Rabbit Awareness Week by David Jones, store manager at Pets at Home Swindon Bridgemead

Next week is Rabbit Awareness Week! So, if you own or are thinking of getting a rabbit, here’s some basic advice to help care for your furry companion.

To ensure a happy bunny, you should consider five key areas: diet, environment, behaviour, company and health.

Diet is one area that’s easy to improve for rabbits. Fibre is essential for rabbits’ dental, digestive and emotional health – so a hay based diet with supplementary nuggets is the smartest option. Muesli diets can lead to rabbits becoming selective feeders, picking out the items that are tastiest to them. Rabbits will also enjoy a small amount of leafy greens each day. They should eat around their own body size in hay each day to keep healthy.

Rabbits need a lot of space, a big shelter and a spacious living area. Outdoor homes should be weatherproof, with a raised floor to keep them dry and improve ventilation. Indoor shelters should have natural light and ventilation.

Rabbits should be kept as a pair – ideally a neutered male and a neutered female that should be carefully introduced to each other. Rabbits also enjoy human company, but this shouldn’t substitute the need for company of their own kind.

For more advice or if you’ve any questions about owning rabbits, one of our friendly in-store colleagues will be happy to help.