How to Screen Prospective New Homes …

Here are some questions to ask prospective new owners to help you assess whether they will provide the sort of home you would like your rabbit to have.

Why
Please tell us why you are interested in adopting my rabbit.

 Does anyone in the house suffer allergies to animals?
If so, please carefully consider you decision to adopt a rabbit or accept that medication may be needed to reduce allergy symptoms.

 How much time will your rabbit spend alone?
Rabbits are highly social creatures and thrive with plenty of company. Single rabbits that will not have companionship for long stretches of the day/night suffer from loneliness. If you work away from home then your rabbit will need a bonded de-sexed partner of the opposite sex for company.

 Indoor/Outdoors
Where do you intend your rabbit/s to live?

Indoor Housing
Rabbits can make great house pets - they can be litter trained just like a cat. Some house rabbits live totally free range but most have their own living accommodation for when their owner isn't there or when they need a quiet place to retreat to. The amount of time your rabbit will spend confined to its enclosure will affect the size needed. Purpose designed rabbit cages are increasingly available but these are usually far too small. An alternative is a dog crate combined with a dog pen or simply a large dog pen on its own - or you can always build you own. Rabbits love to chew but not everything in your home is safe for your rabbit to get his teeth into so you need to be aware that protecting cables and removing hazards like poisonous plants is essential. Rabbits need a covered area to feel safe and retreat to when frightened, so, whatever type of accommodation you choose, include a box, tunnels or something similar for your bunny to hide in.
Even a full time indoor rabbit will need access to a secure outdoor pen/exercise area for enrichment and its health – Vit D production etc.

Please provide a description and photographs of your indoor setup including litter tray/s.

Outdoor Housing        
There are numerous outdoor housing options  - a large hutch and run, a shed (not metal) with run attached, a play house with run attached, an aviary, a large kennel with run attached or a fully secured back yard with secure housing.
Westley’s World requires an absolute minimum hutch size - for sleeping and toileting, of 1m2 with an attached run of at least 3000 x 1000 x 1000mm for the keeping of one or two rabbits.
You will need to provide protection for your rabbit from weather extremes - from the sun in summer - this means your rabbits enclosure needs to be fully shaded so that it does not become too hot inside, and in winter protection from the rain and cold wind is essential.

 Please provide a description and photographs of your set up – including litter trays, and submit to an inspection if this is requested.

 Home property
If the rabbit(s) will live outdoors, the area of your property where their housing will be located must be fully fenced and dog proof.

 Please provide photographs to confirm this.

 Weather Extremes/Guy Fawkes etc.
You need to be aware that rabbits are delicate, easily stressed creatures and as such don’t cope well with things such as loud noise (Guy Fawkes), hot temperatures, loud storms, dog scares etc. and will need special help at these times such as bringing outdoor rabbits inside.

Please explain how you will manage this sort of scenario.

 Bonding

If you will be bonding your new rabbit with an existing rabbit the bonding process must be planned and approached carefully. Please describe your understanding of this and describe the set up you will be use to bond the rabbits. Guidance for this can be found on WW’s website in the ‘Bonding’ file. 

 Diet
Your rabbit will need               - access to high quality hay 24/7 – refreshed daily.
                                                - access to fresh water from both a water bottle and a water bowl, both will need cleaning and refilling daily.

                                                - to be fed a measured, appropriate quantity of good quality pellets daily.

                                                - to be fed a measured portion of greens (safe weeds are best) daily.

Please tell me about the pellets you will feed and how you will go about providing hay, greens and water  etc.