During this stage, most rabbits reach their full adult size. The only exception to this is very tiny rabbit breeds which will physically mature earlier and truly giant rabbit breeds which might take up to 18 months to reach their full adult size.
Well, honestly you need to focus on these things for all rabbits, not just fixed rabbits. Bonding is also important during this stage as rabbits tend to be more standoffish as they age.
This is an ideal stage to bond your bunny with a forever friend. Since you should be feeding your rabbit high protein pellets until they have stopped growing, some teenage rabbits will be eating young rabbit feed while others should now be eating adult rabbit pellets.
This phase lasts for years, usually from 1 to 3 years. Rabbits are most active during this stage of their lifecycle. They are also keener to play and bond so maximize bonding time and exercise with your rabbits. Provide them with mental stimulations as well in the form of rabbit toys. Young adult rabbits will continue to eat a standard adult rabbit pellet, timothy hay, and greens.
Since they tend to be less active it is still important to check on their diets to avoid them getting overweight. This is where they tend to begin to exhibit problems related to old age such as arthritis.
Rabbits might begin to need more help grooming during this stage and in sad instances might also need more help getting on and off of furniture and perhaps even moving around. Also, make sure to schedule regular health checks. We do not recommend any of these specialized and more expensive rabbit feeds. Rabbits will tend to slow down considerably during this age, so more care will be needed for them.
If you have a rabbit that is becoming obese, you should hop on over this article about lazy and fat rabbits. Mick is owned by Riz Lench. He celebrated his 16th birthday last February 9. Flopsy the wild rabbit holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest rabbit. Mick was caught in Australia on August 6, He was 18 years old before he died 10 months later. He was taken care of by L. B Walker in his home in Longford, Tasmania, Australia. My name is Stacey Davis and my family has kept rabbits for decades.
Here on RabbitPros. Your email address will not be published. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Where deep snow is common, fences will need to be higher, or adjusted to exclude animals during winter.
Rabbits and hares are more likely to go under a fence than over it. To prevent this, place the bottom of the fence 6 inches underground, stake the bottom of the fence flush to the ground, or line the bottom of the fence with rock, bricks, fence posts, or similar items.
Anther option is to create a 1-foot wide wire apron on top of the ground on the animal side of the fence. Be sure to secure the apron firmly with stakes Fig. Electric netting a type of electric fence is also suitable for rabbit exclusion. It is designed for ease of installation and frequent repositioning. Electric netting is intended for temporary use at any one site, making it ideal for seasonal gardens. Daily inspections will be necessary during the first three weeks after installation. If maintenance is poor, rabbits can do considerable damage to electric netting fences by chewing through the wires.
This could result in sections becoming inoperative, which may be difficult to detect. Note: Before purchasing the product, ask the representative about the effects of electric netting on frogs, toads, and baby rabbits. The lower 2 to 3 feet of an existing fence or gate can be covered with 1-inch wire mesh to exclude rabbits.
Attach the protective wire to the fence at enough points to prevent sagging, and follow the above recommendations to prevent rabbits and hares from pushing through from underneath. Use tight-fitting gates and keep them closed as much as possible. Inspect the fence regularly to make sure animals have not dug or pushed their way under it, or worked their way over it.
Once a rabbit gets into a fenced area, it may not be able to get out without being directed to a gate or other opening.
In some cases, protecting individual plants may be more practical than excluding from an entire area. Newly planted vegetables can be protected using commercially sold cloches or 1-gallon plastic milk containers that have the bottom cut out. Placed over the seedlings, they provide protection from animals as well as late frosts. One-inch mesh chicken wire can be cut and formed into cylinders and placed around plants needing protection Fig.
Bury the bottom of the cylinders 3 inches below the soil line and brace them away from the plants so animals cannot press against the cylinder and nibble through the mesh. Inspect these barriers regularly to keep the area inside the barriers clean of leaves, weeds, and other debris, which can hide damage caused by mice and voles.
Individual plants can also be protected with a variety of commercially available protectors, including nylon mesh and plastic tubes; aluminum foil has been double-wrapped around small trees with effective results. If fencing and other barriers are impractical or undesirable, or if damage is so slight that fencing is not cost-effective, scare devices can provide temporary control. Visual scare tactics include mylar tape and mylar party balloons located above areas of potential damage, and pinwheels and other devices located at ground level.
However, urban and suburban rabbits are often unafraid of such devices and other rabbits quickly get used to them. Ultrasonic units, which rely on sound waves to repel rabbits, have not been proven effective. A dog can help keep rabbits away, especially if it is outside and awake at night.
Plants may also be protected with commercially available or homemade taste repellents that render the treated plant inedible. Research has shown that repellents with putrescent whole-egg solids can reduce browsing by rabbits. Apply repellents before damage occurs and reapply frequently, especially after a rain, heavy dew, sprinkler irrigation, or when new growth occurs. In all cases, follow the label directions for the repellent you are using. Many repellents cannot be used on plants or plant parts to be eaten by humans.
Encouraging natural predators of rabbits and hares—or at least not interfering with them—may aid in reducing plant damage. It is common to provide perches for owls and hawks in some commercial areas to control rabbits, hares, and small rodents. Another form of control is to remove brush piles, weed patches, rock piles, and other debris where rabbits live and hide.
Before doing this, consider the potential impact on other desirable wildlife species. Protecting vulnerable plants from rabbit damage within a fence, and landscaping with rabbit resistant plants elsewhere makes an effective combination. A walk or drive through the neighborhood can give you an idea of what plants are less palatable to these animals. Note: When preferred foods become scarce, there are few species that rabbits will not eat. Trapping and moving wild rabbits several miles away has appeal as a method of resolving conflicts because it is perceived as giving the "problem animal" a second chance in a new home.
Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is quite different. The animals typically become disoriented, which results in them getting hit by a car or eaten by a predator. If they remain in the new area, they may cause similar problems there, or transmit diseases to other animals in the area. If a place "in the wild" is perfect for rabbits, they are probably already there.
It isn't fair to the animals already living there to release another competitor into their home range to the detriment of both of them.
Rabbits kept as pets typically inside the home, either in a cage, roaming free or a combination of both. A rabbit cage should be at least five times the size of the rabbit so it can stretch out and stand without bumping its head.
Your rabbit will likely spend the bulk of the day in its cage since rabbits sleep during the day. The cage should be lined with cardboard and include a litterbox for the rabbit to use, much like a cat. Pet rabbits need several hours a day of exercise outside the cage to run, jump and explore and that can be a great time to play with and interact with your pet. Just make sure you remove anything they can chew — like electric cords, toxic plants and cleaning products — before letting them hop around freely.
Rabbits raised for meat can live in a barn or a shed and should be set up in a secure cage or hutch. Their cage or hutch should be lined with straw on the floor and cleaned out once a week with the old straw replaced with fresh straw.
The rabbits should always have plenty of clean food and fresh water, shade and good ventilation. Wild or domestic, rabbits and hares have evolved to survive in their unique and species-specific habitats. And humans have evolved right along with them by domesticating them for food or companions. So, next time you are hiking in the desert, snowshoeing in the north or walking in a city park, keep your eyes peeled, because the one fur-bearing mammal you are most likely to spot in all those habitats is a rabbit.
Especially when you know where rabbits live. Julia Bayly, staff writer for Hello Homestead, has worked in print journalism for more than three decades covering the unique characters and life of northern Maine.
When not wrangling critters on her Rusty Metal Farm, Julia travels the world seeking adventure and great food wherever she can find it. She loves dogs and chickens, tolerates cats, is unsure of ducks and does not trust goats. How season extenders can help you get more out of the growing season. How waterfowl can help your homestead. Is it possible to have carbon neutral — or even carbon negative — beef? Mealworms can safely eat toxin-laden polysytrene. Poultry can be good pets, but skip the indoor chickens.
My cats are adventure cats.
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