Choosing a Rabbit
Before choosing and purchasing a rabbit it is important to take into account all cost and health considerations.
Housing and bedding - It is important that a rabbit, be it an indoor or outdoor pet, has ample space to allow for its natural behaviors, such as standing up on its hind legs to check for predators, or to hop around freely and graze. Outdoor rabbits need a hutch and run which is secure and protected from the elements and predators, while it is essential that indoor rabbits have access to an outside run to allow for grazing. You must also be aware, if you have an indoor bunny, of any hazards within your household, such as electric cables (great for nibbling at!) or other pets which the rabbit considers as predatory.
Ample bedding should be provided, usually with an absorbent base, such as sawdust, and hay or straw for warmth. The bedding should be ‘spot’ cleaned at least twice a day, and completely cleaned weekly, or as necessary.
Food - A rabbits diet should consist mainly (at least 90%) of grass and hay, supplemented by small amounts of a good quality commercial food, ideally a pellet based food to avoid the rabbit picking out the ‘tasty’ food and leaving the grains. Fresh fruit and vegetables should be given once or twice a week.
Vaccinations - There are two vaccinations available for rabbits:
- Myxomatosis is a disease carried by fleas and midges and can easily, and very rapidly, spread from the wild rabbit population to domestic rabbits.
Signs include swelling of the lips and eyelids, runny eyes and loss of appetite.
The vaccine protects your rabbit for upto 6 months, therefore requires bi-annual boosters. - Haemorrhagic viral disease is a fatal, viral disease which is present in the saliva and nasal secretions of infected rabbits, and is spread by either direct contact with infected rabbits, or indirectly on clothing or by birds/other animals or insects. Signs include the rabbit becoming quiet and not eating or drinking. Rabbits usually show signs 12 - 18 hours after infection.
This vaccine gives you rabbit protection for upto a year, and requires annual booster.
If you are vaccinating your rabbit against both diseases, there must be a 2 week interval between injections.
Health issues - One of the main reasons we see rabbits is to treat overgrown teeth. The biggest cause of this is a poor diet. Rabbits teeth continually grow, and are naturally kept worn down by grazing for long periods throughout the day, and knowing on woods, such as apple wood. If the diet is poor, the teeth will become mis-aligned and will, therefore, not get worn down and thus need trimming. This does include the back teeth which can form sharp spurs which become painful resulting in a rabbit that is reluctant to eat, and often dribbling. For these teeth to be properly trimmed the rabbit often needs to be sedated, which can not only be costly, but comes with an anaesthetic risk. Other signs of tooth problems include runny eyes, this is because as the back teeth keep growing without being worn down, the roots will continue to grow and block the rabbits tear ducts. These will often be flushed at the same time as the teeth are being trimmed.
Obesity in an increasing problem in rabbits, this is due to over feeding on commercial foods, which have a high calorific value, combined with inadequate living space for the rabbit to exercise.
Another commonly seen problem is fly strike, which is often secondary to obesity as the rabbit is physically unable to clean itself properly.
Flystrike occurs more frequently during the spring and summer months, when flies lay their eggs on soiled fur. These then hatch into maggots, which can, if left undealt with, burrow and eat away at the rabbits flesh. In many cases this will cause a toxic shock reaction, and in extreme cases, will result in death.
Neutering - Rabbits are social animals, and you will see them in the wild living in large groups, so it is important to consider purchasing more than one rabbit. Whether its a same or opposite sex pair, neutering one, or both, must be considered to avoid unwanted litters, or hormone related fighting between the rabbits.
