RABBIT DIETDo you ever wonder what is the best diet for your bunny?....
Here at Saffron Springs we try to keep our bunnies on as close to a natural diet as possible. Whilst this is not the cheapest way to feed, we believe that a good healthy, high fibre, natural type diet is the best thing to help keep our fur babies in tip top condition, and in good health 🐇 Here are some top tips on diet & how we feed here:
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RABBIT HOUSINGI often get asked what is the best housing for rabbits and I always ensure any new owners meet my minimum requirements for housing for any bunnies purchased here. The minimum cage size I recommend is 5ft x 2ft with access to a larger run during the day also. However below is a guide to the best idea's for rabbit housing:
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SPAYING & NEUTERINGIf you buy a male/female pair, it's important to separate them at 12 weeks old to avoid unwanted pregnancy, especially if closely related as this can cause heath issues in kits.
Spaying is the procedure performed on female rabbits to remove the reproductive organs. The procedure takes place through the abdomen. Whilst a routine operation these days, it is a more invasive procedure for females than for males. This should be done around 5-6 months old. Neutering/Castration is performed on male rabbits to remove the testes. The veterinarian will make an incision in the scrotum and remove the testicles through it. This should be done around 4 months old, and they should not be put with another female until 6 weeks after the operation as they can remain fertile for some time afterwards. It is important to find a good exotic vet to undertake these operations, as bunnies are very sensitive to anesthetic, as such it's important they receive the correct aftercare & medications. Some vets may keep in overnight, but generally they are OK to come home the same day, but make sure you vet gives you gut stimulant and pain relief as a minimum before you bring them home. They will need to be kept indoors for a couple of days as the aesthetic causes them to struggle to maintain body temperature for a short while afterwards and are better given a blanket rather than shavings/straw bedding for comfort. Also they may be a little off their food, so provide them their favorites food items to encourage eating and avoid stasis, such as fresh grass, banana, herbs, small amounts of fruit and vegetables. I will always recommend rabbits taken as pets are spayed/neutered, below are just some of the reasons why:
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RABBIT BONDING & PAIRINGSI always recommend bunnies live in pairs where possible, they are sociable animals and can get lonely without a buddy to play with and plenty of interaction. Below are the possible pairings and how the combinations can work:
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RABBIT MOULTING & GROOMINGRabbits moult quite regularly. Initially when rabbits are young, their baby coat is replaced at around 5 months by a transitional coat. After this, the rabbit's adult coat will develop and from here on, rabbits generally moult 2-4 time a year, and a moult will normally last around 2-6 weeks.
Rabbits are expert groomers and naturally keep themselves pretty clean and well groomed, however, during a moult you will need to brush your bunnies regularly to prevent them ingesting too much fur. Ingestion of fur can lead to blockages and G.I. stasis, which can be fatal in bunnies. Check your rabbits droppings daily during their moults and if you see fecal chains (Poop balls hung together with hair) you should increase their intake of things like dandelions, greens, banana and lots of hay should help keep their digestive tract moving during this time. I always feed my bunnies BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds), this really helps them keep a lovey coat and reduces their moults. |
RABBIT BEHAVIOURRabbits can make excellent pets, they are intelligent, naturally quite clean, they can be loving and are fun to watch and play with, but just like any other animal, there are times when undesirable behaviours can occur, so it's important to try and keep them in check for a happy life for everyone.
- 'Loafing' - when you're bunny is laying relaxed but tucked up and snuggly, resembling a bread loaf - 'Splooting' - where you rabbit is sprawled out and relaxed, front and back legs outstretched - 'Flopping' - where they throw themselves onto the floor in a flop, means they are relaxed - 'Teeth chattering' - they will do this when they are being stroked in a place they like - 'Butt twitching' - happens when they get their favourite treats/food - 'Buzzing' - little honking noise are a sign of love - 'Chinning' & Licking means 'MINE' and you now belong to them All of the above mean you are doing things right and your bunny is loving life
- Hiding in small/dark places and not wanting to come out - Laying flat and tense, sometimes accompanied by a whining noise if touched - Screaming - happens in extreme fear or pain These are signs that you have a scared bunny, perhaps something has frightened them if this is abnormal behaviour. Or perhaps you have a new bunny that is not used to it's new surrounding yet, or has come from a bad home previously where no human interaction occurred. The best thing to do in this instance is to give the rabbit a small, safe place to hide until they are ready to come out on their own. Bribing them with their favourite treats will help them with learn to trust you over time, always ensure its in their terms and down at their level to help them feel safer. Constantly picking rabbits up is very unnatural for them, imagine what this would be in the wild, where a predator picks them up, so whilst you should pick them up so they get more used to it, there's a time and a place for it, otherwise they will just run away from you.
- Biting (Nipping/clothes nibbling is not the same thing, this is for natural behaviour for attention/hormonal and should subside after neutering) - Lunging when you go near them or into their space, can also be food aggression - Boxing, sat upright with paws up, they can literally 'box' you This sort of behaviour can be related to hormones kicking in around 3-6 months of age. This is why it's important to spay/neuter as soon as they are at the correct age, as if you do this early, hormones may not even kick in and this behaviour may never be seen at all. It is worth noting though that after a spay/neuter this behaviour may get worse before it gets better as it can cause surges of their hormones which can be very confusing for them to deal with, it can take a few months for them to settle after the operation. Bad behaviours can also be genetic if aggressive parents bred from, it can pass onto kits, it's bad practice to breed from aggressive rabbits. They can also learn bad behaviours from how they are raised/kept in their new home or have been badly treated in a previous home. Rabbits are very sensitive to lots of things which makes them a potentially temperamental pets if not handled correctly It's important to buy from a good reputable breeder, where you can see their parents for size & temperament, so you know they have at least had the best start in life. After this, it's up to you to ensure the best home and environment to keep up the good work done by the breeder, some tips below are as follows: - Never ever hit a rabbit or waft things in their face, it is wrong and this will cause aggression to be far worse. - If your rabbit exhibits bad behaviour, note what you were doing at the time and avoid repeating it. - Don't allow them too much space & free reign all of the time, they will start to think they 'own' everywhere as they can be very dominant over their space. It's important they have somewhere that is theirs and somewhere safe and quiet they can retreat to if necessary. - If they exhibit bad behaviour, make a loud noise such as a clap, and put them back in their area so they can learn that's not what you consider acceptable behaviour. - Avoid constantly picking them up, it's not natural and they will lose trust in you. It's better to get down to their level and let them approach you on their terms. - Avoid making sudden movements, rabbits near sight is not that good so it can scare them, they see batter from far away. Stroking them gently, from slightly above is the best way to get their attention and fuss them. - Don't show fear, this will only make things worse, if they are truly very aggressive as they've had a bad life in a previous home, then use thick gardening gloves and sit with them and give treats until they hopefully start to build trust with you. This site has some good examples also: |
LITTER TRAININGRabbits are naturally clean animals and are generally quite easy to litter train.
The majority of my bunnies here are well litter trained, so babies bought here are often already well on their way to using a tray, which is really the best way to start as they are much easier to carry on their training. When you get your new bunny, keep them in a small area to start with, they will quickly choose their toilet area, this is where you should put the tray. Ensure they tray is big enough for them to sit in and fill the tray with something safe, such as puppy pads, wood based cat litter, wood-shavings or straw. Ensure whatever it is, is not the same as their bedding so they can distinguish the different smells to help them associate what is their toilet and what is for sleeping in. If they pee outside the tray, clean up quickly and put the dirty wee into their tray. Clean the area with white vinegar to get rid of any smell. They will likely always do some poops outside the tray as this is scent marking for rabbits, however if you sweep them up and put into the tray also it should reduce the amount they do outside the tray. Empty daily to keep clean and fresh so not to attract flies. Rabbits like to eat when they poop, so put their hay next to the tray to help encourage them to go in it also. Once they get used to going in their tray gradually increase their space to roam, and add more trays if they are in a large area or free roam. Another thing to note are all the different shades of pee rabbits can do, see the picture on the left for what normal pee can look like, so don't panic, as long as it's one of these colours, it's perfectly normal. |
SCANNINGAll rabbits have some difficulty seeing with an accurate depth of field because their eyes are located on the sides of their head. This gives them a bigger field of vision, but most of their vision is seen through only one eye, limiting their depth perception.
Rabbits with red eyes (Also other colours which a REW based such as points, sable, smoke etc..) sometimes have slightly poorer eyesight, which can lead to scanning. Scanning is when a rabbit is trying to see an object with both eyes to get a better idea of what they are seeing. The rabbit's head will appear to sway back and forth as they switch eyes to view the object. This is not an eyesight fault its just a congenital trait that effects red eyes and nothing to worry about |
RABBIT ILLNESS, DISEASES & TREATMENTSThere are many illnesses & diseases that can affect your bunnies over their lifetime, so it's important to know what they are, what the symptoms might be, and how best to treat and protect them.
A lot of diseases are spread by biting insects, flies, birds & other pets carrying them. You should always have a good exotic vet on hand to provide the needed treatments & care. However there are preventative treatments to help keep you bunny in tip top conditions too
Symptoms: Lesions occur around body orifices and on the face especially on the eyelids causing them to crust over. Recovery: Whilst is is possible for rabbits to recover from this, it takes a long time and in many cases it proves fatal. Prevent: Novibac vaccine annually at the vets. Novibac Myxo RHD plus protects for all 3 diseases in 1 vaccine
Symptoms: There are often no symptoms, and can be linked to sudden death in rabbits, the only way to know it's this is with a post mortem/PCR liver test. But some show symptoms such as lethargy, going of food for 12-24 hours prior to death, fitting, bleeding from orifices. Recovery: Whilst is is possible for rabbits to recover from this, in many cases it proves fatal. Prevent: Filavac (or Eravac) vaccine annually at the vets. Novibac Myxo RHD plus protects for all 3 diseases in 1 vaccine
Symptoms: There are often no symptoms in the early stages, so it's very important to inspect breeding bunnies regularly to ensure they are clean and free of this, especially when buying in new rabbits. However it will eventually present itself as lesions/scabs/sores on the genitals, and in bad cases the eyes and nose also. Bucks may scream when falling off the doe during mating. Does will often have stillborn kits. Recovery: This is recoverable with treatment of penicillin injections by a vet (never ever give this orally, as it's extremely deadly to rabbits this way). Prevent: Only buy in from reputable, ethical breeders, check your rabbits regularly, keeping them clean and healthy.
Symptoms: Early stages are head tilt, where there head is very slightly off centre. This rapidly progresses to the rest of their body where they become paralyzed, dragging backs legs etc.., and sometimes ocular lesions may be seen. Recovery: This is recoverable with treatment of panacur (fenbendazole) for 28 days if caught early enough, but can prove fatal if not. Prevent: You can help prevent with a 9 day panacur routine once a year, this is over the counter medication, I sell this in my shop also.
Symptoms: The main symptom is severe diarrhea, that smells absolutely awful and is very watery and can be 'mucous like', this leads to sudden weight loss and other issues that cause quick deterioration in your rabbit. Recovery: This is recoverable with treatment of easicox solution for 5 days, then repeat again after 10 days, if caught early enough, but can prove fatal if not, especially in young rabbits as they will go downhill very quickly. Prevent: You can help prevent with the above treatment routine twice a year, this is over the counter medication, I sell this as part of my medi packs in my shop. Also it's important to keep good hygiene practices, clean dry bedding, ensure food and hay is in bowls and racks and not on the dirty floor of the cage, and disinfect cages regularly with vet grade disinfectant.
Fleas live on blood. They generally don’t stay on he body for very long. They will jump on to the host, bite through the skin to get some blood and then jump off again. They don’t breed on their host, but will lay their eggs, for example, in your furniture or carpets, or in the corners of hutches, only coming back to the host when they need more blood. Symptoms: Mites will cause what looks like dandruff on their skin and in their fur. They may also lose fur, be seen itching more. If itching ears they could have ear mites which is more severe and will require vet attention. Fleas are really only a concern if you have other pets that carry them. Recovery: This is recoverable with treatment of ivermectin either put onto their skin or orally. Mites/flea's rarely prove fatal unless untreated for a long period of time. Prevent: You can help prevent with a the above treatment routine once a year, this is over the counter medication, I sell this as part of my medi packs in my shop. Buying good quality hay/bedding is also a way to prevent as this is where they generally come from.
Symptoms: There often aren't any real symptoms with worms, but a bad infestation and you see weight loss, rabbits going off their food and being lethargic, and you may even get some diarrhea and be able to see the worms in their feaces. Recovery: This rarely proves fatal but the treatments for mites and E.C. would eradicate most types of worms. For treatment in humans, you will need Ovex. Prevent: If you use the preventative treatments for E.C. and mites this will keep worms at bay. Also it's important to keep good hygiene practices, clean dry bedding, ensure food and hay is in bowls and racks and not on the dirty floor of the cage, and disinfect cages regularly with vet grade disinfectant.
There are many reasons this may occur, such as: - Stress or shock - Pain (often from an underlying issue such as teeth issues, infections, injury) - dehydration / heat stroke - Intestinal blockage - Insufficient fibre intake (lack of hay etc..) Symptoms: It starts with disinterest in food, which is the start of the gut slowing down their function, then their poo's will get smaller and eventually stop being produces. They can be lethargic and have a hard bloated stomach, and may be grinding teeth in pain. Recovery: Stasis is life threatening, it's important to seek vet attention immediately to check for what might be the cause and get a course of treatment started ASAP as once they stops pooping it's very hard to come back from this. The vet will give pain relief, fluids and gut stimulant. You will likely then be sent home and will need to syringe feed critical care to get guts moving again. Fibreplex is also good for stasis. Infacol & pineapple juice are good things to help reduce gas and promote good tummy bacteria. Prevent: Whilst there's no specific prevention, I highly recommend adding Carr's entracare to their water a few times a week, this is great for all round tummy care and encourages more fluid intake. Feed a high fibre, natural diet with plenty of good quality hay. Preventatively treating them for some of the above diseases and keeping up with routine health checks to ensure your bunny is in constant tip top condition has worked for me for years and I rarely have any gut issue in my bunny brood.
This can be caused by some form of blockage in GI tract or from eating something they shouldn't have, or too much of gassy/sugary type foods. Symptoms: Rabbits suffering from bloat will generally go from being perfectly normal to very sick and not wanting to move within a few hours. They generally won’t want to eat anything, will not be moving much (often sitting in a hunched position) and their abdomen will feel bloated and painful, and may even scream in pain if handled due to the severe discomfort is causes. Recovery: Unfortunately most will die of this condition and will pass within a matter of hours sadly, there is a very slight chance of recovery if emergency surgery in undertaken but often it's too late. Prevent: Whilst there's no specific prevention, adding Carr's entracare to their water is great for all round tummy care. Feed a high fibre, natural diet with plenty of good quality hay, and not too much gassy veg/fruit. And groom regularly so fur is not ingested.
Rabbits have 28 teeth, 16 on top and 12 on the bottom. The most noticeable of these are the four incisors, the long teeth at the very front of the mouth. The back teeth are known as the ‘cheek teeth’. Malocclusion is seen in the four front incisions and is caused by misalignment of the jaw, normally caused by either some form of trauma, or from bad breeding. Spurs are hard to see without the use of an ophthalmoscope as they occur on their back teeth, these occur due to lack of roughage, not enough hay/fibre intake. Symptoms: The most obvious sign of teeth issues are loss of appetite (this can lead to stasis so it's important to get to a vet), but other signs are runny eyes, dropping food, a wet chin/paws, facial swelling, and they may be grinding teeth in pain. Recovery: Spurs will likely require filing under general anesthetic. Malocclusion will require either regular front teeth burring, which is unpleasant for all involved, or you can have the front incisors removed, rabbits cope surprisingly well without them. Prevent: It's important to get you rabbits from a good ethical breeder who know whats they're doing and puts the welfare of their rabbits above anything else. You may hear people telling you purebred and flat faced breed are the problem, however this is not at all true, I have bred minilops for over 10 years and not one of my own rabbits here have any teeth issues. Any breed, bred correctly does not cause these issues, in fact 'accidental' mating's of related pet rabbits and cross-bred rabbits with different face shapes are far more likely to suffer teeth issues. Also it's very important your rabbits main diet is fresh, good quality hay to keep that chewing motion constant that wears down their ever-growing teeth. Too many pellets/treats will fill them up and they will therefore not eat enough hay to stops spurs developing, this will also lead to them to become overweight which causes more health issues.
Symptoms: Fly strike can quickly lead to shock which is fatal in rabbits, and can happen very quickly. Below are behaviours to look out for associated with this: - Digging into a corner- they will be doing this to try get away from the pain. - Being very quiet and lethargic. - Not eating/drinking/moving. - You may also notice a strong smell coming from the hutch. Recovery: If you find maggots on your rabbit you must take it to your vet immediately, as your rabbit can get ill very quickly. If possible, ring ahead so it enables your vet to get prepared so that when you arrive they will be able to treat your rabbit immediately, as once they go into shock it's often fatal and hard for them to recover from. Prevent: They main thing is to keep you rabbit in clean, dry conditions. empty litters trays or dirty corners daily. Check their bottoms regularly to make sure they are free from feaces. I personally use a fly guard spray every few weeks, especially during the summer to deter flies. Certain rabbits are more susceptible to this, such as overweight rabbits, old rabbits, rabbits with urinary issues, so its important to protect them as they are more vulnerable. Rearguard is a prevention vet prescribed, which may be necessary for vulnerable rabbits. However, personally I had issue's using this treatment as it made some of my bunnies not eat for days and they went into stasis, so be aware.
Symptoms: Rabbits with snuffles have symptoms that look like a cold in humans. They will have mucus coming from the nostrils. They may also have runny eyes. There will be breathing problems, possibly some wheezing, coughing and sneezing, and your rabbit will feel poorly. Appetite will be reduced because it’s hard to breath and swallow with a blocked nose. Also wry neck can occur. Many rabbits with snuffles have dirty front paws because they have wiped their noses and eyes. Recovery: A vet will prescribe antibiotics to deal with the infection. This may ease and bring the rabbit back to appear healthy, however it will like reoccur repeatedly over time. For breeders, often the only option is to have the infected rabbit PTS to stop others becoming infected due to the highly contagious nature of Pasteurella. Prevent: Snuffles is a very contagious and difficult disease to treat, so prevention plays a very critical role in trying to control and eliminate this disease. The disease can be present in the nasal cavities without the rabbit showing any signs of disease, so a healthy-appearing rabbit can still develop signs later if he is stressed. Reducing stress is also very important in helping a rabbit avoid infections and reducing the severity of the disease if he does become infected. Common causes of stress in rabbits include poor nutrition, improper housing, chilling, overcrowding, or aggression from other rabbits. To prevent stress, provide the best possible housing. Offer a variety of fresh vegetables and good quality dust extracted hay in addition to a properly formulated pelleted or natural forage diet. Also, avoid letting your rabbit come into contact with other rabbits. |