RABBITS are such fun pets for anyone to have, but they do require some special care and handling that you need to be mindful of.
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Here's a fun fact - rabbit's teeth never stop growing. Because of this, they need something to be able to really gnaw on and if they are free roaming pet in your home, it might sadly be that antique chair your Aunt Mable left you.
To help prevent this, ensure they get good quality hay and raw vegetables to chew on will help to keep their teeth in good condition. If they are free roaming in the home, keep an eye on your bunny and when you notice them planning to munch on something they shouldn't, a short, sharp "no" with a loud clap to distract them should be sufficient.
Distracting them with an appropriate chew toy or a piece of rabbit safe wood will still allow for the natural chewing instinct and help with their dental health and will help save your furniture.
Also, don't forget those electrical cords. No one wants to spend unnecessary funds on replacing electrical appliances, or worse, having poor bunny electrocuted.
A rabbits ears are not just there for stroking and radar detection. They are super sensitive to sound and are suspected to be able to hear sounds up to 3km away. They can rotate their ears and can even monitor two different sounds at once.
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The ears are also there to help thermo regulation in their body. The larger the ears, the better at cooling they are. The ears are also sensitive to touch and should never be used for picking a rabbit up.
Always scoop them up and cradle them close to your body when holding your rabbit to help them feel secure.
Protecting your rabbit from parasites like fleas and mosquitoes will not only prevent annoying skin conditions and itches but can also prevent deadly diseases as well.
Ensuring that your rabbit is in a safe hutch with mosquito proof netting will strongly reduce the risk of them catching these diseases.
Two deadly diseases that can be transmitted by these biting critters are Myxomatosis and Calicivirus.
Myxomatosis damages the liver, lungs and causes swelling and discharge from the eyes, nose and genitals. Sadly, there is no vaccine available in Australia for Myxo.
The Calicivirus is also known as rabbit haemorrhagic disease and is in fact as horrible as it sounds.
It damages the liver and intestines and causes intestinal bleeding. Thankfully, there is an annual vaccination to prevent this disease.
The Leeton Veterinary Hospital host rabbit vaccination cays twice a year to protect our bunny friends. The next one is March 23. Book in by calling 6953 3111 as spots are limited.