Do your homework

Article

Rabbits are reported to be the third most popular pet, behind dogs and cats. Doing your homework prior to an impulse bunny purchase at a pet store can help reduce your pet-related headaches and heartaches. More in-depth information is readily available through your veterinarian, one of the many rabbit sanctuaries in the United States, rabbit breeders or a library.

Rabbits are social animals and can be a great companion and a source of entertainment to you; but they are also challenging, a lot of work and are unique in their diet, behavior and care.

Veterinary specialists dealing with rabbits will agree that improper diet is the root cause of many of the problems affecting rabbits. Earlier in my career, if asked what to feed a rabbit, I would think about Bugs Bunny and his carrot.

Thankfully, now I know better. Rabbits have a gastrointestinal tract somewhat similar to a horse but are remarkable in that these herbivores can make a meal out of what most animals would consider indigestible and undesirable.

The most important part of a rabbit's diet is a grass hay, such as timothy, meadow, Bermuda, orchid, oats, rye or barley. Alfalfa hay, while loaded with nutrients, has more calories, calcium and protein than most house rabbits require. Buy hay that smells fresh, not damp, and from a reputable source.

Green foods, especially the darker green produce, are equally important to a rabbit's diet. Green foods include mustard and collard greens, parsley, dandelion greens, carrot and beet tops. Greens from the cabbage family, which include broccoli. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale and cauliflower may cause some gas and an upset stomach. They are still acceptable but may need to be limited in quantity for most bunnies.

Rabbits have a tendency for a sweet tooth and, given the opportunity, will eat only sweets and not hay or greens.

Consequently, feeding fruits to your bunny should be limited to one teaspoon per 2 pounds body weight per day. Fruits and sweet vegetables that rabbits enjoy include carrots, strawberries, cherries, apple, bananas and melons.

To round out your bunny's nutrition, feed small amounts of commercial rabbit pellets. However, because they tend to be high in calories, pellets should be limited in quantity. As with hay, buy only fresh, dry pellets from reputable sources. Seeds, grains, refined sugar, nuts and beans are strictly verboten in a bunny's diet.

One of the keys to the success of rabbits is their ability to take low-quality food such as hay and produce droppings that are rich in nutrients. These droppings, called cecotropes or "night feces," are not waste material but are more like vitamin pellets. Usually in the evening, rabbits will pass soft, green, odorous pellets that they will ingest as the material exits the anus.

As distasteful as this sounds, it is a normal function and cecotropes are an essential component to the health of a rabbit. If a bunny eats lots of high calorie food and has a problem with obesity, it can have difficulty being able to reach the anal area, resulting in a loss of these essential nutrients.

Unless you are interested in breeding rabbits, all male and female rabbits over 4 months of age should be spayed or neutered. The leading cause of death in female rabbits is a cancer called uterine adenocarcinoma. Spaying a female bunny early will not only reduce the risk of this cancer but will prevent pregnancy, aggressive behavior, and mammary gland disease. Male rabbits should be neutered by 6 months of age to reduce urine spraying, aggression, and testicular disease.

Rabbits' teeth grow continuously and, if the bunny has poor nutrition, trauma or genetically malformed jaws, these teeth may become misaligned and result in serious dental disease and loss of appetite. Your veterinarian can determine with a periodic examination whether the teeth are functioning properly.

Rabbits are fastidious animals and will frequently groom themselves. They shed their fur four times a year and as a result, they usually have some hair in their stomach. Some breeds, like Angoras, can accumulate an abnormal amount of hair and require brushing and laxatives. Rabbits, especially those on improper diets, can also have a problem called gastric stasis, where the material in the stomach doesn't empty at the correct rate, causing the bunny to quit eating.

The majority of bunnies harbor a bacteria in their sinuses called Pasteurella. In bunnies with normal immune systems, this bacteria doesn't cause a problem. However, under stressful conditions or poor diet, this bacteria reproduce rapidly and cause respiratory, ear and urinary tract diseases.

Correct handling of a bunny when picking one up is important. Because of their large muscled rear legs and fragile backbone, if the rear legs are not supported and the rabbit were to kick while being lifted up, they can actually snap their backbone. This injury is usually permanent and can result in euthanasia.

Rabbits make wonderful, intelligent, friendly pets but have specific housing, environmental and dietary needs.

Educating yourself and bunny-proofing your home prior to getting a rabbit will result in many years of enjoyment and allow you to develop a close bond.

Selig is a veterinarian at Northwood Hills Animal Hospital in Gulfport, Miss.