Animal House People

Questionnaire for Jane’s Rabbit Rescue, Warwick

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14. As a rescue, how do you feel about pet shops selling rabbits?

I worry that people may buy a rabbit on a whim from a pet shop and are not sure what they are taking on. Many pet shops do not offer good advice and many missex two rabbits sold together resulting in an unwanted litter.

It seems crazy that pet shops sell rabbits while there are tens of thousands of rabbits in rescues up and down the country looking for homes. Many rescues will neuter and vaccinate their rabbits before rehoming and will offer sound advice on how to look after them.

15. How do people contact you to volunteer or to offer a home to a rabbit or two?

Please email janeldexter@btinternet.com.

16. Do you feel that generally people know enough about rabbit husbandry before they acquire a rabbit?

No, unfortunately, this is the cause of most neglect. Pet shops often give conflicting or inaccurate advice or none at all.

17. I know that you are happy to give informative talks to schools and other organisations about rabbits. How would someone contact you to arrange this and how much notice do you need?

Please email me at janeldexter@btinternet.com. I am happy to do this with a week’s notice.

18. What is your typical day in rabbit rescue?

Very busy! It takes over an hour to feed and water and hay in the morning and a further hour at night. We need to do regular clean outs, make trips to the vets, exercise the bunnies and give medication. We also bond bunnies free of charge for people with single neutered bunnies. In between times we answer telephone and e mail queries and offer advice and support. We also take in the bunnies that are not wanted any more.

19. What can people do to reduce the need for rabbits needing to be rescued

Please encourage people to move away from the stereotype rabbit making a good children’s pet. There are circumstances where this works but it requires a lot of hard work and research by the parents and a lot of commitment.
A rabbit is for life not just for Easter! Please respect them.

20. What is the most common health problem you see in rabbits?

Dental problems due to a lack of hay in the diet are the most common problem. A rabbit’s teeth grow 2 mm per week and unless they have 80% hay in their diet to wear their teeth, dental problems arise. Sometimes dental problems are genetic.

We also see lack of muscle tone and muscle wastage due to lack of exercise.

21. Are rabbits an expensive pet to keep?

Yes. They require adequate accommodation (minimum 6x2x2ft hutch with attached run of a minimum 6x4x4ft run to satisfy the Animal Welfare Bill)
Rabbits should be vaccinated against myxomatosis and VHD every year and have regular checks at the vet every 6 months.

22. What advice would you give a potential new rabbit owner?

It is a myth that rabbits make great children’s pets. It really depends on the nature of the children and the rabbit. If you are contemplating getting a rabbit as a child’s pet then please give the matter a lot of consideration as rabbits are a prey animal and many do not like to be picked up.

They can give a nasty bite or a kick if they are scarred. Please visit www.rabbitwelfarefund.co.uk and read their leaflets entitled “Is a Rabbit for me?” and “You and Your Bunny”.

I would also advise you to read the article on rabbits and children at www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/children.html. The rabbit is ultimately your responsibility.

Please do your research on accommodation, diet, neutering and vaccination before hand and ask us for advice by e mail.

23. What are your top tips for successful bunny keeping?

Do your homework before you buy. You may consider joining the Rabbit Welfare Association (telephone 0870 046 5249) For a small annual subscription, members receive lots of information on keeping rabbits, leaflets, help and advice and a quarterly magazine packed with health, behaviour and care advice with your rabbit(s) whether they live indoors or out.

Be aware of the dangers of Flystrike in rabbits and how you can avoid it.

Register you rabbit(s) at a good rabbit vet immediately and have them sexed, health checked and vaccinated for myxy.

Ask your vet about treatment for E cuniculi, a very common problem in rabbits that can cause head tilt and hind leg weakness and organ damage in rabbits.

Three weeks later take your rabbit for VHD injection if they are in good health.

Have your rabbit neutered when they are old enough (your vet can advise). This prevents health problems such as cancer of the uterus in females and behavioural problems.

Offer your rabbit a natural diet, 80% hay, fresh water twice a day, a small handful of greens each day for adult rabbits (NO lettuce or beans or rhubarb).

A small amount of pellets each day (half a small bowl). Do not use a muesli mix if your rabbit selectively feeds as they will be missing out on valuable nutriments. Buy an all in one pellet.

Offer your rabbit companionship

Provide roomy dry accommodation out of the sunlight in the summer and out of the wet and wind in the winter. Many rabbits die of heat stroke in the summer as their hutch is in direct sunlight and they do not have shade or sufficient water.

Provide your rabbit with free-range exercise as much as possible.

Ensure your rabbit is safe from foxes, cats, birds etc in the garden. Many rabbits escape from gardens and are lost. They will not survive in the wild so ensure your garden is rabbit proof.

Make sure there are no poisonous plants in your garden and avoid giving your rabbit poisonous fruits or vegetables. A list of poisonous plants is available on the internet; please send us an e mail if you are unsure.

Regular checkups at the vet are very important as rabbits hide pain until very late on. Find a good boarding facility for your rabbit for when you are away.


24. In an ideal world should all pet rabbits be house rabbits or is it preferable for rabbits to live outside?

Some rabbits like to live indoors and some like to live outdoors. Provided the rabbit has sufficient SAFE dry, warm space secure from foxes and poisonous garden or household plants, either is good. It is essential that people do not let rabbits live outdoors at night in the winter but bring them in to the heated house for a couple of hours each day. Rabbits do not like extremes of temperature. It can cause pneumonia and death.

Don’t put a baby rabbit outside in the depths of winter if it has come from the warmth of a pet shop.

25. Are there any people who should not aspire to keeping a rabbit?

Rabbits require a lot of hard work, a lot more than a cat. They are expensive to keep and require a lot of space and commitment for up to 13 years. If you do not know that you can commit to an animal for 13 years please do not get one.

26. What is a rescue’s perspective on rabbit breeders?

There are tens of thousands of unwanted rabbits in rescues up and down the country and there are even more rabbits that are abandoned and do not make it into the safety of a rescue or a sanctuary. If this is the case why are people breeding more?

27. How do you feel about where pet shops acquire their bunnies for sale?

I believe that if people do breed rabbits that there should require a certificate to show that they have been inspected and they meet the requirements of the animal Welfare Act. The pet shops and breeders should fund the cost of this inspection and an independent body should carry this out annually.


28. Does running a rabbit rescue influence your position on vivisection?

Yes, rabbits, as all animals are souls that deserve respect.

I am a member of the Doctor Hadwen Trust which looks into ways of obtaining better clinical results without animal experiments. www.drhadwentrust.org.uk.

I buy all cosmetics and household cleaning materials that I know are not tested on animals.

29. Any final thoughts?

We are happy to send rabbit welfare association leaflets out to people who are thinking of getting a rabbit or who want to ensure that they are giving their rabbits the best care. Please email us: janeldexter@btinternet.com.

Please email us if you require any help or advice in relation to your rabbits.

If anyone is able to make a donation towards our work or would like a newsletter on our progress then please e mail us.

Thank you.

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