The Wise Old Rabbit – February 2022
Have you ever wondered?…
Why does my rabbits body ‘twitch’ when I give them certain foods?
That’s because they’re really enjoying the treat.
Why aren’t my rabbits happy in a hutch/run that has a top lid when I go to pick them up?
Their natural instinct is to tell them there’s danger above. In the wild Mr Fox, and other predators would take them this way – from above. It’s best to have a front door not a top door if you notice they are stressed.
My rabbit seems off and keeps wanting to hide – why?
Your rabbit could be poorly. They often want to hide when they are not well. A quick trip to a savvy vet would be the best idea – don’t wait if you see no improvement during the day. A rabbit’s internal system is as complex as a horse and goes wrong very quickly.
My rabbit seems wet around the mouth and drooling OR they have a runny eye/s
The most common problem is overgrown teeth or overgrown roots, if there is an infection in the roots.
Their teeth need to be checked by a savvy vet. If it’s their back teeth they will burr them down. If it’s their front teeth they can be filed down too and removed if they quickly keep growing back. They do manage surprising well.
Always make sure your savvy vet anaesthetises your rabbit before burring them down. It’s cruel to do this when they are awake – we wouldn’t like it! It’s also dangerous as clipping can cause harmful shards.
Prevention
In the wild your rabbit would eat Grass more than anything else. If it’s difficult to provide grass quality hay all year round is excellent – hay is dried grass. It is important for gut health and their teeth, which continuously grow.
Eating grass and hay is super important. It’s the only food that they chew side-to-side, which in turn wears their teeth down – NO OTHER FOOD does this.
A list of knowledgeable Rabbit and Guinea Pig Savvy Vets from the Rabbit Welfare Assocaation & Fund
I hope this information is of help,
Lisa
