Rabbits are very cute creatures, so theykeeping at home will bring you a lot of pleasure. These decorative animals are very friendly and playful. In addition, caring for a dwarf domestic rabbit is not so difficult. You do not need to walk it, it is easily trained to go to the litter box. And rabbits are great pets for children. These funny babies can be taken with you to the country or left with friends and acquaintances during vacation, as they do not cause much trouble. But, nevertheless, having decided to have a dwarf rabbit at home, you should remember that you are not buying a fluffy toy, but a living creature with its own character and habits, requiring attention, care and affection. From this article you can find out how long dwarf rabbits live, what they eat, what kind of care they need. In addition, we will tell you about what diseases these animals have and what you should know before choosing a pet. So, the first thing that interests future animal owners is how to determine the sex of their pet. The sex of a rabbit can be easily determined at the age of 3-4 months. At this age, males have clearly visible testicles, while females, naturally, do not. If you turn the pet upside down with its paws up and pull the tail, you can see a slit starting from the anus in the female, and a small round hole located 3-4 mm from the anal in the male. The dwarf breed differs from ordinary rabbits in size and weight. Instead of 5-8 kg of "live weight" of their large counterparts, our babies do not exceed 1.6 kg. But rabbits will delight you with their presence in the house from 6 to 12 years. And this is another reason to take the choice of a pet with all possible seriousness, because soon it will become a part of your life.
Types of dwarf rabbits
Before you go to the store to buy a pet,You should find out which breeds of dwarf rabbits you like the most. They differ not only in appearance, but also in character, so think carefully about what style of behavior of a pet you like. So, let's consider the types of dwarf rabbits. Dwarf rabbit Ram Ram is a wonderful lop-eared dwarf rabbit. Animals of this breed are slightly larger than their relatives, colored dwarfs. An adult Ram can reach a weight of 1.8 kg to 2 kg. Thanks to their wonderful ears, these rabbits look very cute, calm and affectionate creatures. And this is true. Up to the age of two weeks, it is quite problematic to distinguish a Ram from other breeds, since during this period their ears are erect. They begin to drop from the age of three weeks. And by four weeks, in most cases, they already hang down on the sides of the animal's head. Moreover, on the top of the head, the ears are connected by a roller-crown. In other cases, the gradual drooping of the ears can last up to the age of three months, and you can often see such a funny picture: one ear droops, and the other still sticks out playfully. In this case, the Baran looks quite funny and amusing. The lop-eared baby quickly becomes attached to the owner and, like a dog, follows him wherever he goes. A Baran rabbit can give birth to 4-8 rabbits, which is quite a lot for dwarf rabbits. In general, if you need a rabbit with a cute character, then the Baran rabbit is exactly what you need. Dwarf colored rabbits These are small animals with erect ears. The weight of an adult rabbit reaches 0.8-1.5 kg. These babies have several color variations:
- White-fleece;
- Marders (blue or brownish with a darker muzzle);
- Black-and-fiery;
- Red satin;
- Hotots (white with black edging around the eyes);
- Siamese color;
- White;
- Red, etc.
The most interesting color is the red onessatin. In bright light, their red skins literally glow red. Female rabbits of this breed give birth to 2 to 4 rabbits. The character of this type of rabbit is very unpredictable. They can be both friendly and docile, and pronouncedly aggressive. The peak of aggressiveness of colored rabbits occurs at the age of 5-9 months - this is the period of their sexual maturity. Usually, aggressiveness passes by one and a half years or slightly later. To reduce the aggressiveness of rabbits, males should be castrated. In addition, if you want to raise a friendly pet, then give him more affection from an early age. Rabbits especially love it when their cheeks and forehead between the ears are scratched. If you need a cheerful, active rabbit, then the colored dwarf breed is the best option. Fox dwarf rabbits Fox rabbits are long-haired breeds. The weight of an adult varies from 0.8 kg to 1.5 kg. Female rabbits give birth to 2 to 6 babies. Fox rabbits have long hair all over their bodies, but their heads are short and smooth. The hair on the body of these long-eared rabbits can be up to 7 cm long, and sometimes even longer. Rabbits of this breed can have the following colors:
- chinchilla;
- redhead;
- agouti;
- blue;
- white;
- white-spotted.
The character of Fox rabbits, like colored ones,unpredictable. The pet's skin requires constant care. If you like animals with long hair and you agree to comb their fur at least once a week, then the Fox rabbit is your option. Angora dwarf rabbits These animals have thick long fur all over their bodies, including on the ears and face. But unlike Fox rabbits, whose fur is awn, Angora rabbits are downy. The hairs of the fur are very thin and soft, reaching a length of 20 cm. Rabbits give birth to 2-6 rabbits. The weight of an adult dwarf Angora rabbit ranges from 1 to 1.6 kg. Its appearance is very exotic. Many people compare these cuties with small dogs by their appearance. The character of rabbits can be different - both aggressive and extremely friendly. If you want all your friends and people around you to be delighted with the appearance of your pet, then buy an Angora dwarf rabbit, you will not go wrong. Dwarf Rex Rabbits You will be amazed by the sophistication of the Rex dwarf rabbits. The fur of these cute creatures is short and velvety, so they belong to the type of short-haired animals. Rexes come in the following colors:
- Castor Rex (brown);
- Black;
- Bright reddish;
- White;
- Light with spots.
Dwarf Rex rabbits are very graceful, theirThe appearance is somewhat unusual. These pets have a light, rather narrow head with very long ears. The weight of adults is rarely more than 1.6 kg. At an early age, these babies are very unattractive. When you see a Rex rabbit, you would never think that this ugly creature with an incomprehensible type of fur will one day grow into an elegant beauty. The character of such rabbits is very balanced, calm. All movements of an adult Rex are graceful, due to which it can be compared to a fairy-tale fawn. Dwarf rabbits of the Hermelin breed Hermelin rabbits have only white color. The eyes of these amazing creatures are either red or blue. In proportion to the body, Hermelins have a very large head. The fur of rabbits is short and thick. The weight of adults ranges from 1 to 1.5 kg. Females and males are different in character. Males are calm, often lazy and imperturbable animals. But females are often aggressive. Therefore, if you are buying a pet for a child, it is best to buy males. Japanese dwarf rabbit The Japanese dwarf rabbit has a very beautiful and unusual coloring. The animal's entire body is covered with dark and yellow stripes, with one side of the baby being dark and the other yellowish. The border of the colors runs along the center of the back, along the spine. Those individuals whose coloring changes in a checkerboard pattern are especially attractive. Dwarf Dutch rabbit One of the most popular breeds is the dwarf Dutch rabbit. This breed was bred in the 1950-60s in Holland by the famous rabbit breeder Adriaan de Cock. The rabbit's body is short and strong, the neck is almost absent, the chest is wide. The animal's paws are very strong and short, and the head is wide and well developed. Dutch rabbits, like the Baran breed, are lop-eared. Animals come in the following colors:
- Motley;
- Madagascar;
- Lilac;
- Light gray;
- Slight gray;
- Dull gray;
- Isabel;
- Colors of the marten.
These rabbits are very sweet and friendly by nature.The weight of an adult pet varies from 1.2 to 1.6 kg. The area around the eyes, ears and the back of the rabbit's body are colored, but the rest of the body is white. In addition, the baby's hind legs are also white, so it seems as if the rabbit is wearing socks.
Care for dwarf rabbits
Caring for dwarf rabbits is completelyeasy. The only exception is long-haired breeds. These animals themselves are extremely clean, they devote most of their time to grooming their fur. Rabbits living in warm apartments have a molting period that lasts a little longer than those living outdoors. During molting, animals should be combed more often with a special brush. The rest of the time, short-haired babies can be combed at will, but the fur of a long-haired rabbit requires daily care, otherwise the fur may become matted. In this case, you cannot do without scissors and cutting out the pellets. In addition, rabbits should have their claws trimmed, for which ordinary manicure scissors are quite suitable. If the pet has light-colored claws, then the blood vessels at the base are clearly visible. You need to trim them so as not to accidentally damage them. But the claws of dark rabbits should be handled more carefully so as not to damage this area. As you can see, dwarf rabbits do not cause any special problems, and caring for them is extremely simple. Therefore, you should not puzzle over how to keep these cute pets. It is enough to wash them occasionally, comb them and trim their claws. And, of course, feed them properly! And what do dwarf rabbits eat? The food for these animals should be varied. In the summer-autumn period, when there is a lot of juicy greenery around, you should give grass more often and add a little concentrate. Excellent food for dwarf rabbits in the summer are dandelions, wormwood, plantains, field thistle, yarrow, burdock, fireweed, tansy, mouse peas, clover and a number of other wild herbs. These herbs are very juicy, animals eat them with pleasure. But you should remember that these herbs should be given in a grass mixture, or alternate them. Plants such as vetch, alfalfa and peas should be introduced into the pet's diet gradually, preferably in combination with cereals. Rabbits should not be fed the same grass. Before giving the animal watermelon, silage, carrots or beets, reduce the amount of drinking, since these products are very rich in water, and with an excess of liquid, rabbits may experience digestive upset. What else do dwarf rabbits eat? They really like woody food, and in particular - fresh thin branches of aspen, linden, willow, acacia, apple. And in winter, rabbits happily eat pine needles, spruce and juniper. But it should be remembered that low-fiber foods and a high amount of sugar can provoke stagnation of the digestive system, which often leads to the death of the animal. In no case should you give:
- red cabbage,
- beans,
- rhubarb,
- hemlock,
- bleached,
- lily of the valley,
- dope,
- crow's eye,
- digitalis,
- milestone poisonous,
- cheerer,
- buttercup, acrid,
- spurge,
- grass growing near roads.
The collected grass must be washed well and thenDry with a paper towel. When feeding dwarf rabbits, remember that the animal's daily diet must necessarily include sufficient amounts of hay, which the rabbit can eat at any time of the day. But at the same time, alfalfa hay should not be given to rabbits older than 6 months. Oat hay is the most universal for all age groups and types of dwarf rabbits.
Diseases of rabbits
Rabbits, like all living creatures, are susceptiblevarious diseases. Moreover, the pet may get a contagious disease. Do not worry, these infections are not dangerous for humans, but for other animals in the house - yes. Non-contagious include:
- Gastrointestinal diseases;
- Solar and thermal shocks;
- Traumatic injuries;
- Diseases of the respiratory system;
- Pododermatitis;
- Conjunctivitis;
- Rickets;
- Frostbite.
Infectious diseases:
- Infectious rhinitis;
- Dermatophytosis or microsporia;
- Viral hemorrhagic disease;
- Infectious stomatitis;
- Myxomatosis;
- Pasteurellosis;
- Staphylococcosis;
- Listeriosis.
We will not describe these diseases, since the diagnosis is made by a veterinarian. But here is what you need to know to monitor your pet's health:
- The body temperature of the rabbit should be 38.5-39.7 Celsius.
- The pulse should be 120-140 beats per minute.
- The frequency of breathing is 30-50 movements per minute.
- The urine should not exceed 0.2 liters per day.
- Normal blood pressure is 90-10 mm Hgcolumn. Measured in the femoral artery. If one of the indicators differs, immediately contact your veterinarian!
So, to sum up all of the above, weWe would like to remind you once again that rabbits are not fluffy toys, but living creatures. If you decide to buy a dwarf rabbit, be responsible for it. We recommend reading:
