Avoid These Rabbit Care Mistakes!

There's a lot of misinformation about rabbit care. A lot of this is based on old and outdated practices along with improper marketing and perception of rabbits as pets. Learn about some of the common mistakes, and what you can do to avoid making them.

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HAY:

PELLETS:

ENCLOSURE:

TOYS:

TREATS:

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My name is Amy and I am the Bunny Lady!

I am a lifelong rabbit lover and have been specializing with rabbits at my local animal shelter. I am here to make sure all of you rabbit caretakers have everything you need to have a happy and healthy bunny in your home.

My mission is to help you fellow rabbit lovers get all the resources you need to help your rabbits thrive. A happy bunny is the best companion, and they are worth all the trouble those little fluffballs cause.

[TheFarmat]

I think the most important point you make is confusing feeding with treating.

[BrandyinIndy]

Rabbits are considered exotic pets so vet care is harder to find and very expensive. These animals should never be dependent upon a child for care or to teach responsibility. It is a very serious, yet so rewarding, lifelong commitment for the bunny's life.

[stephaniesanchez]

I literally died when your bunny gave u a high five She is so cuteee!

[Nalopotato]

I've had one rabbit for over a year now, and got the 2nd one in October, so I'm definitely familiar with ownership now, but these videos are still VERY helpful, and a lot of the videos are good refreshers. So thank you for doing this! :)

[AJ-Lohinska]

This is pretty good, but my lagomorpha (rabbit/hare etc., ) specialist vet, strongly advised against lettuce of *any* kind. His recommendation was to try, as you've very kindly advised, to replicate what they would eat in the wild. Lettuce, even those romaine lettuce, and some other things some might give their rabbits, are far too high in water content, but lettuce is notorious for digestive problems in rabbits. The majority of gut problem rabbits he sees, their humans always mention they give them lettuce.
He said, in the wild, they would eat grass mainly, and safe herbs, definitely twigs (like hazel wood, willow, apple, etc., for keeping their perpetually growing teeth from overgrowing or developing spurs, and of course, their favourite dandelion leaves. Those can be grown in pots indoors, by the way, as can parsley, which is also a favourite too. Carrots have too much sugar content, so that's a bit of a myth too.
Basically he recommended *99% hay* + water, with the greens but not too much, and you're right, always make sure they have access to *fresh* water.
Over the years I've had many rescue lagomorphs from shelters, so yes, "adopt don't shop" as the bunny motto goes! My guys have always lived with the freedom to roam the entire house, danger-proofed like they are toddlers, no cables exposed to chew through. I use wooden slats and chicken wire to make a kind of door to hang on the other side of the doorframe as an extra door that I can close while leaving the solid door open, if for example there is a room I don't want them to have access to. They can still see you, but it keeps them safe if there are things they could hurt themselves on in there.
Always remember their bones are far more fragile than a cats, so they mustn't fall from heights that could break their delicate bone structure. Smooth flooring can be tricky for them to grasp which will limit how they run, they slide too much, usually.
Their skin is incredibly delicate, it 'tents', as my vet called it and that hurts and stays tender like damaged skin, if you were to comb them and tug on it in the slightest, so softish normal brush like a pure bristle hairbrush, is far kinder.
Twigs and hay diet, really are their best chance at not having dental problems. Since I found that vet years ago, my bunny's teethe have never had any problems, thankfully.

[BrandyinIndy]

Yes my bun is most comfortable being near me, but not being held. Its important to keep their feet or at least one foot on the ground while playing with or grooming time. ❤ Never cradle your bun on their back. Ever. And it is critical to know how to pick them up safely. Great video!! Hay is essential.

[ReasieRoo]

Precious Bunny Lady, in what part of the world do you live?
I only ask because your vocal resonance and subtle accent are like nothing that I’ve ever heard before.
Your voice is lovely. Your vocal quality is ideal for a YouTube video, but ALSO for reading childrens’ books online, etc.
God bless you and your Elly.

[RabbitAndTheLabBestFriends]

My bunny runs up to me to be picked up and loves to be held and rocked to sleep

[NattyLyte]

Thank you for this! We love our bunny CinnaBun and will definitely try our best to give him a happy, healthy life!🐇

[hopelessboi]

Ok im glad I got to know why one of my rabbits runs away every time we approach her. I knew it had to do something with constantly picking her up, since i have little siblings they literally ask to hold the rabbits EVERYDAY and more than twice a day, I always say no when my mom isn't home but they will always call her and she will always say yes. Glad to have an actual excuse to tell the kids they can't hold them.

[RestorationDream]

Hello! I am so glad I found your channel. I have had two rabbits before the last one passed away in March and I have missed them so much. They both died as senior citizens. Today I rescued to abuse case bunnies around 10 weeks old. I have never had bunnies before. So I need help with litter box training. Thank you for making these videos. They are so helpful. People really misunderstand them. My two new bunnies are still scared of me but have already started doing binkies and enjoying their new enclosures. They are Holland lops in a dark brown and tan color. So sweet!

[guitarman]

So glad your channel is growing. Well deserved. Your content is always so useful and practical. No fluff, just solid info. Well, no fluff besides

[lenajazuk]

I switched my bunny to Sherwood Timothy free choice pellets and surprisingly being a picky boy he loves it

[lebogangmabaso]

Thank you very much! I am getting a bunny on Friday 😁 your videos have helped me so much

[davimurph]

It was lovely to see how excited Ellie got when you let her out at about 12:00

[scottmb]

Thanks for these pointers Amy! What about fleas? Pointing out the different ways to deal with fleas on a rabbit would be most helpful!

[timb]

A neighbor across the street has two huge bunnies or rabbits in an 8x8 cage for the past two years now. It disturbs me, they just sit there all day doing nothing. Seems mean to me. I think any wold animal kept as pets is wrong, unless there's an issue with the animal where it won't survive out in the wild on its own. This video popped up probably because I'm currently trying to research how to keep bunnies from eating all my flowers in the yard. Last year I didn't have alot of flowers and I noticed a big bunnie would sit in the lawn and eat all the clover, this year I don't have any clover since I sprayed for weeds and the lawn is looking great. I planted a nice wild flower garden that is growing great and also planted a bunch of wave pentunias all around the yard. Few weeks ago I noticed it looked like a mother bunnie with a tiny little baby bunnie, the thing is so cute, it runs so quick all over the place it's comical. But now I noticed the baby is hanging out in its own, found it camped out in the wild flower garden and tons of half eaten flowers. I had to put up a short fence around the garden out of chicken wire to keep it out and it seems to be working. I also mix hot sauce and water and spray it all over my pentunias and the bunnies seem to stay away from them now. The bunnies are still around, see them all the time. I find there waste in piles in the lawn and noticed crabgrass growing there, they must be eating weeds and spreading the seeds all over my lawn. Bunnies are cute but can be a menace.

[ΓιώργοςΚαλογεράκης-τη]

i love your channel its clearly the best bunny based one!!! im even surprise u dobt have millions of subscribers :( i hope youll get viral in no time :)

[seanweiss]

Thanks for these videos, esp the firework one... Definitely been making some of these mistakes with my 3 buns. Thanks for the advice and well be looking forward to your weekly videos!

[r.i.c.otherapper]

My rabbit loves to freakin cuddle on the ground. He literally will thump at me until If I don’t do it a few times a day