Caring for your new rabbit
Rabbits are lovely animals to keep as pets, they are very interesting and highly sociable. They are a long term commitment and can live up to at least 12 years of age. They are not recommended as a young child's pet as they require a lot of work to look after them and need daily cleaning out and feeding. They should be kept in groups of at least 2 or more rabbits as they need a bunny friend. We do not recommend housing them with a guinea pig as they have different dietary requirements and will not groom each other in the way a group of rabbits would.
Rabbits need to be vaccinated against Myxomatosis and Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease. Vaccinations can be given from 5 weeks of age, 2 vaccines are given with a yearly booster of each vaccine. We routinely vaccinate against: Myxomatosis and RVHD1 and RVHD2
Neutering is very important for the health of your rabbit and to prevent unwanted litters. Uncastrated males can be aggressive particularly towards another uncastrated male. They will often spray urine over their territory including their companions. Unspayed females are at high risk of developing uterine cancer and they can also be aggressive and territorial. The best pairing of rabbits is a neutered male and female and they can be neutered from 6 months of age.
A rabbits diet should consist of 85% hay or grass, 10% leafy green veg and 5% single pellet nuggets ( approximately 1 egg cup full). Rabbits teeth grow continuously throughout their life so the abrasive action of hay or grass helps to keep their teeth worn naturally. Their are lots of herbs and wild plants that are safe for rabbits to eat. Carrots should only be given as a weekly treat as they are high in sugar and can be fattening.
Rabbits can be kept indoors or outdoors but their housing and exercise needs must be considered before deciding where they are going to be kept. Rabbits need to be able to:
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