Rabbit owner FAQs
Health issues
1. Do I need to vaccinate my rabbit
Yes. We advise vaccinations against myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD), both of which are fatal.
Vaccines should be given at least once yearly, but pet rabbits who are in regular contact with wild rabbits should be
vaccinated twice yearly.
2. Do I need to routinely worm my rabbit?
Routine worming of rabbits is not necessary, although we do use rabbit wormers to treat a condition called E.
cuniculi, and we will advise this if your rabbit is at risk.
3. Do I need to routinely treat my rabbit for fleas and other external parasites?
Rabbits can get fleas, mites and lice but routine treatment as for your dog or cat is not normally necessary. If you
think your rabbit has some extra passengers then please make an appointment and we will have a look for you!
4. Do I need to routinely clip my rabbit’s nails?
If your rabbit has access to areas where it can dig and behave normally it will not need regular nail clips. Remember,
nails are supposed to be long as this is
normal for a rabbit but if they are becoming a problem they can carefully be clipped back. A vet or vet nurse at the
clinic can do this for you.
5. What is flystrike?
Flystrike describes the situation where flies lay eggs on your rabbit and these hatch out, causing a maggot
infestation. High risk factors for flystrike are:
• Poor hutch hygiene! Toilet and bedding areas should be refreshed DAILY all year round, should be fully emptied
weekly and scrubbed and swilled out at least once a month with an appropriate and safe disinfectant such as Trigene
or Russell Rabbit Cleaner. Use plastic litter trays with sawdust in, in the places he or she urinates and use a paint
scraper to get into the corners. This will stop urine soaking into the wood and attracting flies.
• Overweight or lazy rabbits. Rabbits who are fed inappropriately will become overweight and are more susceptible
to problems such as uneaten caecotrophs (the sticky poos rabbits eat) which will then stick around the back end and
lead to flystrike.
• Older rabbits - they often can’t reach their bottoms to clean themselves due to arthritic changes in their spine or
hips. Ask one of our vets for advice about arthritis and pain management.
• Dental pain – this can go undetected at first. If your rabbit eats less due to pain, it will stop moving around as much
or may not be able to eat its caecotrophs. Both lead to sticky bottoms and increase the risk of flystrike.
• Inadequate hutch – small confined areas with poor ventilation both attract flies and afford the rabbit very little
chance to move away.
• Lack of access to fresh air and exercise. Rabbits should be out of their hutch all the time that you are home. Even
if it’s raining or snowing, they should have the option of playing out. No rabbit should be in a hutch for more than six
consecutive hours during the day – at any time of the year!
• Poor diet. Feeding a diet of good quality hay instead of mix and veg is the best way to make sure that the guts
keep moving, the teeth keeping grinding, the weight stays down and the droppings are dry.
Obese rabbits with dirty bottoms are more prone to flystrike, as are those with wounds, but ANY rabbit can be
affected by this hideous and often fatal disease. In order to prevent flystrike your rabbit must be kept free or urine
and faecal scalding and examined at least twice daily for signs of maggots, particularly in the warmer months.
Veterinary help should be sought immediately if there are any problems – this is an emergency.
Management issues
1. Can my rabbit roam free during the day now that it’s getting warmer?
Rabbits should have the same access to fresh air and exercise whatever the weather or the season but extending
exercise to a lawned area is popular in the summer and most bunnies will love sweet, fresh grass. However, things to
be aware of include:
• The rabbit MUST be in an enclosed predator proof run on hard standing if they are to be left unsupervised during
the day. A padlock would also be advisable.
• The rabbit must have shelter, shade and a large bowl of fresh water.
• Be aware of toxic plants. Rabbits are not invincible and you may be surprised at some of the common garden
plants which cause problems.
• Predators – dogs, cats, foxes, owls and people!
2. Now summer is here, can I leave my rabbit out at night? I’m worried his hutch will be too stuffy if it’s a hot night.
Leaving your rabbits out overnight is not advisable. Don’t forget – rabbits are prey animals, and there are a lot of
predators around at night, including humans! If the rabbits cannot safely be contained with shelter, warmth and
water within a predator proof run overnight and you’re worried the hutch will be too stuffy, then perhaps look at
modifying his existing hutch so that there is more air circulation. Modifications include creating a couple of mesh
covered ‘windows’, attaching a battery operated fan to the front of the hutch and using 2 litre drinks bottes with
frozen water to keep the hutch cool.
3. Can rabbits get heatstroke?
Yes. Rabbits are extremely susceptible to heat, much more so than cold. Even bringing outdoor rabbits indoors can
be too overwhelming for them. Important points to note are:
• Make sure rabbits have shelter AND shade. They aren’t the same thing! Putting the hutch up on bricks will give a
cool, shaded area underneath to lie when the sun is hot.
• Provide large, plastic feed bowls around the pen filled with water. Place in shade if possible. REMEMBER - older
rabbits may find it difficult to drink from either half full bowls or dropper bottles.
• Fill empty 2 litre plastic pop bottles with water and freeze them. Place them in shaded areas in the play area so
your rabbit has something cool to lean against
• Don’t keep them locked up in the hutch.
• Apply childrens sunblock to the tips of white ears! of the ears to
4. Is my rabbit healthy enough to winter outside? Won’t it be too cold for him?
Healthy, robust rabbits who are used to outdoor life tend to take our cold winter weather in their stride, but problems
like arthritis, or dental pain can be much worse in cold, damp conditions, and could lead to your rabbit losing its
appetite – an emergency situation!
A health check with the vet or nurse during the autumn would identify any areas of concern before they cause
serious health problems.
5. Is it okay to keep them in the hutch more when it’s cold?
No! Rabbits need space, fresh air and lots of exercise all year round –come rain, snow or sunshine. Remember,
they have thick fur coats and are designed for outdoor living. Sitting still in a hutch all day, in the cold, is a recipe for
disaster!
6. The nights are really cold now but I can’t bring my rabbit indoors as I haven’t any room.
How do I keep him warm overnight?
Rabbits can tolerate quite cold weather but they cannot tolerate damp or draughty conditions so follow these tips for
a snug rabbit:
• Clean out toilet areas and damp flooring every night. Litter trays with a woodbased litter are ideal as they are easy
to empty. Damp dirty floors, toilet and bedding makes damp, dirty rabbits, very susceptible to illness.
• Use thick bedding on the floor of the hutch such as sawdust or Russell Rabbit bedding as these are more
absorbent than hay or straw.
• Create a burrow inside the hutch using a front opening cat box or large storage box. This will prevent draughts and
cold air getting into the bed. If your hutch only has a small sleeping compartment, try a smaller storage box or a
litter tray.
• Use an absorbable Vetbed TM in the burrow. The urine will soak through the bed leaving the surface dry so your
bunny won’t be sat in a damp, cold bed. Vetbeds are really good as they are deep, fluffy, stay dry and also are
virtually dry when they come out of the washer.
• If your rabbit is usually inactive or is elderly – or you just want to warm his cockles, invest in a SnuggleSafe TM
microwaveable heat pad for under his bedding.
• Make sure you repair or stuff up any gaps in the hutch walls or doors. If your hutch has a large wire front then
cover over. Good nighttime covers for hutches include with thick plastic sheeting, Perspex sheets, old duvets or
carpet.
Creating a warm, dry ‘burrow’ inside the hutch will help even elderly rabbits weather a winter outdoors
7. My rabbit likes to play out during the day but is it okay to let him out when it’s freezing or wet, or should he stay in
his hutch and keep dry?
Definitely let him out. Keep the hutch open so that he has access to go back in but rabbits need fresh air and
exercise all year round, whatever the weather. They particularly seem to enjoy snow! Don’t forget, your rabbit has
a thick fur coat to protect him from the cold and from the wind and as long as he has somewhere clean and dry to
retreat to when he’s had enough, he’ll be happy.
Many people think that a rabbit sitting in a hutch in cold weather is conserving energy and keeping warm, but it is
actually the worst thing possible. Rabbits gut motility is wholly dependent on high fibre and activity so being inactive
in a hutch lowers the body temperature and restricts activity – both of which contribute massively to a reduction in
gut motility.
8. Do I need to feed more in the winter?
Active, slim rabbits may benefit from some extra ‘fuel’ in the winter, so giving some complete pellet such as Supa
Excel, along with small amounts of veggies won’t do any harm. Rabbits which are overweight or a bit lazy shouldn’t
get any extra food as they won’t burn it off.
Notes adapted with permission from those kindly provided by Alison Langridge and Christopher Seymour at the Royal
Veterinary College