hello think i have a poorly rabbit

i have a albino lop eared rabbit and recently i have noticed it has a double chin is this normal it aint very active at the moment i am quite worried about it it has been chewing it hutch up quite abit it is female

Hiya

The double chin is normal - this is called a dewlap and is common in overweight rabbits, bunnies who have lost weight or buns who have had babies. It is also common in many 'normal' sized rabbits so you needn't worry about that. I have had rabbits with dewlaps which have disappeared over time when I've switched them to a healthier diet but some buns are just susceptible to them.

As many others I'm sure will tell you getting a female rabbit neutered is the main key to reducing destructive behaviour - you will get so much more from your girl if you get her done and she will be less likely to have erratic behaviour and be destructive.

If you have her sat in a cage she may be bored - can you give her some stimulus to help relieve her boredom so she is now as tempted to chew and destroy. Is there somewhere you can let her out of the cage to stretch her legs and have a run? In a secure run in the garden? In the kitchen maybe? Most rabbits should be allowed out for a few hours a day! You can also put 'toys' in her cage so she can focus on them rather than being destructive - things like hay stuffed into an empty toilet roll holder are cheap but fun for rabbits - also lots of fresh veg hidden under hay gives a bun a good workout snuffling it out!

Finally I'm sure I don't need to tell you that one of the best ways to keep a rabbit happy is to 'bond' her with another neutered bunny. This is my absolute failsafe way of making a rabbit as happy as larry and completely stopping all destructive bahaviour patterns! Is there a chance you could adopt a neutered male rabbit once you've had your girl neutered? I promise you won't regret it!

Hope that helps

Rebecca

thanks rebecca i will have to have a chat with hubby roughly how much does it cost to get a rabbit neutured

it does get let out to runn around teh garden alot but she doesnt like getting back in the hutch

Hiya

The costs for neutering vary depending on where in the country you are. It is definitely worth it and the kindest thing you can do for a female rabbit. I think my vets charges around £30 for a female spay which is basically the equivalent of a night on the town (how I like to think of it - lol).

I really can't recommend neutering enough though as you will probably find your female does not display distressing behaviour (such as pulling fur to make a nest which most of them do as a kind of 'phantom pregnancy') she will be less agressive to you and more loving and friendly (this is my own experience of having three females neutered), she will be less susceptible to cancers of her reproductive organs which sadly claims many female rabbits and therefore should live longer!

If you get her neutered you may find that she is easier to get back in the hutch at the end of playtime too as she may become more easy-going and less jumpy around you but it also depends on your approach to her. It is hard but you need to get her to trust you - so avoid chasing her round the garden to catch her again as she will become frightened and rebel against being caught even more. It would be good if you could buy or build her an enclosed run which her hutch could sit inside with the door propped open then she could come and go if she pleased on a smaller but more manageable patch of grass/ patio. Look out on ebay or freeads for second hand runs - your rabbit won't mind and it will make it cheaper or you could have a go (or hubby) at making one from wire mesh and wood as a frame. I have seen runs made from all sorts of resourceful scrap material.

Good luck!