rabbit care please

[AnotherLoad]

I went into a pet shop looking for pet mice as my DS's hamster died a while ago and had a cage stored collecting dust.

any way... i walk into the shop and there was a young rabbit, nervous wreck, no toys, hardly any hay, no safe house to hide in, bedding was wet and messy.

it was bought in by some one who had too many. so they slapped a price tag on 'rabbit & cage' and plonked in at the end of the shop.

i was asking general questions about her and the owners (one texting the other writing) with no eye contact, shop was empty so not busy... they had no info other than 'its about 4 months we think!' it was like they had no heart in what they do, no upbeat atitude about selling this rabbit.

I decided i wasnt going to leave the shop with out it! poor thing.

now - i know i bought some thing i know nothing about (not that shop owners knew more )

i want to bring this rabbit new life, the best care - so need your help with first hand experince as google is often unreliable!

please can you give me info on the best food, bedding, fresh foods they like and anything i need to know.

since being home summer has settled so well, hasnt even been 24hrs! she loves a cuddle, is allowed free roam (no exposed wires or danger) seems to be a little happier.

thanks in advance.

[chocoluvva]

Get her the rabbit food pellets rather than the stuff that looks like muesli.
We use cat litter in her tray.

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

Lots and lots of hay. Vets no longer recommend large bowls of nuggets. The main diet should be hay / grass.

www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info

This might be usefull

[moomoo1967]

[http://www.sandiegorabbits.org/diet/foods.html] This details what rabbits can eat, you will be surprised !
Our male rabbit has the run of the garden when we are in and loves playing in cardboard boxes, just cut a hole in one side. He also loves climbing onto his run, there is a piece of hardboard on top to give some cover from the rain.
He loves eating all sorts of things, apples, pears, pineapple, plums, grapes, blueberries, nectarines, banana chips, beetroot tops, carrot tops, sage, parsley, lettuce but not iceberg, dandelions,
Don't be surprised if she starts to eat their poop, this is normal.
In the winter he is has a gel pad with a material cover which you heat in the microwave which he can snuggle up to
HTH

[AnotherLoad]

thanks so much for your help. the links are fab! will have a good read when i got bit more time to sit later this eve.

yes ive just got back from picking her up some pellets :) she wasnt eating the muesli looking stuff - not that i blame her!

right so - will she be ok on her own or do they do better with company of their own kind? ive no problem getting a rescue friend for her if thats case

[trilottie]

How exciting! Well done for rescuing her!
If shes going to be a house rabbit I recommend a house rabbit book which I found really useful - The House Rabbit Handbook.
Lots of hay and I give half a scoop (small egg cup size) of pellets once in the morning and once in the evening, and then he also has fresh veg every evening as well. Broccoli, spring greens, spinach (not too much of these last two as they're full of iron) cauliflower, herbs, about 1/3 of a carrot, and celery. Celery good as its full of water if you think she's not drinking enough.
Ours also loves treats of fruit, apple, banana, grapes, strawberries, blueberries and will also eat bran flakes and malt loaf if he's given the opportunity!

If she starts having accidents cut down the amount of room she's got to run around in so she doesn't forget where her litter tray is, and increase it gradually. Smudge will still wee in the corner of our bedroom occasionally if he's being lazy :S

We've found that bought toys are a waste of money tbh, his favourite item is a large cardboard box which is currently partially destroyed in the living room, and a cardboard tube that once held a patio umbrella.

I used to use Yesterday's news for litter tray but now use a similar paper based cat litter.

[Wheresmycaffeinedrip]

Rabbits do prefer company :) best combo is a make and female (both neutered) a rescue shelter may have one already chopped and ready. But I would take yours for check over /sexing/ and vaccinations ( no holiday boarding place will accept an unvaccinated rabbit). Vets may also have a free rabbit care hand out :)

[AnotherLoad]

x posted

yes will be house rabbit. so far she hasnt had an accident on me or the floor! she's upstairs at the moment - where it abit quieter to help settle her. plus the pup thinks she can puppy play with her summer aint bothered by the pup but it just gives her some space.

she will be down stairs when i clear some space under the stairs very soon.

im off to the groccers for some veg

[AnotherLoad]

im taking her double check her sex later today, get her nails trimmed and a check over.

will be getting her neutered, ive read they can get uterine cancer or something? ....it was late last night googling so half asleep reading up on them! :)

wont need to worry about holiday boarding, im not a hols goer lol i have to be close to home.

thanks again - i keep x posting

[trilottie]

Our house rabbit is an only but he gets lots of human company, in fact he is going away with us this weekend in the motorcaravan. I think outside rabbits would definitely need company though.
If you do introduce another one, do it fairly soon before she gets too settled, or take care with the introductions (details how to do this online or in the book - basically in a neutral space, and gradually). I'm not sure if it should be male or female for the best.

[cathers]

Food wise, bunny should eat mostly hay. If you can stretch to it, Timothy Hay is always loved by mine. I give the buns a handful of hay which is half the size of their body a day. They also get a small cup of veg tops, and an egg cup of pellets. Fresh water daily.

For bedding, we use just hay. It's cheap, and the buns can eat it!

Spaying is reccommended for their health and to help with their behaviour and toileting. It will cost about £80 but can be discounted if you fulfill certain benefit conditions.

Buns should really be kept in pairs, but really you get back what you put in. If they are interacted with daily and socialised they can be very lovely pets. Ours comes when called and is very soppy and well behaved with the children. Well done for rescuing her !

[AnotherLoad]

bun is definately a girl and healthy :)

depending on how bad a chewer she is - im hoping to give her the run of down stairs where all the action is so she will have plenty of human company

i bought timothy hay and pellets.

have to wait 8 more weeks before she can be spayed.

so they learn their name? thats cute! she's absolutely lovely - kids love her around, they sit in their bedroom and summer just plods around, come over and sniff them and as the boys put it 'do meetkat impressions' lol

I couldnt leave her in that state. just hope some one goes in their soon to help the rest of the animals :(

[RabbitsMakeBrownEggs]

You can toilet train her. That helps avoid wet, smelly bedding. Mine use a little corner tray to poo and pee.

I use the Excel pellets, with loads of grass and hay, and fresh vegetables/fruit as treats. They love fresh herbs too, especially parsley.

Female do better spayed, it increases their health and decreases their cancer risks.

[AnotherLoad]

hi rabbits

i bought her a lovely lime green one today (my fav colour ) i need to sort out a bigger cage as the people who dumped her in the pet shop have her in a small ginea pig cage so tube hide, toys and poo tray i bought isnt leaving her much space.

searching for bigger cage....... in the mean time i will have it out side whilst she roaming. so similar to rats and hamsters i put some of the poo in the tray yeah? :)

cant remember the name of the pellets pets at home sold me......hang on go check lol .....

burges excel nuggets with mint. that one any good?

[Miggs28]

We use Timothy Hay for our house bun, she loves it! We have also trained her to come to us on a whistle and give us kisses for treats

Our bun chewed everything in sight when she was a baby but this has tailed off with age. I agree with the earlier posters about shop bought toys - they hold her interest for all of 5 seconds! Her favourite things are cardboard boxes & also big paper type bags like the ones u get in primark.

Enjoy your new addition to the family!

[AnotherLoad]

thanks miggs

will keep my primark bags in future...reason to go shopping now

she's around 4mths and so far she hasnt chewed any thing

i couldnt wait to get up to her in the morning! like waking up to a new born smiling back at you

[RabbitsMakeBrownEggs]

If you can afford it, a nice big run in the back garden for grazing too. Mine adore getting outside with the green stuff.

Make sure you have wires secure, as they can bite through them very quickly.

[AnotherLoad]

theres more concrete than grass and not that much space with kids bikes scooters and buggys! :(

would i be able to take bun over the park/field?? its 2mins away, will get a harness for her.

[amillionyears]

If your dc have an outdoor trampoline in a garden,you can put netting with not too big a mesh,around the outside of the trampoline,and your bunny can run round safely inside the wire,underneath the trampoline,when it is warm and dry enough.But bunny will eat the grass.

[amillionyears]

x post!
yes to harness and park/field.Lots of fun!But they do run/hop quicker than you would expect.

[RabbitsMakeBrownEggs]

Must try mine on a harness. Do you have any problems with dogs?

[AnotherLoad]

oh great would love to take her over the field!

in what way do you mean problem with dogs? over the park/field?

if so there is a quieter bit near the fenced of park section. will take her there.
i have a 15wk pomeranian pup that bounces all around her and she is not fazed, just steps out of her way.

but will keep my eye out for any sight hounds, theres a lady with akitas and huskies who i will ask what time she walks them to avoid temptation and tease to her dogs.

exciting!

[DoreensEatingHerSoreen]

OP - you made me laugh a bit when you said "touch wood" when hoping the non-chewing would continue

Curly Kale is a great treat for Rabbits and IME they love it, also an uncooked sweetcorn cob is great for them to eat the kernels then gnaw on. Plus cauliflower leaves as these often get wasted in my house. Dandelion leaves are a favourite but don't go OTT as this can cause an upset stomach.

Do you know what breed she is? (Lop ears or straight? any particular colours or markings?)

[RabbitsMakeBrownEggs]

I'm meaning in meeting up with dogs when walking, sorry I should have directed it to amillionyears

[AnotherLoad]

doreen,

glad theres so much variety, will pick up abit of curly kale and corn on cob is bought so thats great.

so how do i prepare the veg? in big or small chunks? she dont seem to be into her pellets much - unless it when im not looking? ive read veg is 1 tb spoon per 2lb of rabbit right? is that all veg in total?


she's not eaten the veg either? when i held a slice of apple and bit of kiwi she had a tiny nibble and thats it, wasnt interested when i put it on a small plate.

doreen she's got straight ears, sort of sable colour with grey shades around the checks and a grey tail. she's gorgeous. not sure how to put photo's on here - so not tech intelligent!

[RabbitsMakeBrownEggs]

She may never have seen fruit and veg, so go slowly okay. Introduce things in very small amounts and watch out for an upset stomach.

Make sure she has loads of hay or access to grass as that is their main diet.

Also, if she is on a rabbit muesli, you can gradually wean her over to a pellet feed, which is considered better for them, I use Excel and recommend it. You do this by replacing a small amount of muesli with the nuggets and watching how they take it, then in increasing amounts until they are switched.

I give mine veggies once a day in the evening and then fruit maybe 2-3 times a week in a small amount. I leave carrots whole, and will pin them up at the top of the cage to encourage stretching and exercise, and then sprinkle bits on and in the hay to encourage foraging behaviour. Just be sure to remove hay and veg left over so it doesn't rot.

Lots of fresh water too, if you use a bottle, change it daily, and fill and clean a water bowl as needed.