Caring For Your New Rabbit

Congratulations on getting your first rabbit! Rabbits are remarkably intelligent, inquisitive and engaging pets. Here are some tips to help you transition into your new role as a rabbit owner.

Housing

Provide a large space for your rabbit to live in – e.g. playpen, room, large cage. This should be indoors, away from direct sunlight and drafts. Ensure the space is large enough for your pet to eat, sleep and exercise in. Flooring should be solid to reduce strain on your pet’s feet and minimise the risk of sore hocks. Once your pet has settled into their playpens or cages, you can allow 1-2 hours of free roam daily for physical and mental enrichment.

Food and water bowls should be heavy and flat-bottomed, preferably ceramic in material. We recommend choosing water bowls over bottles as they encourage natural drinking behaviour by lapping, compared to chewing or licking at a bottle spout. If your pet learns to flip bowls over, you can purchase metal bowls that can be affixed to the side of the pen or use a water dispenser designed for small mammals.

Platforms and hiding areas should be provided for your pet to rest and hide.

Litter training

Please provide a dedicated litter tray for urination and defecation. It should be large enough for your pet to do a 360 degree turn in it. Put a thin layer of absorbent pellets (e.g. recycled paper-based cat litter), or incontinence pad to line the base of the litter tray. You can place the hay rack or hay bowl within, so that your pet’s stools will be concentrated inside. The litter must be changed daily. Initially, when your pet is allowed to free roam out of its enclosure, try to return it to the toilet area every ten to fifteen minutes to encourage it to urinate there. Alternatively, if they accidentally urinate outside of their designated area, you can clean it up with an absorbent tissue and place it back in their litter box to associate the smell of urine with the pee tray.

Diet

Young rabbits (less than 6 months old) should be fed a diet comprising mainly of grass hays (timothy or orchard grass) and some alfalfa hay. Limited amounts of young rabbit pellets should be offered daily. Vegetables can be gradually introduced at 4-6 months – start with small amounts of leafy greens and increase slowly if no soft stools are noted. Transitioning to adult rabbit pellets and full grass hay diet (timothy or orchard grass only) should begin at 6 months old. Pellets should not make up more than 10% of the total diet. If your adult rabbit is overweight, pellets can be skipped entirely.

Treats should be kept to a minimum and limited to hay-based biscuits or small amounts of berries, banana, or fruit slices.

Fun fact: Rabbits produces a special kind of faeces call caecotropes that looks like grapes and are meant to be ingested back as they are extra nutrients. It is commonly mistaken as diarrhoea as its soft and smelly!

Grooming

It is important to get your rabbit familiar with human handling from a young age. Treats can be used to encourage your rabbit to come towards you and allow gentle petting. Slowly start handling the paws and ears so that your rabbit will be amenable to nail clips and ear cleaning in the future.

Groom your rabbits using soft bristle brushes or rubber brushes to remove dead fur. Long-coated rabbits such as Angoras and Lionheads should be brushed daily, while short-coated breeds such as Netherland Dwarfs can be brushed weekly (increase the frequency during shedding period).

Nail trims and ear cleaning should be done at least once every 4-6 weeks. Approach a rabbit groomer if necessary.

Behaviour/ Socialisation/ Enrichment

Rabbits are intelligent, social animals that need stimulation and environmental enrichment to reduce stress and boredom. Enrichment includes providing sufficient space to roam and giving them opportunities to exhibit normal foraging behaviour. Toys such as willow balls and paper towel rolls can be provided for your pet to play with and mark their scent on. Scatter pellets around their enclosure or hide pellets in toys to encourage them to work for their food. Rabbits can also be trained using reward-based methods such as clicker training to perform tricks and allow grooming or handling.

Healthcare

We encourage regular 6-monthly health checks for your pet. Blood tests are often recommended to pick up early signs of organ disease.

Spaying and neutering (sterilisation) can be carried out from the age of 5-6 months. If you plan to keep more than one rabbit, this is strongly recommended. Sterilized animals are less hormonal, which means they will be humping less and have a lower chance of false pregnancy. More importantly, sterilizing reduces the risk of reproductive cancers, especially uterine adenocarcinoma (womb cancer) which is reported in 80% of non-sterilized female rabbits over 4 years of age.

A good diet and enclosure are the most important factors in keeping your rabbit healthy and happy.

 

Common medical conditions

1) Dental disease – Rabbits can develop dental problems from trauma, genetic conditions, infection or poor diet. They have teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives, hence a diet high in roughage (stalky hay) is important to maintain a good level of tooth wear and dental health. Should you notice any changes in your rabbit’s appetite, such as reduced hay consumption, or drooling, do schedule a vet visit to assess your pet’s teeth as soon as possible. 

2) Pododermatitis – Poor flooring materials or abnormal gait from obesity or joint issues can lead to pressure sores, ulcerative wounds and swelling on the base of their feet. Fur loss is usually noted first, followed by thickening of the skin, then ulcers may develop, which can introduce secondary bacterial infection for severe cases. As the pain and infection can lead to loss of appetite, we recommend visiting the vet once you notice any abnormalities with your rabbit’s feet. 

3) Respiratory tract infections – Bacterial infection of the respiratory tract is commonly seen and can progress rapidly since rabbits only breathe through their noses. It is transmitted via direct contact, food, or airborne. Excessive tearing, runny nose, and matted fur on the face, nose, and front paws and common signs. A thorough physical examination and chest x-rays are recommended if your rabbit shows any of these symptoms.

 

We look forward to meeting your new rabbit. Schedule a checkup today to ensure they get the healthiest start in their new home!