Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Rabbits > I KNOW NOTHING !

I KNOW NOTHING !

22 10:42:43

Question
hello i have many questions to ask
1 is romane lettuce healthy for dwarf rabbits
2 is it a goodidea to feed a dwarf rabbit fruit
3 how big of a cage does a dwarf rabbit need
4 how big do dwarf rabbirs get
5 can a dwarf rabbit use a litter box how big does it need to be
6 what kind of bedding & litter does he/she need
7 does dwarf rabbits need timthoy hay


Answer
I'll start off with your diet questions first.

1.  Romaine is a really good lettuce to feed your rabbit
2.  Fruit is ok in small doses
3.  And adult rabbit needs timothy hay, a young rabbit alfalfa

A balanced diet for your rabbit should consist of a little bit of a high fiber pellet.  Lots of vegetables, and unlimited hay.  A proper diet is very important for rabbits.  An improper diet can make rabbits sick and possible kill them.
These sites provide more information on dietary guidelines for rabbits:
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html
http://www.rabbit.org/care/veggies.html
http://www.rabbit.org/care/fruits.html
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-3/fiber.html
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/treat.html

In terms of housing, for bedding, never use cedar and be careful with pine shavings.  Oven/kiln dried pine shavings are safe for rabbits along with the wood pellets for fireplaces.  Some people think corn litter can cause health problems.  Cedar can kill your rabbit.  Aspen shavings are safe, along with newspaper litters.  Hay can also be used in the litter box.  Don't use kitty litter, it can cause health problems also.

Avoid the triangle shaped litter boxes.  Most rabbits I've been around don't like them.  Rabbits really like to hang out in their litter boxes.  All my rabbits use their litter box as a sanctuary and go there first when startled.  Cat/kitten litter boxes or even plastic storage containers make good litter boxes.
For more discussion on litter see this list:
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabcare.html#litter

The House Rabbit Society recommends that the cage be at least 4 times larger than the rabbit.  Unfortunately, many cages sold in stores are too small and use wire flooring.  Wire flooring can cause damage to a rabbit's feet.  Large dog crates, puppy pens, and homemade cages work really well.

For more information on cages see:
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/housing.html
This site shows you how to make a cage yourself.  I've done this for my guinea pigs.  It's pretty easy.
http://www.guineapigcages.com/howto.htm

This page has pictures of cages made for rabbits:
http://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/showgallery.php?cat=531&password=
And here's many sites with more information and ideas for caging:
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabcare.html#house

The biggest a dwarf rabbit will probably get is around 6 pounds.  Some may stay half that size.

If you haven't already, find the book the House Rabbit Handbook 4th ed.  
And bookmark these sites:
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html
http://www.rabbit.org/index.html
http://www.paperglyphs.com/rabbits/rabbittalk.html