Rabbit Facts

Rabbits make excellent house pets

Rabbits are strict herbivorous (no meat) and coprophagic (eat special droppings) lagomorphs and share many characteristics with rodents. Rabbits now come in a great variety of shapes and forms. They are kept as pets, as show animals or can be bred for meat.

Loosely, the breeds can be divided into two groups - the fur breeds (which then sub-divides into the normal fur, rex fur, the angoras and satin fur groups) and the fancy breeds. The fancy breeds vary from the Netherland Dwarfs (weighing about 1Kg) right up to the Flemish Giant, which can weigh 8Kg. Most pet rabbits are of mixed breed, with lyon heads becoming very popular. Rabbits are rarely aggressive and can make wonderful pets.

Most rabbits in the UK spend their lives in hutches with runs outside. However an increasing number are now kept as house bunnies. They train to litter trays very quickly and can be very clean companions. Rabbits do breed like....rabbits, so early neutering is advised.

Grass or Hay and vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, kale, carrots, turnip) should be a rabbit's main food. Some fresh fruits for treats are fine and a little amount of pelleted food.  Do not use ceral mixes as they become too selective and this can afect greatly their mineral intake. If you feed too much pelleted food, the teeth, which grow constantly, do not wear sufficiently and will overgrow and cause mouth pain and sores, needing Veterinary intervention. If rabbits eat too many pellets, they will become overweight and unable to clean themselves, which leads to digestive problems and increased likelihood of being attractive to nasty flies (see later). Always have clean hay and greens available (a hay "net" is best) and restrict pellets to being available for only one hour per day, or give only a little which will be finished in one hour or so.  Lettuce should be given in very small amounts, and avoid dried fruits, especially with added sugar. The extra carbohydrate can encourage the growth of nasty gut infections, as well as help make them fat!

CLICK HERE for a full feeding guide, from Parkside. You can print the pdf file for future reference.

Rabbit ownership is steadily growing, with many being kept as house rabbits. Did you know that there are 1.6 million kept as pets throughout the UK? It is alarming to consider therefore, that only one in every 12 owners ensures their pet is properly vaccinated against potentially fatal diseases like myxomatosis. Any rabbit, whatever their lifestyle or breed, is at risk of contracting this nasty disease and that the majority of affected rabbits will die - will your pet rabbit be one of them?
Please ensure they are vaccinated - read more about vaccines HERE

Myxomatosis infection is more common between August and October, although rabbits can contract the disease at any time of year. Spread typically by blood sucking insects like the rabbit flea, the disease attacks domestic and wild rabbits alike. In addition to the characteristic bulging of the eye lids, key symptoms include localised swellings around the head, face, ears, lips, anus and genitalia. Severe swelling can lead to blindness and distortion of the face, often resulting in difficulty with drinking and feeding. In many cases, bacterial respiratory infection complicates the disease, encouraging the onset of a fatal pneumonia. Try to vaccinate in the Spring so that the maximum protection is given over the higher-risk months.

With no specific treatment, it is crucial that you put controls in place to manage it; namely controlling parasites and ensuring vaccination. Frequent pet checks for signs of fleas, along with monthly use of an insecticidal treatment (which you will find at a Parkside Surgery) will facilitate a high degree of flea control, lessening the likelihood of bites. It is recommended that a single dose of myxomatosis vaccine be given to all healthy, non-pregnant rabbits over the age of six weeks. Ideally, this will occur in early spring so that the rabbits have the optimum protection during the period of the year when they are most at risk. However, as myxomatosis can strike at any time of the year, boosters are recommended once or twice a year, depending on your pet's likely exposure to myxomatosis.

As owners, you have the power to ensure that your pet is adequately protected and not likely to fall victim to myxomatosis and other such diseases. To help, we have joined forces with Intervet UK and Burgess Supafeeds to provide owners with a free rabbit booster pack, helping to encourage a healthier pet rabbit population. In a bid to educate about the importance of vaccination, along with providing valuable information about health and nutrition, every owner whose rabbit is vaccinated at our practice, will receive the pack, which contains an informative leaflet highlighting the importance of vaccination, details on rabbit insurance, nutritional advice and a sample of Supa Rabbit Excel® provided by Burgess Supafeeds.

Rabbits can be vaccinated against Myxomatosis from 6 weeks of age and boosters are either given every 12 months or 6 months depending on the risk in your local area.

Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD) it is spread through direct contact between rabbits and also through contaminated surfaces such as bedding, hutches and clothing and even food which may be contaminated by wild rabbits. This disease is in our area and is rapidly fatal. Symptoms are high temp, lethargy, loss of appetite convulsion and breathing difficulties, with internal haemorrhage. Vaccinations can be given from 8 weeks of age. Myxo and VHD vaccines have to be given two weeks apart and boosters are needed annually.

With warmer weather there is an increase in flies so there is a greater risk of rabbits developing fly strike, where flies lay eggs on your rabbit and the emerging maggots will eat flesh. Be extra vigilant in the care of rabbits, as a dirty rabbit is an attractive target to flies. Flies will usually be attracted to soiled bottoms or hutches and will then lay eggs onto your rabbit; within hours they will hatch into these tiny larvae (maggots) which will quickly start to feed and can burrow deep into the rabbit and eat it alive. It may only be when considerable damage has been done that any outward signs are visible, by which time it may be too late.

So, as a rabbit owner you can prevent this as follows:

1. Everyday check your rabbit from top to tail.

2. Clean any dirty areas of hutch on a daily basis to avoid it being an attractive settling spot for flies.

3. Clean and disinfect your pet's home thoroughly once a week.

4. Make sure the accommodation is adequately ventilated

5. Insecticidal sprays can be used to deter flies, but ensure that they are pet safe. Parkside recommend Rearguard which can be ordered from anyone of our branches and goes on your rabbit's fur and will kill fly eggs.

Remember: Prevention is better than cure

Another potential hazard for rabbits in the summer months is heat stroke. The symptoms are heavy, labored breathing and being floppy or unresponsive. If your rabbit does become overheated it is important to cool it down; this should be done gradually. Putting your rabbit in cold water can cause shock. Instead, dampen a cloth with cool water and bathe its ears and moisten its fur, move it into a cool area and contact Parkside as further treatment maybe be needed.

Rabbits become sexually mature between 4 months (in smaller breed) and 6-9 months (in larger breeds). We recommend rabbits be separated in single sex groups at 16 weeks. Males can be castrated at 5-6 months, females can be spayed at 6 months. Rabbits are sociable animals and appreciate a companion whenever possible; a castrated male and neutered female are best. Guinea-pigs are not suitable companions as they are often bullied and may even suffer injuries from biting or kicking.

More pictures in the Gallery

If you have a query regarding rabbit behaviour, feeding or general care, please contact Shona at our Dundee surgery.

::Click here for more rabbit reading

fiferabbitrescue.co.uk is a good place to go if you would like to rehome a rabbit. Situated in Newburgh, this Rabbit Rescue can be contacted at 01337 820 159