The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Rabbit Health The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : Rabbit Health
Showing posts with label Rabbit Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rabbit Health. Show all posts

Sunday, January 9, 2022

Six Fascinating Facts About Rabbits


Rabbits are wonderful creatures, with adorable ears, faces, and paws. Many people assume rabbits are all the same, but they are unique, complex, and enchanting animals. Beyond the twitchy nose and soft fur, there are many delightful and interesting secrets to uncover about rabbits. Here are six fascinating facts:

They have distinct personalities

Gentle and cuddly, or feisty and opinionated, bunnies each have their own unique and individual personality. For example, some rabbits like to be patted, while others are very independent. Long-time rabbit owners know that each domestic rabbit has its own personality that shapes the way they interact with their owners.

To read more on this story, click here: Six Fascinating Facts About Rabbits


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Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Rabbit: Species Profile


Characteristics, Housing, Diet, and Other Information

Rabbits are very active and playful animals that are also very social; they will form a close bond with other rabbits and even with people. As long as you know what to expect from a pet rabbit, they have the potential to be wonderful pets. The ideal owner for a pet rabbit is an individual or family with the time and space to dedicate to an active pet that enjoys cuddling and playing and requires a bit of maintenance. Whether it involves daily interaction with owners or other rabbits, these animals require a lot of interaction. Rabbits come in many different breeds—lionhead, mini lop, mini rex, rex, lop, Dutch, English spot, and hotot, to name a few—and some can even be raised as show animals.

To read more on this story, click here: Rabbit: Species Profile



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Sunday, August 1, 2021

These Common Household Foods Can Be Poisonous To Your Pets



(Meredith) -- It’s National Pet Poison Prevention Week and many pet owners may not be aware of all of the foods that can be dangerous to their cats and dogs.

Pet expert Haylee Bergeland from DailyPaws.com has some important information you should know to keep your pet happy and healthy.

Bergeland says that common pet poisons owners tend to forget are things like caffeine.

To read more on this story, click here: These Common Household Foods Can Be Poisonous To Your Pets



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Friday, December 11, 2020

How to Groom Your Rabbit: A Complete Guide


What You'll Learn About Rabbit Care

Why grooming is necessary

Tools of the trade

Holding the animal correctly

A complete grooming routine

How to avoid incorrect grooming

Why a Routine Is Necessary

Long-haired bunnies need more attention to keep their coats in top shape. Long coats also hide problems such as overgrown nails, skin issues and lumps. A grooming routine makes the animal look great and offers the chance for a medical check. Short-haired rabbits keep themselves clean and need less assistance. However, they also need a weekly appointment for brushing, nail and ear care.

In addition to grooming and health checks, the sessions serve as bonding. Most importantly, rabbits cannot cough up hairballs like a cat. Combing prevents hair from clogging their digestive system—and your house.

To read more on this story, click here: How to Groom Your Rabbit: A Complete Guide



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Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Deadly Rabbit Virus Spreads to Los Angeles County


A deadly virus targeting domestic and wild rabbits has been detected for the first time in Los Angeles County, public health officials said.

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHDV2) was found in wild rabbits in Littlerock in the Antelope Valley and Juniper Hills in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced on Aug 4.

To read more on this story, click here: Deadly Rabbit Virus Spreads to Los Angeles County



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Thursday, May 30, 2019

How to Treat Ear Mites in Rabbits


Rabbits are susceptible to infection by a small oval shaped mite called Psoroptes cuniculi, which has a preference for ears. Rabbits can pick up infection when they contact eggs in hay, straw, or wood chip bedding.[1] Although the mites live in the ear, if the infection is not treated, it can spread to other parts of the body, such as the paws, head, neck, abdomen, or around the anus.[2] Learn how to treat ear mites so you can keep your rabbit healthy.


1- Clean everything the rabbit has touched. Ear mites are very contagious. Because of this, everything the rabbit comes into contact with should be cleaned and disinfected in case they harbor mites or mite eggs.[3]

Dispose of all bedding materials and provide fresh bedding every day until the mites have been gotten rid of completely.

Scrub and disinfect the hutch and run. Make sure to clean it often while your rabbit has the infection.

Ear mites are highly infectious to other rabbits and can spread by direct contact. Therefore, all the rabbits in the household should be treated, too.

To read more on this story, click here: How to Treat Ear Mites in Rabbits

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Monday, October 15, 2018

Tiny Bunny Born Without Ears Gets Adorable Knitted Replacements


A tiny bunny born with no ears is living 'hoppily ever after' as her new adoptive owner knitted her a replacement pair.

Seven week-old runt of the litter Mimi is completely deaf and only has three legs, but Rodajia Welch created the bunny wool ears to ensure she can feel just as fabulous as her furry siblings.

The rabbit can 'be whoever she wants to be', as Rodajia has made an impressive collection of woollen ears for Mimi, after being inspired by cosplay.

Rodajia agreed to take on the litter and their mum after their elderly breeder became too ill to look after them properly.

Mimi's wardrobe includes a knitted flower crown, pink and white ears, as well as a pair of Minnie Mouse-inspired ones.

To read more on this story, click here: Tiny Bunny Born Without Ears Gets Adorable Knitted Replacements


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Sunday, October 7, 2018

Thinking About Getting A Pet Rabbit? Please Visit The 'House Rabbit Society's' Website For Information on Purchasing and Caring for a Pet Rabbit


House Rabbit Society is an international, nonprofit animal welfare organization based in Richmond, California. Our mission has two parts:

Through our fostering program, volunteers rescue abandoned rabbits and find permanent adoptive homes for them.

Through education, we seek to reduce the number of unwanted rabbits — and to improve bunnies’ lives — by helping people better understand these often misunderstood companion animals.

In line with our mission, we are against the exploitation of rabbits.

To visit their website, click here: Thinking About Getting A Pet Rabbit? FOLLOW US!
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Saturday, August 25, 2018

Meet Darius, the Worlds Largest Bunny Rabbit - He Weighs 49 Pounds!


Darius weighs 49 pounds and measures 4ft 4in, making him the world’s biggest rabbit, according to Guinness World Records.

His owner, Annette Edwards, 62, from Worcester, is considering putting him on a diet after revealing that he eats 12 carrots a day – more than 4,000 a year.

He also gets through piles of cabbage, apples and two large bowls of rabbit mix - at an annual cost of $2,400.




                      Carrot cruncher: Darius with six-year-old Mia, a family friend of his owner                              Annette Edwards.




              Darius the rabbit munches his way through a staggering 4,000 carrots a year                        costing over $2,000 a year.




                       Darius weighs over 49 pounds and measures 4ft 4in - making him the world's                         largest.

Ms. Edwards is well used to looking after bunnies with big appetites as Darius’s mother Alice held the record title before him.

And Ms. Edwards couldn’t believe the speed Darius grew at when he was born – and she never thought after just five years he would hold the crown for biggest rabbit in the world.

"Darius is from a family of giant rabbits but he is the biggest bunny in history. It’s amazing just how big he is."

"If Darius had his way he would never stop eating," she said. "He is very greedy. I have to really watch him."

"He has a great personality and so I can’t be too angry when he is trying to sneak more food."


                          Darius' owners say he has a great personality and so gets away with                                      sneaking extra snacks.




              Owner Annette Edwards, 62, from Worcester says if the greedy creature had his                    way, he'd eat all day.




            As the bunny's birthday is in April, the family say he really is the real-life Easter                      Bunny

"Darius eats me out of house and home but he is very active which is good for his health.’
graphic."

"Luckily he likes to hop around all the time. I had to put a child gate on the stairs to stop him going up there."

"I treat him like a dog. He even sits on the sofa with me to watch TV.  People love coming round to  see Darius – he is bigger than most dogs."

"The family all love him and he has a mischievous glint in his eye."

"He really is the real-life Easter bunny, as his birthday is in April and it always falls around Easter."

"There is no secret to growing the world’s biggest rabbit. I treat him really well and indulge him in the odd carrot or 12."

Continental giant rabbits usually live to four or five years, but can last up to seven if well cared for.

They are considered docile, friendly and intelligent, and are relaxed around humans if socialized when young. They were originally bred for their meat and fur.


        The family treat Darius like a dog - and let him sit on the sofa and watch television.



            The rabbit enjoys a stroke on the sofa after hopping around the family home.






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Wednesday, August 22, 2018

There Is An Island in Japan, Where Rabbits Rule


There is an island where rabbits rule. They are well fed, free from predators, and spend their time lounging around getting photographed by fawning humans. So where is this bunny paradise?

It’s a small island in the Seto Inland Sea called Ōkunoshima, two miles off the coast of the Japanese city of Takehara, in Hiroshima Prefecture. These days, though, it’s most often referred to by its nickname Usagi Jima, which translates to Rabbit Island and is so named for the hundreds of feral rabbits that call it home.

It’s a bit of a mystery how all these bunnies ended up on a tiny island whose previous claim to fame (infamy, actually) was as the spot where the Japanese Imperial Army manufactured thousands of tons of poison gas during World War II in a facility so secret the island was removed from all Japanese maps. According to The New York Times, the poison—mustard gas, phosgene and other types—was used against Chinese soldiers and civilians in the 1930s and 40s during the war in China, killing about 80,000 people by some estimates.

Some believe the island’s terrible history may hold the key to why rabbits now call it home. Back in 1929, when the army began manufacturing chemical weapons, rabbits were brought to the island and used to test the effectiveness of the poison gas, according to The Guardian. This gave rise to the belief that workers may have released the captive animals onto the island following the war. Most experts disagree with this version of events, though. Ellis Krauss, a professor of Japanese politics at the University of California San Diego, told the website The Dodo in a 2014 interview that the original rabbits were wiped out after the war: “The test rabbits were all euthanized by the Americans when they came to the island during the Occupation… about 200 of the poor things were being [used] in experiments by the Japanese,” said Krauss.

So if these rabbits aren’t the descendants of the test bunnies, where did they come from? About eight rabbits may have been released by  a group of school kids back in 1971. With no predators to worry about—cats and dogs are banned, as is hunting—these fast-breeding mammals may have multiplied (as they are famous for doing) to their present population of around 1,000 animals.

There may be an unfortunate side effect of the newfound popularity of Rabbit Island. According to researchers who spoke with takepart.com, all the visitors feeding the feral bunnies has led to an unsustainable population boom that has destroyed the island’s ecosystem. Similarly, what and when the rabbits are fed is wreaking havoc on their health resulting in only a two-year lifespan. They are often given cabbage, not the best choice for bunnies since it can cause bloat and is low in fiber, something the animals need a lot of to stay healthy. The boom and bust cycle of being fed a ton of food on sunny days during holidays and nothing at all on rainy days when no one comes to visit is compounding the problem since rabbits need a steady amount of food and there is very little vegetation left on the island for them to eat when tourists aren’t around.

Here’s some from Rabbit Island— see for yourself:




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Monday, August 6, 2018

Here Are 10 of The Most Common Diseases, Illnesses, And Ailments Among Rabbits


1. Ear Mites

Ear mites are tiny little bugs that set up shop in your rabbit’s ears. The ear will look really crusty, brown, and itchy.

So if you see your rabbits scratching their ears a lot, check them. After having a bout with ear mites, I now check my rabbit’s ears almost daily to be sure I keep a jump on them.

But if your rabbits get ear mites, don’t feel bad. My rabbits live in really clean conditions and are fed a proper diet and still ended up with them. What I found in my research is that ear mites often live in hay.

Well, if you are feeding your rabbits a proper diet it should include mainly hay. If you notice your rabbits ears are full of gunk, then it is time to get to work. You’ll need a dropper ( I actually use a squirt bottle like this.)

Then fill it with oil of any kind. I usually use vegetable oil because it is inexpensive, and then place a few drops of oil in the infected ear twice a day for 7 days. This smothers the ear mites and relieves the crusty skin from the ear.

However, it is important to mention, do NOT pick the scabs out of your rabbit’s ears. They will clear up naturally. Picking at it will be painful for your rabbit and also open them up to more possibility of infection. Just let the oil do the work.

But you can try to prevent ear mites by keeping hay in a hay feeder and not just allowing your rabbits to lay in it. I also try to put a drop of oil in each of my rabbits’ ears once a week as a preventative measure for ear mites.


2. Snuffles
You need to realize up front that it is not normal for an animal to ‘get a cold.’ I made this mistake with my chickens and lost a large portion of my flock one year.

So when you see that your rabbits have nasal discharge or are sniffling then you need to pay attention to what is happening. Other symptoms of the snuffles are matted paws, sneezing, and watery eyes.

Basically, this disease is best prevented by keeping your rabbits on a healthy diet and also keeping your rabbitry clean. The snuffles is a bacteria so if you keep their immune system ready to fight while also not giving bacteria a place to grow, then you should stay ahead of this disease.

However, if by some chance your rabbits develop this disease, then it is usually best to try and treat them with antibiotics, though they are not guaranteed to treat this illness.

So the best way to defeat this disease is to never let it set-up with your rabbits.


3. Heat Stroke
Heat stroke is something you have to really pay attention to when it comes to keeping rabbits. The reason is that they are very well insulated.

So on blistery cold nights you might be fearful of them freezing to death. When in reality if you provide a way to block the wind and give them extra hay (as chewing keeps them warm), then your rabbits should be just fine.

However, summer is a different story. Your rabbits need to be kept in the shade with lots of water as heat can quickly get to them. So if your rabbit is lethargic and it is warmer outside, then you’ll need to act quickly.

Be sure to quickly decrease their body temperature by spraying them gently with cool water. Then you will need to take them to a vet so they can be treated with IV fluids.

But your best bet is to try to avoid heat stroke all together. You can do this by giving your rabbits frozen water bottles. They can lay next to these bottles and absorb some of the cool.

Also, you can blow a fan on your rabbits indirectly so cool air can circulate around them. Don’t blow it directly on them as this can cause problems for your rabbit.


4. GI Stasis

GI Stasis is a serious and often fatal disease. Your best bet is to completely prevent the disease by feeding your rabbits a diet high in fiber which basically means giving them lots of hay.

However, you will recognize GI Stasis because your rabbit will become bloated, lethargic, suffer from loss of appetite, not drink fluids, and also quit going to the bathroom.

If your bun starts showing any of these signs it is important to give them lots of fluids and hay. As well as massage their bellies.

But if you see no movement in their systems, it might be time to call your vet as it could potentially require surgery.

5. Sore Hocks
If you’ve ever seen a rabbit with sore hocks, it just looks painful. But the good news is that sore hocks is easily preventable.

So sore hocks is when the rabbit is either living in less than ideal conditions, or they have no where to rest their feet and their feet become callused and sore on the bottoms. Which are two important things to keep in mind if you are raising rabbits in wire hutches.

It is important to provide your rabbits with either nesting boxes to rest their feet in, a board to rest their feet on, or to provide them with mats.

However, if you have a larger breed rabbit this is very common with them where they have so much weight on their hocks. So be sure that they especially have really clean living conditions and lots of room to rest their feet.

6. Bloat

Bloat is a big deal! If your rabbit develops this it will most likely be a fatal blow to them. So the best way to handle bloat is to prevent it from happening.


But first things first, bloat is when your rabbit’s stomach has an imbalance of bacteria in it. This causes their bellies to look like a balloon and begin to swell.

This disease happens when your rabbit eats too much green food, wet grass clippings, moldy food, not enough fiber in their diet, if they are fed irregularly, or if they eat food that is spoiled.

So keep this in mind when feeding your rabbits. We feed our rabbits protein pellets, but they eat mainly a diet of hay. During the warmer months we use fresh vegetables and weeds as a treat, but they do not get them regularly for this very reason. We also feed our rabbits fodder. They love it, but they don’t get an excessive amount of it either.

It is important to pay attention to what you feed your rabbits. Also, you should pay attention to their poop. Make sure that they are still going regularly and that everything looks like it should.

7. Coccidiosis
This is something you hear talked about regularly if you belong to any type of rabbit group online. As soon as someone posts a stomach issue with their rabbit this dreaded disease is one of the first suggestions thrown out there.

But I’m very grateful for all of the information that has been shared in some of the groups I belong to because I learned a lot about Coccidiosis (also referred to as Cocci.) This is why I stopped raising my rabbits in a colony setting. It makes breeding hard to keep up with and cleaning a lot more difficult too.

So out of fear that my rabbits would develop this horrible disease I decided hutches were a safer bet. Much to my surprise, my rabbits actually appear much happier in a hutch. I think they feel more secure.

But as far as cocci goes, you’ll know your rabbits could possibly have it if they begin to develop diarrhea, have a lack of appetite, won’t drink, become very weak, and their stomach appears bloated. This is a disease that is carried my parasites. The parasites set up shop in the gut of the rabbit and therefore is spread through their feces.

It is usually fatal and will often times set up in baby kits around the ages of 4-6 weeks. If you are raising your rabbits for meat, you’ll need to pay attention for this disease because you will not want to eat a rabbit that has been impacted by this disease.

8. Flystrike

This is a terrible disease and one that I hope you will be able to keep from your rabbits. Flystrike happens when flies lay their eggs in moist areas of skin on a rabbit. These eggs will hatch into maggots within 24 hours.

They then will live under your rabbit’s skin and release poison that will kill your rabbit. Again, the best method to treat this disease is to prevent it.

You will need to be sure that your rabbit’s hind quarters are kept very clean. If you have a rabbit that is overweight or a female that has a large dewlap, then it may be hard for them to clean themselves properly.

If this is the case, be sure to clean your rabbits daily.

Also, be sure to keep their hutches clean and make sure your rabbit does not sit around in soil bedding. You’ll also want to limit the amount of fresh veggies and grass they get as this causes diarrhea which also attracts flies.

But if you notice maggots attached to your rabbit’s hind quarters, you’ll need to immediately call your vet. They will be able to administer treatment in a way that won’t harm your rabbit.

However, if you aren’t near a vet, then you will need to carefully administer these next steps.

First, you’ll need to grab the tweezer and begin pulling the maggots out of your rabbit’s skin. Then you’ll want to soak your rabbit’s bum in warm water. But be sure to dry their hind quarters thoroughly after the fact.

Next, you’ll need to carefully shave off any dirty or soiled hair around their bum. But you must be careful as rabbit’s skin is very thin and you could really harm your rabbit.

Finally, you’ll need to administer antibiotics to your rabbit to insure that no infection sets up. But again, if you have the ability to get to a vet, I’d recommend letting them do these steps as they are able to sedate your rabbit so nothing is uncomfortable for them while they receive this treatment.

9. Head Tilt

Head tilt is another disease that is very common to hear about in rabbit groups, but I’ve also been very thankful for all of the knowledge I’ve gained on this topic from the groups too.

So head tilt is when your bunny flops his head to one side. It is also referred to as wry neck. Their eyes often go side to side in a rapid movement too.

The reason for head tilt is many, and the treatment will depend upon the reason. I’ll go ahead and tell you, a vet will be the only true way to determine what has caused your rabbit’s head tilt.

These are what can potentially cause rabbit head tilt:

Trauma: A blow to the head can cause brain damage which equates to the rabbit holding his head to one side or the other permanently.

Cancer: If your rabbit has a tumor growing in his head, neck, or spine this could cause the rabbit to develop head tilt.

Stroke: We often see similar physical signs in humans that have had a stroke. A rabbit really isn’t all that different. So if your rabbit suddenly develops heads tilt don’t count out the idea of them having had a stroke.

Middle/Inner Ear Infection: If your rabbit has an ear infection, it could be causing signs of vertigo which equates to him leaning his head over.

There are a few other reasons as well such as: cervical muscle contraction, intoxication, and cerebral larva migrans.

But as mentioned above, there is no way of knowing exactly what has happened to your rabbit without the help of a vet. Then understanding what caused the issue will make the treatment vary greatly.

10. Red Urine
The first time I encountered this with my rabbits, I was so glad I had done my research and participated in rabbit groups because I knew what I was looking at.

So red urine just means that your rabbit is urinating a reddish, pinkish, or maybe even a brownish color. But don’t panic. It usually just means that they’ve been eating too much of something like carrots for instance.

However, if nothing in their diet has changed, or they keep urinating odd colors after the food has cleared their system, then it might be wise to get a urine sample and let a vet check it out.

Obviously, there are a lot more illnesses that occur in rabbits. But I do hope that this overview of some common illnesses with rabbits will help you as you raise your own rabbits whether it be for farming purposes or as a pet.

Take a look at the video below:








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Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Important Rabbit Facts That All Owners and Potential Owners of Pet Rabbits Should Be Aware of


If you are considering buying your first pet rabbit, or even if you have owned one before and are thinking of getting another, it is important to do plenty of research, both into rabbits as a species, and the particular needs and concerns attached to each different rabbit breed.

While rabbits have been a popular and very commonly owned pet for centuries, our knowledge of rabbits and what they really need to be happy and healthy is information that has come on in great leaps in recent years, and what used to be viewed as a fairly simple, low maintenance pet is now understood and respected as a much more delicate and complex creature than they were historically.

Rabbits are social animals that should not be kept on their own without a companion, or they will be lonely and unhappy and not thrive. This means that spaying and neutering of rabbits is important, particularly if you keep males and females together, for obvious reasons!  A female rabbit can produce a new litter every thirty days, and you will soon find yourself with more baby bunnies than you can handle! Even if you keep your rabbits in same-sex groups, spaying can help to protect female rabbits from cancer of the uterus, which is a common cancer of mature female rabbits.

You should choose the material that you use for your rabbit’s bedding carefully, as not all products are suitable for use with them. Scented products that have artificial or natural aromas are a bad idea for rabbits in particular.  Aromatic cedar or pine wood shavings are particularly to be avoided, as both of these fragrant woods release oils that can be harmful to your pet, and even cause long term liver damage.

Rabbits can be taught to use a litter tray, just like cats can, and this is an essential factor of life with a house rabbit! However, again, you should choose the litter that you use carefully to avoid causing health problems. Clay cat litter or other products that form clumps can be ingested and block up your rabbit’s digestive system, and any litter that is dusty may affect your rabbit’s respiratory system.

It is important that you rabbit-proof your home and garden, and any areas that your rabbit will have access to. Rabbits need to chew on things in order to keep their teeth at a comfortable length, and for some reason, articles such as electrical wires and loose carpet are particularly appealing to them! View your home and garden from your rabbit’s viewpoint, and ensure that everything that they may be able to reach is safe for them.

When people think about buying rabbit food, they usually imagine ready mixed, rabbit-suitable pellet food, and perhaps the occasional piece of fruit or veg. However, the bulk of the rabbit’s diet should be grass or hay, and your rabbit should have free access to one or both of these things at all times. In order to stay healthy, the digestive system of the rabbit should be constantly moving, and if it stops due to having no more food to eat, getting it restarted again is difficult, and may need veterinary help.  Suitable hay for rabbits include timothy hay, orchard grass and various others, and you should feed lots of it when your rabbit does not have access to grass.
If your rabbit isn’t very tame or even becomes aggressive, never punish them by smacking them or speaking harshly to them. Rabbits are sensitive animals that do not understand cause and effect in the same way that we do, and responding angrily will not help.

Rabbits are viewed as exotic pets within veterinary surgeries, and while most clinics will see a reasonable amount of rabbits and be able to diagnose and treat minor health issues, and perform standard procedures such as spay and neuter, for more complex problems, your rabbit might need to see a specialist vet. Find out about the provision for veterinary care for rabbits at your local clinic, and work out where you would need to go if they were unable to treat your pet.

A loss of appetite or watery stools are conditions that in most pets (and people) tend to be minor issues that will resolve themselves within a day or so. However, both problems can be a veterinary emergency for rabbits, and so if your rabbit is off color with either of these symptoms, contact your vet right away.

It is a good idea to gain a basic understanding of rabbit health, and learn how to recognize some of the most common problems that can potentially afflict rabbits. These include problems with the teeth, which may require attention from your vet, and a range of other issues including ear mites, digestive issues, and flystrike. Some serious problems can be prevented with vaccination, such as myxomatosis, and so your rabbit should be vaccinated as soon as they are old enough.

Children should not be permitted to handle rabbits unsupervised, and rabbits do not make a good pet for young children. Rabbits are very delicate and fragile animals that can easily be harmed or frightened, and so only older children who are experienced with rabbits should be in charge of their full time care.

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Thursday, October 19, 2017

Meet Mr. Bigglesworth, a Bald Rabbit Destined for Death Because of an Ultra-Rare Genetic Disorder


A bald rabbit destined for death because of an ultra-rare genetic disorder leaving him completely hairless has become an unlikely social media star.

The two-month-old bunny, named Mr. Bigglesworth after Dr. Evil's bald cat in the Austin Powers films, has picked up hundreds of online followers after getting a adopted.


Cassandra Hall, a mother of two, from Wodonga, Victoria, was given the two-month-old rex rabbit last week by a breeder who planned to have him put down because nobody wanted him.

But the mobile phone-sized bunny, who was born with an elusive hairless gene, has no shortage of support online and has quickly racked up 7,800 Instagram followers - who even send him fan art.

Graphic designer Cassandra, 40, said, “I think people like how unique Mr. Bigglesworth is. Nobody has seen a rabbit without hair, and it shows how delicate they are. Some online commenters call him 'really ugly' and say things like “imagine waking up to that crawling on your face” and I'm upset by that.

I had to write 'no negativity' on his account. But there are other people coming to his defense and even drawing pictures of him.”

Cassandra adopted Mr. Bigglesworth after she spotted a photo of the rabbits a local breeder had available for sale.

When she spotted the bald bunny she noticed there was a sign next to him which stated “hairless rabbit, not for sale.”

After sending messages to Enquire about Mr. Bigglesworth, she found out that  he was scheduled to be put to sleep because no one wanted to adopt him.

She then found out another rabbit had been born with the same illness and had died. She was determined to save her new pet's life.

She said she had only heard of a handful of cases worldwide of the undiagnosed condition, which makes him vulnerable but does not impact his health.

The breeder asked if she wanted him. She said yes, that there was no way she could let him die.  He was so adorable, so she took him home. 

“He has very soft, velvety skin, eats a lot, he's really hypo and always flipping around the lounge.  He has to live indoors because he could get hurt playing on rocks of gravel. He has a hutch in our laundry. Our other bunny, Loafy, is not a fan, I think Mr. Bigglesworth has stolen all the attention.” She said. 










                                 Cassandra Hall's other rabbit Loafy.

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Thursday, April 13, 2017

Reasons Why You Should Never Buy Your Child a Rabbit for Easter


House Rabbit Society strongly urges parents not to buy their children live “Easter bunnies” unless they are willing to make a 10-year commitment to properly care for the animals. Each year, thousands of baby rabbits, chicks, and ducks are purchased as Easter gifts only to be abandoned or left at shelters in the days, weeks and months that follow Easter.

Margo DeMello, president of HRS, encourages rabbit lovers to support the “Make Mine Chocolate” ™  http://makeminechocolate.org/ campaign created by the Columbus, Ohio, chapter of HRS.“Rabbits are not ‘low maintenance’ pets,” says DeMello; they require at least the same amount of work as a cat or dog, and often more. Chocolate rabbits are a great alternative; kids can enjoy them for 10 minutes, and they won’t have to take care of them for the next 10 years.”

Mary Cotter, vice-president of HRS, says that many of the rabbits purchased as Easter pets will never live to see their first birthday. Some will die from neglect, while others will be abandoned in local parks or left at animal shelters. “It is irresponsible for pet stores to push rabbits and other so-called Easter animals during the holiday,” says Cotter. “Unless parents are willing to take full responsibility for the possible 10-year lifepan of a live rabbit, they should buy their children chocolate rabbits instead.”

Most children want a companion they can hold, carry and cuddle, but rabbits are fragile, ground-loving creatures who break easily when dropped. 

Additionally, rabbits are easily frightened by loud noises. It is unreasonable to expect a small child to make a 10-year commitment to taking care of a rabbit. All too often, the child loses interest, and the rabbit ends up neglected or abandoned.

Does this mean no families with children should never have pet rabbits? “Not at all!” says DeMello. “But what it does mean is that parents must be actively involved on a daily basis, and willing to supervise any interactions between rabbits and children. Otherwise, chocolate is the way to go!”

For families willing to make the long-term commitment, here are a few points to consider before acquiring a rabbit:
  • Housing: For rabbits who use a cage, the cage needs to be at least six times the size of the adult rabbit. It should not have a wire bottom, as the wire can cause sores on the rabbit’s feet. There should be room for a litterbox, toys, food and water bowls. Others may choose to forgo a cage entirely, using instead a pen for the rabbit’s home base.
  • Playtime: Rabbits need plenty of exercise and should be allowed at least 30 hours out-of-cage or pen running time in a rabbit-proofed area of the home per week.
  • Outdoors: Rabbits should never be left outdoors unsupervised. They can, literally, be frightened to death when approached by predators such as dogs, cats, raccoons and owls. They can also dig under fences to escape.
  • Litter Box: Rabbits, once spayed or neutered, will readily use litterboxes that are place in one corner of the rabbit’s space; the rabbit’s running space should contain at least one additional box. Use dust-free, natural litter–not the clumping kind, and no softwood shavings.
  • Diet: Rabbits need fresh water, unlimited fresh, grass hay, 1-2 cups of fresh vegetables, and a small serving (1/4 c per 5 lb. rabbit) of plain rabbit pellets each day.
  • Health: Like dogs and cats, rabbits should be spayed or neutered. The risk of uterine cancer in unspayed female rabbits is alarmingly high, and unneutered males are likely to spray.
  • Grooming: Rabbits shed their coat 3-4 times per year; use a flea comb and brush away excess fur.

A person who chooses a baby rabbit as a companion must:

  • Have lots of time, a household that can withstand some chewing, and a stable residence.
  • Expect an unneutered/unspayed baby will spray urine. Know that neutering/spaying (at four to six months) will stop the problem.
  • Expect accidents when baby forgets the location of the litterbox.
  • Allow the energetic young rabbit at least 30 hours a week of free time outside her pen, habitat, or cage.
  • Know the cute baby will soon be an adult rabbit and may have a different personality.
If you think you would enjoy sharing your home with a rabbit, please your local animal shelter, humane society or rabbit rescue group for information about adopting a rabbit. No matter where you live, you are probably within 10 miles of a rabbit who desperately needs a safe, indoor home. If you are not sure you can make this kind of commitment, please consider buying your child a chocolate bunny this Easter instead.

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Thursday, February 26, 2015

Benefits of Spaying or Neutering Your Pet Rabbit


As a pet owner, it is important that you know the facts about spaying or neutering your house rabbit. This article covers some of the benefits to having the procedure done (if performed at the right time by a rabbit-savvy veterinarian), and it also includes a few notes on what to expect during and after the surgery.

Benefits of Spaying or Neutering Your Pet Rabbit
There are many benefits to spaying or neutering a rabbit. First and foremost, a fixed rabbit can live a longer, healthier life as the risk of cancer and urinary tract infections are greatly reduced.

Second, a rabbit that is spayed/neutered becomes calmer and easier to manage. Their destructive habits subside a bit,yet they don’t lose their charmingly mischievous nature. Altered rabbits are also easier to litter train and have less of an urge to spray.

Spayed and neutered house rabbits are easier to bond because of their calmer demeanor. And of course, an altered couple will not end up with a litter of baby buns. While baby bunnies are adorable, there is an issue with overpopulation. Most rabbit shelters are consistently full.

When Should You Spay or Neuter Your Pet Rabbit?
When male rabbits are between 3 and 5 months old, they are old enough to be neutered. Female rabbits are generally old enough to be spayed between 4 and 6 months; this is when they first reach sexual maturity. When rabbits have reached middle age (5-6 years old) they can be considered too old to be altered. Rabbits that are too young or too old are at higher risk for complications from surgery.

What to Expect from the Spay/Neuter Surgery
Spaying is the procedure performed on female rabbits to remove the reproductive organs. The procedure takes place through the abdomen. Blood vessels that lead to the reproductive tract are tied and the reproductive tract is removed. The rabbit then receives several sets of sutures to close her back up.

Neutering is performed on male rabbits to remove the testes. The veterinarian will make an incision in the scrotum and remove the testicles through it. Up to three weeks after the surgery a male rabbit can still have semen stored in his body. For this reason a recently altered male should be kept away from unaltered female rabbits during this time period.

In order to provide a safe spay/neuter experience for your rabbit you need to find an experienced veterinarian. When looking for a veterinarian, be sure to ask if he/she has had experience working with rabbits. If there is a local rabbit shelter in your area, they may be able to recommend a vet to you.

If you have adopted your rabbit from shelter or rescue, the rabbit may already be altered. Be sure to ask. Talk to your qualified vet about what to do to prepare your rabbit for surgery and how to provide care post-surgery. Also ask your veterinarian to explain the procedure thoroughly as it may ease your own anxieties to know what will happen.

Be sure to monitor your rabbit after the procedure for changes in behavior, failure to eat, pulling at stitches or signs of infection.

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