Common mistakes rabbit owners make in Australia

Common mistakes rabbit owners make in Australia

Vet-recommended tips to keep your rabbit happy & healthy

Rabbits are gentle, intelligent, and incredibly rewarding pets – but they’re also one of the most misunderstood. Many well-meaning owners unknowingly make small mistakes that can have a big impact on their bunny’s health and wellbeing.

The good news? Most of these are easy to fix once you know what to look for.

Here are some of the most common mistakes rabbit owners make, and what exotic vets recommend instead.

Not seeing a rabbit-savvy vet early

One of the biggest mistakes new bunny owners make is waiting until something seems “wrong” before visiting a vet.

Rabbits are prey animals, which means they’re very good at hiding illness. By the time symptoms appear, issues can already be quite advanced.

Vet tip:
Book a full health check as soon as you bring your rabbit home. Even if they look perfectly healthy, an early visit helps:

• Detect hidden health issues
• Establish a baseline for future care
• Set up the right diet and preventative plan

It’s one of the simplest ways to give your bunny the best possible start.

Feeding the wrong diet

Diet is one of the most important (and most misunderstood) parts of rabbit care.

Many commercial mixes, e.g. muesli-style or grain-based pellets are high in sugar and starch. Over time, these can lead to:

• Gut stasis (a serious digestive condition)
• Dental disease
• Obesity

What rabbits actually need:

• Lots of hay – this should make up the majority (80%-90%)  of their diet
• Grass-based pellets (in controlled amounts)
• Fresh greens daily

Hay isn’t just food, it’s essential for keeping their digestive system moving and their teeth naturally worn down.

Grooming mistakes

It might seem logical to bathe a dirty rabbit, but this is one of the most dangerous mistakes owners can make.

Bathing can cause:

• Extreme stress
• Hypothermia
• Pneumonia
• Shock
• Injury if they panic and struggle

The truth is: rabbits are incredibly clean animals. They groom themselves meticulously and rarely need bathing.

Skipping vaccinations

Many owners don’t realise that rabbits in Australia require vaccinations.

At around 10 weeks old, rabbits should be vaccinated against calicivirus, a highly contagious and often fatal disease that can affect all rabbits, even those kept indoors.

Why it matters:

• The virus can spread through insects, contaminated surfaces, or even clothing
• There is no effective treatment once infected

Vet tip: Prevention is absolutely essential. Keeping vaccinations up to date can save your rabbit’s life.

Keeping them in small hutches

Traditional rabbit hutches are often far too small for a rabbit’s needs.

Limited space can lead to:

• Boredom and stress
• Obesity
• Muscle weakness and mobility issues

Rabbits are active, curious animals that need space to:

• Hop and stretch
• Explore and play
• Express natural behaviours

Vet tip:
Think of a hutch as a “home base,” not their entire living space. Free-roam areas, exercise pens, or bunny-proofed indoor spaces make a huge difference to their quality of life.

Protecting your rabbit (and your wallet)

Even with the best care, rabbits can get sick or injured, and veterinary treatment can add up quickly, especially for specialised care.

That’s where having the right cover can make all the difference.

Petcover Rabbit Insurance starts from around $31 per month, helping give you peace of mind that if something does go wrong, you can focus on your bunny, not the bill.

Cover can include:

• Vet fees
• Specialist visits and referral hospitals
• Dental treatment (a common rabbit issue)
• Diagnostic examinations
• Complementary treatments and more!