Purchase and initial equipment
Welcome to the exciting world of rabbits!
These adorable animals are absolutely adorable and bring us a lot of joy, but they also have specific needs that must be met. Although they are considered easy to care for, they require a lot of space and attention to reach their full potential.
Unfortunately, many people still believe that rabbits should be kept in small cages, which is anything but appropriate for their species. However, if you are willing to get involved with these wonderful animals, their love and charm will reward you.
But remember: good initial equipment and the right knowledge are essential to ensure your new furry friends have a happy life.
Beforehand, you should ask yourself a few questions to see whether a rabbit is actually a good fit for you, your environment and your family.
- Can I afford to keep rabbits, because there should be at least 2?!
- Can I check on them several times a day, feed them and keep them busy if necessary?!
- Do I even have an allergy to dust, grass or animal hair?!
- Do I have the space to offer my rabbits a species-appropriate home?
- Can I live with the occasional poop, fur or even a puddle of pee?
- Do I have the time and desire to care for the rabbit for its entire life?
- You should think carefully about these questions in advance, because even rabbits that want to move in with you will stay with you for the rest of their lives.
Nowadays you can get information from anywhere. Facebook is the best place to refresh your knowledge and ask at the respective foster homes, rescue stations, animal shelters, etc. Because here the wrong origin of the rabbits can have disastrous consequences. So check carefully beforehand where you get your little ones.
- You should make sure that the rabbits do not come from a pet shop in your area, from a breeder who may not openly display any pictures and thus does not publicly disclose his treatment, or from small animal markets , where all rabbits are usually exhibited and come from very cruel conditions.
- However, your rabbits should be checked thoroughly before moving in to rule out parasites and possible diseases.
- Please make sure that you do not buy a young animal under 12-14 weeks old , because only then can they be well socialized.
- In the first 3-4 months, the little ones learn all the social behavior with their siblings. This also includes building up the intestinal flora and the immune system.
- At 12 weeks of age, the first rabbits become sexually mature. Therefore, they must now be separated by sex to avoid more babies.
- It is best to neuter them early, around the 11th week of life, so that they can continue to stay in their group with siblings and friends.
So that you have everything you need to start with and don't make any bad purchases, it's advisable to spend a little more money here too.
Most of the facilities in pet shops are of poor quality, are not species-appropriate, are much too small or do not meet your expectations.
The most important things to start a good rabbit keeping are:
- a transport box in which you can transport your darlings safely and well.
- Different brushes , especially important during the coat change.
- A nail clipper , but only if you feel confident using it.
- A dustpan to clean your enclosure.
- A broom , possibly your own vacuum cleaner.
- Drinking and feeding bowls or a feeding stadium made of wood.
- occupation such as willow balls, feeding trees or balls for filling with treats.
Here too, a decent enclosure and good furnishings can cost up to 600€ , but this is always very individual.
Please don't be confused by this price, because it all depends on your size and of course your needs.
- Here, of course, you have to clearly distinguish between indoor and outdoor housing, because for outdoor housing you as the owner have even higher acquisition costs than for indoor housing.
- Because here you have to pay attention to a lot more, such as predator-proof wire, a large shelter for the winter and a solid enclosure that can bear the weight of storms and snow.
- Here you should factor in costs of around €1,500 to around €3,000 . Here too, the price depends on the size and number of your rabbits.
If you need individual advice to get you started, we are happy to help you and your "soon" favorites. Please contact us at: Info@Hoppel-Werkstatt.de
Here, too, we are here to help and advise you and we set the highest standards for ourselves and for your new home, because every pet deserves to have a great home where it feels comfortable.
It is important that you can also guarantee that you can provide the space.
- Because cage farming is a thing of the past !
- Your little ones need a lot of space to let off steam and to be given room to develop freely.
- At least two darlings need 5-6 square meters , with daily free running so that they can make turns and sprint.
- Of course, you should also design the enclosure according to the size of your pets.
- Rabbits have an extremely strong need for movement, so keeping them in cages is absolutely contrary to animal welfare .
So you should think carefully about whether you can handle all of this.
Because this is only a small overview of the purchase of the loved ones, plus there are costs for veterinarians , etc.
Because rabbits have high demands on their new home.