EXOTIC PETS :: RABBITS

Diet

Rabbits make intelligent, friendly and quiet house pets. The average life span for a bunny is 7 to 10 years, with records of up to 15 years of age being reported. The following information is designed to help you take the best care of your pet and enjoy a happy, healthy life with him or her.

Rabbit Pellets

A good quality rabbit pellet may be offered daily but in limited quantities. The uncontrolled feeding of a pelleted diet can lead to obesity, heart and liver disease, chronic diarrhea, and kidney disease which results from the high concentration of carbohydrates, low fiber and high calcium levels in the pellets. Make sure that you buy pellets high in fiber (18 percent or more), and that you buy small quantities. Oxbow Hay Company sells very reasonable, high fiber pellets. You can find them on the web. Keep the pellets refrigerated or cool and dry to prevent spoilage. Old, rancid pellets can cause a rabbit to stop eating.

The following chart shows daily amounts to be fed to your bunny. Do not refill the bowl even if the pellets are all eaten before the next day. Overfeeding of pellets is the number one cause of health problems we see. Keep your rabbit healthy by not overdoing it! Rabbits up to eight months of age can have access to pellets free choice, because they are still growing rapidly. However, after eight months of age, they should receive the following maintenance diet.

• 2-4 lb. of body weight--1/8 cup daily
• 5-7 lb. of body weight--1/4 cup daily
• 8-10 lb. of body weight--1/2 cup daily
• 11 - 15 lb of body weight--3/4 cup daily

Please note that these food amounts are for the maintenance of the non-breeding, mature house rabbit. If you intend to breed your pet, then we suggest increasing the daily pellet amounts by 1/4 cup during the breeding season. For does that are nursing babies, the pellets should be increased over a 4 to 5 day period to free-choice until the babies are weaned. After the breeding period is over, resume feeding at the maintenance levels as listed above.

In some situations, your veterinarian may recommend that pellets should be removed totally from the diet. Do not become alarmed, because your pet will be able to receive all the nutrients necessary from the hay and fresh foods that you will be instructed to feed. This is commonly the treatment suggested by our hospital for very overweight bunnies that need to lose weight safely. Avoid pellets with dried vegetables and fruits. These are not healthy for bunnies.

Hay

Timothy, Orchard, or other grass hay (but not alfalfa) should be offered daily in limited amounts. It is important that hay be available at all times for your pet. In fact, 90 percent of your bunny's diet should consist of hay! Rabbits tend to eat small amounts of food frequently throughout the day and withholding hay for long periods of time can lead to intestinal upsets.

We prefer the loose, long strands of hay, as opposed to the pressed cubes or chopped hay. The fiber in the hay is extremely important in promoting normal digestion and for the prevention of hairballs. Hay also contains proteins and other nutrients essential to the good health of your pet. We no longer recommend the use of alfalfa hay, particularly if it is being used along with pellets (which are already high in alfalfa), because it may provide too much calcium and extra carbohydrates, which may lead to serious health problems and digestive upsets. If the rabbit is on a no pellet diet, then alfalfa hay may be used in unlimited amounts, but weight loss may be more difficult to achieve.

Check with your local pet stores for timothy hay or other types of grass hay. They can be purchased on the web at Oxbow Hay Company. Also check with local feed stores and horse barns, because many of these places will sell you a "flake" of hay off a bale at a very nominal cost. Hay should be stored in a cool, dry place with good air circulation (don't close it tightly in a plastic bag). Discard wet or damp hay, or any hay that does not have a "fresh" smell. The best way to offer the hay is to use a hayrack on the outside of the cage. Your pet can pull the hay into the cage through the bars, as he or she needs it. This keeps the hay clean and eliminates much of the waste.

At certain times of the year and in certain locations, it may be difficult to obtain grass hay. At these times it is okay to use hays mixed with alfalfa, or use strictly alfalfa hay for a short period of time. The most important thing is to always have hay available to the pet. Remember, we are restricting the pellets, and the hay is a major source of fiber and nutrients.

Fresh Foods

These foods should be given daily. Rabbits in the wild eat primarily tough, fibrous leaves, bark and other difficult to digest plants. Their digestive tract functions best when it has the most work to do in breaking down cellulose. If your pet is not used to getting any fresh foods, then start out gradually with the green leafy veggies and add a new food item from the list every 5 to 7 days. If the addition of any item leads to diarrhea or unformed stools in 24 to 48 hours, then remove it from the diet.

Young bunnies should also be introduced to new foods gradually. However, once your pet is eating these foods, try to give at least three types daily. We find that the addition of these fresh fibrous foods, along with the hay, helps in the prevention of hairballs and other digestive upsets. Plus, your bunny will love you for it!

The following are all foods that you can try on your pet. The total amount of fresh food that can be given daily, once your pet has been gradually introduced to it as described above, is about one heaping cup per 5 pounds of body weight.

• Basil
• Beet tops
• Bok choy
• Broccoli (don't forget the leaves)
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrot and carrot tops
• Collard greens
• Clover
• Dandelion greens and flowers (these are excellent, but no pesticides, please)
• Escarole
• Green peppers
• Kale
• Parsley
• Pea pods (the flat edible kind)
• Peppermint leaves
• Radicchio
• Raspberry leaves
• Romaine lettuce (don't give light colored leaf lettuce or iceberg lettuce)
• Spinach

Try to feed at least three different types of greens daily. Feeding just one type of green food only (especially broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts and spinach) may lead to nutrient imbalances.

Treat Foods

In a small amount, you can give one of these "treat" foods daily, (give about one level tablespoon per 5 lbs. of body weight):

• Apple
• Dried whole grain bread
• Melon
• Papaya
• Peach
• Pear
• Pineapple
• Raspberries
• Strawberries

One can alternately give one level teaspoon per 5 pounds body weight of banana or dried fruit.

WE DO NOT RECOMMEND GIVING ANY OF THE FOLLOWING FOODS ROUTINELY BECAUSE OF THEIR POTENTIAL FOR CAUSING DIETARY UPSET AND OBESITY:

• Salty or sugary snacks
• Nuts
• Chocolate
• Breakfast cereals and other grains (including oatmeal and corn)
• AVOID CRACKERS AND BREAD TYPE PRODUCTS

Water

This should always be available and changed daily. A dirty water container can breed bacteria that can cause disease. The container can be either a water bottle or heavy bowl that is weighted or secured to the side of the cage so that it does not tip over. Do not use medications or vitamins in the water, because your pet may not drink if the taste or color is altered.

Vitamins

These are not felt to be necessary if the rabbit is getting pellets, hay and fresh foods in the diet. In fact, the indiscriminate use of vitamins may lead to over dosage and serious disease.

Salt or Mineral Block Not necessary for the house pet on the described diet. You may want to have one available for those animals kept outdoors in warm climates and for breeding animals. (We do not recommend keeping pet rabbits outdoors.)

Night Droppings

It may seem strange to list this as a part of the diet, but these "special droppings" are an essential part of your pet's nutrition. During certain times of the day, usually in the evening, you may observe your pet licking the anal area and actually eating some of the droppings in the process.

These cecal (we are not confusing this with the word fecal) pellets are softer, greener, and have a stronger odor than the normal hard, dry round waste droppings. Your pet knows when these droppings are being produced and will take care of eating them himself. These cecal pellets come from the cecum, which is the part of the digestive system where fermentation of food takes place, and they are rich in vitamins and nutrients, which are needed by your pet to maintain good health. After eating these "vitamin pellets," he will redigest this material and extract all the necessary nutrients. This habit may appear distasteful to us, but it is normal and important for your pet.

Occasionally, a rabbit will drop these cecal pellets along with the waste pellets instead of eating them. They will be soft, brighter green, come in clumps and are misshapen, but formed and have an odor. This is not considered diarrhea, and, if it only occurs occasionally, is not considered a disease problem.

Environment & Handling

Cage

Puppy crates with solid floors work great as cages for rabbits.

Litter Box

Rabbits can be litter box trained relatively easily. Initially, you need to keep your pet in a small area, either in a cage or a blocked off section of the room and place a litter box in the corner. Try to pick the corner your pet has already used. Make sure the sides of the box are low enough so your pet can get in and out easily. It is helpful to put some of the droppings in the box.

You can reward your pet with one of the treat foods listed previously whenever he or she has used the box successfully. Do not punish your pet while in the litter box. Do not worry if your pet sits for extended periods in the litter box. Sitting in the box can be allowed as long as he is not soiling himself.

Bedding

Pelleted paper or other organic products make the best bedding. These products are nontoxic and digestible if eaten, easier to clean up than shavings or clay litter, control odor better and are compostable. Some examples are Cellu-Dri and Yesterday's News (which are paper products), Mountain Cat Kitty Litter or Harvest Litter (pelleted wheat grass products), and Critter Litter (pelleted out hulls).

There are many more products on the market and we suggest consulting your pet store. Avoid cedar and pine shavings as bedding!

Temperature

Rabbits should be kept in the coolest and least humid area of the house. Studies have shown that bunnies kept in warm humid environments with poor air circulation have a dramatic increase in the incidence of respiratory disease over those animals kept in cool, dry environments with good air circulation.

Damp basements are one of the worst areas to keep your pet. If your rabbit must be kept in a basement, invest in a dehumidifier and a fan to keep out dampness and improve air circulation.

The optimum temperature range for a bunny is 60-70 degrees F. When the temperature gets into the mid 70s, one may see an increase in drooling and nasal discharge. If temperatures reach the upper 80s and beyond, and especially if the humidity is high, the potential for a fatal heat stroke is very real.

On very hot days, when air conditioning is not available, it is helpful to leave a plastic milk jug filled with frozen water in the cage to work as a portable "air conditioner."

Please keep fresh, cool water available, as this will also help to keep the body temperature down. If your pet should actually experience a heat stress reaction, try holding an ice cube on the ear or gently wetting your pet down with cool, but not cold, water. If the heat stroke is severe, veterinary attention will be necessary.

If your bunny is being kept outdoors in either warm or cold weather, make sure that part of the cage is sheltered from the wind and the sun. For the winter, it is advisable to use straw bedding in the sheltered area for insulation and make sure that the water bowl is changed daily, as your pet can dehydrate rapidly if the water is frozen for days.

Handling

There are a number of ways to pick up your pet depending on how calm he is and his size. The main thing to remember is to always support the hindquarters to prevent serious spinal injuries. Rabbits' backbones are fragile and can easily snap when the hind legs are allowed to dangle and the animal then gives one strong kick. Unfortunately, these injuries are usually permanent and frequently result in the euthanasia of the pet, so the best policy is prevention. Never pick up a bunny by its sensitive ears; it's very painful and totally unnecessary! It is better to grasp the loose skin over the shoulders and then place your other hand under the back legs to lift your bunny from the floor. Work near the floor when first learning to handle your pet so that if they jump out of your arms they don't have far to go.

It may also be useful to put your bunny on its back when trying to trim nails and examine the underside of your pet. Most rabbits will learn to relax in this position and can withstand quite a bit of handling. Work on the floor and put the rabbit on its back with its head just over the edge of your knees so that it hangs down a little. Restrain the body firmly between your thighs. Talk softly and stroke its chest and abdomen gently. It may be necessary to have a second person hold one set of legs when first learning to trim nails in this position. However, many pets become so relaxed that one person can do all the grooming by themselves.

Young children should always be supervised when handling rabbits!

Medical Problems

Females

The leading cause of death in the female rabbit is a cancer of the uterus called adenocarcinoma. This is a malignant disease and, unfortunately, by the time it is diagnosed, has usually spread to other areas of the body. This cancer is preventable by having your pet spayed between six months and two years of age. The spay procedure involves removal of the bunny's uterus and ovaries. This surgery, called ovariohysterectomy, also helps to prevent the occurrence of breast cancer later in life.

Males

Some male bunnies, especially the dwarf varieties, may become extremely aggressive when they reach sexual maturity. There may be excessive biting and spraying of urine outside of the regular litter box area. The urine may develop a very strong and unpleasant odor due to the presence of male hormones, and these little boys may not groom themselves well, developing stained and messy tail areas. These males may start attacking other rabbits, leading to serious bite wounds. The best solution to these behavioral problems is castration (surgical removal of the testicles). This procedure is recommended to be done any time after five months of age.

Overgrown teeth

Overgrown incisors (the front teeth) are usually caused by a congenital defect. Other causes can be injury or trauma to the teeth, infection in the roots of the incisors, or misalignment or infection of the molar teeth (the back teeth).

Rabbits' teeth constantly grow throughout their lives. If the incisors or molars are not lined up properly, then they do not get worn down, which results in overgrowth. Overgrown teeth can cause mouth infections, ulcerations of the lips or tongue and inability to pick up and eat food. The most common treatment for these overgrowths is to have the teeth cut periodically (every three to eight weeks). We do not recommend the use of nail trimmers for this procedure, because it can easily result in the fracture of the incisor deep under the gum with the potential for subsequent gum infection. Your veterinarian will use a special instrument to trim the teeth more safely.

If the molars are involved, or if the animal is very skittish, a general anesthetic/sedative may be required for the teeth trimming procedure. A permanent cure for overgrown incisors is the complete removal of the incisors under a general anesthetic. Rabbits are able to eat normally afterwards and teeth trimming will obviously no longer be necessary. If your pet has teeth problems, please discuss the options with your veterinarian.

Loss of Appetite

There is a variety of reasons why a bunny will lose his appetite. The most common reason in our experience is a diet low in fiber and high in calories. This combination can lead to obesity, fatty liver disease, sluggish movement of the intestinal tract, and accumulation of hair and food in the stomach (hairballs).

We consider hairballs to be a symptom of other problems (usually a poor diet) and generally not a primary disease in itself. Angora breeds, which have very long hair, may be an exception to this rule, because the length of their hair may make it difficult to pass.

Another common condition that can cause appetite loss is dental disease. Overgrown molars that have sharp edges, which lacerate the tongue, and abscesses of any of the tooth roots can cause a pet to cease eating due to pain.

Less common, but very serious conditions that can also lead to appetite loss include uterine infections, abscesses, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, middle ear infections, eating toxic materials and bladder and kidney infections.

Loss of appetite is something that should be investigated by your veterinarian within 48 hours, even if the pet is acting normally. Rabbits rapidly develop a deteriorating condition of the liver when they go without food for long periods of time. If the liver deteriorates excessively, there may be no way to reverse the process. Early diagnosis and treatment of appetite loss is the best way to save your pet's life.

Pasteurellosis

A large percentage of rabbits harbor bacteria in their sinuses called Pasteurella multocida. This bacteria doesn't cause a problem in most bunnies with a healthy immune system. However, under certain stress situations, such as poor diet, high environmental temperatures, poor air circulation, overcrowding, moving, etc., this bacteria can reproduce rapidly and cause potentially serious disease.

This bacteria may cause infections of the upper respiratory tract, uterus, skin, kidney, bladder, tear ducts, middle ear or lungs. Please have your pet examined if you observe any discharges around the eyes, nose or anal area, or if there is a loss of appetite, depression, diarrhea, head tilt, loss of balance or labored breathing. Never attempt to use antibiotics without veterinary supervision. Your pet's gastrointestinal tract is an extremely delicate organ, dependent on large populations of healthy bacteria to digest the food. If antibiotics are given indiscriminately, death may result, because the antibiotic killed the normal bacteria in the gut, which led to the overgrowth of deadly bacteria.

The pasteurella test is a blood test now available to detect if a rabbit is carrying this bacteria in its system. Only a drop of blood is required. This test may be recommended by your veterinarian in certain situations such as for potential breeding animals, new pets and in certain disease states.

Diarrhea

True diarrhea is not common in the rabbit. This is a condition where all stool being passed is in a liquid form. This is usually a very serious condition and in the event of diarrhea, your pet should be seen by your veterinarian immediately. Some serious gastrointestinal infections that result in diarrhea can be fatal in less than 24 hours.

What most people refer to as diarrhea is an intermittent passing of soft liquid or pudding-like stools. The rabbit will also pass normal formed stools. The soft stools may be seen more frequently at certain times of the day (many times overnight) and may have a strong odor and accumulate on the rabbit's fur. The liquid stools are actually the cecal pellets, as described above in Night Droppings section) that are unformed. There are a variety of reasons for this condition, but by far the most common reason is a lack of sufficient fiber in the diet and obesity. Eliminating the pellets from the diet and feeding good quality grass hay only for one to three months may clear up the problem. Consult your veterinarian if your pet has this condition before making changes in the diet.

Above all, enjoy your pet and give him or her your love and affection. Your pet deserves it and he or she will repay you with years of enjoyment and the opportunity to see life at a slower, calmer, "bunny pace."