Often when we think about the most popular pets, dogs and cats always spring to mind, however rabbits closely follow behind as one of the most popular pets in the UK and USA. Whilst they are very popular, they are often misrepresented – rabbits are frequently viewed as an easy pet to keep and one that requires very little work to care for, however this is not the case! Rabbits are intelligent and social animals, and if not cared for in the correct manner they can become stressed and unwell. If you are looking for an animal for your children to look after, or one that doesn’t require much input, then a rabbit is not for you! Rabbits usually live to 8-12 years old, and have very specific care requirements in order for them to live a long and happy life. This article will dig into the information you need to know if you are consider taking on a rabbit as a pet, and how to best look after them.
What will I need before I get a rabbit?
The first thing you need to know before you get a rabbit is that keeping them in pairs or small groups is the best way to ensure their mental wellbeing and health. Having a pair of rabbits that get on well greatly reduces stress, boredom, and can help greatly improve their health and wellbeing. Housing a rabbit by themself is never recommended unless you are in the process of bonding them with another rabbit. The second most important thing when keeping a rabbit is focusing on providing a high quality living environment with plenty of enrichment and space, as this is also key for your rabbit’s wellbeing and health. People usually look after rabbits in one of two ways – indoors and outdoors.
If you are planning on keeping your rabbit outdoors then you will need a secure place to keep them that is big enough for them to move around in. Outdoor rabbits are most frequently housed in either a hutch or a small shed, usually with a run that can be attached to it or that is separate in the garden to allow them some more room to move around. If they are extra lucky then some rabbits may have a secure garden where they can roam freely. When considering how you house your rabbit you must bear two things in mind – security and space. However you house your rabbit, you need to ensure that they can’t get out and that potential predators cannot get in, in addition to providing enough room for them to exhibit their natural behaviours. Most outdoor housing involves the use of mesh and wood to provide a secure environment for the rabbits and sufficient room for them to move around in. The RWAF (Rabbit welfare association and fund) recommend that rabbit accommodation be at least 3m (9’10”) long, 2m (6’7”) wide, and at least 1m (3’3”) tall, to allow for sufficient movement, stretching, and jumping! They recommend that this be the minimum size, and should be accessible at all times. They also recommend that there be a sheltered area that the rabbits can sleep and nest in, and escape from poor outdoor weather if they need to. Whilst these are their minimum recommendations, if you can make these areas bigger, or provide additional space for them under supervision for example, then that would be even better.
If you are planning on housing your rabbit indoors then the same space requirements still apply (at least an area that is 3m (9’10”) long, 2m (6’7”) wide, and at least 1m (3’3”) tall), however there are some differences to the considerations you need to make. Whilst they will not be subject to outdoor weather and potential predators, they will still need a secure area to hide away and make a bed in, so providing an indoor hutch within their space would still be beneficial. You should also still ensure that the area is secure, and that your rabbit will not be able to access any electrical wires or chew on any materials that may cause a risk of obstruction in their intestines.
Regardless of whether you house your rabbit indoors or outdoors, you also need to think about what material you plan to use for bedding. There are a variety of materials that are appropriate, including hay, straw, and wood shavings. You should always provide ample hay for your rabbits to eat, as it encourages good gut health, helps to wear their teeth down evenly, is comfortable for your rabbits to move around and sleep on, and is good for allowing drainage of urine away from your rabbits so they do not become soiled. For these reasons hay is my usual preference for material to use as bedding. Wood shavings, or sawdust, can be used alongside hay as a useful bedding material, it is soft and provides a comfortable bed, absorbs urine to prevent your rabbits from becoming soiled, and is easy to clean up. Wood shavings provide no nutritional value however, and so hay should also be provided for your rabbits to eat.
Straw can be used as an alternative for bedding material, as it can be comfortable as long as it is not too coarse, and also allows the drainage of urine away from your rabbits, however hay will also need to be provided for your rabbits to eat, as straw does not have the same nutritional content. Some rabbits can be trained to use a litter tray, and so you may only need to put wood shavings or straw into the litter tray, and can use hay elsewhere for them to eat. Most of these materials will be readily available from your local pet shops, however I often find that a good way to buy hay is to source it from a local farmer, as you can buy larger amounts for less money, and often the quality is very good.
Wherever you house your rabbit, you will also need to be able to clean out this space appropriately. If you can convince your rabbits to use a litter tray (training them by putting dirty bedding into the litter tray often works), then this will make cleaning out your rabbits nice and easy, as there will be one main area to focus on, and you can monitor the rest of their bedding for any mess. If you cannot convince your rabbits to use a litter tray, they will often pick a specific area where they prefer to go to the toilet, so when you clean them out you should focus on removing all soiled bedding, disinfecting areas that are particularly wet or soiled, and then replacing with clean and dry bedding. The frequency you will need to do this depends on how dirty the bedding is and the time of the year, as when it is hot the soiled bedding will start to smell and attract unwanted flies which can be dangerous to your rabbits. I have written an article about the dangers of flies and how to prevent them, this article here can tell you more!
Once you have got the housing situation sorted, you can then start thinking about where you get your rabbits from, and getting them all settled into their new home.
Where should I get my rabbit from?
Now that you’ve sorted the housing for your new rabbits, it’s time to find some fluffy friends! Rabbits are very commonly found in pet shops, and you will be able to find all the necessities here with them as well, including water bowls and bottles, pelleted food, grooming tools, toys, and treats. One thing I would consider before you go to your local pet shop is the possibility of rescuing a rabbit from a local rescue centre or charity, as all across the world there are animals in need of a caring home. There are a number of advantages to rescuing a rabbit, including that the rabbits will usually already be neutered, vaccinated, and bonded into pairs. In addition to these benefits, you can also ask the rescue centres any questions you may have about caring for your new rabbits, and they can provide advice about caring for them.
What happens when I get home with my rabbit?
When you get home with your rabbit it is time to let them settle in, travelling can be very stressful for rabbits so it is very important to let them relax into their new environment. Giving them lots of comfortable bedding and an area where they can hide away, such as inside their hutch, will help reduce their stress initially. Rabbits also find handling stressful, so try not to handle them too much as they begin to settle in.
One of the things you can think about organising when settling your rabbits in is if you would like to cover them with insurance. As previously mentioned, rabbits can live for up to 8 – 12 years, and in this time they can be prone to various illnesses and conditions, some of which can be expensive to treat. It may be worth considering insuring your rabbit, or putting money aside into a savings account to put towards medical expenses for your rabbit.
Another thing you can organise is a health check with your local veterinarian for them to make sure your rabbit is in good health, and also make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations to prevent them from possible infectious diseases. The main things your local veterinarian will be checking for are that your rabbit’s teeth are growing properly and that there are no problems inside their mouth, that their guts sound like they are working properly, that their weight is appropriate, and making sure that their coat is in good condition. If you are interested in learning more about rabbit vaccines and what you need to know about them you can read more here.
Once settled in, your rabbits can start getting used to their new normal routine and you can begin to handle them a bit more. It is important to get your rabbit used to handling, as they will need to be groomed throughout the year, and also they will need to be handled when you take them to your local veterinarian. Whilst handling is important, it is also a stressful event for rabbits, so trying to keep this to a minimum is ideal, and using the correct techniques can make this process less stressful for both you and your rabbit. If you wanted a more in depth guide into how to handle your rabbit in a safe and stress free way then read more here.
As you get used to looking after your furry friend, it is important to keep up with their grooming and hygiene, and also ensuring that they are eating the right kinds of foods. Depending on your rabbit, grooming may be a very easy process, or it may come with some difficulties. Rabbits that can be slightly difficult to groom include those with longer fur or older or overweight rabbits, as they are less able to groom themselves. If you are interested in learning more about grooming your pet rabbit then I have a more detailed article here.
In terms of maintaining a healthy diet for your rabbit, the key things to remember are that your rabbit should mainly be eating hay or grass, and that pelleted food and vegetables are additional extras that are not always required. Hay will provide a good balance of fibre and sugars that will help your rabbit’s guts work effectively, and can be assisted with small amounts of pelleted food and occasional greens and treats. You should aim to avoid feeding your rabbit large amounts of vegetables or fruits that are high in sugars, such as apples and carrots. Suitable vegetables and herbs include broccoli, cabbage, kale, coriander, mint, spinach and spring greens.
If your rabbits are not yet neutered then this is also something you should be making a priority – the phrase is ‘breeding like rabbits’ for a reason! Rabbits can reproduce from the age of 4-5 months, and so if you have a male and female rabbit housed together, then one or both of them need to be neutered before this age to prevent a surprise litter of kittens (baby rabbits)! Neutering rabbits also comes with a number of other benefits, with females it prevents them from getting very common and life threatening uterine cancers, and also makes them a lot more friendly towards people and other rabbits, and with males it reduces sexual behaviours and makes them more friendly towards other rabbits. If your rabbit has become pregnant and given birth to a litter of kittens, it is essential that you separate the male rabbit from her so that she does not become pregnant again, as she will be able to conceive almost immediately after giving birth.
What happens next?
As you spend more time with your rabbits and learn their individual personalities and habits, you will begin to build a bond with them and see them become more confident in themselves. Once they are well established at home the main things you should be looking out for are their weight, as becoming overweight can lead to health problems and issues with grooming, and for any signs of illness. Rabbits can be quite sensitive to illness, so any signs that your rabbit is seeming quieter than usual, is eating less, or is in pain are key to look out for and investigate as soon as you can. Rabbits are very good at hiding signs of illness, so keeping a close eye on them and knowing how they normally behave are essential in detecting signs of illness quickly and allowing for speedy investigation and treatment. If you suspect your rabbit to be ill then you should book an appointment with your local veterinarian as soon as you can so they can be checked over and any illnesses taken care of.
One of my favourite things to do at home is sit and watch my rabbits hopping around the garden and investigating, and I hope that if you become a rabbit parent that you enjoy spending time with your rabbits as much as I do with mine!
The RWAF has an excellent website, full of everything you need to know about rabbits – make sure you check it out if you have any more questions, as well as the other articles I have about rabbits on this website.