CARING FOR YOUR RABBIT

 

Feeding

 

• Rabbits are herbivores (plant eaters) so a diet high in fibre is required. They should be fed a diet of 80% grass, good quality wheat or oat hay, and 20% a variety of vegetables and herbs (e.g. broccoli, endive, beet and carrot leaves, brussel sprouts, Asian greens, chickory, kale, parsley, dandelion, coriander, basil, dill and mint). Avoid celery and lettuce as they are of little nutritional value. Commercially available pelleted diets, cereals, grains, nuts, seeds, corn, beans and peas should only be used for up to 10% of the diet.

• Treats include fruits and capsicum.

• Water is best offered in a bottle and all food and water should be fresh and changed daily.

• To help prevent overgrown incisor teeth and provide behavioural enrichment, wooden toys may be provided to chew.

   

 

Health Care

• A vaccination against Calicivirus (a disease spread by mosquitoes that can cause sudden death) is required at 8-10 weeks of age, a booster at 12-14 weeks and again with a regular health check every 9-12 months for life.

• Desexing is recommended for female rabbits at 5-6 months of age to help prevent unwanted litters and the development of uterine cancer, which occurs in 50-80% of rabbits over 4 years old.

• Desexing is recommended at 4-6 months for male rabbits to reduce aggression, territorial behaviour (including inappropriate soiling) and bullying.

• Overgrown back teeth leading to the inability to eat is a common, life-threatening problem and so teeth need to be examined at regular health checks.

 

Housing

• Rabbits can be kept indoors or outdoors provided they are protected from the extremes of heat and cold. They are extremely sensitive to heatstroke as they neither pant nor sweat and temperatures above 26ºC should be avoided. 18-22º C is optimum.

• If living in a hutch, ensure that the floor area is made of solid material such as plexiglass or wood with a thick layer of regularly changed straw or hay to prevent foot trauma. A concealed area is also important to allow the rabbit to feel secure.

• Rabbits can be trained to use a litter box and this should be changed daily to prevent urine scalding.

• The living area must be easy to clean and well ventilated but kept in a dry, draught-free area protected from rain.

• Rabbits should have access to unfiltered sunlight on a regular basis and given the opportunity to exercise – daily supervised periods in the garden are ideal.

 

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