A lot of time, care and effort goes into the rearing of our kits. Behind every well bred animal is a breeder who has lost sleep, missed important events ... and loves their animals unconditionally. Our aim is to give our kits the best start in life so that they are happy and confident in the world around them.
At NorthPaws our Bunnies are housed in an adapted outbuilding, they have two hutches to use as they wish however, they are free to roam the outbuilding at all time. NorthPaws kits are born and raised within a family group with access to all of the enclosure and are handled daily once their eyes are open and they are moving out of their snuggly nest. If you were to come to view our babies you will see them in their home with both parents and ‘Auntie’.
Under section nine of The Animal Welfare Act (2006) all owners are legally obliged to make reasonable steps to ensure they are meeting the Five Welfare Needs of any animal in their care:
1. A suitable place to live: rabbits are active animals so they need to be able to hop, run, jump, dig, stand fully upright on their back legs, and stretch out fully when lying down. They need regular and frequent opportunities to exercise every day to stay fit and healthy, as well as an appropriate place to toilet.
2. A healthy diet: rabbits are grazers and in the wild they eat only grass and other plants in fact, your rabbits’ digestive systems must have hay and/or grass in order to function properly.
3. The ability to behave normally for their species: rabbits are highly social, playful and inquisitive animals and need to interact and play with other friendly rabbits. Many rabbits also enjoy interacting with people through gentle petting and positive reward-based training
4. To be housed with, or apart, from other animals: rabbits are naturally sociable and normally prefer to be with another rabbit.A rabbit left on their own can develop abnormal behaviour and may suffer if left without company and nothing to do for long periods of time.
5. Protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease: rabbits feel pain in the same way as other mammals, including people, but they are not very good at showing outward signs of pain and may be suffering a great deal before you notice anything is wrong.
Getting ready for bunny ...
We ask all our new owners to plan for the arrival of their new bunny as much as possible. This may seem strange but if you are thinking you can just set up the hutch and leave them to it, then they are not the pet for you. A rabbit is a life long commitment and one that should not be taken lightly, they make amazing pets but first and foremost they are animals who have their own needs which as their owner you are responsible for.
When you get a new rabbit, you want to make them feel at home with you and your family. You want to have the perfect rabbit enclosure set up, so your rabbit will be happy and comfortable. There is no one ‘perfect’ way to care for all rabbits because every rabbit and every situation is different. It’s up to you how you look after your rabbits, but you must take reasonable steps to ensure that you meet all their needs.
You don’t need a whole lot of fancy supplies when it’s time to set up an enclosure for your new bunny. You only need to get a pen big enough for your rabbit and supplies for your rabbit to play, hide, eat, and poop. There are, of course, a lot of other fun toys and accessories you can get for your rabbit, but not all of those expensive accessories are strictly necessary. It can be a lot of fun to give your rabbit new toys or watch them investigate their latest piece of furniture, but as long as you have these basic supplies ready, then your rabbit will be set up for success in their new home.
Hiding house: You want to give your rabbit a place where they can hide to feel safe. This can be anything from a hiding den, a cat cube or even a plain cardboard box.
Food bowl and water bottle: While the food bowl can be small, you will want to get a heavy ceramic one for your rabbit as they often have the habit of flipping their bowl over if they get bored.
Litter box and litter: if you plan to litter train, please read our litter training guide
Toys: rabbits love to play and explore so a variety of toys, bought and homemade, will help to make their lives exciting and prevent boredom.
Hay feeder: Hay is the most significant part of a rabbit’s diet, so you will want to have a feeder that lifts the hay off the ground so they don’t toilet on their feed
Secure enclosure: Remember rabbits can jump and like to dig, however their enclosure needs to be big enough for them to lay down fully stretched, stand up on their back legs and offers them protection for prey.
Before collecting ...
We suggest you get a ‘cat carrier’ for the collection of your bunnies so they are secure in the car. This will also be useful if/when you need to make a vet visit. We will give you some of the hay they have at NorthPaws so they leave will a smell that is familiar
Before you set off to collect your bunnies please make sure their accommodation is fully prepared:
o Comfortable bed
o Substrate down
o Water bottles full and in place
o Hay racks full
o Treats e.g. apples, broccoli, dandelions
o Make sure all electrical wires, telephone cords, house plants are not in ‘nudge or nibble’ reach
o Check their run is secure
As a general rule, you should leave your rabbit alone during the first 24 hours after bringing them home. this will give your rabbit time to adjust to their new environment, preventing them from feeling overwhelmed by the sudden change.
When you bring your bunny home ...they will feel uprooted and confused in their new space. It’s common for rabbits to be scared and stressed. As tempting as it will be to play with your rabbit right away, it’s best to give your new bunny some space. Since rabbits are naturally skittish animals, they are likely to be shy and afraid. By providing your rabbit time to become acclimated to their new home, you give them a chance to feel safe and build confidence.
A rabbit will not feel safe or happy in an environment that is either unmarked or marked by a ‘foreign’ rabbit. They need time to add their scent to their new homes, they will do this by rubbing the scent glands under their chin and at their bottom against items they want to mark as their own.
Helping your bunny settle ..
Rabbits will typically take a few days to adjust to a new living environment. During this time, help your rabbit feel safe by keeping them in a quiet location and sticking to a consistent daily routine. You can also encourage confidence by rewarding your rabbit for being brave and exploring new areas.
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