ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR PET RABBIT!!

HOUSING
Rabbits make good indoor and outdoor pets. Bunnies can be litter trained so they can be loose in your house. How ever be aware bunnies love to chew things so if you are going to have a house rabbit ensure that any things dangerous such as electrical wires are not accessible. It is always wise to supervise your bunny when it is loose in your house because of this reason, so a hutch or indoor pen is wise so your bunny can be restrained when you are not home.
If you are wanting to keep your bunny outside remember no hutch is too large. Your hutch should be big enough for your bunny to stand up on its hind limbs and take three consecutive hops across it. Your hutch should comprise of an area for your bunny to sleep and hide and also an area for him/her to play and eat and drink. A large sheltered area outside should be provided so that your bunny can stretch its legs and have access to fresh grass.
N.B. it is advisable that this area is made so that your bunny can not burrow free, so fencing that goes under ground onto concrete with grass on top is recommended.
It is also important that shade is provided in hot weather and warmth in cool weather.

LITTER TRAINING AND HYGIENE
To litter train your bunny it is advisable that he or she is kept in a small area to begin with, while it is getting used to using a litter tray. Place the litter tray in one corner and try not to change where it is put so the bunny knows this is where it toilets. It is known that rabbits only urinate in one area of their hutch.
To start the litter training process use news paper that the bunny has already soiled and place the litter tray in that area. Once the bunny is using the litter tray newspaper or paper based cat litters can be used.
The litter tray should be changed at least twice a day; the whole hutch should be cleaned at least twice a week and during the summer every day.
It is important especially during the summer that you turn your bunny over to check that its bottom is not matted with faeces or maggots are not present.
The hutch can be cleaned with a dilute disinfectant once a week, ensure that the hutch is dried thoroughly before re-bedding and place the rabbit in it.

NEUTERING
It is strongly recommended if you are not wanting to breed from your rabbits to get them neutered. It is a routine procedure which requires an anaesthetic. As with any anaesthetic it is not with out risk. The anaesthetic regimes that are used are safe but not with out risks completely.
A rabbit becomes sexually mature at 4 months of age (in small breeds) or 6-9 months (in large breeds). It is therefore recommended from around 5 months of age providing that for males both testicles have descended and that the bunny is of a healthy weight and size to go under the anaesthetic.
The benefits of neutering are to reduce the risks of cancers forming and to treat behavioural problems.
How ever once your bunny has been neutered it may become prone to obesity so a good balanced diet and exercise is essential.

INSURANCE
Rabbits can be insured for illness and injury just the same as cats and dogs can. Do be careful to read the small print as some companies will not insure them for dental disease.

VACCINATIONS
Rabbits can be vaccinated against two diseases which if caught can be fatal.

MYXOMATOSIS
This disease is spread by fleas carrying the virus. It is found most commonly in wild bunnies. Domestic rabbits do not tend to have fleas as a problem like your cats and dogs do, but if you live in an area near to where wild bunnies live then your pet is at risk.
The signs for this disease are puffy, fluid filled swellings affecting the eyes, lips, anus, and genitals. If it is detected early enough then treatment can be given if not it can be fatal.
If you live in area populated with wild rabbits you can treat your bunny for fleas. Some flea treatments are toxic to bunnies, so ask your vets advice before treating your rabbit.

VIRAL HAEMORRHAGIC DISEASE OR HVD
VHD is spread by direct and indirect contact. This means that it is passed on by rabbit to rabbit contact and by people, clothing, shoes or other objects and fleas. VHD is also carried by wild rabbits so again if you live in an area that is highly populated by wild rabbits then your pet is at the highest risk. VHD tends to be the silent killer; the rabbit tends to do die before any one even notices it was unwell.
Rabbits can be vaccinated for myxomatosis at 6 weeks of age, unfortunately the VHD vaccine can not be given at the same time. The vaccines are usually given two weeks apart.

FEEDING
Your bunnys digestive system and teeth are very different from that of a cat or dog. The bunnys digestive system has evolved over time to survive on a very poor quality high fibre diet in the wild. Fibre is very important in your bunnys diet as it aids the wearing down of its teeth and also helps their intestinal system to function properly. If fed the wrong diet your bunny may suffer from severe dental disease and a digestive malfunction known as bloat, both of which can be fatal.
It is well known that we all associate rabbits with carrots and we all feel that these should be part of a rabbits main diet, when in fact carrots are not that good for our bunnies. Carrots along with other treats that we like to give our bunnies are in fact high in sugar (carbohydrate) these do not help to wear down our bunnys teeth which continually grow and can interfere with the complex and delicate digestive system.
Our bunnys daily intake of food should be 90% long fibre such as grass or quality hay. 9% should be fresh dark green vegetables such as broccoli and if you wish to give your bunny a treat then a small amount of carrots can be given once a week. As far as the commercial concentrated diets go these should only make up 1% of our bunnys daily intake. this should preferably be a pelleted form which means the bunny can not pick and choose its favourite bits as they will leave the bits that are good for them given the choice!
A good rule of thumb is to feed your bunny its body volume in hay everyday; vegetables in an amount the size of its head everyday and a teaspoon of concentrate everyday.
The Oxbow range of hays and foods are a good example of the best diet for rabbits ~ they are high in fibre and low in carbohydrates and there are a range of different hays to give your rabbit some variety.

HANDLING
Rabbits need to be handled regularly from an early age. Bunnies like to feel safe when they are handled.
It is important to make sure that you support your bunnys hind limbs and ensure that they do not panic and kick out as they can injure their spines. Always hold your bunny close to you this makes them feel safe. If you lay your bunny along the length of your forearm so their head is pointed towards your elbow and your hand is around their bottom, this ensures that their spine is supports and you and your bunny will feel secure.
N.B. always handle your bunny either close to the ground or over a surface. This will prevent any injury should your bunny fall.

Please ask for advice when changing your rabbits diet as all changes should be made slowly and under close monitoring; including regular weighing to make sure the rabbit is not losing weight.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to give us a call