Bunnies - Frequently Asked Questions
If you're new to the world of rabbits, chances are you have a lot of questions. We want all potential rabbit adopters to know what they're getting in to and have a firm grasp on care requirements to make your relationship fun and enjoyable for both your bunny and yourself. Even if you don't adopt a bunny from us, I hope this page answers some questions and helps you to better understand bunny basics.
Q1: What are the basic supplies I need to keep a rabbit as a pet?
A: You will need an appropriate cage (size and structure dependant on where the cage will be kept), a food bowl or gravity feeder, a water bottle and/or water crock, hay-based food (pellets), loose hay (usually sold by the bale), nail clippers, and something safe to chew on (apple branches and open pine cones work well, or rabbit-safe chew toys can be found in most pet stores). Additionally, rabbits can be playful if given space and toys. A golf ball, a cardboard box full of shredded paper, or a big mixing bowl full of dirt they can dig in are all great options that don't cost much. If your bunny will be housed indoors, a litter box and corncob bedding is advisable (never use kitty litter for a rabbit's litter box - remember they taste their environment).
Q2: Which gender is better?
A: If you want a pet rabbit, with no intention of breeding, I've found that an adult buck (male) is often more friendly, easy to handle, and less temperamental than a doe (female). A doe will often reach maturity and turn into a temperamental, nippy, sometimes aggressive little beast. And yes, sometimes she will be fantastic, and there are always exceptions to this - on both sides. That said, picking a gender becomes even more important if you decide to house two bunnies together.
Q3: Can I keep two bunnies together?
A: Definitely! But be aware of the gender dynamics. Two brothers can be housed together until they reach maturity. Once the hormones start, they will almost always start to fight, often viciously and to the death. You'll find tufts of fur around the cage, you might see them sparring, posturing, chasing, and biting each other. This is the sign that they need to be separated immediately. Failure to notice these signs and separate will end up with one or both rabbits dying. Two sisters can often be housed together for longer. I usually hear from people wondering why their does started to fight around 1-2 years old. I'm not sure why this is, but once they start to fight, they must be separated. So how do you keep two rabbits together successfully? Have them spayed or neutered. Once a rabbit is surgically sterilized (spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian) they can remain bonded companions for their entire lives without scuffles. It should go without saying - never house a doe and a buck over 12 weeks old in the same cage (not even "just long enough to clean the other cage") unless you are prepared to have babies.
Q4: Can rabbits be litter box trained?
A: Yes they can! Rabbits will usually pick one corner of their cage to be their designated "potty" spot. Once they establish which corner they prefer, just slide a container into that corner. Don't use kitty litter as bunny may decide to taste it and could get sick. Use corn cob litter, pine shavings, or Carefresh bedding. Shredded paper can work, but some bunnies would rather play in it and it's messy to clean up when it gets wet. Never use cedar - it is toxic.
Q5: Do rabbits require veterinary care like a dog or a cat?
A: Nope! Rabbits do not require annual vaccinations, dewormings, or veterinary exams. It's always a good idea to have a knowledgeable veterinarian on hand in case of emergencies, expecially since many dog and cat medications are actually toxic to rabbits. Please call your local vets to make sure the one you pick knows how to work with rabbits. It is recommended that pet rabbits be spayed or neutered, but all other basic care for a healthy rabbit can be done at home - toe nail trims and minor brushing when they're molting (shedding) is pretty much it. Some other countries do have vaccinations for rabbits, however, in the US we do not typically vaccinate pet rabbits.
Q6: Can rabbits be kept outside in the cold of winter and the heat of summer?
A: Yes, but you do have to provide for them accordingly. If the low temperature is dropping to below freezing, make sure you stuff their hutch full of straw so they can build a nest to stay insulated. Always keep rabbits in a cage that provides shade at all times of the day, and protection from the elements (wind, rain, snow, etc.). If it is exceptionally hot outside, or the humidity is high, provide a frozen water bottle for your bunny to lay next to so he or she can cool down. Rabbits die from heat stroke. In the winter it is easier to switch to a water crock (bowl) instead of a bottle as it will provide them with more access to water before it freezes. Depending on how cold it gets, you may have to refill the water bowl twice a day every day through the winter if keeping your bunny outside. Likewise, they do tend to drink more when it's very hot outside, so you may find you need to refill bottles and crocks more often in the very hottest part of summer as well. Once a day is usually just fine in spring and fall.
Q7: Why are rabbits a good option to keep as a pet as opposed to other types of animals?
A: A rabbit will outlive a hamster or gerbil. A rabbit does not require annual veterinary care like a dog or cat, which will save you money. Rabbit food isn't very expensive, and they love to snack on the weeds and grass you pull out of your garden, a well as your extra veggie bits that you have after you prep dinner. They produce garden-ready fertilizer that doesn't require a rest period - put it right into your garden and start growing stuff! A rabbit is a quiet pet; chances are your neighbor won't even know you have one. Most cities do not have rules against keeping rabbits, even when other "farm animals" are not allowed. They're cute and come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and breeds. Their care is simple enough that a mature 10 year old can grasp the basics. Rabbits can be shown by your kids or grandkids in 4H or open class at your local county fair.
Q8: What do your rabbits eat (and drink)?
A: We feed a combination of pelleted food and hay, with Calf Manna supplemented as needed. We give kitchen scraps at least once a week, and this may include carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet/bell peppers, zucchini, beans, peas, corn husk (the leafy part, not the stringy part and not the kernel or cob), strawberries and strawberry tops, raspberries, blueberries, apples (no cores/seeds), Romaine lettuce (never iceburg), watermelon, or pumpkin. They sometimes get grass and weeds pulled from the yard and garden and especially like dandelions and clover. We sometimes add 1-2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water for the health benefits. If you plan to continue using apple cider vinegar, make sure you are using actual apple cider vinegar and not apple flavored vinegar, and always try to find apple cider vinegar "with the mother" (looks like a fuzzy floating blob, typically found at the bottom of the container).
Q9: What if I get a rabbit, but decide it's not a good match for me or something comes up and I can't keep it anymore?
A: Every bunny we sell is backed by a 100% guarantee. If you should decide that a rabbit is not the pet for you, if your child(ren) lose interest, your landlord changes the pet policy, you have to move, your neighbor's dog won't leave your rabbit alone, your roommate is allergic, or anything else comes up, let us know! We will take back any rabbit we sell, for any reason, for the lifetime of the rabbit (no refunds). No questions asked, no explanations required, no surrender or return fee. We will take back any rabbit we sell, always. Adopt with confidence!
Q10: I didn't get my rabbit from you, but I can't keep it. Can you help me?
A: We can certainly try to help you out! As part of being a responsible breeder, we do take in unwanted rabbits if we have space available. If you need to surrender your rabbit, and can provide their cage, we can take your rabbit. If you cannot provide a cage, we can only take rabbits in when we have open cage space. No surrender fees, no judgement. Just email us and let us know a little about your rabbit... Breed, age, gender, and temperament (good with kids? known biter? possibly pregnant?) and where you're located. You must be able to bring your rabbit/cage to Brainerd, Pillager, or Staples as we cannot drive out of area to pick up.
Q11: Do I have a boy or a girl rabbit?
A: Gender checking is fairly easy as long as you know what to look for. Lay your rabbit on it's back, with legs up in the air. Apply gentle pressure just above the genitals. Something should "pop out" and that's what you're looking for. A buck (male) will have a round hole, usually with space between the hole and the anus. Adult bucks will be easy to tell as it really pops out! Always look for the "donut" or full circle hole to identify a buck. See below and to the left, a three week old buck bunny. A doe (female) will have a slit toward the anus. Some adult does can have a top part that sticks out considerably when given some pressure, but will always have the slit toward the anus. Look for the "taco" or slit to identify a doe. See photo below and to the right of a three week old doe bunny.
A: You will need an appropriate cage (size and structure dependant on where the cage will be kept), a food bowl or gravity feeder, a water bottle and/or water crock, hay-based food (pellets), loose hay (usually sold by the bale), nail clippers, and something safe to chew on (apple branches and open pine cones work well, or rabbit-safe chew toys can be found in most pet stores). Additionally, rabbits can be playful if given space and toys. A golf ball, a cardboard box full of shredded paper, or a big mixing bowl full of dirt they can dig in are all great options that don't cost much. If your bunny will be housed indoors, a litter box and corncob bedding is advisable (never use kitty litter for a rabbit's litter box - remember they taste their environment).
Q2: Which gender is better?
A: If you want a pet rabbit, with no intention of breeding, I've found that an adult buck (male) is often more friendly, easy to handle, and less temperamental than a doe (female). A doe will often reach maturity and turn into a temperamental, nippy, sometimes aggressive little beast. And yes, sometimes she will be fantastic, and there are always exceptions to this - on both sides. That said, picking a gender becomes even more important if you decide to house two bunnies together.
Q3: Can I keep two bunnies together?
A: Definitely! But be aware of the gender dynamics. Two brothers can be housed together until they reach maturity. Once the hormones start, they will almost always start to fight, often viciously and to the death. You'll find tufts of fur around the cage, you might see them sparring, posturing, chasing, and biting each other. This is the sign that they need to be separated immediately. Failure to notice these signs and separate will end up with one or both rabbits dying. Two sisters can often be housed together for longer. I usually hear from people wondering why their does started to fight around 1-2 years old. I'm not sure why this is, but once they start to fight, they must be separated. So how do you keep two rabbits together successfully? Have them spayed or neutered. Once a rabbit is surgically sterilized (spayed or neutered by a licensed veterinarian) they can remain bonded companions for their entire lives without scuffles. It should go without saying - never house a doe and a buck over 12 weeks old in the same cage (not even "just long enough to clean the other cage") unless you are prepared to have babies.
Q4: Can rabbits be litter box trained?
A: Yes they can! Rabbits will usually pick one corner of their cage to be their designated "potty" spot. Once they establish which corner they prefer, just slide a container into that corner. Don't use kitty litter as bunny may decide to taste it and could get sick. Use corn cob litter, pine shavings, or Carefresh bedding. Shredded paper can work, but some bunnies would rather play in it and it's messy to clean up when it gets wet. Never use cedar - it is toxic.
Q5: Do rabbits require veterinary care like a dog or a cat?
A: Nope! Rabbits do not require annual vaccinations, dewormings, or veterinary exams. It's always a good idea to have a knowledgeable veterinarian on hand in case of emergencies, expecially since many dog and cat medications are actually toxic to rabbits. Please call your local vets to make sure the one you pick knows how to work with rabbits. It is recommended that pet rabbits be spayed or neutered, but all other basic care for a healthy rabbit can be done at home - toe nail trims and minor brushing when they're molting (shedding) is pretty much it. Some other countries do have vaccinations for rabbits, however, in the US we do not typically vaccinate pet rabbits.
Q6: Can rabbits be kept outside in the cold of winter and the heat of summer?
A: Yes, but you do have to provide for them accordingly. If the low temperature is dropping to below freezing, make sure you stuff their hutch full of straw so they can build a nest to stay insulated. Always keep rabbits in a cage that provides shade at all times of the day, and protection from the elements (wind, rain, snow, etc.). If it is exceptionally hot outside, or the humidity is high, provide a frozen water bottle for your bunny to lay next to so he or she can cool down. Rabbits die from heat stroke. In the winter it is easier to switch to a water crock (bowl) instead of a bottle as it will provide them with more access to water before it freezes. Depending on how cold it gets, you may have to refill the water bowl twice a day every day through the winter if keeping your bunny outside. Likewise, they do tend to drink more when it's very hot outside, so you may find you need to refill bottles and crocks more often in the very hottest part of summer as well. Once a day is usually just fine in spring and fall.
Q7: Why are rabbits a good option to keep as a pet as opposed to other types of animals?
A: A rabbit will outlive a hamster or gerbil. A rabbit does not require annual veterinary care like a dog or cat, which will save you money. Rabbit food isn't very expensive, and they love to snack on the weeds and grass you pull out of your garden, a well as your extra veggie bits that you have after you prep dinner. They produce garden-ready fertilizer that doesn't require a rest period - put it right into your garden and start growing stuff! A rabbit is a quiet pet; chances are your neighbor won't even know you have one. Most cities do not have rules against keeping rabbits, even when other "farm animals" are not allowed. They're cute and come in a wide variety of sizes, colors, and breeds. Their care is simple enough that a mature 10 year old can grasp the basics. Rabbits can be shown by your kids or grandkids in 4H or open class at your local county fair.
Q8: What do your rabbits eat (and drink)?
A: We feed a combination of pelleted food and hay, with Calf Manna supplemented as needed. We give kitchen scraps at least once a week, and this may include carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet/bell peppers, zucchini, beans, peas, corn husk (the leafy part, not the stringy part and not the kernel or cob), strawberries and strawberry tops, raspberries, blueberries, apples (no cores/seeds), Romaine lettuce (never iceburg), watermelon, or pumpkin. They sometimes get grass and weeds pulled from the yard and garden and especially like dandelions and clover. We sometimes add 1-2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water for the health benefits. If you plan to continue using apple cider vinegar, make sure you are using actual apple cider vinegar and not apple flavored vinegar, and always try to find apple cider vinegar "with the mother" (looks like a fuzzy floating blob, typically found at the bottom of the container).
Q9: What if I get a rabbit, but decide it's not a good match for me or something comes up and I can't keep it anymore?
A: Every bunny we sell is backed by a 100% guarantee. If you should decide that a rabbit is not the pet for you, if your child(ren) lose interest, your landlord changes the pet policy, you have to move, your neighbor's dog won't leave your rabbit alone, your roommate is allergic, or anything else comes up, let us know! We will take back any rabbit we sell, for any reason, for the lifetime of the rabbit (no refunds). No questions asked, no explanations required, no surrender or return fee. We will take back any rabbit we sell, always. Adopt with confidence!
Q10: I didn't get my rabbit from you, but I can't keep it. Can you help me?
A: We can certainly try to help you out! As part of being a responsible breeder, we do take in unwanted rabbits if we have space available. If you need to surrender your rabbit, and can provide their cage, we can take your rabbit. If you cannot provide a cage, we can only take rabbits in when we have open cage space. No surrender fees, no judgement. Just email us and let us know a little about your rabbit... Breed, age, gender, and temperament (good with kids? known biter? possibly pregnant?) and where you're located. You must be able to bring your rabbit/cage to Brainerd, Pillager, or Staples as we cannot drive out of area to pick up.
Q11: Do I have a boy or a girl rabbit?
A: Gender checking is fairly easy as long as you know what to look for. Lay your rabbit on it's back, with legs up in the air. Apply gentle pressure just above the genitals. Something should "pop out" and that's what you're looking for. A buck (male) will have a round hole, usually with space between the hole and the anus. Adult bucks will be easy to tell as it really pops out! Always look for the "donut" or full circle hole to identify a buck. See below and to the left, a three week old buck bunny. A doe (female) will have a slit toward the anus. Some adult does can have a top part that sticks out considerably when given some pressure, but will always have the slit toward the anus. Look for the "taco" or slit to identify a doe. See photo below and to the right of a three week old doe bunny.
Q12: I bought a rabbit from you, but lost the paperwork. Can I get a second copy?
A: For your convenience, I have put the paper that comes with each of our rabbits HERE for anyone to reference back to. You'll notice that the top of the form is not filled out. If you are looking for the breed or birthday information for your rabbit, please visit the Past Bunnies page. We try to keep a photo of every bunny we've sold, organized by litter (with older litters further down the page).
Q13: Can I come over and look at all of the bunnies?
A: The short answer is no. I could go over several reasons behind this, but the biggest one is bio-security. In 2017 we had an illness wipe out almost 75% of our rabbits in about a 2-month span. It was devastating. Since then we have had a strict no visiting policy (which includes family and friends) - nobody is allowed near the bunny barn. The health and safety of our rabbits is important to us. I do my best to accurately describe each rabbit and to match their personality to what someone is looking for. We have been known to bring a couple available rabbits to meetings for people to meet more than one if they're not sure which one they want. For this reason, we do not schedule meetings or mark rabbits as "pending" until the bunnies are old enough to leave. We cannot bring them along to meetings if they are not weaned. Often bunnies brought to these meetings that are not picked are moved to a quarantine area away from the other rabbits to make sure they didn't pick anything up while they were out and about. Better safe than sorry. I'm usually happy to take additional photos or even videos of the rabbits to give people a better idea of their personalities. All meetings are done in public places for your safety and ours - you never know who you're meeting online these days.
Q14: I live further away, can you meet me halfway or deliver a rabbit to me?
A: Yes, and no. We are located near Staples, and we can arrange meetings in Motley, Pillager, or Brainerd / Baxter because we travel this way every week to do our regular shopping. We have very limited time off, and we usually use those days to do our weekly shopping, run errands, make appointments, work on homestead projects, and spend time together as a family. It is difficult for us to arrange other travel plans, especially with five kids with us. We can make arrangements, but we do charge for the inconvenience. If you want to meet anywhere from Little Falls to Saint Cloud, Nisswa to Hackensack, Wadena to Detroit Lakes, or Crosby or Garrison to Aitkin, we charge $75. Anywhere south of St. Cloud down to Minneapolis, west of Detroit Lakes to Fargo, or east of Aitkin to Duluth, is $250. Destinations beyond these areas will be determined on a case-by-case basis and will cost more. This fee is in addition to the cost of the animal(s) and must be paid in full, in advance, and is non-refundable. Once the travel payment is made we will arrange a date that works with your schedule and ours. Depending on the time of year, what else we have going on, how far we need to travel, and how open your schedule is to match with ours, this can be anywhere from one week to two months out. In the interest of not holding off sales, we request that you make arrangements on your end to make one of our available dates work within 8 weeks of payment. Once a date is selected it cannot be changed as we will have already scheduled around it. If you cancel your scheduled transportation date or do not show up at the appointed time / location, we reserve the right to cancel the sale and keep the transportation fee as payment for rearranging our schedules to suit you. So far we've never had to do this, but I'm including it just in case it becomes an issue.
Why so expensive you ask? Travel outside of our area means we are missing out on other important things. It may mean having to hire someone to babysit our dogs (who need to go out to go potty regularly), or pay someone to run our errands for us. It could mean having to hire a babysitter to pick kids up after school if we won't be back in time. It may mean a dozen or more bathroom stops plus snacks and meals on the go for a family of seven. It's not just gas costs, it's lost time we could be spending working on household chores, projects, or making homestead repairs. But when it comes down to it, we really do not want to leave our regular area. Please note that we openly include our location and meeting area in our ads, on our web page, and in our email conversations. If you choose to work with a breeder that is located far away, please be prepared to make the long drive.
Q15: Can you ship a rabbit to me?
A: No. We do not ship any of our animals. We require a face-to-face meeting when you come to pick up your new bunny. We do not ship, mail, or use a delivery service to move rabbits. The fewer places and hands on the rabbits the less likely they are to get stressed and/or sick. We want to directly hand off our rabbits to their new owners. No middle-man. We are located near Staples, and can arrange meetings in Motley, Pillager, or Brainerd / Baxter. If you are outside of these areas please see the question above (re: delivery).
A: For your convenience, I have put the paper that comes with each of our rabbits HERE for anyone to reference back to. You'll notice that the top of the form is not filled out. If you are looking for the breed or birthday information for your rabbit, please visit the Past Bunnies page. We try to keep a photo of every bunny we've sold, organized by litter (with older litters further down the page).
Q13: Can I come over and look at all of the bunnies?
A: The short answer is no. I could go over several reasons behind this, but the biggest one is bio-security. In 2017 we had an illness wipe out almost 75% of our rabbits in about a 2-month span. It was devastating. Since then we have had a strict no visiting policy (which includes family and friends) - nobody is allowed near the bunny barn. The health and safety of our rabbits is important to us. I do my best to accurately describe each rabbit and to match their personality to what someone is looking for. We have been known to bring a couple available rabbits to meetings for people to meet more than one if they're not sure which one they want. For this reason, we do not schedule meetings or mark rabbits as "pending" until the bunnies are old enough to leave. We cannot bring them along to meetings if they are not weaned. Often bunnies brought to these meetings that are not picked are moved to a quarantine area away from the other rabbits to make sure they didn't pick anything up while they were out and about. Better safe than sorry. I'm usually happy to take additional photos or even videos of the rabbits to give people a better idea of their personalities. All meetings are done in public places for your safety and ours - you never know who you're meeting online these days.
Q14: I live further away, can you meet me halfway or deliver a rabbit to me?
A: Yes, and no. We are located near Staples, and we can arrange meetings in Motley, Pillager, or Brainerd / Baxter because we travel this way every week to do our regular shopping. We have very limited time off, and we usually use those days to do our weekly shopping, run errands, make appointments, work on homestead projects, and spend time together as a family. It is difficult for us to arrange other travel plans, especially with five kids with us. We can make arrangements, but we do charge for the inconvenience. If you want to meet anywhere from Little Falls to Saint Cloud, Nisswa to Hackensack, Wadena to Detroit Lakes, or Crosby or Garrison to Aitkin, we charge $75. Anywhere south of St. Cloud down to Minneapolis, west of Detroit Lakes to Fargo, or east of Aitkin to Duluth, is $250. Destinations beyond these areas will be determined on a case-by-case basis and will cost more. This fee is in addition to the cost of the animal(s) and must be paid in full, in advance, and is non-refundable. Once the travel payment is made we will arrange a date that works with your schedule and ours. Depending on the time of year, what else we have going on, how far we need to travel, and how open your schedule is to match with ours, this can be anywhere from one week to two months out. In the interest of not holding off sales, we request that you make arrangements on your end to make one of our available dates work within 8 weeks of payment. Once a date is selected it cannot be changed as we will have already scheduled around it. If you cancel your scheduled transportation date or do not show up at the appointed time / location, we reserve the right to cancel the sale and keep the transportation fee as payment for rearranging our schedules to suit you. So far we've never had to do this, but I'm including it just in case it becomes an issue.
Why so expensive you ask? Travel outside of our area means we are missing out on other important things. It may mean having to hire someone to babysit our dogs (who need to go out to go potty regularly), or pay someone to run our errands for us. It could mean having to hire a babysitter to pick kids up after school if we won't be back in time. It may mean a dozen or more bathroom stops plus snacks and meals on the go for a family of seven. It's not just gas costs, it's lost time we could be spending working on household chores, projects, or making homestead repairs. But when it comes down to it, we really do not want to leave our regular area. Please note that we openly include our location and meeting area in our ads, on our web page, and in our email conversations. If you choose to work with a breeder that is located far away, please be prepared to make the long drive.
Q15: Can you ship a rabbit to me?
A: No. We do not ship any of our animals. We require a face-to-face meeting when you come to pick up your new bunny. We do not ship, mail, or use a delivery service to move rabbits. The fewer places and hands on the rabbits the less likely they are to get stressed and/or sick. We want to directly hand off our rabbits to their new owners. No middle-man. We are located near Staples, and can arrange meetings in Motley, Pillager, or Brainerd / Baxter. If you are outside of these areas please see the question above (re: delivery).