Rabbit Stress

Stress in Rabbits can be quite dangerous to their health. Here is a chart to show some signs of stress in your pet rabbit and what to do to calm them.

Signs of rabbit stress	What to do
Biting or scratching	Adjust handling method
Running away	Train to come for treat
Not eating	Try fresh herbs, fresh grass, lucerne hay, Oxbow Critical Care
Not drinking	Provide water bowl instead of bottle, offer wet kale or grass
Hiding	Leave to hide in a box or hutch, surround pen with a sheet
Urinating outside tray	Larger tray, change litter type, remove fabrics from pen
Hair pulling	Possibly starting labour, provide nest box, health check at vet
Excessive scratching	Vet check for fur mites, check skin, apply Revolution, vet check

Calicivirus RHDV2 vaccine development

Summary of RHDV2 vaccine development – December 2018 Extract from Centre for Invasive Species Solutions

Along with three strains of RHDV1, an exotic RHD virus called RHDV2 is also circulating in Australian rabbit populations, after being first detected in wild rabbits in May 2015.

We now know this virus has spread throughout most of Australia and is currently the dominant
circulating RHD virus strain at a national scale.

In collaboration with its Members and Partners, the Centre for Invasive Species Solutions has begun
two projects to further assess the biological properties and distribution of RHDV2 in the Australian
landscape and its potential as a future additional registered product.

Along with this work, the Centre has also provided some funding that contributes to the development
of a vaccine specific for RHDV2, being led by NSW DPI.

There has been excellent progress to date, and documentation is being prepared for submission to
APVMA for a pilot "standalone" RHDV2 vaccine.

Once submitted, the proposal will be assessed by the APVMA. Once all regulatory requirements are
met, the commercial vaccine manufacturer will be able to commence production of a pilot batch.
As it is unknown how long these processes will take, it is currently not possible to provide an estimate of when this vaccine will be available to the public.

Research to develop a multi-valent vaccine that would provide protection against both RHDV1 and
RHDV2 strains, is ongoing.

It is still recommended by veterinarians that all pet rabbits are vaccinated with Cylap® to protect
against RHDV.

While this vaccine is not fully effective against RHDV2, it will protect rabbits from any circulating
RHDV1 K5 strain released in the vicinity for rabbit control, as well as any other naturally circulating
RHDV1 strains.

Around The Rabbit Sanctuary

There has been a lot happening at The Rabbit Sanctuary with visiting volunteers dropping in and lending a hand. Here are some photos for you to enjoy...

Monica with Bun

Monica Lorkin flew up from Victoria to stay a week and worked very enthusiastically and very hard on quite a few projects. She donated lots of great things for the bunnies such as dustpans, brooms, toys and tunnels and more.

Paul and Marshall Mann drove down from Tweed Heads and painted fences, pressure cleaned the Bunny Barn exterior and cement areas as well as doing many other helpful jobs for the rescue rabbits benefit.

Heather comes each week from our local disability service with one of her carers and hand feeds the bunnies and other animals.

Andrew comes each week to maintain and develop gardens and grow herbs for the rescue rabbits.

Fred the ‘Bunny Santa’ makes bunny castles and accessories for the rescue rabbits each day in his workshop at The Rabbit Sanctuary.