There was a question asked during the Q&A portion about Rabbit Appeasing Pheromones (RAP) and the presenters at the time had not done any research in this area, so I did a little reading of some studies.
A 2025 literature review from World Rabbit Science talks about some case studies of the use of RAP on rabbit farms (page 10) and from what I read in all cases the use of RAP improved stress. The most significant case in my opinion was where a large farm was located close to a quarry. An incident happened where the roof of the farm was hit by many stones, leading to the rabbits experience so much stress that the farmers were unable to sweep and clean without "causing damage" (my assumption based on earlier statements about the case studies is this is referring to the rabbits throwing themselves against the sides of their runs). After the introduction of RAP, within 24 hours the rabbits were visibly calmer and the farmers could easily sweep and clean without issue.
Another study I read was using RAP in spray form to see if the pheromones would improve stress during transport. This was published literally earlier this week (March 2nd, 2026) in the American Journal of Veterinary Research and written by Elisa Codecasa, et. al. They did a 30 minute car trip and half of the rabbits were placed in a crate sprayed with RAP and the others had nothing sprayed and they video recorded their behavior. The RAP group showed less agitated behaviors and more behaviors associated with positive emotional states and alertness. The RAP group also had a larger amount of corticosterone immediately after the transport than the control, and while this may sound like they had more stress, the researchers pointed out that this is what allows rabbits to adapt and recover if it is just for short periods (prolonged high levels of corticosterone however leads to chronic stress) so this suggests that the RAP is helping the rabbits adapt to the stressful event better. So this study suggests that RAP is helpful in reducing stress during transport.
How can we use this information? Using RAP in your rabbit spaces, especially if they are exposed more to loud noises or heavy foot traffic, can help reduce stress and you may see positive changes within a day of using the pheromones. If you are able to find a spray, or I did find a cream version, you could use that when a rabbit is getting adopted to help them cope with the car ride home and adapting to the new home environment. While there isn't a ton of research on this topic, what studies there are show positive impacts.
Original Message:
Sent: 02-26-2026 11:53 AM
From: Elise Winn
Subject: 2/25 Event - Rethinking Rabbits: Integrating the New Shelter Housing Guidelines
Rethinking Rabbits: Integrating the New Shelter Housing Guidelines is now available to watch at Maddie's University-and don't miss all the great ideas in the chat! Thank you to everyone who joined us for sharing your rabbit housing and enrichment tips. Along with the recording and slides, you'll find resources that include the Co-housing Rabbits Flowchart and Should We Quarantine Incoming Rabbits Flowchart. Access the on-demand recording and resources here: https://university.maddiesfund.org/products/mmpc-learniverse-rethinking-rabbits-integrating-the-new-shelter-housing-guidelines-on-demand.
If you attended live or watched the recording, please take a minute to tell us what you thought-your feedback shapes future webinars and offerings: https://tinyurl.com/2026-rabbit-survey
Our presenters answered many questions live throughout the webinar; here are a few additional questions:
What decibel level would be acceptable for the rabbit area in a shelter? Working on sound mitigation and barking.
From the Rabbit Guidelines: Prolonged exposure to sounds in the 50–70 decibel (dB) range is detrimental to the hearing of rabbits. For humans, a normal workplace conversation is about 50 dB, while a vacuum cleaner approximates a sound of 70 dB. Sounds in animal shelters associated with animals, people, and routine caretaking activities plus background equipment (Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, cleaning equipment, etc.) regularly exceed 100 dB.
Are there any materials not recommended for rabbit enclosures? We are considering using old shoreline kennels for rabbits but we're concerned about the stainless steel being slippery and/or noisy for the rabbits.
From the Rabbit Guidelines: Slatted, grid, or wire floors should not be used where animals have direct contact with the surface due to the risk of injury and pododermatitis. Pododermatitis is also a risk factor from any surface or condition that allows the buildup of urine and fecal material on feet (solid flooring surface or non-absorbent toileting space, limited grooming due to obesity or musculoskeletal disorders, etc.). Ensuring bedding material is replaced when soiled can prevent urine scalding and pododermatitis due to moisture.
Could you provide the definition of enrichment for the guidelines?
This is from the ASV Guidelines for Standards of Care: Enrichment refers to the process of improving the care of confined animals by providing them with:
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social interaction
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physical and mental stimulation
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opportunities to perform species-typical behaviors
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choice and control over their environment
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Elise Winn
UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program - www.sheltermedicine.com
Original Message:
Sent: 02-18-2026 08:10 AM
From: Elise Winn
Subject: 2/25 Event - Rethinking Rabbits: Integrating the New Shelter Housing Guidelines
Join your colleagues on February 25 to learn how you can apply the new ASV Guidelines for Humane Rabbit Housing in Animal Shelters to your everyday shelter scenarios.
Rabbits are the new kids on the block: Most animal shelters weren't designed with this sensitive, recently-domesticated species in mind. A shelter stay can spike stress both for bunnies and the teams challenged with meeting their needs. Drs. Chumkee Aziz, Zarah Hedge, Sarah Hicks and Jonna Swanson will break down takeaways from the guidelines-developed by nearly two dozen rabbit care, facility design and shelter medicine experts.
You'll learn:
- The why behind the recommendations and how authors bridged data gaps
- The highest-impact recommendations to focus on first
- Solutions for common shelter challenges
- Doable first steps for shelters with limited budgets and small teams
Date & Time: Feb. 25, 2026, 12-1:30 p.m. PT
Presenters: Mehnaz Chumkee Aziz, DVM, DABVP; Zarah Hedge, DVM, MPH, DABVP; Sarah Hicks, DVM; and Jonna Swanson, DVM
CE: Approved for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit by RACE, CAWA, and NACA.
Can't make it live? Register to receive the recording and resources after the event and return to this thread for discussion. You can find on-demand free CE in the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program Shelter Learniverse, #ThanksToMaddie!
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Elise Winn
UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program - www.sheltermedicine.com
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