Winter care essentials for Cheshire rabbits young and old

As the weather in Cheshire starts to change, our pets’ needs also change with the season. Depending on the type of small furry pet you have, their needs will often be different. For some it may mean preparing them for hibernation, changing their food intake, giving them different types of bedding, or even adapting lighting or heating systems for winter.

Rabbits are no different and will require different levels of adaptation to ensure they are kept safe and healthy during the winter months; side note, rabbits DO NOT hibernate.

So, before the weather outside gets frightening… read Northwich Vets’ advice on how to prepare your pets for a cold winter in Cheshire.

If you have any concerns about your rabbits’ health right now,

Book a rabbit check-up

Preparation suggestions for winter

Vet Gemma lists some top tips below for protecting your rabbits this winter. Use Gemma’s tips as a checklist to ensure you have everything covered:

1. Consider bringing your rabbits’ indoors -if you do this you must commit to this change until springtime, as once inside they will not develop the thick coat necessary to cope with colder temperatures
2. Ensure their accommodation is suitably insulated – you could wrap the sides in a blanket, radiator foil or duvet when it gets too cold and use tarpaulins to protect the blankets from the wet
3. Bedding types may need to be changed to suit the colder weather, and you should add extra bedding for your rabbits to burrow into. Straw is warmer than hay due to its hollow stalks. Remember to still provide plenty of hay for eating though.
4. Insulate water feeders to protect them from freezing, use a ‘hottie’ under the water bowl. Check them regularly to ensure your rabbits always have access to water. If they are freezing up indoors, it’s too cold in your house.
5. Weight-check your rabbits to ensure they are not losing or gaining weight during the colder months. Weight gain will affect their ability to groom/clean themselves whereas weight loss could indicate worrying health issues.
6. Outdoor rabbits will need to be fed rabbit nuggets/pellets/fibafirst sticks throughout colder months to ensure sufficient calories are provided to keep warm, however it is still important not to overfeed.
7. Ensure any outside run is safe and usable during winter months – you may need to cover over muddy areas with rubber matting or create an indoor run to ensure they still have exercise space.
8. There is less natural forage outside in the winter so consider buying or making your own – for example bramble/raspberry leaves, lemon balm, parsley, sage, spinach even pumpkin-see RWAF website for more
9. Get your rabbits’ health checked with one of our Lostock Gralam vets to ensure your pets are fit and healthy going into winter.

By regularly checking over your rabbit at home too, especially before we go into the coldest period, you can monitor them for changes. This will help to ensure they remain healthy and comfortable, especially as winter can be very unpredictable. Gemma has another checklist for you below, for you to do at home.

Winter care for seniors, babies, and unwell rabbits

If you have senior or geriatric rabbits, it will be more important than ever to move them indoors and keep them warm this winter to avoid them becoming uncomfortable and unwell. Most older rabbits suffer with pain and stiffness, usually some level of arthritis, and the cold can really exacerbate their symptoms. If you notice your rabbits are struggling to get around like they used to, are less keen to jump about, or are struggling to groom themselves, call us on 01606 359789 for advice as soon as possible.

The same goes for very young or unwell pets – these can struggle in cold temperatures and be susceptible to illnesses. If your rabbits are shivering, or sleeping more, chances are they are too cold.

8-point rabbit checklist

According to Gemma, this is what good health in a rabbit looks (and smells) like:

1. Nose: clean, clear, and no sneezing.
2. Eyes: bright and clear; no discharge, squinting, rubbing or redness around the eyes.
3. Mouth: incisors correctly aligned, no drooling or teeth grinding.
4. Ears: clean and clear with no discharge, injuries, swellings, nasty smells, or constantly scratching.
5. Coat/skin: shiny healthy coat with no dandruff, parasites, bald patches, lumps, or bumps. Well-groomed with no faeces stuck to their coat or urine patches.
6. Weight: healthy lean weight. Check out the Rabbit size-o-Meter on PFMA website for help with this.
7. Faeces: soft caecotrophs that will be eaten off the bottom or the hutch floor, and harder, second-pass poo pellets. A reduction or change to either is cause for concern.
8. Appetite: grazing most of the day; a reduced appetite is a rabbit emergency!

If you spot any changes in your rabbit that you are concerned about, it is best to get them checked by Gemma, or any of the vets at our Manchester Road surgery, to be on the safe side.

Contact us to book a rabbit check-up