I am deciding to put a real rabbit into my show next year. As I have never owned one I thought I should ask the experts - you. What things should I be aware of?

Definately be cautious of a rabbit upstaging you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2lZzGzA6aE

I am not an expert. However...
Many years ago I had a couple of little rabbits.
They are VERY sensitive to what they eat, be careful do not feed them anything but rabbit food (pellets).
If they get sick, I found it hard to nurse them back to health, even with bringing them to the animal doctor.

I was able to keep one of them for many years, even "sort of" litter box trained it.

There are other folks here who can shed more light on this.

One thing that is very important to remember is rabbits are very sensitive to heat. You must not let them get too hot. Many a bunny has been lost while traveling in the summer or working outside.

If you haven't bought one yet, consider buying a dwarf rabbit. They stay small and pack into more varieties of apparatus. I used to work with rabbits and doves but have since stopped. It dawned on me, one day, that if humans can be claustrophobic, perhaps animals can be as well. Since I'm extremely claustrophobic, I won't even consider putting an animal into such tight places again. But that's just me.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about small spaces. Rabbits are not human - they have spent thousands of years in tiny tight spaces, burrows, tunnels and small chambers. In fact. they feel secure in that environment.

Provided they are in the dark they will remain quiet. It's light which brings them to life.

But do ensure any prop is ventilated. A baffle will ensure air without light.

Yes- the Netherland Dwarf rabbit is small, stays small and is easily handled. Weighs in around 2 lbs weight. A rather flat face, boxy head which is the breed standard. Buy from a breeder who breeds to show. They have spares which don't measure up to the standard so can't be shown and won't be used for breeding.

Beware of Polish rabbits which are of similar size, slightly more racy in appearance and with a more pointed face. They can be very vicious and will jump up to bite your hand. They are truly nasty pieces of work.

The Netherland dwarf comes in white and various coloured patterns. The Himalayan is particularly attractive. A pair of coloured (patterned) rabbits can be used for vanish and reappearance and audiences don't appear to think of two being used because of the distinctive patterning. So there are advantages over pure white.

Male or female - buck or doe? In my experience I've found bucks more constant and dependable. But does are smaller though there are season times when they can be less easy to handle. having said that, bucks are territorial and will on occasion give themselves away by stamping their hind legs together on the floor. In a prop on a table that can cause movement.

Eldon is quite right about heat. Left to itself a rabbit will bask in sunshine but only for so long and then they move on to a shady spot. They are susceptible to a hot atmosphere, particularly in closed conditions such as a vehicle.

BUT - beware of draughts and damp. These are the killers. Look very closely at where you are positioning the hutch. Ensure the Rab isn't trapped by sunshine, draughts and that it isn't at all damp in the location.

Feed - rabbits are bulk feeders and need to be constantly eating for their digestive track to operate properly and in order to wear down their teeth which continue to grow throughout their lives.

An absolute essential is meadow hay which is less easily found here today. Feed merchants suppling the equestrian market will often sell single bales of hay. Feed it ad lib so it is always available.

Rabbit nuts or pellets provide excellent nutrition but are insufficient of themselves - hay at all times is essential.

Carrots - big ones - are also very beneficial. They are nutritious, provide great interest and occupation and essential moisture. In fact, feed a large carrot and see the drinking water supply stop going down!

There are plenty of other vegetables they like and can be fed in moderation but keep away from 'greens' - especially lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower leaves, spinach and the like. A little bit they will enjoy but a single cabbage leaf can cause diarrhoea and that is often fatal.

One thing most don't consider is that rabbits produce two forms of dropping. Hard and dry and rounded which they discard and you have to clear away. They usually use just one corner of the hutch. They also produce soft elongated droppings which they eat to gain the nutrients which have passed through and they recycle. They usually lean back and take the soft dropping as it emerges from the anus so you see why it is they are so susceptible to any bowel looseness. They are just putting it back into the system.

If you travel distances don't bother with either food or drink. A piece of carrot and hay is all you need.

When you get them, remember they tend to do better being separate. Two bucks or two does will often fight and tear lumps out of one another. And I don't need to tell you what a buck and a doe together will do!!! And once having done it, she will often tear lumps out of him to keep him away. Mission accomplished!!

Take one at a time into the house - or employ your staff!!! - and have one on your lap and stroke it. Just keep doing it till it settles. It can take days or weeks and some never settle. But usually they do. A shoe box is useful. Put the Rab in, cover with a piece of lightproof cloth and leave it. When it pops its head out, stroke it and return the cloth. It'll get used to being in the box. From box to prop. and that's how you train them.

Do watch out for some individual quirk that you can use to advantage. That's how circus people work. Making best use of what that particular animal does naturally

Provided your husbandry is good and you get lucky and don't have some infection come in you could expect eight or ten years from your rabbit.

And watch out for teeth. I said before teeth keep growing so they've got to keep chewing. One problem with dwarf rabbits is under or over shot teeth. Side on they are like horses teeth. The upper bear down on the lower but in some cases, after a while the lower jaw teeth may start to grow forwards and up and you notice there are a pair of teeth coming up in front of the nose. That's easy - it's visible.

But the upper teeth will be growing and curving back into the mouth and you won't notice till you open the mouth. Nothing you can do about it. It's a congenital defect. You need a pair of strong, sharp, toe nail clippers and you will have to regularly clip back the teeth. Not difficult.

Be aware that the teeth are alive with a soft centre with a nerve so DON'T ever clip too low or it will be very painful and you'll know - the cut teeth will bleed. Initially you need to trim only a little, even if they are well overgrown. After a few days the nerve will have died back - it only naturally comes so far up the tooth - and you can then re-trim them shorter, and so on till you have them under control and looking more normal. Subsequently you'll need to regularly trim back but please - don't let them get too long. Do it regularly. I've done this trimming with many rabbits. They get used to it and it doesn't really trouble them. It doesn't appear to affect their longevity either. Left alone and they will simply starve to death.

They are lovely characters, highly individual with personalities of their own and they bring a dimension to a show that you can't buy no matter how expensive a prop is involved.

First of all, I commend you for asking before the fact. Too many times live animals are brought home before the owner knows anything about caring for them.

When I decided to use bunnies in my show I first bought a book that covered about everything I needed to know about feeding, housing, breeding, etc. I found it at a pet store and it taught me about all I needed to know on the care of bunnies. The book was specifically devoted to the Netherland Dwarf breed. I read and studied this book before I got my bunny, so I was prepared and had everything ready when I brought one home.

Rabbits aren’t too tough to care for once you know specifically what they need. First, you need a big cage so they can run around. You should let them out to run around the house on occasion, but make sure you watch them. They WILL chew your electrical cords, phone cords, etc. very quickly!

Bunnies need things to chew on such as blocks of wood. Pet stores carries chew toys for bunnies. You can give them cardboard tubes from your paper towel rolls as well.

Bunnies need lots of Timothy Hay to eat. It is available even in grocery stores in big bags. Don’t feed your bunny Alfalfa Hay, it’s not good for them. Also avoid any pellet food that has dried fruits and veggies. The better it looks to the human eye, the worse it is for the bunny. You don’t really have to feed bunnies pellets at all. Below are some foods we feed our bunnies twice a day, with Timothy Hay available to them all day long.

Bunnies Favorite Foods (make sure you chop them into small pieces) – Carrots, carrot tops, parsley, celery, bok choy, cilantro, spinach (occasional), collard greens, mustard greens, broccoli (occasional), mashed grapes, banana, apple (no seeds!), blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, pears, pineapple.
Make sure that you give them 3 or 4 times more veggies than fruits. NEVER FEED your bunny iceberg LETTUCE. It is toxic. Romaine, Green Leaf, and Red Leaf is safe for your bunny in moderation, not daily.

Your bunny may use a litter box! After a few days, you’ll see the main spot the bunny has chosen to “go”. Put a litter box there, and the bunny will probably use it. I recommend using pine litter available at most stores that carry litter. Don’t use traditional kitty litter. The dust is really bad for bunnies.

Get your bunny spayed or neutered. Not all vets do this, so you may have to call around. Getting them fixed helps them always get along. Hormonal bunnies can fight and hurt each other.
Pet your bunny every day!

I have to say thank you all for your VERY helpful advice. There are many aspects to think over - but there are many points which will make the decision easier. NO rabbit for The White Wizard. I live in Tropical Far North Queensland (err..very tropical.) Based on just a comfortable temperature for the rabbits alone it would not be a kind climate to keep them.

I thank you all once again - this helpfulness is just another reason why we all visit and participate in the Café.

Kindest Regards

Stephen

I recommend a Holland Lop. I had one and it had the sweetest disposition that I could imagine. It was great with kids! It requires more load space than smaller breeds, but I had no trouble finding a prop that worked well with him. I simply bought a book on rabbit care and bought the necessary gear.

Thought I knew everything about rabbits, Tony James is the cyclopedia on the subject--sound advice.
There you have it all from Tony. There is not much more I could add. I took my bunny (Lady Gaga) to the vet and got her all the shot available.
TWW --TAKE HIS ADVICE.
Lots of good advice from all posters.
Ricky

I agree about the Netherland Dwarf Rabbits,perfect size for a Magicians needs,But be forwarned,...I learned the hard way....I came home one day and my Bunny was dead,....after a visit with the Vet,she stated that the Rabbit had caught "Cat Fever" and that if I was going to get another Rabbit,keep the Rabbit away from all Cats and anything they touch as this was a very common problem with Rabbits and Cats.
MIke