Rabbit Health

Choosing the right breed of rabbit for you!!!

2008-02-08T15:32:00.000-05:00

Pick Your Breed

I suppose the most difficult decision in raising rabbits is selecting the breed you want to raise.

Breeds are characterized by size, shape, ears, fur texture, sheen, and color. In some breeds, the individual fur characteristics are combined. The main fur types are:

Angora - The fur grows very long and is shaved or plucked and woven into yarn to be used in making Angora sweaters, hats, and mittens. The long haired rabbits can become a real problem for the casual rabbit breeder. Their fur has a tendency to matt and shed. It's a real bear trying to clean the cages that have long hair everywhere. The hair also floats out and settles on anything in your rabbitry, or house.

Satin - The fur has a special shine to it. It is used to make fine fur coats and hats.

Rex - The fur has a velvety touch and is short. It is used also to make fine fur coats and hats.

Dwarf Breeds

The smallest breeds, the Dwarfs, vary in size from 1-3/4 to 3-1/2 lbs. They include:

Britannia Petite (White, black, black otter, or chestnut agouti) 1-1/2 - 2-1/2 lbs

Dwarf Hotot (White with black around its eyes) 2 - 3 lbs

Jersey Wooley (Many colors - Angora wool) 2 - 3-1/2 lbs

Netherland Dwarf (Many colors) 1-3/4 - 2-1/2 lbs

Polish (Black, blue, chocolate, blue eyed white, ruby eyed white, and broken) 2 - 3-1/2 lbs

These rabbits, as a group, are less than 3-1/2 pounds mature. These are the rabbits you will want to raise if you want small pets that don't consume much feed (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup per day) and take up the least amount of cage space (about 2-1/2 sq ft). Many times, these are the only rabbits that pet stores will buy. You can expect to fetch about $7.00 from pet stores without having to supply a pedigree. The pet store will turn around and sell them for about $30.00. When you sell to other breeders and provide a pedigree, you can expect from $15.00 to $40.00 or even $100.00 or more for a grand champion. Price depends on the rabbit's show background, quality, and heritage, including the production characteristics of its parents.

The Netherland Dwarf is the breed in greatest demand. The Netherland Dwarf has the most ARBA(American Rabbit Breeders Association) -recognized colors and patterns of all the breeds. If you're into variety, you can't go wrong with Netherland Dwarfs.

The problems you will run into with any of the dwarf breeds mentioned are the following:

The average litter size is 2 - 4 bunnies, as opposed to the larger breeds which have 6 - 12 bunnies.
The genes responsible for making a dwarf rabbit, in certain combinations is lethal. This combination occurs in 25% of the rabbits. The one having this gene usually dies within 4 days after birth.
Dwarf rabbits are more susceptible to coccidiosis, an intestinal parasite that many times proves lethal to the young rabbits between three and ten weeks of age.

The above factors don't tend to discourage people from raising dwarfs. They consider these problems as challenges. Dwarf rabbits are in great demand because of their popularity with young people. This, coupled with the lower litter rate, explain why they command a higher price than other rabbits.

Small Breeds

The next group of rabbits make up the small size breeds. They vary from about 2-1/2 to 5 pounds. These rabbits consume between 1/3 and 2/3 cup of feed per day and take up 3-1/2 sq ft of cage space. The small breeds have characteristics between the dwarfs and the medium size breeds. They usually have 1 - 3 more babies in their litters than the dwarfs and do not carry the possibly lethal dwarf gene. However, they are still more susceptible to death from coccidiosis than the larger breeds. The small breeds consist of:

American Fuzzy Lop (Many colors - Angora fur - Lop Ears) 3 - 4 lbs

Dutch (The feet, front half of torso and face are white, the other parts can be black, blue, chocolate, tortoise, steel, or brown-gray) 3-1/2 - 5-1/2 lbs

Himalayan (White with colored ears, nose, feet, and tail of black, blue, lilac, or chocolate) 2-1/2 - 4-1/2 lbs

Holland Lop (Lop ears - Many colors) 2-1/2 - 4 lbs

Mini Rex (Rex coat - Many colors) 3 - 4-1/2 lbs

Medium Size Breeds

The next group of rabbits make up the medium size breeds. This group is characterized by weights ranging from 4-1/2 to 7 pounds mature. These rabbits consume between 1/2 and 1 cup of feed per day and take up 5 sq ft of cage space.

Rabbits that make up this group of medium breeds include the following:

American Sable (Also good for meat) 7-10 lbs

English Angora (Many colors) 5 - 7-1/2 lbs

French Angora (Many colors - good also for meat) 7-1/2 - 10-1/2 lbs

Satin Angora (Many colors) 6-1/2 - 9 lbs

Belgian Hare (Not seen much - different body style) 6 - 9-1/2 lbs

Standard Chinchilla 5 - 7-1/2 lbs

English Spot (White with spots of black, blue, chocolate, gold, gray, lilac, or tortoise) 5 - 8 lbs

Florida White 4 - 6 lbs

Harlequin (Has alternate bands of color) 6-1/2 - 9-1/2 lbs

Havana (Black, blue, or chocolate) 4-1/2 - 6-1/2 lbs

Lilac 5-1/2 - 8 lbs

Mini Lop (Lop ears - Many colors) 4-1/2 - 6-1/2 lbs

Rhinelander (White with spots of black and orange) 6-1/2 - 10 lbs

Silver (Black, brown, or fawn with white ticking) 4 - 7 lbs

Silver Marten (Black, blue, chocolate, or sable with white on belly, flanks, jaw lines, and eye circles) 6 - 9-1/2 lbs

Tan (Black, blue, chocolate, or lilac with tan on belly, flanks, jaw lines, and eye circles) 4 - 6 lbs

Meat Rabbits

Meat Rabbits make up the next group. They are characterized by weights between 8 and 12 pounds. These rabbits are raised for both meat and fur. Some of these may also be considered fancy rabbits because they have unusual fur, color, or ear characteristics. Most of these rabbits are shown a great deal. Rabbits in the meat group consume about 1-1/4 cup of feed per day and take up 7-1/2 sq ft of cage space. They will command a price comparable to the medium size rabbits, about $20.00 for mature ones. The rabbits that make up the meat group include:

American (Blue or White) 9 - 12 lbs

Beveren (Black, Blue, or White) 8 - 12 lbs

Californian (White with black ears, nose, feet, and tail) 8 - 10-1/2 lbs

Champagne D'Argent (Starts as black, mature is silver) 9 - 12 lbs

American Chinchilla 9 - 12 lbs

Cinnamon 8-1/2 - 11 lbs

Creme D'Argent 8 - 11 lbs

Hotot (White with black around its eyes) 8 - 11 lbs

English Lop (Many colors - giant lop ears) 9 - 14 lbs

French Lop (Many colors - regular lop ears) 10 - 15 lbs

New Zealand (Black, Red, or White) The standard meat rabbit 9 - 12 lbs

Palomino 8 - 11 lbs

Satin (Shiny coat - many colors) 8-1/2 - 11 lbs

Silver Fox (fur resembles fox) 9 - 12 lbs

The Giants

The next group of rabbits are the Giants. These are raised because some breeders just like giant rabbits. They can sometimes weigh up to 25 pounds. The giants require 1-3/4 - 2 cups of feed per day and 11 - 12 sq ft of cage space. The giant breeds also require stronger cages. Because few people raise these rabbits, they are more rare than the other breeds. It takes a strong person to lift these rabbits, so their demand is not great and thus harder to sell. They may command up to $50.00 for a mature rabbit and about $15.00 - $20.00 for a 2 month old one. Most of the giants are shown (their presence is always appreciated). They are mainly used for meat and fur. The feed-to-meat conversion ratio is less than the meat group. The giants include:

Checkered Giant (White with spots of black or blue) weight over 11 lbs

Giant Chinchilla 12 - 16 lbs

Flemish Giant (Black, blue, fawn, light gray, sandy, steel gray, or white) weight over 13 lbs

Is my rabbit sick??

2008-01-28T22:21:00.000-05:00

Well the only true way to find out if your rabbit is ill is to bring him to a veterinarian that specializes in exotic pets. However, only you truly know your rabbit, and when your rabbit strays from normal behavior, activity levels or there are changes in eating, drinking and elimination routines there is a good chance that your rabbit needs a doctor visit. A good way to tell if your rabbit might be sick is by performing routine generalized exams on your rabbit which can be done during your daily petting sessions. Things to look for in a general exam are listed below. If your notice anything unusual or are not sure if it is a problem discuss the situation with your veterinarian, it could be a vet check is in order.

Gastrointestinal:

This can be anything affecting the rabbits’ digestive system.

Symptoms may include: Loss of appetite; abdominal pain; arched back; small or no faecal droppings; diarrhea; dehydration; jaundice.

Possible causes include: GI Stasis; Mucoid-Enteropathy; Coccidiosis; Bacterial Enteritis

Musculoskeletal:

This can be anything affecting the rabbit’s bones & muscles.

Symptoms may include: Inability to walk; dragging one or more limbs, inability to support weight, Paralysis of hind end or legs.

Possible causes include: Splay leg, Leg and/or Spinal Fractures.

Reproductive Tract:

This can be anything affecting the reproductive organs/genitalia.

Symptoms may include: crusty skin/scabs on nostrils, mouth, eyelids, ears, genitals

Possible causes include: Syphilis

Respiratory:

This can be anything affecting the respiratory system, including the nose & lungs.

Symptoms may include: Sneezing; nasal & eye discharge; breathing difficulties or heavier/more laboured than normal; head shaking.

Possible causes include: Snuffles; Pasteurellosis; Heart Disease

Skin & Coat:

This is anything affecting the skin & fur.

Symptoms may include: Moist/ulcerated skin lesions on hind feet; Head shaking; itching/scratching; crusts & scabs in ears and/or body; hair loss.

Possible causes include: "Sore Hocks"; Parasites such as ringworm, mites, mange, fleas, ticks.

Urinary:

This is anything affecting the rabbit’s ability to urinate. Normal urine is cloudy, thick; often orange or brown in colour.

Symptoms may include: White pasty urine; difficulty/straining to urinate; arched back.

Possible causes include: Bladder Sludge; Kidney or Bladder Stones.

Vestibular/Head Tilt:

This can be anything affecting the rabbit's sense of balance

Symptoms may include: head tilt; unable to stand; rolling to one side; rapid back & forth movement of eyes; seizure like sympoms

Possible causes include: internal parasites; inner ear infection

If your rabbit is displaying any of the above symptoms contact your rabbit veterinarian immediately. To truly know when your rabbit is sick you need to spend time with your pet. Play with your rabbit and handle it (if tolerated) often. That is the only way you'll be able to catch illness early.

How to litter train my rabbit??

2008-01-27T12:27:00.000-05:00

By nature, rabbits choose one or a few places (usually corners) to deposit their urine and most of their pills. Urine-training involves little more than putting a litterbox where the rabbit chooses to go. Pill training requires only that you give the rabbit a place they know will not be invaded by others. Here are some suggestions to help you to train your rabbit to use the litterbox.
Older rabbits are easier to train than younger rabbits, especially babies. A rabbit's attention span and knack for learning increases as they grow up. If you have a baby, stick with it! And if you are deciding whether to adopt an older rabbit, or litter train your older rabbit, go for it!
When rabbits reach the age of 4-6 months, their hormones become active and they usually begin marking their territory. By spaying or neutering your rabbit, he will be more likely to use his litterbox (as well as be much healthier and happier).

Pros and cons of the various types of litter include:

clay litter is dusty--if your bunny is a digger, the dust can make her vulnerable to pneumonia
the deodorant crystals in some clay litters are toxic
clumping litters will clump inside the rabbit's digestive and respiratory tracts (the latter if they manage to make enough dust to breathe) causing serious problems and often leading to death
pine and cedar shavings emit gases that cause liver damage when breathed by the rabbit
corn cob litter isn't absorbent and doesn't control odor, and has the the risk of being eaten and casing a lethal blockage.
oat- and alfalfa-based litters have excellent odor controlling qualities, but if a rabbit eats too much, they expand and cause bloating; these, too, can be added, with the rabbit's waste, to compost
newspapers are absorbent, but don't control odor
citrus-based litters work well, offer no dangers, and can be composted, but may be hard to get and expensive in some areas of the country/world
some people have reported success with peat moss which can also be composted
Many people have great success with litter made from paper pulp or recycled paper products. These litters are very good at absorbing and cutting down on odors. A litter called CAREfresh is available. You can find out about local places that carry Carefresh by emailing absorbs@absorption-corp.com A similar litter in a pelleted form is called Cellu-Dri. These litters are harmless if ingested.
Compressed sawdust pellets: are inexpensive, highly absorbent litters used in many foster homes. They are made from softwood or hardwood sawdust, but they are not toxic because the phenolic compounds are removed during their manufacture. Their wood composition helps control bacterial growth and odors. Wood stove fuel pellets and Feline Pine are two examples of this product.

Clean litterboxes often, to encourage your rabbit to use them. Use white vinegar to rinse boxes out--for tough stains, let pans soak. Accidents outside of the cage can be cleaned up with white vinegar or club soda. If the urine has already dried, you can try products like "Nature's Miracle" to remove the stain and odor. To dispose of organic litters, they can be used as mulch, or can be composted. Rabbit pills can be directly applied to plants as fertilizer.

All rabbits will drop pills around their cages to mark it as their own. This is not failure to be litter-trained. It is very important for your rabbit to identify the cage as her property so that when she leaves the cage for the bigger world of your house, she will distinguish the family's area from her own and avoid marking it. To encourage this, make the rabbit the king of his cage. Try not to force him in or out of it-- coax him. Do not do things to his cage that he doesn't like, or things to him that he doesn't like while he's in the cage.

The trick to getting the rabbit to keep his pills in the cage is to give him ownership of his cage--respect the cage as HIS/HERS:

Don't reach into the cage to take him out; open the door and let him come out if and when HE wants to come;
Don't catch him and put him back in the cage or it will be his prison, not his home. Herd him back gently, and let him choose to go in to get away from you (I walk behind my buns, clap my hands, and say "bedtime." They know that I'll not stop harassing them with this until they go into their cage, so they run in except when they feel they haven't gotten their fair share of time outside the cage.)
It's a bit like a child going home and closing the door, because someone is calling her names. They may make the playground an unpleasant place for her, but they can't bother her in her own home.
If the rabbit has been snuggling with you, it's ok to carry him to the door of the cage and let him go in--just don't put him directly into the cage, and never chase and trap him and put him in the cage.
Don't reach into the cage to get food dishes--anchor them near the door of the cage so they can be filled with a minimum of trespassing into the cage, or wait until the rabbit is out to fill them.
Don't clean the cage while the rabbit is in it--wait until he comes out. He'll come over and supervise you, even help you move things around that you've set down outside the cage, but as long as he isn't in the cage, he won't see your cleaning as an invasion of his territory. (Smart rabbits--I wouldn't object if someone were cleaning my house, either... :-) )

The same technique can be used if a rabbit doesn't live in a cage, but in a particular part of a room. Mark the territory with a rug, tape, whatever, and don't trespass over that.

Even if your goal is to let your rabbit have full run of the house, you must start small. Start with a cage and a small running space, and when your rabbit is sufficiently well trained in that space, gradually give her more space. But do so gradually! If you overwhelm her with too much freedom before she's ready, she will forget where her box is and will lose her good habits.

Start with a box in the cage, and one or more boxes in the rabbit's running space. If she urinates in a corner of the cage not containing the box, move the box to that corner until she gets it right. Don't be concerned if your bunny curls up in his litterbox--this is natural. Once she's using the box in the cage, open her door and allow her into her running space. Watch her go in and out on her own. If she heads to a corner where there's no box, or lifts up her tail in the characteristic fashion, cry "no" in a single, sharp burst of sound. Gently herd her back to her cage and her litterbox, or into one of the boxes in her room. Be careful, however. You don't want to make the cage or the litterbox seem like punishment. A handful of hay in the box makes it a more welcoming place. After she first uses the box, praise her and give her her favorite treat. Once she uses the box in her room a couple of times, you're well on your way, as her habits will be on their way to forming. As she gets better trained in her first room, you can increase her space. Don't hurry this process. And if the area becomes very big, or includes a second floor, be sure to include more litterboxes, so as not to confuse her. Remember, as she becomes more confident and uses fewer boxes, you can start to remove some of her early, "training" boxes. Get your rabbit into a daily routine and try not to vary it. Rabbits are very habitual and once a routine is established, they usually prefer to stick with it.
If your rabbit continually urinates in a spot where there is no litterbox, put his box where he will use it, even if it means rearranging his cage or moving a table in the living room. It is much easier to oblige him than to try to work against a determined bunny!

Some common mistakes include:

Letting the bunny out of the cage and not watching her with undivided attention;
(You can't watch TV or read the paper or knit or talk on the phone and expect to keep your mind on what the bunny is doing every second--if she urinates without being "caught" and herded to the litter box, she'll be that much slower in learning what she's supposed to do.)
Getting in a hurry.
Bunnies take time. Perhaps that's one of their special gifts to us in this hectic world. They require that we take time out to sit and watch and do nothing else. Besides getting a well-trained bunny for your efforts, you also get a short period of time each day to watch one of the most charming little creatures on earth explore, skip for joy, and in general entertain you with her bunny-ness.

If bunny starts dribbling all over the cage there is a problem. Dribbles usually indicate a bladder infection. Get your bunny to a vet who will probably put her on an antibiotic. If the dribbling stops, you know that that was the problem. (Watch out for antibiotics given by veterinarians not familiar with rabbits as companion animals!)

If the "dribbles" are more than dribbles, or if the antibiotic doesn't stop the problem, consider any factors that may be making your bunny feel insecure (new pet, house guests, change in location of cage, etc.), any of which can cause a bunny to mark her cage more enthusiastically (similar to someone having a dispute with a neighbor about the location of a fence setting up a flag at the property boundary marker).

The three most common things that are related to poor litter habbits (especially if the bun had been using the litterbox in the past) are:

Urinary Tract infections; sludge in the bladder; bladder stones; kidney disease. This should be treated by a qualified doctor.
A common example is Oreo, a 8.5 year Dutch who had 75% kidney failure and began urinating on the floor next to the litterbox when her problems first began. Hershey (her mate) did the same thing when he had a severe UTI last year. After the UTI was cleared up, he began to use the litterbox again.
Behavior related.
Once the possibility of physiological causes is eliminated, the behavioral reasons seem to go something like this:
Miz bun eliminates next to her litterbox because of some stress, eg, a break in her routine such as less or more running time than usual, visitors at home, kids home from college or summer camp, any intensely emotional event whether good or bad. it could even be a single incident such as being frightened by a sudden noise (car backfiring, etc) while she's in her box, which she then associates with being in the box. whatever the reason, she's feeling insecure and tries to rebuild her confidence by "underlining her signature" (signature being her droppings in the box; underlining, the puddles/piles beside it). Unless it's an ongoing stress that can be removed, figuring out the cause is not particularly relevant. the important factor is not what happened the first time but the habit that often grows from it. she pees beside the box today because she did it yesterday. many people do not take action for the first few incidents, especially with a rabbit who's always been good about using the litterbox. they figure it's a fluke that will disappear as suddenly as it started. this gives the habit time to take firm root. by day 3, the habit is fairly entrenched, and correction of the perceived cause will not solve the problem.
What WILL solve it? the usual: confinement, praise, rewards, vigilant observation and supervision during free-run time. but there's a catch-22 to this method. it generally requires a change in miz bun's routine, which is a common cause for the behavior in the first place. i know of no easy way around this knot. the hard way is to confine, praise, etc with minimal change to her usual routine. sometimes i add a box to the rabbit's area. the novelty makes the box attractive (as do treats placed in it). she hops in to investigate, and voila! she eliminates IN A BOX. this is good behavior, worthy of lavish rewards. it's often easier to get her to go in a new box than to go in the one she's been eliminating next to.
It's important for people to understand that this process can take time. A rabbit who's been perfectly box-trained for 3 years and has peed next to the box for 3 days may need 3 weeks of intensive training to get back to her old, good behavior. why is it that bad habits take longer to undo than to initiate while the reverse is true of good habits?
Territory related.
Winston, a religious litterbox user began urinating on the floor next to the litterbox near the gate...when Buttercup arrived on the opposite side of the gate. After Winston got used to Buttercup, and had "his" territory sufficiently marked, he stopped using the floor and resumed using the litterbox.

Is my rabbit male or female?

2008-01-27T12:05:00.000-05:00

Sexing rabbits is not really hard to do. You can usually do a good job identifying a buck from a doe, at least from the age of 3 weeks and on. An older buck is easy to identify. The head and body is generally more blocky than the doe. Does of the medium and large breeds often develop a fold of skin under their chins. This fold is called a dewlap. Older does are usually larger than bucks of the same breed. A buck's testicles can be seen on a hot day. The testicles must be kept at a certain temperature in order for sperm to be produced. The testicles descend further on hot days and are brought back toward the body on cool days. In this way their temperature is regulated.

Determining the sex of an older rabbit from a distance is usually easy to do, keeping the above differences in mind. Before discussing close up sexual identification, let's go over some definitions.

Definitions

Anus: The round opening at the rearmost area of the rabbit, on the belly side, next to the tail. Its purpose is to eliminate solid waste from the body. In other words, it's where the poop comes out. It is an unsanitary hole. It can carry many types of germs.
Buck: The male Rabbit.
Doe: The female Rabbit.
Penis: The male's sexual organ. It is located next to the anus, a little further away from the tail. It is cylindrical in shape coming to a rounded point at the end. It has a dual purpose. It eliminates liquid waste from the body. In other words, it's where the pee (urine) comes out. The urine is normally sanitary, without germs. The penis has another purpose. That purpose is to release sperm into the doe's vagina so that the doe can produce baby bunnies.
Testicles: A male's sperm and hormone producing organs. These are elongated pink sacks on either side of the penis that descend from within the buck as he gets older. Normally the testicles are not visible until about 2 or more months of age. Their first appearance may vary, depending on the sexual maturity of the buck and the temperature.
Vagina: The female's sexual organ. It is somewhat like a slit and looks similar to the penis when you push down to identify it, but it can be easily distinguished from the penis because a penis does not normally have a slit (except in rare circumstances). The vagina also normally has visible blood vessels running down each side of the inside of the slit. The purpose of the vagina is to receive the sperm from the buck so that she can have bunnies. The vagina acts as the birth canal from which the babies are born and houses her urinary tract opening toward the front of the slit which allows her to urinate (pee).
Vent Area: The general area that includes the sex organs and anus.

To identify the sex of a rabbit at a closer range, you must hold the rabbit upside down. If done correctly, this hypnotizes the rabbit and makes it easier to examine. I always recommend wearing a long sleeve thick cloth jacket to avoid getting scratched by the rabbit.

To determine the sex of the rabbit, use your forefinger and middle finger to press down the vent area just in front of the anus. In both the doe and buck, the area will protrude. The doe will display a slit or central line running up and down. Each side of the slit will be banded in pink.

The buck, on the other hand, will display, if less than 5 weeks old, a blunt white tube without a central line. It will not have pink traversing either side of a center line. Older bucks will present a pink tube with a pointed end that resembles a bullet.

With younger rabbits, you must look very closely to see the difference.

With a little bit of practice, you, too, will be able to easily distinguish between male and female rabbits.
I have included some photos to help

Male(BUCK) 9 Months

Female(DOE) 9 months

Male(BUCK) 4 weeks old

Female(DOE) 4 weeks old

How to Trim My bunnies nails

2008-01-27T11:55:00.000-05:00

Tips About Trimming Pets' Nails

The diagram to the right shows the location of the quick and where the cut should be made. If you are concerned about doing them correctly, get a professional (at the the veterinarian office or groomers) show you how the first time.

But what if my pet's nails are black and I can't see the quick?
Well, the short answer is that is is a matter of educated guesswork. It is usually possible to "guess" where it is safe to cut based on the shape of the nail, especially with practice. The tip of the nail is usually quite narrow and may almost appear hollow when viewed from the bottom. If your pet has any lighter colored nails, those can be used as a guide to judge how to cut the others. Otherwise, it is often wise to get a professional or other experienced owner to demonstrate a nail trim, and then regularly do them at home.

It is best to do nail trims frequently, and just trim the tips off, and they should be fine. Make sure you have something handy so stop bleeding though, just in case.

Tips

use the right tool. For small animals, human nail clippers can be used, but are sometimes awkward to use on animals. The best bet for small animals are nail scissors made for animals, which are available in different sizes, and look like stubby scissors with a notch in the blade. I find these are much easier for visibility when cutting tiny nails. Larger trimmers or guillotine type clippers can be used on larger animals.
make sure the animal is restrained well - get help if necessary. Wrapping squirmy pets in a towel and just taking one leg out at a time often works well.
have something handy to stop bleeding, just in case (see below)
the more often you do nail trims the better. Frequent nail trims let both you and your pet get used to doing them - and what seems awkward to you in the beginning will become routine, and your pet will learn not to fight them as much. It is easier to do frequent trims where just the tip of the nail is trimmed off, than try to cut overgrown nails back (the quick gets longer as the nail gets longer, but the good news it it will regress if regular trims are begun).

When Accidents Happen
No matter how careful you are, you will likely accidentally hit a nail quick and cause some bleeding at some point. Don't panic. Here are some things that will stop the bleeding:

a commercial product such as Kwik-Stop (a powder) or any styptic powder. These sting but are highly effective. Take a pinch of powder and press onto the tip of the affected nail after wiping away the blood.
cornstarch or flour can also be used in a similar manner
you can press the affected nail into a bar of mild soap
for minor problems, simply applying pressure to the tip of the nail may be effective

No matter which method you use, make sure the bleeding has stopped before placing the animal back in its cage, or leaving the animal unattended.

While nail trims sometimes seem very daunting, especially on a nervous and jumpy pet, doing nail trims is really not difficult and will become much easier if they are done regularly as part of your pets' maintenance.

Getting started with your new rabbit

2008-01-27T10:17:00.000-05:00

Rabbits are most active in the morning and evening and sleep during the day and at night; hence, their schedule fits with those of active families. Bunny should be given only as much freedom as she can handle; some bunnies can be outside their cage all day, but many need greater limits. I happen to have gotten lucky and I can leave my rabbit out of his cage 24/7. Bunny needs 3-6 hr exercise daily outside the cage; remaining time is spent napping in a cage or attached playpen area. Bunnies are curious and need social interactions. Place the cage where you are active and going to spend a fair amount of time, family room, kitchen.Rabbits enjoy listening to people and will often position themselves to watch you. If bunny is kept in a very active area (e.g. den or rec room), a small "cave" should be added so bunny has a safe place to lounge when stressed or tired; cardboard boxes with a hole cut in one end, paper bags, and upturned milk crates all work well. Never keep bunny outdoors; there are too many predators (two- and four-legged) that can directly or indirectly kill a rabbit, plus many insects carry diseases (myxomytosis, botfly, maggots, fleas, mites, etc) that easily infect an outdoor rabbit. Outdoor rabbits also suffer from undetected illnesses and loneliness. If you let your rabbit outside during the day, make sure she is confined in a sturdy wire enclosure, protected from the weather, and safe from predators, on feet and wings.

Temperature is also a concern; rabbits are susceptible to heat stroke and will have problems in temperatures above 30 C . Keep bunny in a cool room (15-21 C); on hot days run the air conditioner or place a plastic soda container filled with frozen water in the cage with a fan. Sadly, I have heard of many rabbits with missing ears caused by exposure to a harsh winter. Rabbits belong indoors with your family during the cold weather .

A good minimum cage size is 24"x30"x18" (DxLxH); bigger is always better. Wire cages are fine; do not use aquariums or solid walls as these trap heat, reduce circulation, and prevent bunny from watching her people. A wire mesh of 14 gauge and with 1" X ½" openings is adequate. Another great choice are multi-level hutches connected with carpeted ramps . A wire-bottom cage is fine, as long as there are solid surfaces (rugs, litterpans) to protect the feet.

Place a throw rug, carpet square, or other washable surface on the cage floor to protect feet from wire damage (sore hocks) or add a solid floor; inexpensive throw rugs work well and are readily washed. For bunnies who like to chew their rugs, try woven grass mat squares . Metal urine guards help keep hay, poops, etc inside the cage. Place a removable litterpan (metal or plastic) beneath the cage to catch hay and debris. Place a smaller litterpan inside the cage (atop the wire) in a back corner for bunny to use; most rabbits will use this litterpan rather than the larger tray, making cage cleaning easier. Use a litterpan of sufficient size; many rabbits like to lounge and sleep in this pan. Change toys frequently to prevent boredom. Hang a filled hayrack on the cage exterior so she can nibble all day; place the hayrack over the litterpan to enforce litter training, as most rabbit like to graze while they defecate.

What to feed my rabbit???

DIET

Normal Rabbit Weight

Unfortunately, what we thought was a normal rabbit weight in the past has often been an overweight rabbit. Obesity is a problem with rabbits that eat a diet too high in calories and that don't get enough exercise. A healthy rabbit should be slim and sleek. You should be able to feel the ribs just under the skin without a thick layer of fat. The hindquarters should not have any folds of skin covering or interfering with the digestive tract or urinary openings. The dewlaps in females should not be so large as to interfere with grooming or eating. If you are in doubt about your rabbit's proper weight, please consult your veterinarian.

Cecotropes

Rabbits are herbivores with a marvelous gastrointestinal (GI) tract that allows them to extract nutrients from a variety of sources. Rabbits were designed to live on a diet composed of large quantities of grasses and leaves. They might also browse on flowers and fruits as they could find them at different times of the year. Rabbits are very successful at making the most out of the food they eat, food that many other animals could not even digest. One of the keys to their success is the production of cecotropes, which are a special type of dropping that is eaten by the rabbit directly from the anus and then digested. These droppings are not made up of waste materials but rather are rich in organisms that have come from the area of the intestinal tract called the cecum. These organisms are packed with nutrients such as amino acids (the “building blocks” of proteins), fatty acids and a variety of vitamins. In order for the rabbit to get these nutrients, the cecotropes and thus the organisms must be eaten and digested thereby extracting the nutrients. In this way, rabbits can extract the maximum nutrients from low energy food materials. They literally produce some of their own food! Rabbits will eat their cecotropes directly from the anus and you will not these special droppings in the cage. If a rabbit has a medical problem that prevents him/her from reaching the anus, then you may see cecotropes on the cage floor. Cecotropes are elongated, greenish in color, coated in mucous and have a strong odor. Please consult your veterinarian if you see a large number of cecotropes in the cage because your rabbit may be missing vital nutrition. If a rabbit is eating a diet that is too rich in nutrients, such as one that contains mostly commercial pellets, there may normally be a few cecotropes dropped in the cage.

Cecotropes are a vital part of your rabbit's diet.

Grass Hay

Grass hay is one of the most important parts of your pet's diet. Hay should be provided at all times in your pet's cage. Hay is appropriate for all ages of rabbits starting at weaning. Hay provides a number of important things for your rabbit's health.

Rich in nutrients such as vitamins, mineral and protein
Provides “food” for the micro-organisms that make up the cecotropes
Provides indigestible fiber that promotes healthy motility (movement of contents) of the intestinal tract
Provide healthy chewing activity to promote proper wear of the teeth (all rabbit teeth grow continuously throughout its life)
Chewing also provides healthy mental activity which decreases chewing of inappropriate objects such as furniture and wallpaper
Provides a “full feeling” in the stomach which is satisfying and may also prevent inappropriate chewing

Remember that rabbits are designed to live primarily on a diet of grasses and leaves, therefore grass hay can provide a good portion of that diet. There are two basic types of hay available: grass and legume.

Legume hays are made from alfalfa, clover, peas, beans or peanuts. These hays are loaded with nutrients but have more calories, calcium and protein than a house rabbit needs. Feeding only legume hays may lead to GI disorders and obesity and for this reason we do not recommend feeding these hays. If you mix legume hay with grass hay, the rabbit may only pick out the calorie-rich legume hay and thus overload itself with calories, thus we do not recommend mixing grass and legume hay. If you live in an area where only legume hay is available it is preferable to use it rather then no hay at all. However you may wish to limit the amount of hay if your pet experiences excessive weight gain or GI problems.
Grass hays are made from timothy, meadow, oat, rye, barley or Bermuda grasses. Grass hay availability varies greatly in different areas of the country and the world. You may only be able to obtain one variety where you live. However, if at all possible, try to feed mixed grass hay or provide two or more individual types. Grass hays are rich in nutrients but provide the lower energy diet appropriate for a house rabbit. These are the healthiest hays to feed. If you have a choice, choose sun-dried hay which has retained more of its nutrients than commercially dried hay. Do not feed straw. Straw is devoid of most nutrients and although it is not harmful in small amounts, it will lead to serious nutritional deficiencies if it is a major part of the rabbit diet.

Sources for hay include veterinary clinics, horse barns, feed stores and rabbit clubs. When you buy hay you need to consider the following:

Buy hay that smells fresh, never buy damp or old hay
Buy from a reputable source that replenishes the hay frequently
If you buy from a feed store or horse barn, buy hay that has not been on the top of the pile to prevent contamination with animal or bird droppings.

Hay can be stored at home in a dry place that has good air circulation. Do not close the bag of hay but rather leave it open. Hay can be given to your pet in a variety of ways including in a hay rack on attached to the side of the cage, in a box or basket within the cage or exercise area, or even placed in the litter box. Rabbits often pass stools when they are eating and placing some hay in the litter box can help with bathroom training. They will not eat soiled hay, so you need not worry about sanitation. Always keep hay in the cage or exercise area and replenish as needed. Providing grass hay in the diet is a major key in preventing many diseases in the pet rabbit.

Green Foods

Green foods are equally as important as hay in the rabbit's diet. Remember I said that rabbits are designed to eat grasses and leaves, so green foods represent the “leaf” part of the diet. Green foods provide all the same benefits that we listed for hay. They also contain a wider variety of micronutrients and importantly provide water in the diet. Even though you may be providing a water container in the cage, rabbits do not always drink as much as they should. Feeding green foods forces the rabbit to take in liquid and thus helps promote healthy GI function as well as kidney and bladder function. You will notice that if you feed your pet a lot of green foods, he/she will drink very little water which is normal.

If your rabbit has never eaten green foods before, I recommend starting him/her on hay first. This will help to make the appropriate changes in the GI tract, including improving movement and production of cecotropes. In this way you can avoid the problem of 'soft stools” that is occasionally noted when a rabbit that has never eaten hay or greens is given greens. This is not a dangerous disease; it is only the rabbit's intestinal tract making changes from its sluggish state to a more active state. However, these soft stools can be messy, so making the change to hay first for a couple of weeks will avoid this problem. Greens are appropriate for any age of rabbit. If a weaned rabbit is eating hay, he can eat greens right away.

When selecting and using green foods follow these guidelines:

Buy (or grow) organic if possible
Wash any green foods first
Feed a variety of green foods daily – a minimum would be three varieties – variety provides a wider range of micronutrients as well as mental stimulation for your pet
Feed a minimum of 1 packed cup of green foods per 2 pounds of body weight at least once a day – feed more if your pet is eating hay as well, there is not real upper limit

There are two situations that can occur that will alter the manner with which you feed greens. The first situation is where a select green food causes a soft stool. You will know if this is the case within 12 hours of feeding the offending food. If you are feeding a variety of greens, and not sure which one is causing the problem, then feed only one green food every 48 hours until the offending food is identified and then simply remove it from the diet. This is not a dangerous situation, but it can be messy and there is no need to feed a food that is causing a problem. There are many green foods from which to choose.

The second situation concerns rabbits that have lost too much weight that need to gain weight after a serious illness. It is extremely rare to see a rabbit lose too much weight on a diet of hay and green foods, unless the rabbit is not eating the hay and is only eating greens. Hay is a more concentrated food then greens. In any event, if you are trying to put weight back on a rabbit, you can limit the greens to one cup/2lbs of body weight maximum to encourage an increase in hay consumption.

There are a huge variety of green foods that you can offer your pet. You might even consider growing some yourself! This would include grass that you grow in your yard but it can only be used if there have been no pesticides or other chemicals used on it. You might consider growing a patch of grass just for your bunnies. And don't throw away those dandelions when you pull them up, if they have not been treated with any chemicals they are an excellent source of nutrition. In general, the darker green a food is the higher the nutritional value. You can use packages of mixed salad greens s if they contain dark colored greens and are not comprised primarily of iceberg lettuce or romaine lettuce. Please, no salad dressing!

Here is a list of some of the green foods you might consider:

Broccoli (leaves and top)	Brussels sprouts	Bok choy
Cabbage (red, green, Chinese)	Celery (leaves are good	Chickory
Chickory	Collard greens	Dock
Dandelion greens (and flower)	Borage	Basil
Swiss chard (any color)	Endive	Escarole
Parsley (Italian or flat leaf best)	Mustard greens	Kale
Romaine lettuce	Leaf lettuce	Baby greens
Water cress	Raddichio	Carrot/beet tops

Fruits and Other Vegetables (Treat Foods)

Depending on the time of year, rabbits in the wild would have access to additional foods such as fruits, vegetables and flowers. Since these items do not make up the majority of the diet, I recommend feeding these special items in limited quantities. Another reason for limiting the amount is because some rabbits like these foods so well, that they will eat them to the exclusion of all others thereby creating a potential for health problems. Foods from this list can be fed daily and you may even wish to use them as part of a reward or training system. These treat foods are far healthier (and less expensive) that the commercial treat foods sold for rabbits. Commercial treat foods should be totally avoided because they are loaded with starch and fat and if fed in quantity can cause serious health problems. Stick to “natural” and healthy treats for your pet.

Follow the same guidelines as listed for selecting and using green foods with the exception of the amount. You can feed your pet a total of 1 heaping tablespoon per 2 pounds of body weight per day of any combination of the foods below:

Kiwi Fruit	Strawberries	Blueberries
Raspberries	Blackberries	Apple
Pear	Peach	Papaya
Pineapple	Cactus fruit	Melons
Bean or alfalfa sprouts	Green or red bell peppers	Mango
Pea pods (flat, NO peas)	Cherries	Cranberries
Edible flowers from the garden (organically grown and NOT from a florist) such as roses, nasturtiums, day lilies, pansies and snap dragons	Carrots	Squash

Dried fruit can be used as well, but since it is so concentrated, use only half the amount as fresh. We do not recommend feeding bananas and grapes as rabbits sometimes become “addicted” to these foods. If you do chose to feed them, watch your pet carefully to ensure he/she is also eating sufficient quantities of green foods and hay.

Forbidden Foods

A diet of grass hay and green foods with small amounts of fruits and vegetables contains all the nutrition necessary for the pet rabbit. Unfortunately there are many commercial treat foods sold for rabbits that contain high levels of starch and fat. In addition, some people still feel that it is necessary to feed rabbits high starch foods. Although a pet rabbit can eat very small amounts of starchy or fatty foods, without ill effect, the problem is that people often feed excess amounts because the rabbits eat these foods so greedily. My recommendation is to completely avoid high starch and/or fat foods for your pet. In this way you will avoid any potential problems these foods can cause including obesity and serious GI disease. It is always easier to prevent than to treat a disease.

Examples of high fat and/or starch foods to AVOID include:

Beans (of any kind)	Peas	Corn
Breads	Cereals	Nuts
Seeds	Oats	Wheat
Chocolate	Refined sugar	Any other grains

Water

Water should always be available, and changed daily. A dirty water container can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Use either a water bottle or a 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 the water if the taste or color is altered. Please remember if your pet is eating a large quantity of greens that the water consumption may be minimal.

Vitamins/Lactobacillus/Enzymes

Vitamins are not necessary for the healthy rabbit. Rabbits will obtain all the vitamins they need from their cecotropes, grass hay and green foods. The misuse of vitamins can cause serious disease. If your pet becomes ill, particularly if he/she is unable to eat the cecotropes, then your veterinarian may prescribe vitamin therapy. Please do not use supplemental vitamins in a healthy pet. In addition, rabbits on a healthy diet do not need a salt or mineral block.

Lactobacillus or acidophilus are bacteria found in the GI tracts of a number of different species. In some older texts there was a recommendation to feed rabbits yogurt (which contains active cultures of these organisms) to improve the health of the GI tract. However, there is no benefit to feeding these bacteria to the rabbit because Lactobacillus does not hold an important place in the rabbit GI tract and adult rabbits may not be able to adequately digest dairy products. Other products, called probiotics, that contain bacteria more specific to the rabbit GI tract, are available but their benefits are still controversial. A rabbit on a healthy diet of grass hay and green foods should be able to maintain a normal population of bacteria without additional supplementation. I do not recommend the routine use of probiotics in the healthy rabbit.

Some older texts recommend feeding digestive enzymes to rabbits to help dissolve hairballs. This is of no benefit to the rabbit because such products do not dissolve hair and the problem is not the hair anyway. Although these products will not harm the rabbit, they are of no use.

Commercial Rabbit Pellets

It may seem odd that this topic is the last on our diet list. This is because I feel that commercial rabbit pellets DO NOT need to be part of a healthy house rabbit diet. As mentioned several times, rabbits gain all the nutrition they need from a grass hay and green foods diet along with their cecotropes. In addition, these foods promote a healthy GI tract and proper wear for the teeth.

Pellets were originally developed for the rabbit in the meat, fur and laboratory animal industry to provide a uniform and highly concentrated food that could easily be fed to large numbers of animals. The pellets are loaded with concentrated nutrition to promote rapid growth. Rabbits in these industries have a shortened life span, unlike the house rabbit. Commercial pellets work well in these industries, but can wreak havoc with the house rabbit.

The problems that a diet comprised primarily of commercial pellets can create in the house rabbit include:

High calorie content can lead to obesity – easy to overfeed because the rabbit is always acting “hungry”
High protein content can lead to eating less cecotropes which are dropped in the cage
Low indigestible fiber content can lead to a sluggish GI tract and eventually more serious GI disease including complete GI shutdown
Doesn't promote normal tooth wear due to the concentrated nature of the food – a couple of chews and the food is pulverized
Lack of sufficient chewing activity and “full feeling” in stomach due to concentrated nature of the food may lead to inappropriate or excessive chewing on furniture, plants, wallboard, etc. – could be related to “boredom”?
Concentrated, dry nature of food may not promote normal water intake resulting in potential urinary tract disease

There have been improvements in a few of the commercial pellet brands available to the public, including increased indigestible fiber levels and decreased calorie, protein and calcium content. There have also been some unfortunate changes such as adding seeds and nuts or sugars to the diet, which are all detrimental to your pet. However it still remains that pellets are not a necessary component of a healthy house rabbit diet and need not be fed. Remember that rabbits were designed to eat a diet comprised of a large volume of grasses and leaves, not a low volume, highly concentrated diet. Rabbits in the wild do not need to come to a feed station for a meal of pellets to survive and our pets do not need this either!

So, are there any circumstances where we might consider feeding pellets to our pets?

The following is a list of situations where a good quality commercial pellet might be useful as part of a diet, but not the complete diet.

In households where hay cannot be used due to human allergies or unavailability
To implement a weight gain most often related to a debilitating illness
When the owners are unable to feed a varied diet of good quality grass hay and a variety of green foods.!

If we really want to provide the healthiest diet for out pets we should be striving to reproduce its natural diet, not taking the easy way out for our own convenience. Providing a healthy diet for a rabbit is neither difficult nor expensive and in addition will save you many dollars in veterinary bills. The number one cause of disease in the rabbit remains an inappropriate diet, and the number one prevention for these diseases is a diet of quality grass hay and a variety of green foods.

If you do need to feed pellets for any reason then buy those that are at least 18% or higher in fiber, 2.5% or lower in fat, 16% or less in protein, and 1.0 % or less in calcium. Do not buy pellet mixes that also contain seeds, dried fruits or nuts. Please consult your veterinarian for the amount that you need to feed your pet if you fall into one of these categories. However, try to avoid feeding your rabbit a diet of exclusively commercial pellets.

Litter Training???

Rabbits litter-train easily if you understand bunny logic. The greatest key to success is to spay or neuter your bunny (see below); this reduces the hormone surges that drive territory marking. Rabbits are neat by nature and will chose only 1-2 spots to urinate in. They also prefer to eat and defecate in the same location; indeed, it's natural for bunnies to consume some of their hard pellets and all of their soft cecal pellets. You can use this natural behavior to encourage good litter habits: place hay inside of or hang it above bunny's litterpan. Keep a litterpan inside the cage and atop the wire floor in a favorite back corner; place one or two litterpans in a location that bunny selects outside the cage (generally a back corner). A throw rug beneath helps clean accidents. Cat litter pans without tops make good litter pans. Some bunnies prefer two litterpans in the cage, one for potty and one for sleeping. Change litter every 2-3 days to maintain good potty habits. Some rabbits prefer to defecate atop litter; others prefer wire. Clean litterbox stains with vinegar and let them soak overnight before scrubbing with a stiff brush. Rubber spatulas or cat litter scoops are great for emptying the litter pan, and rabbit manure will make your garden the envy of the neighborhood.

Now What to use for litter??

A variety of materials can absorb urine; some are safer than others. Good choices include compressed wood pellets (woodstove fuel or Feline Pine), hardwood shavings (i.e. aspen, birch), and recycled newspaper products. Do not use oat hulls or citrus peels if bunny likes to eat the litter, as these are calorie-rich. Never use cedar or pine shavings, because they give off natural toxins that can alter bunny's drug metabolism in the event of a medical emergency. Some bunnies are picky about their litter; you may need to experiment to discover her preferences. Most rabbits do not like the texture of cat litter, and it is dangerous if ingested. Never use clumping cat litter in the rabbit's litterpan.

To train bunny to her new litterpan, keep her inside the new cage for the first week and restrict outside cage time to 10-20 min at a time. Hay in and above the litterpan reinforces good habits. Gradually add space to her territory, one room at a time. Anticipate bunny, and if she backs up and lifts her tail, transfer her back to the cage litterpan immediately. It does no good to scold afterward, as bunny cannot link the behavior to punishment. For the first several days, bunny will naturally scatter poops everywhere to mark her new territory; if this doesn't stop in a neutered rabbit, then territory restriction and retraining may be necessary.

Bunnies make up to 200-300 hard poops daily! A few are bound to escape. A small vacuum (Dust-Buster, Dirt Devil) makes cleaning these a cinch. To clean urine accidents, wipe immediately with water. Remove dried urine with vinegar; rabbit urine is rich in calcium salts and the vinegar readily dissolves this.

When rabbits break litter training, search for a reason. Common ones include: urinary tract infection, new/disliked litter, infrequent changing of litter pan, family stress, too much freedom, injury or disease causing incontinence, or boredom. Rabbits with true incontinence are treated with medication; rabbits who have lost bladder control are easily diapered; contact your vet or www.rabbit.org for further information.

Intro

2008-01-27T10:14:00.000-05:00

Rabbit Behavior

Much of the information for this article came from a superb book called Why Does My Rabbit...? By Anne McBride who is an animal behaviorist. This is the finest and most complete book I have seen on rabbit behavior to date and it includes not only extensive background information on rabbits, but specific remedies for specific behavioral problems. I would highly recommend getting a copy of this book and reading it from cover to cover. It is available at some bookstores, veterinary clinics and online book sites.

Our pet rabbits are direct descendants of the wild European rabbits which originally inhabited the area around Spain and Portugal. The scientific name Oryctolagus cuniculus means “hare-like digger” (an appropriate name if you ever had a rabbit take a liking to your carpet!) They were originally bred in captivity at least 3000 years ago as a source of food and fur. Not until the 19th century did “fancy” rabbit breeding become fashionable and thus the proliferation of the many shapes and sizes of rabbits we have today. Rabbits were never bred primarily for behavioral characteristics (as dogs are) but rather for size and color. Therefore the behaviors we see in the domestic rabbit today vary little from their wild ancestors.

Rabbits are herbivorous prey animals, meaning they are lower on the food chain and must be on the constant lookout for predators. Even though we don't like to think about it, in nature they provide food for a whole host of other animals and thus have a prolific rate of reproduction. Thus the three main purposes of the prey animal are stay alive, reproduce and eat enough food to accomplish the first two.

Twitching Nose - Part of the rabbit's anatomical design is geared towards detecting and escaping predators. Even when rabbits are sleeping they must constantly be monitoring their environment for danger, hence the constant nose movement. As they wiggle their nose and pull in air they also part the split in the upper lip to moisturize the air and improve the ability to pick up scents.

Large Moveable Ears – Rabbits have a large ear surface area for two reasons. The most important is to allow more sound waves to be collected and thus detect potential danger in the area. The other reason, particularly in warm climates, is as a natural “air conditioner” for the body where heat can be released quickly. Rabbits will move their ears independently of each other to further maximize their hearing ability. Only the poor lop-eared rabbit, which of course was genetically altered by man, cannot use its ears in the proper manner.

Large Protruding Eyes - The position and size of the eyes allows excellent vision almost 360 degrees around the head. Rabbits cannot see well directly in front but together with smelling and hearing they can pinpoint where danger is coming from very accurately.

Eating Patterns – Rabbits evolved to exist on a wide range of plant materials, including plants of low nutrient value to other animals. Therefore they were designed to be grazing a good portion of the day which means they may have to travel some distance to obtain food. During any eating behavior, a rabbit will periodically raise its head to scan the area with all its senses, which gives rabbits a “nervous” look when eating.

McBride describes three types of eating behaviors that agree with my own observations of rabbits. Casual feeding is when the rabbit is feeding in a “safe” area such as near the burrow and is comprised of relaxed nibbling here and there. Voracious feeding is when the rabbit is feeding rapidly on anything in sight in a straight line as quickly as possible. It is suggested that this feeding may be seen when there is bad weather or danger that precludes the rabbit being out very long to feed. Normal feeding is what would be seen most regularly within a rabbit's established territory consisting of a zigzag pattern where there is selection of only the tastiest food items.

By the way, rabbits tend to defecate as they are eating, particularly with the casual or normal patterns. These waste droppings then fertilize the area and keep things growing!

Digging – The European rabbit lived in interconnected burrows, called “warrens” so the main reason for digging is to create a safe place to hide, sleep and reproduce. McBride also describes a second reason for digging which is to produce a horseshoe-shaped depression called a “scrape”. The scrape may provide a place to roll in dry earth or it may be where a food item was uncovered. However, she concludes that the most common reason is to provide a place for male rabbits to make small deposits of feces to mark their territory, acting as she states “like a billboard at the side of an open highway”.

Jumping – Although jumping is not a part of normal locomotion for the rabbit it can be essential when there is a need for escape from danger. A rabbit running for its life can leap not only over obstacles, but also straight up into the air and then twist around so it lands going a totally different direction, thus throwing the predator off guard.

Vocalization – Since rabbits are prey animals they by necessity do not want to draw attention to themselves with a lot of noise. Therefore most of their vocalizations are quiet. Content rabbit noises might include a low purring sound, soft clicking, or slow, quiet grinding of the teeth. Aggressive noises include grunts, growls and loud teeth grinding. Pain and fear can be expressed also by loud teeth grinding. Rabbits have a piercing scream that is given out only when the animal is in extreme fear or pain. It is so startling that is likely serves to shock the predator into hesitating long enough for the rabbit to get away, or as a warning to other rabbits in the area.

Scent Marking – Rabbits can use their feces to mark their territory and to communicate with other rabbits. In addition rabbits of both sexes have scent glands under their chin. They will mark important items (including other rabbits) in their territory with the clear secretion from this gland, which is undetectable to humans but very interesting to other rabbits.

Urine – There are two methods with which rabbits urinate. One is simply to empty the bladder in a normal position and the other is lifting the hindquarters and spraying urine on a vertical surface. Most often spraying is done by intact male rabbits to mark another male rabbit or during courtship proceedings with a female rabbit. Animals neutered before or shortly after sexual maturity do not usually spray urine.

Visual Communication – As McBride points out, visual communication is not a large part of rabbit communication. However there are certain postures that are significant.

A relaxed rabbit will lie either on his side or belly with the hind legs stretched out or alternatively squat down on the ground with the ears folded against the head.

A submissive rabbit makes itself look small by crouching as flat as possible and staying very still, but the eyes are still fairly “relaxed” looking and not tense. A fearful rabbit will look similar to the submissive rabbit but the eyes will look tense and “bugged out” and the body and ears will be pressed tightly in a downward fashion so as to appear invisible to the predator. When a rabbit encounters something distasteful but not necessarily dangerous in its environment it will shake its head.(Of course constant shaking of the head most often is a medical problem). And we all know that when a rabbit thumps the ground energetically it is spreading a warning to other rabbits of danger. It will then dash off with the white underside of the tail raised as a warning signal to all rabbit buddies within sight.

Have fun with your bunny and enjoy the species you have chosen to take into your home. We are blessed to be able to share our space with a creature that is in reality little changed from its wild ancestors, but has adapted to life with us crazy humans in spite of it all!