In This Chapter
- Focusing on fitness
- Exercising your companion rabbit
- Exploring indoor options
- Providing a safe outdoor environment
Fitness Matters
Lack of exercise contributes to a
long list of preventable health problems in domestic rabbits. By taking a look
at the wild rabbit’s lifestyle, you can easily see how a companion rabbit’s
health can suffer when he doesn’t get the exercise he needs.
Wild at heart
A wild rabbit may hop, jump,
and skip through about 2 acres of land each day, looking for large amounts of
high-fiber food (and, sometimes, mates). At times, he may have to escape from
the grasp of predators and will use his powerful back legs to run and leap.
This wild creature is not likely to thrive in a small cage, deprived of exercise
and doomed to a life of boredom.
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Many health problems are linked
to obesity, and they’re serious, chronic, and even fatal. The extra weight puts
pressure on a rabbit’s heart and joints and can lead to a host of health
issues. Such conditions can be painful, decrease a rabbit’s quality of life,
and ultimately reduce a rabbit’s lifespan.
Here are some common problems
caused by lack of exercise:
- Obesity: The two most common causes of bunny obesity are a diet too high in calories and lack of exercise. Just like humans, when a rabbit sits around all day eating, he isn’t going to burn many calories. Those extra pounds not only stress the cardiovascular system, but can result in inflammation of the foot and lack of energy. Excess weight can also cause the growth of folds of fat in the dewlap (roll of skin under the chin) or around the rectal area, which can interfere with healthy grooming habits, leading to a soiled bunny and even skin disease. That excess weight can also prevent your bun from eating his nutrient-rich cecotropes, resulting in nutritional deficiencies. You can start with a healthy diet, but a combination of diet and exercise is necessary to cure — or, better yet, prevent — obesity.
- Pododermatitis (sore hock): Although foot problems can develop because of damp flooring, an overweight rabbit is also prone to the inflammation and ulcerations associated with pododermatitis because the excessive weight results in wear on the footpads. On top of that, a chubby bunny may have trouble cleaning himself, leaving urine and stool on the hindquarters and feet, which can lead to inflammatory skin disease.
- Gastrointestinal and urinary function: A rabbit deprived of opportunities to exercise may develop problems maintaining normal elimination habits, which can lead to concentrated (“sludgy”) urine or gastrointestinal shutdown. Rabbits that have an exercise routine will urinate and defecate frequently — a good thing for urinary and digestive systems.
- Poor bone density: Like humans, rabbits who don’t get enough exercise can develop osteoporosis, a thinning of the bone. A rabbit with osteoporosis is likely to have a spine or other bones that can break easily when the rabbit is handled or jumps off a high surface. Doctors recommend that humans perform regular weight-bearing exercises to prevent osteoporosis. The same is true for your rabbit: Daily exercise is necessary to keep your rabbit’s bones healthy and strong.
- Poor muscle tone: If your rabbit doesn’t exercise, his muscles will be underdeveloped and weak, which can lead to a general inability to move properly. Think about your rabbit’s most important muscle — his heart. If his heart muscle is weak, he will be less able to tolerate stressful situations. If you take an out-of-shape rabbit with a weak heart, like those who sit in a cage day after day, and then let her out and force her to run around the room, she may faint — or even die of cardiac failure.
- Behavioral problems: The boredom that comes with being confined to a cage without exercise can be linked to a number of negative behaviors observed in rabbits: aggression, obsessive grooming, lethargy, and obsessive chewing (of the bars of the cage, for example). In many of these cases, a bit of freedom and exercise can provide the very outlet needed to improve and even eliminate those behaviors (see Chapter Reckoning with a Bad Bunny). The results: happier and healthier rabbits!
Keeping Your Rabbit Fit
Your bunny needs exercise and
plenty of it. In fact, caged rabbits need at least three to four hours a day,
every day, of free time outside the cage for exercise. You can satisfy this
need indoors or out, as long as your rabbit has room and safe activities to
keep her moving.
Some things to keep in mind as
you focus on your bunny’s fitness plan:
- It’s best to offer exercise when a rabbit is naturally most active; for most house bunnies, this means early to mid-morning and/or late afternoon and evening.
- Try to be consistent with your rabbit’s exercise schedule so that you establish a routine (better for both of you!).
- Whether indoors or out, be sure to rabbit-proof the exercise area. (See Chapter Stocking Up on Carrots for indoor rabbit-proofing and this chapter’s “Rabbit-Proofing Your Yard” for outdoor precautions).
- Inspire your rabbit to move and play by giving her things to chew on, dig into, climb on, crawl under, and hop on and around. (See Chapter Playing Around Isn’t Just for Dogs for more on play tactics.)
Indoors
For those who can’t (or choose
not to) take their rabbit’s fitness routine outdoors, an indoor home gym or
recreation room is a fine option.
After you designate which areas
of your home will be accessible to your bunny and have securely rabbit-proofed
these rooms (see Chapter Shacking
Up with an Indoor Rabbit) or set up a rabbit pen with moveable panels, you
can give your rabbit permission to roam, under your supervision. When you first
turn your bunny loose in “her” room, she’ll hop about and investigate for
several days. She’ll scour the place and leave her scent on objects by rubbing
her chin on them. (Don’t worry; the scent isn’t discernible to the human nose.)
Eventually, though, the novelty of the new room wears off, and bunny gets
bored. To encourage her to do more than just sit in a corner and stare at you,
you need to get active.
Tip
Some tips on getting your bunny to exercise:
- Play with him. If you’ve bonded with your rabbit, you’ll be amazed at how easily he can learn to play with you. When playing with your rabbit, let the rabbit initiate the play. (See Chapter Playing Around Isn’t Just for Dogs for more details on playing with your rabbit.)
- Teach him tricks. A rabbit isn’t going to fetch your slippers or rescue lost children, but you can show him some basic tricks and behaviors that result in food rewards. (See Chapter Putting Boxing Gloves on Your Rabbit: Training for details on how to teach your rabbit tricks.)
- Give him toys. If your bunny needs motivation to exercise, now is the time to pull out those toys that you bought for your rabbit at the petsupply store. Toss him one toy at a time until you find the one that strikes his fancy. Don’t forget the homemade stuff, too. A cardboard box, a toilet paper roll, and even an empty plastic soda bottle can prove terribly exciting to your rabbit. (See Chapter Playing Around Isn’t Just for Dogs for information on toys for your rabbit.)
- Provide company. If you have more than one rabbit, and they all get along, put them together for exercise playtime. Not only can they get plenty of exercise, but you’ll also laugh your head off watching them. But make sure that you provide them with several “hide” areas (at least as many as the number of rabbits), such as simple overturned cardboard boxes with a hole cut in the side, in case a spat breaks out. If the rabbit has nowhere to hide or escape and another one is being aggressive, a serious injury may result. (See Chapter Choosing the “Right” Rabbit on the pros and cons of adopting multiple rabbits.)
Keep in mind that you should
place your litter box somewhere in the area during these exercise sessions so
that your rabbit can use it during playtime. If you have more than one rabbit,
you may need to put at least as many litter boxes out as the number of rabbits.
Outdoors
Just because you have an indoor
rabbit doesn’t mean that you can’t take him outside for exercise. Fresh-air
fitness is a good idea if
- You have rabbit-friendly weather (not too hot, not too cold, and not too windy).
- You live in an area that has good air quality.
- You can provide an environment safe from predators and other threats (even theft).
- You can provide an area free from fertilizers and pesticides.
- Your rabbit seems to enjoy his outside time.
Fresh air is great for all
creatures, including your bunny. Plus, you won’t need to do as much work to
encourage your rabbit to exercise outdoors. The sights, sounds, and smells of
the great outdoors can keep your rabbit busy.
Of course, just as with your
indoor rabbit areas, your outdoor areas must be equipped with the basics of
good rabbit-proofing, as shown in Figure 8-1.
Select an area where you plan to
exercise your rabbit outdoors, and check it out for safety. For details on what
this involves, see the upcoming section “Rabbit-Proofing Your Yard.”
Figure 8-1: Indoors to outdoors: Just
make sure you rabbit-proof your yard.
Warning!
No matter how safe your yard appears, do not leave your bunny out there to do his thing. You should stay with your bunny to be sure he’s not getting into mischief and to make sure that he is safe in his outdoor environment — from the weather, predators, toxic plants, or even himself. Remember that just about every land-based predator on the planet considers the rabbit a potential meal. Although a few minutes of carefully supervised time to roam may be okay, an enclosed area is the best way to protect your rabbit from tragedy.
Thinking about location, location, location
Whether you choose to go with a
pen or a run, where you put your rabbit’s exercise area is important. Rabbits
have a prey animal physiology and psychology and shouldn’t be exposed to
constant havoc and noise, which causes excessive stress. Likewise, you want
your rabbit’s exercise area in a place where you can see it and where you can
access it easily for cleaning and other chores.
Remember
To keep your rabbit’s nerves at ease, avoid putting the exercise area in a place where too much activity takes place. For example, if your kids like to play basketball in the backyard, don’t put your bunny in a place where the ball is likely to bang against the pen. Or if you have a motorcycle, don’t put the pen where your rabbit can listen to the engine start up every day (a great sound to you, perhaps, but murder on a rabbit’s sensitive ears). By using common sense, you can figure out the best spot in your yard from a rabbit’s perspective.
Tip
On the other hand, you don’t want to tuck your rabbit’s exercise area away in a part of the yard where you can’t easily see him. Locating the pen where you can see him from your back window or door is ideal. Not only can this location enable you to keep an eye on your rabbit, but it will also afford you the pleasure of seeing your bunny’s activities when he doesn’t know that you’re watching.
Warning!
No matter how secure you believe your rabbit’s outdoor exercise area is, steer clear of nighttime fitness sessions and strolls. The sights and sounds of predators can scare your bunny to death, literally.
Going the pen route
One way to create a secure
outdoor exercise area is to use dog exercise fencing that comes in panels that
can be connected together in many shapes. Ideally, an outdoor exercise pen
should have a top (to keep predators out) and a bottom (to keep bunny in). One
advantage of using these panels is that the pen is temporary, and you can
relocate it when necessary. See the next section, however, for a more permanent
exercise solution.
Building a bunny run
If you like the idea of leaving
your outdoor rabbit outside for an extended period of time, but yet don’t have
time to hang out and watch him, consider building your pet a bunny run. A
bunny run is similar to a dog run, except it’s not as tall.
When building a run for your
bunny, keep these points in the forefront of your mind:
- The object is to build an enclosure that allows your rabbit time outdoors while still keeping him protected from predators. Don’t skimp on the design or materials. The stronger and more well built your rabbit’s run, the safer he is. However, even with these precautions, you still need to keep a close eye on him.
- To keep predators (hawks, raccoons, snakes, and so on.) out and bunnies in (don’t forget what skilled diggers they are!), use chain link or 1-inch wire fencing with a top, bottom, and sides; a solid top will protect your bun from the sun. Covering the bottom with clean straw gives your rabbit something safe to dig and burrow into.
- The larger your run, the more exercise your rabbit gets. Make the run as big as you can.
- Provide your rabbit with shade. In fact, building the run in an area where shade covers at least half the cage all day is best. Rabbits are susceptible to overheating, and direct sun can be deadly in the summer. Include a dish of fresh water, too.
- Provide a hide box for your rabbit. Should something spook your bunny while he’s in his run, he’ll be grateful for a hide box where he can duck for cover.
- Put some toys and a chew block or two in your rabbit’s run to help give him something to do when he’s out roaming around. Consider a bit of fresh hay as well.
- Never keep your rabbit in his run after the sun goes down because predators are more likely to lurk at dusk or evening. Remember, even if a predator can’t get his choppers on your bunny, the presence of a predator can literally scare a rabbit to death.
- Make sure that you’re home when your bunny is in the run. Don’t leave him in the run while you go off to work. If he gets into trouble (such as an encounter with a predator, gets a foot caught in the fencing, or whatever), you won’t be around to help him.
Motivating a lazy bunny
Not all rabbits will jump when
given the opportunity to exercise. In particular, single bunnies need a little
more motivation to exercise than do two rabbits. When you let your solo bunny
out in the yard to play, he’ll probably run around a bit and then settle down
to do some grazing and investigating.
To encourage your pet to stretch
his muscles, you should provide him with some toys that he can amuse himself
with. Such toys may include
- A clean, empty bucket
- An empty paper towel roll
- An empty cardboard box
- Hard plastic balls (try large and small sizes to see which your pet prefers)
- A tube of some kind, big enough for your rabbit to hop through
Warning!
You can also play with your rabbit yourself by letting him chase you or by dragging a toy on a string for him to chase. Refrain from chasing your rabbit yourself because the poor creature may think that you’ve gone into predator mode and will become terrified. (For more game ideas, see Chapter Playing Around Isn’t Just for Dogs.)
Taking care of outdoor chores
Even though your rabbit’s pen,
run, or exercise area is outside and beyond the reach of your nose, you still
need to keep up with your cleaning. Any dirty rabbit area is a breeding ground
for bacteria, parasites, and disease. Chapter Nipping
Common Health Problems in the Bud has much more information on
health if you’re interested (and you should be).
Remember
But don’t fret. If your rabbit’s outdoor digs are well designed, you shouldn’t have too much trouble keeping them clean with minimum effort. Just use the clean-up schedule in Table 8-1 (modified, of course, depending on the amount of time your bunny is outside).
Table 8-1
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Outdoor Clean-Up
Schedule
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Task
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How Often
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The Details
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Poop duty
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Daily
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Your rabbit’s droppings can accumulate quickly and should
be removed on a daily basis. If possible, set up a compost area in your yard
for the waste material or designate a special covered trash can for your
rabbit’s waste. Keep a waste receptacle close by, along with a shovel, so
that it’s easy for you to scoop the waste out and into the can without too much
effort.
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Food and water container cleaning
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Daily
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To help keep bacteria to a minimum, wash out your rabbit’s
outdoor food bowl and water bottle or bowl on a daily basis. Use
biodegradable dish soap for your rabbit’s health. These products are
available in health-food stores, as well as in many supermarket chains.
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Pen or run structure
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Weekly
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You need to thoroughly clean an outdoor pen or cage (nest
boxes, too). Once you’ve safely returned your bunny to his indoor digs, get a
pail that has 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Use a sponge to wipe down all
the surfaces of the pen and then scrub it with a bristle brush. This process
helps kill bacteria and other organisms that are building up. Be certain the
pen is completely dry before putting your rabbit back inside again.
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Rabbit-Proofing Your Yard
One of the nicest moments for a
rabbit is when he gets to roam about the yard, investigating all the sights and
smells that surround him. Of course, in order for your rabbit to play outside
safely, you have to make sure that your yard is safely enclosed and free from
rabbit hazards. You also need to be sure that your yard is protected from your
rabbit.
Keeping Wolfie away
Unfortunately, all kinds of
predators would like to make a meal out of your bunny; preventing that from
happening is your job. Most people think that cats and dogs are the only
creatures they have to worry about preying on their rabbits while they’re
outdoors, but this is not the case. Most cats find rabbits to be too big for
hunting purposes (with the exception of the dwarf breeds, who are small enough
for larger cats), and if your yard and pen are secure, a dog probably won’t be
able to break in.
Warning!
Predators who can go after your rabbit while he’s getting fresh air include raccoons, coyotes, foxes, mink, hawks, and weasels, to name a few. These critters often live in suburban and rural areas, and some of them are even found in urban sections of the country. All of them are capable of scaling walls and fences, subsequently gaining access to seemingly protected backyards.
If your pen or exercise run is
secure, it’s unlikely that one of these animals will be able to break in and
grab hold of your rabbit. However, a predator doesn’t have to make contact with
a rabbit in order to hurt or even kill it. Because rabbits are so easily
frightened, the mere presence of a predator can literally scare a rabbit to
death. At the least, a rabbit could injure its back, legs, or face while
leaping around trying to escape.
Another danger is from parasites
in the feces of some predators, especially the raccoon. Cleaning up all the
food in the cage before night falls, and preventing predators from entering or
climbing on top of and defecating into the cage can prevent exposure.
When a pet lives outside, the
danger from predators is inherent. That’s one of the main reasons your rabbit
lives indoors with you. However, you can take the following steps to limit the
possibility that a predator can take your pet’s life during those times he is
outside:
- Limit your rabbit’s outdoor time to daylight hours when you can supervise.
- Keep your rabbit’s exercise area close to your house. The sound and smell of humans can discourage some predators from approaching.
- Surround the area with an additional fence enclosure. A chain link or even chicken wire enclosure with a roof can keep predators from being able to get close enough to the area to have access to your rabbit.
- Keep trash cans covered and avoid leaving pet food outside where the smell can attract predators to your yard.
Protecting your rabbit
Remember
You should have a tall wall or solid fence around your yard, one that a rabbit can’t jump over (5 feet high or higher), through, or around. Because rabbits are notorious diggers, make sure that your wall or fencing goes at least a foot into the ground.
Just as you did when you
rabbit-proofed your house (see Chapter Shacking
Up with an Indoor Rabbit), look at your yard from your rabbit’s
point of view (literally!) to see any potential dangers. Figuring out what your
rabbit sees can give you clues into the kinds of trouble he can get into. Look
out for the following:
- Holes or gaps in fencing that are small enough for a rabbit to slip through
- Small nooks and crannies where your rabbit can get wedged
- Debris that may come toppling down on your rabbit should he climb over or under it
- Containers holding toxic materials such as paint cans, turpentine, and antifreeze
- Objects with sharp edges
- Pesticides and other toxic garden products (snail and slug bait are particularly dangerous)
- Poisonous plants (check this chapter’s list, “Avoiding poisonous plants”)
Protecting your yard
If you do decide that’s your yard
is safe enough for your bunny to roam — supervised, of course — for a bit, you
should think about protecting your yard from your bunny. Rabbits are pretty
harmless in general, but they do have two good resources when it comes to doing
damage: their teeth and their claws.
If you look around your yard,
you’ll probably notice objects that are vulnerable to gnawing and areas that
are susceptible to digging. For example, your rabbit may love to sink his teeth
into your really nice wooden deck. Your rabbit will probably want to dig a
trench in your freshly planted vegetable garden and then snack on the veggies
after they’re ripe.
So how do you protect your
outside goods from your rabbit? You have two simple choices:
- Keep your rabbit in a properly enclosed area, such as a puppy pen or a rabbit run while he’s outdoors. Puppy pens create a nice temporary exercise area, are moveable (so waste material doesn’t burn the yard and you can put it in shade or sun), and fold up when not needed. Pens are an inexpensive, viable option for exercising your rabbit and keeping him away from the things in the yard you want to protect. A rabbit run is a more permanent option. (For more on these options, see the section “Outdoors,” earlier in this chapter.
- Supervise him while he’s roaming around outdoors. Keep an eye on him and see what he gets into. If you see him starting to gnaw on your wood deck or furniture, cover those areas with bubble wrap or another heavy plastic. If your bunny starts digging in the garden, put a fence around the area so that he can’t get into it. You may want to provide him with a big box of dirt or sand that he can dig through to his heart’s content or let him have an area of soft ground to excavate.
Avoiding poisonous plants
Rabbits love to graze on plants
when they’re spending time outdoors. Unfortunately, we don’t know every single
plant that can be poisonous to rabbits, or how much they would have to eat to
be poisoned. Just to be safe, it’s best to keep rabbits away from plants that
are known to be toxic in general.
Warning!
If you have any of these common plants in your yard, remove them or find a way to keep your rabbit from gaining access to them:
- Jack in the pulpit, Arisaema spp.
- Common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca L.
- Boxwood, Buxus microphylla
- Oriental bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.
- Poison hemlock, Conium maculatum
- Lily of the valley, Convallaria majalis
- Toadstools, Crepidotus spp.
- Jimson weed, Datura spp.
- Delphinium, Delphinium spp.
- Foxglove, Digitalis purpurea
- English ivy, Hedera helix
- Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia
- Lantana, Lantana camara L.
- Lupine, Lupinus spp.
- Daffodil, Narcissus spp.
- Oleander, Nerium oleander
- Azalea, Rhododendron spp.
- Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta
- Black locust, Robinia pseudo-acacia
- Buttercup, Ranunculus spp.
- Castor bean, Ricinus communis
- Sumac, Rhus coriara
- American elder, Sambucus canadensis
- Nightshade, Solanum spp.
- Bird of Paradise, Strelitzia reginae
- Yew, Taxus spp.
- Arrowgrass, Triglochin maritime
Plants for safe snacking
Warning!
Many outdoor plants make safe and healthy snacks for domestic rabbits. However, you need to familiarize yourself with any plant before feeding it to your rabbit. Please be cautious when offering new plants! The following list is simply a sampling of plants that are thought to be safe for domestic rabbits, but consult your veterinarian if you’re unsure or your rabbit experiences any unusual negative effects.
Only offer your rabbit fresh or
thoroughly dried samples of these plants — never frosted, wilted, or otherwise
spoiled.
- Apple (Malus domestica; leaves, branches, fruit, but not seeds)
- Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
- Blackberry (Rubus villosus*; leaves, stems, fruit)
- Chickweed (Stellaria media)
- Chicory, wild (Cichorium intybus)
- Clover, red (Trifolium pretense)
- Clover, white (Trifolium repens)
- Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale; leaves, stem, flower)
- Grape (Vitus labrusca*; leaves and vines)
- Lemon balm (Melissa officianalis)
- Maple, silver (Acer saccharinum; leaves and branches)
- Maple, sugar (Acer saccharum; leaves and branches)
- Mint (Mentha piperita*)
- Pear (Pyrus communis*; leaves, branches, fruit, but not seeds)
- Raspberry (Rubus strigosus*; leaves, stems, fruit)
- Strawberry (Fragaria vesca*)
- Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
- Willow (Salix nigra*; leaves and branches)
* Indicates that other varieties
may also be safe
Connie Isbell and Audrey Pavia
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