Lights, decorations, parties, food and presents - 'tis the season to be jolly! But how do our rabbit friends feel about a change of routine, added noise from family visits, and changes to their surroundings come the holiday season?

This may be a first for you as a rabbit owner, and you want your bunny and the holiday to go without a hitch.

So whether you have a house rabbit or keep your bunny outdoors, there are lots of festive hazards to think about. Here's how to keep your rabbit safe and happy during Christmas.

Keeping Rabbits Safe from Christmas Decorations

All new or strange additions to your home and garden will be very interesting to your pet rabbit. They're curious creatures! As far as your rabbit is concerned, they could be a new toy or a tasty treat.

They'll want to sniff, taste and play with anything new. But some festive holiday decor and wrapping paper can be potentially dangerous, so extra care should be taken.

Here's our list of things to watch your bunny around this Christmas:

• Cables
• Festive plants
• Ornaments
• Wrapping paper
• Candles
• Potpurri

Electrical Wires

Electrical wires on lights and Christmas tree decorations are a risk to rabbits, as they can be electrocuted if they chew them. You might think plastic coverings will help slow their chewing, but they'll eventually chew through them, too. So, make sure all wires, both inside and outside, are well out of reach.

Poisonous Holiday Plants

Some Christmas holiday plants are poisonous to rabbits, like mistletoe and holly. Meanwhile, others, like Poinsettias, can cause a stomachache if eaten. To be on the safe side, make sure all houseplants are well out of reach and that all garden plants are rabbit-safe.

Ornaments and Baubles

Broken ornaments or baubles can cause life-threatening injuries to a bunny, so they should be cleared up straight away. Ideally, avoid displaying breakable items to avoid this risk completely. Wooden decorations are the safest options, but if your rabbit can reach them, they're likely to chew on them too!

Wrapping Paraphernalia

Wrapping presents should be done away from your rabbit as they may be tempted to chew on the paper, sticky tape or ribbons, which can cause blockages. This is also something worth thinking about when unwrapping gifts on Christmas Day. Make sure any wrapping paper is put in the bin straight away.

Other Festive Hazards for Bunnies

Other decorations to consider are candles and potpourri. Lit candles should never be left unattended, as they may be knocked over and cause burns to your rabbit.

Potpourri is a tempting treat for pet rabbits, but unfortunately, it's also not safe for them to consume. Avoid edible decorations, such as chocolate or candy canes, as they're toxic to rabbits.

Can Rabbits Eat Christmas Trees?

When choosing a Christmas tree, keep in mind that most artificial trees are treated with fire-retardant chemicals, and real trees are treated with pesticides, both of which are toxic to rabbits. Natural, untreated spruce or fir trees are the safest option.

To help prevent your rabbit from ingesting some of your Christmas tree, make a barrier around the bottom of the tree using a puppy play pen or similar. But keep in mind that they may be able to fit through gaps in any barriers.

It's also a good idea to have the tree raised off the floor, making it harder for your rabbit to reach it. Never leave your rabbit unattended in a room containing a Christmas tree.

Can My Rabbit Eat Festive Food?

Understandably, pet parents love to treat their furry companions at Christmas time. Your rabbit can join in the festivities by getting extra treats or a special Christmas Day meal. Make sure you're giving them food that's safe for them to eat, and don't overfeed them.

It's also not safe to make drastic changes to their diet, even for one day; their digestive system can be sensitive. So feed them their usual diet with a small amount of additional treats.

Rabbits can jump onto surfaces, so a coffee table is not a safe place for them. Also, keep in mind that any children visiting could accidentally drop food on the floor or leave it within easy reach of your bunny. It may be best to keep your rabbit in a separate room when people are eating.

What Christmas Food Should be Avoided for Rabbits?

While most vegetables are safe for rabbits to eat, avoid giving them onions, mushrooms, leeks, garlic or rhubarb. For more information on what you rabbits can and can't eat, check out our helpful guides: 

• What Can Rabbits Eat... Part One
• What Can Rabbits Eat... Part Two
• What Can Rabbits Eat... Part Three

Never offer them meat, eggs, dairy, or processed foods like bread, pasta, chips, crackers, or cookies. These foods can lead to serious health concerns if consumed and require emergency veterinary treatment.

Bowls of holiday snacks like chocolate, mince pies and nuts are all a risk to rabbits, so make sure they're kept out of reach to protect your rabbit.

How to Prevent Rabbit Stress at Christmas

Over the Christmas period, you're likely to have family and friends visiting, which causes more noise and chaos in your home than your rabbit is used to. But you still want to be able to invite people over, right? Here's how to do it without causing your bunny unnecessary discomfort.

Create a Safe Place for Your Rabbit

Make sure your rabbit always has access to a safe place that it can retreat to. This should be in a room away from the commotion of music, flashing lights, and lots of people.

This safe place should have a bed where they can burrow into so that they are completely hidden. Hiding is a natural instinct for rabbits to protect them from danger. You can also place a blanket over their hutch to add extra noise insulation and add extra bedding for them to hide in, but make sure there is still plenty of ventilation.

Routine, Routine, Routine

Stick to your rabbit's normal routine as much as possible to prevent causing unnecessary stress. If a rabbit becomes stressed, it puts them at risk of health problems.

Move Outdoor Rabbit Enclosures Inside

If your rabbit is kept in an outdoor enclosure, keep in mind that firework displays are likely at this time of year. The loud bangs will scare your rabbit. Move their enclosure inside a shed or garage to help reduce the noise.

Alternatively, bring your rabbit indoors during any displays that you are aware of – the most obvious one being New Year's Eve.

How to Know if Your Rabbit is Stressed?

Keep an eye on your rabbit's behaviour and watch out for any signs your rabbit is stressed, such as:

• Hunched posture with ears flat against their body
• Aggression
• Being excessively jumpy
• Bulging eyes
• Reduced appetite

Try to work out the cause – this could be loud noises, flashing lights, or people. Removing the cause or moving your rabbit to another location should resolve the problem. Speak to your vet if you have any concerns.

Remember to Keep Your Bunny's Routine at Christmas

We may love the festive season, but our bunny companions may not be so pleased about all the changes. Stick to your normal rabbit care routine as much as possible to keep them happy and healthy. Pay them lots of attention, but don't overwhelm them with too many new people, sights or sounds.

Keep them safe from harm by keeping decorations and unsafe foods out of reach. Make sure they have a safe place to retreat to and keep warm and cosy. Call your vet if you're concerned that your rabbit is overtly stressed or has eaten something it shouldn't.

Everypaw Rabbit Insurance

Here at Everypaw, we want to help you keep your bunny healthy and in tip top shape. So, when it comes to your young rabbit’s care, Everypaw’s Rabbit Insurance could be just the cover to look after your little thumper.

Get a quote

 

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Lapis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.