Rabbit Awareness Week 2014 kicks off on May 10 and organisers are asking pet rabbit owners to support this year’s campaign by making ‘One Small Hop’ of change to their care routine for their rabbits.
RAW is looking to simplify the steps that owners can take to improve their rabbits’ welfare. Many can be overwhelmed by the thought of changing how they approach each of their pets’ five welfare needs at the same time. These are the five things that all pets need to be healthy and happy, and which all pet owners have a legal duty to provide.The ‘One Small Hop’ campaign will ask owners to change one welfare need of their choosing, as a starting point to improving all five of their rabbits’ health and welfare needs in the future.
By changing just one thing, the RAW initiative aims to show just how much this impacts on the welfare of their rabbits, inspiring owners to meet all five welfare needs to ensure the wellbeing of their furry family members.
FIVE SMALL HOPS
1. Environment – Whether your rabbits live indoors or outside, provide them with an enclosure that has separate toilet and sleeping areas, as well as somewhere they can run around, burrow and dig, as this helps keep your furry friends happy. Rabbits are very active so it’s really important they have permanent access to a large exercise area securely attached to their living enclosure.
2. Diet – A complete diet for fibrevores (animals, like rabbits, that need fibre as the most important part of their diet) should provide for their dental, digestive, and emotional health. Good quality hay and/or grass, separate from their bedding, should make up the majority of your rabbits’ diet and should be available at all times.
It is also important that your rabbit has access to a small daily amount of rabbit nuggets, healthy fibre-rich snacks to promote ‘foraging’ behaviour, some fresh vegetables like broccoli and cabbage, and access to clean water. You should not feed rabbit “muesli” (a mix of seeds and flakes). If this diet is different to the way you currently feed your rabbits, remember to always change your rabbits’ diet gradually to avoid stomach upsets. Humans need a balanced diet; so do your pet rabbits!
3. Behaviour - When rabbits become bored, they may start to exhibit unwanted behaviours, such as plucking their own fur or biting the bars of their home. Rabbits’ behaviour is very much linked to their emotional wellbeing so keeping pet rabbits occupied is very important to help prevent them developing behavioural problems.
Foraging for hay, grasses and herbs is what keeps rabbits busy and occupied in the wild, and this is no different for domestic pets. Hiding healthy food items such as Excel Herbage and Forage hays, as well as occasional greens, around the living enclosure encourages rabbits to work a bit harder for their food, keeping them occupied and exercised. Toys can also be used as a way to keep bunnies entertained with tunnels, boxes and even hanging baskets for hay.
4. Companionship – Rabbits are social creatures and can suffer from loneliness and boredom if they live alone. If you are thinking about getting a rabbit, get a pair of bunnies that are already friends. The best combination is a neutered male and a neutered female to ensure your bunnies get along and won’t produce unwanted litters. Animal rehoming centres are good places to visit, as many have bonded pairs of rabbits who are vaccinated and neutered.
If you already have a rabbit, spend more time interacting with your pet if they are relaxed about this. Consider introducing a second neutered rabbit, but get advice from a pet care specialist on how to do this to avoid fighting. Always remember to think about the costs involved with taking on any new pets.
5. Health – Daily health checks should be carried out to maintain your pets’ health. Are they as bright and active as usual? Check their ears do not contain any discharge; check their eyes are not runny or swollen; keep an eye on your pets’ weight – rabbits that can’t exercise much are prone to obesity; keep an eye on their teeth length – these can grow at an astonishing rate and become problematic, especially if their diet isn’t right; check their bums are clean and dry; check that their nails aren’t becoming overgrown; and make sure their skin and fur isn’t patchy, red or scaly. If you have any concerns about your rabbits’ health, take them to your vet straight away.
You should also neuter and vaccinate your pets. Neutering prevents uterine cancer, a common health problem in older female rabbits, whilst vaccination protects against myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), two serious and life-threatening rabbit diseases. Consult your vet to book an appointment.
RAW supporters this year include, Burgess Excel, RSPCA, PDSA, Blue Cross, MSD Animal Health, Bayer Animal Health, Practice Plan for Vets, RWAF (Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund) and Wood Green, The Animals Charity.
Want to get involved? Head to www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk for information and tips on how to look after your rabbits. The website also includes a list of all the nearest vet practices offering free rabbit health checks during May, as well as retailers and rescue centres taking part in the 2014 RAW campaign, which takes place from May 10-18.
