Rabbits Need Exercise!

[Christi]

Rabbits Need Exercise!
Susan A. Brown, DVM

Exercise is vital for the health of the rabbit. All too often we hear well meaning, but poorly informed, people describe rabbits as easy to keep because “they can be caged and don't take up much space!” This idea has led to many rabbits being caged most of their lives with the distinct possibility of developing both physical and behavioral disorders.

RABBIT ANCESTORS

Let's take a look at the behavior of the ancestor of the domestic rabbit, the European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus. The normal territorial space of an adult of this species is about two acres but may be even larger if food is in short supply. This is the area over which the rabbit would wander each day to feed and to look for mates. We know that the rabbit requires large volumes of high fiber food that would necessitate traveling great distances each day, particularly during winter months. In addition, rabbits are anatomically designed to be able to move at great speed in order to elude predators. Observe the powerful back legs built to run and leap.

So, we take this beautiful, graceful animal that is designed to range over a large area, at times even at great speed, and put it in a cage that is 24” x 24” x 18”H for most or all of it's life and expect it to thrive and do well. Some people would say that they are “happy” in their cage, because the European rabbit spends part of the day in the extensive burrows they dig underground and the cage represents that “secure” burrow space. Ah, but they don't spend all day in the burrow, they need to exercise all their muscles, including the heart, strengthen their bones, burn fat and stimulate internal organ function which can scarcely be done when confined to a small space. In addition, rabbits develop behavioral problems when they are confined continuously to the boredom of a small cage.

Some people argue that the domestic rabbit is 'content' in its cage environment because they reproduce successfully in small cages. The internal 'drive' to reproduce is extremely strong in the rabbit because it is a prey animal and in the wild, much of its family will be eaten by other animals as part of the natural food cycle, therefore they must keep replacing the losses. If minimum requirements of food and shelter are met, the rabbit will reproduce if allowed to because he must! But minimum requirements are not necessarily synonymous with a long, healthy life.

PROBLEMS CAUSED BY LACK OF EXERCISE

• OBESITY - Obesity can be caused by a number of factors, but the two most common are a diet too high in calories for daily need and a lack of exercise. Just as in humans, if a rabbit sits around all day and moves just enough to take care of minimal daily requirements such as eating, defecating and urinating, it isn't going to burn many calories, nor is it going to build muscle tissue. Obesity puts undue stress on the cardiovascular system, can result in pododermatitis (inflammation of the foot) stresses the vertebrae as well as making the rabbit feel sluggish. Large folds of fat can develop around the rectal area or in the dewlap, which interfere with normal grooming and prevent eating of the nutrient-rich cecotropes. If cecotropes aren't eaten, the result can be serious nutritional deficiencies. An inablitiy to groom properly can lead to a constantly soiled rectal area and subsequent skin disease. The cure for obesity is to keep your rabbit on a healthy diet of grass hay and fresh foods and avoid commercial pellets and high starch or sugar snacks.
  
• PODODERMATITIS ('SORE HOCK') - Pododermatitis is a condition where the skin on the underside of the feet becomes inflamed resulting in ulcerations that can range from superficial to deep enough to involve bone. This condition can be caused by several factors, but the two most common are obesity and damp flooring. Wire cage floors have often been implicated as a cause of pododermatititis, but this alone rarely causes a problem. In addition, there is a genetic disposition to this condition in breeds of rabbits, such as the Rex or Min Rex, where the fur on the underside of the foot is too thin to afford sufficient protection.
  Obesity can contribute to foot disease because of the excessive weight being carried by the feet resulting in unusual wear on the footpads. In addition, if the rabbit is so fat that it can't clean itself, urine and stool can collect on the hindquarters and feet and result in inflammatory skin disease.
  
  A continually damp floor caused by urine or water in the cage or litter box (where rabbits often like to sit) is a contributing factor to the development of pododermatitis. If a rabbit is confined to a small cage it often has no choice but to sit in a wet area. Urine, in particular, is very caustic and can result in serious burns and ulceration of the feet.
  
  In the wild, rabbits are exposed to a wide variety of surfaces from hard packed ground or rocks to soft grass. It is important to provide some soft areas in addition to the normal wire or solid flooring. Squares of fake fur or fleece work well because they are absorbent, washable and non-toxic to the rabbit. We do not recommend using carpet squares because they are not washable, and in some cases are more abrasive then the regular flooring. Use absorbent pelleted bedding in the litter box rather then kitty litter. Pelleted bedding pulls moisture away from the surface, which keeps the feet dry. In addition pelleted bedding is non-toxic, eatable, and compostable. Kitty litter is not only abrasive, but some rabbits will eat it and develop a fatal intestinal impaction.
  
• POOR BONE DENSITY – Animals, as well as humans, that do not get sufficient exercise can develop osteoporosis (thinning of the bone). It is well known in humans that the best natural method to prevent osteoporosis is to do regular weight- bearing exercises. Rabbits that are continually confined to a small cage can exhibit marked thinning of the bones. Osteoporosis results in a spine or long bones that can break easily when the rabbit is handled, leaps off a high surface or runs or jumps rapidly. It has been our observation that the rabbits whose backs are fractured during normal handling are usually those that were never allowed normal exercise. Daily exercise is vital to the production of healthy bones.
  
• POOR MUSCLE TONE -Obviously if the rabbit can't exercise, the muscles will be underdeveloped and weak. This can lead to an inability to move properly. The most important muscle is the heart. If the heart muscle is weak, the rabbit will be unable to tolerate stressful situations that occur, such as a child or a curious puppy that chases the rabbit when it is let out to play. Rabbits in the wild do not ordinarily “drop dead” when being chased by a predator. They are superb athletes and can move rapidly, sometimes for great distances, to find shelter. This type of behavior is part of their normal daily routine. However, if you take a rabbit that sits in a cage day after day and then let it out and force it run around the room rapidly it may faint or even die of cardiac failure. It would be the same as taking a 'couch potato' type person and suddenly make him run a marathon at high speed. His heart couldn't take the stress and he would collapse. Therefore, exercise will help your rabbit develop a healthy cardiovascular system and be able to withstand inevitable stressful situations successfully.
  
• GASTROINTESTINAL and URINARY FUNCTION - A rabbit that sits all day in the cage with little exercise can develop abnormal elimination habits. Rabbits that exercise routinely will urinate and defecate frequently which is good for the urinary and digestive systems. Holding urine or stool may contribute to a variety of conditions such as gastrointestinal shutdown and concentrated “sludgy” urine.
  
• BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS - Behavioral problems in rabbits, as in other creatures, are complex. However, we have observed a number of problems resolve when rabbits are taken out of the caged environment and allowed more freedom in an area with environmental stimulants such as toys and hiding areas. It is not scientifically correct to place a human name on a rabbit 'emotion' but one can only imagine that rabbits that are caged all the time are 'bored'. What do they have to do but sleep, move a couple of steps and eat or drink, move a couple of steps and defecate or urinate? Continually caged rabbits can exhibit a wide range of abnormal behaviors including lethargy, aggression, continual chewing of the cage bars (sometimes leading to incisor damage), chewing fur (obsessive grooming), and destruction of the entire contents of the cage. Certainly these behaviors can also be seen in rabbits that are not caged, however, we find that rabbits exhibiting these behaviors often improve in a more open environment. The destructive behavior and fur pulling decreases when they are given “constructive” toys and a place to play. We have also seen many lethargic rabbits “bloom” into delightful playful creatures and seen aggressive rabbits become calmer when allowed more freedom.
  An easy way to provide an open exercise area for your pet is to use dog exercise fencing that comes in panels that can be connected together in many shapes. These panels can be used indoors or out to provide a safe exercise area. In addition you can play a large sheet of no-wax flooring under the pen to protect carpets and hardwood floors from being damaged by the rabbit's claws. Toys for rabbits to play with include cardboard boxes, clean tree branches, tubes from toilet paper and paper towel rolls, unvarnished or unpainted wicker baskets just to name a few.

CONCLUSION

It is now abundantly clear that we are dooming our pets to a life of potential medical and behavioral problems if we confine them exclusively to a cage. If you do not have the ability to house a pet rabbit in a manner that allows space to roam and toys to play with, then I would urge you to consider not getting one for a pet, because it is unfair to both of you. If you do choose to bring one of these delightful creatures into your home, you will be able to fully appreciate and enjoy their complex personalities when you provide them with an enriched and interesting environment.

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