Staying Safe
As a welfare organisation, our Welfare & Wellbeing policies reflect our stance on best practises of rabbit care.
⚠️ Taking rabbits out in prams or for recreation puts domestic rabbits in unnecessary danger and is disrespectful to this sensitive and sentient species. ⚠️
⚠️ Taking rabbits out in prams or for recreation puts domestic rabbits in unnecessary danger and is disrespectful to this sensitive and sentient species. ⚠️
- Rabbits are very particular over their home environment and like to map out where their safe places are, creating a network across their community space of entrances, exits and cover. When we take rabbits to new places for short periods of time, they will desperately seek to map out where is safe and where is not.
- When unable, rabbits will act frantic. If they feel unsafe and unable to make decisions, rabbits will self soothe by grooming their face and paws, this is called 'avoidance behaviour'. You will also see them standing on their back legs a lot, this is them trying to find cover and being alerted to danger above.
- Being out and about does not give your rabbit unlimited access to hay and water which should be available at all times to keep their gut moving. This coupled with the stress causes a huge increased risk of GI stasis.
- Having your rabbits out in public hopping freely puts them at an increased risk of predation from birds, foxes, dogs to name a few.
- Visiting places like parks and beaches with your rabbits increased risks of them picking up fleas, mites, disease and fatal viruses like VHD. Parasites like worms are also commonly picked up where dogs have been toileting.