Reflections, recipes, and rabbit bonding as we approach 2024

2023 is nearly over and now is the perfect time to celebrate the bond you have with your pet rabbit. The nurses at Estcourt Vets have a few recommendations to help you both enjoy the festive season and prepare for 2024! What better way to start the New Year than to book for a rabbit health check with us at Estcourt Vets – call us on 01380 723687 or use our online booking system.

Book your rabbit a New Year’s health check

Treating your rabbit this Christmas

Spending quality time that you wouldn’t usually get, due to work or family commitments, would be a real treat for your bunny. Why not have a 5-minute cuddle or work on some Christmas-themed playtime for them. This helps them feel loved but also helps to keep them active and healthy.

You could also gift your bunny a present. A soft blanket or a new toy could provide them with comfort or stimulation and it’s a heart-warming moment watching them try to unwrap the wrapping paper!

Make Christmas treats for your bunny

Your rabbit would love trying some seasonal rabbit-safe treat recipes and our team at Estcourt Vets would love to see pictures of your bunny’s tucking into their treats! Share a photo on our Facebook page.

Bunny friendly Christmas crackers

You will need:

• An old kitchen roll tube
• Spinach and kale
• Handfuls of fresh hay
• A handful of rolled oats
• Brussel sprout tops

All you need to do is stuff the cardboard tube with all of the ingredients above, allowing the hay and leafy greens to poke out of the end. Your bunny will have fun playing and nibbling at the treats – their very own version of a Christmas cracker!

Banana and carrot Christmas biscuits

You will need:

• Half a banana – mashed up
• One carrot – pureed
• 4 tablespoons of porridge oats
• 4 tablespoons of rabbit pellets

Blend the rabbit pellets and porridge oats together before adding in the mashed banana and pureed carrot. This will form a dough. Roll it out onto a surface and cut into biscuit shapes – maybe a Christmas themes cookie cutter would help here!

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and then offer one to your bunny.

Reflect on 2023 together

As your rabbit’s primary caregiver, Christmas and New Year are the perfect time to think about what you achieved over the last year. Whether it was helping your bunny stay fit and healthy, or encouraging them to explore a new space, recognising these achievements will help you and your partnership with your rabbit feel all the more special. We always encourage rabbit owners in Wiltshire to remember their achievements – why not write them down and put them somewhere near your bunny’s living environment so you can see them every day. You can also add to this list in 2024.

As well as the positive milestones you reached, what about the challenges you both faced? Could it be a health condition that was treated at Estcourt Vets or a behavioural problem that you had to tackle together?

Setting a goal for the New Year will help to enhance your relationship. Such as teaching them new tricks or renovating their living space – what will you aim to achieve with your rabbit in 2024?

This time of reflection will really help to set you and your rabbit up for a good start to 2024. Our team at Estcourt Vets wish you and your rabbit a Merry Christmas and we look forward to seeing you both in the New Year. Contact us on 01380 723687 if your rabbit needs veterinary treatment and don’t forget to book their New Year health check.

Book your rabbit a New Year’s health check