They are a pet that needs a lot of attention and care so that they become properly socialised.

Many rabbits are left to roam freely around the house, but often a cage is needed to confine them either when the owners are out or for rest time.

If the pen is only used for rest then a smaller cage is fine, but if the rabbit needs to spend a majority of their time in a pen, then a larger pen (ideally two metres in length) that is tall enough for the rabbit to stand on their hind legs is required.

Getting the diet right for rabbits is equally important.

Rabbits are hind-gut fermenters which means they need a lot of fibre to keep their digestive tract healthy.

A large percentage of health problems in rabbits occur because they are not fed the correct diet.

The ideal diet for a rabbit consists of 80 per cent fresh hay.

Oaten hay is the best hay to offer as it is readily available and very tasty for rabbits.

It is also high in fibre and makes the rabbits chew therefore ensuring they maintain good dental health.

These continuously-growing teeth can also be managed by giving Bugs items like old phone books and wooden blocks to chew.

Between 15 and 20 per cent of the diet should be yummy fresh green leafy vegetables.

These include carrot tops, dandelion leaves, grass, Asian greens (eg Bok choy) and milk thistle for example.

Broccoli and cauliflower can be given as well.

Just one to five per cent of the diet should be treats.

This includes fruit and pellets.

It is easy to feed a lot of pellets to rabbits but they are lower in fibre and can cause rabbits to become unwell with changes to their intestinal tract.

Some foods never to feed your rabbit include lettuce due to its high water content and low calories, meat, fish biscuits and bread.

As with any new pet, it is important to do a bit of research prior to obtaining the pet so you get off to a healthy, happy start.