In recent years, rabbits have become very popular pets due to their friendliness and docility. Contrary to what many people believe, they do not belong to the rodent family, but rather are lagomorphs. As the most relevant characteristics, it should be noted that they have teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives, have a very powerful musculoskeletal system and produce cecotrophs in their stools (wet stools rich in proteins and bacterial flora, which they ingest during periods). twilight).

The rabbit is a very sociable animal, although it is important to remember that they are skittish animals due to their role as prey in nature, so at certain times the animal will seek "shelter" (plastic shed, cardboard boxes, etc.) to remain resting in a quiet place. This is a species whose greatest activity takes place in twilight hours (early in the morning and at dusk). With proper diet and good management, they can live up to 12 years.

Home Sweet Home

Like rodents, lagomorphs require a quiet environment, and they are also very sensitive to sudden changes in environment. Rabbits can be kept free range or in a cage. It is advisable to adapt their way of life to our homes: while in a chalet we can have an open-air rabbit hutch with shelters that provide optimal temperature and humidity conditions, in a flat the most advisable option is keeping it in a cage with periods extensive probation. This aspect is vital for them given their need to gnaw to wear down their teeth; they can gnaw cables, walls and harmful products such as paint (they contain heavy metals such as lead). They are intelligent pets and can be trained to defecate in a litter box.

suitable cages

There is a wide variety but the ideal ones are the mixed type: metallic exterior and plastic floor. The size should be the maximum possible that offers the pet ease of movement and comfortable cleaning. It will be located in a quiet place and away from drafts due to its environmental sensitivity.

Contraindicated and recommended substrates

There are various materials on the market that we can use as a bedding or bed. On the one hand we have the substrates that we should never use in the case of rabbits:

• Sepiolite, silica beads or clumping sand

All of these materials are marketed as cat litter. None of them should be used because they can be toxic if ingested, some of them give off dust and reduce the level of humidity in the environment causing serious respiratory problems and cause foot problems (pododermatitis).

• Artificial grass

It can be toxic if ingested and cause circulatory disorders as the plastic strands get caught in the animal's extremities.

• grid floor

A large number of cages include a grid that separates the bottom of the tray from the area where the animal steps. These grids, which are usually metal, should be avoided, as they lead to plantar problems (pododermatitis) and are also very uncomfortable for the animal.

On the other hand, among the substrates that we can use we find:

• wood chip

It is absorbent and cheap, but its drawback is that it can produce dust in the environment.