Rabbits N'Rodents

Daily Bunny Duties

Feeding-Bunnies need a constant supply of food, so always ensure they get some fresh hay, pellets and fresh veggies daily. Read the feeding section for more information: Rabbit Nutrition

Water- Change their water daily, and NEVER serve it cold or semi-frozen, even in hot weather as that can cause colic!  Clean the bottle weekly using a little white vingar and a bottle brush, but always rinse very, very thoroughly before refilling! 

Litter Tray- Rabbits are clean animals, and should have their poo and pee corner cleaned out every day or two, especially in warm weather! Always disinfectant with a pet safe disinfectant, rinse, and dry well!  Dirty areas will attract flies which can cause flystrike, which is often deadly!

Exercise- Everyday your bunny should have at least 3 hours to exercise, either in a large secure, covered run or in a bunny proofed room.

Attention- All buns should have some quality time with you, their owner, so be sure to set aside some time daily to talk, play and pet your rabbits.

Health check- Always take note on any changes in temperment, appetite etc! Offer them food everyday by hand to ensure they are still eating and check the water bottle for any abnormal changes. Check their breathing, eyes, nose, mouth and ears just by looking at them, any changes and a vet should be consulted. As funny as this sounds, but check their poop everyday, healthy bunny poos should be large, round, dry and hard. They shouldn't be soft and clumped together, different sizes or strung together, if they are you need to boost their fibre intake- more hay! If they have strung together poops, it may because they are molting, so fresh pineapple can be fed to help break down the hairs, preventing blockage and hairballs! If they have a lot of soft poos, you are going to have to gently turn them over on their backs and check their bottom, any poo needs to be cut/wiped off with unscented baby wipes to avoid flystrike! 

Weekly Bunny Duties 

Clean out- They should have a full clean out every week, more often if necessary. Remove the rabbits, bin all the old bedding, disinfectant with a petsafe disinfectant and rinse well, even if it says 'leave to dry' or 'wipe-off '.  Never use disinfectants that turn the water white or a mild bleach, unless you have had a spread of disease. If this is the case, it is better to keep the rabbits away from the area for at least 6hrs, or if you used bleach, a day or two in a well aired area as bleach is very harmful, even for us!

Grooming- Rabbits should be groomed weekly, or more often when shedding using a soft bristled brush. See the grooming section. 

Cutting Nails- Check your rabbits nails weekly, and if they are too long (beginning to curve) then they need them cut. If you are unsure how to do this, please consult your vet. If you have a squirmy rabbit and your are nervous, seek advice to avoid hurting yourself and/or your pets! Note if the rabbits have loads of room to exercise or are allowed to dig, the nails will rarely need cut. Usually it is required every few months.

Yearly Duties

Vaccinations-If you live in the UK or Ireland, or other high risk areas, your rabbits MUST be vaccinated against Mxyo and VHD every year, or twice a year if you have had a recent outbreak in your area! See the vaccinations section. At present the vaccinations are not available in the majority of the USA

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