First off, you will need a small clean/disinfected carrier or small box to take your bunny home in.  You will also need to get a cage at least 18 x 24 (to 36)....you can get a wire bottom cage to make it less messy and easier to clean.  Tractor Supply Co. has an “ok” one with everything you need in it to start out for around $40.00 - $50.00 or you can find one at  Petsmart/Petco or online. You may need to purchase urine guards so your bunny does not pee over the sides.  Do not use any food or treats that come with a cage kit because it contains foods that your bunny should not have.  You may want some type of rabbit safe litter or other pellets to absorb the urine.  We use Equine Pelletized Horse Bedding sold at tractor supply Co., it works great and neutralizes any odors, and is only $5.99 for a 50 lb bag!  If your cage is large enough you may want a corner litter pan (with a wire grate on it and put equine pellets/litter under the grate) to try to litter train your bunny.  I find the litter pans with wire grate either online or at pet smart (Petco does not have that type) Your bunny may have dark orange colored urine which can be normal depending on the food they are eating.  If you decide on a flat bottom cage, a good set up is a litter pan in the corner and use an old shirt/pillowcase or fleece liner on the rest of the bottom and leave a spot bare so if your bun is too hot he/she can lay flat to cool off. You can use low dust pine wood shavings or soft paper bedding as well but they both are very messy, smell more and can be more difficult to clean if your rabbit doesn’t use the litter pan.  ***We require caging your rabbit indoors to protect your bunny from harsh weather conditions and predators.  Bunnies prefer cooler temperature settings and can become overheated quickly so on warm days you can place a soda bottle filled with water and frozen in your rabbits cage for it to lean on and lick, put ice in his/her water bottle, give him/her a bowl of ice to lick, or get a ceramic or granite tile, refrigerate it and place it in the cage for your bunny to relax on.  You will need to have a food dish and water bottle and some rabbit safe toys (which you can find for low cost at the dollar store as long as they are hard plastic so your bunny cannot chew off pieces). You will also need some Timothy hay and rabbit pellet food.  We buy our food at Tractor Supply Co. (located at exit 97 in Putnam CT off of 395, on 146 near Blackstone valley shops, on Rt. 9 in Leicester, or on Rt. 131 in Sturbridge) or at an  Aubuchon's Hardware. Our bunnies are fed Purina Rabbit Chow Complete and Timothy hay daily.  It is very important that you keep your bunny on this food until at least 6 months old to avoid intestinal issues.  If you decide to change his food, which we do NOT recommend, you will have to do it gradually by adding a little of the new food a bit at a time each day until it is just the new food.  No treats until he is 6 months old except apple wood sticks, wood blocks to chew or a little old fashioned oats.  If you notice that your rabbit has soft/watery droppings, please contact me right away because your rabbit may be having issues due to transitioning to a new home.  You will need to remove the rabbit's pellet food and give just hay and some old-fashioned oats (make sure they are OLD FASHIONED and not the QUICK COOKING OATS)  also make sure your bunny is drinking enough water or he/she will dehydrate!!!  Rabbit teeth continuously grow so it is recommended that you give your rabbit hay, apple wood sticks and/or wood blocks to chew on and check their teeth every 3-4 wks.to make sure they look good.  After 6 months he/she can have a little romaine, store-bought Dandelion greens, carrot or carrot greens, Kale, Parsley or another dwarf rabbit safe veggie/fruit a few times a week (just don’t overdo it).

Absolutely NO ICEBERG  LETTUCE, TOMATO, WATERMELON, MEAT, DAIRY PRODUCTS, CORN, SUGARY TREATS or any other foods not meant for rabbits. These foods can give your rabbit diarrhea which could kill your rabbit in as little as 4 hours!!! You may want to get a soft brush or comb to groom him, and absolutely NO BATHS-they can kill your bunny from shock or hypothermia.  If your bunny gets messy you can use some unscented baby wipes with warm water and just gently clean any soiled areas and try to completely dry him/her afterward with a towel or warm (not hot) hairdryer set on low.  Sometimes I will trim up the bunny in their easily soiled areas so he/she is less likely to become messy.  You should clean your rabbit's scent glands with a cotton swab dipped in Vaseline every month.  Check your rabbit's ears as well.  If cleaning is needed you can use a cotton ball with a little bit of mineral oil or Vaseline and gently wipe.  Do not put anything into the actual canal of your rabbit’s ear!!!  You need a small animal nail clipper to trim his nails every 4-5 weeks (I’ll show you how), but be sure not to cut too low or you could cut the quick (pink part) and cause the bunny's nails to bleed.  If this does happen, you can try putting cornstarch on the nail to stop the bleeding.  You can also have a vet do it or bring him/her to me and I can trim the fur and comb it out, clean his scent glands, clean his ears and cut his nails for $10.00.  If you have a medical issue going on with your bunny please contact me right away (I’m most likely to answer through text) to see if I can help before running off to the veterinarian, it may be something that is easy to treat and does not need to cost you a lot of money.  If for some reason you are unable to keep your rabbit please contact me and I can try to help you find a suitable home for him/her….*****A SHELTER IS NOT A HOME – most bunnies will end up being put to sleep in a shelter because there are too many there already!***** PLEASE BE AWARE OF THE RESPONSIBILITY YOU ARE GETTING INTO WHEN GETTING A BUNNY FOR A PET-  Rabbits are wonderful creatures and make wonderful pets but they are not necessarily a good pet for most young children as they require adult care!!!  They require daily attention and exercise, daily cleaning, veterinary care, possible behavior training, most do not like to be held and cuddled and THEY CAN LIVE UP TO 12 YEARS !!!!!!  They are a PET and should live as part of the family and treated as such!!!!

Any questions at all please call/text me (508-397-8749).