# Sticky  10 Things you may not know about rabbits...



## scosha37

1. Give me space! - Rabbits need as much exercise as a small dog. Their accommodation should have a sheltered resting area. The enclosure should have plenty of space for them to move around freely, and allow them to sit up straight and look around.

2. Two's company - Rabbits love living with other rabbits and shouldn't be kept alone. Neutered rabbits of opposite sexes can go together. 
3. Neuter for health - Always neuter your rabbits to prevent fighting, unwanted litters and cancer in females.

4. Keep us together - Rabbits can forget their companions after a few hours. Take them to the vets together and never separate same-sex pairs.

5.One of the family - Rabbits can be house-trained and make great house pets.

6. Handle with care - Rabbits are shy and ground-living animals - they need time to develop trust with their owners before being picked up. Make sure 10. you know how to handle them.

7. The right diet - Rabbits' teeth never stop growing, so they need to grind them down as they eat. A diet of 80-90 per cent hay is essential, with only a small quantity of pellet food and vegetables. Provide clean water in a large, drip-feed bottle.

8. Change the bed - Soiled bedding needs removing every day and the whole home should be cleaned regularly.

9. Keep an eye out for us - Rabbits are prey animals adapted to hide signs of suffering and won't cry out if something's wrong. Keep an eye on them and take them to a vet if you think they have a problem.

10. Vaccinate! - Rabbits need to be vaccinated against myxomatosis every six months and VHD once a year.

This is the RSPCA .....

More info.....
RSPCA || Pet care

Can i have this as a sticky...please xx


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## umber

at number 4! I knew you should take them to the vets together but I didnt know it was because they could forget each other!!!! Do they forget me after a few hours???


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## Vixie

it is now a sticky


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## frags

umber said:


> at number 4! I knew you should take them to the vets together but I didnt know it was because they could forget each other!!!! Do they forget me after a few hours???


very good question hun, they must do if they forget each other


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## red_dwarf15

no they cant do, cos charley knows exactly where all his tasty treets are kept, he knows when its dinner time, in fact its been known that charley has gone into the kitchen ready for dinner b4 ive even thought about feeding him lol. how could he remember all of this if they only remember things for 4 hrs. doesnt make sence to me


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## crofty

They dont 'forget' each other it just damages their bond, they come back smelling different etc and can be rejected by their partner.


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## scosha37

Now that i think about it its prob not right eh...

remember they said about fish have memory of 5 seconds...


PS..its not my words it the RSPCA's.....wonder how they knew this??


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## frags

p1142136 said:


> body parts prone to fat accumulation (belly, arms, thighsand buttocks)


are you talking about rabbits or us women


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## scosha37

p1142136 said:


> An exclusive ingredient in the 2 DAY DIET prevents the digestion of dietary fat, hence reducing its absorption by the body after sometime of consumption, body parts prone to fat accumulation (belly, arms, thighsand buttocks)





frags said:


> are you talking about rabbits or us women


lol that what i was thinking....its prob Spam...


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## alanf

Rabbits have can remember well when iv been away for 2 weeks he gets excited to see me again


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## Kammie

Wow nice rabbit tip there!!


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## red_dwarf15

Kammie said:


> Wow nice rabbit tip there!!


lmao omg my sides hurt


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## mypetchat

oh really this is a very great information about the rabbits before this i was not aware of all these facts, really very interesting facts about the pets and as a pet owner one should know these facts, really great information.


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## Dark killer

Thnxxxxxxxxx this is so useful


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## ilovesox

Thanks this helps a lot  

As for number 4 though, im sure he doesnt forget me as when im home he spends most of his time following me around!lol! and how come they 'forget' each other but can remember their own name and come to you when you call for them??


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## Musky

Funny, I was worrying that my bunny still hadn't forgiven me for going away for a weekend a few months ago! The lovely neighbours did some bunny sitting...

















My pretty Audrey Rabbit


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## Georgina1

I have a question!
I got two rabbits and they began to fight... well one did the other just got chased about and his fur pulled. I had to seperate them for safety reasons but keep them in next door hutches so they can still smell eachother and see eachother but not fight or get upset.
I got told by the vet that they were too young to get neutered until next month and keep them seperated until a month afterwards.
Does this mean now they'll always need to be appart?! If so that kind of ruins the point of me getting two together to keep my old rabbit happy (again seperate hutches and runs but he likes them near him I think).

Can anyone advise me on this?!


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## Kammie

Georgina1 said:


> I have a question!
> I got two rabbits and they began to fight... well one did the other just got chased about and his fur pulled. I had to seperate them for safety reasons but keep them in next door hutches so they can still smell eachother and see eachother but not fight or get upset.
> I got told by the vet that they were too young to get neutered until next month and keep them seperated until a month afterwards.
> Does this mean now they'll always need to be appart?! If so that kind of ruins the point of me getting two together to keep my old rabbit happy (again seperate hutches and runs but he likes them near him I think).
> 
> Can anyone advise me on this?!


Wait till they're old enough to be castrated and a few weeks after that you can try bonding them. If you've never done it before I would speak to a local rescue who can probably for a small donation do the bond for you especially since its two males and known to be one of the harder combinations to bond.


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## saz.flapper

They must be able to remember because we had rabbits on holiday with us and then they went back home for 2 months and now they are back with us, they remembered exactly where they'd burrowed and went straight back to it!


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## Allieso

i know that Rabbits love living with other rabbits they can't bear loneliness 
so i bought two and they are very healthy now


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## andyjannero

You can also create pens for your pet. At home or in a wider area, where you can put on, so they can move freely.Rabbits typically playful at times. We also buy toys for their rabbits. You can also take the time to play with them every day - at least for an hour or two. We will create human-animal bond.


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## alster

scosha37 said:


> 4. Keep us together - Rabbits can forget their companions after a few hours. Take them to the vets together and never separate same-sex pairs.


Hmmmm.... would be good to find out more on this... I left mine at my brother's for a week when I went on holiday and they definitely seemed excited to see me and to be back home when I returned. Or maybe they recognised the smell of everything?


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## Guest

alster said:


> Hmmmm.... would be good to find out more on this... I left mine at my brother's for a week when I went on holiday and they definitely seemed excited to see me and to be back home when I returned. Or maybe they recognised the smell of everything?


A bond can break down if they are separated for a while. I take my lot to the vets separately as I'd rather not stress out the whole group if it isn't needed, and I've never had a problem tbh.
I think it all depends on how strong the bond is, for newly bonded rabbits I would always recommend taking both as this can and does break a bond down, but with a fully established bond personally I don't see them forgetting their friend


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## crofty

alster said:


> Hmmmm.... would be good to find out more on this... I left mine at my brother's for a week when I went on holiday and they definitely seemed excited to see me and to be back home when I returned. Or maybe they recognised the smell of everything?


Personally I take all four to the vets, id rather stress them out a little together than risk that bun being picked on when it gets back. Its also a comfort for the bun your taking having the others around and all smelling the same when they get back.


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## mrdynamite

Rabbits can forget their companions after a few hours. That's funny!


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## qiaohong

Georgina1 said:


> I have a question!
> I got two rabbits and they began to fight... well one did the other just got chased about and his fur pulled. I had to seperate them for safety reasons but keep them in next door hutches so they can still smell eachother and see eachother but not fight or get upset.
> I got told by the vet that they were too young to get neutered until next month and keep them seperated until a month afterwards.
> Does this mean now they'll always need to be appart?! If so that kind of ruins the point of me getting two together to keep my old rabbit happy (again seperate hutches and runs but he likes them near him I think).
> 
> Can anyone advise me on this?!


When they are that young (ie too young for neutering) male rabbits begin to contest (fight) for primacy. In all likelihood this will diminish quite quickly as primacy is established, though some budding 'alphas' are simply too territorial (aggressive) to put with other males. Once they are separated, however, the other male is no longer a secondary male, but an interloper and will be attacked much more resolutely. - This goes to point 4 of the RSPCA sticky (though agreed to the pinch of salt some have thrown in there). 
Point 10 (was it?) - myxi and vhd - a vaccination is not risky and not a bank breaker - get it done! I would like to see vac made a requirement for breeders.
This RSPCA guide is generally a great little sketch for those new to rabbits, but do please check out much more expert sources such as Cotton tails rabbit rescue on the net. I would add a point 11 - please, please, breeders out there, I know it's hard to find homes when every tom dick and harry thinks rabbit breeding is a way out of recession ( it isnt!) but do vet your prospective owners, asking questions and don't be afraid to scare them with as much good advice as you can provide - if they are scared off they proably should be!


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## gumball12

this is really interesting as i am thinking of getting a rabbit for my lil girl - although am also thinking of getting a dog so i need to choose which one will be a better fit into the family or i shall end up with a noah's ark!!!


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## Minion

gumball12 said:


> this is really interesting as i am thinking of getting a rabbit for my lil girl - although am also thinking of getting a dog so i need to choose which one will be a better fit into the family or i shall end up with a noah's ark!!!


How old is your little girl? Personally I don't think rabbits and small children are a good match. Generally rabbits have more chance of being neglected when brought for small children (I'm not saying this is always the case). I've had a bit of a rant on another page after seeing a rabbits profile in an adoption shelter that read 'Got rid due to the child losing interest'.

I love my rabbits to bits but I wouldn't let them near a child. They are a lot more fragile and less tolerant than a dog. They also nip lightly if they want to be put down or if you are in their way. To an adult a light nip is nothing (apart from when Minion nipped my rib for sitting on "his" part of the sofa), but to a child it can be quite traumatic... On the other hand I suppose a dog bite would be worse  but that is a lot less likely!

If you do get a rabbit I have found they are a lot happier in pairs (although in the past the cat proved good at bonding too). You will need to get both neutered, regardless of what sexes they are (female-male or female-female) Mine are indoor rabbits that are more destructive than a small puppy and kitten combined . They do need the same amount of attention, if not more, as a dog though.

Either way you have to think what you want as it will be you that will have to walk it/ clean it out, feed it, take it to the vets etc. Our family has always had outdoor rabbits. My dad used to make us feed them and hold the bin bag while he cleaned them out so that we didn't lose interest and it gave us a little more appreciation into the effort that goes into looking after a rabbit, rather seeing them as a living teddy.


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## davidpete

This all tips are true, I really not know before you suggest. Seventh point is that you have given is really knowledgeably . I will remember this thing in future. Thanks for posting.


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## SherbetLemonsMomma

They have combined the vaccinations now and they only need it once a year now . Which is better for the bun buns


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## rabbithutches2u

Great information


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## rabbithutches2u

Greta advice especially RE taking both rabbits to he vets together so they are not separated......that was a new one for me thanks.


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## EssieHayes

Yes these things about rabbits are true. I also see these habits in my rabbits as well.


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## Guest

Allieso said:


> i know that Rabbits love living with other rabbits they can't bear loneliness
> so i bought two and they are very healthy now


Not true I had a rabbit on her own before I knew of any information out their on bunnies Twiggy was a very happy rabbit who I had nearly 8 years as a singleton she had all ways lived on her own and had a good deal of space.
She was also never vaccinated and lived a long and very happy life.

I think if rabbits are living together then yes they must definately be vaccinated so should single rabbits but their less likely to get it.

It depends on the rabbit really. Some like company others don't.


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## RomanceMandala

Wow great things about rabbits. I have 2 rabbits. I protect them as my family members. Because these things are useful me for them.


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## magicmike

Good useful rabbit info, I'm sure some are not aware of some of the things you mentioned.


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## TheWoodward

can anyone recommend a rabbit care book?


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## catlang

This is a great post, useful snippet of information, also didn't know about number 4, as we've always taken one of the rabbits to the vets and not both.
Question: one of the rabbits keeps jumping up onto the dining room chairs and then jumping on the table, now I don't want to keep moving or doing something to the chairs to prevent this each time we've sat on them, but any suggestions as to how to overcome this?


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## LaurenKaye

I'm possibly looking at getting a rabbit from someone who previously had a rabbit, added another, and they did not get along. The owners tried everything but it was only causing the rabbit additional stress. They did not want to, but are having to give up the new rabbit.

If I got his rabbit, I would prefer to keep just the one, as I also have 2 guinea pigs to look out for. (They will never be housed together) So would it be necessary to get a second rabbit as you said above they do better together? I don't want to get a second rabbit and have it cause problems again as I do not have a second cage to separate them if that happened. 

In my opinion I feel that the rabbit living alone in his hutch is best considering he caused stress to the last rabbit he was housed with. I also feel it's best not to risk them not getting along, as I don't have space to separate them. But what are your thoughts? Thanks!


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## AmandaN

Could I have some advice please? I have a 2 year old bunny, how hard would it be to bond another bun with her? She hasn't been neutered and haven't thought about doing so until I think she is lonely. She is left during the day whilst we are out or at work but she is lonely sometimes. She has run of the living room in the day time but noticed she only settles of an evening when we are there. When we are at home she is a pretty happy playful bun. Any help would be appreciated


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## Lunaluu

Hi Amanda,

Some shelters provide a bonding service for bunnies, and it can be very inexpensive too! It definetly helps having a male/ female pair where both pairs are neutered/sterilised. 

There's a sticky on this forum which provides excellent info about the actual bonding process if you go ahead with doing it by yourself, I followed some of the tips from there and it worked really well for me.

Good luck with find a partner for your bunny, it is definitely worthed seeing them so happy and cuddling together


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## Ashleyyyy

Does anyone have any experience with rabbits shedding? my rabbit seems to be constantly losing hair?


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## bunnygeek

Ashleyyyy said:


> Does anyone have any experience with rabbits shedding? my rabbit seems to be constantly losing hair?


Rabbits do big moults at least twice a year. They shouldn't develop bald spots or dandruff though - that's usually a sign of fur mites.


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## DoricBun

Newbie here! Bunny owner since Nov 2019. Sadly her human mummy who loved her dearly passed away recently, so I want to make sure this bunny gets all the love and care it needs.

Thanks for the info very helpful!


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## Guest

This is interesting. One thing I'd add. Rabbits need a water bowl. They drink a lot of water and a water bowl is better than a bottle.


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## Guest

Deleted member 1507993 said:


> This is interesting. One thing I'd add. Rabbits need a water bowl. They drink a lot of water and a water bowl is better than a bottle.


My rabbit has a water bowl but only drinks a few tiny sips a day!


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