BUNNY BUSINESS

Understanding your rabbit

This is Max.

He taught me to understand rabbits.

If you have decided that a rabbit is what you want, there are a few things you need to know. Firstly, don't apply what you know about cats and dogs to your new rabbit. Rabbits are "prey" animals, which is quite different from "predatory" cats and dogs. Almost everything that moves can be a predator to your rabbit, including you. This means that your rabbit will instinctively be timid and easily frightened, and discipline is out of the question - your rabbit will simply not understand, and only become frightened and withdraw. Even a territorial rabbit that bites will not understand discipline, but if you treat your rabbit properly, territorial biting should never become an issue at all. Think of your rabbit as being an animal that has been abused, and treat him accordingly. This is particularly relevant if your rabbit has come to you as an adult animal.

Biting Bunny

A biting, aggressive rabbit is sadly quite common. If your bunny bites, he has a reason. You just have to find out what that reason is. Such behaviour can have several causes, but the most common by far is keeping an un-desexed rabbit in cage housing. Why is this such a problem? It’s all about territory.

Rabbits are prey animals and are so low in the food chain, they are only one step up from grass. They exist to provide food for predators, so Nature designed them to breed prolifically so they can (quite involuntarily!) provide that food. In order to do this, they must establish and maintain a territory so they have an area that is safe in which to breed lots of babies. They will enthusiastically, and sometimes savagely, defend that territory, in order to carry out what Nature designed them to do. A cage or hutch is a domesticated bunny’s territory and he, or she, will have an instinctive need to defend it against anyone who dares to trespass, including you. Your bunny’s need to breed and defend his territory is driven by hormones, so when you remove those hormones through desexing, the intense need to do what Nature intended is dramatically reduced, but not entirely gone. This means you may still get bitten occasionally, but not as often. So, how do you stop biting completely? Let him out of the cage!

A rabbit shut in a cage all day is a very unhappy rabbit. His quality of life is low, he has no freedom to socialise with you or other rabbits, he has no garden to explore, and no opportunity for fun. His existence is isolated and lonely. This means you will remain a stranger to him and as long as you remain a stranger, he will nip your fingers when you trespass. You cannot become his friend if he does not interact with you on a regular, daily basis.

Sometimes aggression may surface when you let bunny have a run, and then try to put him back into his cage. You don’t have to know a lot about rabbits to understand why. He believes his “time out” is not long enough, and of course he’s right. He doesn’t want to go back to prison and he is telling you in the most obvious way he can. It is clear to your bunny, if not to you, that he does not get enough quality time. Desexing will lessen his assertiveness, but you still need to improve his quality of life by giving him more freedom and getting to know him. Get rid of the cage and make him a house-rabbit.

Bribery is a good way to get to know your bunny. Find out what his favourite treats are and, until you are on better terms, make sure you always approach him with a treat. Give him unmistakable signs that a treat is coming – rattle the container they are kept in and tell him it is “treaty time” in an excited tone of voice. You should be able to give him the treat/s with one hand and stroke (not pat) him with the other. Bonding will soon begin.

Give your bunny a reason to jump in the air just for the shear pleasure of it. Give him a reason to like you and he will soon love you. A happy bunny will not want to bite anyone, but he may just give you a lick of gratitude. When he does, feel privileged. You will have won his heart.

Living with a house-rabbit

Rabbits are timid, gentle, curious, and affectionate if given the opportunity. When your rabbit licks you, feel privileged. It is an open display of trust and affection. They adapt easily to living in your home and are suited to quiet households, and contrary to popular belief, are better pets for adults than children. Most parents think their children are exceptional, but the reality is that they are just kids with a short attention span. Think carefully before getting your child a rabbit. The nature and needs of a rabbit are fundamentally incompatible with those of a child. Let's say your 10 year old daughter wants a rabbit. Rabbits have a life expectancy of 10 years or more. Do you honestly think that when your 10 year old is a teenager with hormones racing through her body and boyfriends knocking on the door, that she will give the lonely little rabbit living in a cage at the bottom of the garden, a second thought? Honestly?

Boo Boo and Possum sleeping in front of the fire.

Teaching your rabbit to use a litter tray

Most rabbit owners do not understand rabbit behaviour and consequently make the fundamental mistake of not getting their rabbit desexed.

DESEXING IS ESSENTIAL AND IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO TO SUCCESSFULLY HOUSE-TRAIN YOUR BUNNY.

I sadly hear the same story repeatedly from people who have given away their rabbit because, they believed, he could not be house-trained. These people confused “territorial marking” with litter training failure. Territorial marking is when bunny leaves droppings all over the house and wees everywhere as well – this is his way of claiming ownership of his domain from other rabbits (irrespective of whether there are any other rabbits around.) Bunny MUST be desexed to stop this. It is essential to understand that “territorial marking” is a distinctly different behaviour from “needing to go to the toilet.” Desexing is absolutely necessary to prevent territorial marking and for a whole host of other reasons as well.

It will take 6-7 weeks for the hormones to leave the body after desexing so don't expect an immediate change in behaviour, but the intense need to mark territory will subside soon after the operation and then gradually fade over subsequent weeks. Female rabbits that are not desexed also have an increased risk of uterine cancer, so don’t put her life at risk by not desexing.

There are only advantages to desexing It brings about a significant change in personality, always for the better, and a major decrease in territorial behaviour – the change in a desexed rabbit if far greater than the change in a desexed cat or dog. Without the changes desexing brings, most rabbits have a minimal chance at best, of bonding with their owners and being incorporated into family life as a house-rabbit. Without bonding as a true companion animal, neglect is not far away.

Don't let anyone tell you that you can't house-train a rabbit

First decide to desex, then read on.

Like cats, rabbits can be easily trained to use a litter tray. They will almost certainly use a tray that has the smell of droppings or urine in it already. Choose a place away from their food and water bowls, preferably in a corner. If however, your rabbit chooses his own location, then you will probably have to put the litter tray there. An argument with your rabbit over location probably won't achieve anything, except an agitated rabbit and soiled floor coverings (stain remover - 1 part white vinegar, 2 parts water.) I have found recycled paper litter to be the most effective because it is more absorbent. I use Breeders Choice and always recommend it because there are no additives or chemicals that can harm rabbits.

DANGER
Don't use "clumping" litter - although I have never had a rabbit that eats litter, it can happen and with disastrous results. Clumping litter swells in size and "clumps" once ingested, causing terrible complications/death. Buy carefully.

Does (female rabbits) are the homemakers of the bunny world and therefore the ones most likely to dig. If she chooses to dig the litter out of her tray, try placing a rectangular cake rack inside the tray, making sure it is at least level with, or mainly covered by the litter, so that it is not obvious to your rabbit. You don't want to make it obvious or it may put her off using the tray. The cake rack is just to make it more difficult to dig and should eventually put her off. When the need to dig from her litter tray subsides, the cake rack can be removed. A doe instinctively needs to create a home (burrow) for her offspring and when she comes into season, digging (even in her litter tray) will be foremost on her mind. Desexing will subdue her need to dig so frequently.

Handling your rabbit

Contrary to public perception, rabbits do not make good pets for children, particularly young children, because they naturally want to hold and hug their rabbit, but this is instinctively threatening to the rabbit. This however, does not mean that children can't learn to live with rabbits (as opposed to rabbits learning to live with children) but it does mean the child must be taught that the animal is not a cuddly toy and must be treated differently from a cat or dog. Always remember that because your rabbit is a prey animal, he will not like being held. This does not mean you cannot love and pat your rabbit; on the contrary, most really enjoy affection because it helps them feel secure, but instead of picking your rabbit up, go down to your rabbit's level, on the ground or floor, and make a fuss of him there where he can enjoy the attention without feeling threatened. You need to understand that this is an instinctive feeling for the rabbit and has nothing to do with you personally. It's part of being a prey animal and having an instinctive need to survive - being held is like being "captured".

Children's hands are also not large enough to hold a rabbit in a way which allows the rabbit to feel safe. This will usually result in a wriggling rabbit, followed by a scratched child. This will not be the rabbit's fault.

On the occasions when you do pick your rabbit up, never ever pick him up by the ears (magicians have a lot to answer for!) Always use both hands, and always use one hand to hold the bulk of the animal's weight (the bottom) so that the backbone is supported (this is very important.) The other hand can be placed around the chest. I have found rabbits are always calmer when held with all four feet resting on my chest. Something solid under their feet gives them some security.

Teeth

The need to chew

One of the drawbacks of having a house rabbit is that they need to chew and sometimes this can be your furniture. However you can minimise this and often it will not be a problem at all. Rabbits' teeth continue to grow throughout their life, so they have to chew; never ever growl at your rabbit for chewing, not even the furniture. It's like growling at your dog for wagging its tail. Just hold your temper and remove your rabbit from the piece of furniture he is chewing. If your rabbit has an interesting life as part of the family, has meadow hay available (lots of chewing) and if you always have chewable toys, or a piece of untreated, unpainted wood available that belongs just to your rabbit, chewing the legs of the sofa should not be a problem (not as often anyway.) A piece of firewood is ideal. A cardboard box or some newspaper is good chewable material too. Eucalyptus oil is a good deterrent to wipe onto furniture and is only a few dollars from a chemist. "Bitter" sprays like Grannicks Bitter Apple Spray are also available, but so far the feedback I have had is not promising. A bunny parent in Thailand uses dry soap to successfully deter his rabbit.

The only real behaviour that rabbits have in common with cats and dogs is the “young animal” nuisance. Kittens and puppies can cause havoc in a household, digging holes and clawing furniture, but this subsides as they grow up. Bunny too will chew less as he gets older, but he does still need to chew so always have chewable toys and/or cardboard available for him.

Maloccluded Teeth

Your rabbit's teeth must be checked regularly by your vet. Make a point of doing this at least annually when your rabbit has his calici virus vaccination. Remember, their teeth continue to grow throughout their life, which is why having lots of meadow hay and a piece of wood to chew is so important.

There aren’t many animals cuter than a baby rabbit, and so breeding pet rabbits has become a business. As long as they look cute they will sell, and so they are often bred for “cuteness” at the expense of their health. Litters are continually being churned out carrying the burden of health problems associated with genetic weaknesses, such as maloccluted teeth. Maloccluded teeth are not well aligned. i.e. they do not “meet,” so they do not wear down when chewing. Maloccluded teeth can grow to the extent where bunny is unable to eat and if this goes unnoticed, he will quite literally starve. If you have more than one rabbit, don't make the mistake of believing all is well, just because the food has been eaten. One greedy rabbit is quite capable of eating for two. Make a point of regularly observing that both rabbits are eating the food you give them. Older rabbits too, often develop teeth problems, even though they have had a lifetime without any.

Safety and those teeth!

Electric cords which are unable to be kept behind furniture, can also present an obvious danger for your rabbit if chewed, but protection is available from an electrical store, in the form of hard plastic sleeving (manufactured by Clipsal, and called mini trunking) which can be placed around the cord. This sleeving comes in approx 3-4 m lengths (around $25) and can be easily cut with a hacksaw. It is in two parts which snap shut, protecting the cord which lies in the centre. This is an excellent idea for anyone who owns a cord chewing dog, or who has young children with a liking for scissors.

Computer accessory shops also sell lengths of plastic tubing to cover cords. Perhaps not as effective as the very-hard-to-chew-through mini trunking, but may be all you need to keep bunny safe.

Feeling Secure

Your rabbit will need his own basket which should ideally be the plastic tub type (your rabbit will eat his way through a cane basket in no time!) Place the basket under something which will give your rabbit the feeling of protection - remember, your rabbit is a prey animal and needs to feel secure. A coffee table is ideal. Another good idea in addition to a basket, is to give your rabbit a cardboard box large enough for him to sit inside, or even put his basket inside. Cut out 2 entry points, on different, but adjoining sides. A prey animal feels more secure with a second emergency exit. I gave my rabbit a cardboard box, but he never went near it until I put in a second entry/exit point. Now it's his favourite place. A cardboard box is a bunny's best friend, so provide several in different locations around the house to give your bunny some favourite places and a sense of security.

Bear also has a plush foam bed under the coffee table.	This is Bear's much loved and much chewed box
To the left are the remains of a sheet of cardboard	showing the entry/exit points.
stuck to the coffee table that he likes to chew.

It is most unusual for a rabbit to sleep in the open

because it makes them vulnerable to predators.

Boo Boo does this often because he lives in an environment

that makes him feel safe.

• Some rabbits are afraid to hop on polished floors because as prey animals, the slippery surface makes them feel insecure, because they are unable to get good traction, and therefore a quick escape.
• I've found most rabbits don't bother hopping onto furniture, but prefer being at ground level and often under things - it feels safer for them. Some do take to climbing though, so be aware of what is within "rabbit reach".
• Make sure the toilet seat is down. Rabbits will jump, and if bunny jumps into the toilet bowl head-first, he will be unable to get a footing on the slippery sides, so will not be able to pull his head from the water, and will drown.
• No sudden loud noises, e.g. make sure bunny is outside or in another room when you start the vacuum cleaner, and inside when you start the lawnmower.

There are very few true experts on rabbit behaviour - no wonder, every rabbit seems to be different - so when your rabbit does something which is out of the ordinary, it may take a while to understand, if ever. For example, one of my rabbits sleeps on the bed every night and if I acknowledge his presence by talking to him or patting him during the night, he will wee on the bed. He won't do this once the alarm goes off, and he won't do it once it is daylight. If I don't acknowledge him during the night he remains well behaved and only uses his litter tray. It is a form of territorial marking but I may never fully understand this odd behavioural need. It took a lot of washing before I worked out how to stop it.

Toys

This is the culprit who wees on the bed if he gets

a pat during the night. Here he is doing

what he does best - sleeping on the bed.

Just like cats and dogs, rabbits like toys :

• a pine cone or two
• plastic containers which are small enough for them to pick up with their teeth (margarine tubs or babies' bath toys, plastic lids from spray cans)
• a small untreated cane bowl to chew
• an old phone book to chew
• a pile of newspapers to shred
• small cardboard boxes to toss around
• cardboard rolls from paper towels
• a towel to scrunch up

When I light the fire, I bring out a small cane tub which contains about half a dozen pine cones. One of my rabbits enjoys tipping it over, scattering the pine cones, then chasing them around the room. It's a ritual we have most nights during winter, before he settles down to sleep in front of the fire.

Food toys are not just great for cats and dogs. They are wonderful for rabbits too. Mr Rabbit loves his rubber ball (cat toy) that leaves a trail of cereal for him to chase - just ahead of Missie who is also in hot pursuit. The main danger with food toys is that bunny may get too fat. Nature intended that rabbits should exist on a very basic diet of dry grass, so don’t go giving him a food toy every day. Rabbits are such small animals, that it is really easy to give a greedy rabbit too much. Once or twice a week is enough for a food toy and just a level teaspoon of treats inside.

Protection from predators

If you have a house rabbit, it is also nice for them to have time in the garden, but always remember that your neighbour's cat or dog can kill your rabbit. Even if a cat has a gentle disposition, it can still terrorise your rabbit just by its presence, so supervise your rabbit's time outside in the garden if it is impossible to protect your backyard against the intrusion of cats (which is usually the case.)

You can have a rabbit and a garden

Boo Boo stretching up to reach a Camellia leaf.

He likes pruning plants that he can reach.

It is possible to have a rabbit and a garden, however there are a few restrictions. My garden consists of lots of hanging baskets, and plants which my rabbits either won't or can't eat - anything that grows without greenery at the bottom, ie climbing roses, palms, camellias, standard plants like roses, fuchsias, gardenias etc, are 'rabbit-safe' plants. If your rabbit starts ring-barking your standard roses, just wrap a single layer of wire netting around the lowest 30cm (this will barely be noticeable.) My garden is also full of flowers (Impatiens) at ground (or bunny) level - my rabbits won't eat them.

Be careful of poisonous plants e.g. azalea, daphne, ivy, elephant ears, oleander - check with your vet (or nursery) if unsure. Visit the links below for a list of poisonous plants.

Long haired rabbits

Putting your rabbit's health in jeopardy should not be an option. Boo Boo nearly died from fur ingestion when he was young, but he never had any blockages after I began cutting his long fur every 3 weeks. He lived to be nearly 10.

If you have bought a long haired rabbit, you have brought home a high maintenance animal and will probably end up paying more veterinary bills than you had planned. Rabbits will groom themselves, but unlike cats, they are unable to vomit their fur up so it must pass through their body, and this doesn't always go well.

I suggest if you have a long haired rabbit, that you cut (or clip) it very carefully and do it regularly. Even if you groom your rabbit daily to remove knots, bunny may eventually get a bowel or a stomach full of fur and if left untreated, it can kill your rabbit. Some breeders claim pineapple can help the problem, however the Melbourne Rabbit Clinic says this is a myth, and only gives bunny unnecessary sugar.

If he isn't wearing it, he can’t ingest it, so when I have had long haired rabbits I would trim them every 3 weeks and this is best done with a set of pocket sized trimmers such as the Shear Magic Rocket 4500. I found under the chin to be the most difficult area to trim because this is the location of the jugular vein. You must remember that you are asking a prey animal to make itself vulnerable by exposing its neck, so bunny will probably object. This is a job for an adult, not a child and it is really a job for two people - one to hold the wriggling bunny wrapped in a towel while the other lifts the chin and trims under it (all the while being careful of the dewlap and other folds and lumps and bumps.) There are however, two much easier ways to live with a long haired rabbit.

1. Ask your vet to do it, at least until you get the idea

or even better;

2. If you live in the Adelaide area, contact Tim and Jodie on 0478 438 454, who are passionate about the welfare of rabbits, and who may be willing to clip your bunny beautifully and caringly with a minimum of anxiety for both you and your bunny. If I should have another long haired rabbit, he will be a regular visitor with Tim and Jodie.

Before clipping	After clipping

If clipping the fur of a long haired female rabbit, be very careful when trimming behind the front legs (a spot that often knots.) Your girl bunny will probably have teats just behind the front legs, so be very careful. And, mind the tail! Always hold the actual bone of the tail when trimming this area so you know exactly where it is! Hold the actual tail bone even when using clippers.

Which ever way you look at it, long haired rabbits are hard work.

What to feed your rabbit

MEADOW HAY

MEADOW HAY

MEADOW HAY !!

When Max and Precious Muffin hopped into my life, we did not even have computers at work, so there was no internet to research rabbit behaviour, their care or their diet, no bunny groups that I knew of to go to, and rabbit savvy vets were almost non-existent, so there was no help there. It was illegal to breed rabbits in my State so rabbit care was what you made it. Max and Precious Muffin were fed what ever they liked most – lucerne pellets (the only kind available,) apples, pears, sweet corn, and chocolate coated sultanas every day. Neither was ever given meadow or oaten hay, although they did get greens.  They flourished. Even with such a bad diet, Precious Muffin lived a perfect life without a single health issue until she died at 10 and a half years. Neither bunny had any life-threatening digestive problems like gut stasis which is so common in today’s rabbits. Max was overweight and had a grubby bottom, but there was no one to tell me this was probably from the lucerne pellets and/or fruit. Despite the need for many bottom washes, Max was happy and lived to be at least 11. My darling boy died suddenly, possibly from a heart attack caused by all the chocolate and tallow in the lucerne pellets clogging his arteries.
This was all a long time ago and today’s rabbits are a very different story. Rabbits are now a “business” and are bred for a quick sale so their health and genetic weaknesses don’t matter as long as they look cute and money can be made. Feed them a diet like I fed Max and Precious Muffin, who lived before genetic weaknesses were so common, and there will almost certainly be life-threatening digestive illnesses. Rabbits have a naturally fragile digestive system at best and I am convinced that this and thoughtless breeding has compounded the ability for today’s rabbits to deal with bad diet as effectively as Max and Precious Muffin.

Meadow hay is the single most important food your bunny should have - (75-80% of his diet) - NOT lucerne hay or lucerne-based pellets which are commonly sold in pet shops; in Australia (note, meadow hay is seasonal, so if hard to find, then oaten hay will do just fine). And, if he is chewing meadow hay, he won’t have to chew your furniture to keep his teeth in check!

Lucerne pellets were designed to fatten battery-rabbits which are slaughtered at 3 months for meat, so don't feed lucerne pellets as a regular part of bunny’s diet unless you want to fatten him for the dinner table. Lucerne can cause a range of other problems too. The smallest of quantities should be OK, e.g. no more than 1 level teaspoon a day as a treat only. Think of pellets as being "chocolate for rabbits" and give accordingly, if at all.

Now, back to what bunny should be eating. Never underestimate the value of meadow hay if you want bunny to be healthy. Meadow (or oaten) hay is crucial. Give him meadow hay every day and as much as he will eat. For many years I have been feeding my rabbits based on the advice of my vet, on a diet consisting primarily of meadow hay, some greens like parsley or carrot tops, and supplemented by a moderate amount of vegetables, and fruit treats, and all have lived to be old bunnies. Today’s rabbits often cannot tolerate fruit or vegetables at all, so if your bunny is getting plenty of hay but still has a grubby bottom, or gut problems – first see your vet - then phase out any fruit, and anything lucerne-based has to go too. Do this gradually though, and only phase out one food at a time. As specialist bunny vet Dr Peter Fisher recommends, there should be no sudden stopping of a particular food. If it persists see your vet again.

Dr Fisher specialises in the care of small exotic mammals and practises at the Pet Care Veterinary Hospital in Virginia USA. He says that rabbits should be given plenty of meadow hay but no fruit at all.

Dr Fisher explains why bunny's digestive system is so fragile, and why meadow hay and consistency of diet are so important:

"If you stick with a consistent healthy diet, the bacterial population within the rabbit stays healthy and balanced. If you start adding some variations in the form of vegetables or fruits, you can mess up this balanced bacterial population within the intestines and cause problems.

"If we are to supplement our bunny's hay and pellets with greens, vegetables, and fruits, we need to be consistent and offer the same types of these foods every day. The reason for this goes back to the all-important microbial (bacterial) population within the rabbit's intestinal tract. These microbes thrive on consistency and stay in balance when offered the same foods to digest day-in and day-out. You see, when you feed carrots, let's say for three days, you stimulate the growth and reproduction of the bacteria that digests carrots. Now, if you stop the carrot for several days, those bacteria, which have a short life span, die due to a lack of carrot to digest. When microbes die in large numbers they sometimes give off gas which can be painful and uncomfortable. The rabbit can stop eating for a while and without new fibre intake intestinal gut mobility slows down. This is the start of bunny indigestion which can lead to gastrointestinal stasis or "hairball" syndrome if this pattern repeats itself."

Like all rabbit-savvy vets, Dr Fisher recommends meadow hay over lucerne (alfalfa) for the adult rabbit; the primary reason being that meadow hay "...is lower in protein and calcium and higher in fibre than alfalfa (lucerne) hay. High dietary calcium has been associated with urine crystal or bladder stone formation".

What ever you decide, remember that meadow hay should be the basis of a good bunny diet, and any lucerne-based product should not be.

I know of one rabbit that cannot eat the very thing that rabbits are supposed to eat naturally.  Maddie cannot eat green grass, or anything else that is green. Oaten hay is all that her very fragile digestive system can tolerate. This may very well be caused by genetic weaknesses due to bad breeding.

Meadow hay is seasonal, and some fodder stores don't stock it at all, and in times of drought it is very difficult to get and the quality can be very poor.

Bunnies don't like hay that is too dry, so look for a bale that has a strong green tinge through it. A fodder store that supplies racing stables will always have good quality hay. BEWARE of mouldy hay which can kill your bunny and watch for grass seeds especially if your rabbit has long hair. If you are unable to buy meadow hay, oaten hay is fine too.

Treats

Little angel Chloe, waiting patiently for a sultana

To win their hearts, I give my rabbits treats every day, eg :

• sultanas
• almonds (1/4 of an almond once or twice a day)
• a tiny piece of dried fruit (cranberry, apricot, apple, pear etc)
• tiny piece of a slice of bread
• tiny piece of a dry biscuit, eg Jatz.
• rolled oats or cereal (as with lucerne-based pellets, no more than a level teaspoon each day)
• hiding some meadow hay and a few sultanas or other dried fruit inside a cardboard paper towel roll will keep him busy.

Precious Muffin could smell chocolate at 20 paces

Your rabbit may not show any interest in sultanas at first, but if you put a couple amongst his food each day, they will eventually be eaten and it won't be long before he comes hopping when you rattle the sultana jar.

My rabbits get a small ‘cocktail’ of dried fruit and chopped almond (about 1 teaspoon in total) added to their dessertspoon of Oxbow pellets, every night before their dinner. They know it's coming and get so excited that they run around in circles. They also get a small treat of rolled oats before breakfast and get just as excited. Rabbits like routine and the anticipation of a treat at particular times each day will make your rabbit's life more enjoyable. Remember, rabbits are small animals so all treats should be small too. One sultana is a rabbit-sized treat, a quarter of an almond is a rabbit-sized treat, a level teaspoon of rolled oats is a rabbit-sized treat.

Chocolate should not be given to rabbits but some rabbits just don't understand. Precious Muffin (now gone to bunny heaven after 10 and a half years) would even try and get chocolate out of your mouth if she could smell you eating it. On one occasion she jumped onto the table when I had guests, and began scoffing the after-dinner chocolates.

Greens I give my rabbits include carrot tops, endive, chicory, celery leaves, Cos lettuce, bok choy, herbs like basil, coriander and parsley, thistles sometimes, occasionally beetroot leaves and spinach. I also grow oat grass - just a cup of oats from a fodder store sprinkled in the garden will grow easily, and you can even let it dry off and cut as fresh oaten hay.

My average sized rabbit (3 kg) has :
In the morning

• a dessertspoon of Oxbow pellets with half a teaspoon of rolled oats on top
• a handful of greens
• a carrot stick or a single broccoli floweret
• a thin slice of banana - a favourite which he searches for and eats first
• a large handful of meadow (or oaten) hay

At night

• a dessertspoon of Oxbow pellets plus a treat of 3 sultanas, 3 sultana-size pieces of dried apricot and quarter of an almond on top
• a handful of greens
• quarter of an apple (poisonous seeds removed), or quarter of a pear
  

• a large handful of meadow (or oaten) hay

• quarter of an almond before bed

Make sure you wash all fruit and vegetables, and don't give your rabbit second-grade quality.

Fresh, clean water should always be available. I don’t like water bottles. They block too easily and if they block, it may go unnoticed, and bunny will dehydrate and could die. Water bottles are not really suitable for a house-bunny anyway, and research shows rabbits prefer drinking from a bowl.

I was told by a vet that he had a rabbit brought into his surgery that had been fed only lettuce - she was dying of malnutrition. Her well intentioned owners did not know any better. Consequently, even though Dr Fisher suggests a couple of different types in his diet recommendations, I am not a fan of lettuce, but when carrots tops are not available I will give my bunnies endive.

Some vegetables can cause bloat in bunnies, so moderation in all things except meadow or oaten hay. Vegetables in the turnip family have caused poisoning in other animals and rhubarb leaves are also poisonous.

Thistles are popular with all rabbits, but because they are considered weeds, only collect these from your own garden unless you are absolutely certain they have not been sprayed with poison.

I have only covered the basics of diet in this website, and that is:

• unlimited meadow or oaten hay
• no lucerne/alfalfa based pellets or hay
• no sudden changes in diet

There is a lot more to know and I recommend everyone owned by a rabbit visits:

Veterinary care

My experience has shown that you may have to do a bit of searching to find a veterinarian who is really familiar with rabbits and their problems. Given the thousands of rabbits living in any city you care to name, one could naturally assume that all veterinarians would know all about rabbits, but through no fault of their own, I have found this not to be the case. I think it stems from the way many owners treat their rabbits - they simply don't take them to the vet. Many are left in tiny hutches at the bottom of the garden without any interaction with their owners, so when they become sick, no one notices. Consequently a great "cat and dog" vet may not necessarily have much experience with rabbits. I have been to some vets who felt their expertise in rabbits was lacking, but were professional enough to refer me to another surgery, so don't hesitate to get a second opinion if you feel dissatisfied with the care your rabbit is receiving. If your vet gives an excuse for not desexing – "too invasive" "there is no need to desex rabbits" – what he really means is "I don't know how to" so change your vet because he won't know anything else about rabbits either!!

If you live in South Australia I recommend my vet :

Fleas

Most products on the market that actually work, are designed for cats and dogs and some like Frontline, are fatal to rabbits so be careful of any product you use - "less is best," so minimise the amount used, especially if the rabbit is small, beware of ingestion through grooming/scratching then licking feet (as rabbits tend to do.) Follow directions diligently, and check with your veterinarian AND the manufacturer before using anything. I use Advantage or Revolution for kittens.

Because Frontline is fatal to rabbits, it is best not to use it on your dog if your dog and rabbit are friends. Friends will lick each other and you don’t want your rabbit licking a dog that has been treated with Frontline.

Calici Virus Vaccination

This is needed annually. It would be wise to have your veterinarian give your rabbit a complete check-up when you take him in for vaccination. Also get toenails clipped, and don't forget to check those continually growing teeth!

The calici virus has now evolved into several strains, so make sure you check with your rabbit-savvy vet, so your bunny is vaccinated according to the most recently available information.

Two of the new strains are RHVD2 and RHVD1-K5. There are currently no vaccines available in Australia for RHVD2 and RHVD1-K5.

You can find out more about these strains and add your voice to help protect Australian domestic rabbits by signing the petitions to the Australian Government via the links below:

Breeding your rabbit

Don't. The RSPCA and Animal Welfare League have enough to do with unwanted and uncared for animals. Even the best intentioned people neglect rabbits, so don't add to the chain of misery.

If you want another rabbit, visit a shelter and save a bunny who will otherwise be destroyed. Walking down the rows of unwanted animals just waiting to die will be the best education you can give your child.

If you have accidentally let your rabbit have a litter, NEVER EVER give the babies away unless you personally know the people taking them. Give-away rabbits can have a tragic end. If someone arrives on your doorstep and just happens to have the same number of grandchildren as you have bunnies, don’t believe him! Charging a price may put these people off.

If you want your rabbit to have a litter “just so the children can see,” you need to step out of the 1950s. Better still, step into a shelter and volunteer your time at the place where so many unwanted animals die.

An outside rabbit

Suggestions below relate to conditions in Australia, therefore predator and environmental protection may be different in other countries, so additional protection may be needed to that suggested in Bunny Business.

If you have decided that you want a rabbit, but you will not allow him to live inside the house, you have an even greater obligation to give your rabbit a good quality of life. This means as large an area as possible for a proper run, and you should let your rabbit out regularly for a wander in the garden. Imprisoning a rabbit in isolation, when his only crime has been to appear so cute and adorable that your child had to have him, is no way to educate your child on how to care for an animal, so make an effort to house your rabbit properly.

Golden Rules

• never allow a child to have responsibility for rabbits (let them think they have by all means, but always discreetly supervise)
• provide protection from predators
• provide protection from the elements
• provide companionship (keep 2 desexed, opposite-sex rabbits)

Companionship - bonding bunnies

Rabbits are social animals and it's cruel to keep them in isolation, so if you are not prepared to include your rabbit as a member of the family, you should get him a companion; preferably another rabbit. A male and a female, both of which have been desexed, are the best companions. Two males will probably fight, as will two females, even if they are desexed. Litter mates can sometimes bond without fighting, but is not guaranteed. When socialising same-sex rabbits, it is essential that one or both have subservient personalities. Peace will never prevail if both are dominant animals.

When you introduce rabbits, do it on neutral ground if possible, i.e., don't take one rabbit into another's territory. Neutral ground is not always easy to find however, and given the time it can take for some rabbits to become friendly (hours, days, weeks or months), it is often not practical either. What ever you do, always have the benefit of a playpen as a means of separation.

Pet playpens can work well when introducing rabbits, and should be in every rabbit household. Put the new bunny inside the playpen, and leave the resident bunny outside in his territory. This will enable them to see, smell and even touch each other without fighting. When they start lying or resting next to each other with only the playpen wire between them, you can think about closer contact. No one can tell you how long this will take. It will depend entirely on the personality of each rabbit. Perhaps hours, perhaps many days, weeks or months. If the first attempt does not succeed, try again later.

When Bear first met Missie, he was a monster. He had only been desexed 4 weeks so he had lots of hormones left. His idea of foreplay was to bite her, which of course frightened her. He lived in the playpen for 2 months before they bonded. Now they like to watch the world go by together.

Do you think it's going to rain?

Some people recommend introducing bunnies in an empty bath tub - the sides are slippery so getting a good solid footing is not easy which makes fighting more difficult to sustain. And because you can remain very close, it gives you the opportunity to intervene if things get too rough. The UK-based Rabbit Welfare Assoc however, does not recommend bathtubs. I prefer a playpen and what ever time that takes.

Housing

Environmental Enrichment

Possum leaving her tunnel. She is possessive of her tunnel and chases the wild birds away if they get too nosey.

Your rabbits' run should not be bare and barren. Incorporate some interest by adding a mound of soil - if you have a doe she will appreciate being able to dig in this - some boxes to climb on, and of course cardboard boxes with 2 entry points. Lay a length of PVC drainage pipe (wide enough for your rabbits to enter without getting stuck) so that it is flush with the ground and allows your rabbits to enter from either end (1m for one rabbit or 1.5m for two rabbits.)

I buried a small length of PVC pipe in the garden and even though my little doe does not spend much time in it, it is still very important to her - she guards it jealously and chases away any wild birds that get too close.

Lay the pipe so that it does not allow water to pond. Your rabbits should enjoy lying in this and it may also reduce your doe's need to dig. Also, if the unthinkable happens and a predator enters the run, this will give your rabbits some form of protection.

Give your rabbits toys and change these around, eg some pine cones for a few days, then replace with a pile of newspapers they can shred. It is imperative that you spend time with your rabbits if they are to be kept in an outside run, or they will withdraw from your presence. If you don't do this, there is no point in even having pet rabbits. Visit regularly with the sultana jar and your rabbits will look forward to seeing you.

The words below are from the Bunny World Foundation, and put it all together so neatly.

Who am I?

I am ... a survivor

I can endure terrible suffering and abuse in stoic silence. I can be rescued and love as whole heartedly as if it never happened

I am ... independent

I want to do things my way, on my own timetable. I have pride and dignity

I am ... a friend

I like to be with you, listen to your voice, follow you around, watch you. You are important to me and I know when you're hurting

I am ... full of life

I love to eat, I love to run, jump and explore and I love to sleep. Whatever I'm doing, I do it 100%

I am ... an individual

You may have known a hundred like me but you don't know me. I will teach you something new, guaranteed.

I am ... a trickster

Your precious possessions hold no taboo for me, I will get them if I want them. Outwit me if you can

I am ... social

I want another like me to play with, to love, to share life with. I want to speak my own language each and every day

I am RABBIT.

Boarding

Finding a place to board a rabbit when you want to go on holiday is always difficult, if not impossible. There are plenty of places for cats and dogs, but not rabbits. And, if you do find somewhere to board bunny, chances are the people there won't know much about rabbits. Always a danger.

I take my bunnies to Spoilt Bunny Boarding (in suburban Adelaide) where they are housed indoors and are given exercise outside if that is your wish. This is "home boarding" by someone who loves and understands rabbits.

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