All About Your Rabbit’s Care

GROOMING

Rabbits need to be brushed, just like your dog or cat. Pick a small slicker brush that has tines on it that are soft and suited for a kitten. Always brush from the head to the tail, and do not brush against the grain of the fur.

A rabbit will molt two to three times a year. The molt starts just above the nose and continues down the body until it reaches the tail. A molt will usually occur right after your rabbit is spayed or neutered, so don’t be surprised when it seems like it is “blowing” its coat! A rabbit will also release its fur from the follicles during a visit to the vet or in times/moments of stress. Spring and fall are our other two big times for molt, so be prepared with the right tools to assist your rabbit in removing the old, dead fur. A small curry brush, known as a Shed ‘n Blade (for cats/kittens) is useful to remove the undercoat of the rabbit during its seasonal molt. Use gently, however! Those blades are sharp. Please have your groomer, vet or me show you how to use this tool. Another really useful tool is a “Furminator” – which you can purchase at Petsmart, Petco or on-line.

Rabbits do not need baths. Their fur is quite thick, and it takes a long time for it to dry during which they could easily become ill. The only time you would need to bathe your rabbit is under extreme circumstances where injury and/or trauma demand that you do so. Rabbits groom themselves more times a day than a cat does, which is why you will never need to give your rabbit a bubble bath. Contact us for further instruction if you find that you need to bathe your rabbit. If you do find that your rabbit needs a bath, please be careful! Their backs are extremely delicate, and they do not like to be immersed in water. Go carefully, use warm (not hot) water, and use a shampoo that is suitable for you and is “cruelty free”. Rinse thoroughly (until the water runs clear) and then towel dry as much as possible. Using your hairdryer set on low, get down on the floor, put your bun in between your legs, and blow dry taking great care not to get the rabbit’s skin too warm, as it can and will burn.

Your rabbit will ingest quite a lot of fur during the grooming process, and particularly after you bathe him (another reason not to!). Make sure that your rabbit receives extra hay and lots of exercise to help prevent fur blockage in its stomach. Rabbits will also groom themselves dry, as I have witnessed when my colonized rabbits go and sit out in the rain (which they actually seem to enjoy at times).

Your rabbit should have its nails checked to see if they need trimming every month or so. Again, use a pair of cat nail scissors. Lay your rabbit in your arms like a baby, talk softly to it, and gently clip the back nails first, then the front. Until your rabbit gets used to this procedure, it is possible that it will want to jump out of your arms. Please sit on the floor until you are comfortable clipping nails! Your veterinarian would be happy to clip those nails for you, so don’t hesitate to call him/her!

I HAVEF A COLT IN MY NOSE!
Rabbits do not get “colds” like we do. If you see a discharge of any color coming from your rabbit’s nose, it is a warning signal to get it to the vet as soon as possible.

“SNUFFLES”, which is a bacterial infection (pasteurella multicoda), will only spread further in your rabbit’s body, weakening the immune system and shortening your rabbit’s life. Antibiotic therapy is called for here so do not hesitate to go to the veterinarian. We have many antibiotics available now that can and do arrest this disease. A practiced rabbit vet will also know to check the teeth and molars of the rabbit, feel for lumps around the neck/head, and look into the ears. Infection spreads quickly in rabbits, and a simple cracked back molar could lead to bone loss and root infection. A culture can be made from deep inside the nasal cavity and from the culture and sensitivity test the appropriate antibiotic can be chosen to give to your rabbit.

Other signs of a bacterial infection include watery eyes with a discharge of color, exudates (or pus) in a rabbit’s ears or abscesses on its feet or body. Obviously, this is not to be taken lightly but would clearly be a time to visit your veterinarian. Pasteurella, along with other bacteria, are resident in these mammals and also in avian species. When a trauma, such as an injury or puncture occurs or simply a lowering of the immune system happens, bacteria will overgrow, often resulting in an infection in your rabbit. Rabbits are far more fragile than not, and you will need to be observant of your rabbit’s overall health in order to see what is normal and what is not normal.

EAR MITES
Ear mites are fairly common in our rabbits, as they are in cats and dogs. A simple shot or drops (Ivermectin) in your rabbit’s ears by your veterinarian will solve this problem. If you allow the ear mites to multiply, your rabbit will only stay in pain for a longer period of time and complications from the ear mites can and often does occur. These complications include seizures and death. This is NOT to be taken lightly. Also, it is important to know that you should not clean out the ears for perhaps three days after the shot of Ivermectin has been given. The reason for this is the rabbit’s ears are in a great deal of pain, and if the mites have broken through any of the membranes including the tympanae and/or brain pan, any fluid that you place in the ear could go into an area of the rabbit’s body that would be harmful.

You can place a drop or so (and I mean a drop!) of olive oil into the rabbit’s ear – coating the inner layer of mite crust so that it softens. I have seen a rabbit come in whose ears were totally covered in mites and the crust continued around the neck and down the back. So if you see a black crust forming inside of your rabbit’s ear, the chances if it being the ear mite is quite possible. Please bring your rabbit in to see your vet – just imagine if that mite were in YOUR ear! It will also be up to your vet to determine whether to put your rabbit on an antibiotic to avoid secondary infection.

TORTICULLIS (wry neck)
Torticullis is a condition in which the rabbit usually has an inner ear infection caused by a bacterium (often pasteurella). The rabbit will experience “motion sickness” (we give ginger pills for part of the condition). Often the rabbit’s eye (most often the eye pointing upwards) will result in nystagmus (darting back and forth of the eye). The rabbit’s neck will turn to one side or the other. This is a horribly painful condition and can be arrested before it progresses. Again, if you see any of these symptoms occurring, a vet visit is imperative to catch the disease! Head radiographs and a thorough look at the head structure of the rabbit is a must!

Another cause of wry neck is a migrating protozoa named e. cunniculi. A blood test can be given to ascertain whether this is the culprit or not. Obviously, this condition is serious and warrants an immediate visit to your vet. A rabbit with this condition will require extra care and watching until it can recover. Often the rabbit will not recover completely, but will have a slight tilt to one side.

HEATSTROKE
Heatstroke can and does occur down here in Texas, particularly if you house your rabbit in a hutch in the back yard. There are many ways to house your rabbit and keep it safe from the elements. Explore those options with us at All about your rabbit’s home and protect your rabbit from death by predators or heat. Heatstoke is a serious life-threatening condition that warrants a swift visit to either your rabbit-friendly emergency room or your vet.

There are many other medical conditions to talk about, but these are the ones I consider the most serious. Please do not hesitate to contact your veterinarian or WildRescue if you have further questions or concerns.

WHY SPAY OR NEUTER?
Cancer is prevalent among the rabbit species. It is estimated that, by the age of 5 years, a female rabbit can develop uterine or ovarian cancer and a male rabbit, testicular or prostate cancer. Spaying or neutering your rabbit is a benefit in many ways – both behaviorally and physically.

Rabbits are 90% hormones. Female rabbits enter into heat (“spontaneous ovulation” and virtually stay in season throughout their lives. Both female and male rabbits spray their loved one to mark them as theirs. Although we humans certainly do not appreciate this behavior, to the rabbit, it is one of their ultimate love offerings. Spaying or neutering your rabbit will stop this unwanted behavior and reduce the stress of your rabbit immeasurably. Remember that it takes approximately 1 month for males and up to 3 months for females to have all of the hormones exit their bodies. If your rabbit is older (over 3) then sometimes the hormones will take longer to fade away. Please be patient – your rabbit is worth it!

Other unwanted and destructive behaviors, such as chomping your baseboards into nice little splinters, tearing at your carpet (but all I wanted to do is make a nice nest, Mom!), munching on your computer wires and annoying your friends at dinner parties will be virtually eradicated by spaying or neutering your darling house rabbit.

More behaviors include:

- Cage aggression
- Food aggression
- Attacking their human friends
- Attacking and killing each other
- False pregnancy
- Digging and tunneling

When you adopt a rabbit from a humane organization, you should ask if the rabbit has already been spayed or neutered. Usually, it is state law that any animal adopted from a humane organization be spayed or neutered. When you adopt a rabbit from us, we will tell you if the rabbit has already been altered. If it has not, then before you can take it home it will be brought to our vet for surgery. The only exception is for our babies – but we will follow up with you and take care of any arrangements.

Rabbits feel pain. There is no question, actually, that all animals feel pain. But rabbits do not have a high tolerance for pain, and so we recommend that your rabbit-savvy vet give pain medication (such as Metacam) for pain control before and after surgery. All of our female rabbits get pampered – they go through a far more difficult surgery than the boys, and far more painful. We will walk you through what you need to do for your girl as well as for the guys. The minimization of pain and stress is our goal when it comes to anything regarding our rabbits.

LITTERBOX TRAINING YOUR RABBIT
And now, a word about the dreaded litter box. It is easier than you think! First and foremost, get your rabbit spayed (if it is a girl) or neutered (if it is a boy). I cannot emphasize this enough.

Currently accepted litters:

- Care Fresh – recycled cardboards and papers, available from feed stores and animal supply stores
- Yesterday’s News – recycled newspaper
- Oxbow Eco-Straw Litter
- Hay (non-pesticide only)

Unacceptable litter:

- Any cat litter that is clay based and/or has chemicals. Clay litter often contains chemicals that can cause damage to the rabbits’ neurological system if ingested. Plus, just think about it. If your rabbit munches on the clay and swallows it, then it can and will cause major GI problems in the future.

Please do not use! 
- Any soft wood bedding, including pine shavings. Stay away from any litter box fillers that contain cedar oil or are comprised of wood. Do NOT use wood shavings of any kind — including cedar, sawdust, pine, and so forth. Wood shavings react with the rabbit’s urine to create a toxin which can build up in their liver. If your rabbit needed to undergo surgery, their chances of recovering from anesthesia are very much compromised. Why take the chance? Do Not Use!

Now – on to litter box training! Since your rabbit has been spayed or neutered, almost all of the battle has already been won. Here are some litter box options:

- Simply put a good quantity of hay in a large, high-sided cat litter pan and change it every few days. Place their food and water bowl in the front of the litter pan. The bunny will jump in, use the latrine and knosh on dinner all at the same time. And, when it is time to change out the pan, you can compost the whole thing and have instant fertilzer! Rinse out the pan and WOW – you are off to the races. And you should SEE my garden!

- You can retrofit your litter pan with a grid of cut-to-spec lighting grid/grate purchased at almost any hardware store (a grate idea!). Voila! your rabbit can use its box and have its feet planted firmly on a clean surface. The grate/grid can be soaked in a solution of vinegar and water once a week to remove any urine mineral build-up.

Cleaning the Litter box

Vinegar is the only cleaner that you will need for your rabbit. Simply mix in a spray bottle one-half cup of white vinegar and fill the rest of the bottle with water (this equals 1 part vinegar to 9 parts water). Spray this mixture on the urine stain, scrub with a cloth and voila! All gone. The vinegar neutralizes the ammonia in the rabbit urine. Pretty nifty! You can also pour a little vinegar in the rabbit’s litter box when your rinse it out. Place the litter box out in the sun for a day to sterilize and further deodorize. Do not use any harsh chemicals such as Lysol or chlorine bleach as these and other cleaners can damage the lungs of you, your rabbit, and are not cruelty free products. If your vet requires that you “sterilize” your rabbit’s litter box, he/she can recommend a safe germicide/viruscide. You might want to remind your vet that vinegar actually kills pseudomonas, and that a day in hot sunshine will kill everything else!

The litter box is a place of refuge and contentment for your rabbit. They love to lie in them, roll over and snooze. It is vital to their health that this container be kept clean and changed as frequently as is needed. And remember – the contents of the litter box can be composted and utilized in your garden. Rabbit poop is considered to be a “hot” fertilizer and is one that needs to be aired, turned and rained-on before use. It is also almost entirely made up of nitrogen and is about a natural fertilizer as you can get. Think green! Think bunny poop!

Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to. – Alfred A. Montapert