Health

Just like you have a family doctor that you see when you are unwell, your rabbit needs their own doctor too - a veterinarian is an animal doctor. 

It’s a good idea for your family to find out which veterinarian they plan on using before you get your rabbits. Ask your friends that are rabbit owners which veterinarians they recommend. If possible, visit the clinic beforehand and look around. Ask yourself: Is the waiting area clean? Are the staff helpful? Find out the opening hours and if they handle emergencies after hours as well.

Once you get a new rabbit(s), your family should register them with your chosen local veterinary clinic straight away. Make an appointment as soon as you can for a check-up. Your vet can then create a care programme for your rabbit(s). It is helpful to write a list of the questions you want to ask so everything can be covered. 

Rabbits do not enjoy being picked up and cuddled. In fact, it can be really scary for them. As such, rabbits should only be picked up if it is in their best interest.

When your rabbits need to go to the vet, to avoid lifting them, you can use reward based training to train your rabbits to go into their carrier themselves! By placing your rabbits’ favourite treats inside their carrier and leaving the door open, you can let them hop in in their own time. Rabbits can even learn how to enter their hutch or carrier on cue!

It’s also a good idea to create an environment for your rabbits that minimise the need for handling – i.e. boxes and baskets that allow for carrying without lifting your rabbits.

If handling cannot be avoided (for example, at-home health checks and treatments), it is essential that it is done properly to reduce stress as much as possible and avoid any accidental injuries. Always ask an adult for help.

To correctly handle your rabbit:

• Always approach your rabbit from the side, in a calm, quiet manner.
• Gently pat your rabbit to help ensure they’re calm and steady.
• Slide one hand under their chest, with a few fingers supporting in between their front legs, and your other fingers on the outside of their front legs.
• Support their bottom and back legs with your other hand.
• As you lift your rabbit, try to keep most of their weight on their bottom and get them close to your body as quickly as possible.

It’s important to remember to hold your rabbit securely and confidently. If your rabbit struggles or kicks out they may damage their spine. Be firm but never squeeze your rabbit as this can seriously injure them.

While putting your rabbit back down, it’s essential to be just as calm and safe:

• Keep your rabbit as close to your body as you can.
• Slowly squat down and lower your rabbit to the ground, being sure to support their chest and bottom.
• Put them down gently and give them a pat or a treat to help make the experience as positive as possible.

Rabbits feel pain in the same way as other animals, including people, but they are not very good at showing outward signs of pain and may be suffering a great deal before you notice anything is wrong. 

A change in the way your rabbit normally behaves can be an early sign they are ill or in pain. If your rabbit is not eating or is more quiet than usual, it is highly likely to be ill, or in pain. You should talk to your veterinarian immediately. 

Rabbits are vulnerable to many infectious diseases and other illnesses, especially dental disease. They can also catch deadly infectious diseases from wild rabbits so you should prevent your rabbits from having contact with wild rabbits or areas where wild rabbits have been. 

Regular health check-ups with a vet is the best way of detecting any problems with your rabbit early, but remember - if any of your rabbits show any signs of injury or ill health, you must take them to their veterinarian immediately. If it is late at night or on the weekend and your veterinary clinic is closed, there are great after-hours clinics available for emergencies. Make sure your family know where your closest after-hours veterinary clinic is. 

Rabbits shed hair year-round, particularly during the warmer months. Grooming is important for keeping your rabbits’ coats clean and healthy and is also an excellent way to bond with your rabbits.

Short haired rabbits should be groomed weekly using a soft rubber brush, stroking in the direction of the fur.

Long haired rabbits need daily grooming to prevent matts and should be groomed with a slicker brush or comb. Long haired rabbits will also need to have their coat clipped or groomed regularly. This will prevent them from swallowing too much hair when grooming themselves. Unlike cats, rabbits are not able to vomit if they have a hairball and instead, this can create a dangerous blockage in their stomach. This condition is known as woolblock and it can cause your rabbit to become very sick if left untreated. Early signs include appetite loss and the size of their droppings can become smaller than usual. If you or your family notice these signs, contact your rabbit’s veterinarian straight away.

Ask your parent or care-giver to help you handle and check your rabbits for signs of illness or injury every day. Make sure this is done by someone else if you are away. Consult your vet immediately if you suspect your rabbit is in pain, ill or injured. 

• Eyes, ears and nose
  These should be clear, clean and bright looking with no discharge (snotty stuff). If your rabbit is shaking their head a lot and scratching around their ears, this could be a sign of ear mites. You will need to take your rabbit to see their veterinarian.
   
• Coat
  Your rabbit’s coat should be shiny, flat and smooth. Dandruff most likely means your rabbit has mites, which will require veterinary treatment. Rabbits can also get fleas – your vet or your local SPCA can advise a safe flea treatment for rabbits. 
  
  You can brush your rabbit with a soft brush to keep the coat looking nice and healthy. Angora and Cashmere rabbits need a lot more grooming than other breeds. Your rabbit will molt a few times a year and will require brushing – they may look quite scruffy at this time!
   
• Bottom
  Check the fur and skin around your rabbits’ rear end and tail area every day. Urine staining or droppings that are stuck will attract flies which can lay eggs and cause ‘fly strike’, which is often fatal. 
   
• Teeth
  Rabbits’ teeth grow throughout their lives and dental problems are common. Make sure you provide your rabbits with adequate chewing material. Branches from trees such as willow, apple, pear, poplar and citrus or other untreated wood treats will keep their teeth worn down. Avoid trees which have been chemically treated or are close to sources of pollution. 
  
  If any of your rabbits are showing hesitation to eat or drooling, this may be a sign of a dental problem that should be checked out by your rabbit’s veterinarian straight away.
   
• Claws
  Rabbits’ nails need clipping regularly (about once every six to eight weeks). Ask your veterinarian to show your parent or caregiver how to do this, as they can easily cut through the blood vessel if they’re not shown how to do it properly. 
  
  A paving stone or a flat river stone placed in an area the rabbit regularly travels over may help reduce the need to trim nails as often.

SEE YOUR VET IF YOU SEE:

• A large number of soft green pellets in their cage
• Diarrhea
• Your rabbit’s head tilting, any circling or wobbling
• Maggots anywhere on your rabbit
• Sneezing or nasal discharge (snotty stuff)
• Lots of scratching
• Any sores
• Blood or (mucus) slimy stuff in their wee or droppings
• Worms in their droppings
• Sore or bald legs
• Overgrown teeth or nails
• Anything else out of the ordinary

There is only one disease where vaccination is available for rabbits in New Zealand. This is for Rabbit Calicivirus or RCD. It is recommended that domestic (companion) rabbits should be vaccinated against Rabbit Calicivirus. 

If you live in an area where it is possible that your rabbit might have contact with a wild rabbit (while wandering in your garden or nose to nose through its enclosure), then vaccination is absolutely essential. It is important to note that all hay fed to rabbits is grown on farms where wild rabbits may be living. 

Some may consider this vaccination might not be considered essential. However, SPCA strongly recommends that your parent or caregiver talks with one of the SPCA small animal team or your rabbits’ veterinarian before they make a decision.

Even if the risk is low, the cost of vaccination is a very small price to pay to ensure your rabbit(s) have the best chance of not catching this disease even in low risk areas.

People often think a trip to the vet as something only needed when one of their rabbits become unwell. However, it is also important to remember that annual health checks are important for your rabbits’ wellbeing. These annual checks are a great way to detect any small problems before they become more serious. 

During this 15 - 20-minute appointment, your veterinarian will carefully examine each rabbit’s entire body – from the tips of their ears, the pads on their paws, to underneath their tail! Your veterinarian will also discuss any concerns you have regarding your rabbit’s health, diet and behaviour.

All rabbits adopted from SPCA will already have been spayed or neutered. There are already more rabbits than there are good homes for them, so please don't let your rabbits have kits (baby rabbits).

If your family or friends have rabbits that are not spayed or neutered, encourage them to speak with their veterinarian about having their rabbits spayed or neutered. Explain that before they know it, they could have baby rabbits that they’ll need to find homes for. Finding a loving, responsible home for each rabbit isn’t always that easy! What’s more, if those babies don’t get spayed or neutered, they will have babies too – meaning more loving, responsible, forever homes will be needed to be found.

If any of your rabbits ever shows any signs of injury or ill health, an adult must take them to their veterinarian immediately. If it is late at night or on the weekend and your vet is closed, there are great after hour clinics available for emergencies. 

If you find a rabbit that doesn’t belong to you, or that shows signs of sickness or injury, get an adult to contact your local SPCA immediately.

Remember to always find an adult before you approach any rabbit that appears sick or injured – even your own rabbit. Rabbits may respond differently because they are in pain.

At SPCA, we recommend your family take out pet insurance to save thousands of dollars should something happen to your rabbit. 

While most rabbit owners will have worked out vet costs, it is the out-of-the-ordinary expenses that can catch you out. For example, you could spend thousands of dollars on treatment for a road accident or animal attack. Taking out pet insurance helps you budget for the unexpected. 

It's important to check your rabbits’ droppings daily as they can be a great indication of your rabbits’ health and whether an illness is present or if there’s a problem with their diet.

Rabbits do two different types of poo:

• Small, dry, brown round, balls, almost odourless.
  This is the usual type of rabbit poop we'd think of or what you would see when walking around paddocks or farm land. They are mainly made up of undigested hay or food. You should see lots of these round-like peas. They should all be a similar size and shape, they should be firm but not too hard if squeezed. If they are poorly formed, too small, too hard (like stones) or odd shapes, your rabbit may need to eat more hay and drink more water. It could be a sign of other possible health problems, so always ask your parents or caregivers to check with your rabbit’s veterinarian to be sure.
   
• Dark, mushy, smelly, grape-like balls pressed together, with a thin slimy coating are called caecotrophes. 
  This is the vitamin packed stuff that rabbits eat as a nutritious snack! They are also known as 'night poo' as rabbits often eat them at night (they like to do it in private). If you see a lot of caecotrophes, then your rabbit may have too rich a diet. More hay should help, as well as cutting down on pellets. If your rabbit’s diet is not properly balanced, then their caecotrophes will be more like toothpaste. If you notice this, ask your parents or caregiver to talk with your rabbit’s veterinarian.

A rabbit’s digestive system has a super awesome way of making its own rabbit vitamin pills! 

Sometimes you will see your rabbit 'cleaning' themselves then they look up and they're munching on something - they have eaten a caecotrophe straight from their bum! This special type of poo is made from the nutritious bits of food that have been sent to the rabbit’s appendix, where it is made into a nutritious snack for the rabbit! 

It's really important for rabbits to eat these caecotrophes as they contain vital nutrients, so don't discourage them.

As well as being smelly and uncomfortable, poo on your rabbit's bottom will attract flies - especially in the hot summer months - which can quickly lead to fly strike. This is when flies lay their eggs on the rabbit's bottom; the eggs hatch within hours and the maggots chew their way into the rabbit's skin. This can quickly become fatal, so your family must contact your rabbit’s veterinarian straight away if you notice anything like this.