Information about rabbits
I am happy to give you information about rabbits.
Rabbits are social
Rabbits are very social animals, so that's why it is very important to place rabbits as a couple. I try to promote that at PetzCare as well. Of course, as an owner you can give a rabbit a lot of attention and freedom, but a buddy is still the most pleasant. Rabbits always sit together and lick each other and have support for each other. In addition, a nurse matches best with a ram. The ram can be castrated at 4 months old and a feeder at 6 months old. From 3/4 months of age they have to be separated from each other, but then it is important that they still see each other to promote the mating process afterwards. After castration, the ram should remain separated from the feeder for another 3 weeks.
Most of the time, the ram is castrated, but the nurse is more likely to have uterine inflammation at a later stage if she is not castrated, so it is advisable to do the same. Of course, only nurses or rams can get together, but it is important that they sit together from an early age. If you pair rabbits together, it is best to do so on neutral ground. I can always help with this. Finding a 2nd rabbit is always best done through a shelter. They always have a lot of rabbits and can see if the pairing has gone well and you do a good deed with it too! I am in contact with a good shelter for relocation of rabbits, so I can certainly help you with this.
You can find rabbits at
https://ikzoekbaas.dierenbescherming.nl/zoek-asieldieren/konijnen-en-knagers
Housing
It is important that rabbits have the space. Preferably in the whole garden, but if that is not possible, a loft with sufficient walking possibilities. Also, try to challenge the rabbit. Place boxes where they can go, fun toys, such as toilet roll or rattle. They also like food enrichment bins. For example, place a few pieces of hard food in an enrichment container (which are also for dogs or cats) and the rabbit is certainly sweet with it! They also like willow branches very much.
Grooming
It is important to keep a close eye on the rabbit's fur. Rabbits that are very moulting and therefore eat a lot of hair when licking clean, can suffer from this. It is best to brush the rabbit with a boar hair brush, these are the most rabbit-friendly. Also pay attention to porridge with your rabbit, because these can become whole placards near their butt. Tangles must also be removed from the hair so that it cannot become a felt coat. With a lot of felt, a rabbit can move poorly and if they move less and are not comfortable in their skin, they also eat less which can be very dangerous.
If you need help with the coat treatment of your rabbit, PetzCare can always help you with that!
Nutrition
A rabbit eats 6 hours a day and chews 120 times a minute. To maintain / promote that process, it is important to put enough hay and straw in the loft.
Gnawing and licking stones are superfluous. Rodents are bad for the kidneys, and the rabbit already pees out all the calcium, so if she gets too much in the form of rodents, then she forms bladder stones.
Sweets contain too much sugar, it is better to add vegetables in addition to hay, hard feed, such as winter carrot, chicory, little lettuce, etc. Not too much and in moderation. Bread can give a lot of gas formation, so only give a small crust. 5 grams of herbs and 1 to 2 flaxseed chunks per day are a good addition.
The rabbit has caecotrophs, or morning manure. This means that part of the indigestible food goes to the appendix. This is where vitamins B and K are formed. By means of mucus, thinner stools come out of the anus that the rabbit immediately eats again. If there are remnants of caecotrophy in the pen, it can have several causes, such as too much food administration, the rabbit is too thick or too stiff to eat it. It helps by giving more raw fiber, such as hay and thereby limiting vegetables and hard feed.
Also pay close attention to the rabbit eating. Because a rabbit is a prodier, the rabbit shows it poorly when he / she is sick. A dog or cat can do without food for a while, but a rabbit absolutely cannot. So if you notice that the rabbit is not eating for a while, give the animal mainly force-fed (e.g. critical care), so that the intestinal process continues. And of course also go to the vet for the underlying background. For example, the teeth can overgrow (elephant positions) so that a rabbit eats poorly or the rabbit is bad in his fur and therefore not comfortable in his skin.
Vaccinatons
Rabbits are best vaccinated every year. There is a combination vaccination against myxomatosis and VHD and VHD2.
Myxomatosis
rabbits get this from mosquitoes or wild rabbits. They have closed eyes and swellings and a thickened head. 1st symtom is swollen anus and vulva.
VHD/VHS is viral heamorhagic syndrome
Rabbits get this through virus, manure, rats and mice. The rabbits die immediately after 24/48 hours. They have a high fever, are stuffy, scream and have a nervous disorder
vhd2
Now there is a new variant of the VHD, namely VHD2. Rabbits get this from wild rabbits or from other rabbits that are infected. The RHD2 inoculations are now also given together with the Myxo and RHD grafts.
