Bugs N Beasts

Species: Domestic Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus

Expected lifespan: 7-10 years

Roly	Honey

DOB: Unknown though likely sometime in 2007 for both

Although they are often thought of as a children's pet rabbits do require a lot of care and daily cleaning of their litter trays. They are far more suited as pets for older children or adults who can give them the care they need and deserve.

Roly and Honey are both rescued rabbits which means they came from homes which were unable to meet their needs. Roly was filthy and skinny when we got him in April 08 as he had been kept in a small hutch and not allowed out to exercise. He was not fed or cleaned properly and this was obvious from his urine stained fur.

Our first sight of Roly, looking sorry for himself	Roly as he is now with plenty of good food, a companion and plenty of space to run, jump and dig

Once Roly was back up to health, had been neutered and had his vaccinations it was time to seek a companion for him. We took Honey home in July the same year and since then the two have been unseperable. Rabbits do best when kept in pairs or groups and even when they are given the run of the garden Roly and Honey can still be found cuddled up together.

Honey is by far the dominant of the pair but it is usually the case with rabbits that the female is top bunny. I think Honey may be the slightly cleverer of the two as she always seems to be the one in most trouble. She enjoys digging and has ruined many a flower bed in the year or so we've had her though we certainly don't grudge her the chance to show natural behaviour. She is quite a shy rabbit when on her home turf and will avoid being approached. She cannot usually be caught in the open and instead has to be ushered into her run but once she has been caught she is slightly easier to handle than Roly even though she is bigger and heavier.

Roly is an excellent little rabbit to take on visits as he seems to enjoy the company of children. He is quite difficult to catch when in the open but when approached by a child he will often interact with him/her. When he is picked up he will scratch and struggle if not held properly though he behaves himself on unfamilar ground.

This is where Roly and Honey live


Inside the hut	The "Bun-Flood Gate"	Hut and run

Hutch	Hay rack	Honey playing

They are shut into their hut at night to protect them from the weather but during the day they are allowed out into their run. They are allowed free range time in the garden when there is someone home to supervise them and in the summer are out and about for at least 6 hours a day. In the winter when the days are not so long they are out for less time and have a special rabbit "hot water bottle" for the cold nights. The shed measures 8'x6' while the run measures 8'x5', the hutch within the run is 5' in length and 2' in depth. The rabbits enjoy sitting in it during the day as they can see what's going on.

Roly and Honey at the Vet

Roly and honey go to the vet three times a year for their vaccinations and general health checks. These usually cost around £15 per rabbit each time but remember you might need some money to hand in case of emergency vet treatment.

Honey is prone to problems with gut stasis in the winter months and the last time she had this problem her vet bill came to just under £300. She was kept in for 4 days and also had to be taken in to the vet twice out of hours which accounted for the high price. This just goes to show how expensive rabbits can be as we were left with absolutely no choice but to seek veterinary assistance in this case. Rabbits can sadly go downhill very quickly if they are ill and it is essential you keep a close eye on them. Their bodies are designed to be constantly eating and pooing so if you feel your rabbit isn't eating you must take it to a vet straight away.

Roly has also had to visit the vet to have his tear ducts flushed when we noticed he had sticky eyes. Lop eared rabbits have a slightly different shaped head to normal rabbits and their tear ducts can be blocked easily. Roly was given eye drops at first and this failed to rectify the problem but the operation to flush his tear ducts was and he has not suffered from the same problem since then.

Overall Roly and Honey have probably cost around £750 between them in vet fees alone in the space of a year and a half.