If you’re looking to bring a rabbit into your home, then you’ll need to make a few adjustments to ensure that they’re kept safe and happy. Let’s run through a few of the more important changes you might make.
Creating a Safe and Spacious Living Area
Rabbits need plenty of space to run around in. If they’re cooped up for much of the day, then they risk developing mental and physical difficulties.
If you’re housing the rabbit outside, then you might need to design and build an enclosure that will protect it from predators and other hazards (including other domestic animals). Or, you can simply buy one of these ready-made. Ideally, this enclosure will adjoin the rabbit’s living space. That way, they can simply come and go at their leisure.
If you do decide to build an enclosure yourself, then make sure that it’s robust enough that an animal can’t get out – or in.
For indoor rabbits, cordoning off a particular room, or a corner of one, might be necessary. Be aware that you’ll need to deal promptly with droppings and soiled hay – but this is a consideration that’s important wherever the animal is housed.
Providing a Balanced and Nutritious Diet
Like any other animal, rabbits depend on a balanced diet in order to thrive. This should mostly consist of high-quality hay and grass. You can top this up with vegetables and pellets. However, try to avoid muesli-style mixes.
Most rabbits will simply pick out the sweetest pellets, which can lead to them not getting the right blend of nutrients. Feeding hay for rabbits is widely available and affordable– make sure that you have a steady supply of it.
Ensuring Social Interaction and Mental Stimulation
For rabbits to truly thrive, they’ll need to be exposed to other rabbits – or to other, non-threatening animals like Guinea pigs. If practical, it’s worth adopting these animals in pairs, so that they can avoid loneliness and other psychological symptoms. Make sure that the environment itself is stimulating, too, with plenty of tunnels to explore and toys to chew.
Scheduling Regular Veterinary Care
Your rabbits will occasionally need medical attention. It’s worth scheduling a regular check-up so that you can spot problems before they develop. Getting the animal neutered, and vaccinated against common diseases like myxomatosis and Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is also advisable in most cases.
It’s also worth paying attention to your rabbit so that you can get a feel for how they look and behave when they’re healthy. This will give you a baseline for diagnosing problems. Often, ill rabbits will be quieter, less active, or less hungry than normal. But if you don’t know what ‘normal’ is, then you might have difficulty noticing the change.
