-
Not to be confused with 5 a Day for humans, the Rabbit Way to 5 a Day is quite different. Fruit and vegetables are to a rabbit what sweets and chocolate are to us...
-
Easter is a popular time of year to buy a rabbit but it pays to do some research first...
-
An abscess is a pocket of fluid and pus caused by bacterial infection. Abscesses are relatively common in domestic rabbits...
-
There are a wide range of accessories available for rabbits including water bottles and bowls, food bowls, hay racks, tunnels and toys, harnesses, carriers...
-
The advantages of adopting a rabbit, including avoiding the risk of buying a rabbit with dental disease. The adoption process and cost...
-
Contrary to popular belief, allergic reactions to rabbits are not caused by their hair itself but by protein in their saliva. Therefore, anything that the rabbit licks (including their hair) has traces of this protein...
-
The American Chinchilla was bred in the USA from the Standard Chinchilla. A large meat and fur breed, it is now very rare.
-
There are several different kinds of bedding you could use in your rabbit's hutch or cage. Softwood litters have been shown to cause liver disease in rabbits...
-
Information on common rabbit behaviour, body language and noises, daily routine, companionship, hierarchy, personality, destructive behaviour, aggression, bonding and bereavement, handling, training and exercise.
-
Understanding the root causes of aggressive behaviour in rabbits and how to overcome behavioural problems...
-
The loss of a beloved pet can be made worse for rabbit owners by a commonly held attitude of "well, it was only a rabbit"...
-
How rabbits cope with the loss of a bonded partner and how to help them recover from it...
-
Bladder or calcium stones and/or sludge can occur when the rabbit is not processing calcium through its kidneys correctly...
-
Bloat is a condition where the stomach becomes stretched by excessive gas content, caused by the bacteria in a rabbit's stomach multiplying excessively as a result of incorrect feeding...
-
Understanding a rabbit's body language and common postures is helpful in building a relationship with your rabbit...
-
How rabbits relate to each other, their hierarchy and behaviour towards each other and common bonded rabbit behaviour...
-
Information on introducing two rabbits, the bonding process, which rabbit pairings are best...
-
There are more than 60 breeds of rabbit ranging in size from dwarf to giant, varying in colour, appearance, lifespan and temperament. Breed standards and colours vary between countries.
-
The Britannia Petite was developed in Britain in the mid 19th century and is known there as the Polish rabbit. This dwarf breed is extremely lively and energetic.
-
The British Giant rabbit breed is derived from the Flemish Giant rabbit and arose as a seperate breed in the UK in the 1940s. They have good temperaments and are excellent with children and other pets.
-
Breed profile of the Californian rabbit, very similar in look to the Himalayan but larger, the Californian was developed as a meat and fur breed in the 1920s. Californians are popular pets due to their calm, friendly nature
-
The Checkered Giant is one of the largest rabbit breeds, easily recognised by its distinctive coloured markings. They are active, energetic rabbits and can be very playful.
-
Rabbits should be seen more as a family pet, with the parents being the rabbit's primary carer. However, rabbits and children can get along very well...
-
Breed profile of the Chinchilla rabbit, a docile and gentle breed with very soft, silky fur and popular as pets. These rabbits originated in France in the early 1900s, and were named for the similarity of their fur to the South American rodent.
-
Coccidiosis is a disease that affects other animals, usually dogs, as well as rabbits. It is caused by microscopic parasites that live in the intestine...
-
Common or everyday behaviour displayed by rabbits including chinning, thumping, eating droppings, growling, nudging, flopping, binkying...
-
The importance of companionship for rabbit, the pros and cons of single versus bonded rabbits, finding a friend for your rabbit...
-
Constipation occurs when there are hard faeces which are difficult for the rabbit to expel. There is a much higher risk of constipation when a rabbit is moulting...
-
Feeding the correct diet is vital to your rabbit's health and wellbeing and should consist of approximately 80% hay, 10% dry food and 10% fresh food...
-
Minor cuts and wounds on rabbits are usually inflicted by another rabbit or by collision with a sharp object...
-
The symptoms, causes and treatment of dental disease (malocclusion) in rabbits, commonly known as overgrown teeth...
-
Destructive behaviour in rabbits is usually caused, or made worse, by boredom and lack of stimulation. It can be greatly reduced with boredom busters...
-
Diagnosing rabbit illnesses can be difficult even for experienced, rabbit-savvy vets and observations from the owner can be very helpful...
-
Diarrhoea is usually caused by another illness but can also be caused by incorrect diet, stress, cold and draughts...
-
Some interesting facts about rabbits, rabbit origins and history and rabbit mythology...
-
Pet rabbits have traditionally been fed this kind of food as the main part of their diet but the advice these days is only to feed dry food in small amounts, approximately 2 to 3 oz per rabbit per day...
-
Breed profile of the Dutch rabbit. Good-natured, friendly and intelligent, popular as house rabbits and childrens pets. Dutch rabbits are one of the oldest rabbit breeds...
-
Breed profile of the Dwarf Lop rabbit, a British breed similar to the Mini Lop in the USA. This breed is good-natured and playful, although prone to hereditary teeth problems.
-
E.Cuniculi (Encephalitozoon Cuniculi) is a parasite that lives in the rabbit's body cells. It is estimated that over 50% of domestic rabbits carry this parasite but only a small percentage of these go on to develop problems...
-
Ear mites invade a rabbit's ears, they are also known as canker, are highly contagious and can be very painful and distressing to the rabbit...
-
Breed profile of the The English Lop, the oldest of the lop-eared rabbit breeds. Placid and friendly in temperament, they are large rabbits with very long ears.
-
The English Spot originated in Britain in the mid 19th century, became a very popular breed and much sought after as a household pet. The English Spot is a friendly, inquisitive rabbit with an engaging personality.
-
Enteritis is an inflammation of the intestine caused by a sudden change in diet. It mainly affects very young rabbits between 4 and 8 weeks old...
-
Regular exercise is very important for rabbits with a minimum of 4 hours free run a day recommended. You can encourage exercise and prevent boredom by playing games with your rabbit...
-
It is not particularly easy to take a rabbit for a walk on a harness and much time and patience is needed to train a rabbit to do this...
-
Exercise is very important for rabbits, helping to keep them healthy and happy. Rabbits love to run and jump and do some amazing midair acrobatics...
-
Runny eyes (epiphora) is fairly common in rabbits and has a variety of causes...
-
The importance of hay in a rabbit's diet cannot be overstated and a poor diet can lead to major problems with dental disease and obesity...
-
Information on what is the correct rabbit diet, types of hay and commercial dry rabbit food, safe vegetables and fruit, poisonous plants, supplements and feeding problems.
-
Fleas are uncommon in rabbits but they can also be infected by dog or cat fleas. Fleas must be treated swiftly...
-
Breed profile of the Flemish Giant, the largest breed of rabbit in the world, weighing around 7-8kg (15-18lbs). Popular for their large size and very laid-back, calm temperament, these gentle giants make great pets.
-
Flystrike (myiasis) is a potentially fatal illness that can affect any rabbit. It occurs when flies lay eggs in a rabbit's fur, usually around its bottom, which then mature into maggots...
-
Breed profile of the French Lop, the largest of the lop-eared breeds. These rabbits have a calm, even temperament and are generally good with children. Good natured and social, they will thrive on interaction with people, as well as with other rabbits.
-
Rabbits enjoy eating a wide variety of vegetables and fruit and these are a great addition to your rabbit's diet...
-
General information on rabbits; the key facts about rabbits, children and rabbits, history of rabbits, adoption, bereavement, holiday care, rehoming, allergies...
-
Probably the most serious, immediate problem a rabbit can have, gut stasis is when the rabbit's digestive system literally shuts down...
-
The Giant Chinchilla rabbit was bred in the USA from the Standard Chinchilla. Often called the 'Million Dollar rabbit', it is a very large meat and fur breed. Giant Chinchillas are becoming increasingly rare, but can be docile and gentle pets.
-
The Giant Papillon is one of the largest rabbit breeds, distinctive for its dark spotted markings on a white coat. Usually gentle and good-natured, they are active, energetic rabbits and can be very playful.
-
Rabbits are very clean animals and groom themselves thoroughly several times a day but sometimes they need a little help from us...
-
Hairballs occur when the rabbit has ingested too much hair through grooming. There is a much higher risk of hairballs when the rabbit is moulting...
-
How to handle your rabbit, stroking, cuddling and picking up...
-
Most rabbits will eat any kind of hay but it can be useful to try different kinds to encourage picky eaters or simply to introduce some variety into your rabbit's diet...
-
General rabbit health information and overviews of rabbit diseases and illnesses, their symptoms, causes and treatments; healthchecks, nursing, diagnosing, rabbit vets, neutering/spaying, grooming and nail clipping.
-
It is important to give your rabbit regular health checks, perhaps once a week in the winter and once every day or so in the summer when they are more at risk of fly related diseases...
-
Heat exhaustion or heat stroke can occur when a rabbit is exposed to high temperatures, even for a short period of time...
-
Hierarchy is very important to rabbits; in the wild it is necessary to keep the peace in a large warren and domestic rabbits are also hierarchical, amongst themselves and with us...
-
Breed profile of the Himalayan rabbit, one of the oldest breeds known for its distinctive colouring of dark points on a white coat. Popular childrens pets and house rabbits, Himalayans are generally very calm, good-natured and friendly.
-
Rabbits belong to the order of mammals called Lagomorpha, which includes 40 or so species of rabbits, hares and Pikas. Fossil records suggest that Lagomorpha evolved in Asia...
-
Options for the care of your rabbit when you go on holiday. Homecare, boarding, travelling with rabbits...
-
The Holland Lop is the smallest of the lop-eared rabbit breeds. Very popular as pets, they are lively rabbits, although generally good-natured and friendly. They are active, playful, and will thrive on attention.
-
Even if your house rabbit has completely free run of your house or flat, you will still need to provide it with space for its litter tray, feeding area and sleeping area...
-
With house rabbits growing in popularity, we take a took at the similarities and differences between living with rabbits or cats...
-
Information on different types of cages, hutches and exercise runs for rabbits, house rabbit habitat, litter training and rabbit proofing, types of bedding and litter, moving rabbits between indoors/outdoors.
-
To keep a rabbit outdoors you will need to invest in a good, sturdy hutch and exercise run and it is even more important to provide your rabbit with companionship...
-
If you want to keep your rabbit indoors but are worried about damage to your furniture or already have a cat or dog that might harm your rabbit, a good option is to keep it in an cage and let it out for supervised exercise...
-
Veterinary treatment remains moderately expensive and should your rabbit require medical attention for any reason, having protection in place to pay the resulting bills will provide you with peace of mind...
-
The different lifestages of a rabbit, how long they live, how age influences behaviour, and how to care for rabbits from youth to old age...
-
Breed profile of the Lionhead, one of the newest rabbit breeds, named for the mane of long hair standing up in a fringe around the head. They are small rabbits, lively and energetic but good-natured.
-
Rabbits always use one corner of their hutch or cage as a toilet and this makes it very easy to litter train them...
-
Breed profile of the Mini Lop, an American dwarf lop breed derived from the German Lop, crossed with the Chinchilla. Similar to the Dwarf Lop in the UK, Mini Lops are friendly and enjoy the company of people and other rabbits.
-
Breed profile of the Mini Rex rabbit. The first 'mini' Rex rabbits were bred in the Netherlands, a result of cross-breeding Netherland Dwarfs with Rex rabbits. They are quite active rabbits and can be boisterous and playful.
-
Breed profile of the Miniature Lion Lop, one of the newest rabbit breeds developed by crossing Lionhead rabbits with mini lops. They are small rabbits with a mane of long hair around the head, active and social in character, mini lion lops are popular pets.
-
Breed profile of the Miniature Lop, the smallest of the lop-eared breeds, known in the USA as the Holland Lop. Mini lops are lively, social and active rabbits with a dense coat and stocky build.
-
Rabbits regulate their body temperature by growing a thinner or thicker coat so this makes it difficult to move them frequently between indoors and outdoors...
-
The most well known rabbit disease, myxomatosis is rife in the wild rabbit population but domestic rabbits can be vaccinated...
-
The Netherland Dwarf is among the very smallest rabbit breeds and has a compact, rounded appearance. They are timid, lively, active and love climbing.
-
Neutering male rabbits is essential if you are planning to keep two rabbits together to prevent fighting or breeding. Even if you are not, it is highly recommended for several reasons...
-
The New Zealand Red actually originated in the United States and was bred in California around 1910 as a commercial breed for the meat and fur trade. New Zealand Reds are calm, easy-going and friendly rabbits.
-
The New Zealand White is a large rabbit, originally bred in the United States for the meat and fur trade. They are exceptionally calm and docile rabbits.
-
Nursing a sick rabbit or caring for a rabbit after an operation can be difficult and should always be done in consultation with a vet...
-
Obesity in rabbits is caused by an incorrect diet that is too high in dry food (commercial rabbit food) and too low in hay...
-
The pros and cons of having a pair of bonded rabbits, the long term aspects to consider and how to provide enough companionship for a single rabbit...
-
How to keep rabbits safe outdoors from predators and poisonous plants, providing the right shelter, and what health warning signs to watch out for...
-
The Palomino originated in the USA in the 1950s and is easily recognisable for its distinctive fawny orange colour. Hardy and strong, this docile breed is popular as both a show rabbit and a pet.
-
Pasteurella is commonly known as snuffles in rabbits due to its primary symptom of a runny nose. As many of 85% of rabbits carry the bacteria...
-
Rabbit personality is influenced by age, breed, gender, sex and living conditions. Discovering your rabbit's own unique personality is one of the great joys of rabbit ownership...
-
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs that often occurs as a complication of another illness, usually Pasteurella (snuffles)...
-
Rabbits do not have an instinct for what plants are safe to eat and which aren't. If you let your rabbit out in your garden, chances are it will try a nibble at most things...
-
The Polish rabbit is the among the very smallest breeds and distinctive for its elegant, upright pose. Polish rabbits are extremely lively and energetic.
-
The American Polish rabbit has its roots in the British Polish breed, from which it takes its name. It is a compact, rounded rabbit, somewhat calmer in temperament than most dwarf breeds.
-
Understand what is going on in your rabbit's head and what emotions it may experience including jealousy, anger, fear, grief, love, irritability and insecurity...
-
Certain breeds of rabbit are prone to serious health issues caused by human interference in rabbit genetics, the most common of which is dental disease in dwarf and lop eared breeds...
-
Pet rabbit breed profiles including dutch, netherland dwarf, lop, dwarf lop, mini lop, lionhead. Information on size, lifespan, temperament, colours, care, suitability as childrens pet, house rabbit.
-
If you have a house rabbit, certain actions need to be taken to ensure the safety of the rabbit, much like child proofing...
-
What really makes rabbits happy? The answer is simple - just think about the rabbit's natural life in the wild and the rest will follow...
-
It is possible for rabbits to form bonds with other pets, particularly if they do not have companionship in the form of another rabbit...
-
Information from Bunnyhugga readers on calcium problems in their own rabbits, the symptoms, causes and treatment...
-
Information from Bunnyhugga readers on dental disease in their own rabbits, the symptoms, causes and treatment...
-
Information from Bunnyhugga readers on E Cuniculi in their own rabbits, the symptoms, causes and treatment...
-
Information from Bunnyhugga readers on GI Stasis in their own rabbits, the symptoms, causes and treatment...
-
Information from Bunnyhugga readers on runny eyes in their own rabbits, the symptoms, causes and treatment...
-
Information from Bunnyhugga readers on tumours in their own rabbits, the symptoms, causes and treatment...
-
There are many reasons why an owner may be forced to rehome their rabbit. You may be moving abroad or have a change in financial circumstances...
-
Breed profile of the Rex rabbit, an intelligent breed, affectionate and maternal, often mothering other rabbits. Rex rabbits have a unique plush texture to their coat, due to a gene mutation.
-
Rabbits are crepuscular which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. To a certain extent, domestic rabbits follow this pattern too. This is a typical daily routine for a house rabbit...
-
The Satin rabbit breed originated in the United States in the 1930s and is named for the unique shine and texture of its fur. Satin are gentle, friendly, medium to large sized rabbits with very soft coats.
-
The majority of pet food brands contain battery farmed meat, whether this be rabbit, chicken or other. This campaign aims to raise awareness and promote alternative brands which contain humanely farmed or free range meat...
-
Rabbit battery farming could return to the UK for the first time in 15 years. Find out more here and sign our petition...
-
To keep a rabbit free range in a shed or outbuilding it is vital to make the shed or outbuilding completely safe and predator proof...
-
Cheyletiella mites, commonly referred to as skin mites or mange mites, are the most common skin problem seen in rabbits...
-
Sore hocks are a relatively common problem, especially in house rabbits. As domestic rabbits are usually kept on hard surfaces, their toenails cannot dig in to the ground...
-
Spaying female rabbits is very important for health reasons. The chance of uterine cancer in females over the age of 5 is approximately 80%...
-
"Sticky bottom" syndrome occurs when the fur around the rabbit's bottom becomes caked with soft droppings and is usually caused by poor diet...
-
If fed the correct diet, rabbits should receive all the vitamins and minerals they need and no supplements or treats are necessary. However, supplements can be useful in providing variety and preventing boredom...
-
The Five Freedoms are set out in the Animal Welfare Act of 2006 and apply to all animals including rabbits...
-
Rabbits are moving out of their hutches and into our homes without a cage in sight. Welcome to the wonderful world of house rabbits...
-
Rabbits at a glance - including companionship, accommodation, exercise, handling, feeding, healthcare, common behaviour and common problems
-
Rabbits are now the most neglected pet in Britain - shocking, yes, but not surprising. There is still a huge gap between the general public's knowledge of rabbits and that of the rabbit community...
-
Tonic Immobility (TI) is a state of motor inhibition that can occur in prey animals as a last defence against a predator, therefore it is stressful to rabbits and is not recommended...
-
How to train a rabbit with simple voice commands...
-
The field of rabbit medicine has grown considerably in recent years and finding an experienced rabbit vet may mean the difference between life and death...
-
VHD is widespread in the wild rabbit population but is easily preventable by vaccination for domestic rabbits...
-
Rabbits noises including grunting, honking, growling, sighing, clucking, teeth purring, thumping, sneezing, squealing, screaming
