Frequently Asked Questions

Before you complete our, we hope you choose a bunny; they'll live a long loving life with you and your family! Bunnies can live 6-8 years. Always remember that bunnies are prey animals and will panic if they're scared. If you have dogs or cats, do not let them cavort freely together; impulses may get the better of them. This said, we have many pets, including several dogs and cats. Our bunnies are conditioned to hearing and seeing the cats and dogs around their pens and will not startle to most noises. If you have a multi-pet household be sure your bunny's care is elevated and only give your bunny free roam when the other pets are in another room. We provide all our rabbits two play periods per day for 20-30 minutes, either in their indoor or outdoor playscape, and either chaperone or double lock their play zones. Bunnies are most active at dawn and dusk.

It's hard to tell the difference between boy and girl bunnies: what are known as bucks and does in professional speak! A buck's genitals only come out during the mating season.

One Bunny or Two? Bunnies love company! They are equally social to dogs and live in extended groups in nature. While they bond affectionately with people and other pets they trust, they love their own company! Best paired as young kits (6-12 weeks of age) or chosen from the same litter, a pair of bunnies will nurture each other and live together as long as neither is bred. Does are most common; two bucks or a mixed couple must be neutered by six months. If used for breeding, bunnies should live independently as each will become territorial given a small enclosure.

Bunnies do not need to be trained though they love exploring and can quickly learn tricks. Check out Facebook.com/Bunniesarefamily to see the many fun things people do with their bunnies. It's a known fact that bunnies are very social and will come right up to you once they feel safe! Easily litterbox trained, they can be trusted to hop around a room or even a house if you expose them gradually. On the flip side, a bunny can become destructive or self-injurious if left alone too long and too often. We believe all animals are sentient beings in need of freedom, food, and fun! They do not respond when afraid and can just as quickly learn to avoid hands or bite if handled too roughly or grabbed. Remember our phrase: hands should give (toys and treats), not grab!

Ensuring your bunny has enough space is crucial for its well-being. A cage that is too small can make a bunny feel trapped and restless, unable to stretch, jump, or explore. Animals, including bunnies, have similar drives and emotions to humans: they need space to feel secure and happy. A cramped environment can lead to frustration and stress. Ideally, a bunny's cage should allow them to fully stretch out in all directions and provide enough room for hopping around. Additionally, they should have a designated area for play and exercise outside the cage to keep them mentally and physically stimulated. Providing a quiet, safe environment free from excessive noise and disturbances is also essential for their sense of security.

To train your bunny to potty in a litter box quickly and easily, you must choose two things wisely: a box and litter. The box should be big to hold not only a quality absorbent litter but also your bunnies hay. Ideally, their pellets should be arranged in a bowl, which does not need to be in the litter box. You might think this strange--like having dinner while sitting on the toilet! The thing to know about bunnies is that they eat and poop at the same time! It's a little crazy, but it makes them very easy to litter box train!

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Surprisingly bunnies require a lot of affection, and do not like being left alone all day every day. When bunnies feel lonely, they can be destructive, eating cords and wood moldings. To prevent this, spend time with your bunny and also tape up cords and leave down chew toys for them to nibble on.  

If your gone all day every day a bunny is not the right pet for you. All animals like interaction so unless you can get two of one kind of a pet, like a cat or bunny, it’s better to wait until your schedule frees up.

Ideally you should plan activities around their wake cycles, which are early morning and night. If your bunny can roam free prepare a blanket near you on the couch or floor so they can sit with you while you study, watch TV or relax.

Provide chew toys in and out of the cage so they have things to chew on and to help their teeth from needing to be trimmed by the vet. You can DIY your own toys; use toilet paper tubes and shove hay in either end of them as a toy to play with and eat.

80% Timothy hay and 20% vegetables and nutrient-rich pellets or kibble.

Vegetables: Wait until your bunny is 4 months old to introduce a varied diet and then in small doses (1 cup per day once accustomed). Broccoli leaves, kale, carrots, celery, cilantro, romaine lettuce, parsley, are just a sampling of what your bunny will enjoy!

Snack/Treats: Bananas, strawberries, plum, pear, peach, blueberries, apples and mangos but no seeds. Only give them 1-2 tablespoons a day, it’s like candy to a baby!

What NOT to feed your rabbit: Avocados, chocolate, processed foods, nuts, cauliflower, raisins, bread, corn or cereals.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Rabbits are foraging animals, which means they must eat constantly when they are awake. Make sure your bunny will have access to timothy hay at all times. Their digestive system needs to be running constantly, if it stops, it will never start again. Rabbits can die quickly without water or food.

A bunny may not make the best pet for young children because young children cannot always differentiate a baby bunny from a stuffed animal. Your kid many not want to hurt their bunny but if they squeeze too hard or drop the bunny it get injured or worse. Consider waiting until your children are older than 5-years-old. Teach children the phrase “Gentle” so they know to love on their bunny with a soft touch. 

Our rabbits cost $350 each.

Why Do They Cost So Much?

Our rabbits are hand raised and are conditioned to being handled, as well as being around other animals and strange noises from the minute they are born to when we send them home to their families. They come litter box trained, and grow up with their mother.

Why Shouldn’t I Just Get a Bunny From a Pet Store?

Bunnies from pet stores are not handled properly and are also separated from their mothers at a young age, which can cause them to be skittish and uncomfortable around people.

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If you have other pets such as cats and dogs or are deciding on getting another pet, it is probably that with the right introductions, they will become friends! The critical thing is to watch and redirect any staring that a dog or cat may do to a rabbit. 
Keep your bunny in its cage and let the dog or cat view them as you reward them with treats. Ideally, toss the treats on the ground and say “Find It!” as your dog or cat looks away from your bunny to find the treat. Continue this game around the bunny for at least three days. If you're hoping to introduce them nose to nose, use the same psychology, putting the bunny in pen, and reward the dog or cat for looking away from the bunny instead or fight at them. 

* Train friends and families to be calm around your bunny and remind them that hands are for giving treats or head scratches, not for grabbing them in excitement. Most bunnies are less loving to strangers than family. Bunnies are smart.

* When approaching your bunny, walk at an angle instead of rushing up and into their face. This makes them nervous. Nervous bunnies flee and are hard to catch; they will associate people with unpredictability.   
Click here to learn 5 things you should consider before you get your bunny!

Regarding picking the right pellets for their litter, it's important to remember that bunnies pee and poop a lot, so get an absorbent litter. The best types are yesterday's news (paper-based) or untreated aspen chips or small animal pelleted bedding. Avoid gradual or clay-based litters.

If your bunny still seems a little confused, put them in a smaller pan for a just a week or so—one-sixth times your pet bunny's length. Put food and water in or right near or in a big box with their litter on the bottom; their cage should then have a covered den-like area you can make out of a cardboard box or buy, and a different flooring like cedar chips. Patience is a virtue in this situation, it may take some time, but it's all worth it in the end!

* To help your bunny avoid sore hocks, buy a Jute Rug to place over any hard wood floors to give your bunny a softer surface to run around on.

* Purchase Cord Protectors to cover any lose cords you may have lying around that your bunny could nibble on.

* Purchase NIC Grids if you have a couch or bed with wood framing underneath to prevent your bunny from nibbling the wood.

* If there is are certain rooms you would rather not allow your bunny access to, purchase a gate that is tall enough that your bunny cannot hop over and that your bunny cannot slip through.

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Take your bunny to the veterinarian each year for check-ups, nail and teeth trimming. Their life span is around 8-12 years depending on the breed; loving a bunny is a long term commitment. Their nails need to be trimmed every 6 weeks approximately. Do not cut the pink in their nails otherwise they will bleed. You can use corn starch to help stop the bleeding.

Bunnies drink a lot and need access to water at all times. Refill a large dish twice a day and avoid feeding them out of a water bottle as it is bad for their teeth and can leave them dehydrated.

Bunnies are crepuscular, which means they are most awake a dawn and dusk and sleep at night.

The highly contagious disease: RHD, Rabbit Hemorrhaging Disease, began in the wild rabbit population out west and spread across the country, decimating entire populations and quickly spreading to the pet population. It is known to kill domestic rabbits quickly, and there are stories of it wiping out rabbitries and boarding facilities. You can read more about Rabbit Hemorrhaging Disease (RHD) here. 

Keep your bunnies in a protected fenced are or as we do, inside!. Speak with your veterinarian and protect your bunny before letting them outside.

Some of the symptoms to be aware of are:

* Vague lethargy


* High fever


* Difficulty breathing


* Possible no symptoms exhibited


Since the onset, here at Aster Holland Lops, we have brought our breeding population inside, setting up a temperature-controlled room which is our mudroom, so they get even more love and attention. While we’ve gotten our mamas and papas vaccinated, we still keep them inside much of the time unless we’re supervising their play in their outdoor double fenced play space.