There is a legend that little teddy bunnies, worried about the lack of friends, turned into living bunnies. And if you dream of having an unusual pet, decorative dwarf rabbits will be perfect for it.

Let’s define the name at once. Decorative rabbits are not necessarily dwarf. This is the name of animals of all sizes, which are kept as pets. Dwarf breeds are always decorative. Live ornamental rabbits up to 7 years, long-livers 10-12 years. Adults weigh from 1.5 kg to 2.5 kg, depending on the breed.

Dwarf rabbits are divided into 2 main groups:

• real dwarfs – breeds with standing ears;
• lop-eared breeds (rabbits rabbits).

Both species have their own variations (shorthair, angora, lion rabbits with mane on his face) and a characteristic color.

When choosing a rabbit, take into account several important aspects:

• They can’t stand cold, heat and temperature fluctuations. They especially do not like drafts and high humidity.
• Let the animals walk around the room – be prepared for unpleasant smells on the floor, on carpets and on upholstered furniture. Animals mark their territory in this way. As for the cage, with the timely replacement of the filler, the smell of the animal is practically not felt.
• Because of the specific structure of the eyes, they see in the dark much better than people, and like to shake at night. The peak of activity is at dawn and dusk hours.
• Bunnies can bite. They are not aggressive in nature, but they bite when they are frightened, hungry, and left alone.
• Animals moult, several times a year your pets are sure to change their coats. Gradual shedding occurs almost every day, intensive – several times a year. The wool can fall out in big shreds.

The age of the purchased rabbit should be at least 7-8 weeks. Rabbits grow to six months. It is difficult to determine the age and sex, without experience. Therefore, it is better to buy a rabbit from breeders and in clubs. They will help to make sure that the beast gets the right food, care, vaccinations. You can get acquainted with the parents of the rabbit and make sure that the breed is dwarf and decorative.

Housing conditions – choose a house

The conditions of the content are quite a costly article. First of all, it is a cell, one or two levels. You can buy a ready-made cell or you can design it yourself. The size should be impressive, the animal should walk. Install in the cell a drinker, a ceramic bowl for feeding and a tray with a filler.

The main rule in the education of decorative rabbits is love and patience. Accustom them to the tray is quite problematic. It is recommended to put a few trays and give the opportunity to choose the most convenient, and then remove the rest.

What they eat

Eat rabbits the same as their wild congeners. Menu for home rabbits:

• Every day: hay, feed and vegetables, greens, water (in abundant quantities);
• rarely – fruits and carrots.

Bread, dairy products, meat, sweets are prohibited. Feed twice a day, evening meals more than morning meals. Make sure that the beast eats all that is left to throw away. Do not overfeed the rabbits – like all captive animals, they are subject to obesity.

Subtleties of care

Bathing for an animal – stress. In nature, they clean themselves and do not bathe. But it happens that this procedure is necessary. You can bathe partially, wash only contaminated areas of the body. It is better to wash completely together, having previously checked the water temperature.

If rabbits itch, you should pay attention to this. There can be many irritants – from common household dust to parasites and skin diseases. In any case, if the rabbit does not stop itching, consult a specialist. Similarly, beware, if the rabbit constantly sneezes. The cause may be a runny nose – allergic, colds or infectious. All of them are related to the accumulation of infection in the respiratory tract and should be cured.

Determined to breed – think again

Breeding dwarf rabbits is very troublesome. Ornamental breeds are reluctant to breed and not so numerous. For mating animals are brought together after 7 months and up to 3 years. Particular attention is paid to the selection of pairs. Consult the specialists on this issue. Rabbits walk pregnant 27-31 days and constantly require careful care and correction of nutrition.

Rabbits communicate with sign language and smell. If the beast licks your hands, it is a sign of the highest affection and friendliness. Rabbits constantly make sounds, they squeal, grunt, scream and even hiss. Observe the situations in which they do this, and you can determine their emotions.