Indoor Play Time for Little Bunnies

We usually have outdoor play time when it is warmer, but now that it is December we are doing indoor play time.  When the kits are young we don't want them going outside until they are older to make sure that they don't get too cold and indoor play time is easier for us because it is warmer.  We usually do this once a day when we weigh them.  Also we  like to take out our rabbits when they are young so that they get used to being handled.

We like to get our kits out of the nesting box to play and hop around.  It is cute to see them explore and sniff and climb things.  But we also have to be careful to make sure they don't go behind big pieces of furniture and get lost.  It is fun to try to keep track of all of them, since there are six of them going all different directions.  And we have to make sure we do not scare them or squish them when we are picking them up. 

We take the nesting box out of the doe's cage and let the kits hop around.  That way we will have all of them out at the same time so that we don't risk having any kits miss a feeding.  We always put our kits on the carpet because their muscles are still developing and if we put them on wood or tile they could develop splay leg. 

We take them out so they won't be skittish and will be used to people.  They also like to be handled daily and they need exercise.  Of course, they get exercise in their cage, too, but if you let them run around in the house, they can get used to your other pets.  It is also important to have all of the kits out at once because it lets you observe them as a group to compare and see if anyone is lethargic or looking sick.

Outdoor Play Time

By Lydia

Even if you do have a big cage for your rabbit, it is always nice to let them out to run around.  The rabbits always have a lot of fun with play time.  Every day we need to get our rabbits out so that they can get exercise and so you can enjoy them.   Something that we like doing, either while we are doing our schoolwork, or while my mom is spinning, we get a bunny out to run around.  Rabbits need play time.  If you don’t get them out enough, they will be difficult to handle.  If you try to get them out every day or several times a week, you rabbit will be very good about handling.  When your rabbit is running around, it may stop, grunt a little, and like Ninja, it may like digging at things.  Naturally, you do not let them do this right before a show. 

We usually set up a fenced area or baby gates to keep them away from places we don’t want them to go and to keep them safe.   We have to watch carefully to make sure the cat doesn’t attack them.  He has never attacked our rabbits, but he has killed jackrabbits and cottontails around our property.  Our very large black lab mix never bothers them.  Before the sprinklers come on, or after the grass has dried, we let them run around on the grass and eat it.  We don’t put any fertilizers or other chemicals on our grass.  We don’t put them on wet grass, because they could catch pneumonia.  And even if they don’t get sick, their wool will get badly matted.  If they can’t be on the grass because it is wet or sunny, we put them on our covered deck.  That way they can still run around.  

 

Maple getting his morning exercise

Angora rabbits have a lot of limitations when it comes to the sun.  They cannot be placed in warm sun.  They already have a very heavy coat on.  Ruby-eyed whites should not ever be in the sun—it can damage their eyes.  Also, self-blacks should never be in the sun, but for a totally different reason.  If self-blacks are exposed to too much sun, their wool will turn a rusty color, and they will be disqualified for show.