RSPCA urges rabbit owners to provide appropriate homes for their pets
Stephen Price
The RSPCA has called for better awareness and care for pet rabbits, after sharing distressing images of inappropriate housing their officers regularly witness.
Writing on Facebook, along with two photos of rabbits in bare, small cages, the charity wrote: ‘Rabbit Awareness Week’, the charity shared: “Sadly, rabbits kept in inappropriate housing are scenes we see all too often. These are just two of the recent rescues we’ve attended, and they highlight the urgent need for better awareness and care.
“Rabbits need space to hop, run, jump, dig, hide and stretch out fully. They should be able to stand upright without their ears touching the roof and have unrestricted access to food, water, rest, and exercise at all times.”
Caring for rabbits
Rabbits come in a variety of breeds, shapes and sizes, and each bunny has their own unique personality. Rabbits require long term commitment as they typically live for 8 to 12 years, but some may live longer.
Pet rabbits are related to the wild European rabbit and the biology and behaviour of pet rabbits is very similar to that of their wild cousins.
According to the RSPCA, rabbits are highly social animals – they must not live on their own unless advised by a vet. See our advice page on how to introduce rabbits to each other.
And while many buy them as gifts for young children, they can be scared and sensitive and need to be kept in calm, safe environments with plenty of enrichment.
The charity notes:
- Rabbits are territorial animals andform complicated social structures.
- Rabbits have an unusual digestive system – food is passed through their gut and special droppings (‘caecotrophs’) are produced. Rabbits eat these, allowing the food to be re-ingested, getting maximum nutrition. Ensure your rabbit’s digestive system is kept in tip-top condition by feeding them a healthy diet.
- Rabbits have continuously growing teeth – a rabbit’s top front teeth grow at a rate of 3mm a week! Keep your rabbit healthy by following the RSPCA’s health and welfare advice.
- Rabbits are intelligent – pet rabbits can be taught to respond to commands using positive reward-based training. Discover more about rabbit behaviour.
- Rabbits need far more space than you might think. In the wild, they live in interconnecting underground tunnels. These can cover more than two acres and house 50 rabbits. The RSPCA has lots of information on how to house your pet rabbit, so they feel at home.
Adopt don’t shop
A female rabbit (a ‘doe’) can get pregnant when she’s four months old and is pregnant for just four weeks. She’ll have one to 10 kits in each litter and can get pregnant again within hours.
The female kits can also get pregnant when they’re just a few months old. In one year, two rabbits could become 82. To avoid unwanted litters, take a look at their guide to sexing and neutering your rabbits.
With so many being born, given as unwanted gifts, and abandoned, many rabbits are currently looking for safe homes.
Bypassing breeders and pet stores for a rabbit is a much more ethical approach to caring for a rabbit or any other animal, and you can find plenty in search of a home on the RSPCA’s Find a Pet website.
The RSPCA added: “This Rabbit Awareness Week, check out the ‘Happy Hoppy Homes’ guide to learn how to give rabbits the life they deserve.”
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