Rabbits for Rehoming Philippines (2025)

04/11/2024

101 Rabbit Care Questions Answered (Parts 1-10)

Part of RRP’s Mission is to spread awareness on proper rabbit care. In the past, I’ve responded to hundreds of messages from people asking about rabbit-care related questions. To help as many as we can (if you happen to stumble across this page or are following us here), we are doing an online marathon of posts that can answer some of the questions people ask all the time, and others that you probably haven’t thought of yet. I hope you find them useful.

#1 Are rabbits rodents?- No, They are lagamorphs. The main difference is their set of teeth. Lagamorphs have a total of 4 incisors in their upper jaw. Rodents, on the other hand, only have two. In addition, Lagamorphs like rabbits are able to synthesize their own vitamin C (from glucose), rats, mice, Guinea pigs, and chinchillas are not. This means your rabbit’s pellets are not appropriate to feed your rat or Guinea pig friends. Conversely, your Guinea pig’s/Rat’s/Chinchilla’s pellets are also not appropriate to feed rabbits since they have added Vitamin C which can cause kidney damage.

#2 Can Rabbits and Rodents Live Together?- No. They are not supposed to share enclosures. Yes, they can play together, visit, and they can ever share their HAY on occasion. However, living together full-time is out of the question. Rabbits can be carriers of bacterial infections like Bordetella Bronchiseptica, which can severely affect Guinea pigs.

#3 Why can’t rabbits eat pellets exclusively?- Pellets, even the most expensive and highest quality ones are not enough to provide the nutrients a rabbit needs to thrive. Hay comprises 80% of a rabbit’s diet because it not only provides micronutrients but also allows for the proper wearing down of their teeth. The cutting and grinding mechanism that happens when your bunny eats hay is what naturally wears down their incisors and molars. Failure to provide your rabbits with hay daily will lead to dental problems down the road, if not the immediate future.

#4 How often should a rabbit’s nails be cut/trimmed?- On average, you should trim your rabbit’s nails at least once a month. This is, of course, if you can get as close to the quick (blood vessels in the nails/nail bed core) without cutting into it. If you are a bit iffy on this or your rabbit is hard to contain for long periods, then you are better off doing small incremental cuts every couple of weeks. NOTE: NOT CUTTING YOUR RABBIT’S NAILS REGULARLY CAN SOMETIMES RESULT IN THE QUICK GETTING TOO LONG, THEREFORE MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO TRIM WITHOUT CAUSING INJURY.

#5 What is BioFilm and how does it affect your rabbits?- Biofilm is an accumulation of bacteria and other harmful microorganisms in your pet’s food and/or water bowl. Tell-tale signs of the presence of biofilm is that unmistakable slimy coating that is found at the bottom or around the bowl. This accumulation of biological contaminants can lead to various infections or illnesses. You can protect your rabbit (or cat/dog/chinchilla/Guinea pig) from the effects of biofilm simply by washing and scrubbing their bowl (or water bottle) at least once a day.

#6 Can rabbits safely live in a house where there are cats and dogs?- YES, they CAN. However, this would require a lot of preparation on your part. First, your dog should ideally have the least amount of prey drive. This is usually breed-specific. That is, herding, hunting, and working dogs are prone to chasing small animals as this is what they’ve been bred to do for generations. Huskies, Shepherds, Collies, and hounds are just some of the breeds with extremely high prey drive. The same goes for cats as they are natural predators, despite their usual diminutive size. CONTINUED NEXT SLIDE

The key is proper introduction. It is also prudent that you have effective methods to keep one or all of your animals contained if or when tenuous situations arise, i.e. if your cat or dog starts chasing your rabbit or show any kind of aggressive behavior. If you are a multi-specie household, be sure to crate train your cat or dog and have a safe pen or oversized cage for your rabbit when they cannot be supervised. NOTE: REGARDLESS OF HOW CLOSE OR LOVING THE RELATIONSHIP IS BETWEEN YOUR CAT/DOG AND RABBIT, NEVER EVER ALLOW THEM TO PLAY OR INTERACT WITHOUT CLOSE SUPERVISION.

#7 How long do rabbits live?- There are two major factors that affect longevity in rabbits. First is their diet and upbringing. The second one is genetics. Generally, larger breeds such as Flemish giants, Continental giants, German Giants, Checkered Giants have shorter life spans (between 5-8 years). Smaller breeds such as Holland Lops, Netherland Dwarf, and Hotot live a bit longer between 10-12 years. There are of course rare exceptions (See world record for oldest living rabbit in captivity/domesticated). If given the proper diet, kept away from natural predators and other dangers, and provided adequate vet care, your rabbit can maximize his/her longevity regardless of the breed. QUICK NOTE: In my experience, mongrels or mixed breed rabbits tend to live the longest. People have a misconception that pure-bred rabbits are the healthiest. On the contrary, selective breeding is one of the causes of genetic anomalies and defects that can drastically reduce a rabbit’s life span as well as overall quality of life.

#8 Can Intact (Unspayed/Un-neutered) Rabbits be Bonded?- NO. Unless hormones are taken out of the equation completely, no two rabbits can be truly considered bonded. While there are very rare exceptions, two or more intact bunnies will likely get into a fight or a violent scuffle. It may not happen for a very long time (months or years) but it will happen and at the most inopportune times (like when it’s the dead of night and everyone is sleeping). When the fight happens and escalates to a point where one or both drew blood, there is very little chance that they will ever get back to being friends. This is true for male as well as female rabbits. If you want to forge a real bonded relationship between and among your rabbits, be sure to have them spayed and neutered and wait a couple of months or more before starting the bonding process. If you want two or more rabbits, be sure to spay and neuter them before any attempts at bonding.

#9 Is Neutering and Spaying Safe for Rabbits?- Yes. Modern advances in veterinary medicine has made spaying and neutering rabbits a routine procedure. As a precaution, most vets would do a pre-op blood screening (Chem 11) to ensure that the rabbit is healthy enough to undergo surgery. NOTE: NOT ALL VETS DO THIS ROUTINELY SO IF YOURS DO NOT REQUIRE IT AND YOU WISH TO HAVE PEACE OF MIND, YOU CAN ASK THEM TO RUN A BLOOD PANEL.

#10 Why should we neuter or spay our rabbits?- Spaying female rabbits virtually eliminates the risk of uterine and other reproductive cancers (Ovarian, mammary). Neutering males will also eliminate the risk of testicular cancer. Getting your rabbit fixed also makes for easier litter training and it allows for them to bond with other rabbits, which is necessary if you wish your rabbits to live together. Spaying and neutering also eliminates the risk of unwanted litters. NOTE: Un-spayed females are about 60% more likely to develop reproductive cancers once they hit 4 years of age and the risk just increases from there as they get much older.

28/10/2024

21/09/2024

Update 9/28/2024: We have 25 slots to go.. We will have to fill all slots before drawing. Live drawing will be announced 24 hours prior. Thank you

As we continue to work steadfastly toward building the first ever rabbit sanctuary in the Philippines, while still keeping up with growing daily expenses of current residents and new rescues, we are holding a raffle. This time there are even bigger and more exciting prizes. Each ticket is Php 250.
Thank you, Alice and Simon for sponsoring most of the prizes. Special thanks to for doing the graphics and layout. Raffle Draw will be live on Sept 28, 2024.

16/09/2024

IG has been flagging my stories and posts that feature rabbits with captions that are considered “against the rules”. For this reason, I will be sharing the incident the other night and early morning yesterday without the graphic photos. I received notifications of two sets of rabbits dumped in Muntinlupa and Taguig. As with many previous cases, it was a security guard and off duty street cleaner who reached out to people who know the work RRP does and asked for help. There is not much I can share about the situation because In both instances I was too late. At first contact, I was informed that the rabbits were “still moving” but since they had no idea how to check for vitals or provide any assistance at all, all they could do was sit and wait. There was nothing I can do but collect their bodies, 6 in total, and head on back home, call my father in law and tell him that yet again I am gonna need a piece of his backyard to lay unfortunate souls to rest. I’ve had to explain to the people who took the time to reach out to me in hopes of saving the rabbits that there was nothing they could have done. That they did the right thing, the only thing they could do. They looked exactly how I felt. Dejected, traumatised, and hopeless. They told me that they see dogs end up in the same situation almost everyday.

Why must this be the reality we live in? Why did we decide to domesticate rabbits as pets if we discard them as soon as they become an inconvenience? Why do we have the gull to rellish their unconditional love and abandon them when they need us the most? The pandemic saw a rise in new household pets. The next 3 years following the scourge of a virus saw a massive rise in animal dumping on the streets. This is a personal appeal. I am asking you, from one human being to another. DO NOT GET PETS IF YOU ARE NOT READY FOR THE RESPONSIBILITIES. THEY GET SICK LIKE WE DO. THEY GET SCARED LIKE WE DO. THEY GET LONELY LIKE WE DO. Except rabbits can’t scream. They can’t meow, they can’t bark. No one notices them until they are dead and have to be scraped off the pavement.

Please understand that compassion is a finite resource. While my love for animals will be ever-present, my ability to help them depends largely on my mental stamina and intestinal fortitude. I have both in spades, but the last 12 hours have left me feeling absolutely useless. I look at the rabbits in my home now and I apologise to them. For being too late. For not having enough money to help more of their brethren. For not having enough hours in a day to work more. I honestly do not know where we go from here. The best I can do is take a breath. Perhaps tomorrow will be kinder to animals in need.

05/07/2024

Rabbit Rehoming Philippines Sanctuary- 5-year- Plan

When RRP began in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, I assumed that such an endeavor would be nothing more than temporary. Our small hovel of a home became a place where more than a dozen displaced rabbits were housed while waiting for their FURever families. Four years later, it is apparent that there is a greater need for a permanent and dedicated sanctuary for rabbits. With this in mind, I started to brainstorm a project that consists of not only establishing a physical structure but also providing resources that bunny owners can access to educate themselves on proper rabbit care.

Here are the 5-point, 5- year plan for Rabbit Rehoming Philippines:

1. Establish a sanctuary in Metro Manila and Southern Luzon. I have been scouting several potential locations where the Metro Sanctuary can be housed. As for our proposed Southern Luzon site, I am in talks with someone who has a strip of land available next to my father-in-law’s small farm. They are willing to lease the land and build the sanctuary there. The funding for both these buildings will be enormous so I am looking for partners and sponsors that can help RRP as I am not in a position to provide enough money, even with the 3 jobs I have now.
2. Hire a resident exotic veterinarian who would be on-site 6 days a week. Rabbits get sick at the most inopportune times, i.e. late at night or on the weekends. We want to make sure that there is an exotic vet available if/when our residents fall ill.
3. Collate and publish up-to-date rabbit care information and provide free access to anyone who needs it. One of the main reasons why rabbits end up with us is people do not take the time to prepare themselves (and their families) for the task of caring for exotic animals.
4. Procure a vehicle that will serve as full-time transport for when we have to pick up abandoned rabbits on the streets as well as for taking rabbits to and from vet appointments.
5. Establish a social media presence that allows more people to see how they can help bunnies, whether through adoption, donation or just spreading the message of how to care for them properly. Admittedly, I am a SocMed idiot. I have been doing this full-time here in the PH for 4 years and RRP’s IG has not even broken 400 followers on IG.

This is a massive undertaking which would require the help of all bunny lovers who want to see a major shift in the way we treat rabbits as pets. It’s a bit bittersweet because the fact that this sanctuary is even necessary means that there are serious issues in how we approach caring for domesticated rabbits. We ask that you lend us a hand in ensuring this sanctuary comes to fruition. We welcome donations of any amount. You can message us for account details. Thank you.

NOTE: NOT THE ACTUAL PLANS BUT THESE PHOTOS ARE OUR INSPIRATION FOR THE SPACES WE WILL BUILD, BOTH FOR INDOOR HOUSING AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITY/PLAY AREAS.

23/01/2024

We sometimes forget that behind every rescue program are real human beings who toil away. I ask nothing but respect. Nothing more, nothing less.

24/12/2023

The Holiday season, while festive for most people, can be a difficult time for pets. People often give pets as presents to unsuspecting recipients, only for the animal to end up on the streets or dead not too long after the Christmas decor comes down. Please, if you love and care for animals as you claim you do, avoid giving gifts with a pulse. Whether it’s a rabbit or a dog, please ask your intended recipient if he/she wants one and more importantly, if they are ready for the responsibility that comes with having an animal companion. We are always inundated by discarded and abandoned animals about a month or so after New Year as well as after Easter. How do you know if you or the person you are getting a pet for is ready for the responsibility of a rabbit/dog/cat or any other animal? Here are is a simple checklist:

1. Are you/they ready to provide the basics? Basis includes shelter (being inside your home), and the right kind of food. If you are getting a pet and expect not to spend money on properly nourishing your furry friend, YOU ARE NOT READY. Basic care also includes annual vet visits as well as emergency visits when pets get sick. If you or the person you are gifting to are not willing to shell out money for these things, perhaps y’all are better off with plush toys or Squishmallows. Just as cute, without any of the responsibilities attached.
2. Are you/they ready to include the pet in every major life decision from here on out? This includes getting married (does you or their partner kind and responsible toward animals?), moving houses (does the landlord-if renting a place- approve of having animals in the house/apartment/condo unit). Are there any plans of migrating or working overseas for long stretches of time? Are you/they getting pregnant anytime soon? I can’t count the number of times people ask me to take their bunnies off their hands because they are pregnant and therefore the baby has replaced the animal in the ranking of priorities.
3. Is this pet a mere convenience or whim?- People all too often get a pet and enjoy them up until the time they become a hassle or a problem. I have been a witness to how people give up their pets as soon as a vet bill enters the picture. When they realize their rabbit requires a specific diet that is going to cut into their budget. IF YOU CANNOT FEED YOUR BUNNIES PROPERLY OR TAKE THEM TO THE VET WHEN THEY GET SICK DUE TO LACK OF MONEY PLEASE DO NOT GET ONE IN THE FIRST PLACE. You cannot just get a rabbit and expect it or hope it doesn’t get sick ever.

Having pets, regardless of what specie or breed is NOT A RIGHT. IT IS A PRIVILEGE. We, as human beings, are not entitled to take have a life under our care and abandon our responsibilities to keep it healthy and happy. Do the world a favor and please think it over 100x before you walk into a pet store or a breeder’s lair. Animals are not toys. They are companions , friends, and family.

DO NOT GIVE ANIMALS AS GIFT TO A CHILD
DO NOT GIVE ANIMALS AS GIFT TO IRRESPONSIBLE ADULTS

Rabbits for Rehoming Philippines

04/11/2024

28/10/2024

21/09/2024

16/09/2024

05/07/2024

23/01/2024

24/12/2023

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share