Greetings,

I am about to add a rabbit to may families life and my show. I am doing my research now with books and magazines.

My initial concerns is where to house the rabbit. Indoors vs Outdoors. I initially wanted to house it in a hutch outdoors, but one of the books says that over 80 degrees can be hard on a rabbit. It also said to consider a hutch inside of an outbuilding such as a shed, but my goodness, I can imagine it gets pretty hot in there too.

Give me some ideas of what you are all doing to house your rabbits. And please let me know if there is any Magician/Rabbit specific literature I can pick up.

Thanks,
Dorian

I would also be interested to here how you are transporting from show to show, but I have found some of that info already doing a search.

Dorian, I don't do much with my rabbit but here's how I care for mine. He is in a large 48" x 30" x 24" cage made especially for rabbits and such. I keep the cage in my garage. Temperatures range from below 0 to close to 90 and he seems to be fine. He has a little wooden house in the cage that he likes to sit in. The cage bottom is covered in small animal litter.

When transporting him, I have a smaller cage that's about 18" x 12" x 12". Hope that helps a little.

I keep my Hottot inside in a large cage made for rabbits. Every morning she runs around the cage to get my attention for her daily petting fix.

We are located in Ontario, Canada.

We keep our 3 rabbits inside during the winter months in large cages in our "critter room."

During the late spring to early fall, we keep them outside in their hutches which are shaded from direct sunlight.

For transport, we use the regular pet carriers that are about 12" x 12" x 18" as Dave pointed out for short hauls (out and back the same day).

If we are going on the road, we have small cages about 24" x 24" x 12" for each, and they get to run around the hotel room for a while each day.

Rabbits do this little magic trick all on their own. They actually loose their winter coat during the summer and grow a new thick coat for the winter! They seem to know when to do this without even having a calendar.

I've always kept my rabbits outside in the shade and have never had a problem.

I keep mine inside and let her run around the house for at least 1/2 hour per day (usually more). Indoor cages are cheaper, and she is my kids' pet. I would say where the rabbit lives isn't as important (provided you give her some hay or other insulation if outside during winter) as having wire mesh the poop can fall through. I find that by having a mesh bottom and a tray underneath (like all breeder cages), it's ideal for keeping them clean and sanitary.

Enjoy. Rabbits are a lot of fun in magic shows. Mine "picks" cards, and if I force the right one into her mouth, it's quite a fun trick.

Beowulf T. Wonderbunny lives in a duplex cage about the size of a card table. There's a ramp that goes to the second level at one end and carpeting on that level. His food bowl is wired to the cage bottom on the lower level, and the water bottle hangs next to it. With no children and a finished basement that's mine for the business, Beowulf lives inside year round.

For travel, I built a small box with the front hinged to fall open for quick and easy access/loading. The hinged front panel is almost entirely lightweight fencing for air flow, and there's a handle on the top for carrying. When he's in the carry box, he thinks he's on television.

Outside in hutches. Each bunny I have has his own good-sized hutch. There are times when I have to keep them indoors in the basement. For example, I bought a new baby Netherland this winter. Well, it is too cold for him to be outside, so he has been living indoors in the basement. He has his own large pet carrier. (It's really for a large sized dog.) Hopefully, most of the severe cold is behind us here, so very soon he will move outdoors.

When I travel to shows, each bunny has his own small pet carrier. They measure approximately 1' wide x 2' long x 1' high. I customized my main carrier by installing a wire bottom. That's the best move I ever made!

Regan

It all depends on whether you consider the rabbit a family pet, in which case you are probably going to have them litter trained and inside, or mostly just an animal you use in your show but still treat with love and respect making sure they have proper water, shading, straw/hay, etc.

I have mine inside, but many others I know keep their rabbits outside, and they do just fine. Again, if outside, keep out of direct sunlight, particularly in the hot summers, and in winter that they have enough insulating material to stay warm. Of course, you also need to make sure in cold weather they actually have water and that it is not frozen.

Lucy, my bunny, lives in my basement all year round. I thought of moving her to the garage, but the winters are a bit too harsh and summers can be very hot at times.
Thank goodness for my dear wife, who keeps the cage clean, neat and tidy every week. She (Lucy) gets carried around in a wicker basket which allows air flow, which is great for the hot summer days. A wind-resistant cloth material is placed around the outside during the winters.
Like Regan, I also customized a raised wire base with baby diapers for droppings and urine.
TrickyRicky

Ricky, I may have to try that baby diapers trick! Great idea!

Regan

It works since Lucy is TrickyRicky's baby!

Magicians visiting Toronto should try and take in RJE's magic show.
They are a husband and wife team. The best of its kind anywhere in Canada.
They are two of the nicest people in the magic business.
TrickyRicky

I no longer keep rabbits, but when I did, I'll give you a little hint I learned from a show rabbit breeder to get them through the hot months. Put them in a well ventilated area if it is inside, or outside, in shade and not direct sunlight, and take a gallon plastic milk bottle, fill it with water and freeze it. Put that in the cage with the rabbit. If they have fresh water, shade and can stay up against that bottle, they will do just fine. We had ours out in Texas Panhandle heat of over 100 degrees for days on end with no ill effects. If you don't have a gallon size, put a couple half gallon size bottles in. Be sure, in the afternoons of the hottest days, to check to see there is still some ice in the bottle. They do have to be changed daily.

On the hottest days, sometimes it was necessary to put in a new frozen bottle about 3-4pm.

You need not "customize" a wire mesh bottom. Buy a cage from a breeder, and they are all wire mesh with a solid metal tray beneath. That keeps the cage floor and your rabbit (and your props and your client's birthday guests) clean and odorless, but also keeps your rabbit healthier and dry.

Breeders also sell small wire mesh floor travel cages. Mine fits in the front seat of my car, and I can buckle my bunny. Get a lot of stares from passersby as I drive to gigs in my wizard costume with the rabbit (no logo on the car . . .). But hey, if it gives them something to talk about, I'm also happy.

My rabbit lives indoors with a big cage.

Garsh, thanks, Tricky Ricky. You make me blush.

My rabbit does not go to the bathroom in the carrying cage or in the trick. He waits until he gets home. Is that normal??