How Do You Care for a Bunny? A Vet's Checklist
Give a pair of rabbits at least 3m x 2m of space, ideally indoors and out of Sydney summer heat.
Feed 80% grass hay, a handful of leafy greens daily and a small measured amount of pellets. No muesli mixes.
Desex both sexes, keep rabbits in bonded pairs, and vaccinate against calicivirus with boosters every 6 to 12 months.
Check teeth, bottom and appetite daily. A rabbit that has not eaten for 12 hours is an emergency.
A well-cared-for pet rabbit can live up to 8 to 12 years. Pet rabbits are legal in NSW and banned in Queensland.
How do you care for a bunny? Mostly by unlearning the hutch-in-the-backyard picture most of us grew up with. A pet rabbit needs room to run, a companion of its own species, a diet that is nearly all hay, protection from heat and flies, and two things people forget. Desexing and an annual calicivirus vaccination. Get those right, and you have a clean, litter-trained, surprisingly affectionate animal that can be with you for over a decade.
Get them wrong, and rabbits go downhill fast. They are prey animals, so they hide illness until they cannot, and by the time a rabbit stops eating, it is often already in trouble. That is why this checklist ends with the warning signs. Read that part even if you skip the rest.
Housing: space, shade and Sydney summers
Most hutches sold in pet shops are too small. RSPCA Australia cites the Rabbit Welfare Association's minimum of 3m x 2m x 1m for a pair of average-sized rabbits, with the hutch itself at least 45cm high so they can sit upright with ears erect. That is a small room, not a box. Rabbits that cannot run develop weak bones, put on weight and chew whatever is nearest.
Indoors is the easier option in Sydney and the one we recommend. It solves three problems at once: predators, mosquitoes and flies (which carry myxomatosis and calicivirus and cause flystrike), and heat. Rabbits handle cold far better than heat. A hutch in the sun on a 38-degree Campbelltown afternoon can kill a rabbit in hours, and even a shaded outdoor run needs frozen water bottles, tiles to lie on and a fan on the worst days. If your rabbits live outside, bring them in when a heatwave is forecast, not during it.
Inside, give them a pen or a rabbit-proofed room, a covered hiding spot, a litter tray with hay in it, and something to dig in. Protect electrical cords. Rabbits can be litter trained with a little patience, which is why indoor rabbit care is far less messy than people expect.
What should a rabbit eat?
About 80% grass hay, available at all times, plus a daily handful of leafy greens and a small measured portion of plain pellets. That ratio comes straight from RSPCA Australia, and it is the single most important thing on this page. Rabbits are grazers built to chew for six to eight hours a day. Hay keeps their teeth ground down and their gut moving. Everything else is a supplement.
Hay: oaten, timothy or meadow hay. Not lucerne for adults, which is too rich in calcium and protein.
Greens: two or three types a day. Asian greens, herbs, cos lettuce, celery tops. Introduce new ones slowly.
Pellets: a plain, high-fibre pellet, roughly an eggcup a day for a medium rabbit. Treats and fruit in tiny amounts.
Never: muesli-style mixes. Rabbits pick out the sweet bits and leave the fibre, which leads to dental disease and gut problems.
Fresh water always, in a heavy bowl rather than a bottle. Rabbits drink more from a bowl, and in hot weather that matters.
Companionship, desexing and handling
Rabbits are social animals and should not live alone. A bonded pair keeps each other warm, groomed and sane, and a rabbit with a companion is noticeably calmer around people. Bonding takes patience and neutral ground, but it is worth the effort.
Desex both of them. In females, uterine cancer is common in older undesexed rabbits, and desexing removes that risk. In males, it settles spraying and aggression. It also makes bonding possible. Two entire rabbits of the same sex will usually fight, and a mixed pair will breed. Rabbits are a prey species, so most never enjoy being picked up. Sit on the floor and let them come to you, support the hindquarters if you must lift, and never lay a rabbit on its back to "trance" it. That frozen stillness is terror, not relaxation.
Vaccination, teeth and the daily once-over
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, usually called calicivirus in Australia, is fatal to unvaccinated rabbits and there is no cure. Two strains circulate in the wild population, RHDV1 and RHDV2, and the virus spreads on insects, shoes, hay and equipment, surviving in the environment for months. Since May 2022, a vaccine covering both strains (Filavac) has been available here, and RSPCA Australia recommends boosters every 6 to 12 months on your vet's advice. There is no vaccine for myxomatosis in Australia, which is another argument for insect screens and indoor living.
Book an annual health check with a vet who sees rabbits regularly. Not every clinic does. The vet will check the teeth, which grow continuously and overgrow on a low hay diet, plus weight, nails and skin. At home, do a 30-second check each day: eating and passing droppings normally, clean, dry bottom, no drooling or wet chin, no discharge from eyes or nose, no laboured breathing. Brush long-haired breeds daily and all rabbits during a moult, because swallowed fur is one of the things that stops the gut.
How long do rabbits live as pets?
Most well-cared-for pet rabbits live 8 to 12 years. RSPCA Australia puts the general range at 6 to 12, and the difference between the two ends is almost entirely husbandry: an indoor, desexed, vaccinated rabbit on a hay-based diet with a companion tends toward the upper figure. A rabbit fed muesli mix in a small outdoor hutch usually does not.
That lifespan is why RSPCA Australia is blunt that rabbits are not good pets for young children. A rabbit bought for a six-year-old will still be around when that child is 18, and vet bills for a rabbit run about the same as for a cat. Very few Australian insurers cover rabbits. Budget for it.
When does a rabbit need an emergency vet?
Sooner than a dog or cat would. Because rabbits hide illness and their gut can shut down within hours, waiting until morning is often the wrong call. Treat any of these as an emergency and phone a vet the same day, whatever the hour:
Not eating or not passing droppings for 12 hours. This is gut stasis until proven otherwise, and it is fatal if left.
Laboured or open-mouth breathing. Rabbits breathe through their nose. Mouth breathing means a rabbit is in serious trouble.
Flystrike. Maggots around the bottom or in wounds. Common in warm weather, especially on a rabbit with a dirty rear end. Hours matter.
Heat stress. Panting, drooling, wet nose, lying flat and unresponsive on a hot day. Move to a cool room, offer water, damp the ears, and get to a vet.
Head tilt, sudden paralysis or dragging back legs, bleeding from the nose, or a fall from a height.
In an emergency, call ahead so the hospital can confirm they can see rabbits at that hour and prepare for your arrival. Keep your rabbit warm, quiet and in a carrier with a towel over it for the drive. Bring a handful of their usual hay, and do not try a home remedy first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a pet rabbit in Queensland?
No. Queensland is the only Australian state or territory that bans pet rabbits. Under the Biosecurity Act 2014, the rabbit is a restricted invasive animal, and you cannot keep, move, feed, sell or give one away without a permit, which is only issued to a handful of groups such as magicians and universities. Substantial fines apply. In NSW, Victoria and every other state, pet rabbits are legal.
Can I leave my rabbits alone for a weekend?
Two nights is the outer limit, and only with a full hay supply, several heavy water bowls, a cool room and someone checking on them at least once a day. The risk is not boredom. It is a rabbit that stops eating on Saturday morning and is in gut stasis by Sunday night with nobody noticing. For anything longer, use a rabbit-savvy sitter or boarding.
Do rabbits really need to see a vet every year?
Yes, the calicivirus vaccine needs a booster every 6 to 12 months depending on the product and your rabbit's risk, and that visit doubles as the teeth, weight and skin check. Dental disease is the most common problem vets find at these appointments, and owners rarely spot it at home until the rabbit stops eating. Ask when you book whether the clinic sees rabbits routinely.
Do indoor rabbits toilet all over the house?
Not once they are desexed and litter trained, which most rabbits pick up within a few weeks. Put a large, low-sided tray filled with hay in the corner they already favour, keep it clean, and add a second tray if you have two rabbits. Intact rabbits, especially males, are far harder to train because they mark territory. Desexing fixes most of it.
If your rabbit has stopped eating or is struggling to breathe, do not wait until morning. Call Us Now on (02) 9129 5888 and VECA's team will tell you what to do next.
About the Author
Dr Phil Hayton, Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian at VECA
Article Reviewed & Approved by Dr Phil Hayton, Emergency & Critical Care Veterinarian at VECA. Dr Phil Hayton is an Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian, working in Client Relations at Veterinary Emergency Care Australia (VECA). He has experience across emergency medicine, critical care and veterinary diagnostics, including a professional background in veterinary virology. He is passionate about clear communication, client advocacy and helping pet owners navigate difficult decisions about their animals' care.
Sources
References for statistics and claims cited in this article.
1. RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase, How do I care for my rabbits? (updated 6 March 2023): lifespan 6 to 12 years, desexing, companionship, yearly vaccination, prey species behaviour, Queensland ban, insurance availability | https://kb.rspca.org.au/categories/companion-animals/rabbits/how-do-i-care-for-my-rabbits
2. RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase, Where should I keep my rabbits? (updated 10 March 2023): minimum enclosure 3m x 2m x 1m for a pair, 45cm hutch height, insect proofing, flystrike and heat stress | https://kb.rspca.org.au/categories/companion-animals/rabbits/where-should-i-keep-my-rabbits
3. RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase, What is rabbit calicivirus and how do I protect my rabbit? (updated 7 March 2023): RHDV1 and RHDV2, Filavac approval May 2022, boosters every 6 to 12 months, environmental survival, no cure | https://kb.rspca.org.au/categories/companion-animals/rabbits/what-is-rabbit-calicivirus-and-how-do-i-protect-my-rabbit-from-rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease
4. RSPCA Australia, How to take care of your pet rabbits: grass or grass hay should make up 80% of the diet | https://www.rspca.org.au/latest-news/blog/how-take-care-your-pet-rabbits/
5. Business Queensland, Rabbit (restricted invasive animal under the Biosecurity Act 2014. Keeping, moving, feeding, selling or giving away prohibited) | https://www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-fishing-forestry/agriculture/biosecurity/animals/invasive/restricted/rabbit
Comments