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Original poster

Any tips for first-time rabbit owners?

52 replies

Blu · 22/02/2007 14:11

Oh why, oh why have I agreed to this?

Anyway, too late for the hand-wringing, DS's 2 7 week-old Netherland Dwarf rabbits arrive on Saturday.

I am planning to convert the shed for them so that they have a good lot of space to run around in until they are older and the weather is better and then they can have a good big outdoor hutch with a run.

Will they be ok in the shed? it does have a window, they won't be in the dark.
Will newspaper be ok on the floor, with straw in their sleeping box?

Do they need a sleeping box each or will they snuggle in together? (two females - they are living together at the moment, but not full sisters)

If I put them in the garden in a run, how will I make sure they can't dig out? Should I put chicken wire down under the run? (they won't just be abandoned in a run, they will be agle to get into their proper hutch).

Is there anything we should know that I might not have thought about? I will feed them the same food as they are having now...and gradually introduce a little veg when they are older.
We haven't had a good track record with a Tamogotchi - we need to do better with the bunnies.

OP posts:
northerner · 22/02/2007 14:14

Sorry Blu, but smiled to myslef at your thread title......

southeastastra · 22/02/2007 14:18

newspaper will be fine with some wood shavings on top. i also put a bin liner down first.

i would put chicken wire under the run as they will dig out!

i have two rabbit sisters and had to separate them as they fought really badly (i need to get them 'done!')

misdee · 22/02/2007 14:20

dont expect to be cuddly bunnies is my advice. rabbits dont like a lot of handl;ing, mine will come and be stroked and allows me to check his underneaths daily, but is not cuddly at all.

southeastastra · 22/02/2007 14:23

there's a photo of ursula the netherland dwarf i got from mn on my profile

Original poster
Blu · 22/02/2007 14:32

'check his underneath'???? Er what will I have to check for [alarmed emoticon]

Oh dear, will I have to have them operated on?

Wish I had got ours from MN - they seem v expensive. V sweet though.

They have been handled several times a day since shortly after birth, so are supopsed to be quite tame...but not wanting to be cuddles will excuse or neglect nicely!

The book says stroke them etc 'until they get tired'. How will i know when they are tired of being stroked / poked by 5 year-olds?

OP posts:
Original poster
Blu · 22/02/2007 14:33

Your rabbit is sweet, sea. Does it live in the house? We have one black one and one fawn-with-black-nose.

Why, if they fight, do they advise you to get two to keep each other company??

OP posts:
Whoooosh · 22/02/2007 14:37

You need to check their undercarriages,especially in warm weather for signs of fly stroke.If their nether regions are dirty,it attracts flies which then turn into maggots and then can eat the poor bunny alive.
I should add,in order not to alarm you that it really only happens with runny-bottomed rabbits in warm weather.

Sounds like they will have a lovely home though

We had two female Netherland dwarves and they too fought and were never overly-cuddly.The key is lots of handling.

southeastastra · 22/02/2007 14:38

i have two outside and one who is a house rabbit.

it's best to keep them together but you must get them spayed or they'll fight for supremacy.

ime female rabbits don't really like to be picked up much but love to be stroked and cuddled. once they are handled with confidence they'll be fine.

Original poster
Blu · 22/02/2007 14:40

Should I have got two males instead, and had them 'done'? I may still be able to swap....if they have ones in the same colours. No use otherwise, as DS has used all his imagination and creativity to name them 'Blackie' and 'Brownie'. (must have been swapped at birth)

OP posts:
misdee · 22/02/2007 14:41

in summer months they can get maggots on and around their bottoms, so daily i lift him, have a quick check then put him back down. he looks rather bemused when i do it, and now doesnt kick, but still doesnt like to be handled. will come up to me for strokes.

TeetheCeeofDavedom · 22/02/2007 14:45

I wasn't going to say keep the setting low for the first time, but i won't!
Sorry!

Original poster
Blu · 22/02/2007 14:45

And what do you do if they have got maggots? (eeek!)
Shall i give them a bit of a wipe with a wet wipe, or something?

OP posts:
Original poster
Blu · 22/02/2007 14:45

TeeCee I may yet be asking for seasoning suggestions if it all gets too much!

OP posts:
southeastastra · 22/02/2007 14:45

you have to get males done too, don't worry they might be ok.

TeetheCeeofDavedom · 22/02/2007 14:46

Oh no, PMSL, step away from this thread TC, step away.
Sorry, very childish but bloody funny, for me anyway, sorry, sorry, sorry!

southeastastra · 22/02/2007 14:46

mine never had flystrike, as long as their cages are kept in check especially in summer.

Original poster
Blu · 22/02/2007 14:51

I am thinking of getting some sections of drainpipe and laying it from the hutch to the run so that they get a sense of living in a warren...is this a bit OTT?

OP posts:
southeastastra · 22/02/2007 14:52

hehe tc!

no that sounds like a great idea blu, honestly netherland dwarves are one of the nicest breeds of rabbit to have, you'll fall in love with them

TeetheCeeofDavedom · 22/02/2007 14:55

You're a very caring surrogate Mum Blu, sunds lovely idea to me. i loved ownign rabbits when i was young.

star1976 · 22/02/2007 14:58

Our rabbit went missing two weeks ago and am devastated! Cage was open when came downstairs in the morning and he had gone . I was much more upset than my DD who's rabbit it was supposed to be.

Anyway, never had a problem with maggots. As you probably know when rabbits poo (I feel about 12 typing that) and it looks like a little current they haven't digested the food properly, and will eat it again.

Once it has been eaten again it will be softer and that is when it is more likely to stick to fur and stuff (and cause maggots), so as someone else said, make sure cage cleaned regularly.

Salad vegetables are a no as they give them the runs.

My male rabbit used to try and mount the cats till we got him done, but was always very tame and loving and we used to let him in the house for a run around each night. Used to jump on the sofa and sit on my knee (when DP wasn't there to shout).

I always heard that male rabbits weren't supposed to be kept together because they will fight, but that females are fine??? (Male and female kept apart for obvious reasons).

Gingerbear · 22/02/2007 14:59

Blu, TeeCee was being Very Norty about another type of 'Rabbit'

Tsk tsk, go on, be off with you girl!

bunny advice sheet

Rhian101 · 22/02/2007 15:13

Cook it long and slow and it'll be nice and tender

Original poster
Blu · 22/02/2007 15:31

oh the pleasure that a rabbit can bring.....

You norty grrrls.

OP posts:
Indavenito · 22/02/2007 15:31

Rabbits are great, they are really sociable and can be trained to use a litter tray and live in the house.

My rabbit stays in the garden all day, have a large walled garden and I bring him in at night.

He has a football he likes to hump.
You can buy a solution called rearguatd to use over the summer to prevent flystrike.

ShinyHappyPeopleHoldingHands · 22/02/2007 15:43

Make sure they have a mixamatosis jab and get a booster six monthly. Our bunny died in Sept. with this horrible man made disease and I had allowed his booster to become overdue. Still feel guilty.