Rabbits are now the fastest growing per population in the UK, the third most popular mammalian pet after the dog and the cat.

As a veterinary surgeon in companion animal practice I see an increasing number of rabbits and it is important that both the vet and the rabbit owner are educated as to the rabbit's health care needs. Rabbits should not be treated as second class citizens of the pet world and these days of bunnies being kept in a small hutch as the bottom of the garden and only getting out at weekends are, hopefully, gone.

Rabbits are highly sociable animals and wherever possible should be kept with a companion. The most stable pairing would be a neutered buck (male) and neutered doe( female). Males will fight each other - neutering minimises conflict with same sex pairs. It is not recommended to keep a guinea pig with a rabbit since bullying is commonplace.

Rabbits can be housed outdoors as long as direct sunlight is avoided and the open mesh front can be covered in bad weather.

Remember that although they are used to our climate in the wild they are also able to huddle together underground in burrows to keep warm in the wild.

Good ventilation is important to prevent respiratory disease. A hutch should have a solid fronted nesting area and mesh fronted living area - hay, straw and wood shavings provide good bedding material (avoid sawdust).

Rabbits need exercise on a daily basis so allow access to an enclosure or separate run - but don't forget that they are able to burrow!

Supply your pet with plenty of toys, eg. cardboard boxes, toilet roll tubes etc as well a bolt holes for them to escape to if frightened (eg. a drain pipe or cardboard box).

Increasingly rabbits are being kept as house pets and can be trained relatively easily to use a litter tray. A secure caged area should be provide when the owner is not present. It is important to protect electrical cables from chewing, and to avoid poisonous house plants.

It is very important to feed you rabbit properly since the vast number of problems we see are related to incorrect diets; for example, overgrowth of teeth, loose stools with matting of faeces around the tail, obesity, boredom and aggression, hairballs, etc.

We should try and mimic as closely as possible what rabbits eat in the wild - GRASS!

Rabbits need to spend a lot of time eating (4-6 hours daily) in order to keep their teeth wearing down at the correct rate. This is easily achieved by feeding you rabbit ad lib quantities of good quality hay or providing access to grazing in the warmer weather. The importance of this high fibre diet cannot be emphasised enough.

A dried rabbit mix, although not essential, can be added as long as only very small quantities are fed daily - preferably scattered amongst the hay. The best dried mixes available are those  which are pelleted 'all-in-one' to stop the rabbit from selectively eating only the pieces it wants.

It is OK to feed fresh cut grass (within half an hour of cutting), dandelions, chickweed etc and fresh vegetables small amounts of fruit can also be provided. Why not suspend a carrot from the hutch roof to act as an edible toy?

Lettuce, although not harmful to rabbits, provides very little nutritional value.

Avoid sugar-rich treats and use drinking bottles rather than bowls as they are less likely to lead to dermatitis of the skin folds around the neck.

Always ensure that the drinking water does not freeze during the winter.

Web sites well worth visiting are those of the The Rabbit Welfare Association at www.houserabbit.co.uk and the House Rabbit Society at www.rabbit.org.

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