Gentle companions.
Specialized care.
Intelligent, social mammals whose wellness depends on abundant grass hay, preventive dental care, safe exercise, thoughtful handling, and close attention to appetite and digestion.
About 2–12+ lb
Quiet communicators with complex needs.
Domestic rabbits are social, intelligent prey animals with sensitive digestive systems and continuously growing teeth. They communicate through posture, movement, appetite, grooming, and subtle changes in normal behavior.
A rabbit that stops eating or producing normal stool may be experiencing a serious problem. Because rabbits often hide illness, knowing your pet’s normal appetite, fecal output, activity, breathing, and posture is essential.
Nutrition and environment
Diet & digestion
- Provide unlimited good-quality grass hay as the foundation of the adult rabbit diet unless your veterinarian advises otherwise.
- Offer measured species-appropriate pellets and veterinarian-approved leafy greens in portions suited to age, weight, and health.
- Limit sugary fruit, starchy foods, commercial treats, seeds, nuts, and sudden dietary changes.
- Provide fresh water at all times and clean bowls or bottles daily.
- Monitor appetite, water intake, body weight, and the size, amount, and appearance of stool every day.
Housing & enrichment
- Provide generous floor space, traction, hiding areas, and daily supervised exercise rather than relying on a small cage.
- Rabbit-proof electrical cords, toxic plants, carpet, baseboards, and other chew hazards.
- Offer safe chewing, digging, exploring, and food-foraging opportunities.
- Handle close to the floor while supporting the chest and powerful hindquarters; never lift by the ears.
- Protect rabbits from heat, predators, rough handling, and stressful interactions with other pets.
Teeth and gastrointestinal health
Rabbit teeth grow continuously. Appropriate hay chewing supports normal wear, but inherited jaw shape, injury, diet, or other disease can still lead to painful dental problems.
Normal gut movement also depends on fiber, hydration, activity, and overall health. Gastrointestinal stasis is a syndrome with an underlying cause—not simply a diagnosis to manage without examination.
Drooling, facial swelling, reduced hay intake, selective eating, tooth grinding, fewer stools, or a hunched posture should be evaluated promptly.
Common health concerns
Seek prompt care for appetite loss, reduced fecal output, breathing difficulty, weakness, severe diarrhea, head tilt, injury, urinary straining, abnormal bleeding, or signs of pain.
This guide provides general education and does not replace an examination or individualized veterinary advice. Adult size, maturity, and lifespan vary by breed and individual.
Specialized veterinary care for your rabbit.
Schedule preventive care or contact our team promptly if appetite, stool production, breathing, or behavior changes.
