Health Care for Rabbits

General Information

Rabbits are growing in popularity as pets, and for hobby breeding. They are clean, relatively easy to handle, can be litter box trained and can grow to enjoy the attention given them as pets. They seldom bite but can inflect deep scratches, if not held properly.
The average live span of a domestic rabbit is 5-10 years. Males (bucks) can be sexually active as early as 6 months of age and females (does) can become pregnant as early as 5 months of age. Litters average 4-6 bunnies and can be weaned at between 6-8 weeks of age. Mothers usually only feed the bunnies once daily so can sometimes be seen as neglecting the young when they are really taking good care of the babies.
Milk recipe to feed orphan bunnies: 1 part Esbilac, 3 parts water and 1 part whipping cream. Nurse once daily

Diets

Feeding pet rabbits is made easy due to the fact that good commercial diets are available along with good timothy and alfalfa hay. The pellets and hay should be available at all times unless the rabbit is becoming overweight. Clean, fresh water should be provided at all times.
The pellets and hay should be a fresh as possible when purchased and in small quantities that will not spoil over time. Pellets can be kept in the refrigerator to help preserve freshness. Rabbits can develop eating disorders if rancid food is offered.
Fresh water should be offered in a ceramic dish or drip-style bottles. You must make sure the rabbit knows how to use a drip bottle if you are just introducing it as a way to deliver water. The container , regardless of type should be cleaned daily.
Other food items (lettuce, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, carrots and carrot tops can be offered two to three times weekly. Some rabbits will overeat the fresh food and not get complete nutrition that is offered by the pellets and hay.
Vitamin-mineral supplementation is not necessary if a pet rabbit is fed properly. Some nutritionist recommend pineapple or pina colada yogurt daily to help with digestion and to help break down hair that may be ingested.
Rabbits pass two type of stools and both are normal. The night feces are soft and moist and can be covered in mucus. It is eaten by the rabbit to provide normal bacteria and added nutrition from the protein and fiber in the fecal pellets. The day feces are dry and more firm.
Rabbit urine can be much thicker that urine from cats or dogs, and sometimes has mucus. The color can range from a normal yellow to a bright orange and still be completely normal. Many people mistake the orange color for blood in the urine and it may need to be analyzed by a lab to determine if blood is present.

Handling

Rabbits should be handled gently but firmly. They are prone to kick their back legs and can cause deep scratches. Never pick a rabbit up by the ears ! A rabbit can be picked up by sliding one hand under its breastbone and grasping both front legs between the fingers of the hand. The other hand is then gently worked under the rear quarters to fully support them as the rabbit is lifted. To carry a rabbit, it should be placed on the forearm with its head concealed in the bend of the elbow.
Rabbits feel insecure and will slip and slide on slick surfaces. Placing a towel under a rabbit will keep it calm. The back is very easily injured, if it struggles violently.

Housing

Rabbits can be housed indoors or outdoors. Indoor rabbits should be confined to a suitable enclosure when their activity cannot be supervised. A roomy wire cage with at least one-half of the floor space covered with plexiglas or towels helps to prevent hutch sores to the feet.
Rabbits should not be allowed to roam freely in the house because they love to chew and can cause considerable damage to furniture and especially to electrical cords. They can be injured because of this chewing and can ingest dangerous material.
Like cats, rabbits can be trained to use a litter box in the home. If the rabbit has already found a preferred area a litter box should be placed in this location. It can help to put some fecal pellets in the litter box to help train the rabbit to use the box.
Rabbits housed outdoors should be confined to a roomy wire cage with the floor partially covered. The wire mesh should be just large enough to allow fecal pellets to drop through. Rabbits can be very nervous and need protection from predators and a place to hide to help with anxiety.
Shade is absolutely needed to protect a rabbit from the hot Arizona sun. Rabbits are very sensitive to overheating and can handle cold better that excessive heat.

Breeding

Pet rabbits can be neutered , spayed or castrated, at about 5 months or age or older. Does commonly develop uterine cancer or infections that can be prevented by spaying. Bucks can become very aggressive if not neutered. Unwanted litters can be easily prevented. Rabbits have a sensitivity to anesthesia so a veterinarian that has experience with rabbits is preferable for the surgery.

Diseases

PASTEURELLA: The most common disease in pet rabbits is an upper respiratory infection caused by a bacteria called Pasteurella multocida. It is easily transmitted from one rabbit to another by sneezing and coughing, but can also cause abscesses to develop in the skin and especially in the face area. This disease very often becomes chronic and is very difficult to cure even with aggressive antibiotic therapy. Most rabbits are exposed to the bacteria in crowded areas with inadequate ventilation, or when very stressed.
EAR MITES: Infestations of ear mites can cause severe damage to the ear canals of rabbits if left untreated. The tissues can become very raw and irritated with large amounts of accumulated wax in canals. The mites can spread to the skin on the head causing severe itching and skin damage.
HAIRBALLS: Like cats, rabbits, especially Angora rabbits frequently develop hairballs in their stomachs. But unlike cats, rabbits cannot vomit and, as a result, the hair that is swallowed remains there. Over time the hair develops into a solid mass that can cause irritation to the lining of the stomach as well as take up space to prevent food from being digested normally. The most common symptom of a hairball is lack of stools of any kind, as well as lack of appetite and listlessness. Daily grooming can help prevent hairballs and adding pineapple or papaya to the diet can help with digestion. If a hairball causes discomfort, the rabbit may need to be treated with lubricants or in the worst case may require surgery.
HUTCH SORES OR SORE HOCKS: If the floor of the cage is rough or causes irritation to the feet of a rabbit, it may develop sores on the feet. They may also be caused by the rabbit being overweight or lack of adequate exercise and time out of the cage.
OVERGROWN INCISORS: The teeth of rabbits grow throughout life and are prevented from overgrowing by constant rubbing of the upper and lower teeth on each other. If a rabbit’s teeth do not meet properly the teeth can over grow and cause severe discomfort and sometimes the inability to close the mouth and eat. Teeth should be checked regularly to see if they are getting too long.
HEAT STRESS: Rabbits are especially susceptible to over heating, particularly those that are overweight or have long , thick coats. Temperatures above 85 degrees, high humidity, lack of shade and ventilation and overcrowding can cause a heat induced collapse. Rabbits in Arizona are at risk especially in the summer from the heat and need to be watched very carefully.
SPINAL TRAUMA: The bones in a rabbit’s body are very delicate, especially the spine. If a rabbit is held wrong or squirms when held, damage is possible. Be very careful with a panicked and struggling rabbit.

Rabbits are very different from cats and dogs in may respects. Rabbits are very dependent on good bacteria to keep the intestinal tract normal and can be seriously upset by many types of antibiotics.
Having a rabbit for a pet can be a very rewarding experience but they need very special care to have a long and happy life.