There are an estimated 900,000 pet rabbits in the UK. Rabbits can make excellent pets if kept in an environment that meets their unique needs and if they are cared for appropriately. Rabbits are highly intelligent and inquisitive creatures that all have individual personalities.
The average lifespan for a rabbit in captivity is 8-12 years.
Sadly, many pet rabbits are kept in poor housing, fed inappropriate diets and not offered any enrichment. Over 30,000 rabbits are handed into rescues each year, not including those that are privately rehomed or abandoned. RAW is an annual event developed to raise awareness of these issues and promote the proper care and husbandry of all pet rabbits. They list a rabbits welfare needs as:
- Environment – living in a suitable place with space to exercise
- Diet – having the correct balanced diet with the right amount of fibre
- Behaviour – being allowed to express natural behaviours
- Companionship – living with a suitable rabbit companion
- Health – protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease
https://rabbitawarenessactiongroup.co.uk/
Every year RAW has a different rabbit welfare theme, this year it is Neutering: Protect & Prevent.
Neutering
What is neutering? Neutering is a surgical procedure, done under general anaesthetic, that will stop your rabbit from being able to breed. The female rabbit procedure is called a spay or ovariohysterectomy and involves the surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus. The male procedure is called castration and is the removal or excision of both testes. Both procedures can be performed when the rabbit is over 4 months of age. Why neuter your rabbit? The main benefits of neutering rabbits are:
Reproduction
- Removes the ability to breed
Health
- Eliminates the risk of testicular cancer in males
- Reduces the risks of ovarian, uterine, and mammary cancers in females. Studies have shown that 80% of un-neutered females over the age of 3 years of age will develop one of these cancers
- Eliminates the risk of pyometers in female rabbits
Behaviour
- Reduced undesirable hormone induced behaviours such as urine spraying and aggression
- Rabbits are social animals and prefer to live in bonded pairs or small groups. Neutering reduces the likelihood of fighting (in both males and females) and may help increases the chances of maintaining a long-term bond within the pair/group.
- Please note when introducing rabbits for the first time it should be done on neutral territory, they should both be fully recovered from their neutering procedure (ideally at least 6 weeks to ensure hormone levels have decreased) and they should be closely monitored as fighting can result in horrific injuries to both rabbits. For more information: Pairing up Rabbits (Bonding) | Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF) or Bonding Rabbits | House Rabbit Society
- Can increase the success of litter training the rabbit. For more information: Litter Training Your Pet Rabbit - My House Rabbit
Environment & Behaviour
In the wild a rabbit would spend its awake time foraging for food, digging, jumping, climbing, chewing, hiding, exploring and socialising. They can roam up to 3 miles per day. A domestic rabbit has the same energy levels, and a hutch alone does not allow a rabbit to demonstrate these behaviours or use up all that energy. This can cause your rabbit to become bored, stressed and depressed effecting both their physical and mental welfare. Other potential issues that can be attributed to unsuitable housing include spinal deformities, obesity, overgrown nails and behavioural issues including aggression.
RWAF and many other welfare organisations recommend a hutch measuring no less than 6x2x2ft. This should be securely attached to a run measuring at least 10ft for two rabbits to live in comfortably but the bigger the better!
Many rabbit owners have realised that there are so many more options available to accommodate their beloved rabbits. Sheds and children's playhouses can be adapted to make much more spacious accommodation and in many cases are not that different in price to a good quality hutch made to size recommendations (although they do require more space in the garden!). A run can be permanently attached allowing for good ventilation, access to fresh air and sunlight. The additional space can allow you to provide so much more opportunities for enrichment and play.
Outdoor Housing | Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF)
Creating the ideal home for your rabbits - PDSA
Other owners have moved their rabbits indoors, either giving them free access to some or all their home or dedicating a specific room to them. These areas need to be fully bunny proofed to ensure electrical cables are not accessible and no valuable furniture or carpets can be chewed.
Indoor Housing | Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF)
Planning a Homemade Rabbit Cage (therabbithouse.com)
Whichever option you choose there are plenty of ideas available to enrich the environment. These can include:
Forage – encourage your rabbit to work for their food;
- Scatter pellets throughout the environment instead of using a bowl
- Hide treats inside egg cartons which they can also chew and throw around
- Vegetables, leafy greens and herbs can be attached with pegs around the enclosure
Digging – a litter tray filled with soil and fresh leaves, or grass can be a great substitute if your rabbit does not have access to grass Exploration – making the environment interesting and encouraging your rabbit to move around and investigate:
- Platforms - as prey animals, like to check out their surroundings
- Hides - being able to hide under something can help to make them feel safe
- Tunnels
- Cardboard boxes
- Plastic PVC pipes
Toys – objects that can be moved about, investigated and chewed. They should be changed/rotated regularly to prevent boredom:
- Toilet Roll Tubes – can be stuffed with hay and some treats, can be pushed or tossed around, some rabbits will enjoy shredding them
- Plastic flowerpots
- Cat or bird toys (e.g. balls with bells)
- Solid plastic baby toys (e.g. rattles, key rings)
- Untreated wicker baskets – hardwearing and safe to be chewed
- Tree branches
- Cardboard boxes or paper bags filled with hay
- Willow balls
Diet
https://www.ukpetfood.org/asset/911CD4A0-FC05-4E66-997314140EFD0B89/
The key to a healthy rabbit is an appropriate diet. Rabbits are herbivores and need a plant-based diet high in fibre. Fibre keeps their digestive system healthy and moving.
Most of their diet should come from free access to a good quality, dust free, hay (making up around 85% of their food intake).
10% of their diet should be made up of greens/leafy vegetables.
A list of suitable vegetables and herbs can be found: Recommended Vegetables and Herbs | Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF).
The final 5% should be a good quality pellet food (around a tablespoon or egg cup full). Muesli style diets are not recommended as they promote selective feeding. This is when the rabbit only eats their favourite parts leading to an unbalanced diet which can contribute to a variety of health issues including gut stasis and dental disease.
Fresh, clean water should always be available.
Health
As prey animal rabbits naturally try to hide any signs of illness. It is a good idea to perform regular health checks on your rabbits to ensure you identify any potential issues as soon as possible. You will also get used to what is normal for your rabbit and be able to identify changes quickly.
Daily checks (at least twice daily in warmer weather):
- Bottom – check for any faecal matter or urine staining. Both are a sign of a problem and can attract flies. Check for fly eggs and/or maggots (called fly strike). If you see any this is an emergency, and your rabbit needs to see a vet immediately
- Rabbits are at additional risk of flystrike if they cannot clean themselves properly, are elderly, have a large dewlap, or have dental issues
- Uneaten food – a reduction in what your rabbit eats is usually a sign of illness and they need to be checked over by a vet straight away.
- Uneaten vegetables/herbs should be removed before it wilts and starts to produce bacteria
Weekly checks:
- Eyes - should be clear and bright without signs of discharge
- Ears - should be clean, dark crusty material may be an indication of ear mites
- Nose - should be free from discharge
- Mouth - check for lumps or areas that seem uncomfortable
- Teeth - Upper front teeth should align with the lower ones with a slight overbite. Very long/overgrown teeth will cause difficulties with eating and drinking.
- Feet - Check for sore hocks (heel). These can be painful and can also become infected. They are often caused by damp bedding although some breeds (e.g. Rexes) are more prone to them due to their fine feet fur
- Nails - If needed, keep your rabbit’s nails trimmed
- Scent glands - located either side of their genital area and emit a musk-like scent. They can become impacted and can be cleaned gently using damp cotton wool.
- Fur - Check for any areas of missing fur, any broken skin, mites, lumps or anything unusual
- Weight - any changes in weight could be an indication of a health concern
Vaccinations All rabbits should be vaccinations annually against myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease. This can be done from 5 weeks old.
Myxomatosis is a viral disease that is often fatal and is spread by biting insects (e.g. fleas and mosquitoes) and by contact with an infected rabbit. Symptoms include puffy swellings around the face, ears and/or eyes. The swellings can also affect the anus and/or genitals.
Viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) is also usually a killer disease. The virus survives well in the environment and is easily spread between rabbits, other animals/birds, or by contaminated objects or foods. VHD causes a high fever, internal bleeding and liver disease.
