Rabbit checklist
Rabbits are the most misunderstood pet in Britain. They need a bonded companion, space to run every day, and an experienced owner.
Before you go
- Rabbits may not leave their mother before 8 weeks.
- Plan for a pair. A lone rabbit is a welfare problem; they are a social species and the Animal Welfare Act's duty of care covers company.
- Work out the space first. The recommended minimum is a shelter of at least 3m x 2m x 1m that they can access at all times, not a hutch you let them out of occasionally.
- Budget for vaccination against myxomatosis and both strains of RHD, annually.
On the day
- Clear eyes and nose, clean ears, no crust.
- Check the bottom. A dirty rear means diarrhoea or an inability to groom, and in summer it means flystrike risk.
- Teeth: the front incisors should meet cleanly. Malocclusion is common and it is a lifetime of dental work.
- Watch them move. A rabbit that will not stand or hop properly needs a vet, not a new home.
- Ask what they are eating. It should be mostly hay, and hay should be visible in the enclosure.
Questions worth asking
- Are these two already bonded, and are they the same litter?
- Have they been sexed by a vet? Mis-sexing is extremely common and produces an unplanned litter within weeks.
- Have they been handled daily?
- Have the parents been checked for dental problems?
Walk away if
- They are being sold as a child's pet that "looks after itself".
- They are kept in a small hutch with no run.
- There is no hay.
- You are offered a single rabbit with no discussion of company.
Seen something that worries you? Report it. A person reads every report, and we would rather hear from you early than not at all.