General Practice Service

Willows Information Sheets

Looking after your rabbit

Looking after your rabbit

Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK and their popularity is growing. When cared for

appropriately they are rewarding, fun and companionable pets.

They are not the easy option however, so a great deal of thought must go into the decision of

owning a pet rabbit.

Things to think about when purchasing a rabbit:

• can you afford the up-keep (feeding, bedding, regular vaccinations, neutering)?

• can you afford veterinary bills should your rabbit require medical attention?

• could you or members of your family be allergic to the rabbit or its bedding and food?

• do you have enough space?

• do you have enough time?

• who will look after the rabbit while you are away?

• are your personal circumstances likely to change in the next few years?

© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE

Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070

Rabbit welfare

If you are considering purchasing a rabbit it is important to realise

that a rabbit needs to be taken on as a family or adult pet. An

adult should take overall responsibility for the care of any animal,

and rabbits are no exception to this rule. Owning a rabbit can be a

great way for children to learn the joys of pet ownership as well as

developing an understanding of the responsibilities which it also

brings. However, rabbits do not naturally enjoy cuddles and human

handling, and it takes a lot of care and time to train a rabbit to

accept this. Boisterous children can be alarming for a scared bunny,

and it requires the supervision of an involved adult to ensure that

this socialisation takes place without the rabbit becoming stressed.

All family members should be aware that it is best to let the rabbit

come to you rather than forcing him or her into close contact

straight away. In this way your rabbit can build up confidence and

hopefully come to enjoy human contact. Neutering also plays a very

important role in improving the bond with your pet, although it is

not a substitute for patience and calm handling. (See Neutering in

rabbits information sheet)

Rabbits, if well cared for, should live for six to eight years, perhaps

longer. As a result, any children involved in their care may find new

interests or even fly the nest, leaving the adults in the family entirely

responsible for the rabbit’s care and well-being. This fact should be

borne in mind before deciding to go ahead and start keeping rabbits

as pets. Recently there has been a change in the law regarding the

welfare of pet rabbits which makes neglect as significant an offence

as cruelty - rabbits need plenty of care and attention, and this is a

requirement which goes on throughout their entire lives, even after

their initially doting child carer has gone travelling around the world

on a gap year!

Indoors versus outdoors

You need to decide whether your rabbit will live mainly inside or

outside. Neutered rabbits are quite easy to litter-train, so living

indoors can be an option. Certainly rabbits which live indoors are

likely to receive more regular human contact and thus tend to be

more companionable and interactive pets. It is important that your

home is ‘rabbit proofed’ if your rabbit comes in at all. (See Rabbit-

proofing your home information sheet) If your rabbit lives indoors

however, it is very important that it still regularly gets plenty of

exercise. You should have an outdoor run to allow lots of exercise

in the daylight.

Whether indoors or outdoors, your rabbit will need a hutch or personal

area. (See link to Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund at the end of

this information sheet).

More than one rabbit?

Rabbits are naturally social animals and therefore they are generally

happier when kept in pairs or small social groups. Neutering is very

important to reduce aggressiveness between same sex individuals

and also to prevent a ‘population explosion’. (See Neutering in rabbits

information sheet). If you have a single rabbit however, it can be

difficult to introduce a new bunny friend. It is recommended that

rabbits and Guinea pigs are not kept together, because unfortunately

rabbits can be terrible bullies. When purchasing more than one rabbit

we strongly recommend examination by a veterinary surgeon early

on. It can be difficult to sex baby rabbits and it is easy for mistakes

to be made in pet shops and by casual breeders. Unfortunately

this leads to unexpected litters, often from related rabbits! Sexing

of rabbits can be performed at the time of first vaccination. (See

Vaccination in rabbits information sheet).

Feeding

Many health issues for rabbits arise from feeding an inappropriate

or imbalanced diet. This is a complex subject, so please read the

Nutrition advice for rabbits information sheet.

Vaccination

There are two diseases against which we can vaccinate rabbits. These are

myxomatosis and VDH. Both diseases are fatal and so vaccination for all

rabbits is strongly recommended. (See Vaccination in rabbits information

sheet) Vaccinations also give us the opportunity to fully examine

your rabbit on a regular basis. We can then discuss any management

issues you may have and also pick up early on any health issues.

Disease in rabbits

It is worth noting that rabbits are ‘prey animals’. This means that

in the wild they will not want to give outward signs of illness as

this would single them out as an easy meal for a fox! They have a

fantastic ability to hide illness until it may be too late to treat them.

You should always be aware of the amount and type of food your

rabbit is eating, how much it is drinking and the quantity and nature

of the urine and faeces.

Regular handling will allow you to know your rabbit well and hopefully

also allow you to pick up on subtle signs of ill health. Watch out for

sticky eyes, nasal discharges, drooling, crusty ears, weight loss, coat

changes (See Parasites in rabbits information sheet), change in shape of

tummy and dirty or wet bottom. (See Fly-strike in rabbits information sheet).

© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE

Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070

Insurance

Should you need to take your rabbit to the vet you need to consider the

cost of this. Attitudes to veterinary care for rabbits are changing and

more owners are keen for thorough investigations and treatments,

should problems arise. For this reason you may wish to consider

getting your rabbit insured for accidents and medical problems.

(See Pet health insurance information sheet).

Basic hygiene should be observed when handling your rabbit and

cleaning out its living quarters. There are very few health risks from

owning rabbits but people with compromised immune systems should

take additional care. (See Zoonoses in rabbits information sheet on

human health risks with rabbits).

For further care advice, rabbit rescue and general bunny information

a useful website is www.houserabbit.co.uk – this is the website of the

Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund.

© WILLOWS VETERINARY CENTRE AND REFERRAL SERVICE

Willows Information Sheets www.willows.uk.netT: 0121 712 7070

General Practice Service

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The information contained is proprietary to Willows Veterinary Centre

& Referral Service and may not be modified, reproduced, distributed

or utilised in any manner in whole or in part, without the express prior

written permission of Willows Veterinary Centre & Referral Service.