The short version: unlimited hay, greens they already eat, and a sitter who understands that a rabbit who stops eating or stops passing droppings is an emergency measured in hours, not days. Rabbits cannot vomit and they hide illness until it is advanced, so the brief has to tell a sitter what to watch rather than what to expect.
Most people underestimate rabbits. They are prey animals with delicate digestive systems, and the difference between a healthy rabbit and an emergency can be a matter of hours. A good sitter brief for a rabbit is mostly about diet and one critical warning sign.
Hay is the whole diet
Unlimited grass hay (timothy or similar) is not a snack — it is the foundation of a rabbit's diet and keeps the gut moving. The single most important instruction you can leave is: the hay pile should never run empty. Show the sitter where the hay is stored and how much to top up.
- Unlimited hay — refill so it is never empty.
- Fresh greens — the specific safe greens you use, and the amount.
- Measured pellets — a small daily amount, not free-fed.
- Fresh water daily, in the bowl or bottle your rabbit uses.
- Check for droppings — normal output means the gut is working.
Greens, pellets & water
List the greens you actually feed, since some common ones are unsafe in quantity. Keep pellets measured — rabbits will overeat them at the expense of hay. Note whether your rabbit drinks from a bowl or bottle and keep it topped up and clean.
Litter & housing
Many house rabbits are litter-trained. Tell the sitter where the tray is, what litter you use (paper-based, not clumping), and to spot-clean daily. Note the rabbit's safe space and any areas that are off-limits or hazard-proofed.
Gut stasis: the emergency
Make sure the brief names a vet who treats rabbits specifically — not every clinic does — and an after-hours option.
What to do, and when
Rabbits are prey animals. They conceal illness until it is advanced, which means a sitter cannot rely on a rabbit looking unwell. Give them observable facts to check instead.
| What the sitter sees | What to do | Why the timing matters |
|---|---|---|
| Not eating, or no droppings in the tray for 12 hours | Go now | Gut stasis. A rabbit’s digestive system has to keep moving; once it stops the decline is fast and painful |
| Sitting hunched, pressing the belly down, grinding teeth loudly | Go now | That posture is pain, usually abdominal. Loud grinding is not the same as soft contented purring |
| Maggots or dirty, wet fur around the back end in warm weather | Go now | Flystrike. It progresses within hours in summer and is fatal untreated |
| Panting, ears hot, lying flat and still on a hot day | Go now. Move to shade first | Rabbits cannot sweat and overheat easily. They cope with cold far better than heat |
| Head tilted to one side, falling over, eyes flicking | Go now | Treatable, and much more treatable early |
| Eating hay but ignoring pellets, otherwise bright and active | Call me | Often nothing, sometimes early dental trouble. Worth knowing about |
| Hiding more than usual after you arrive | Note it. Keep the routine | Normal for a new person. Sit quietly nearby rather than reaching in |
Bonded pairs, and the mistake that undoes them
If your rabbits are bonded, write in capitals that they must not be separated, including for a vet trip. Bonding takes weeks to establish and can break in a single afternoon apart; a pair split for one appointment sometimes has to be re-bonded from scratch, and occasionally cannot be. If one goes to the vet, both go.
It also gives the sitter a free diagnostic. Bonded rabbits eat, groom and rest together. A pair who suddenly are not doing those things together is a signal worth a phone call, and it is visible from across the room.
When a sitter is the wrong answer
Rabbits are the species where the standard once-daily drop-in is most often not enough, and almost nobody selling pet sitting will say so.
The problem is arithmetic. Gut stasis becomes an emergency within about half a day, and a once-a-day visit can leave a 24-hour gap between the last time anyone saw your rabbit eating and the next. For a young, healthy, well-established rabbit that is a risk many owners accept. For a rabbit with any history of stasis, dental disease, or a recent diet change, it is not a reasonable bet — that rabbit needs twice-daily visits, a sitter who stays, or a boarding service that specialises in rabbits.
Be equally honest about summer. A hutch in a garden that gets afternoon sun needs someone checking during the hottest part of the day, not at 8am when it is still pleasant.
Frequently asked
Can a rabbit be left alone overnight?
A healthy adult rabbit can manage a single night with enough hay and water, but daily visits are strongly preferred because a rabbit can go downhill fast. Never leave a rabbit unchecked for multiple days.
Why is "stopped eating" such a big deal for rabbits?
Rabbits need constant gut movement. When eating stops, the gut can slow or halt (gut stasis), which is painful and can be fatal within a day or two without treatment. It is a same-day vet situation.
What should I not let a sitter feed my rabbit?
Avoid sudden new greens, sugary treats, and most store-bought "rabbit treats." Stick to the hay, the specific greens you listed, and the measured pellets. Sudden diet changes upset a rabbit’s gut.
