Five Areas of Focus for Rabbit Care
The majority of preventative healthcare for pet rabbits happens at home. Unlike other furry pets, rabbits don’t receive vaccinations, and aren’t susceptible to certain diseases like heartworm. Generally, owners of pet rabbits take less trips to the vet for preventative care, and only need annual check-ups. Less trips to the vet, however, does not equate to low-maintenance healthcare. Here are five areas of focus that owners should keep in mind to proactively keep their rabbits in good health.
- Husbandry
All animals need good living conditions to thrive. The cleanliness, temperature, size, and location of your rabbit’s husbandry can significantly impact its health and survival.
First, decide if you prefer for your rabbit to reside in an indoor or outdoor space. Outdoor nests like hutches provide plenty of room for exercise, digging holes, and hiding. As prey animals, rabbits feel safer in environments that offer areas of escape when threatened. Additionally, rabbits tend to do well in cooler environments. An outdoor space during cooler months would likely be a good fit for your bunny. An outdoor dwelling, however, puts your animal at risk for predator interaction. Proper safety precautions should be taken for outdoor hutches.
Indoor living arrangements can give your rabbit full freedom to roam around without the risk of falling prey, and will give you more engagement time with your pet. Rabbits are social creatures and become lonely if isolated from interaction for long periods of time.
Rabbits that live indoors are usually kept in cages. These niches which should be three-four times the length of your rabbit and high enough for it to stand on its back legs. Temperatures should be taken into consideration for indoor dwellings. Rabbits can easily overheat and should be kept in cooler areas of homes.
Like cats, rabbits can be trained to use litter boxes, so be sure to include one in your pet’s habitat, and clean the space at least once a week.
- Nutrition
Your rabbit’s diet should consist of plenty of vegetables, fruit, and well-balanced pellets for adequate nutrition. Rabbits should also be provided with lots of hay. The type of hay given to your rabbit is contingent upon age. Juvenile rabbits should be given alfalfa, while adults should feed on Timothy hay.
Rabbits need to continuously eat throughout the day to survive. Therefore, it’s important to have an abundance of food in your rabbit’s living environment. Rabbits that stop eating for hours at a time are likely experiencing dangerous health issues. Owners should seek immediate medical attention for rabbits that have a lapse in eating or defecation, even for only a couple of hours. The cause of non-consumption can turn fatal within 24-48 hours.
- Preventative dental care
In addition to lots of food, your rabbit’s dwelling should include chewing toys such as wood blocks or cardboard. Chewing toys provide rabbits with preventative dental care, and help them avoid painful and dangerous tooth deformities such as overgrown molars, and abscesses caused by irregular growth. Read our blog about rabbit dental care for more on this topic.
- Reproductive care
Owners who don’t intend to breed their pet rabbits should spay or neuter their pets. Spaying female rabbits prevents prevalent uterine tumors that are caused by the high amount of estrogen that they produce. Neutering male rabbits will reduce their aggressiveness.
- Common medical issues
Ear mites, ear infections, fractured bones, respiratory tract infections, and tooth deformities are common health conditions associated with rabbits.
- Ear Infections
Owners can prevent debris causing ear infections by routinely cleaning their pet’s ears with a solution like Epi-Otic. Cleaning solutions prevent infections by ridding the ear of debris, but should not be used to treat inhabited infections unless recommended by your vet, as the solution may cause more irritation. Bunnies are also susceptible to ear mites, and should be taken to the vet at any sign of the parasite.
- Respiratory Tract Infections
Rabbit respiratory tract infections, like the snuffles, can be caused by the presence of bacteria in the nasal cavity. If you notice discharge coming from your rabbit’s noseor excessive sneezing, a bacterial infection could be the blame. Seek treatment from your vet, which will likely include diagnostics and prescribed antibiotics.
- Fractured Bones
Rabbits have a natural fight or flight response to predators or threats. Typically bunnies will attempt to escape a perceived threat by using their strong legs to quickly hop away. In tight spaces, their powerful kicks may lead to fractured hind legs, as well as a dislocated spine.
- Tooth Deformities
As mentioned earlier, tooth deformities can cause serious issues for rabbits and affect their livelihood. Access to chewing toys can prevent most dental related problems.
Rabbits have a life expectancy of 6-10 years. With proper proactive measures, owners can help them live long, healthy lives. And remember, although rabbits tend to need infrequent trips to the vet, they should still receive an annual check-up for overall health.
