Simple Daily And Weekly Health Checks For Your Rabbit

To ensure your rabbit remains healthy within their rabbit hutch, you need to examine him or her on a regular basis. A good time to make an examination is when you feed your pet. Should you find any problems with your rabbit or signs of ill health then a visit to your veterinary must be made immediately.

Here are some simple daily checks that you can carry out:

• Ensure your rabbit is drinking properly by checking the contents of the water bottle.
• If your rabbit does not come to welcome you then investigate why not. If he or she is hiding in their sleeping quarters within the hutch or sat huddled up at the back of the rabbit hutch then this may suggest they are poorly.
• Check the amount of food left in your rabbit’s feed bowl. If there is more food than usual then this could indicate that he or she is feeling unwell.
• Inspect your rabbit’s droppings for signs of diarrhoea. Soft droppings, which are named caecotroph, are eaten by rabbits and is quite normal and not usually a health concern. Should your pet stop eating their soft droppings then it is highly recommended that a veterinary is consulted.

During an extensive clean of your rabbit hutch that is often on a weekly basis, further health checks can be made and are listed below:

• Carefully inspect your rabbit’s nose is clean and clear of any discharge and he or she is not sneezing.
• Brush the fur of your rabbit to release loose hair. Whilst grooming your pet, check for skin infections, lumps, abrasions and fleas.
• Weigh your rabbit weekly and record it in a notebook. Any considerable increase or decrease in weight should be immediately investigated by a veterinary.
• Check the condition of your rabbit’s claws and feet. Living in a rabbit hutch and roaming on soft ground, such as a garden, is not sufficient to keep their claws short and will require trimming by a veterinary otherwise you rabbit may find it painful walking.
• Examine your pet’s eyes to ensure they are not producing any discharge and are sparkling and clear.
• Ears should be inspected both internally and externally. The colour of the skin on the inside of the rabbit’s ear should be pink. Ears should also be clean, wax free and not inflamed.
• Throughout the life of your rabbit, his or her teeth continue to grow and must be checked regularly. If your pet does not have sufficient items like fruit tree branches and hay to chew on, then their teeth will become overgrown preventing them from eating and will become painful. A veterinary must be consulted immediately if this happens to your rabbit.