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Rabbits - Basic Care
Insights into Captive Care
Rabbits are gregarious animals that often do better with a companion, but some rabbits do better kept alone.
Rabbits have scent glands that emit strong odors when excited.
Rabbits will thump their hind feet if they are upset and may hum when they are happy.
Housing
An adult rabbit needs a cage at least 4 ft long, 3 ft wide, and 2 ft tall. A solid floor is recommended since wire floors can create foot problems. Most rabbits appreciate a small ledge above ground as a perch. A cardboard box big enough to hide in (but not so cramped a rabbit can't turn around) is essential or a more permanent dark nest box. The cage should be well-ventilated.
Substrate
Newspaper works well as a general floor cover but some owners prefer to purchase special paper cage liners that may be used. Most rabbits quickly learn to use their litter boxes on their own but you may need to place a couple of old fecal pellets in with the litter to get them started. Paper pulp products, such as Yesterday’s News™ or Carefresh™, or compressed straw pellets, such as Eco-Straw Litter, should be used in the litter box. Clean the litterbox daily, more often if needed, so that your rabbit does not develop dirty fur on its hind feet and tail from going into a soiled litterbox. If the litter box isn’t cleaned daily, a rabbit may not urinate as often which may lead to bladder problems.
Light and Heat
Rabbits can become overheated easily. Do not expose to temperatures above 85°F for any length of time. Rabbits may have supervised access to a yard even during our hottest months as long as there are plenty of cool shady retreats. Temperatures under 60°F may be stressful too. Rabbits are most active around sunrise and sunset.
Diet
Timothy hay should be available all the time and should be the main food your rabbit eats. This provides the right amount of fiber to keep their gastrointestinal tract healthy and helps prevent problems developing with their teeth.
We recommend offering a small amount of timothy hay pellets (e.g., Oxbow Bunny Basics/T™) in the evening. Rabbits under 5 lbs should get no more than 1/8 to 1/4 of a cup of pellets daily while larger rabbits should be offered no more than 1/2 to 3/4 cup daily. Other dried grasses and hays (e.g., Oxbow Orchard Grass, Alfalfa Hay, Oat Hay, etc.) may be given sparingly as treats.
Depending on the size of the rabbit, one to three cups of dark green leafy vegetables, fresh grass, mulberry leaves, and hibiscus leaves and flowers may also be given daily. Tiny treats of fruit such as banana or watery vegetables such as carrots are okay but more than a tablespoon of these items may cause diarrhea in many rabbits.
Salt blocks may be offered to the rabbit but avoid ones that contain calcium as these may lead to bladder and kidney stones. Alfalfa pellets (e.g., Oxbow Bunny Basics 15/23) may be given to growing rabbits or rabbits with special needs but are not recommended for healthy adult rabbits.
Water
Fresh water should always be available. Water bottles are best as some rabbits can get an infection of their dewlap drinking from bowls. Water should be changed daily. Disinfect the bottle with a solution of 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 cup of water at least once a week and rinse thoroughly with fresh water before refilling it for your rabbit. Some rabbits with special needs may be given water flavored with fruit juice so that they drink more, but this should only be done with a veterinarian’s approval.
Handling Tips
Always scoop up a rabbit with your arms so that its back legs are supported. A rabbit that kicks and dangles can break its back. Children under the age of ten should always have an older experienced rabbit handler help them hold the rabbit. Rabbits learn routines very easily and look forward to their play time outside of their cages. Most may be trained to hop on a leash. There are actually agility competitions for rabbits in Europe that look similar to the more familiar dog agility trials!
Preventive Medicine
Spay or neuter your rabbit at 4 to 6 months of age. A new rabbit should be checked for parasites including encephalitozoonosis, a troubling disease for which there is no consistent cure. At a minimum, we recommend an annual check-up to monitor tooth wear, weight and body condition, cleanliness of ears, and urine and fecal quality. Bloodwork is recommended every 6 to 12 months as a rabbit gets older. The accelerated life span of a rabbit means than a year between health check-ups is like us waiting 5 to 8 years between doctor’s visits! With that in mind, consider talking to us about a comprehensive wellness plan we designed to keep your rabbit healthy as long as possible.
Common Problems
- Malocclusion of the teeth: Many rabbits, particularly of the dwarf breeds, may develop problems with their teeth. When the premolars and molars (i.e., cheek teeth) don’t wear properly they form sharp points that can cause ulcers of the cheek and tongue. This can cause a rabbit to lose its appetite, drool, and develop abnormal hard small fecal pellets or diarrhea. Treatment normally requires anesthesia so that the cheek teeth may be filed into more normal shapes. Some rabbits may need filings every 4 to 6 weeks or other procedures such as tooth extraction in order to do well. This is one of the most common problems of adult rabbits.
- Mandibular abscess: A rabbit may develop a lump and a discharge from its jaw or neck. Many times this is due to an infection of the root of the teeth and will not clear up on antibiotics alone. Surgery is typically required to remove the infected tooth and associated infected bone. This may be a very difficult problem to resolve and may take weeks to months of treatment.
- Congested or runny nose: A rabbits may develop a clear runny or thick yellowish discharge from its nostrils and dried crusts around its nose. Sometimes the rabbit may sneeze frequently and may also have problems breathing. This may be secondary to problems associated with malocclusion of the teeth but is frequently an infection caused by bacteria, particularly one called Pasteurella or “snuffles”. Pasteurella may cause very serious illnesses such as abscesses, sinus infections, inner ear infections, pneumonia, and bone infections which may require surgery and long-term antibiotic treatment.
- Runny eyes: A rabbit may develop a watery or thick yellowish discharge from either or both eyes. There are many possible causes for this and a thorough ophthalmic exam is needed to uncover the underlying problem. It may also be caused by overgrown roots of the teeth, a condition associated with malocclusion of the teeth. Radiographs (i.e., X-ray films) of the skull may be needed to identify the cause of runny eyes.
- Matted hair: This may be secondary to malocclusion of the teeth since a rabbit uses its incisor teeth like a comb to groom its fur. If the incisor teeth are normal, this may indicate back pain or some other discomfort that makes the rabbit reluctant to curl into the positions needed to groom itself. Sometimes this may happen as a result of a dirty litter box or from diarrhea or “sludgy” urine accumulating around its hind end.
- Hair loss: Some rabbits may groom themselves or their companions excessively and cause patches of hair loss, a condition called “barbering”. Other causes of hair loss include the ringworm (a fungal infection and not a true “worm”), mites and fleas, irritation from urine scalding, endocrine problems, and other conditions.
- Tumors: Unspayed female rabbits have a high incidence of uterine tumors developing that can dramatically shorten their life. This is one of the main reasons that I recommend spaying a rabbit when it is young.
Local Rescue Organizations
East Valley Bunny Rescue http://www.bunnyrescue.org
Brambley Hedge Rabbit Rescue http://www.bhrabbitrescue.org
Rascally Rabbit Rescue http://www.rascallyrabbitrescue.org
Some Books for the Rabbit Owner
The House Rabbit Handbook by Marinell Harriman. See also www.rabbit.org for one of the best websites on rabbit care.
Watership Down by Richard Adams is a classic adult fantasy novel about rabbits.
Copyright 2008
Kevin Wright and Jay Johnson
Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital, LLC
744 N Center Street
Mesa, AZ 85203
info@azeah.com
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