Home alone? Do not leave your rabbit alone for more than 12 hours. Remember, a lot can go wrong for a rabbit in a 24-hour period–empty water bowl, home accident, illness. A reliable friend or relative who knows your rabbit or a trusted pet sitter who is knowledgeable about rabbits can come to you and your bunny’s home–preferably twice a day. As social animals, a rabbit left at home alone with a single visit per day, may be more “on guard” and less relaxed than one visited more frequently.

Sitter introduction & instruction. Have your in-home bunny sitter meet with you and your rabbit at least a day before your trip to go over care and expectations. Provide written instructions for your rabbit’s feeding and cleaning routines, medicine regimen, signs of illness, and phone numbers for yourself, your veterinarian, and other people who can give advice on rabbits. It’s also helpful to portion out your bunny’s fresh vegetables for the first week into storage bags in the refrigerator. Be sure to discuss plans in case of an emergency–for you or your rabbit.

Helpful and reassuring suggestion: Install a pet camera so that you–or your sitter–can check in online and visit your rabbit while you are away.

 

 

Pros

  • This is usually a more cost-effective option if you have multiple rabbits or a multi-species household.
  • Feeding routine will be closer to their normal routine.
  • Although pet sitters generally charge more than boarding fees, it can be more cost effective if you also have multiple pets.
  • Your rabbit will be in familiar surroundings.
  • If you use a veterinary technician or someone else experienced with rabbits, you can feel confident that any changes in the rabbit or symptoms of illness will be noticed.
  • Your rabbit is not exposed to unfamiliar animals or what may be a noisy situation in boarding facility.

Cons

  • Your rabbit may get lonely, especially if they are the only animal in the house.
  • If your rabbit needs to be confined when left alone, they may not get adequate exercise.
  • Having a sitter or neighbor who comes only once a day, leaves a lot of time for symptoms of illness to go unnoticed and makes it harder to maintain routines.
  • If you have other pets such as dogs or cats, provisions may need to be made to ensure they do not bother the rabbit.

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