Why keep a rabbit in my house?

There are several reasons why keeping a rabbit in your house rather than in an outdoor hutch is better for both you and your rabbit. Not only will you benefit from a greater level of contact and companionship with your bunny, but he will feel happier by being near you, will benefit from greater exercise levels (thus avoiding the skeletal problems and overweightness often associated with hutch rabbits), and there will be no need to worry whether the outside temperature is suitable for your rabbit (hutch rabbits will die if it's too cold).

Rabbits are not the obvious choice for a house pet, and many people see it as strange or unnatural for a rabbit to be kept indoors. The reality is, however, house rabbits actually exhibit far more natural behaviours than hutch rabbits. Having a rabbit living with you is very much like having a cat living with you - they hop gently around, sleep in shady places such as under chairs or coffee tables, and sometimes come up for a fuss. House rabbits are affectionate, clean, fun and happy creatures, and you will love their company!

So, in summary, having a house rabbit rather than a hutch rabbit is good because:

·                    You will have greater contact with your bunny

·                    He will have more exercise

·                    He will always be warm and comfortable

·                    He will exhibit more natural behaviour

Is a rabbit the right pet for me?

Before you get any pet, it is obviously important to carefully consider whether they are the right pet for you. The key questions to ask yourself before buying a rabbit include those of upkeep costs, how long he will live, vet's bills, and the suitability of your social situation (i.e. where you live, how much spare time you have, whether you have children, how stable your income is etc.).

If you have young children and are thinking about buying them a rabbit, I would advise you to think again. Contrary to popular belief, rabbits are not actually particularly suitable for children - they are not keen on being picked up and handled all the time, they have a very powerful kick when startled, and can bite if extremely frustrated from excessive or rough play. So, despite a rabbit's normally wonderful temperament, children may not be able to read the signs of a distressed or upset bunny, and someone could easily get hurt. A more suitable and very similar pet may be a pair (yes, always a pair, and best to have females) of guinea pigs. Guinea pigs are really outdoor animals (but please bring them in during cold weather) and relish a large hutch and run. They love being gently handled (as long as they have been handled regularly from a young age), and with careful supervision your children will gain immense benefit from learning to take responsibility for such lovely animals. Just make sure that if your children do lose interest in them that you are prepared to take responsibility for them instead - it's not the guinea pig's fault!

So, to summarise, before buying a rabbit you should consider the following:

·                    Can you afford the upkeep costs and vet's bills?

·                    Can you offer the right level of care and attention?

·                    Can you care for him for his entire life?

·                    Do you have children?

·                    Is your income stable?

 

Is my house suitable for keeping a rabbit?

Miles lives with me and my boyfriend in a one-bedroomed top floor flat in Surrey. As long as a rabbit can have the run of one small-ish room, and a suitable cage in which to put bedding, food and water (all of which can be bought from all good pet shops), your rabbit will be very happy.

Rabbits do have a tendency to chew things - wall corners, dado rails / skirting boards, table and chair legs, and cables are the most common, although some rabbits are worse at this than others! Miles, for instance, chews one wall corner, but leaves cables well alone. However, rabbits are usually very quick to learn the word "no" when used sternly, and if this fails to work after a few tries, a loud clap or a quick squirt of water (from a small water pistol or plant spray) to accompany the "no" command will do the trick. NEVER EVER hit your rabbit! You could easily hurt his fragile bones even if you hit gently, and he will become terrified of your touch, making him hard to handle and even aggressive. Always praise your rabbit as soon as he has stopped doing whatever it was, as it will stop him from becoming grumpy and will reinforce good behaviour. JML cable tidies are great for wrapping up your cables in solid plastic which is harder for your bunny to chew. They're cheap, easy to obtain and quick to install. Keeping cables off the floor will also help. Give your bunny plenty of other things to chew - cardboard boxes and cardboard inner tubes (such as those on toilet rolls and kitchen paper) make great free toys and feel sufficiently different from forbidden things that he will know the difference. After a few weeks of supervision, your bunny should be well behaved and know what it can and can't chew!

So I've stopped him chewing, I hear you say, but how can I stop my rabbit weeing everywhere in my house?! Well, you might be surprised to learn that it is very easy to litter train your rabbit, just as you would a cat! The best solution I have found is to buy a corner litter tray, designed to fit into the corner of your bunny's cage, put in some cat litter mixed with a few wood shavings so it doesn't feel too strange for him, and then place some soiled wood shavings and droppings in there too. Do this when you've just cleaned out his cage, then that way the scent of his urine and faeces will only be in that one corner, and he'll soon get the idea. If he takes a while to catch on, wait until he has had a drink from his water bottle, then pick him up and place him in the litter tray, gently holding him there by the shoulders if necessary. This will reinforce the idea that his litter tray is where he should do his business, as this is a common time for your rabbit to need to go. It may be harder to convince him to put his droppings exclusively in his litter tray, but this is not nearly as important as getting him to wee there, as the urine is rather wet and smelly whereas the droppings are completely dry. After he's finished using his litter tray, lots of praise and fuss for being such a good boy will help him to realise that going in his tray is a good thing.

So, to sum up the above:

·                    As long as your rabbit has the run of one small room and a suitable cage, there is enough space.

·                    Your rabbit may chew, so discourage him with scolding, reinforced with clapping or squirt of water if necessary.

·                    Reward good behaviour i.e. when he's chewing something he's allowed to, or when he stops bad behaviour.

·                    NEVER hit your rabbit! He will grow to be terrified of your touch, making him hard to handle, and you could easily hurt him badly.

·                    Give him plenty of other things to chew. Cardboard is particularly suitable and free!

·                    Use JML cable tidies and keep cables off the floor.

·                    Use a corner litter tray and cat litter in his cage to keep your house and his cage clean.

·                    If he doesn't get the idea straight away, give him a helping hand by placing him there after he's had a drink.

 

How much does a rabbit cost?

Miles cost £24.95 exactly. This is probably fairly typical for the price of the actual rabbit, but don't forget that he will need a lot of other equipment to help him settle in properly. Here's a list of essentials and approximate prices:

Cage: Get one that's around 18" (46cm) high, 40" (102cm) long, and 19" (48cm) wide. There are some with downward sloping roofs - avoid these as they drastically reduce the space in the cage and aren't really worth the almost identical price to ones without a sloping roof. Price: £50

Water bottle: Should be a drip feeding one, the bigger the better. Fresh water should always be available, and the water changed and bottle disinfected daily. Even the largest bottle I've found (500ml) was less than £3. Price: £2-3

Food bowl: Unbreakable and easy to clean ones are best. Price: £2-3

Hay: This is the main food source for your rabbit and should always be available. Choose good, fresh, meadow hay, preferably not compacted. Smell it, and if it smells like grass, it's good hay. You don't want it to smell musty or old, as its goodness will have been lost. Price: £4-5 for a large bag (should last about 5-6 weeks).

Straw: Straw makes good bedding if they want it, and they often eat it too. Price: £4-5 for a large bag (should last about 5-6 weeks).

Wood Shavings: An essential for lining the bottom of the cage to make it soft and comfortable. Don't use sawdust, as they can breathe it in and it can cause breathing problems, and don't use wood shavings that have been scented with oils, as these can irritate your rabbit. Price: £3-4 for a medium-sized bag (should last about 4 weeks).

Food Supplement: Burgess Supa Rabbit Excel is the food that Miles was already on, and luckily the food the vet recommended as well! It's a pelletted food rather than a mix, meaning that he can't be selective about what he eats and thereby become nutritionally deficient. Also, pelletted food is very good for wearing down his back teeth, which can become elongated and prevent him from eating properly if they aren't worn down. If your rabbit is on a different food supplement, do NOT, whatever you do, change his food type overnight. A rabbit's digestive system is very delicate and he could actually die due to a sudden dietary change. Instead, mix the new food with the old food in increasing proportions over a period of at least a few weeks, and keep a close eye on his droppings to make sure they aren't runny (a few squashy droppings are normal, and your rabbit will often eat these to be digested again. This is normal, so don't worry). Price: £3-5 for a bag (should last about 4 weeks).

Corner Litter Tray: These useful trays fit into the corner of your rabbit's cage and can be filled with cat litter to encourage your rabbit to only do his business in that one corner. This prevents him from weeing in your house, and makes the cage easier and nicer to clean. Price: £5

Somewhere Dark to Hide: I bought a little cocoon house made of plastic, but other things can also be purchased such as small wooden houses. Always buy something that was actually built for the purpose. Price: anywhere between £5 and £20 depending on what you choose.

Disinfectant: This needs to be one suitable for use in rabbit hutches and cages. Ordinary disinfectant, even if it says it's "mild", can poison your bunny. Use it to disinfect his water bottle daily, his food bowl a few times a week, and his cage whenever you clean it out (should be once a week). Always follow the instructions on the bottle. Price: £1-3

Toys: These need not be expensive, in fact some are free! But it's important whatever your budget to supply your bunny with appropriate toys so he doesn't get bored. Cardboard is great - large boxes can go on their side so he can crawl in and jump on top, and smaller boxes will be chewed up with much enjoyment! Cardboard inner tubes (e.g. from toilet roll or kitchen paper) can be tossed around and chewed up. Other great toys include "treat tumblers". These are either ones you hang up in their cage, balls that are rolled around, or dumb-bells that are tossed about. Either way, your rabbit has to move the toy around to get treats out. Price: £0-5

Treats: Don't buy treats from the pet shop, instead spoil your bunny with some fresh veg - it's much cheaper and will be far better for him. Another advantage of fresh veg is that he won't need a vitamin supplement, he'll get all he needs from the veg. Remove any veg that he hasn't eaten by the end of the day as it can go off quickly. No more than a palmful of fresh veg per day though, or he might get a runny tummy. And no iceberg lettuce! Contrary to popular belief, iceberg lettuce is actually not a suitable rabbit food – Endive, Romaine lettuce, carrot, and a little cabbage or brussels sprout tops are much better. Tip: These green leafy veg can be put in the freezer to keep as long as you need, and defrosted leaf by leaf simply by running them under a warm tap. Price: £2-3 per week

Neutering: This is a must, even if your rabbit is on his own. If you have an un-neutered male bunny, he can become aggressive, destructive, and will probably have a nasty tendency to spray urine all over the place. If you have an un-neutered female bunny, she could become aggressive, and will be at a far greater risk of uterine cancer. Of course, if you have a same-sex pair they could take out their aggression on one another, and if you have an opposite-sex pair, you’ll end up with thousands upon thousands of baby bunnies in no time at all – NOT a good idea! Price: £50-70

Vaccinations: Check with the pet shop whether your bunny has already been vaccinated against myximatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD), two potentially fatal rabbit diseases. If they say he has, request the relevant certification. If he hasn't, wait for two weeks after you get him home (steroid hormones resulting from moving stress can interfere with vaccines) and then book his myximatosis vaccine. A further two weeks later, book his VHD vaccine. The two cannot be given together, and they must be repeated on an annual basis. Price: £30-40 per year

 

What are the "running costs" of a rabbit?

Estimates are between £4 and £8 per week, but it's a really good idea to take out pet insurance, which is around £6-8 per month. Operations can be extremely expensive, running into the thousands sometimes, so a good pet insurance policy is a must if you want your bunny to get the best possible medical care. Choose one that "resets" every year. That way, if your rabbit develops an ongoing medical condition it can carry on being treated throughout his life at the cost of the insurance company, rather than the first £1000 or so being paid by the insurance company and then all the rest for the remainder of his life being footed by you. Annual myximatosis and VHD vaccines are essential and cost between £30 and £40 per year.

 

What should my rabbit eat?

Hay is the primary food source of a rabbit, and should always be available. Choose a good, fresh hay which smells like grass - musty hay will have lost its goodness - and preferably ensure that the hay is not compacted, as this can cause it to break into tiny pieces which may irritate your rabbit.

A pelletted food supplement should also be provided. Miles' vet recommends Burgess Supa Rabbit Excel, which is great for wearing down his back teeth (very important) and prevents him from being selective with his food (i.e. picking out his favourite bits and leaving the rest) which would leave him nutritionally deficient. Whatever you do though, do NOT change your rabbit's diet suddenly. Rabbit's digestive systems are extremely sensitive and your bunny could actually die if you change his diet suddenly. If you do want to change your rabbit's food type, do so gradually by mixing in increasing quantities of the new food with the old food over a period of several weeks. As you do this, check his droppings daily to make sure they are not runny (a few squashy droppings are normal, and your rabbit will often eat these to be digested again. This is normal, so don't worry).

Fresh vegetables are extremely beneficial for your rabbit, and are a far cheaper and healthier option than pet shop bought treats. A palmful of fresh veg per day is a good quantity to supply - any more could give your rabbit a runny tummy. With fresh veg supplied every day your rabbit will not need a vitamin supplement, another significant bonus as these can be expensive. Please don't give your rabbit iceberg lettuce. Contrary to popular belief, iceberg lettuce is actually not very good for your rabbit's tummy. Endive, Romaine lettuce, carrots, a little cabbage and brussels sprout tops are much better, and most of these can be frozen for long-term storage, then defrosted leaf by leaf simply by running them under a warm tap.

 

How long does a rabbit live?

A rabbit can live for up to 10 years, and occasionally longer. This is important to remember before buying your bunny, as you will need to be able to care for him all that time, both socially and financially.

 

What medical attention is my rabbit likely to need?

Upset stomachs are the most common cause of your bunny needing to see the vet other than for essential vaccinations (see below). These are also largely unavoidable - whenever changing your rabbit's diet, do so really gradually by mixing in increasing proportions of the new food with the old food over a period of several weeks. Also, keep checking your bunny's droppings daily to make sure they aren't runny (a few squashy droppings are normal, and your rabbit will often eat these to be digested again. This is normal, so don't worry).

It's a really good idea to take out pet insurance, which is around £6-8 per month. Operations can be extremely expensive, running into the thousands sometimes, so a good pet insurance policy is a must if you want your bunny to get the best possible medical care. Choose one that "resets" every year. That way, if your rabbit develops an ongoing medical condition it can carry on being treated throughout his life at the cost of the insurance company, rather than the first £1000 or so being paid by the insurance company and then all the rest for the remainder of his life being footed by you. Annual myximatosis and VHD vaccines are essential and cost between £30 and £40 per year.

 

How do I breed my rabbit?

The shortest answer would be: DON’T! Firstly, there are many thousands of unwanted rabbits in rescue centres all around the country, and bringing more into the world when you could be homing rescues could be regarded as immoral. The main reasons, however, are for the health and welfare of your rabbit and your wallet! If your rabbit had a litter, and nobody wanted to give a home to the babies (which can easily happen, no matter how cute they are!), you could have around 12 kits plus the adult(s) to take care of. That’s 13-14 lots of food, bedding, hutches/cages, water bottles, food bowls, hay, straw, annual vaccinations (around £40 per year per bunny), neutering (around £50-£70 per bunny), and pet insurance (around £80 per year per bunny)!

If you got your rabbits from a pet shop they could well be brother and sister - an obvious problem for breeding. Don’t forget, the pet shop may just say they are unrelated because they don’t know any better, or they think you won’t buy them unless they are unrelated. Even if you know they are unrelated, breeding from pet shop rabbits is an unknown - even if your rabbits look perfectly healthy, they could be carrying bad genes from their parents/grandparents that you won’t know about until you get a baby rabbit with a deformity or condition.

Breeding rabbits isn’t easy, it isn’t cheap, and you certainly won’t make money… in fact, you’ll lose money!