Most people don’t realize it, but
rabbits can make great housepets! The following information is designed to help
you take the best care of your pet and help them enjoy a happy and healthy
life.
Housing:
A wire or wooden
frame cage with a wire flooring of approximately 14 gauge wire (1” x 1 1/2”
square openings) is recommended.
A solid
floored area should be provided for resting and to prevent sore feet.
A hard bottomed hutch or even a dog crate can
also be used for housing.
Never use
aquariums or solid walled cages as these have poor ventilation which can result
in respiratory illness.
Cages should be
chosen using the “3 hop rule” - meaning that a rabbit, no matter what size,
should be able to do three hops in a row across their cage floor.
This should allow enough space for a litter
or nesting box as well as space to sprawl out.
Rabbits should be kept in the
coolest and least humid area of the house.
A recent study has shown that bunnies kept in warm humid environments
with poor air circulation had a dramatic increase in incidence of disease over
bunnies kept in cool, dry environments with good air exchange. Damp basements are one of the worst areas to
keep rabbits. Rabbits live in large
social groupings in the wild and depend on daily social interaction, so cages
should be placed in an area with moderate traffic.
Housing rabbits outside in Arizona once the daytime
temperatures get into the 80s and above should be discouraged due to a risk of
heat stroke.
Bedding:
Recommended beddings include
Carefresh brand bedding and aspen shavings. Cedar and pine shavings should be
avoided as they contain aromatic oils that are irritating to the respiratory
system and can cause rabbits to develop respiratory disease.
Litterbox Training
Adult rabbits naturally will choose
a corner of the cage as their bathroom. A low sided cat litterbox in that area
filled with a recycled paper litter can be placed in this area for litterbox
training. Placing some stool in the box
will attract the animal to use it.
Rabbits often spend a fair amount of time in their litterboxes. This is normal. Because their urine also has a very strong the
litter will need to be changed frequently. Appropriate litters are Care Fresh,
Cat Country, Critter Country, Yesterday's News, and Papurr. NEVER GIVE A RABBIT CLUMPING CAT LITTER!
Diet:
A rabbit’s diet is the most important thing to do
correctly. A improper diet can lead to
diarrhea or constipation which can be life threatening and should be treated as
an emergency.
A good rabbit diet consists of loose hay (preferably grass
hay), pellets, fresh leafy greens, herbs, and small amounts of fresh vegetables. Anything beyond that is a "treat"
and should be given in limited quantities.
Hay should make up as much as 80% of a rabbit’s diet. Hay is high in fiber and is necessary to keep
a rabbit’s gut functioning properly and proper ware of a rabbit’s teeth. It should be available at all times. Stay away from pressed hay, as with most
processed foods, it has lost some of its vital nutrients.
Pellets were formulated
for rapid growth in rabbits raised for meat and fur in commercial rabbitries.
They are very high in protein and calories.
In addition, they also are low in fiber,
causing the normal movement of the digestive system to decrease. Because of
this pellets should only make up a small portion of a pet rabbit’s diet
.
Pellets should be fed as follows: 1/8 cup pellets per 4 lbs. body weight
per day. Plain pellets are
best.
Probably one of the best pellets
on the market is those manufactured by a company called Oxbow available at
www.oxbowhay.com.
Avoid giving pellet
mixes with colored pellets, seeds and dehydrated vegetables.
These are very high in fat and sugar which
will lead to obesity and will slow down the digestive system leading to
obstruction.
Alfalfa pellets and hay can be fed to young bunnies. Alfalfa is dense in calories and nutrients
and also has high levels of calcium, which are fine for a growing rabbit. However, after reaching 7 months of age all
the extra calcium in alfalfa may cause kidney and bladder stones. Adult rabbits should be fed timothy based
pellets and other forms of hay such as timothy, Bermuda or orchard grass hays.
Dark leafy greens should be fed to your rabbit every
day. Greens are high in fiber, Vitamin A
and other essential nutrients. Give 1 heaping cup of greens/4 lbs. body
weight/day. Carrots and other
vegetables make wonderful treats and can be given in small amounts to rabbits
as they are very high in carbohydrates.
Sugar is something most bunnies need in very little
amounts. Avoid sugary treats such as
seed sticks or yogurt drops. Rabbits
have sensitive digestive systems that do not handle large amounts of these
items well. In addition, rabbits can
become addicted to these junk food items and would rather eat these versus a
more healthy diet.
.
Water should be available at all times and should be fresh
and changed daily. It may be offered in
a bowl (make sure it is heavy, so the pet will not knock it over), or in a
water bottle. Do not use medications or
vitamins in the water, as the bunny may not drink enough if the taste is
altered. Vitamins are not necessary if
the rabbit is on a good diet. Same goes
for salt blocks, if the rabbit is on a good diet, these are probably not
necessary either. Salt blocks are
recommended however for breeding animals or those kept outside year round.
Chews and Toys:
Because rabbits’ teeth continually grow they need to chew
and grind down their teeth. Untreated
soft wood as chew sticks is recommended.
Homemade chews made out of applewood or pine cones should be leaf to dry
for 8-10 months prior to offering them.
If not thoroughly dried these can contain toxins such as cyanide and
arsenic. A variety of rabbit toys are
available online at BusyBunny.com
Night Feces
Rabbits produce two types of
droppings. The first most people are familiar with are the dry, spherical
feces. However, they produce a second type called cecotrophs. These are softer than their normal fees and may be
slightly greener in color. They tend to clump together and look slightly like
bunches of grapes. Rabbits will eat these as they supply essential vitamins and
microbes to the rabbit in order for them to stay healthy. While this behavior
may seem distasteful and strange to us, it is extremely important for their
health. You should monitor this behavior and let your veterinarian know if they
appear to be leaving these behind largely uneaten.
Spaying and Neutering
Neutering and spaying rabbits is very important and will
help make your rabbit a much better pet. Intact rabbits can be aggressive.
Female rabbits have a high rate of uterine cancer which can be prevented by
spaying them. Unspayed female rabbits also have a higher rate of mammary
(breast) cancer than spayed rabbits. Male rabbits who have not been neutered
will often spray their urine to mark their territories. Spaying and neutering
also make it easier to litterbox train a rabbit. Spaying and neutering is best
done between 4 and 6 months of age, before they reach sexual maturity.
Annual Veterinary Care
Rabbits should be examined at least yearly by your
veterinarian to make sure they are healthy as to monitor for dental disease. Yearly
exams will also help find little problems before they become serious.
Antibiotics
Rabbits are very sensitive to antibiotics, some antibiotics
can even be deadly. Never give antibiotics to your rabbit, even topical ones
applied to the skin, unless you have been directed to do so by your
veterinarian. If your rabbit is ever prescribed antibiotics, monitor their
appetite and droppings closely. Any changes should be reported to your
veterinarian right away.
Laxatives
There is some debate as to whether laxatives to prevent
hairballs are actually needed by rabbits. Many now believe hairballs are caused
by poor diet. A proper diet rich in long stemmed grass hays is enough to
prevent any problems with hairballs. Some still recommend a weekly hairball
treatment while the rabbit is shedding their fur. Options include Laxatone,
fresh pineapple, and Oxbow Papaya Pineapple tablets. Laxatone can be used at 1
ml per pound of body weight. Fresh pineapple (not canned) is believed to
provide digestive enzymes that may break up hairballs. Give ¼ of a 1” thick
ring or ½ tsp. of pineapple for every 3-5 pounds of body weight once weekly.
Oxbow Papaya Pineapple tablets are probably the easiest option as most rabbits
will readily accept and eat them. Follow the instructions on the container as
far as dosing.
Handling
Most rabbits do not enjoy being picked up or carried. It is
not uncommon for them to struggle. When picking up your rabbit it is extremely
important that you always support their hind legs. If their legs are left
dangling and they kick they can actually kick so hard they can break their
backs. Please feel free to ask your veterinarian tips on how to hold and carry
your rabbit as well as how clip their toenails properly.
Common Rabbit
Disease Presentations:
Dental Disease:
Because of their
continuously growing teeth, dental disease in rabbits is more similar to that
of horses than dogs and cats.
Instead of
tartar and plaque, rabbits present with overgrown teeth which cut into their cheeks
and may even abscess.
Many factors
contribute to overgrown teeth in rabbits including genetics, confirmation, and
improper diet.
Rabbits may drool, experience weight loss and
have difficulty eating.
Some rabbits may
have discharge from their nose or eyes if abscesses are present.
Treatment consists of dental filing (a.k.a.
floating), pulling diseased teeth, and surgical treatment abscesses along with
prescription antibiotics.
Some rabbits
may be severely ill and require supportive care with assisted feeding may be
needed prior to undergoing dental work under anesthesia.
Respiratory Tract Infections (a.k.a. “Snuffles”):
Often caused bya bacteria called Pasteurella multocida, this is the most common infectious disease
in rabbits. Rabbits may present with eye
discharge and swelling, upper respiratory signs (sneezing, nasal discharge),
pneumonia, ear infections, or even skin abscesses. Predisposing factors often involve some
degree of improper care. Treatment is
with supportive care and prescription antibiotics.
Pododermatitis (“Sore Hocks”):
Rabbits present with open sores on their feet caused by
rabbits either denied any type of solid flooring or housed in unsanitary
conditions. Treatment is cleaning and
debridement along with appropriate antibiotics.
Husbandry problems also need to be corrected.
Parasites:
Rabbits do get both internal and external parasites. Internal parasites include various worms and
coccidia. External parasites include ear
mites and Cheyletiella (“walking dandruff”). If a rabbit is diagnosed with ear mites DO
NOT CLEAN OUT THE EARS until after the ear mites have been cured. Cleaning the ears prior to this point can
result in a rabbit’s death. Both types
of mites are often treated with ivermectin injections or Revolution, a topical
anti-parasite medication.
Gastrointestinal Stasis:
Gastrointestinal stasis is extremely common and can occur
primarily due to insufficient dietary fiber or secondary to virtually any other
disease process resulting in pain, lethargy or anorexia. Clinical signs include
decreased or absent fecal material, anorexia, bruxism, gas or fluid-filled
stomach, cecum, and bowels, pain on abdominal palpation, decreased
gastrointestinal sounds on auscultation, and in severe cases respiratory and/or
cardiovascular compromise. Treatment consists of aggressive supportive care
with fluids, pain management, and assisted feeding with a high fiber liquid
diet such as Oxbow’s Herbivore Critical Care. Underlying health problems, such
as dental disease, also need to be addressed.
References
Carpenter, J.W. 2006.
Rabbit Medicine. Class Notes,
Exotic Animal Medicine. Kansas State
University. Manhattan,
KS.
House Rabbit Society. www.rabbit.org
Quesenberry, K.E. and J. W.
Carpenter. 2003. Ferrets, Rabbits, and Rodents: Clinical
Medicine and Surgery. 2nd
Edition.
