The following list has been compiled
by our staff as a source of invaluable
information for pet owners:

Kitten & Cat Care,
Puppy & Dog Care,
Rabbit Care

Rabbits are the 3rd most popular pet in the UK. There are many different breeds and varieties of rabbit and typically they live for 8-12 years.

Rabbits need a secure living environment that is large enough to exercise in and to stand up fully on back legs. There should be a safe hiding place to escape to if feeling afraid, a suitable place to go to the toilet and enough bedding to keep warm. The housing and toilet area need to be cleaned regularly.

Fresh, clean drinking water and good quality hay and/or grass need to be available at all times. Small amounts of commercial rabbit pellets can be fed but hay and/or grass are much more important. Safe, washed leafy greens or weeds should be offered every day.

Rabbits are naturally social and usually prefer to be with another rabbit. A good combination is a neutered male and a neutered female or neutered littermates of the same sex.

Rabbits need to be checked for signs of illness or injury every day. In warm weather the fur and skin around the rabbits rear end and tail area need to be checked twice daily, as urine staining and droppings that are stuck will attract flies which can lay eggs and cause 'fly strike' which is often fatal.

Front teeth and nails should be checked weekly. Rabbits should be vaccinated against Myxomatosis and Viral Haemorrhagic Disease and if a rabbit is in pain, ill or injured it needs to be seen by a vet.

pdsa.org.uk - invaluable advice and support for sick animals.
dogshome.net - website for charity Manchester Dog's Home
cats.org.uk - the UK's leading cat welfare charity