Caged rabbit

Question
I have had my rabbit for about a month or two before i got a cage. Now that i leave him in the cage he shakes the cage with his teeth almost none stop.  Will this cause problems with his teeth? and if so what should i do?

Answer
Dear Heather,

Once a bunny has had the taste of freedom, it is as unkind to cage him as it would be to cage a dog, cat or human.  He's rattling the cage because he *wants out.*  And yes, it is possible he could harm his teeth, though it's not all that likely.  I would worry much more about damage to his psyche and mental wellbeing than his teeth.  Rabbits need to be free to run and play.

Our rabbits are never caged. They run free in the house, as would a dog or cat (or the humans!).  They are litterbox trained, and love their freedom.  Your bunny is undoubtedly intelligent and interactive, and just wants his due. :)

You can read more about litterbox training here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/training.html

and how to bunny-proof the home here:

www.rabbit.org/  (use the search engine at the bottom of the page to input "bunny proofing" and find a wealth of information.

It's important to have bun spayed or neutered to ensure good litterbox habits (not to mention long term health), and you can read about this here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/spay.html

I hope this helps get you started.  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana