Rabbits
Rabbit hutches, runs, cages, hay holders and rabbit toys.
How to care for your rabbit: what veterinarians recommend today
These are the areas where veterinarians and animal welfare organisations most agree today. Every rabbit is different, so your veterinarian always has the final say.
- Hay should make up almost all its food. Around 85% of its diet should be hay or grass, with no limit. It keeps its bowels moving and wears down its teeth, which never stop growing (the front teeth grow about 3 mm a week). Every day, it should also have fresh vegetables and a little pellet food. Fruit should only be given as a treat, and fresh water should always be available.
- No muesli-type mixes. Rabbits choose what they like best and leave the rest. Research by the University of Edinburgh linked this to dental problems.
- Better with company. Rabbits are very social animals and should not live alone unless your veterinarian says otherwise. The most common pairing is a neutered male and a spayed female, introduced gradually. Not with guinea pigs: the RWAF advises against keeping them together.
- Space to run. For two medium-sized rabbits, animal welfare organisations recommend a minimum of 3 × 2 m of floor space and 1 m in height, available at all times. The hutch is its bedroom, not its only home: connect it to a large run or enclosure. If it lives outdoors, it must be sheltered from the sun, rain, wind and cold.
- Up-to-date vaccinations, even if it lives in a flat. Veterinary recommendations in Spain state that all domestic rabbits, including those in cities, should be vaccinated against myxomatosis and viral haemorrhagic disease, including its RHD2 variant. These are very serious diseases. An annual booster is usually recommended.
- Neutering: ask your veterinarian about it. In females, it eliminates the risk of uterine cancer, which is common and often fatal from the age of 3. In males, it reduces aggression and urine marking.
- If it stops eating, it is an emergency. If it eats less or produces fewer droppings, call the veterinarian immediately, even if only a few hours have passed: its bowels may be shutting down. It should also have an annual check-up, preferably with a veterinarian experienced in rabbits.
Sources: MSD Veterinary Manual (reviewed in July 2026), RSPCA, PDSA, RWAF, Madrid Veterinary Association and vaccination recommendations published in AVEPA's official journal.
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