Back to Basics

Rabbits in the wild live in colonies of 8-15.  They spend up to 6 hours a day looking for food and feeding.  This gives us many clues as to the needs of the domestic rabbit.

Company

It is now widely accepted that rabbits can live indoors as well as out.  It is not so much where, but how the rabbit lives, that determines its quality of life.   Being sociable creatures, rabbits ideally need company of their own kind.  It is not advisable to keep a rabbit and guinea pig together, as rabbits are territorial and can become very aggressive towards guinea pigs, often with no warning and with disastrous effects for the guinea pig.

Stimulation

Even with the companionship of their own kind, rabbits still need considerable stimulation and exercise to keep happy and healthy.  In the wild much of their time and energy is spent on finding food.  In domesticity therefore, rabbits often have a lot of time on their paws!  Toys, stimulation and space are therefore essential.  This needn’t be expensive; all it takes is a little time and some imagination.

For a start, consider not just what is fed, but how it is fed.  Rather than simply offering food in a bowl, much enrichment can be provided by hiding it around the run so the rabbit has to work to find it - much as in the wild.  Burying treats or food in a pot of earth so the rabbit has to dig it out, or suspending food from a length of rope so the rabbit has to stretch to reach it, or sealing food in a cardboard box are all ways to add interest and prevent boredom.

Environmental Enrichment

The more space a rabbit has the better.  For outdoor rabbits, this applies to hutch as well as run.  It is important too, that the hutch is a home and not a prison. However, a large empty run provides little in the way of interest.  The run should be sufficiently sturdy and secure to protect the rabbit from any predators and should also afford protection form direct sunlight. A little imagination and creativity can go a long way in providing a stimulating environment for a rabbit.  Every day items can be put to good use, such as large flowerpots, planters or cardboard boxes filled with hay, clay pipes or chimney stacks.  The more a rabbit has to explore and investigate, the happier it’ll be.  Of course, this should be in addition to, rather than a substitute for, company.

Health

Quite apart from the need for socialisation and stimulation, rabbits should be handled daily and checked over for any signs of ill-health, i.e. cuts, lumps, runny eyes, dirty bottom.  Vigilant owners will soon get to know their rabbit and recognise warning signs that all is not well, even if it is just a sense that the rabbit “doesn’t seem itself”.  With most rabbit illnesses, fast intervention and treatment is vital. This is especially the case with myxomatosis and VHD, and owners should be advised to have their rabbits vaccinated.  Flystrike, especially prevalent in the summer, can also prove fatal without immediate intervention. 

Hygiene

Hutch hygiene is vital in preventing the threat of flystrike.  Supreme’s Home Help is a spray-on hutch and cage cleaning solution that works by eliminating bacteria and germs, hence neutralising odours which tend to attract the flies in the first place. For added comfort and hygiene, Russel Bedding is made from a very finely threshed barley straw treated with a bactericide, virucide and fungicide, so it's soft, warm and fluffy, highly absorbent and entirely safe if eaten.

Teeth

Dental health is also important, and can be promoted through correct diet and plenty of safe things to chew, i.e. hay, untreated wood, cardboard.  Even with these safeguards, some breeds of rabbit have a natural propensity towards malocclusion, and will need regular burring or even incisor extraction.

Russel Rabbit 

Dental Disorders

Rabbit Trivia