"We all know how it feels to be sick. It's not fun. We want to our best to keep our rabbits from feeling sick. How can we do that? We can provide H.E.L.P.
- H is for housing. Hutches should offer protection from extremes in temperature, from winds, and from rain and snow. It's very important that hutches are cleaned often. Germs that cause diseases like to live in dirty places. A clean hutch doesn't give germs a place to grow.
- E is for environment. Do you protect your rabbit from loud noises? Do you keep scary animals away from your rabbit? Do you provide shade on hot days? If you do, these are some ways you can make your rabbit's environment more comfortable. By removing things that cause stress or upset to your rabbit, you can actually contribute to your health.
- L is for looking. One of the most important things you can do for your rabbit each day is look at it, or observe it. This is the way to get to know what it normal for your rabbit, and you are then likely to notice when it is acting differently. Changes in how your rabbit acts or looks can often indicate that it isn't feeling well. Use your other senses, too. A strong smell of ammonia indicates poor ventilation or unclean conditions. The sooner a problem is spotted, the better your chances of solving the problem before it becomes too big to solve.
- P is for proper nutrition. Feeding the proper amounts of the right foods on a regular feeding schedule is very important. Don't forget the importance of lots of clean, fresh water! Be familiar with what your rabbit normally eats. A change in eating habits is one of the first signs that a rabbit is not feeling well."
A few thoughts from me:
~In housing, you should check often for holes or sharp edges, anything that could cut or injure a rabbit or potentially yourself.
~No matter what we, as Humans, do, we will never be able to provide a completely sanitary environment for our rabbit. Regular weekly cleaning of the cages should be perfect enough for keeping out germs and flies.