Caring For Your Rabbit

Congratulations on the arrival of your new family member! Rabbits are lovely pets and a new rabbit brings a lot of excitement and joy. As it is important to familiarise yourself with what it needs, here are all the necessary health care tips to get you started.

General Information

Lifespan: 6-10 years
Adult body weight: 1 - 8 kg (depending on breed)
Sexual maturity: 3-4 months for males, 5-6 months for females
Litter size: 4-12 kits or kittens
Gestation (pregnancy): 1 month

Baby rabbits (kits or kittens) are born without fur, with their eyes closed and will live in a nest made by the mother for about 3 weeks. Rabbit kittens should be weaned once they reach approximately 6 weeks of age.

Feeding

Inappropriate diet is one of the most common causes of disease in pet rabbits. Poor diet can cause dental disease and intestinal problems such as bloat. An adult rabbit diet should be made up of good quality pellets, fresh hay, and fresh leafy greens. Rabbits younger than 12 weeks of age should not be offered vegetables or fruit as it can cause stomach problems.

Rabbit teeth grow continuously throughout life. They rely on dietary fibre (eg hay) to wear down their teeth.
Rabbits are naturally 'coprophagic', meaning they eat some of their own droppings. They need to do this in order to keep themselves and their digestive tract healthy.
When adding new foods to a diet, always do it in small amounts and one at a time. Some foods may upset their digestive system. Take time to learn what your bunny likes and what their digestive tract likes.

Hay (70%-80% of a rabbit’s diet)

Good quality oaten hay, timothy hay, orchard grass, botanical hay should be their main diet. Hay is essential to a rabbit's digestive system and they must have unlimited amounts available at all times. Generally a rabbit will eat up to its body size of hay per day.
Lucerne hay is OK for growing rabbits but must be avoided in adult rabbits as it contains high calcium and may lead to metabolic bone diseases and urinary tract disorders.
Good hay should be green, sweet-smelling, contain little dust, not be damp and not contain mold. Rabbits will find a preference for one hay or another. To encourage hay eating, offer different types to determine which the rabbit is drawn to.

Fresh Leafy Greens (10%-20% of a rabbit’s diet)

Rabbits should be fed at least three different types of fresh leafy green vegetables/herbs daily. Try to choose greens that are low in calcium.
Daily requirement: A minimum of 250 grams or 2 cups per kg of rabbit.
Suitable greens: rocket, celery, endive, bok choy, asian greens, chicory, dark leafed lettuce varieties (not iceberg), dandelion greens, cabbage, cauliflower, and herbs (dandelion, coriander, basil, dill, mint).
Small amount only (high in calcium): beet, spinach leaves, kale, mustard greens, radish tops, Swiss chard, sprouts, parsley.

Pellets/ Chaff Mixes (5% of a rabbit’s diet)

Only use good quality rabbit pellets as these provide essential fatty acids and nutrients.
These are supplements and must never form the main part of the diet (up to 1 tablespoon per day maximum). Commercial mixed food that contains corn is not suitable for feeding rabbits as they contain high levels of sugar and starch.

Treats (5% of a rabbit’s diet)

These can be offered in small quantities, i.e. 1-2 tablespoons per rabbit per day.
Suitable treats: most fruits without seeds (apple, pear, watermelon, banana, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry) and root vegetables (carrot, sweet potato).

Water

Clean water must be available at all times.
Provide water bottles and/or a heavy water bowl to drink from. A water bowl allows rabbits to drink larger quantities of water as they use a sucking motion when drinking.

Foods to Avoid

Avoid simple carbohydrates, high protein and high fat foods.

Onion, leeks, garlic
Avocado
Rhubarb
Chocolate
Yoghurt
Iceberg lettuce
Cereals
Grains
Nuts
Fruit seeds/pits
Corn
Broad beans and kidney beans
Peas
Sugar
Meat, Eggs, Dairy
Mushrooms
Processed foods

Housing

Rabbits need a comfortable and protective home where they can feel safe. When outside their home, they need a safe and warm environment. It is advised that the home be above 18°C. Rabbits can happily live indoors, outdoors, or a combination of both.

Indoor Housing Options

Free range: Rabbits are given the run of most or all of the house. If you opt for this, it is recommended you start with a limited area (8 panel pet pen is a good option) to carry out litter/toilet training. Once litter trained, they can be allowed into other areas of the house.
One room: Ensure that there is solid flooring which is easy to clean, and that temperature can be monitored and adjusted appropriately (rabbits are very prone to heat stress in hot weather).
Hutch: A hutch should serve as a temporary enclosure. It needs to be safe, secure and provide protection. It should be large enough to allow the rabbit to exhibit normal behaviours such as digging, running, jumping, rearing up, and hiding. Rabbits should be given the opportunity to exercise outside of the hutch for a few hours each day.

Preparation of an Indoor Area for Rabbits

Flooring: Solid and easy to clean. As rabbits will slip on smooth floors, using lino, newspapers, carpet tiles or runners can prevent this. Avoid wire floors as these can cause damage and abrasions to the rabbit’s paws.
Furniture: Provide a hiding spot with an entrance and exit hole, to mimic a burrow. Soft bedding should also be provided for rest. Rabbits also love height, so a ramp, small cupboard or hutch for them to jump on is ideal.
Food and water: Easily washable, flat and wide, heavy bowls. Also provide hay racks, and ensure hay is available at all times.
Litter trays: Large tubs easy for your rabbit to climb in and out of and are easy to clean. Hay is the preferred substrate, as rabbits love to “poo and chew”. Ideally provide one tray per rabbit plus one extra to prevent fighting.
Toys: Give your rabbit lots of toys and safe objects that you don’t mind them chewing. Examples include cardboard boxes, willow or hay balls, tunnels and edible chews.

Bunny-proofing your home:

Hide electrical cords
Protect furniture with Plexiglas to prevent the bunny from chewing
Use child-proof gates to keep the bunny out of certain rooms
Remove poisonous plants
Keep them safe from other pets such as dogs and cats

Outdoor Housing

Indoor living is the recommended option for pet rabbits, as it is easier to control environmental temperature, avoid predators and protect against flying/biting insects such as mosquitoes, midges, flies and fleas (sources of calicivirus and myxoma). Spending some time outdoors is good, however, for exposure to vitamin D and expression of natural behaviour.

If you are considering outdoor housing, see the following guidelines below to keep your pet safe:

Ensure enclosure is in the shade and well-ventilated to prevent heat stroke.
Ensure enclosure is rain proof.
Provide mosquito proofing with fly-screen mesh to prevent diseases.
Ensure enclosure is protected from predators.

Handling

Start handling a rabbit from a young age.
When handling a rabbit, support the front and back legs from underneath rather than holding them around the chest and belly.
Rabbits can kick out very strongly with their legs, which can cause injury to both the handler and themselves.
Ensure that your hands don't carry odours of other animals before you handle your rabbit as this may frighten them.

Health & Veterinary Care

Some rabbits may require regular grooming and nail clipping.
It is important to vaccinate your pet rabbit. Your Veterinarian can advise you on vaccination against “Rabbit Calicivirus”, which is a fatal and incurable mosquito-borne viral disease. Rabbits more than 10 weeks old require vaccination once a year. At the time of vaccination your rabbit will also receive a thorough health examination.
Desexing is recommended at 4-6 months of age for both male and female rabbits. Desexing helps to prevent diseases (such as uterine cancer in females and testicular cancer in males) as well as preventing behavioural problems (such as aggression and territorial soiling of your house).
At home you should always closely monitor your rabbit’s food intake, body condition, toileting behaviour, eyes, ears, mouth and feet.

Sources: Unusual Pet Vets, Oxbow Animal Health, The Bunny Lady