Animal Tips
Rabbit with hanging ears -tips for your care
There is no doubt that the rabbit with hanging ears is one of the most adorable pets we can find in homes. Therefore, many people decide to have these types of animals without thinking that, like rabbits, they require very specific care. Really, any animal kept as a pet needs a number of factors to stay healthy and happy.
Rabbits with drooping ears or Lops They are a variety of lagomorphs that have their hanging ears as a special feature. Otherwise, they are very similar in behavior, diet and other needs to other rabbits.
How to house a rabbit with fallen ears
Rabbits require a lot of space to live, so they better be free. If you must keep it in a cage, it is essential that it be as short as possible. These types of animals need to explore, dig, gnaw and many other typical behaviors of rabbits. The medium, of course, must be controlled and free of hazards, such as cables, areas with water, plants or toxic materials, etc.
We must offer you a place to rest. This can be the cage itself, as long as the animal can exit and enter freely. Further, a substrate suitable for rabbits, such as pressed corn chips, must be placed; cat litter, wood shavings or similar materials are not suitable and can cause damage to the rabbit’s digestive system.
It is very important that you always have water available. In the market we can find different types of bottles for rabbits and choose the one that best suits us.
Rabbit diet
Fallen-eared rabbits are very adapted to an energy-poor diet and very rich in fiber. For this reason, the main food of our rabbit should be hay.
Daily consumption of cereal hay – occasionally we can give you some alfalfa hay – will keep the rabbit’s teeth healthy, since it prevents tooth overgrowth. On the other hand, we will prevent the animal from fattening and developing other pathologies, as would happen if we feed it only with feed.
This is the food used in farm rabbits, because their life expectancy is very short. The drawbacks of feed for a rabbit with hanging ears They are:
- Poor in fiber, which causes intestinal transit problems.
- Requires little chewing, so they don’t wear dentures.
- It causes obesity in homemade rabbits.
- They are usually rich in calcium. This element is eliminated in the urine, so an extra contribution can cause kidney stones.
On the other hand, in addition to hay, we can offer the rabbit fresh vegetables. Thus, we will make our pet eat a very natural and healthy diet. The vegetables that rabbits can eat are:
- Carrot, turnip and beet leaves
- Cabbage
- Chard
- Endive
- Celery
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Clover
- Grass
- Dandelion
Veterinary care of the hanging-eared rabbit
Like dogs and cats, rabbits should also visit the veterinarian regularly and they also need a vaccination plan. Vaccines, despite not being mandatory, are highly recommended, especially for those animals that have access to the outside or are in contact with other rabbits.
Vaccines for rabbits protect against myxomatosis and hemorrhagic fever virus. Both diseases are practically fatal. Very few individuals overcome them.
On the other hand, Rabbits with hanging ears are more likely to suffer from ear infections and dermatitis in that area. It is desirable that you maintain regular hygiene of your ears. To do this, you must use a special ear cleaner for rabbits. Your veterinarian can explain how the best way to clean your rabbit’s ears is.
Rabbits are animals that groom themselves a lot, so if you see that their fur does not stay healthy, or their ears are always dirty, it is very likely that they suffer some pathology.
