The Complete Rabbit Care & Health Guide

A complete, plain-English guide to looking after a pet rabbit in the UK — housing, feeding, health, neutering, behaviour and the golden years, written from veterinary-charity guidance.

Rabbits have very specific needs, and getting them right is the difference between a healthy, relaxed rabbit and a stressed or unwell one. This guide walks you through all of it in plain English, so you know what normal looks like and what to do when something changes.

• The rabbit basics — what normal behaviour looks like, why rabbit teeth are never "normal sized", and how to know your own rabbit's normal.

• Housing & enrichment — indoor vs outdoor, how much space rabbits really need, somewhere to hide, toys and natural behaviour, and why rabbits need company.

• Feeding & nutrition — the hay-and-grass mainstay (not optional), fresh greens, nuggets and how much, water, foods to avoid (muesli, sugar, poisonous plants), and how to switch food safely.

• Health & common problems — dental disease, gut problems, flystrike (a summer emergency), "snuffles" and respiratory infections, vaccination, parasites and prevention, and catching weight change early.

• Neutering — what it is, why and when, the procedure, aftercare and recovery, and the risks.

• Behaviour & handling — hiding illness, digging, chewing, over-grooming, foraging, and handling with care.

• Senior rabbits — why vet checks matter more, diet, a senior-friendly home, day-to-day care.

• Emergency quick-reference — essentials checklist, signs that mean an emergency, a symptom-to-action table, a care log and a fill-in emergency card.

Plain English and grounded in veterinary-charity guidance (PDSA, RSPCA, Blue Cross). Does not replace professional veterinary advice.