• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Macarthur Veterinary Group

Your family pet is in safe hands

  • Home
  • About
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Opening Hours
    • Testimonials
    • Our History
    • Our Team
    • Facilities & Equipment
    • In The Community
    • Sustainability
  • Our Team
    • Partners
    • Veterinarians
    • Specialists & Consultants
    • Nurses
    • Administration
    • Careers
  • Services
    • Preventative Health Care
      • Annual Health Checks
      • Vaccinations
      • Heartworm Protection
      • Flea, Tick & Worm Control
      • Microchipping
    • Medical and Surgical Services
      • Desexing
      • Surgery
      • Dentistry
      • Dermatology
      • Wildlife & Rescue
      • Senior Pets
    • Emergencies
    • Facilities & Equipment
      • Endoscopy
      • In-house Laboratory
      • Radiology
      • Surgical Suites
      • Ultrasonography
    • Puppy Preschool
    • Cat Boarding
    • Behaviour Consultations
    • Dietary Advice
    • Pet Insurance
  • Contact
    • Bradbury
    • Camden
    • Gregory Hills
    • Mount Annan
    • Review Us Online
  • Pet Care
    • Blog
    • Articles
    • Downloads
    • Email Newsletters
    • Preventative Health Care
    • Dog Care
    • Cat Care
    • Rabbit Care
    • Ferret Care
  • Work With Us
Rabbits as Pets
You are here: Home / Articles / Rabbits as Pets

Rabbits · 17 January 2020

Rabbits as Pets

Rabbits are very common as pets and we see a lot of them. They tend to be anxious when handled and can scratch and be awkward to handle, but generally make good pets.

Interesting facts about rabbits

  • In the wild, rabbits are gregarious (they like company), they burrow, and are nocturnal, although in captivity they may not burrow and become active in the daytime. It’s generally best to house adults separately. Males (bucks) will fight and must be kept separately or desexed. Females (does) will also often fight. Bucks and does kept together will breed rapidly!
  • Rabbits’ eyesight is much more sensitive than ours is but not because they eat carrots! Rabbits need to see in twilight and at night and each eye can see over a wide angle. Their eyes can detect movement very well. Rabbits’ ears are used for gathering sounds and for temperature control. They are very sensitive and should never be used to hold rabbits, even by magicians. Rabbits’ skeletons are very lightweight, more like birds than cats, and their bones can be easily broken. They must be carried very carefully.
  • About 5-6 years is the average life span, but they can live for 15 years. Rabbits can breed at 4 months of age and, of course, they breed like rabbits! This is partly because females stay in heat until they mate, pregnancy only lasts 31-32 days and they will get pregnant again while feeding the young (kittens). Guinea pigs stay pregnant for 63 days. Another difference is that rabbits at birth are poorly developed, only drink milk and stay in a nest but guinea pigs can run around straight away and eat solid food. Rabbits may only feed the kittens for a few minutes each day, and this is all they seem to need. After 8 days of age the kittens start to eat the mother’s droppings, and after 2 weeks will start to eat fresh greens and drink from a bowl.
  • Rabbits are best fed good quality grass hay, especially for their teeth. Grass hay is better than lucerne hay because it has lower calcium content. They must also have green vegetables, grass, carrots and can have some pellets. The kind of food should not be changed suddenly and the water and food bowls must be kept very clean. Rabbits may not eat food if it’s not clean or they don’t like the smell or feel of the food. However, in the mornings they eat the first droppings they pass, which are high in protein and vitamins.
  • Rabbit urine is cloudy and can be different colours.
  • Rabbits can drink a lot. They make a mess in bowls so need to have a water bottle.
  • Rabbits should be kept warmer than 4 degrees and cooler than 29 degrees, and in a cage that protects them from dogs and cats and is easy to clean.

Health problems

Some common problems are:

  • Teeth: Rodents have 2 upper and 2 lower incisors that grow constantly. Rabbits are not rodents but “lagomorphs” and have 4 upper incisors. The extra 2 are small ones that you can’t see, behind the main incisor teeth. Their teeth grow constantly and if they don’t meet correctly, overgrowth occurs. Feeding good quality grass hay helps keep their teeth the right length. Rabbits with overgrown teeth may not eat well and will lose weight, and may be unable to close their mouth properly, or may have a bad smell from their mouth and staining of the fur around their mouth. Front teeth that are overgrown need to be removed and should not be clipped. Overgrown back teeth are much more difficult to manage. They may need regular trimming under anaesthesia.
  • Myxomatosis: Or Myxoma virus infection. It’s spread by mosquitoes, flies, rabbit fleas and close contact. Infected rabbits are depressed, not eating, and have typical swelling of the ears and face, and eye and nose discharge. Most die in a few weeks or are euthanased. There is no vaccine available in Australia.
  • Calicivirus: Like Myxoma virus, it was introduced to control wild rabbits. This one kills rabbits very quickly, usually within 2 days, but fortunately there is a vaccine. We strongly recommend that all rabbits be vaccinated for calicivirus at 10-12 weeks of age, then every 6 months after. We also include this in their annual health check.
  • Pasteurellosis: This is caused by a bacteria which forms abscesses that are very difficult to treat and can be in bone, skin, nose and almost anywhere. Abscesses often affect the balance part of the ear and cause severe loss of balance. One problem with treatment is that some antibiotics upset the bacteria in the intestines and make rabbits sick.
  • Ear Mites: cause a thick crust to form inside the ears and itchiness.
  • Chronic diarrhoea: Occurs occasionally. The cause is usually unknown and it is difficult to treat. Rabbits are not usually affected by worms but may occasionally need to be treated.
  • Injuries: Broken bones, including spines, are common due to their light bone structure. Treatment will depend on the particular bone broken.

More Information

The Sydney Exotics and Rabbit Vets website has valuable pet care information for owners of rabbits and other exotic pets.

We have not reviewed any of the below sites, but they appear to come from reputable sources.

  • Burke’s Backyard has several “Pet Road Tests” on rabbits:
    • Rabbits
    • Dwarf Lop & Mini Lop Rabbits
    • Bunnies
  • House Rabbit Society U.S.
  • Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund U.K.

By Macarthur Veterinary Group

Back to Top   |   Back to Articles


Related content

  • Rabbit Calicivirus Disease article
  • Vaccinations for Rabbits article
  • Dental Disease post
  • Brushing your pet’s teeth post
  • Why we feed a premium pet food post

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update – 24th June 2020

24 June 2020

Throughout the Covid isolation period,  Macarthur Vet Group has been committed to providing you with the services you want and need for your pets.  Although the government has now eased …

Continue Reading

Meet Chisel the Puppy!

11 June 2020

We’d like to introduce everyone to Chisel!  Chisel is a gorgeous male Golden Retriever puppy.  Over the course of the next few months, we are going to give you a glimpse into his puppy life, …

Continue Reading

A Chisel Update and Desexing/Registration

25 March 2021

Chisel is now over 6 months old and we thought it was time to give you some updates on his care and development.  The vet visits aren’t needed as frequently once all the vaccines are done, so we …

Continue Reading

Covid-19 Update – 24th March 2021

24 March 2021

It has been 12 months since Australia shut its borders and went into strict lockdown, amidst the on-going worldwide Coronavirus pandemic.  Since then, Macarthur Vet Group has continued to provide …

Continue Reading

Puppy Mischief!

18 February 2021

In one of our earlier blogs titled “Puppy Proofing”, we discussed how Chisel’s owners erected some wooden fencing and mesh to protect their gardens from a mischievous puppy!  Well we’re here to …

Continue Reading

Quick Links

  • Emergency Information
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Opening Hours
  • Review Us Online
  • Careers & Work Experience

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Follow Us

Footer

Bradbury

75 Jacaranda Ave, Bradbury NSW 2560
Book an appointment Call 02 4627 1333

Camden

6 Ironbark Avenue, Camden
Book an appointment Call 02 4655 7664

Gregory Hills

2/13 Rodeo Road, Gregory Hills
Book an appointment Call 02 4648 3588

Mount Annan

Unit 17/2-4 Main St, Mount Annan
Book an appointment Call 02 4647 7722

Copyright © 2021 Macarthur Veterinary Group · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Website by Provet