Rabbit Information

What does your rabbit need? 

1.  Food and Water

Rabbits mainly eat good quality hay or grass with some pellet food and vegetables.
Ensure your rabbits have fresh, clean water - use a drip-feed water bottle available from pet shops.

2.  A good home

Rabbits need a good hutch with plenty of space.  The living enclosure and shelter should be protected from potential predators, direct sunlight and wind or rain. Every day you will need to remove droppings and wet litter and once a week change their bedding.  Wash, disinfect and thoroughly dry your rabbits' living area three or four times a year.

3.  Company

Rabbits LOVE and NEED company - if you only have one rabbit be prepared to spend extra time playing with your rabbit every day.

4.  Exercise

Do not leave your rabbits in a hutch all day long.  If your rabbits' shelter does not have a run attached, let them run

and hop around during the day in a secure enclosure in the garden.

5.  Health

You will soon get to know your rabbits and you will be able to spot if something is wrong.  Take your rabbit to the vets if they are unwell or injured.  If you are unsure always ask your vet for advise.

General Information about rabbits

How long do rabbits live for?
Rabbits can live into their early teens.

Where can I get a rabbit from
There are many places to buy a rabbit depending on your budget and your plans for the rabbit. 

• Pet Shops
• Friends and Family
• Animal Rescue Shelters
• Rabbit Breeders
• Animal Feed Stores

Shop around and don't just buy the first one you see...be selective in the process and you won't regret it.

Should I get a baby rabbit?
Baby rabbits are very cute for a while, but they will grow up! If you get a fully grown rabbit you know exactly how big the rabbit will be.  Also baby rabbits will grow up and go through bunny puberty. This is where male rabbits spray everything in urine to mark their territory and both male and female rabbits can become fiesty.  During this time your rabbit's personality can also change. A cuddly, cute, friendly bunny may turn into a big territorial finger biting terror! If you do buy a baby rabbit you need to ensure that the bunny is 8-10 weeks old. Baby rabbits need to stay with their mum's (doe's) and drink their milk to develop intestinal bacteria.  Taking the babies away too soon means they may develop intestinal problems later on due to the lack of healthy bacteria.

Should I spay/neuter my rabbit?
Female rabbits should be spayed to prevent development of uterine cancer. There is a high chance of female rabbits contracting the cancer if they are not bred from. If you want to have more than one rabbit, then you will need to spay or neuter your rabbit. Two unneutered rabbits put together regardless of whether they are male or female will probably fight. Two unspayed female rabbits can often fight just as viciously. An unneutered male and a spayed female can live together, but the male rabbit may become obsessive about marking territory, and may annoy the female rabbit by continually mounting her. Obviously an unneutered male and unspayed female will mate. Many people find that after their rabbit reaches 4 months of age, their rabbit has starting urinating everywhere, mounting objects and has become aggressive towards them, actually lunging and biting. Neutering rabbits tends to reduce this behaviou if not eradicate totally.

Rabbits LOVE company
Rabbits are generally happier in pairs. They communicate with each other and groom each other, keeping hard to reach places clean. They also provide each other a warm cushion to lean on, and often one will be the sentry while the other takes a nap. It can be difficult to bond two rabbits. Often they fight when they are first introduced until one rabbit is deemed to be the dominant rabbit of the pair. As you can imagine, this can be quite a problem with two headstrong bossy rabbits. It is better to get two rabbits from the same litter as they will be less likely to fight.

How much time does rabbit care take?
A rabbit's cage needs cleaning out at least every second or third day for hygiene reasons. Rabbits themselves do not smell but their uncleaned litter boxes do.   Rabbits need feeding at least once a day, if not twice. Rabbits also need their claws trimmed every 6 weeks.