How long can you leave a rabbit alone? Holiday tips and expert advice

Planning a holiday can be one of life’s great pleasures as you pick a dream destination, imagine all the fun things you’ll do, and excitedly count down the days until your departure date. However, if you have small pets such as rabbits, you also need to make a vacation plan for them, too. Whether you’re home or away, the health and wellbeing of your pet bunnies is your responsibility as a caring owner.

“Our beautiful bunnies rely on us to meet all their needs. Providing they have plenty of nutritious feeding hay, their daily portion of rabbit nuggets, some fresh greens and water – and they are in a safe, secure, spacious enclosure – they can be left for a day, up to 12 hours,” advises Burgess in-house vet Dr Suzanne Moyes. “If you’re going to be away longer than that, you’ll need to make arrangements for a rabbit-savvy friend or neighbour to take care of them, consider hiring a professional pet sitter or look at boarding options.”

Find out all the reasons why pet rabbits need their human to keep a close eye on them – and what holiday care options you can consider so you can relax when you’re away, knowing that your special small pets are being well looked after.

7 reasons why pet rabbits need constant care

1. Rabbits need to eat constantly and can’t go long without food. This is because their digestive systems need to keep busy with a mix of two kinds of fibre (digestible and indigestible fibre) moving through their gut at all times. If this doesn’t happen, it puts rabbits at risk of gut stasis, a potentially fatal condition where the contractions of the stomach and intestinal muscles come to a complete standstill, requiring immediate veterinary attention. Rabbits get the fibre they need mainly from high-quality feeding hay, so supplies must be regularly topped up. They also need rabbit nuggets that include beneficial ingredients to support skin and coat health, a healthy digestion and a healthy immune system, along with some fresh veggies such as rocket, spring greens, carrot tops, celery, kale, courgette, mange tout and bell peppers every day, which provide essential vitamins and nutrients.

2. Rabbits need plenty of fresh water provided in a sturdy ceramic bowl, as it’s more natural for buns to lap water rather than sipping it from a water bottle. Their water bowl needs to be rinsed clean and replenished with fresh water every day to keep things hygienic. Water not only keeps rabbits hydrated, it also fulfils several vital functions: it keeps every cell and organ of the body alive; It keeps everything moving in the gut, and it flushes out excess calcium. Unlike humans, rabbits’ bodies absorb every bit of calcium from their food. They need a lot of calcium to keep bones strong and teeth growing, but not as much as they absorb. Fresh water is essential for making sure that what they don’t need is flushed through the kidneys and bladder. If too much calcium builds up, rabbits can get bladder sludge, bladder stones or kidney stones, which are very serious conditions. That’s why buns need their human to make regular checks on their water supplies.

3. Rabbits need company –life without a bunny chum can be rather lonely for these highly social animalswho should always live in pairs or small groups. They also get very attached to their human carers and enjoy daily interaction with them – particularly if there are some tasty treats involved! It’s another reason why they don’t like being left alone for long.

4. Rabbits need enrichment – these curious, energetic, active animals love having plenty of things to do and different areas to explore. Each day, they need their human to create an enriching environment for them to play and forage in by scattering a portion of rabbit nuggets in different places around their accommodation, hiding some in cardboard egg cups and treat balls, or mixing them in withfeeding hay. They also need all their enrichment items – such as toys, tunnels to run through, look-out spots to keep watch from, low wicker fences to hop over, safe hiding places to escape to (such as cardboard boxes with entrance and exit holes cut out) and cosy sleeping spaces – kept in good order. Anything broken or damaged needs to be swiftly removed to prevent injuries.

5. Rabbits need clean, dry accommodation – a regular routine of daily, weekly and monthly deep cleans is essential to protect them from parasites attracted by food leftovers. Hard and wire floors with damp bedding that hasn’t been removed can also cause pododermatitis, a condition where pressure sores form on the bottom of a rabbit’s feet, which, if left untreated, can become infected.

6. Rabbits need protection from temperature extremes – very cold or very hot temperatures are dangerous for them. The ideal temperature is between 10-20°C, or they can be at risk of heatstroke or will become chilled. That’s why they need their human to make regular checks to ensure they are safe, whatever the weather.

7. Rabbits can suddenly get ill – these small animals can suffer from digestive issues, overgrown teeth and flystrike, which can make them very ill indeed. This is why a close eye has to be kept on their health so that they can be taken immediately to a small pet specialist vet if problems arise.

What do rabbits really, really want? If our pet rabbits could speak human, here are 8 things they’d tell us! >>

Rabbit holiday care options

• Friends and neighbours Ask a trusted, animal-loving family member, friend or neighbour if they’d be willing to visit every day to take care of your rabbits while you’re away – and arrange some meet and greets so they can get to know each other. Make sure you have plenty of feeding hay, rabbit nuggets, fresh food, nutritious treats for enrichment, and bedding,and take time to explain your usual routine – rabbits can find change stressful. Leave your vet’s number handy, just in case, and create a detailed checklist of what has to be done at what time of day, such as mealtimes, water checks, cleaning – and checking that each rabbit is behaving normally and looking healthy and happy.
• Hire a pet sitter Paid pet sitters will pop in once or twice a day to check that everything is okay. Some sitters will even stay in your home while you're away to take care of your pets. It’s well worth asking around for recommendations.
• Book a boarding kennel Search for people in your area who provide holiday care for small pets, and ask your pet-loving friends for recommendations. If you’re taking your rabbits somewhere new, a cat carrier will provide suitable accommodation for a short journey, either placed in the footwell of your car or secured in the boot. Help your rabbits to feel safe inside by placing familiar items, such as their favourite toys, and filling it with big piles of fresh hay for them to snuggle into – and a little of their old bedding so it smells familiar. Cover with a light blanket to help them feel sheltered and protected.  Be aware that rabbits are very sensitive to noise, so keep the stereo turned right down, and drive carefully, avoiding sudden movements or sharp stops that will scare your pets!
• Ask your vet – If you’re struggling to find a suitable person or place to look after your rabbits, then it’s worth asking your local vet as they may have boarding facilities for small pets. This is likely to be the most expensive option, but you can relax, knowing your buns are under the care of small pet professionals while you’re on your hols.

Rabbit nuggets – how to choose what’s best for your buns >>

NEED SOME EXPERT RABBIT FEEDING TIPS?

If you are at all unsure about the best way of feeding your rabbits or have any concerns about specific nutritional requirements, ask your local veterinary practice for advice. You can also call our expert team on 44 (0)0800 413 969 who’ll be happy to help. They’re available 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. Alternatively, you can use our online form to get in touch.

Did you know that for small furries such as rabbits, hay should be the BIGGEST part of their daily diet? >>  

SERVE UP ONLY THE VERY BEST DINNER FOR YOUR SMALL PETS!

Our small pets deserve a high-quality diet that’s created just for them. At Burgess, all our food for rabbits is made at our factory in the heart of Yorkshire, using only ingredients that meet our stringent specifications.

With a long tradition of supporting British farmers, we actively source all our ingredients as close to our mill as possible and have launched many innovations. These include the world’s first food specifically formulated for indoor rabbits.

Along with our outstanding feeding hay range, check out our tasty nugget varieties specially created for junior and dwarf rabbits, golden oldies and adult rabbits – there’s even a light recipe for buns who are watching their weight! And don’t forget our delicious range of healthy treats!

Check out our value-for-money mix and match hay bundles! >>

*It’s no surprise that 92% of UK vets recommend our Burgess Excel small pets range!*

CARE MORE Find lots of useful advice on caring for all your rabbits from Burgess, the pet experts. Health, housing, feeding, companionship and bunny behaviour. It’s all here >>

Join the Burgess Pet Club for exclusive offers, competitions and expert advice from our in-house vet, Dr Suzanne Moyes.

LET’S GET SOCIAL! Sign up to the Excel Bunny Base – a safe Facebook community for rabbit guardians that are looking for advice and friendly discussions from like-minded owners – and there are lots of cute bunny photos and videos! Also join us on Instagram.

From world-first innovations to groundbreaking studies, championing rescue dogs and raising awareness of better care for rabbits – discover 12 facts about Burgess Pet Care >>

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