Enchanted Lions & Angoras

Am I Right for a Lionhead?

 

Lionheads are a great companion.  They are lovable creatures who enjoy being around other rabbits and people.  They often enjoy being around other animals as well (as long as they are safe).  Rabbits are very curious by nature. 

If you choose to have a rabbit in your home, it's best to have a hutch for them to live in.  They like their own private time as we do.  They also need somewhere to go to feel safe.   Click here to see some innovative home ideas for bunnies.

Rabbits can be potty trained to a litter box.  Alot like cats, but with different litter.  You will find litter at the local pet supply stores.  I have found that "Super Critter Litter" is the best to train with.  The pellets look just like the rabbit's pellets, so it makes sense for them to go potty there. 

After they learn where their litter box is, then I start using "Yesterday's News" Litter.  I put a small pile of the Critter Litter on top so they know this is still the place.

 

 

I prefer the litter pans that have the extra "lip" on the edge.  This will help keep the litter in the pan.  Bunnies love to dig, this is where they end up doing it.

Living Quarters - Rabbits need to be able to stand up on their hind legs without hitting their heads on the ceiling of the cage.  The bigger the cage, the better.  With the lionhead rabbit you will need at very minimum a 2' X 2' hutch or cage.  Petco has a really nice indoor cage called the Marchioro Luna Spa Small Animal Cage.  It's not only large for then to walk around, but it has a side hideout for privacy.

 

Outdoor cages need to have some protection from sever heat or cold weather. Also you will need to protect against predators.  I find that the rabbits enjoy the wooden hutches the best.  The wood is not as cold/hot as the metal.  The rabbit does like to chew the wood, this is great for their teeth, but their cage ends up pretty ragged looking after awhile. 

 

If you decide to go with metal for the durability, you will need to cover the cage bottom with a foot pad.  Rabbits will get sores on the bottom of their feet and they will start to mat up. 

In the winter months, I bring my bunnies inside our garage.  We have a lot of days below freezing.  In the summer time, they are outside.  In the heat of the summer I put frozen plastic bottles in their cages.  Either water bottles, 2 liter bottles or 1 liter bottles.  They will lay next to them to cool off.

Babies should be kept in a moderately temperature controlled environment.  As they have no fur and cannot move to an ice bottle, they will die from the harsh environment very quickly.

Heat is a big concern for rabbits.  They can get dehydrated very quickly. 

They need fresh water once or twice a day.  I usually put ice cubes in the water bottle as well.

If it's really hot, I use an oscillating fan.  Rabbits shouldn't have a fan directly blowing on them constantly.  If you use the fan with the misters, make sure the misters aren't dripping on the rabbits. 

Rabbits enjoy having something soft to lay on or in.  There are mini igloo's and wooden hideaways. You can even use something as simple as a shoe box. I have found a ferret bed that you can clip to the top of the wire cages that the bunnies love.  It's like a little hammock.

They also like things to hide inside of:

You want your bunny to be happy and healthy.  With good nutrition and exercise your rabbit will stay healthy.

Rabbits need allot of fiber.  You will need to feed them Timothy Hay.  If you have just one rabbit, you can buy hay at your local pet food supply store.  If you have multiple rabbits, it then becomes more cost efficient to purchase a bale of hay.  Currently August 2009 they are running around $5-$13.00.  You can buy these from your local farmers supply store or local farmer. In

Utah

we have IFA, C-A-L Ranch, Peterson Farm Supply, and Dallas Green Farm Supply.

You will also need to feed your rabbit hay pellets.  You don't want to change pellets from a low fiber content to a high fiber content overnight.  You will need to graduate your bunny by mixing the new food in with the old food.  This way your bunny will not get diarrhea or constipation.  The best food pellet is a Timothy Hay based. Timothy Hay based is hard to find.  Kaytee carries a brand called "Timothy Complete for Rabbits" which is found at your local pet store or online at Petco.  Alfalfa is high in calcium, which rabbits cannot digest.  Alfafla is only suggested only when a doe is nursing or the kits are nursing.  If feed for a prolonged period of time, the rabbit can have kidney stones or a sludge build up in the bladder. 

Rabbits love to play and explore.  You will need to have a safe area for them to play.  They will need to play daily.  They love to play outside as well. 

They love the toy tunnels, wood blocks or pieces, cardboard boxes, paper bags, rubbermade tubs, and paper to chew on.

You can get play yards or baby gates to keep them confined to a safe area.  Rabbits will chew on electrical cords as well as wood, including furniture.  There are protective covers you can get to cover these up.  If you let your rabbit run in your yard, make sure you don't have anything that is poisonous before you let them run.  Also, you will need a fenced in area.  If you have flowers, they will eat them.  Make sure you don't let them outside after you have used chemicals on your grass or gardens.  This can be fatal.

Lionheads when they are young have quite long coats of fur.  They will need to be brushed once or twice a week.  If you let their fur mat, it will pull out when you eventually brush them.  This doesn't grow back quickly.  If you want to keep that cute fur mane, be careful not to pull it out. 

You can bathe your bunny, but this is really stressful for them.  You need to have a very calm place.  Have everything ready.  Be careful not to have too warm of water.  Use the same the temperature you would bathe your baby in.  My favorite shampoo is Pet Scentsations Premium Small Animal Shampoo.  I have only found it at Petco.

Rabbits do go through an adolescence stage.  A few months of temperament and hormones raging.  If you spay or neuter your rabbit (Highly recommended) then this will help ease the hormone issues.  Male bunnies will spray urine.  You can get urine guards for the sides of your rabbits cage, which are helpful.   They will often even bite.  (Usually not hard, just letting you know who they think is boss).  They are trying to communicate with you when they do this.  I have a rabbit that when I’m holding her, she will nibble me hand one time gently.  That's her way of telling me she has to go potty. 

Above all, bunnies are so much fun.  They all have their own personalities.  There's nothing like a bunny kiss.  Not as wet and slobbery as a dog kiss and not rough like a cat's tongue.  They are just perfect~