Youngsters – caring for adolescent / teenage rabbits

The adolescence and teenage years of a young rabbit is full of new experiences and learning! Youngsters usually leave their mother and siblings at around 8 to10 weeks old, so a young rabbit won’t have seen much outside of their environment. As a new bunny owner you need to be prepared to settle your rabbit into its new home, so they grow up to be a happy and confident adult rabbit. Do you know what your young bunny needs, how to feed it, what problems to look out for and when to call the vet? All of these, and more, are so important when taking on a young pet rabbit.

©Claire Speight

You’re probably thinking that your local pet shop is the best place but unfortunately, they’re not always ideal. In pet shops rabbits can get stressed and are often prone to catching diseases and becoming unwell. The best place to obtain rabbits from are reputable rescue centres. These rabbits will be vaccinated and neutered and the rescue will give you advice and long-term care. If you want a particular breed of rabbit and have not been able to locate one in a rescue centre, then check out The British Rabbit Council website for a list of registered breeders.

When choosing a young rabbit ask the breeder about the parent’s health and find out about any hereditary breed-related issues that could potentially be a problem as your rabbit gets older. Make an appointment for your rabbit to have a check-up at your veterinary practice a couple of days after they arrive home. Your veterinarian will check them to make sure they’re healthy and will be able to answer any questions you might have. Now is a good time to get your rabbit microchipped, especially if they’re going to live outdoors. If they are microchipped and your rabbit escapes, you should hopefully be quickly reunited.

There are lots of things to think about… have you bought hay, food, bowls, toys, an enclosure and run outside or prepared an area in your home for your bunny to live? Have you registered your rabbit with your local vet? Have you sorted out who will look after your bunny when you’re away? The list goes on…

The first few days after your rabbit arrives will be stressful for them. Whether they’re going to live in an outdoor enclosure or in your house, keep them in a quiet enclosed space for a few days so they can settle and learn that this is their safe space where they can retreat to when they want to get away from any stressful situations. Gradually let your rabbit out over the coming days and let them explore their new surroundings at their own pace. With lots of interaction and positive encouragement, they’ll soon gain confidence over the coming weeks and months.

It's normal for young rabbits to be very active and curious, but this can cause problems if you don’t keep an eye on them. Make sure your house is rabbit-proofed and their outdoor enclosure is safe and secure from predators. Give your bunny lots of toys to play with, chew toys and places to run, play and hide in to prevent boredom.

Once your rabbit has settled in, start litter training, especially if they’re living indoors. By positively rewarding your rabbit, they can learn to do all sorts of things. Training and playing games keeps them mentally stimulated and is great exercise. Don’t overdo training and exercise at this stage while they’re still growing, and their bones and joints are still developing. Gradually build this up over the coming weeks. By the time they reach adulthood they should be getting at least a couple of hours of free exercise twice a day.

Yes! During your rabbit’s adolescent and teenage months, they will continue to grow and develop until they ready adulthood. Small breeds like the Netherland Dwarf are fully grown at around 6 to 9 months old whereas slightly larger breeds like the French Lop take a bit longer. Giant breeds like the Flemish Giant can take up to 18 months to be fully developed.

Unless you want to breed from your rabbit, neutering is essential. Rabbits can start to reproduce at around 3-4 months old. Neutering will prevent unwanted pregnancies and diseases like cancer later on in life. Unneutered male rabbits can also show unwanted behaviors like spraying urine to mark their territory, humping, and aggression. Female rabbits may even start nesting, which could mean a false pregnancy, as well as aggressive behaviors. Hormones are often to blame so getting your rabbit neutered will help prevent these.

Neutering is recommended at around 4 months for both male and female rabbits, so get your young rabbit booked in with your veterinarian as soon as they’re old enough.

Rabbits are social animals and should always be kept with another rabbit, but both rabbits will need neutering regardless of the combination you have. Two unneutered males or females will fight and may cause each other serious injuries. Two unneutered rabbits with one of each sex will quickly multiply and if only one rabbit is neutered, fights are still likely to occur. Bonding of rabbits needs to be done carefully – you cannot just place two rabbits in together and hope for the best. Once your rabbit is neutered and has recovered from the surgery, look for a potential companion for them and do some research on how to bond them safely.

Rabbits have a complicated digestive system! Making sure you give your rabbit’s the correct diet is so important otherwise they will end up with all sorts of complications. Once a rabbit has been weaned from their mother, they need to be fed a diet high in fiber. At least 85% of their diet should consist of high-quality hay and grass. A diet high in fiber keeps the digestive system moving and prevents any gut problems. You can also feed herbs, greens, dandelions and broccoli. It is important to know what your rabbit was fed before you got them, so you know what their digestive system is used to. Any new foods need introducing slowly over at least two weeks to help prevent tummy upsets, which in young rabbits can be serious.

Your rabbit will also need a constant supply of fresh water. Provide water in a bowl and a bottle. Bowls can get knocked over, so use as heavy a bowl as you can. Bottles can get clogged up or freeze if outside, so providing your rabbit with both is ideal. Check their water every day and clean their bowls and bottles regularly.

Rabbits are good at grooming themselves but a brush once or twice a week will keep their coats clean and in great condition. Long haired rabbits should only be owned by owners who are used to caring for rabbits with this coat. They require daily grooming and will start to mat and get skin tears if their coat is not cared for properly. If you start grooming your rabbit at a young age, they’ll soon get used to it which will make grooming time a pleasant experience for both you and your rabbit.

Grooming is also the perfect opportunity to check their ears, eyes, skin and teeth. All breeds can be prone to ear problems, but especially if they’re a lop-eared breed like the Dwarf, Mini, English or French Lop, and mite infestations. Teeth problems are also very common in rabbits, especially breeds like the Netherland Dwarf or lop breeds who have flatter faces. Check your rabbit regularly for smelly ears, ocular or nasal discharge, mites, or overgrown teeth and claws. If your rabbit has any signs of these, call your veterinary practice for advice.

Yes, your rabbit will need to be vaccinated against, myxomatosis and viral hemorrhagic disease (type 1 and 2).

Your young rabbit can be vaccinated from 7 weeks of age, so may already have had their vaccination. Make sure you have evidence they have been vaccinated and if you have any doubt take your rabbit to your veterinary practice to be vaccinated again. Your rabbit will need an annual vaccination to help keep them protected, so make sure you set yourself a reminder each year.