JSPCA RABBIT FACT SHEET

History and Biology

There are many varieties of the domestic rabbit, each varying in shape, size and colour; all are derived from the same species, Oryctolagus cuniculus, the wild rabbit.  The rabbit was introduced into Britain during the eleventh century, after the arrival of the Normans who established colonies of rabbits in large enclosed warrens and used them to provide fur and meat.

Traditionally, rabbits have been kept in a hutch in the garden.  Nowadays more and more people keep their rabbits indoors.  Rabbits are bright,  inquisitive and playful, and enjoy company.  Being timid and sensitive animals, rabbits are not very suitable for small children.  Children often want something they can hold and cuddle and rabbits are ground-loving creatures that prefer to be on the floor.  However, rabbits make excellent family pets provided adults are the primary caregivers and are willing to supervise their children when they are with the rabbit

Caring for a rabbit is a big responsibility and extends to the whole life of the rabbit, which can be from seven to ten years. 

Diet and Husbandry

Rabbits are social animals and need company, so the best option is to keep a compatible pair of rabbits or a group.  Before introducing two rabbits, it is advisable to have them both neutered to reduce fighting and aggressive behaviour and to prevent unwanted litters.  Introduce rabbits on neutral territory where neither rabbit has been before.  The easiest introductions are between a mixed pair (neutered of course) and two spayed females, but the most stable pairing is a neutered buck (male) and a neutered doe (female).  It is not recommended that rabbits be kept with guinea pigs, as bullying by both species, but especially by the rabbit, can occur.

The outdoor rabbit needs plenty of room.  Rabbits can be housed in a large, strong weatherproof hutch, kept off the ground (to help deter predators and prevent the cage from becoming damp) and located in a sheltered position where it will be protected against the wind, rain and direct sunlight. A layer of sawdust or wood shavings, at least 5cm deep, should be used to cover the floor of the hutch and, in the sleeping quarters, bedding material such as hay and straw must also be provided.  Always keep the hutch clean and dry and ensure good ventilation.  Rabbits usually use one place as a toilet and this area will require cleaning daily.  Rabbits can be litter trained at any age.  Fill a tray with newspaper covered with hay and straw or the organic/paper based litter.  Do not use softwood or clumping cat litters as they can harm rabbits.   

The size of the hutch required will depend on the breed and number of rabbits kept but should be at least 120cm x 60cm x 60cm for a single medium-sized rabbit and allow sufficient room for the animal to sit upright on its hindquarters.  The hutch must be well ventilated, draft-free and secure.  It should have a walk-in run and a closed part for privacy and sleeping.  The garden run should have a roof and a sheltered area and because rabbits burrow, the run should have a floor of mesh or deeply sunk fencing.  The hutch roof, which should overhang all sides of the hutch by approximately 10-15cm and slop backwards, should be covered with roofing felt.    

In cold weather, the hutch should be moved to a shed or outhouse.  A garage that is still in use is not suitable, as the petrol and exhaust fumes produced by a car are poisonous and could kill the rabbit.  

Rabbits in the garden are at risk from predators’ attacks.   Make sure the garden is well fenced.  Even in a sturdy hutch or run a rabbit can become very stressed if frightened by a dog or other animal. Never use slug pellets, insecticides and other chemicals on garden plants or grass that a rabbit has access to  and ensure that the rabbit has no access to poisonous plants in the garden.  Contact your veterinary surgery for advice about plants that may be toxic to your rabbit.

The indoor or ‘house’ rabbit also needs a quiet area and somewhere you can enclose it safely.  Large dog cages with plastic floor trays are ideal, but ensure that your rabbit can stand up on its hind legs in them.  Add a straw filled cardboard box as a private place.  Rabbits are naturally clean animals and it is possible to train any rabbit to use a litter tray containing organic litter.   To help prevent excessive damage to your home, cover wallpaper with perspex panels and offer the rabbit other items to shred, such as an old copy of the telephone book.  Protect carpets with rugs and mats held firmly in place under furniture and offer a digging box, which is a cardboard box full of hay, straw or shredded paper for the rabbit to dig in.  Telephone and electric cables should be encased in plastic piping from a DIY shop.  Most evergreens are toxic to rabbits so take care to remove houseplants from the rabbit’s chewing range.  Neutering the rabbit and providing interesting activities will help to reduce destructive behaviour.

Rabbits’ teeth and claws grow continuously so they need to chew and dig to keep them in trim.  All rabbits need daily exercise, so offer playthings to encourage the rabbit to practise its natural behaviour.  Rabbits enjoy going through pipes in hutches as if they were burrows and gnawing on pieces of edible wood, such as apple or willow.  A cardboard box with an entrance and an exit is a useful plaything.  Filling the box with shredded paper, hay or straw offers the rabbit something to dig into.

The rabbit is a herbivore.  The rabbit’s diet should include dried food, meadow hay, fresh vegetables and water.  Feed only a small amount of rabbit mix or pellets, about a handful a day per medium sized rabbit.  Offer at least two cups of different vegetables a day and smaller amounts of carrot and fruit, as they are high in sugar.  Vegetables and fruit should be washed thoroughly before feeding.  Grass, carrots, spinach, watercress, broccoli, apples and dandelion leaves are all suitable foods.  Never feed your rabbit mouldy or frosted food, grass clippings or potatoes as these can cause digestive and intestinal problems.  Good quality hay should make up 75% of a rabbit’s daily diet, as it is essential as a source of roughage, alongside plenty of fresh water; a good handful of hay and water should be available at all times.  If you have a garden, let the rabbit graze on grass, clover and dandelions.  You may see your rabbit eating his soft droppings (caecoliths).  These are rich in valuable nutrients the rabbit needs to stay healthy.  This process is known as coprophagy and is a normal activity in all rabbits.

Daily grooming is essential for long-haired rabbits and especially for the Angora breeds, but all benefit from regular combing and short-coated rabbits should be groomed at least once weekly

Handling

Rabbits can be easily frightened and require careful handling.  The animal should be approached slowly and can be picked up by placing one hand over the back and the other underneath the belly.  Once held firmly with both hands it can be lifted up and held securely against the handlers chest.  Always put a rabbit down gently on a non-slip surface.   Rabbits must never be held or picked up by the ears as this is extremely painful and distressing for the animal.

Neutering and Identification

Microchipping rabbits is a permanent method of identification.  The microchip is implanted under the skin at the back of the neck or between the shoulder blades.

Neutering your rabbit will allow more than one rabbit to be kept together without them fighting or producing unwanted litters.  Neutered rabbits can also be easier to house train.

Male rabbits (bucks) are usually bolder than females.  Most are territorial, frequently spray urine and can be aggressive.  Castrated (neutered) males are less aggressive.  If carefully introduced, they can live happily with a spayed (neutered) female (doe) or even another neutered male.  Neutering males helps to stop urine spraying.  Castration can be performed as soon as the testicles descend (ten to twelve weeks), but contact your veterinary surgery for advice on rabbit castration and the actual timing of the operation.

Having a female rabbit spayed is equally important.  Most female rabbits become territorial and aggressive from sexual maturity (four to six months) onwards.  They often have repeated false pregnancies.  Neutering can reduce these problems.  Spayed females are likely to live longer lives than their non-neutered sisters.  Up to 80% of unspayed females develop uterine cancer by the age of five years.  Neutering a female rabbit can be performed when the rabbit is four to six months old, but contact your veterinary surgery for advice on spaying rabbits and the actual timing of the operation.

Common Diseases and Ailments

Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD) – Both of these viruses can be fatal.  If your pet comes into contact with wild rabbits, it needs to be vaccinated against both of these diseases.  Myxomatosis causes puffy swellings around the head and face, anus and genitalia.  Generally, if an infection is severe in a susceptible rabbit, death occurs within twelve days.  The virus is spread by blood sucking insects, such as the rabbit flea or mosquitoes.  Care should be taken to ensure that the bedding of animals is kept dry and that pet rabbits are not kept in moist conditions, which favour mosquito activity.  Contact your veterinary surgery for advice on rabbit flea control.  Rabbits can be vaccinated against myxomatosis if they are over the age of six weeks.  Booster vaccinations are necessary and your veterinary surgery should be consulted with regards to the frequency of myxomatosis booster vaccinations.  The Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD) virus is easily spread between rabbits or via contaminated hutches, bedding or food.  Symptoms can range from loss of appetite to nose bleeding with rapid progression of the disease, but often affected animals are just found dead.  Vaccines against VHD may be given to rabbits from twelve weeks of age and booster vaccinations are required.  Contact your veterinary surgery for further advice.

Parasites – Fleas, lice and mites are common and can cause skin problems, unless eradicated.  Contact your veterinary surgery for advice and preventative measures.

Snuffles – this bacterial condition can cause signs such as a nasal discharge, sneezing, noisy breathing, head tilt and loss of appetite and needs immediate veterinary treatment.

Diarrhoea – this can often be caused by a change in diet, or as a symptom of illness.  The animal should be offered some additional hay in its diet.  A veterinary surgeon should always be consulted for advice if your rabbit has diarrhoea. 

Hind feet sores (pododermatitis) – these generally occur when a rabbit is kept in constantly damp and dirty conditions or in cage with a wire mesh floor.   The sores should be treated by a veterinary surgeon and the rabbit rehoused in a solid floored hutch with plenty of clean, dry bedding.

Overgrown teeth – constant dribbling, weight loss and a loss of appetite can indicate teeth problems.  The rabbit’s teeth grow continuously throughout its life and are kept in shape by eating a high fibre diet.  Cheek abscesses may form with dental disease and discharges from the eyes may indicate that long tooth roots are irritating the tear ducts.  Seek veterinary treatment immediately if you think that your rabbit may have dental problems.

Fly strike – this condition requires immediate veterinary treatment.  Fly strike is an extremely unpleasant condition which can occur if flies lay their eggs on an ill rabbit, a rabbit with a dirty bottom or in a dirty hutch.  The fly eggs very quickly hatch into maggots that feed on the living tissue of the rabbit, burrowing deep into the flesh.  Make sure that your rabbit’s hutch is clean and dry and that you handle and check your rabbit at least twice daily.  If your rabbit is unwell or has diarrhoea, take it to your veterinary surgery and enquire about how to prevent fly strike.

Always consult your veterinary surgeon if you have ANY reason for concern about your rabbit’s health.

 

JSPCA working to

“prevent cruelty, promote knowledge, provide for aged, sick, lost and unwanted animals.”

 

Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Inc.)

Founded 1868 – Incorporated 1936

89 St Saviour’s Road, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4GJ         

Tel: 01534 724331          Fax: 01534 871797

E-mail: info@jspca.org.je          Website: www.jspca.org.je

 

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