Pet Advice & Resources

If your rabbit is coming to visit us for an appointment or a longer stay, the following tips are to help reduce stress whilst they are away from home. There is also some advice on our routine vaccinations and neutering surgeries.

• Most importantly, rabbits should never have food witheld before surgeries. In fact, if you notice that your rabbit has stopped eating leading up to surgery, please let us know immediately.
• If you can get your bunny used to their carrier before it’s needed for a trip to the vets, for example by regularly offering food and allowing play inside it, this will make transport less stressful.
• If your rabbit has a companion(s), please bring them along in the carrier for moral support, too. This will help to reduce the stress of the visit.
• Make sure your bunny has a constant supply of fresh hay, ideally with some of their own faeces for familiar smells, and their favourite fresh foods and water in their carrier. There should be enough to last their entire time away from home. If they are staying with us, please bring extra of their favourite foods and hay for our nurses to feed them.
• When travelling, make sure your car is kept cool because rabbits don’t tolerate heat well. Also make sure that the carrier is level and secure on the seat.
• Try to avoid arriving early for appointments so that your rabbit doesn’t have to spend extra time in the waiting area near the smells of other animals. We suggest that you wait at our farm side entrance, away from the main reception and other animals, or outside in your car, until a vet calls you to your appointment.
• We recommend covering carriers with a towel to create a safe, dark environment for your bunny.
• Be reassured that we are able to house your rabbit and their companion(s) away from other animals during a stay with us, either in a separate ward or in an individual room.
• We recommend vaccinations against Myxomatosis and Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease types 1 and 2. The primary course is 2 weeks apart starting at 8 weeks old. Boosters are once a year or every 6 months. Be aware that we have seen cases of Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease in our area.
• We recommend spaying a female rabbit at 5-6 months and castrating a male rabbit from 4-5 months of age.