Animal charities have reported that domestic rabbits are one of the most neglected and ill-treated pets in the UK, because they spend most of their lives in solitude, imprisoned in their hutches at the bottom of the garden.

As we said at the very beginning you must be committed to providing the very best for your rabbit. It is amazing how many people don’t think its necessary to interact with their rabbits once they bring them home. But it is, and it is something you need to consider BEFORE you buy your pet. Let’s see what rabbits need.

Housing
In the wild rabbits live in burrows and spend the majority of time foraging for grass, shoots and roots. Living in a hutch allows your rabbit to live outside and receive plenty of sunshine and fresh air every day.

Rabbits need good, secure, roomy housing. Bought hutches and runs are not cheap but they are perfect for your pet. Rabbits naturally chew wood, so make sure that any wooden hutch that you purchase has been treated with non-toxic products.

You might know someone who could make one for you. A good hutch will have two compartments - one for the day and one to nest and hide in at night. Don’t forget that if you have more than one rabbit you will need a bigger hutch. They prefer to sleep separately at night, too, so need their own nesting areas.

The minimum size for a good hutch is 4ft x 2ft x 2ft high (120cm x 60cm x 60cm) for a single, medium size breed. It should be around 4-5 times the length of the rabbit when the rabbit is stretched out. This will need to be much larger if you are keeping more than one rabbit. It should always be high enough that the rabbit can sit upright, with his ears pricked, without touching the top of the hutch.



Remember that a hutch can NEVER be too big - buy or make the largest hutch you can manage.

The hutch should be placed in a position that is sheltered, out of direct sunlight. Extremes of temperature can cause stress which may result in discomfort or illness.

In cold weather there must be adequate protection from draughts, wind and rain. Repositioning the hutch can make the most of winter sunlight. Plastic sheets over the front of the cage can prevent rain from driving into the cage, but should allow for ventilation. Hutches should be checked before winter to ensure they are water and draught proof - extra bedding should be provided if there is any doubt about insulation.

Place the hutch on bricks or legs to avoid becoming damp during wet weather. Ensure the roof is sloping, waterproofed and overhangs slightly to avoid poor drainage on the top surface. Always ensure hutch doors are locked to avoid accidental escape or access by predators, such as foxes.

Despite all this a rabbit will thrive with its hutch outside, even in harsh conditions - just don’t forget they still need company!

You must also provide a run for your rabbit that allows him plenty of room to exercise. Rabbits are naturally frightened of large, open spaces and love playing in a run that contains playthings, such as boxes, flowerpots, drainpipes and logs.

Hutch Hygiene
Hutches should be cleaned out on a regular basis. This is especially important in warmer weather in order to prevent flies being attracted to the hutch, as this may result in an infestation of maggots. In the winter months, bedding can become damp and mouldy from extreme weather. Did you know that rabbits can catch nasty diseases such as Coccidiosis from dirty hutches? So make sure you pay lots of attention to keeping your rabbit’s hutch clean and hygienic. Here are some tips to help you:

Every day
Remove any soiled bedding

Once a week
Remove all bedding. Thoroughly sweep out all the soiled bedding.
Rinse with warm water and mild detergent and wait until dry.
Spray inside of hutch with Keep it Clean and wait until dry.
Replace with clean bedding (check for signs of mould etc. on bedding
and discard if necessary).

Keep it Clean is the ultimate cleaner, deodorant and disinfectant for your pet and its environment. With proper use, Keep it Clean is proven to assist in the prevention of bacterial infections such as Viral Haemorrhagic Disease and Myxomatosis. Keep it Clean also reduces the risks associated with flystrike. Available in lemon, coconut and lavender fragrances.

BEDDING MATERIAL
Keeping your rabbit warm and cosy at night is very important. You also need bedding that is absorbent which makes cleaning easier for you.

Russel Bedding is made from the highest quality barley straw, chopped for extra comfort. It fluffs up to provide a natural, warm bedding that is ideal for your rabbit. Because it is completely natural, Russel Bedding is safer than some other types of bedding. It is also treated with a non-toxic cleaning agent to eliminate pet odours, germs and bacteria, and has been specially processed to ensure it is completely free of dust (many animals are allergic to dust). It clumps naturally which makes it simple and hygienic to clean out.

Supreme Science Carefresh
Alternatively there is Supreme Science Carefresh. It is a little more expensive but is even more absorbent than traditional bedding and eliminates pet odours. It is dust free and hypo-allergenic and is, therefore, particularly suitable if your rabbit has any sort of allergy or respiratory illness. It is safe and hygienic and has been heat treated to inhibit bacteria and fungi growth. Supreme Science Carefresh absorbs up to 3 times its weight in liquid and lasts up to twice as long as traditional bedding so its probably worth the extra few pence! Also it is environmentally friendly no trees have been cut down to make Supreme Science - Carefresh.

EXERCISE
It is extremely important that your rabbit has the opportunity to exercise every day. Exercise is essential to:

• maintain high levels of fitness
• maintain well being
• increase cardiovascular fitness
• control weight levels
• maintain joint mobility
• maintain muscle tone.

Anyway, your rabbit will love running around and playing with his toys! (see Accessories). Watch him leaping around kicking his legs in the air from pure enjoyment.

You need to provide a large, secure run for daily exercise. This can be free-standing or attached to the hutch. Security and position are extremely important to avoid any harm or stress to your rabbit during his playtime.

If you want, you can take your rabbit for a walk on a harness, in a safe and secure area, or take them inside your home to play (but don’t forget if they haven’t been house trained, they may make a little mess!).

Beware the chewing houserabbit!
The house offers numerous opportunities for play and investigation. BUT it can be a dangerous place for your rabbit - there are electrical appliances, and wires to chew. Protect wires in your home with plastic tubing or cable guards.

You will also need to “bunny-proof” your home so your rabbit only has access to areas that are safe and where you are happy for them to go. You can use items such as a baby gate to prevent them going upstairs.

Be careful of open doors and human feet. Rabbits will dash around and under your feet without warning which may result in their escape, or even injury to you or your pet.

Accessories
Rabbits are naturally very active and inquisitive animals. They like to keep themselves busy and, when allowed, spend the majority of their time running around and investigating their surroundings.

Their natural instincts are to forage, explore and socialise. It only takes a few items to create an exciting playground for your pet.

Rabbits explore around the edge and hiding places first, rather than the middle of the area or run. Place objects like tubes, tunnels, untreated wicker baskets and boxes in the run for them to play with. They also like to look under, hide in, or climb on to empty cardboard boxes, wicker baskets and plastic flowerpots. Chimney pots and large plastic pipes make great hiding places and excellent tunnels. Change the items around occasionally to provide added interest for your rabbit.

Rabbits are attracted to noisy toys, cat balls (complete with a bell) and will have great fun knocking them around.

Piles of logs (natural wood willow, beech, hazel or apple) make platforms for them to explore or rest under. Rabbits will chew the wood and this will help keep their teeth in trim!

Feeding time for a domestic animal is often over in minutes whereas, in the wild, feeding takes most of the day as they forage for their favourite foods. By hiding food and the occasional treat under cardboard boxes, in empty plant or yoghurt pots, or in different areas of the animals hutch, your rabbit will be forced to hunt for his food this will keep him occupied for many happy hours and prevent boredom.

A Russel & Frankies Feeding Ball will also provide him with the opportunity to play with a ball and, as he does so, pieces of food will drop out. (Hell probably continue to play with the ball even if there is no food left in it.)
Rabbits love company, so his best friend could be you!

Furry Fun Accessories
Supreme Petfoods are delighted to launch an exciting range of fun accessories to enrich your pets environment and provide them with hours of fun.

Click here to find out more Furry Fun Accessories .

HANDLING YOUR RABBIT
To ensure that your rabbit becomes tame and affectionate it is important that you handle it frequently and correctly. Picking up a rabbit incorrectly could lead to your rabbit being permanently frightened and may lead to it becoming aggressive.

Remember that most small animals are prey in the wild. So, if they are approached from above they will see a large shadow and become scared. They might run and hide or try to attack you.

The best way to pick up your rabbit is to talk to him as you approach him - on the same level. Crouch in front of him and let him come to you, presenting the back of your hand for him to sniff. Gently take hold of the scruff with one hand, and support the weight of the rabbit by scooping up the rump with the other hand. Place him on your lap or hold him to your chest and very slowly stand up.

Another way is to place one hand under his chest and support the hindquarters with the other hand; again, always talk to you rabbit to calm and reassure him.

Grooming and health checks
Grooming your rabbit is necessary to avoid matting of the fur and maintain a healthy shiny coat. It also helps to build a relationship with your pet. Whilst grooming it is the perfect opportunity for you to examine your pet closely to look for any signs of illness. (See the next section called “Is my rabbit well?” for more details on signs of illness and behaviour.)

Check the whole animal, looking for any discharges, sore areas, scabs, soiling, etc. that may indicate a problem. It is especially important to check the teeth regularly as they grow all the time and may require veterinary attention if they become overgrown. To help prevent this, feed Russel Rabbit as it has plenty of ingredients for the animal to chew on which will help wear down his teeth. Give him some willow, apple, beech or hazel wood to chew on too.

COMPANIONSHIP
We touched briefly on pairing rabbits at the beginning, but it needs explaining in more detail.

Rabbits in the wild live in large colonies with a well-structured hierarchy. This is the opposite with domesticated rabbits where they are often kept in solitude. There should be no problems keeping rabbits together if the following rules are followed.

Firstly, as we said before, you must have a hutch which is large enough to accommodate more than one rabbit. It is best to acquire littermates in order to avoid fighting. Single sex groups will be normally be fine. However, females can be more temperamental during the breeding season. Males will live happily together but may become agitated and fight if they are both chasing the same female. 1 female and 1 male will be happy together but will result in litters.

The best advice is to have the rabbits neutered if you do not wish to breed from them. This controls sexual behaviour and aggression, prevents unwanted litters and reduces the possibility of disease of the reproductive system.

Rabbits should never be paired with guinea pigs, as rabbits are naturally dominant and may try to bully the guinea pig or, even worse, attack them.

Veterinary treatment
A rabbit is inexpensive to buy, but you must be prepared to pay for veterinary treatment if he becomes ill. It is also important to vaccinate your rabbit for myxomatosis and VHD every year (every 6 months if you are in a high-risk area).

Neutering
If you would like two rabbits then it is important that you consider having them neutered to avoid fights or unwanted litters. Neutering of rabbits is now carried out routinely in most veterinary practices. You would probably need to leave your rabbit at the vets overnight, especially if it is a female. In any case when you bring your rabbit home after neutering it is essential that it is kept in the house for 2-3 days - your vet will, of course, give you more guidance on how to care for your rabbit after its operation.

Gestation and lactation
If you do decide to breed from your female rabbit, you will need to give her twice as much food (Russel Junior) as normal whilst she is pregnant, as the demand for nutrients during this time is much greater. Once she has had the litter she will need three times as much food as normal whilst she is lactating (feeding her babies herself). Do not be tempted to touch the kittens for the first week as the mother rabbit may reject them.

Older rabbits
When rabbits reach the senior stage of life, it is equally important to consider changes in their environment and diet. Older animals tend to be less active and will have lower energy requirements. Make sure that you feed plenty of Supreme Choice Hay and the correct amount of Russel Rabbit food for their actual body weight.

Encourage them to exercise daily to maintain as high a level of fitness as possible. This will also help them fight off disease.

As we’ve said, you should check all your rabbits regularly for signs of illness or disease, but older rabbits may require daily help with grooming as well - this can be an enjoyable experience for both of you.

HOLIDAYS
If you want to go on holiday, you must ensure that someone is happy to look after your pet properly whilst you are away, or you must be prepared to pay for them to board.