Your pets can be just like members of your family. That's why it's important to look after them and make sure they stay healthy and happy.

 

DIET: For babies up until the age of about 12 weeks I give pellets and Oaten hay only. Once over 12 weeks the majority of there diet should actually be green stalks of different kinds eg spinach,buk choy,parsley,water cress, broccoli, alphafa etc however avoid lettuce as it is quite watery.The other main bulk of the diet is made up of mostly Oaten Hay, only a little bit of lucerne every so often as it builds up too much calcium.Fresh fruit occasionally and a quarter cup of pellets every day. (Please note: Fruit & Vegies are not recommended for rabbits under 5 months of age as they may cause diarrhoea). If an adult rabbit has any sign of bad diarrhoea, you are feeding them too many greens and not enough hay.

By feeding a smallish serving of greens and a large amount of Oaten hay they should have a healthy diet. Fresh clean water should always be available. An ideal way of ensuring this is to have a rabbit water bottle attatched to the wire on the front of the cage.

POISONOUS FOODS: Potatoes, rhubarb, rotting food, leftover salads with dressing, cakes, onions, or pickled food.

HEALTH: Rabbits should always be alert and bright eyed. A rabbit sitting hunched up in the back corner of a hutch, when normally active can definitely point towards being unwell. Repetitive dry sneezing and/or yellow discharge in an indication of an illness and your rabbit should be seen by a vet.

NAILS - Trim your rabbits nail regularly, cut above the bloodline to avoid the nail bleeding.

TEETH - Rabbits teeth should always be top over bottom. A rabbits natural instinct is to chew, some more than others. You can give untreated pine wood for them to chew on, to avoid carpet,furniture or even electrical cords being gnawed at.

WEEPY EYE - This is usually a bacterial infection of the eyelids, usually caused by dirt or dust, and is easily treated with antibiotic eyedrops or ointments obtained from your local veterinarian.

SNUFFLES AND COLDS - Similar to a cold in humans and usually characterised by sneezing, watery eyes and a yellow nasal discharge. The front feet may become soiled and matted by rubbing the nose with the inside of the front paws. You will definately need to see a veterinary regarding this. 

SCRATCHES AND CUTS - Any cuts or scratches should be cleaned immediately and treated with sulphate ointment, powder or I've also found Savlon quite good. Deep puncture holes or severe lacerations should be attended by a veterinarian.

DIARRHOEA - Usually attributed to over feeding of green food and not enough lucerne/timothy hay.This must be treated early as in severe cases it is usually fatal. Seek veterinary advice urgently.

CALICIVIRUS - Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) is caused by the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), a type of calicivirus which is fatal in non-immune rabbits. It can be spread by mosquitoes and flies and from infected rabbits. There is a vaccination available that can offer some protection from this disease. It is a fast acting virus and normally the rabbit will pass away within the first 24-48 hours once infected.

MYXOMATOSIS - Carried by mosquitos. Cover cages with fly screen wire and try to feed before sundown when mosquitoes are most active. There is no vaccination for this virus in Australia.

HOUSING - A suitable hutch should measure 4ft by 2ft and 2ft high. It should be a sturdy construction, ideally made out of untreated pinewood. The interior walls of the hutch should be smooth, as bunny will chew anything they can get their teeth onto. Avoid metal cages as they contract heat in the summer and are icy cold in the winter. A solid wood floor is best. The cage also needs to contain mosquito mesh to stop myxomatosis and calicivirus. Place hutches in an area not exposed to hot midday and afternoon sun and away from drafts.Several inches of bedding should be sufficient to cover the floor, wood shavings or recyled cat litter are suitable.

Purchase heavy ceramic food bowls as they are not easily tipped over. A water bottle is a much easier and hygienic way to give your rabbit water. Not only can they not tip it over, but they can't foul in the water. If using a bottle, always make sure that the ball bearing is moving easily and freely.

Toilet train your rabbit by placing a litter tray filled with wood shavings, or cat litter safe for rabbits in their favourite toilet spot.Adding a few of there droppings to the tray will soon help them get the message.

HOT WEATHER CARE Be sure that your rabbit's hutch is not in the hot summer sun. On the very hot days it helps to freeze a plastic bottle of water and put it in the hutch for the rabbit to lie next to. Take the bottle out at night and refreeze it again for another hot day.

DE-SEXING : Rabbits have strong urges to mate and reproduce. If you   are not planning on breeding, I strongly recommend that you have your rabbit de-sexed at approximately 4 -5 months of age before he/she has matured and wants to mate. Your rabbit will be much more content and docile and will therefore be a much happier and loving pet.