Holiday Time : What to Do with your Rabbit ?
Rabbit owners have some difficult decisions to make when thinking about holidays. Who will look after their precious pet when they are away? Here are 3 options and you can also download our Holiday checklist!
How exciting; it’s holiday time. There are many important things to plan before you go, but as well as flights and passports, don’t forget to plan well in advance for your Rabbit. Rabbits are very sensitive animals and any change in routine can trigger gut upsets so careful planning is essential. They can be so affected by stress that they can get sick after transport, any change in environment, or even a change in the people caring for them.
There are a few options available
Option 1 : Rabbit sitter.
It is a great option if you find someone you trust to “pet sit” Home visits twice a day are ideal, as rabbits should be checked and fed at least two times a day. (if a rabbit has not eaten or produced droppings for over 12 hours it can be serious and they need to be taken to a rabbit vet) It’s even better if someone can live in your place as many rabbits are quite social and may miss having humans around. You must make sure that your pet sitter is 100 % reliable, has experience caring for rabbits, and knows what to do if your bunny gets sick.
Option 2: Rabbit Goes On Holiday with you.
There are a couple of hotels and guest houses in Hong Kong on the outlying islands that will take pets, and you could spend a few days away from home with your rabbit! Careful planning would be needed to make sure you have all the needs, and a travelling cage as the hotel will not be happy if your rabbit chews up their room. Care needs to be taken with the heat and stress, rabbits usually don’t like going to the beach !
Option 3: Rabbit Stays at Boarding Establishment
There are only a few choices for rabbit boarding in Hong Kong. Please make sure the place you choose has a Government boarding licence for rabbits, and that the rabbit accommodation is well separate from other animals (such as dogs and cats) The barking and smells from these predators can be very stressful for a rabbit. Make sure the staff have knowledge and experience of rabbits and can take your pet to an experienced rabbit vet should it be needed.
Whatever you decide, the person in charge of your rabbit should have detailed instructions and experience with rabbits as well. Also, it’s always a good idea to have a backup plan, a second person in the area who could take over if the initial sitter has to back out for any reason in the middle of your trip.!
