How to care for your new Mini Rex bunny
Food -
Suggested amount is 1/2 of a cup dry pellets per day per rabbit.
** Pregnant does receive 1/2 cup up until 3 days before their delivery date. Once kits are born doe is fed free feed while nursing. Kits are removed from the mother 6-8 weeks of age depending on litter size and health of kits. Kits are then sold between 10-12 weeks, once again depending on health.
** Kits are fed free feed until age 4-6 months, then they are cut back to the 1/2 cup per day to prevent over growing.
Water - Rabbits are given fresh filtered water every 24 hours. You can apply vitamins and antibotics to water bottles to help prevent infections.
Bedding - We use Aspen shavings. They are safe for the rabbits unlike soft wood shavings and cut out a lot of the smell.
Litter Training - I recommend odorless and non-clumping cat liter . To litter train, allow bun to dirty entire cage litter. Then clean cage out completely and place a few droppings and a little "soaked" litter into the litter box. It might take 3-4 weeks for some buns to get the hang of it. Allow 2-3 months for baby kits.
Housing - We have custom built hutches that my husband made. One is an all wire cage that is 22" in length x 33" in width. The other is a wooden hutch that is 5 ft tall 2 ft deep and 3 1/2 ft wide.
Environment Rabbits can be kept inside your house, in a basement, or in a hutch outside. If outside in winter make sure they have lots of bedding and a heated light or in a building with a heater. If buns are kept outside in hot weather, make sure they have a frozen water bottle to lay on to keep cool during hot hours of the day. Rabbits MUST have proper ventilation, to keep cool. Over heating rabbits can have their ears misted with cool water.
VERY IMPORTANT - if moving a rabbit from a hot location to a cold or vice versa, the temperature change can only be 10-15 degrees MAX difference or the little bun could go into temperature shock. Their blood does not adjust as fast as some other animals, and can kill them.
Play time - Rabbits can be taken from their cage to play outside. Buns should not be allowed to "graze" on grass for extended periods of time. I recommend keeping them in a small fence SAFE from predators, even cats and dogs WITH A TOP (if not watched). Dogs can cause rabbits to become scared and go into shock and maybe die if they are scared, not to mention jump out of topless cages. It is best to introduce buns to other animals with a human present to assure both animals, no harm will be done. We allow our rabbits to jump around on the couch and when we put the dogs up we let them roam around the living room. It gives them excersize and they get people interaction.
Maintenance - Rabbits will have to have their claws clipped about once a month, or foot problems could arise. I prefer to use cat or small animal clippers . Rabbits will also shed 2 times per year. Rabbits rarely have to be bathed.
Breeding:
You may keep a ratio of one buck to 10 does if you wish. The buck may be bred up to 7 times a week effectively. Sometimes, you can use the buck twice in one day.
Only mate rabbits of the same breed. Exceptions to this include breeding for meat, pets or genetic experimentation.
Do not keep more than one rabbit in each cage when the rabbit is 3 months or older. Rabbits mature faster when alone, do not fight, and do not breed, thus eliminating unexpected results.
Before breeding, check the bottom of the cage of both the doe and buck for evidence of diarrhea or loose stools. Do not breed the rabbit having this condition until it has been adequately treated. Also check the genitals of both rabbits for any signs of disease or infection (for example, extreme redness, discharge, sores or scabbiness).
When ready to breed the doe, take it to the buck's cage. Never bring the buck to the doe's cage. The reason for this is that the buck has less tendency to breed in the doe's cage. He's too busy sniffing around the cage. Some leave the doe with the buck overnight. Others put the doe in, watch it, and when they have mated, remove the doe. If you do the latter, put the doe back in with the buck 1 to 2 hours after the initial breeding. This will increase the likelihood of pregnancy and may increase the number of offspring. Keep a calendar and accurate records of the day you breed the doe. You should test her for pregnancy between the 10th and 14th day after the initial breeding. There are two ways to do this. The overall preferred method is to palpate the lower abdomen of the doe with your thumb and forefinger checking for nodules about the size of a marble. It is possible for one horn to be fertilized on the first mating and the second to be fertilized on the second mating.
Suggested amount is 1/2 of a cup dry pellets per day per rabbit.
** Pregnant does receive 1/2 cup up until 3 days before their delivery date. Once kits are born doe is fed free feed while nursing. Kits are removed from the mother 6-8 weeks of age depending on litter size and health of kits. Kits are then sold between 10-12 weeks, once again depending on health.
** Kits are fed free feed until age 4-6 months, then they are cut back to the 1/2 cup per day to prevent over growing.
Water - Rabbits are given fresh filtered water every 24 hours. You can apply vitamins and antibotics to water bottles to help prevent infections.
Bedding - We use Aspen shavings. They are safe for the rabbits unlike soft wood shavings and cut out a lot of the smell.
Litter Training - I recommend odorless and non-clumping cat liter . To litter train, allow bun to dirty entire cage litter. Then clean cage out completely and place a few droppings and a little "soaked" litter into the litter box. It might take 3-4 weeks for some buns to get the hang of it. Allow 2-3 months for baby kits.
Housing - We have custom built hutches that my husband made. One is an all wire cage that is 22" in length x 33" in width. The other is a wooden hutch that is 5 ft tall 2 ft deep and 3 1/2 ft wide.
Environment Rabbits can be kept inside your house, in a basement, or in a hutch outside. If outside in winter make sure they have lots of bedding and a heated light or in a building with a heater. If buns are kept outside in hot weather, make sure they have a frozen water bottle to lay on to keep cool during hot hours of the day. Rabbits MUST have proper ventilation, to keep cool. Over heating rabbits can have their ears misted with cool water.
VERY IMPORTANT - if moving a rabbit from a hot location to a cold or vice versa, the temperature change can only be 10-15 degrees MAX difference or the little bun could go into temperature shock. Their blood does not adjust as fast as some other animals, and can kill them.
Play time - Rabbits can be taken from their cage to play outside. Buns should not be allowed to "graze" on grass for extended periods of time. I recommend keeping them in a small fence SAFE from predators, even cats and dogs WITH A TOP (if not watched). Dogs can cause rabbits to become scared and go into shock and maybe die if they are scared, not to mention jump out of topless cages. It is best to introduce buns to other animals with a human present to assure both animals, no harm will be done. We allow our rabbits to jump around on the couch and when we put the dogs up we let them roam around the living room. It gives them excersize and they get people interaction.
Maintenance - Rabbits will have to have their claws clipped about once a month, or foot problems could arise. I prefer to use cat or small animal clippers . Rabbits will also shed 2 times per year. Rabbits rarely have to be bathed.
Breeding:
You may keep a ratio of one buck to 10 does if you wish. The buck may be bred up to 7 times a week effectively. Sometimes, you can use the buck twice in one day.
Only mate rabbits of the same breed. Exceptions to this include breeding for meat, pets or genetic experimentation.
Do not keep more than one rabbit in each cage when the rabbit is 3 months or older. Rabbits mature faster when alone, do not fight, and do not breed, thus eliminating unexpected results.
Before breeding, check the bottom of the cage of both the doe and buck for evidence of diarrhea or loose stools. Do not breed the rabbit having this condition until it has been adequately treated. Also check the genitals of both rabbits for any signs of disease or infection (for example, extreme redness, discharge, sores or scabbiness).
When ready to breed the doe, take it to the buck's cage. Never bring the buck to the doe's cage. The reason for this is that the buck has less tendency to breed in the doe's cage. He's too busy sniffing around the cage. Some leave the doe with the buck overnight. Others put the doe in, watch it, and when they have mated, remove the doe. If you do the latter, put the doe back in with the buck 1 to 2 hours after the initial breeding. This will increase the likelihood of pregnancy and may increase the number of offspring. Keep a calendar and accurate records of the day you breed the doe. You should test her for pregnancy between the 10th and 14th day after the initial breeding. There are two ways to do this. The overall preferred method is to palpate the lower abdomen of the doe with your thumb and forefinger checking for nodules about the size of a marble. It is possible for one horn to be fertilized on the first mating and the second to be fertilized on the second mating.