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Rabbit · First week Small pet care

Rabbit First-Week Checklist

In short

A rabbit's first week is about a calm, secure setup and letting your rabbit settle at its own pace. Keep things quiet, provide unlimited hay and fresh water, and watch eating and droppings closely. This page is planning guidance; identify a rabbit-savvy veterinarian early, and contact one promptly if anything seems wrong.

Settle in gently

  • Set up secure housing with hiding spots before your rabbit arrives.
  • Provide unlimited grass hay, fresh water, and the food it has been eating to start.
  • Keep the first days calm and quiet; let your rabbit explore and approach you at its own pace.
  • Sit nearby and let your rabbit come to you rather than chasing or grabbing.
  • Watch eating, drinking, and droppings closely — changes can matter quickly.

First-week checklist

  • Secure housing with hiding spots, set up before arrival.
  • Unlimited hay, fresh water, and the current food to start.
  • A calm, quiet environment for settling in.
  • Gentle, low-pressure interaction at the rabbit's pace.
  • Close monitoring of eating, drinking, and droppings.
  • A rabbit-savvy veterinarian identified, and an early check-up considered.

What not to assume

  • Do not assume a new rabbit wants handling right away — let it settle first.
  • Do not assume hiding means something is wrong; rabbits are prey animals and need time.
  • Do not assume any vet sees rabbits — line up a rabbit-savvy vet in advance.
  • Do not ignore reduced eating or droppings — contact a vet promptly.

When to contact a veterinarian

Rabbits hide illness and can deteriorate quickly. A rabbit that stops eating or stops passing droppings is an emergency. Do not use this page to diagnose — find a rabbit-savvy (exotic) veterinarian before you need one.

  • Not eating, not drinking, or no droppings — treat as an urgent emergency.
  • Laboured breathing, a hunched posture, teeth grinding from pain, or reluctance to move.
  • Diarrhoea, a soiled rear, or — in warm weather — any sign of flystrike.
  • Head tilt, weakness, collapse, injury, or suspected poisoning.
  • Any rapid change at all — rabbits decline fast, so call promptly.

Rabbit First-Week Checklist — Frequently Asked Questions

How do I help a new rabbit settle in?
Keep things calm and quiet, provide secure housing with hiding spots, offer unlimited hay and water, and let your rabbit approach you at its own pace. Avoid chasing or grabbing in the early days.
Should I take a new rabbit to the vet right away?
Identify a rabbit-savvy veterinarian early and consider an initial check-up; go sooner if anything seems wrong. Reduced eating or droppings warrants prompt veterinary contact.
My new rabbit is hiding and barely eating — is that normal?
Some hiding is normal for a prey animal settling in, but reduced eating or droppings is a concern in rabbits. If your rabbit isn't eating, contact a rabbit-savvy veterinarian promptly.

Sources and further reading

Authoritative references used for general educational context. External links open in a new tab and these organisations do not endorse FaunaHub. Housing, diet, and care needs vary by species, age, health, and local climate, and welfare recommendations differ by country and organisation — confirm specifics with a qualified small-animal or exotic-pet veterinarian.