The Rabbit pet card for essential information about your pet as provided by the RSPCA
Life span - Rabbits live for up to ten years.
Behaviour - Rabbits still retain much of their natural behaviour, which makes them unsuited to life in captivity. In the wild, rabbits live in large social groups, and it is unkind to keep just one. Male and female rabbits can be kept together as long as they have been neutered. Females from the same litter can also be kept together, but will have fewer medical problems if they are neutered.
Handling - Approach the rabbit from the front. Gently hold the scruff of its neck with one hand but take the weight in your other arm, which should be around the hindquarters. Lift the rabbit towards you and rest it against your body with its head towards your shoulder. Never pick up a rabbit by its ears or the scruff of its neck. Put a rabbit down slowly, hind legs first, on a non-slip surface.
Breeding - The RSPCA strongly advises that you do not breed from rabbits. Keep the sexes apart, although rabbits can be neutered to stop them producing unwanted young. Neutering is a straightforward operation that can be arranged with a vet. A female rabbit can have several litters a year, with as many as eight babies in each litter.
Health - Young rabbits should be vaccinated and given regular boosters. Your vet can advise.
Rabbits should be checked regularly for overgrown claws and teeth - these can be trimmed by a vet.
Young rabbits may be affected by a highly infectious disease called coccidiosis. Symptoms include a yellow look, diarrhoea, dullness and loss of appetite. Keep the rabbit isolated and seek veterinary advice straight away.
All rabbits may suffer from the potentially fatal disease flystrike, caused by flies laying eggs in soiled fur. Make sure the rabbits' home is cleaned every day, the bedding changed regularly and the rabbit has a good quality high fibre diet. Groom them every day, checking their fur for dirt, especially under the tail.
Rabbits may suffer from parasites. Treatment is available from your vet.
If a rabbit is sneezing and has a discharge from its nose, it may have snuffles. This is highly infectious and could lead to pneumonia. Keep the rabbit isolated and seek veterinary advice straight away.
Keeping the sexes apart is one way to prevent unwanted litters, although rabbits can be neutered to stop them producing unwanted young. Neutering is a straightforward operation that can be arranged with a vet.
it is very important to stop unwanted litters being born, as it is difficult to find homes for so many young rabbits. A female rabbit can have several litters a year, with as many as eight babies in each litter. RSPCA animal centres always have rabbits looking for homes as a result of unwanted litters.
What is neutering?
Neutering or 'spaying' a female animal involves removing the womb and ovaries (an ovaro-hysterectomy). Males are castrated - the testicles are removed. Both operations are straightforward - they are carried out under general anaesthetic and the animals recover quickly.
When should a rabbit be neutered?
Rabbits can be neutered at any age. If kept in groups neutering should be carried out as early as possible in order to avoid unwanted litters.
Will my pet behave or look differently afterwards?
It may, but most owners think any changes are for the better. Unneutered male rabbits can be more aggressive and harder to tame than their neutered counterparts.
Will neutering make my pet fat?
No, it shouldn't. Animals generally only get fat from overeating. But a neutered animal may not need as much food as before and you should keep an eye on what you are giving it.
Is it best to let my pet have one litter first?
No, this is a myth. There is no good reason for letting a rabbit produce a litter and the normal health risks associated with birth and pregnancy can actually be harmful.
How much will neutering cost?
This is a matter that you must discuss with your veterinary surgeon. Cost depends on the the size of the animal and whether it is male or female.
A microchip is recommended by the RSPCA as an effective way of permanently linking pets to their owners, increasing the chances of them being reunited if the animal is lost, stolen or strays.
Thousands of pets are lost every year and many are never reunited with their owners. The RSPCA believes that the best way to ensure a lost pet is found is to have it microchipped - implanted with a special microchip tag.
How does microchipping work?
Once an animal has been microchipped it has its own unique code number. The owner's details and the code are put on to the national PetLog database. If a lost or stolen animal is found, the code will be revealed by passing a scanner over the microchip. Then it's just a matter of matching the code with the PetLog database.
How can microchipping help find my animal?
The PetLog scheme provides a fast, fool-proof way of identifying your animal, wherever it is found. The RSPCA, other animal welfare organisations and vets all have scanners which can read the microchip's details.
Is microchipping easy to do?
Yes, it's as simple as an injection. A tiny microchip - the size of a grain of rice - is painlessly inserted under the animal's skin. Once in, the microchip cannot move or be seen, but can be read by the scanner.
How much does it cost?
Prices vary but a one-off payment of about £20 will get your pet on to the PetLog database for life. Owner details can be quickly amended if an address changes.
Where can I have my pet microchipped?
Contact your local RSPCA branch or veterinary surgeon for advice.
Why should I worry about losing my pet?
Even the most reliable and well-cared for animal can get lost or stolen. Stray rabbits are found more commonly than anyone realises.
Is the microchip system well established?
More than 450,000 animals have been microchipped in the past five years in the UK alone. For more information about joining PetLog, telephone 0870 606 6751.
Although you must never attempt to treat an animal yourself, there are things you can do in an emergency to help a badly-injured animal while you make your way to a veterinary surgery.
Shock tactics
If the animal seems cold, unresponsive and its gums are pale or even blue, it is probably in shock. Keep it warm, quiet, still and comfortable until help arrives.
Vetfone
If you can't speak with your own vet, why not contact Vetfone. A service similar to NHS Direct, they can be contacted when you are concerned about your pet - Vetfone provide an immediate source of expert advice.
VETFONE National Helpline: 0906 500 5500
The average cost of a call to Vetfone is about £6 - £10 which is considerably lower than the average vet initial consultation. Calls are charged at £1.50 per minute.
57 per cent of calls are dealt with by advice alone - only 14 per cent are advised to visit their vet urgently.
The Society is not in a position to offer veterinary advice for diagnosis of disease. If you have specific queries relating to your pet's health, please seek the advice of a veterinary surgeon.
If you are concerned about the treatment your veterinary surgeon is providing, you should discuss this with him/her. It may be that you decide together that a specialist opinion should be sought.
Subsidised veterinary assistance
RSPCA companion animal hospitals provide low-cost treatment for animals belonging to people in receipt of certain state benefits or to those who otherwise cannot afford the fees of a private veterinary surgeon.
The RSPCA veterinary division provides subsidised treatment at several locations - Finsbury Park (Harmsworth Hospital), Edmonton & Kilburn clinics, Putney Hospital, Camberwell and Ealing clinics as well as at the Birmingham and Manchester hospitals. The division also licenses the provision of a similar veterinary service through 39 local RSPCA branches. A new veterinary facility has also just opened in Merthyr Tydfil.
To find an RSPCA location near you which provides this service you can search for establishments which provide 'help with vet bills' in the local RSPCA section of the RSPCA website.
Note: There is no national structure for veterinary fees. The fees charged by each individual veterinary practice reflect where the practice is located in the country and the level of equipment and service provided. The RSPCA has no influence on the fees and there is no ombudsman to whom complaints can be made. We recommend that quotes are always obtained before commencing expensive treatment.
Remember: It is a criminal offence to knowingly deny an animal veterinary treatment and subsequently cause that animal to suffer unnecessarily.
