some baby toys that you can buy at the Crazy Store that are great for rabbits to throw around) or you can purchase toys from Pet Habitat http://pethabitat.co.za/ .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Digging Box (click here for more information)

 

  • Planter filled with earth for digging.

 

  • Constant access to safe hiding places (such as cardboard boxes)

 

  • Cardboard boxes.

 

  • Put food in multiple places so they have to move around to find it

IT IS NORMAL FOR RABBITS TO CHEW THINGS. IF THEY CHEWED SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO YOU IT IS ONLY BECAUSE YOU LEFT IT OUT YOURSELF. NEVER PUNISH YOUR RABBIT.

NEVER SUBMERGE YOUR RABBIT IN WATER.

 

RABBITS DO NOT NEED TO BE BATHED LIKE DOGS. BATHING THEM IS VERY STRESSFUL AND CAN CAUSE HYPOTHERMIA.

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