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Choosing a Rabbit

04/10/2010 Basic care requirements will include feeding, cleaning and grooming so make sure you have the time for these before purchasing a rabbit or two. Many rabbits are abandoned and left in rescue centres each year so be sure to find out what care is involved BEFORE getting a bunny. If you are a committed and responsible owner your pet can become a very rewarding hobby.

Choosing a rabbit – Rabbits can be purchased from pet shops, breeders, show exhibitors or you can rescue from the likes of the RSPCA. If you are looking to show chances are that the pet shops will not stock any show rabbits. These are often kept back by the breeder to further their lines. Any stock which is up to BRC (British Rabbit Council) standards will have a ring placed on its back leg.  Any surplus stock often gets sold as pets via a pet store. If you are interested in showing then you can contact your main governing body and they will give you details of breeders of which breed of rabbit you are looking for.

Rabbit people are only too happy to talk about their hobby and are friendly people who will go out of their way to help if they can. Show animals have exacting standards and can be expensive to buy so that’s worth bearing in mind. A crossbreed rabbit often make the most wonderful of pets.

Doe or Buck – Stock should not leave its mother until it’s at least 8 weeks old and is best purchased around 10-12 weeks of age. By this time hopefully any illness will have shown up in the rabbit, stress related or otherwise. Young rabbits settle quicker into a new environment than an adult one.

Bucks are more easily trained and a neutered buck and doe will live happily together if they are littermates. If they come from separate litters they will both require neutering and they will need to be bonded which most of the time works but can take a lot of time and patience from the owner. Does if from the same litter can quite happily live in small groups or pairs providing they have ample living space. Does that are kept singly and are un-neutered may become territorial and aggressive towards an owner, boxing with their front feet and grunting at you. If you keep more than one un-neutered male they will need separate hutches whereas sibling females can share a rabbit cage and run.

Neutering – If you do not plan to breed from your rabbits then the kindest thing you can do for them is to have them neutered. This does come at a cost of around £50 per rabbit but you will have a much happier companion and save them from illness later in life. 50% of un-neutered female rabbits will develop uterine cancer. Neutered rabbits are easier to litter train and with bucks there will be less smell.

Bucks can be castrated at about 3-4 months of age whilst does can be spayed at 6 months of age. Dwarf breeds can be neutered at 4 months.

What Breed? – If you are planning on buying a rabbit for a Childs pet the best breed to have is the Himalayan, which is small, placid and easy to handle. The Dutch is also suitable and is more common which is also good tempered and easy to handle. Also dwarf lops and lion heads have a friendly placid temperament. Some dwarf and giants breeds are unsuitable because they can be feisty or cannot be handled easily, remember a large rabbit can scratch and give a hefty kick with its hind legs. Also theink of the room you have avaliable. A pair of rabbits will live comfortably in a 5ft hutch with run whereas a giant breed may need its own shed with a secure garden to exercise in.

What to look for – Before purchasing a rabbit be sure to handle it to check its overall condition  -

Coat Condition: make sure its clean and glossy and there are no signs of mites or lice. Check the anus is clean with no indication of diarrhoea

Eyes: Should be bright with no discharge

Nose: Damp but no discharge

Front Paws: Look at the inside of the front paws, are they wet or matted? If so the rabbit probably has a runny nose and has been wiping it with its paws

Teeth: Check to see if they protrude from the mouth or are crooked, this is a condition known as malocclusion.  Teeth problems are hard to treat and often happen in dwarf breeds with squashed up facial features. A rabbits teeth should meet evenly. Young rabbits teeth are pointed until they begin to gnaw, after this they become even and should meet.

A rabbit in first class condition will help you a long way with your new hobby.


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