Rabbit Care
Rabbits need special care to thrive
This page will help answer some common questions about settling your new rabbits into your home and how best to care for them.
Rabbit essentials
Social companions
- Rabbits live in groups—consider a bonded pair to prevent loneliness.
Diet & dental health
- 80% hay and grass to wear down continuously growing teeth.
- Pellets limited to 1/8 cup per kg of body weight.
- Dark leafy greens in moderation; treats (carrots, fruit) only occasionally.
Housing & hygiene
- Litter-trainable—but rabbit-proof electrical cords and hazards.
- Check daily for soiled areas or diarrhoea; clean to prevent flystrike.
Health & wellness
- We recommend desexing rabbits from 12 weeks old.
- Prevents uterine cancer (affects 60% of unspayed does by age 4)
- Enables safe bonding with a neutered male (“husbun”)
- Desexing safeguards health and makes companionship easier.
- Flea and lice prevention: Ask our clinic team for recommendations.
Vaccination
- Protect your rabbit from fatal Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) from 10–12 weeks of age with an annual booster of Filavac (RHDV2).
- Even indoor rabbits remain at risk from environmental spread.
- Side effects are rare—possible injection-site swelling or mild lethargy.
Vaccinations offer vital protection but may carry risks. For more information from the NZ Vet Council, please click here.
Have questions about your rabbit's health?
Talk to the friendly team at your local clinic.