Caring for your cat
Rabbits and Guinea Pigs are great, easy to care for pets. Do not keep males and females of the same species together, unless you want babies! Two males together will fight unless they are brothers, so it is best to keep two females. Rabbits and Guinea Pigs can live together happily. They require a secure cage, bedding, suitable food and water.
Living area Food and nutrition Toilet training Exercise Grooming Health
Living area
Rabbits and Guinea Pigs can be kept indoors or outdoors. The hutch must allow plenty of room for movement, and there should be a sheltered area for the animal to sleep in. Rabbits and Guinea Pigs must always have a proper enclosure in which to live. It is not appropriate or safe for them to be free in a garden or house. The hutch must be predator proof and be well ventilated and protected from the elements and extremes of temperature. Take care to ensure the enclosure is not in direct sunlight in the heat of summer. The cage must be securely closed as small animals are good escape artists!
- Pets Wonderland stock a variety of indoor cages. These have a solid plastic base, which is easy to clean and hygienic.
- For outside, a Hutch is recommended.
- Use a mixture of hay and straw as bedding in the hutch. Rabbits and Guinea Pigs will eat hay as part of their diet, and straw is best for bedding as it is more absorbent.
- You will need to clean the hutch at least once a week using Aristopet hutch cleaner spray. Household disinfectants must not be used as these can be harmful to the animal.
- Food bowls should be deep and heavy, such as ceramic to prevent tipping over. A variety of Ceramic bowls are available.
- Water must be provided in a water bottle as small animals have a tendency to sit in their water. In summer, an insulated cover is essential to ensure there is always a supply of fresh cool water.
- Play things will help make the hutch an interesting place to be and give your rabbit or guinea pig much-needed opportunities to exercise its teeth and to get exercise in a limited space. Pets Wonderland sell a great range of wooden chew toys in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Food and nutrition
Rabbits and Guinea Pigs need a constant source of food as they graze throughout the day.
- Rabbit and Guinea Pig mix forms the staple part of their diet.
- Rabbit and Guinea Pig Pellets must also be fed regularly as rabbit and guinea pig’s teeth grow continually and the pellets help wear teeth down. Your rabbit or guinea pig will also enjoy a bit of Lucerne hay, and this will keep teeth in good shape too. If pellets aren’t fed as part of a regular diet their teeth may grow too long to eat and require veterinary attention to get them trimmed.
- All uneaten food must be discarded every day.
- Fresh fruit and vegetables should be fed 2 to 3 times a week in addition to their grain diet. Apples, Celery, Corn and Carrots are favourites, but too many leafy green vegetables should be avoided as these may cause diarrhoea, especially lettuce.
- A salt lick stone must be provided. Rabbits and Guinea Pigs can’t store salt in their body as they don’t get salt from their food, so the stone provides a supplement of salts and minerals to their diet. Aristopet small animal vitamin supplement should also be added to their water once a week for the same reason.
Toilet training
It is possible to train your rabbit to go to the toilet in a litter tray, which makes keeping the enclosure clean very easy and can be beneficial if you want to let your bunny out inside.
A corner litter tray should be used as it fits neatly into a corner of a hutch, ½ full with litter. Place a few droppings in the tray and leave the tray in the same spot. Rabbits will usually choose one area to go to the toilet in so this is a good place to start putting the tray. The rabbit will soon catch on and you will be able to move the tray around.
Exercise
Rabbits and Guinea Pigs benefit from having time outside of their hutch where they can safely explore other territory.
They can run very fast and escape easily, so a Harness and lead set should be used. Rabbits and Guinea Pigs won’t follow on a lead like dogs, you will need to follow them around as they explore. An extendable lead may be used to give them more room to run. An outdoor run can also be provided for extra room.
Grooming
Rabbits and Guinea pigs do shed and require brushing. This should be done regularly and from a young age so the animal gets used to it.
- Brushing with a specific small animal brush is an effective way of removing the hair.
- Aristopet bunny bubble bath or Aristopet small animal dry shampoo can also be used if the animal gets dirty or smelly. Never submerge the animal in water, rather sponge them with warm water so they don’t get a shock.
Health
Rabbits and Guinea Pigs can be effected by common pet issues such as mites, lice and worms. This can be easily prevented or managed:
- Rabbits and Guinea Pigs must be sprayed fortnightly with Aristopet small animal mite and lice spray. Remove the food from the enclosure and spray the whole thing including bedding, and the animal taking care to avoid the eyes.
- Rabbits and Guinea Pigs get intestinal worms just like any other animal. Aristopet small animal worming syrup should be added to their drinking water every 3 months. During worming time, this must be their only source of water to ensure they get the benefit of the Syrup.