Your rabbit will need her nails clipped fairly often, and you have two choices when it comes to clipping nails: you can take her to the vet (though, this admittedly will get expensive,) or you can cut them yourselves. (We very strongly recommend having a veterinarian show you how to do it the first time to avoid mistakes).

You can find specialized rabbit nail clippers at any pet store like PetSmart.

(Rabbit clippers are very similar to the clippers sold to trim cat’s nails - so you can use the same pair clipping your kitties’ nails.) Or, many people report success in using the same old-fashioned nail clippers you use to cut your own nails.

Before you clipping your bunny’s nails be sure you have the clippers, some flour (just in case you hit a vein,) and a towel to wrap your bunny in, making it difficult for her to squirm and try to get away. The more you’re clipping your bunny’s nails, the more you’ll discover what works best for you and your rabbit.

There are several ways you can cut your rabbits nails. First, if there is someone else with you, you can have that person securely hold your bunnywrapped in a towel (to prevent scratching) while you’re clipping the nails. You can also sit the bunny on the floor, gripping her between your legs. This makes it easy to clip the nails on the front paws, but you’ll need to be creative to cut her back feet nails.

When clipping the nails, look for the line that indicates a vein. If your bunny has dark nails, you may not be able to see it. If you can see it, do not clip into the vein or beyond. If you cannot see the vein, simply cut a very little bit. This way, you won’t accidentally hit a vein; however, you might have to cut the nails more often.

Rabbit Care Secrets You can get the book here: http://www.rabbitsecrets.com/R.htm is the book with literally hundreds of “word of mouth” tips and tricks - secrets which are next to impossible to find in books and pet stores. This is the gold which only comes from years and years of hands on experience… including all the hard to find Rabbit information people just can’t locate with internet searches or trips to the library!

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Aside from appearance, there are a number of considerations that you will have to make when it comes time to pick out your fuzzy friend at a pet store or other venue. This is important both to ensure that you select a healthy pet, and to make sure that you and he are compatible!

Now I’ll explain what you’ll need to think about prior to heading out to buy your pet rabbit, and what to look for when you’re actually selecting an animal from a breeder, adoption center or pet store.

Remember, while size, breed, fur type and color are mostly a matter of personal preference (as I’ve explained in the previous chapter), the considerations here are essential to bringing home and raising a healthy pet.

There are a few general points to think about when deciding whether a rabbit is the right type of pet for you and for the rest of your family, too.

Allergies

Many people in this country have pet allergies, often to dogs or cats. It is worth remembering that if you are allergic to cats, chances are you might well be allergic to rabbits. Of course, this is not always the case, and you may wish get an allergy test from your doctor before deciding to bring home a new pet. If you don’t want to go to a doctor for a test, you may want to visit a pet store or breeder and see how you feel after handling the animals.

Also keep in mind that it is not just the pet itself that you may be allergic to. Rabbits often consume hay, which could be problematic in households where a family member has hay allergies.

Children in the House

Do you have young children? If so, a rabbit may not be an ideal pet. For the most part, this has nothing to do with rabbits being a danger to the child. On the contrary, since young rabbits are delicate and relatively tiny, a child may very well do unintentional damage to the pet! For this reason, older children, who have a better sense of their own strength and understand how to treat animals nicely, may be better suited to a pet rabbit.

In any event, if you do choose to bring a pet rabbit into a home with young kids, always try to supervise interactions between your child and your pet to ensure that both remain safe and healthy. Children must be taught how to handle rabbits, and only if they are mature and responsible enough to be trusted with the fuzzy creature.

Money

Even if you adopt a rabbit for free rather than buying one, you should prepare for certain expenses.

A good-sized cage will cost you at least $30 USD or $40 USD, and this is an absolute essential. You can also expect to pay for other accessories, such as toys.

Feeding is another considerable expense. At minimum you will need to buy food pellets, hay and vegetables for your rabbit to consume. You may also need to supplement with vitamins. Then there is also the matter of the litter box and fresh litter, which can add up over time.

Moreover, you will need to take care of medical issues such as spaying (starting at $35) or neutering (a bit cheaper, starting at $25), as well as medical bills for checkups and any illnesses that arise. Of course, it is also possible in some cases to purchase or adopt pet rabbits that have already been spayed or neutered, but even then it is going to be essential to pay for various medical expenditures over the course of your pet’s lifetime.

Before bringing home a rabbit, make sure that you can commit to giving him the quality of lifestyle he deserves throughout his lifetime (5-15 years, depending on the rabbit’s breed and age and health at the time of purchase).

by Andrea Austin,
http://www.rabbits-n-bunnies.com

We hope you enjoyed this article. If you would like more information on pet rabbit care, click on this link to get your FREE Rabbit Care Guide:
Bunny Rabbits

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Did you know that pets outnumber people in the United States? Recent statistics have shown that 62% of homes have a pet, and that 46% of homes have more than one pet. That adds up to 380 million pets in a nation with a human population of 290 million people.

The first three categories are cats (78 million), dogs (65 million), and birds (18 million). Also popular are fish and small animals but their number is far behind the numbers of cats and dogs.

More and more people are buying pets because they realise the great advantages of having a pet, a pet is a great companion, a loyal friend and a part of the family. Since a pet has such an important role to play in your life it is important thinking hard to pick the right pet for you.

Carefully considering what pet you will get before getting it will pay off in the long run, that way you wont pick a pet you are incompatible with, you will get on well with your pet and you wont have problems with it in future. A poorly chosen pet may eventually have to leave, and the blame for the imcompatibility will be with you.

If you are choosing a pet the real choice you are probably making is whether to get a dog or a cat, perhaps you are considering a pet that requires less effort such as a fish or bird also. If you decide to opt for a dog you must then choose what breed of dog toget, with over 150 breeds you are spoiled for choice!

A dog will probably prove to be a better companion than a cat - it will be more of a friend, however a dog will also need more care than a cat. Dogs like to be around people whereas cats are more autonomous, they will generally spend their day off by themselves. Cats are more attracted to their home then to their owners generally.

You will need to carefully consider how much space you have, cats and dogd reuire quite a bit of space, so if you live in a small apartment then even a small breed of dog or a cat will feel restricted. If you have very little space perhaps you should go for a bird or fish, or may be a hamster?

Bear in mind that a dog cannot be left alone for very long, they need feeding, walking and attention. This may be a problem if you are away often and there is no one else around to mind the dog. Perhaps a kennel or neighbour would be available to care for the dog while you are away. Cats, though independent, do not like being left alone either although they can cope better than a dog.

Dogs need a lot of attention, they must be walked at least once or twice a day, on top of that they are full of energy and need space in which to live and play. Obviously the larger the breed of dog the more space it needs, large dogs such as shepherd dogs and Saint Bernards need a lot of space. Also consider how much your dog will eat - big dogs eat big meals!

Big dogs have the advantage that if trained properly, they can protect their owner and home, while small dogs (like
poodles) are more like a joyful toy at home. Small dogs are also suitable for children or for elderly people, who do not have the energy to walk a dog for miles and miles.

No matter what pet you decide on, ensure you have thought your desision through properly, a badly chosen pet will be unhappy if it doesn’t suit you, so pick carefully.

Alyssa Hallam is the webmaster and operator of AH Pet Her site has a great collection of information on all different kinds of pets, including a free newsletter, pet resources and articles. For great pet information, go to:
http://www.ahpet.com

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