What does the doctor
look for in a healthy rabbit?
Vital Statistics: Body
length: 6-12 inches, Body weight: 2-20lbs depending on breed, Sexual
Maturity: Male: 4-7 months, Female: 4-9 months * Dwarf breeds mature at a
younger age, Average Life Span: 5 years.
What Should You Feed Your Rabbit?
Rabbits living in the wild have adapted to eating grasses and roughage
that most other animals can't digest. This must be taken into
account when feeding your pet rabbit. The commonly available rabbit
pellets have been developed to provide nutrition to fast-growing young
bunnies for use in laboratories or for meat. For the adult pet
bunny, the most important food to feed is hay. We suggest
feeding loose, long strands of hay instead of hay cubes or chopped hay.
Fiber in the hay is important to promote normal digestion, prevent
diarrhea, promote proper teeth growth, and to prevent hairballs.
Young rabbits (up to eight months of age) should have access to fresh
water and pellets free of choice. Rabbits older than eight months
should water and hay available at all times, but should have limited
amounts of pellet foods according to the following chart:
2--5 pounds. . .1/8 cup daily
5.5--8 pounds. . . 1/4 cup daily
8.5--11 pounds. . .1/2 cup daily 11.5--15 pounds. . .3/4 cup daily
In addition, fresh foods
can be offered, such as: carrots, beet tops, dandelion greens, escarole,
romaine lettuce (not iceberg), parsley, clover, cabbage, broccoli (all
parts), green peppers, brussel sprouts, basil, bok choy and spinach. It is important to start out gradually when trying these foods.
Only add one new food per week and monitor for diarrhea. The total
amount of these foods shouldn't exceed more than one measuring cup per
five pounds body weight per day.
Treat foods can be given,
but not exceeding 1 level tablespoon per five pounds of body weight per
day. These can include strawberries, papaya, pineapple, apple, pear,
melon, raspberries, peach or dried whole-grain bread.
One important and unusual
component to rabbit nutrition is called "night droppings".
During certain times of the day, usually in the evening, you may observe
your rabbit licking the anal area and actually eating some of its
droppings. These cecal pellets are an important part of rabbits'
diets and are softer, greener and a stronger odor than normal waste
droppings.
Where Should You Keep Your Rabbit?
A metal cage may be used with wire flooring of 14 gauge wire (1" x 1/2"
square openings), but a solid floored area should be provided to prevent
sore hocks and allow for rest. The floor can be covered with towels
(unless your rabbit eats them), carpeting, wood or synthetic fleece, which
is found in most fabric stores. The synthetic fleece is nice because
it can be machine washed and won't fall into strands if it's chewed.
Do not use glass tanks or other solid-walled cages because proper air
circulation is key to preventing respiratory diseases.
Rabbits can be housed indoors
or out, but care must be taken when they are outdoors. Bunnies
are very sensitive to high humidity and heat. Outdoor rabbits should
have some sort of cooling system if temperatures rise above the mid-80s.
A gallon jug, frozen solid with ice, can provide cooling for a rabbit that
cannot be brought indoors to air-conditioning.
Indoor rabbits should be monitored
initially to make sure they don't chew on electrical cords or carpeting. Rabbits can be litter box trained relatively easily. To
begin, you will need to keep your bunny in a small area, either its cage
or a sectioned-off area of a room. Place the litter box in a corner,
especially if there's a spot it has already used. It's usually
helpful to place a few droppings in the box to get started. You can
reward your rabbit with a treat food whenever the box is used
successfully. Don't worry if your bunny sits for extended periods in
the box, unless he is soiling himself. It is best to used pelleted
paper or other organic products in the litter pan. These kinds are
non-toxic and digestible if eaten, easier to clean up than wood shavings
or clay litter, and control odor better and are compostable. We
recommend
Yesterday's News, Critter Litter, Mountain Cat Kitty Litter and
Harvest Litter.
If you have more than one rabbit, keep your
males separated from each other and from females. Be aware that intact
males will fight with each other whether there are females present or not.
How to Keep Your
Rabbit Healthy, Happy and Safe:
- Take your rabbit to your veterinarian
after bringing it home for a full physical
- Ask your veterinarian to evaluate your
rabbit’s teeth so that they won’t become overgrown
- Keep your rabbit’s toenails trimmed
- Keep its fur free of mats and feces
- It is a good idea to
spay or
neuter your rabbit
to help guard against health problems involving reproductive organs
- Prevent the formation of hairballs by
brushing your rabbit frequently
- Check sipper bottle frequently because
rabbits drink a lot of water
Common Medical Problems
Females The leading cause of death
in the female rabbit is a cancer of the uterus, called adenocarcinoma.
This is a malignant disease, that unfortunately, spreads to other parts
of the body before it is
diagnosed. This cancer is preventable by
spaying your bunny prior to two years
of age. Spaying also helps prevent the occurrence of breast cancer
later in life.
Males Some male bunnies, especially the
dwarf varieties, can become extremely aggressive when they reach sexual
maturity. They may bite their owners and other cage mates
excessively, and start to spray urine outside their regular bathroom
area. The urine may develop a strong and unpleasant odor due to
the male hormones. The best solution to this behavioral problem
is to
neuter
your rabbit any time after 5 months of age.
Overgrown Teeth Rabbits' teeth grow constantly
throughout their lives, and if the incisors (front teeth) or molars
(cheek teeth) don't line up properly, overgrown teeth will occur. The long 'spikes' can cut into the tongue or cheek and cause pain,
infections, loss of appetite, excessive drooling or other problems.
The incisors can be easily trimmed by
our doctors
during an office visit, but overgrown molars usually require
anesthesia and a day in the hospital to correct.
Pasturella
A large percentage of rabbits carry a bacteria in their sinuses called
Pasturella multocida, which in most healthy bunnies is not a
threat. Under certain stressful situations though, this bacteria
can reproduce rapidly and cause a variety of symptoms.
Our Client
Handout on Rabbit Care
