To ask you about rabbits

[chunkymunk]

I know this is probably the wrong place but I need a swift answer sorry.

My husbands friend split up with his girlfriend technically she chucked him out for cheating! When he moved in with her he had two rabbits, she told him to take said rabbits with him and he couldn't find another home (in the day he had to find one) and the local pet store won't take them as they are too old for them to sell on.

The rabbits have been kept in the lobby area to what was his girlfriends maisonette, no heating but a lot warmer than outside right not especially at night and sheltered from the elements. They are kept in a homemade cage with only wire across the front.

I have no Idea how long we are keeping them, personally I wouldn't mind if they stayed, however my husband hates animals and told me not to bring them inside (fair enough).

The thing is I am sure that they should have a covered area?
They also came with a wire indoor cage. I have put one in this and asked next door for their pet carrier and have put the second one in that (they are male and female, which is a whole other problem in itself) and put them in the shed at about 9pm so they will be sheltered.
There is only sawdust in the cage no hay, is this ok?

they only arrived at 6pm so have had to improvise can anyone point me in the right direction?
Thanks

Rabbits definately need a sheltered area and plenty of bedding - hay, straw or even shredded paper ( although not ideal ). Pretty much all shop bought hutches will have an enclosed sleeping area. Hopefully the rabbits will be ok in the shed tonight but it depends how low temperatures drop really. If they are going to be kept outside you will need to rethink their accomodation.

My rabbit had a hutch etc but preferred to hop about in the snow, rain etc

No they definitely need hay, it's an essential part of the diet. They also need a lot of exercise but a smallish bed is fine overnight if they are getting a lot more space during the day. Shop bought runs are expensive and small, we used old wooden pallets and mesh to build a huge run instead for a fraction of the price.

You can get the bunnies neutered if you wanted them to live together

Poor rabbits!

Has either one of them been neutered? How old are they?
If not neutered, the doe will almost definitely be pregnant. If one is neutered and they are bonded, please don't separate them - they will reassure each other and you could upset the bond, causing them to turn on each other when they're put back together.

Rabbits need access to hay at all times - they need to eat very regularly or they get gut stasis. They've also got fairly sensitive stomachs so have you got a supply of the food they're used to? Don't give them lettuce!

Does the cage they've been in have a private/covered area? They need privacy (apart from our house rabbit who spends the entire day sprawled out and snoring) as they are used to only relaxing when they feel safe and sheltered from predators. Yes they definitely need to be sheltered if they have been kept in a covered area.

What are you going to do with them longer term? Is the friend having them back or what?

Why is this your problem? The bloke who owns them should sort it tomorrow. There will be a local animal - perhaps rabbit - rescue place and you should call them. Rabbits can live for a very long time and it is cruel to keep them in a cage. If you don't get shot soon, you may find yourself saddled with a pair of longtime unwanted lodgers.

Need to be sheltered from the elements, I mean. Can you shred some newspaper and stuff it in a cardboard box and put it (on its side so they can hide in it) in the indoor cage with both of them? Is the cage big enough for that? If it isn't then it's too small to house two rabbits, incidentally.

I agree that it's cruel to keep rabbits in a cage unless they have lots of time out of the cage.

What's up Doc ?

thanks for the answers.
hopefully they will be ok for tonight.
The cage is large. It has two levels which can be separated so rabbits kept apart. Neither of them have been neutered have previously had babies, I am sure that the female is pregnant as the bloke who owns them doesn't sound a responsible owner from whats been said here plus he bought them both together in the indoor cage so even if she wasn't pregnant she probably will be now.

Not sure what the longer term plan is for them. He wants them but doesn't have anywhere, wants to only re-home them if he can still see them!?
I honestly wouldn't mind to keep them if I can talk hubby round but would need proper cage and a run and also to have neutered.

I have ripped up some newspapers from recycling pile and put it in the cages for tonight until I can sort something else tomorrow.
Putting an upturned box in cage as someone suggested sound like a good temp. measure, will sort this tomorrow.

They are about 1.5 years, I would feel bad if the went somewhere like a shelter and couldn't find a home

for you - this guy sounds like an irresponsible pillock if he's been so careless about them mating.

I'm sure they'll be fine tonight. Definitely get some hay asap.

Oh she's highly likely to be pregnant. She will need lots of extra care. Plenty of bedding so she can build a nest and she will need to be warm, dry and free from draughts. Very limited handling so as not to either upset her or risk any harm to the babies.

I am guessing she has had litter after litter so your priority at the moment is to give her a high quality diet. Hay is the most important thing but a good quality pellet is essential plus fresh foods but only offer small amounts to begin with as she may not be used to it.

Good luck with your new house guests, sounds like they'll be better off with you really

Thank for the advice.

I will go to get some supplies tomorrow and perhaps I need to find a book on rabbits.

DD was very keen on them so maybe hubby can be persuaded to keep them.

However will need to sort new cage and book the male in to loose his balls!

They will both have to be neutered, go to vets tomorrow if only pregnant from tonight the vet might be able to sort it out whilst neuturing.

I don't know if I could do that

Plus I think it more than likely she is already pregnant before tonight. I will have to question this idiot tomorrow about if they have been together since the last litter of babies.

When he asked the local pet shop they said they wouldn't take them as too old so I am presuming they take babies, will be busy tomorrow I think.

I presume if I take the female to vets they could tell me if she is pregnant or not?

I just don't understand why some people have animals if they can't be bothered FFS

Actually, lots of pet shops will take in adults for rehoming, so it might be worth contacting Pets at Home.

Both really need to be neutered (something like 70% of female rabbits die of uterine/ovarian cancer at a young age if not neutered) and MUST be vaccinated if they are going to be outside (Myxomatosis is rampant in the countryside, and is a fast and painful killer) If it sounds like the bloke in the OP hasn't been responsible, you should probably get them in for a vet check ASAP to check for pregnancy, overgrown teeth and claws, and general health.

You also need to be sure that your garden is secure from foxes who will eat your rabbit and if they are outside in a hutch it will need to be winterized right away. Many, many rabbits freeze to death in hutches outside every winter.

I love bunnies, but they do involve a lot of work to ensure they have happy, healthy lives. ( thread making me miss having rabbits.)

Just echoing what others have said really.

If they have been together for any period of time without one of them being neutered it is highly likely she will be pregnant (there's a reason for the term's 'rampant rabbit' and 'at it like rabbits').

I also agree that if they have always been together and are closely bonded that separating them especially if putting them outside will do more harm than good at least together they can snuggle up and share body heat.

Putting indoor rabbits outdoors even in the correct type of home/hutch at this time of year could kill them as they will have had no time to grow/develop a suitable winter coat but fingers crossed that being in a shed will be ok.

Lots of good quality hay is an absolute must as this not only serves as bedding but should make up 80% of a rabbits diet with the remaining 20% being a combination of fresh veg and a complimentary rabbit food. A complete rabbit food (pellets) are best as they can't pick out the bits they dislike so you can ensure what they are getting is balanced. Veg should ideally be dark coloured greens (such as broccoli, cabbage and dandelion leaves) as these are what contain the vital nutrients that rabbits need, lettuce is fine to give but does not hold much in the way of nutritional value. Carrots are high in natural sugars and are like candy to animals so should be given in moderation.

rabbit rehome should give you a decent list of local rescues that should take them.

Good luck!

At 1.5 years they could live for 9years + ... some rabbits live for 10-15 years (dwarf ones more like 5yr).

So if you do take them on, be prepared!

Have been to pets at home this morning. They have a vets in my local one so I took the female (only one carrier). She was examined and the vet said that he can feel some babies on palpitation and that I should prepare for a litter in around 10 days due to the length of the babies.

we bought a new cage that is suitable for outside and will be big enough for both rabbits in which I will put the male (who is going back to the vets on Monday to be neutered and can house the female there once she has also been neutered. I am now about to clear the floor space in the shed and my husband is at B&Q getting some wood to knock up a nice box for her and to get some wood to block the bottom half of the door off so I can open shed door for a periods during the day and she will be unable to get out.

Pets at home said the can take the babies when they are old enough to leave mum.

With the cage, sawdust, hay, food, water bottles, food bowls, vets fees, injections, wood for a nest box my pocket is considerably lighter than yesterday and with impending neutering it will be lighter in the coming weeks but the are lovely rabbits and DD is made up we can keep them (have made it clear no babies will be kept).

Hopefully I can give them a good home I would have hated to have seen them go into a re-homing shelter and be over looked for all the cute little babies and either never find or take a long time to find a good home.

Thanks for all your advice I will be using many of your suggestions to care for our new rabbits!

You don't waste time do you! Great news about the neutering
Baby rabbits are really very cute, I don't breed rabbits but have been lucky enough to care for a couple of expectant mums and I do love it

I was there waiting rabbit in cage just before 9am awaiting the opening of the doors!

You could try this:

www.bbc.co.uk/food/rabbit