Adults – caring for your rabbit

The average lifespan of a pet rabbit is around 10 to 12 years, but rabbits as old as 14 years have been presented to veterinarians in practice. The record-breaking age for a rabbit has not been determined, but there are anecdotal reports of rabbits living 16 to 18 years. Now you’ve made that commitment to care for your rabbit over its lifetime, it’s important to know the dos and don’ts when looking after your bunny to keep them happy and healthy.

If you’ve had your bunny from a baby, you should have built a good bond by now. Your bunny will trust you and you’ll know what they like and what they don’t. Your bunny will be part of the family and will probably be ruling the roost!

Some rabbit breeds take longer to develop than others. Very small breeds like the Netherland Dwarf or Lionhead are usually fully grown by around 6 to 9 months old. Giant breeds on the other hand, like the Flemish Giant or New Zealand White can take up to 18 months to develop fully and mature. The average rabbit is considered an adult at about 9 to 12 months old.

The only things that continue to grow while your rabbit is an adult are their teeth, claws and fur! Checking their teeth, claws and coat regularly for any signs of teeth overgrowth, misalignment, overly long claws, hair matting, bald patches of the coat or flaky skin. Overgrown teeth can cause lots of problems if they’re not dealt will promptly, stopping the rabbit from eating and causing pain and weight loss. Overgrown claws can catch and break, causing pain so should be clipped if necessary. Allowing your rabbits the opportunity to dig will help them to keep their claws worn down. Grooming is essential to keep their coat clean and in good condition, as well as to stop them ingesting extra fur when molting, which can cause digestive problems.

Understanding rabbit behavior is really important when owning a rabbit. Their behavior can give you lots of information about how they’re feeling. If your rabbit has been introduced slowly to their home, surroundings, and any other pets you might have they should already be happy and confident. A confident rabbit will be happy spending time with you and exploring their environment.

Rabbits exhibit all sorts of behavior. Over time you’ll soon become accustomed to whether these are normal or not. Unwanted behaviors could indicate they’re stressed, unwell or in pain. It’s important to understand that some rabbit behavior isn’t ‘bad, naughty or abnormal’ they’re just normal behaviors that they would show in the wild. Normal behaviors include chin rubbing, feet thumping, standing on their hindlegs, leaping around, lying on their side stretched out, and spraying urine.

Behaviors that could be a sign of illness include stomach pressing, hunching up, being reluctant to move, rapid breathing and loud teeth grinding. These could indicate your rabbit is in pain. With time and experience even subtle communications from your rabbit will let you know how they’re feeling. If you’re ever unsure about a particular behavior your rabbit is exhibiting, call your veterinarian or rabbit behavior expert for advice.

Rabbits are highly social, so should ideally be kept as pairs or compatible groups. They need other rabbits for company and to be able to exhibit some normal, rabbit behaviors The best combination tends to be a mixed-sex pair, ie a male and female, but they’ll both need to be neutered and be bonded together carefully otherwise they could fight. Bonding can be a long process, but worth it in the long run. Having a bonded pair ensures they’re both safe and happy together. Even rabbits who haven’t set eyes on another bunny for many years can happily be bonded, and often a younger pal will give an elderly bunny a new lease of life in their twilight years.

Guinea pigs don’t make good companions for various reasons – they behave and communicate in very different ways, have different dietary needs, can pass on diseases, and rabbits tend to bully guinea pigs, so if you have a rabbit, they should have a rabbit companion and guinea pigs, who are equally sociable should have a guinea pig friend.

Pet rabbits are the same species as wild rabbits, but their diets tend to be very different. Most pet rabbits are fed a diet consisting of commercial rabbit mix/pellets and green food. This can be high in carbohydrate and protein but low in fiber. Wild rabbits, however, eat mainly grass, plant material and hay (dried grass). This is high in fiber with moderate levels of protein. Wild rabbits are much less likely to suffer from health conditions because of the fiber content in their diet. Therefore, the correct diet for a pet rabbit is one that is high in fiber and mimics that of a wild rabbit as much as possible.

Grass and hay should be the major components of your rabbit’s diet as they are high in fiber. Hay must be good quality and they should have an unlimited supply. The hay should also be free from mold and dust, and there are several different types of hay that are suitable for rabbits, so offering more than one type will add variety to their diet. Let the grass grow long in your garden so they can graze on this when they’re out. Vegetables and green foods are also important. A variety of these will keep your bunny interested in their food. Celery, broccoli, chickweed, clover, parsley, coriander, mint, dill and a small amount of greens and kale can be given daily. And avoid giving sugary treats, including fruits and carrots as these are not nutritious for rabbits.

Rabbits will thrive on a diet of mostly grass and hay (at least a pile their own body size each day), with fresh vegetables (a pile the size of their head) and a small amount of rabbit pellets (around 1 level tablespoon per kg of ideal bodyweight each day). Muesli food encourages selective feeding, this is when rabbits pick out and eat the parts of the food they like, leaving the rest – often the pieces containing all the nutrients, so this should not be fed.

And don’t forget that clean, fresh water should be available at all times, preferably within a heavy, ceramic bowl that the rabbit can not tip over. This needs to be changed at least once daily, more often in warm weather or the cold, when it may freeze. A water ‘sipper’ bottle may be given but drinking from a bowl is more natural for rabbits and easier for them.

Throughout your rabbit’s life they’ll need regular grooming and health checks at home as well as regular veterinary visits for vaccinations, dental checks and nail trims if needed. When grooming your bunny you can give them a quick check for any obvious problems with their ears, eyes, skin and teeth. There are some common health issues found in all rabbits that you should keep an eye out for. There are also some breed-specific health conditions that you may need to be aware of, but these are covered in a separate factsheet.

Fly strike is common during the warmer months when flies are a problem. Bottle flies (green and blue) are attracted by soiled or wet fur, open wounds, cuts or scratches. They lay their eggs on the rabbit which hatch into maggots, they then eat into the rabbit’s flesh. This causes immense suffering to the rabbit and can be fatal even with prompt treatment. Make sure you check your rabbit, at least twice a day to ensure they are clean with no wounds or signs of fly eggs or maggots. If you are concerned about fly strike, call your veterinarian immediately to be seen.

Gastrointestinal stasis is very common. The rabbit’s digestive system slows down if they eat or drink less than usual. It’s an emergency so call your veterinarian straight away.

Heat stroke or overheating can be a problem as rabbits don’t tolerate the heat very well. Make sure your rabbit has plenty of shade when they’re outside. Indoors, make sure your rabbit’s enclosure is away from radiators or other warm areas.

Myxomatosis (myxy) is an infectious viral disease caused by the myxoma virus and is spread by biting flies or fleas and by mechanical vectors such as non-biting insects, bedding and food. Annual vaccination is a must to help prevent this condition in your rabbit.

Obesity can be a problem but is easily prevented. A healthy diet and plenty of exercise is the best way to keep your rabbit in shape. If you’re worried about your rabbit piling on the pounds, take them to your veterinary practice for a weigh-in so a weight loss programme can be started.

Overgrown teeth is often caused by malocclusion when the teeth don’t line up properly. This condition is common in brachycephalic breeds like the Dwarf lop or Lionhead but can happen in any breed if the rabbit is fed an incorrect diet which lacks fiber and roughage, since chewing on hay and grass will help to keep their teeth worn down. It’s important to keep a close eye on your rabbit’s teeth to prevent problems occurring.

Parasites like ear mites, fleas, ticks and skin/fur mites can all cause problems if left untreated. Check your rabbit’s ears, coat and, especially their bottom regularly to check for any unwanted visitors.

Snuffles in rabbits can be caused by several different bacteria, but regardless of which one, the clinical signs shown are often similar and include runny eyes and nose, and sneezing! Often the discharge from the nose is white and thick. It can be fatal and should be treated as soon as possible, although is hard to cure, so often affected rabbits will have repeated episodes throughout their life and require treatment as the condition flares up.

Viral hemorrhagic disease (VHD) is another viral condition transmitted by direct contact with the nasal secretions and saliva of infected rabbits, as well as being spread by other animals and items that come into contact with infected rabbits (such as people’s shoes when they walk in areas with wild rabbits affected by VHD). There are two strains of VHD (VHD1 and VHD2). To ensure your rabbit is protected against these, vaccination is essential. Both strains, and especially strain 1 have high death rates.

Wild rabbits can roam over 3 miles a day, that’s a long way for a small animal! Pet rabbits aren’t often as active as their wild relatives, as they don’t have the space to roam, so an inactive rabbit will soon pile on the pounds! Exercise is important for overall health and for burning off excess calories. An obese rabbit could end up with joint, heart, and skin problems amongst others. Exercise also stops a rabbit from getting bored and getting up to mischief.

Rabbits like to play with items that have purpose, such as scatter feeding food to encourage foraging, providing tunnels to run through and hide in, boxes to jump on and off of, and hide in, tells made of willow or apple wood to chew and throw around. Get your rabbit enthused by playing with their favorite toys or learning new tricks. With positive reward-based training, you could train your rabbit to come to call, play fetch, spin around and much more! Training and exercise will keep your rabbit mentally stimulated, prevent boredom and keep them healthy.

Rabbits need a large and safe enclosure to allow them to exercise and should have access to this 24/7 as they are most active at dawn and dusk.

Yes! Vaccinating your rabbit is an essential part of their annual healthcare. There are three deadly diseases that they need to be vaccinated against, myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease strain 1 and 2. A vaccine can be given to protect your rabbit against both of these diseases. Young rabbits have their first vaccination from 7 weeks of age. This vaccine needs an annual booster to maintain immunity, so it is important you take your rabbit each year for this.

Regularly treating your rabbit for fleas should not be necessary. If you have dogs and cats within your household, treating them with veterinary strength flea treatments is important so they do not bring fleas back into the rabbit’s environment. If you notice fleas or flea dirt (the flea droppings, which are the dried blood and look like small, black flecks) on your rabbit, speak your veterinarian about a suitable product you can use. ONLY use treatments prescribed by your veterinarian for your rabbit as some are toxic and potentially fatal for rabbits.

Even though rabbits are good at grooming and keeping themselves clean you’ll still need to groom them regularly to help prevent knots and matting. Grooming also gets rid of excess fur that your rabbit might swallow when grooming themselves. Ingesting lots of hair can cause blockages and the digestive system to slow down and stop. Grooming is also a great way to bond with your rabbit and check them over for any other problems, like parasites, skin disease, and ear, eye or dental issues.

Groom your rabbit once or twice a week and more often when they’re molting or are long-haired breeds like the Angora, to prevent any problems. When grooming check their claws and use some small animal claw clippers to clip them if they’re getting too long. If you’re unsure how to do this, ask your veterinarian or veterinary nurse to show you how to do it safely. Grooming your rabbit is relatively easy, but if you have a nervous bunny or a long-haired breed, you may need help from a professional groomer.