Rabbit Run
A Rabbit Run are a must if you were planning to get a rabbit or any other such small animal as a pet, then this guide will be useful for you. We tell you all that you need to keep ready when you get a small animal as a pet. You must know a rabbit or a hamster is completely different from a dog or cat. They need to be cared for differently.
Even before you go ahead and purchase your pet, you need to make your house ready for the pet. Your pet needs food, a place to stay, and many other things. All these need to be in place before you make the purchase. This guide tells you all the things you need to consider before you buy a small animal as a pet.
Things to consider before you get a small animal or Rabbit run
1. The Animal Home
Your new pet needs a home to stay in. Unlike dogs and cats, you cannot allow these small animals to move freely. They would be at danger and would also mess up the house. You can Buy a Rabbit Run to house the rabbit that you buy as a pet. While buying a run for your rabbit, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- The run is the rabbit’s home that keeps it secure and protects it from the weather. Dogs and cats can attack a rabbit, so it needs a hutch where it can be safe from predators.
- The hutch should ideally have two parts. One part should be large with sufficient light. This is where the rabbit would move around and get its exercise. This part should have a toilet area. The other part of the hutch should be dark with the rabbit’s bedding for it to sleep.
- Ideally, get a hutch made of wood. Ensure it is properly ventilated. Avoid hutches with wire flooring as it can hurt the rabbit’s foot.
- While getting a hutch, ensure it is at least 4 times the length of your rabbit. Anything lesser than it makes the hutch cramped.
- If you want to give your rabbit more space to move around, you can attack an unused children’s pen to the hutch. This will give it more space to exercise.
- It is important to clean the hutch alternate days to prevent pest infestation.
- Apart from spending time in the hutch, you should take your rabbit to the garden or backyard for some time. This will allow it to get more exercise, dig, and also forage. Make sure you are there to prevent any accidents or predator attacks.
If you are getting a hamster, then you need to buy a good quality Hamster Cage. Here are a few specific things to look for while buying a hamster cage.
- A wired cage is ideal since it has good ventilation. A glass tank is a better option since the hamster won’t bite the wires, and you can see the hamster play at all times.
- Proper cleaning of the cage is essential. This prevents tick and other pest growth.
- Avoid plastic cages as the hamster can bite and swallow the plastic.
- A hamster wheel in the cage allows the hamster to get the exercise it needs.
When you buy a Guinea Pig Run to house your new pet guinea, keep the following in mind:
- The run should be around 42 x 24 inches with addition 4 square feet for every extra guinea.
- The height of the run should be around 18 inches.
- The run or cage can be made from wire, metal, or glass. Plastic can be avoided.
- Ensure the run is sufficiently ventilated.
- You can keep a cardboard box inside the run for the guinea pig to sleep or to hide when it feels like doing so.
2. Bedding for a Rabbit Run
The hutch, rabbit run, or cage is only a place to stay. Your little pet needs to be comfortable and would require bedding. For a rabbit, bedding made of soft hay is good enough. The bedding needs to be cleaned regularly.
For a hamster, you can use aspen shavings as the bedding. This allows your hamster to burrow through the shavings, which is natural. You can also make bedding from paper and wood pellets. Paper towels also make for a good bedding if you don’t find shavings or pellets.
The run for the guinea pig can have wood shavings or newspapers (shredded). Avoid using saw dust for the bedding. Grass hay is a good option since it serves as food and bedding.
3. Food suitable for a Rabbit Run
Before you go ahead and buy your new pet, you need to know about its food requirements. You cannot feed small animals the same food you eat or what you feed a dog or cat. Knowing about these requirements will help you keep food supplies ready before making a purchase. The following is the food requirement for rabbits:
- Rabbits are strictly herbivores. They need young leaves from plants and bushes. You can also feed them grass and hay. It is important that they have access to fresh grass and hay.
- Feed your rabbits vegetables like broccoli, celery, cabbage, and lettuce. A minimum of 2 cups of vegetables should be fed per day. Carrots should be given sparingly since they are high in sugar.
- Avoid feeding muesli. Instead, get rabbit food that is available in the form of nuggets. You can give it one spoon of this food every day. You must know your rabbit needs a high fiber diet to be healthy.
If you get a hamster, then pellets available commercial is a good option. You can even offer seeds as food. Vegetables, fruits, and nuts are other diet options to consider. Cooked vegetables can also be given. Cheese is a food your hamster will enjoy but give it as a treat not as regular food. Avoid feeding your hamster chocolates, onion, garlic, raw potato, or salt.
A guinea pig can have slightly different food needs than a hamster. Grass and fresh vegetables are the main sources of food for your guinea pig. Apart from fresh vegetables and grass, provide sufficient fresh water for the guinea pig to drink.