For a very complete list of articles on rabbit health, and more, visit:
Promising E. Cuniculi treatment using medications that can be purchased on-line:
Webpage for E. Cuniculi treatment:
Testimonials for this treatment:
Email The Rabbit Habit for more info on purchasing the medications.
Click here to view helpful and healthful rabbit education videos highlighting:
- Anesthesia
- Ear Mites
- SubQ Fluids
- Nail Clipping
- Pasteurella
- Nutrition
- Dental
- Litter/Bedding
- Safe Handling
- Pre-Neuter
- Post-Neuter
- Radiography
- Surgical Correction of Molar and Incisor
- Vegetables for Rabbits
Click here to view Easter bunny promotions
Nutrition Information
Rabbit Diet Information, presented by Laura Atkins, HRS educator and researcher in animal nutrition.
by Laura Atkins
The Importance of Hay by Laura Atkins.
by Susan A. Brown DVM
Emergency Care
Gastrointestinal References
by Dana Krempels
by Dana Krempels
Intermittent Soft Stools in the Rabbit by Susan A. Brown, DVM
Parasites
Rabbit Related Tips
| Messy Bottom?:Does bunny have soft stools and get a messy bottom? Try cutting back on the amount of veggies you give. Limit the amount of fruits and vegetables with sugar content, like carrots, to small pieces, only twice a week. If bunny is still getting messy, try gradually switching to a timothy based pellet, by mixing in the new pellet slowly, over a period of two weeks. Try this diet for several weeks to see if it makes a difference. If there is still a problem with soft stools, try giving your rabbit a daily probiotic like Bene-Bac. One, or all of these methods, should make a difference in your bunny’s droppings. |
| Aggressive Bunny?:Spaying/neutering can help with aggression. Consider having your rabbit altered by a rabbit-savvy veterinarian. When interacting with an aggressive rabbit, get down on the floor and spend some time speaking to your bunny in a gentle, soothing tone. You might also share small treats with your rabbit while on his/her level. Let your rabbit come to you, at first, without reaching out to pet. You might try lying on the floor and scooting closer to your bunny, a little at a time. Rabbits often accept face nuzzling more readily than petting. Use caution, as rabbits can bite or scratch. If your rabbit accepts face nuzzle, then slowly bring your hand down from above his/her head for petting, and not approaching from in front of the face. You may need to repeat this process many times before your rabbit really relaxed with you. Patience will pay off. |
| Nail-Cutting:Nail-cutting can be stressful to both a bunny and a caretaker. To help prevent injury to both parties, wrap your bunny up in a towel (commonly called a “bunny burrito”) and pull one foot out at a time. Professional dog nail clippers work well when trimming bunnies’ nails (see photo). For bunnies with white or light-colored nails, cut a little bit out from the bloodline. For bunnies with black or dark-colored nails, a good rule of thumb is to cut a little bit out from the fur line of the foot. Use extra caution on the back feet and dewclaw, leaving nails a little longer. |
| Miraculous Distilled White Vinegar!:Get bunny’s litter box clean and free of those crusty urine stains by soaking it with distilled white vinegar for 15 minutes or so. The stains will loosen with gentle scrubbing. Distilled white vinegar cleans rabbit urine from the rug – just soak the area and dab with paper towels (repeat if necessary) until the stain comes out. Since it is a natural disinfectant and deodorizer, white vinegar also cleans cage trays, crocks, bottles, bunny toys and vinyl flooring in bunny’s area. |
| Natural Fruit Fly Eliminator:Get rid of pesky fruit flies with an easy, and all-natural mixture. Cover the bottom of a shallow container (plastic frozen food trays work well) with a light layer of white sugar. Cover this with white distilled vinegar. Squeeze a thin ribbon of fruity scented dish soap around the circumference of the container. Mix in warm water and stir. This will help the sugar to dissolve and the ingredients to mix together. Place out of the reach of animals and children. Replace weekly. |
Miscellaneous References
by George Flentke
Why Rabbits should not be de-clawed
Uterine Cancer in Female Rabbits
by Jeff Johnston, doctoral candidate in epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
by Suzy Shuker
RabbitWise, your guide through Rabbitdom, where you will find connections to everything rabbit in the metropolitan Washington, DC area (the District of Columbia, Suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia). You will also find links to informative rabbit-related sites on the net.
RabbitWise can put you in contact with local rabbit knowledgeable people to consult with, arrange hands-on rabbit care workshops for you to attend, and locate local veterinarians that are experienced with rabbits.
For the rescue, shelter, and veterinary communities, RabbitWise hopes that this website is a useful tool to share information, coordinate services, reduce duplication, and create a system of integrated programs to benefit rabbits.
http://www.rabbitwise.org
is the system of contacts, rescue organizations, and shelters locally and nationally that gets alerted when there are emergency placements and transportation needed for a large number of rabbits all at once and/or for rabbits that are in danger of being imminently killed because resources for them are unavailable because of overload. At that point, local rabbit organizations get involved to make nationwide (if necessary) emergency arrangements for them.
For more information, go to http://www.bundergroundrailroad.org. You can even view a RabbitWise Bunderground Railroad Transport in this cool video.
Veterinarians
The Rabbit Habit Referred Veterinarian List Recommended ReadingRabbit Health in the 21st Century
by Kathy Smith
The ultimate in Rabbit Care House Rabbit Handbook : How to Live With… by Marinell Harriman
Packed with the collected wisdom of bunny-lovers and charming, candid photos of their pets, this manual tells readers how to successfully integrate a rabbit into one’s life. Harriman includes the latest in veterinary information and helpful how-to sections on care and feeding. 100 photos. Charts. The Essential Rabbit
by Betsy Sikora Siino
Pet owners will enjoy this attractively priced, four-color series of books that are filled with useful information in an attractive design. The Essential Guides have all of the information that the new or experienced pet owner….
The Relaxed Rabbit
by Chandra Moira Beal, RMT and Maia
Professional massage and bodywork provides great health and wellness benefits. Why not extend this to our pets? In The Relaxed Rabbit: Massage for Your Pet Bunny, professional Massage Therapist Chandra Moira Beal and her mini-lop rabbit, Maia, share basic massage strokes specifically designed for pet rabbits, offering the layperson a step-by-step routine to practice on companion rabbits at home.
When Only the Love Remains: The Pain of Pet Loss
by Emily Margaret Stuparyk
The death of an animal friend is often completely devastating. This book of poems shows how the author turned the pain of pet loss into a healing experience and is a memorial to a pet rabbit named Poochie, whose life and death changed the author forever. For those who have ever suffered the loss of a beloved pet, here is a book that will validate your own feelings of pain and sorrow, and recognizes your need to grieve.
Fifteen Legs: When all that stands between death and freedom is a ride
by Bonnie Silva
Only: $22.95
In Fifteen Legs, animal rights advocate and documentary filmmaker Bonnie Silva recounts her travels alongside animal rescue volunteers who, with the help of technology, rescue last-chance animals from kill shelters and drive legs of cross-country excursions to get them into loving homes or safe houses.
Rabbits: Gentle Hearts, Valiant Spirits
by Marie Mead with Nancy LaRoche
Only: $18.95
The book’s byline, “Inspirational stories of rescue, triumph, and joy,” captures the essence of the 24 true stories, including contributions by bestselling authors Susan Chernak McElroy and Dr. Bernie Siegel. In addition to the touching and entertaining stories, the gorgeous book includes color photographs and artwork, end-of-chapter facts about rabbits, a few longer articles on topics of interest, a complete resource section, and index. 176P
When Your Rabbit Needs Special Care: Traditional and Alternative Healing Methods
by Lucile C. Moore and Kathy Smith
Only: $13.57
A complete guide to the care and behavior of rabbits with special needs, this resource provides information on topics as diverse as how to administer subcutaneous fluids to how sounds and color help promote healing. With photographs and drawings accompanying the text, this handbook features quotes from leading rabbit veterinarians and alternative healing practitioners from across the country. Information on basic care, pain control, digestive system problems, chronic illnesses, physically challenged rabbits, progressive disabilities causing mobility problems, dental problems, and emotional issues provide pet owners with the perfect reference to sustaining a longer, healthier life for their rabbits.
