Most of the requests for help with rabbits that we receive are by telephone. We get emails concerning many different rabbit problems, emergencies and general questions.
A letter requesting help arrived today!! (What would you do??? What would you say??)
The letter said: "We found someones rabbit last night. We have it in a small cage for now but I do not know much about rabbits. What should I feed it, what should I use for its water, what kind of habitat should we give it till we can find its owners? Could you please give us some advice??
It is important to find out whether the person has ever cared for a rabbit before.
My first email in reply: Oh Boy!! Sometimes rabbits are let loose because owners are tired of "caring" for rabbits-which I hope is not the situation here. Hopefully the rabbit is friendly and calm and then you can enjoy it! Rabbits eat grass (hay ) , carrots, fruits (apple slices, banana, and for a balanced diet they are usually fed rabbit pellets. (from the grocer or feed store) Freshwater is important. They can drink from a bowl or water bottle attached to the cage. You can contact the local paper and have the rabbit listed in Lost & Found or place a sign in your yard " Lost Rabbit Found" Rabbits need protection against extreme cold or heat as well as stray dogs & various predators. The feeding time is usually once a day and is based on the size of the rabbit. Small bunnies need 1/3 cup of pellets while larger rabbits weighing over 5 lbs need 1/2 c then 8 lb rabbits 2/3 cup or a giant rabbit gets 1 c etc. Hopefully the rabbit is not injured, or been in the wild to pick up fleas, ticks etc. It would be good to inspect the rabbit or find someone locally to check it's health.
Letter #2
I have talked with all my neighbors and only two knew of the rabbit and only because they have seen it around our houses for about 3 weeks. We visited our neighborhood but no one claimed him. Today I went to the pet store we were able to buy some pine bedding and pellets and I have been feeding it romaine lettuce and apples. I was going to get it some other veggies but the pet store lady said only as a treat with the pellets. We also bought a water bottles for it as it seems to not like to bowl. I'm not sure what gender it is but after some research on the internet -I think its a Dutch. It seems pretty healthy, I could not find any mites or fleas on it. We have named it Destiny and he/she lets me pick it up and does not fight or struggle to much. I would say it wieghts about 3 lbs. I guess we will have to take it to our local vet to be sure. If we do end up keeping it what kind of habitat should we keep it in. I hate to see it caged up mabey we could build something so it could live in our back yard free from harm or escape any input would be very appreciated..thanks. P.S this rabbit likes to knock over its feeding bowl, should I not use a bowl and just put it down on the pine bedding? What Kind of toys should we give it? We did buy hay pellets for it to help with the digestion and urine track.
Reply #2 It is true that the feed should be pellets on a regular daily basis to keep the bunny on a regular schedule (lettuce and too much change of diet will produce loose stools-not good!) Also a roomy cage (for a small rabbit-18x24)in a shelter is best . The rabbit will adapt quicker to you and your provision for its needs and will respond even better when you release the rabbit for visits, exercise etc. It will establish a corner in the cage for the "droppings" which can be composted and used in any and all garden areas or mulch areas. (We have cages with wire floors so that all dropping "go through" and the rabbit is always clean. There are rest pads (or floor areas) also in our hutches and cages. Get a hanging feeder then there is not loss of feed/overturned bowls. Destiny is a good name :) The rabbits will play with anything but you need to use sticks to chew on (pine or hard wood) a cardboard roll from the paper towels is good. Avoid the store junk made in China due to the dyes & paints, toxic plastics etc. SOunds like you now have a pet bunny!
Note: What more information would you recommend we give???