A rabbit fishhooked herself on a toy and tore her left lip. It looked dramatic. There was blood. There was panic. These are the moments that separate emotion from training. Here’s what matters in situations like this: First — control the rabbit. Most damage happens during panic. Immediate secure restraint prevents further tearing and spinal injury. Remove the object carefully. Slow everything down. Second — calm before you assess. Lip tissue bleeds heavily because it’s well supplied with blood. That doesn’t automatically mean catastrophic injury. Once the rabbit is stable, check: • Depth of tear • Gumline or tooth involvement • Ability to close the mouth normally • Signs of shock (pale gums, weakness, rapid breathing) Treat the patient, not the drama. Third — make a clear decision. Consult someone experienced if needed. Decide whether it’s: • Monitor and allow to heal • Vet repair • Or, in severe cases, mercy cull Rabbits heal soft tissue surprisingly well if eating and occlusion remain normal. The big risks are infection and scar contraction affecting function. This is also a reminder: enrichment isn’t automatically safe. Anything with hooks, loops, or catch points can eventually snag a lip, eyelid, or toe when a rabbit bolts. If you keep animals long enough, emergencies will happen. The goal is not perfection. The goal is calm response, structured assessment, and ethical follow-through. Breeding isn’t just cute photos. It’s responsibility under pressure. Video of the event posted for Premium Members

Healthy rabbit teeth are maintained through normal lateral grinding (bruxism), not by chewing stiff stems or abrasive roughage. Rabbits self-regulate tooth wear through side-to-side jaw motion during routine feeding, and this process does not require loose hay when a diet is properly formulated. Cookies is a clear, real-world example: at 6 years old, raised exclusively on a balanced pellet diet, she has excellent tooth alignment, normal crown length, and no signs of malocclusion. This outcome aligns with cranio-mandibular research showing that excessive chewing of mechanically stiff foods (such as stem-heavy hay) increases axial bite force, which can promote retrograde tooth elongation, apical intrusion, and periodontal disease rather than prevent it. In contrast, balanced pellets allow physiologic lateral grinding without excessive vertical loading on the teeth. Dental disease in rabbits is multifactorial—driven by skull morphology, genetics, and diet balance—not by the presence or absence of loose hay. Long-term dental health is best supported by consistent nutrition, appropriate fiber fractions, and stable intake, not by forcing rabbits to chew increasingly abrasive material. Cookies’ teeth are not an anomaly. They are exactly what the research predicts when rabbits are fed correctly.

Free-roaming sounds appealing to humans, but it doesn’t align with rabbit biology. Rabbits are prey animals evolved for small, secure burrow systems, not open, exposed spaces. In the wild, they minimize movement and visibility because exposure equals risk. Large open areas increase vigilance and stress, not relaxation. Research consistently links poorly controlled free-roam and park systems to: higher stress (elevated cortisol) more injuries (jumping, climbing, falls) sanitation breakdown (urine, moisture contact) increased parasite and respiratory disease risk unpredictable social stress Rabbits thrive on predictability—knowing where to rest, eat, and eliminate without constant stimulation. More space does not automatically mean better welfare for a prey species. This doesn’t mean rabbits never leave their enclosures. Supervised, controlled time out can be appropriate for some individuals. That’s very different from unrestricted free-roaming as a default setup. Our approach is evidence-based: properly sized, well-managed enclosures provide security, dry footing, lower stress, and better health outcomes. Welfare isn’t about what looks good to us. It’s about what keeps the rabbit calm, healthy, and safe.

Good morning! I have been struggling with nest box eye for quite some time. I will start with how I care for the kits. We have New Zealand rabbits. The doe’s all get a plywood, Solid bottom nest box that has a completely open top on day 28. I use a small layer of the pelleted bedding as the bottom layer. I then have packed it with straw, hay, and I have tried shredded paper as well. I remove the kits and change the pellets and straw/hay every 3 days or so. At around 12 days old, i remove all the kits to check their eyes. At least half the kits in every litter has at least one eye stuck shut at 12 days old. The ones with stuck eyes, I use a wash cloth and warm water and loosen the eye up and open the eye for them. Sometimes this helps and they are fine, but most seal back up. I have been removing the nest box when they are 12 days old recently, hoping this would help their eyes stay open. Occasionally their eyelids will get swollen a day or 2 after I open them. I am not sure if this swelling is from me irritating it, or from an infection. I have tried terramycin and triple antibiotic ointment with little success. I use a qtip and smear it all across their eyelid. This almost makes it worse sometimes, it hardens up and makes their eye seal shut again. This nest box eye issue is definitely worse when it’s cold outside. This happens with all litters, it doesn’t matter what doe or buck is used. I originally thought maybe it was a genetic thing. Just trying to get some ideas where I may be going wrong! -Should I try a wire bottom nest box for better ventilation? -Could this be a barn ventilation issue? -Is there another nest box material that I should stuff it with? -Am I applying the terramyacin correctly, is it suppose to me smeared across the whole eye? Am I intervening too quickly at 12 days old, should I wait longer to check their eyes? Should I try all metal nest boxes? I would appreciate any tips!

✅ FACT: Welfare is about design and management, not whether a cage exists. This infographic breaks down something the research has shown over and over again: properly sized, clean, well-managed enclosures reduce stress, injury, and disease. Poorly managed free-roam or park systems do the opposite. Rabbits are not dogs. They’re not toddlers. They’re prey animals with very specific biological needs — dryness, predictability, personal space, and correct flooring. Bottom line: Cages don’t cause suffering. Bad husbandry does. 👉 Drop your thoughts below: What myths about rabbit housing do you still see repeated online? What changed for you when you improved enclosure design or sanitation? If you’ve raised rabbits in multiple systems, what differences did you observe? Let’s talk evidence, not aesthetics.