Emma Jones
The be-all and end-all of animal-friendly rabbit husbandry is good hygiene. Here you can read how to properly care for your rabbits which care work is necessary and how often.
Proper hygiene and care of rabbits, in addition to species-appropriate husbandry, nutrition, and occupation, is an essential part of preventive health care for rabbits, because many rabbit diseases can be caused by poor hygiene. It is therefore important that you clean the rabbit enclosure regularly.
Daily care of rabbits
Usually, rabbits choose a corner of their enclosure to defecate and urinate in, or use a separate toilet (a plastic box with bedding). This area must be cleaned once a day, i.e. droppings and wet bedding are removed.
Feeding and drinking bowls or drinking bottles are cleaned daily with hot (vinegar) water. Since bacteria form more quickly in drinking bottles, they must be cleaned particularly carefully. Uneaten green and fresh fodder must be removed from the enclosure daily.
Clean the entire rabbit enclosure weekly
The entire enclosure should be completely cleaned at least once a week. To do this, all of the litter is removed and the floor (or the floor pan) is cleaned with hot water and, if necessary, vinegar essence. Also, clean the furniture regularly.
The right bedding
The right bedding is essential for the hygiene of the rabbit home. Small animal litter made from wood chips, straw pellets, and hemp litter, for example, are sold in pet shops. In general, the bedding should meet the following criteria:
- She must be absorbent.
- It must be unscented.
- It mustn’t dust.
Straw pellets can serve as basic bedding. They absorb the liquid very well but are unfortunately too hard for sensitive rabbit feet. A layer of straw or hay can be placed over the straw pellets to prevent the animals from walking on them: Straw and hay absorb urine too poorly to be used as a base bedding but can be used as a second (top) layer.
Other aspects of rabbit care
Vaccination against certain diseases such as RHD or myxomatosis is also part of the care and health care of rabbits. The daily health check is also an important part.