Neverland Dwarf

Question
A few days ago i was given a Netherland dwarf rabbit as a birthday present. She is adorable but quite timid, i have a  bit of experience in owning rabbits but never a dwarf rabbit so i have a few questions to ask: Can dwarf rabbits live outside? my other rabbit is kept in a large enclosure but is a larger and more sturdy breed. Also we believe the rabbit to be about 4/5 weeks old although the person selling it said it was 8 weeks and we suspect it has fleas but after asking the vet they told us it was too young and too light to receive any treatment so we are unsure whether to leave it a few weeks or by some from a petstore? Are there any specific things different from this breed than any others that i should know about? I would be grateful for any help and advice given.

Answer
Hi Kate

Hi There

Four to five weeks old is old enough in dwarf breeds to be away from the Mother. Larger breeds tend to take longer to mature. They usually are ready to leave the Mother after 8 weeks. Smaller breeds mature faster and are usually on solids by about 3-4 weeks.

Dwarf breeds are fine to live outside as well. I have always kept my dwarf rabbits outside up to about -15. After that, I would bring them in because their ears etc can get frostbitten.

Fleas are common this time of year. And they are a pain to get rid of. If you see flea dirt throughout the rabbits hair then that is a sure sign that the animal has fleas. Try using a flea comb. Often the rabbits fur is too fine, but it depends on the breed. I actually just shaved my two mini lops because it is so much easier to get the fleas out.

Another option is to bathe the baby with lemon juice/ apple cider vinegar. It doesn't necessarily kill them all, but when the animal is wet you can see them and get them out so much easier. I would personally avoid pet store products because they are very toxic and the chemicals are harsh. Most are designed for cats or dogs and not rabbits. Furthermore, they usually say specifically not to use in kittens less than 12 weeks of age.

I have read good things about Neem oil as well. It is safe to use on pets and a lot of people swear by it. You should be able to find it at a drug store. I would treat them because the poor bunny will scratch herself raw otherwise. Once she breaks the skin then they can get in the open sores and that will present a whole new set of problems.

Once she is old enough for advantage, this is by far the best product for rabbits. I don't know how old she has to be, but the vet would. Once the colder weather hits she will be rid of the fleas.

Other than size, there is little difference between rabbits. They have different personalities of course and the smaller sizes tend to mature faster then the large breeds. They will reach sexual maturity at about 4 months rather than about 8 months with large breeds.

Start integrating other foods into the diet at about 16 weeks. I have actually never owned a large breed so I'm not sure what age is recommended for the large breeds.

Dwarfs can also be slightly more temperamental than the larger breeds who are more laid back. Not always, but I notice especially with females they tend to be aggressive over their territory and cage etc.

Hope this helps.

Alice