The Rabbit Keeping Guide for People with Deafblindness is an inclusive, practical resource designed to help learners gain hands-on skills in animal care, communication, and self-reliance. Through simple, structured activities, it supports caregivers, teachers, and interveners to teach safe rabbit handling, feeding, hygiene, and health management using tactile and object-based methods. The guide encourages learners to use their senses to explore, interact, and build confidence while contributing to household and community wellbeing.

Beyond skill development, the guide promotes sustainable livelihoods and inclusion. Rabbits are easy to keep, require little space, and thrive in Kenya’s climate, making them ideal for families and schools. By combining practical training with inclusive teaching techniques, this resource demonstrates how people with Deafblindness can participate fully in farming and income generation. It serves as a tool for families, educators, and community groups to promote independence, nutrition, and social inclusion through accessible, small-scale farming.

Contents

Overview

Objectives

Why Rabbit Keeping Matters

Materials and Tools Needed

Setting Up the Rabbit Hutch

Handling Rabbits Safely

Feeding Rabbits

Rabbit Breeds for Kenya

Cleaning and Hygiene

Rabbit Health and Disease Prevention

Rabbit Products and Market Opportunities

Teaching Tips and Tactile Strategies

Summary

Overview

Rabbit rearing is a simple and affordable activity that builds life and livelihood skills for people with disabilities, including those with Deafblindness. Rabbits grow fast, need little space, and can be raised both in towns and villages. Their meat, manure, and fur provide food and income for families.

This guide supports caregivers, teachers, interveners, and learners through clear, step-by-step instructions. It encourages safe handling, touch-based learning, and inclusive communication. By caring for rabbits, learners gain confidence, coordination, and responsibility while supporting family livelihoods and food security.

Objectives

• Help learners understand how to care for and raise rabbits.
• Build independence, responsibility, and sensory learning skills.
• Promote inclusion through practical life and livelihood skills.
• Support families and teachers in creating sustainable income projects.

Why Rabbit Keeping Matters

Rabbit keeping helps learners develop new skills while connecting with nature. It encourages gentle animal care, patience, and daily routines. For people with Deafblindness and other disabilities, it offers meaningful sensory experiences, such as touching soft fur, smelling fresh grass, and learning feeding schedules. These moments improve communication, awareness, and emotional wellbeing.

For families, schools, and communities, rabbit rearing is a simple way to promote inclusion. It creates opportunities for income generation, nutrition, and learning. Rabbits reproduce quickly, eat locally available feed, and adapt well to Kenya’s climate. The activity shows that with the right guidance and support, learners with disabilities can take part fully in farming and contribute to their households and communities.

Materials and Tools Needed

Rabbit Hutch Materials

• Wooden planks or bamboo
• Wire mesh for walls
• Nails, hammer, saw, and hinges
• Roof material (iron sheet, grass, or plastic)
• Latch or lock for the door

Feeding and Cleaning Tools

• Feeding troughs and water containers
• Broom, brush, and shovel
• Bucket, soap, and disinfectant

Protective Gear

• Gloves, gumboots, dust coat, and mask

Teaching Aids

• Toy or model rabbit
• Tactile picture or raised chart showing rabbit parts
• Real items for object cues (bowl = feeding, broom = cleaning)

Allow learners to explore the materials through touch and guided explanation before starting.

Setting Up the Rabbit Hutch

The rabbit’s home is called a hutch. It protects the rabbits from rain, sun, and predators.

How to Build:

1. Choose a quiet, shaded, and dry area.
2. Raise the hutch at least one metre above the ground.
3. Use wood and wire mesh for good air flow.
4. Add a door with a simple latch.
5. Place a nesting box inside for baby rabbits.
6. Ensure the hutch is safe from dogs, rats, and cats.

Let learners touch and explore the hutch to understand where the food, water, and nesting areas are.

Handling Rabbits Safely

Rabbits are gentle animals. Handle them carefully to avoid injury.

Steps:

1. Hold both ears and the skin at the back of the neck gently.
2. Support the rabbit’s bottom with the other hand.
3. Keep the rabbit close to your body.
4. Do not grab the legs or lift by the ears alone.
5. Move slowly and calmly.

Guide learners with hand-under-hand support so they can feel how to hold the rabbit gently.

Feeding Rabbits

Give Plenty of Forage:

Rabbits mostly eat grass and leafy greens. In Kenya, feed them local grasses, kale, cabbage leaves, carrot tops, or sweet potato vines. Avoid onions, tomato leaves, or very tough grass. Use a small bowl or handful of grass as an object cue for feeding time.

Pellets and Supplements:

If available, give each adult rabbit 50–70 grams of pellets daily. Many Kenyan farmers use mostly forage with a small amount of pellets. Pellets help young rabbits grow faster. Always provide clean water. Show the learner a water container as a cue.

Feeding Routine:

Feed twice a day, morning and evening. Remove old food before adding new. Use the same steps daily to create a clear routine for the learner.

Rabbit Breeds for Kenya

Meat Breeds:

The most common meat breeds in Kenya are New Zealand White and Californian White. They grow fast and are easy to find. Others include Flemish Giant and Chinchilla, which are larger breeds.

Fur and Dual-Purpose Breeds:

For fur and meat, choose New Zealand, Californian, or Chinchilla rabbits. The Rex and Angora breeds give soft fur but are rare.

Climate Tips:

Kenya’s warm weather suits most breeds. Keep the hutch shaded and airy. Avoid direct sun and closed, hot spaces.

Breeding Numbers:

Start with one male (buck) and one or two females (does). Each doe can have 5–8 babies per litter, several times a year.

Cleaning and Hygiene

A clean hutch prevents disease.

Steps:

1. Remove leftover food and waste daily.
2. Sweep and wash the hutch with soap and water.
3. Disinfect weekly.
4. Keep bedding dry.
5. Wash hands before and after handling rabbits.

Teach learners each step through repeated routines and touch-based cues.

Rabbit Health and Disease Prevention

Healthy rabbits are active, have shiny fur, and eat well.

Common Problems and Care:

• Coccidiosis: Caused by parasites. Signs include diarrhea and weight loss. Prevent with clean food, water, and regular deworming.
• Snuffles (Cold): Caused by cold or dust. Symptoms are sneezing and watery eyes. Keep hutch warm and clean.
• Mange and Mites: Rabbits scratch a lot, and ears or skin form scabs. Use safe veterinary powder or paraffin oil after advice. Clean the hutch well.
• Bloat and Diarrhea: Caused by too many wet greens or spoiled food. Feed dry grass and clean water.
• Worms: Rabbits become weak and thin. Deworm every three months.
• Heat Stress: Caused by hot weather. Give shade, wet cloth, and cool water.
• Fly Strike: Flies lay eggs on wounds. Clean wounds and keep the area dry.

Prevention Routine:

• Clean cages daily.
• Provide dry, clean bedding.
• Keep flies and pests away.
• Keep wild animals away.
• Observe rabbits every day.
• If a rabbit looks sick, separate it and call a vet or livestock officer.

Rabbit Products and Market Opportunities

Rabbit farming creates income and food security.

Products:

• Meat: Healthy, high-protein, and low-fat. Sell to markets, hotels, or homes.
• Fur and Skins: Used for crafts and clothing. Dry skins in the sun for sale.
• Manure and Urine: Used as organic fertilizer. Urine mixed with water can repel pests.
• Stock breeding: Sell young rabbits to other farmers or schools.
• Training Opportunities: Teach others about rabbit keeping, composting, or cooking rabbit meat.

Encourage learners and families to record sales, feeding costs, and new births.

Teaching Tips and Tactile Strategies

These methods helps learners with Deafblindness in rabbit rearing:

• Hand-under-hand support: Guide the learner’s hands from below while they feed, pet, or clean. Say short words like “feed” or “clean” or use tap cues.
• Object cues: Use real items (e.g., bowl, brush, scoop) to show the next step.
• Repetition and Routine: Follow the same order every day. Use simple sentences: “Now feed,” “Now clean,” “Now water.”
• Positive reinforcement: Praise with touch, smiles, or vibration signals.
• Safety: Teach slow, gentle movements. No pulling or quick grabs.
• Space awareness: Let learners touch the cage boundaries before starting.
• Communication: Always speak or sign simply during each task.
• Adaptations: Use two helpers if needed; one holding the rabbit, one guiding the learner.

Summary

Rabbit keeping is an inclusive and practical activity that helps learners build responsibility, patience, and confidence. It teaches teamwork, daily routines, and care for living things. The process promotes self-reliance, improves motor skills, and connects learners to nature in a meaningful way.

Teachers, caregivers, and interveners can adapt this guide for classroom lessons or home projects. Learners can showcase their work through exhibitions, open days, or community events to raise awareness about inclusion and ability.

Rabbit rearing also improves family nutrition and provides income through the sale of meat, manure, and fur. With simple tools, clean habits, and good guidance, anyone can start and succeed in rabbit farming.

For visual learning, watch the video here: Rabbit Keeping – Sense International Kenya