Contents of the article:
Decorative rabbits areanimals of small size, weighing up to 3 kg. They lead an active lifestyle and are easy to care for, so they are often purchased for children. The most popular rabbits are lop-eared and dwarf breeds.
How long do
decorative rabbits live? It is best to buy a fluffy pet in specialized pet stores. They tell in detail not only about the vaccines made, but also about the proper care, as well as recommend a certain breed, depending on the desires of the buyer.
Before you start such a pet, you should know how many years the decorative rabbit lives at home. Mainly on the life expectancy is affected by the care and feeding. So if the animal is constantly subjected to stressful situations, it can get sick. Malnutrition or overeating also causes many health problems, due to which its lifespan is significantly reduced. The average life expectancy is from 5 to 8 years.
How many years the decorative rabbit lives will be affected by its breed. Lop-eared fun and playful animals. They live on average up to 8 years old, a little longer than rabbits with erect ears. But with proper and careful care, they can live up to 13 years. Dwarf easily trained, they can walk on the street. The maximum weight of such a rabbit is 1.5 kg. On average, they live up to 5-7 years, but there are also long-livers who have lived to 15 years.
Factors affecting the life span:
- genetic heredity, the healthier the previous generations were, the longer the current generations would live;
- infections, parasites and injuries;
- feed;
- conditions of care and maintenance;
- stress;
- castration.
The tubular bones of these animals are extremely fragile. We can not allow the rabbit to fall from a great height or throw it, because it can break a vertebra or bone of the hind paw. There have been cases when animals injured themselves because of an excessively large jump made from unexpected fright.
How to increase the life expectancy of
In order for the rabbit to live as long as possible, it is better to sterilize it. This reduces the load on the body, and also reduces the likelihood of diseases of the urinary system.
Before you buy an eared pet, you need to find out if he has any genetic diseases. If there is, then you should learn how to care for such a decorative rabbit, and what preventive measures should be applied. These animals lead an active lifestyle, so they need free space. If they move a little, they will quickly gain weight, and obesity contributes to the appearance of liver and heart diseases. At least an hour a day, the rabbit must be let out of the cage for walking, and it is better to bring it out to fresh air outside. 
These animals are afraid of drafts, high humidity, heat and cold, so do not place their cage near the battery or window. They also do not like the noise of a TV, stereo or other similar device. Wash eared pets is possible only when absolutely necessary.
In order to reduce the risk of developing an infection and other dangerous diseases in a rabbit, it is necessary to give him vaccines and vaccinations in time.
How to feed the rabbits of ornamental breeds
The basis of the diet of these animals are roughage, or rather fresh hay, best of all, if it consists of meadow grasses. Before feeding them a decorative rabbit, it must be slightly dried. Hay must have a pleasant smell, be free from mold and dampness. The most useful is hay from nettle, as it contains more vitamins than in many concentrated feed, especially protein. To grind teeth, you can give branches of apple, raspberry, aspen, acacia, cherry or currant.
Juicy herbs and vegetables give out gradually and gradually, because if you overfeed, intestinal upset and bloating can occur. If this problem occurs in decorative rabbits at home, for two or three days it is fed only with hay. If diarrhea does not go away, you should seek help from a veterinarian.
Do not feed rabbits with meat, chocolate, nuts, baked goods or fatty foods.
Concentrated feeds contain a large amount of protein and carbohydrates, so no more than two tablespoons are recommended per day. Otherwise, the decorative rabbit will become obese, and the body's metabolism may be disturbed. To avoid a deficiency of vitamins, animals are fed berries of wild rose and rowan, or vitamin preparations are added to the feed. Also, it is desirable to provide a place for rabbits where they can sunbathe. This is necessary for the formation of vitamin D in the body.
Salt must be present in the rabbit's diet. For this purpose, acquire mineral salt stones. They are fixed inside the cage and, as necessary, the animal will gnaw it. It is better to choose a metal feed bowl, as the plastic decorative rabbit gnaws. Eared pets do not like to drink water from ordinary bowls, instead they install a bottle-drinker.
It is not recommended to give raw water to rabbits, as it may contain dangerous microorganisms.
What should be the cage and how much do decorative rabbits cost
These eared pets like to live one by one, so if you plan to get two, then there should be two cells. The size of the cage for decorative rabbits is chosen in such a way that the animal can stand up to its full height and move about calmly. Must be a separate feeder for hay. Toilet filler is selected natural, without fragrances, for example, sawdust. The litter needs to be replaced daily, as well as water. To make the rabbit more fun, toys that can be nibbled are hung in a cage. Once a month, cell disinfection is mandatory.
The price of a decorative rabbit depends on its breed, size, class( pet, breed, show) and pedigree. And also on the number of forces and means invested by the nursery in it. If there are documents on him and he is vaccinated, the price may increase several times. So without documents, the cost will be 400-800 rubles, and if available, it can reach 3,500-4000 rubles. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase decorative breed rabbits only in specialized pet stores, as the owners will be able to confirm its pedigree.
