RSPCA Norfolk West Branch

BASIC RABBIT CARE

Vaccines
The Myxo vaccine can be given from six weeks - As most rabbits are 8-10 weeks when rehomed owners should have this vaccine straight away - It is recommended that the vaccine is given twice yearly.

The HVD is a once yearly vaccine and can be given from 10 weeks.

Food
A rabbits teeth grow 1-2mls a week (upto 10cm or 4 inches a year)  Hay should be 80-90% of a rabbits diet to help rabbits grind down their teeth. As rabbits absorb calcium differently to other animals they need a food (hay) that releases calcium at a slow rate so that the rabbit does not form calcium stones in their bladder/kidneys and also for the development of good tooth alignment -. A coarse, poor diet is also important for healthy gut functions including the encouraging of rabbits to eat their caecotrophs (to reintroduce healthy bacteria to their guts).
This is why rabbit friendly vets now sell hay based rabbit treats and specialised hays to encourage rabbits to eat the right diet and so owners can spoil their rabbits(just as many cat and dog owners like to).
Burgess pellet or a complete pellet food containing Vitamin D (especially for house rabbits) is an ideal top up food for hay as it encourages hand feeding if not fed in a dish.  A cat litter tray lined with newspaper and topped with hay makes a good feed utensil as the rabbit is encouraged to forage for its food which is natural behaviour.

Neutering
Have your rabbits sex checked when you first obtain them  (This can be done by the vet when having their first vaccination or by a nurse).  Males can be neutered from about 14 weeks, however females are best neutered once they are 6 months old (85% of female rabbits die of uterine problems between the ages of 4-6).
Rabbits MUST not be starved the night before they are neutered.
Always bring bonded pairs in together to help lessen the stress even if only one is being neutered.  If the same sex neuter at same time.  Remember it is very important to neuter same sex pairing as soon as they reach maturity as even pairs that seem to be well bonded will start to show dominance and fighting at this age.
Male/female pairs should only be separated for 2-3 weeks when the female is neutered but they MUST be kept in contact through mesh to make re-introduction easier - (see bunny buddies leaflet if you have any concerns).

Other important factors affecting rabbit care.
Rabbits are crepuscular therefore their exercise times are first thing in the morning and early evening - an attached run for outside bunnies allows exercise at the correct time of day.
Rabbits are prey animals and territorial.  They do not like being moved around so an ark in the middle of the lawn can cause your rabbit stress. In an attached run they will often practice running round an escape route ready for times of trouble.  Even pet rabbits still have the instincts to know they are at risk of being eaten by anything and everything.  Runs should always have lids to stop predators (foxes, dogs and birds of prey) from taking your rabbit.  An attached run is also helpful as it allows you to become part of the group (in the wild rabbits live 80-90 in a warren, split into groups of 8-10) in that you can go into and sit with the rabbits, especially at feed time, therefore you will become accepted as part of the small group.  Also it saves picking your rabbit up - remember rabbits are prey being picked up is often naturally associated by them as being caught and eaten.

Other products
Rear guard - stop fly strike
Remember there is a reason for a rabbit to have a dirty  bottom.  It may be in pain (especially if it is not neutered) or too fat (if on the wrong diet) therefore it does not want to bend round to clean itself  It may have dental problems which causes pain during grooming. The wrong diet does not encourage the eating of caecotrophs and can cause diarrhoea which flies are attracted to - more hay less commercial food often helps the problem.
Rear guard should be used to prevent any risk of flystrike (even in healthy rabbits)not to cover up the problems caused by a dirty bottom.  Flies are especially attracted to and lay eggs on faeces, uneaten caecotrophs, wet fur and sore exposed skin.  Rabbits are prey animals and keep themselves very clean normally so a dirty bottom needs to be sorted.  A health check/teeth check is always advisable if an owner has a rabbit with this problem.  To prevent flystrike it is also important to regularly change your rabbits living quarters - Toilet or wet areas should be changed daily to stop the eggs hatching out into maggots near or on the rabbits.

Advantage for rabbits
Advantage for rabbits is a spot on treatment for fleas.  This can be useful if someone has rabbits but also has other animals they know have fleas.  Remember we recommend owners treat all animals when they have a flea problem.

vermectin
When an owner rings up to say their rabbit is losing fur or is scratching it is most likely to be skin mites and therefore needs to be seen by a vet for diagnosis and treatment.  Many pet shop products do not contain the necessary drugs to kill all life stages of the mites

Remember rabbits are a prey animal and will cover up any illness they have. In the wild an ill animal is dinner.  It is therefore very important that an owner is aware that they should always bring their rabbits to a vets as soon as they suspect a problem and we should not put off seeing them until the next day as often by the time we are aware of the problem it will be serious and the rabbit may be dead by the next day.

If you have any further questions regarding rabbits care  do not hesitate to contact a member of the practice.  We are always willing to help.

Vaccinations and vets bills on healthy and ill rabbits are very similar when it come to basic care so it makes senses for both vets and owners to keep rabbits healthy.

Costs based on a rabbit living 10 years

Vaccines cost about £50 a year X 10 =  £500  a pair £1000

Neutering female £40 male £30   a pair £70

Food (burgess) + treats for a pair £1 a week = £52 and year X 10 £520

This is a total of £1590 for a pair for life time basic care

This does not allow for other things such as skin mites, eye ear problems and gut problems, clip nails, animal products such as the use of rear guard, Advantage and toys (canac balls make great feeders).  Euthanasia has not been included.

A rabbit on the wrong diet often dies of dental and/or gut problems and very rarely survives very long or has very much other veterinary treatment.  A dental at £100 or gut treatment that may also cost the same would mean only 15 visits to the vets to equal the money spent on a healthy rabbit given the right diet and the very basic of health care.  However as rabbits do not take very well to continuous anaesthetics every 5-6 weeks or gut problems surviving 15 dentals or visits would be hopeful.  So it is beneficial for both owners and vets to keep rabbits healthy.

Insurance can also help cover veterinary care but it is worth remembering all, if not nearly all, insurance policies exclude teething problems in rabbits as they too see it as preventable with the right diet in most cases.

Louise Pitchford