A small Havana rabbit

Havana Rabbit Insurance, Care and Health Advice

The Havana rabbit breed originated in Holland in the Netherlands. They were named Havana because of the colour of their fur. It’s dark brown like the Cuban cigar from the city of Havana! This breed guide brings you all the information you need on how to care for this small, docile breed.

Havana Rabbit Facts

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Type
Standard
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Lifespan
5 - 8 years
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Size
Small
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Weight
2.5 - 3 kg
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Temperament
Docile, gentle, intelligent
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Exercise
2 hours 2x a day
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Grooming
Low maintenance

Is a Havana Rabbit Right for Me?

Their gentle temperament makes them great pets for first time rabbit owners and families with children. Havana bunnies don’t mind being handled so will enjoy cuddles on the sofa. As with all rabbits though, anyone handling them must learn how to do it safely to avoid injuries to their delicate backs. If you’re looking for a small, low maintenance bunny to join your family, the Havana could be for you.

A small Havana rabbit in a garden

Life with a Havana Rabbit

The Havana is known for being one of the most docile rabbit breeds. Living with a Havana will be a chilled out fun experience. If you’re about relaxing on the sofa, playtime and plenty of cuddles, the Havana could be the rabbit for you.

Caring for Your Havana

Havana rabbits need a constant supply of hay to keep their digestive systems working properly. They love grazing on fresh grass and vegetables too. You can also feed your rabbit commercial rabbit food. Keep an eye on your rabbit’s weight and be careful not to over feed them.

Rabbits can put weight on quite easily which can lead to health problems. Most importantly, your rabbit should always have a constant supply of hay and fresh water.

The Havana has a short, thick coat that doesn’t need much grooming. All rabbits shed more often in the spring and autumn, so they’ll need grooming more often while they’re shedding. Rabbits are good at keeping themselves clean, so you won’t need to bath your rabbit, unless advised to do so by your vet.

When grooming your rabbit check them over for any unwanted visitors like fleas, and make sure their skin and fur looks clean and healthy. Check their teeth and nails too. Contact your vet if you notice anything untoward.

Havana rabbits are an intelligent breed. With positive reinforcement and rewards you can train your bunny to use a litter tray. Rabbits can also pick up other tricks like coming to call and playing fetch with their favourite toys.

Exercise is important for your rabbit’s muscles and to work off any excess weight. Exercise also stops your bunny from getting bored and getting up to mischief. Rabbits love to play with toys and the Havana is no exception.

They’ll want to spend lots of time with you interacting and playing together. Ideally your bunny should have a couple of hours free exercise outside a couple of times a day to run and play and graze on fresh grass.

Havana Rabbit Insurance

Looking for Havana Rabbit Insurance, Everypaw’s Lifetime Bunny Insurance could be the cover you’re looking for. We have 3 levels of cover that can be there to look after illness and injury, or just be there if you have any health and care concerns.

That’s because with all our policies you get unlimited access to an RCVS qualified vet team with our Petcall service. So whatever the time of day or night, whether its nutrition, behavioural or just general care advice you need, Petcall is there for you and your Havana.

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Common Havana Rabbit Health Problems by Vetstream

The Havana is generally a healthy breed, but like all breeds, can suffer from some health problems. Everypaw has teamed up with veterinary experts Vetstream to give you an idea of what to look out for in your Havana.

All rabbit breeds are prone to fleas and mites. Luckily, they can be easily prevented and treated. Heavy flea infestations can be life-threatening for rabbits, so it’s important to treat your rabbit quickly if you notice any wrigglies!

Don’t use any cat and dog flea treatments as they can be fatal to rabbits. Your vet will be happy to give you advice on the best treatment for your bunny. Mites can cause itching and hair loss but can be treated with an injection or a spot-on treatment.

Ear mites can be particularly troublesome, so make sure you check your rabbit’s ears regularly for any signs of scabs or crusting inside your rabbit’s ear.

This is a condition seen in all rabbit breeds. Fly strike's caused by flies that are attracted to dirty or wet fur. Flies lay eggs on the rabbit, usually around their bottom. These hatch into maggots that burrow and eat into the rabbit’s skin.

If your Havana struggles to clean itself because of obesity or other health issues this can cause them to get a dirty bottom which can then lead to fly strike. Luckily if it’s caught early, it can be treated by your vet. Check your rabbit every day for a dirty bottom!

Rabbit’s teeth grow continuously throughout their lifetime. To prevent overgrown teeth they need a high fibre, abrasive diet to help wear the teeth down. Rabbits with overgrown teeth struggle to eat or drink properly and will need specialist veterinary dental treatment.

In severe cases, this might need to be every few weeks. Overgrown teeth can cause other problems like abscesses which can be difficult to get rid of.

Keep an eye out for signs like reduced appetite, excessive salivation, weight loss, depression and ocular discharge. Call your vet if you think your bunny needs a dental check.

Injury to the spine often occurs because they struggle and kick out when being picked up, or even by being dropped. It’s really important to know how to pick up and handle your bunny safely. Havana rabbits don’t mind being picked up, but you still need to be very careful and gentle when handling them.

Even though they enjoy a cuddle, it’s best that small children aren’t allowed to handle them, just in case! Spinal injury is complex, and the prognosis often isn’t good.

Other related medical issues are also common following spinal injury, which could stop your rabbit from having a good quality of life. Sometimes, the best thing is for the rabbit to be put to sleep.

Quick Havana Q&A

This breed is a compact breed, but not as small as some of the miniature breeds. They usually weigh around 2.5 to 3 kg.

Havana rabbits live a pretty average lifespan for a rabbit of around 5-8 years.

Yes! Havana rabbits are docile and love a cuddle. They’re low maintenance and make great pets for first time bunny owners.

This breed is very cuddly. They will let you stroke them for hours. They make good lap bunnies but anyone handling them must be shown how to pick them up and hold them properly to avoid any accidents.

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Lapis – www.vetlexicon.com/treat/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.

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