Hello, thank you for the provided feedback.
"not sure if there is a manual of sorts in the game for people who decide to give the game another try after a long time away" - there are several :
1. [Tab] Book > 'Help' section : describes all game's features, controls and most of required stuff.
2. [Tab] Book > 'Fapestiary' section : describes taming procedures for each fapet (of the ones learned / found recipes), along with a video example
3. [Esc] Pause menu > Options > Help : visual tutorials of game features and controls (most of the content from 1. is covered here)
"taming the rabbit gave me trouble because i kept leading it to the wrong pen" : you mean in the tutorial (Black tamer's barn) ? or afterwards ?
"there was also a lack of content to keep my attention after the tutorial ended" : i'm assuming you finished the 'Black's Barn chapter', after which there was no lead on where to go and what to do. In these cases i recommend using Book (Tab key) , then select the current active quest to see where you must go next (a big blue beam will appear pointing the way, also Nishy will turn that way). In case you switched to free mode, i recommend finishing the start quests to unlock more features, search for recipes and tame various fapets, level up the barn and check the special events (last week of in-game month).
I hope this helps,
Cheers