New rabbits - any advice please?

jennyjelly

I've just collected 2 beautiful rescued rabbits complete with hutch and run. The seem really healthy and bright so I'm not worried about them, but as a first time rabbit owner I wondered if anyone had any advice on keeping them that way?

I have put sawdust in the bottom run, and lots of hay in their bedroom upstairs and a dish of Wagg pellets (these all came with the rabbits) and fresh water, and some kale and chopped carrots as a welcome present. I'm off to the shop tomorrow to buy them some toys as they have nothing to keep them interested.

Is all this ok, and is there anything else I should be doing?

slummymummyof3

You might benefit in getting them a litter tray to pt in the corner of the hutch as it makes cleaning the hutch buch easier!

jennyjelly

What a good idea! Do I put cat litter in? There seem to be so many things that are bad for bunnies I'd hate to do the wrong thing. And would they know to use it? I'm assuming they've never had one before.

I've just been out (couldn't wait till tomorrow, no patience!) and bought some toys for them. I got this tunnel, the large version of this which makes a sort of curved house, a jingly ball, a wooden chew, a pack of pieces that slot together to make a ball to play with an chew and a few other bits and bobs.

I'm determined they will be happy buns!

titannia101

Hi

The RSPCA website has loads of information about how to care for different pets. Just enter RSPCA rabbit care into google and you'll find the rabbit section.

Enjoy :-)

T

katebl

Hey jennyjelly, great news you have got rescue buns :A! My little lady came from a rescue with my little lad from a breeder a few months before that. Just a word of warning - try not to give them too much kale as it can be bad for them, although a couple of days until you get used to what they like won't hurt.

Being MSE :money: I would say don't spend a fortune on toys (mine are indoor buns and have more furniture and floor space than we do!) as they are so easily amused with the simplest things - a kitchen towel tube filled with hay either end keeps mine occupied for ages. They love willow balls which can be quite expensive but you can get watergrass mats from ebay (Boredom Breakers Chill 'n' Chew mats) with one particular seller doing them at £1.75 each + P+P - these go down a treat too. They do like things they can throw about - i.e. bunny dumbbells.

Have they had their jabs do you know? If not definitely worth finding a bunny savvy vet nearby - they are classed as an 'exotic' animal so be careful when choosing a vet, make sure they have experience with rabbits.

I spend quite a bit of time browsing on the forums on rabbit rehome. org as they are a goldmine for information - may be worth a visit there for you.

Best of luck to you and your new little friends!

katebl

jennyjelly wrote: »

What a good idea! Do I put cat litter in? There seem to be so many things that are bad for bunnies I'd hate to do the wrong thing. And would they know to use it? I'm assuming they've never had one before.

I've just been out (couldn't wait till tomorrow, no patience!) and bought some toys for them. I got this tunnel, the large version of this which makes a sort of curved house, a jingly ball, a wooden chew, a pack of pieces that slot together to make a ball to play with an chew and a few other bits and bobs.

I'm determined they will be happy buns!

Mine have that tunnel, and the pop-up tent! As well as a wooden table from the range, a cat bed from Pets@ Home which was half price so I thought why not, a sofa from the Dee Millen shop, a little wheelbarrow I picked up from a boot sale which is filled with hay, various mats, edible and jingly balls, and the knobbly chew you put inside the cage same as what you bought.

I'm sad to say I'm more excited by their toy collection than they are... one more MSE tip, it's cheaper to buy jingly balls from the pound shop if yours do like them - I got 5 balls and a jingly dumbbell for £1, packaged as cat toys but the buns don't know the difference! :rotfl:

jennyjelly

Thanks for all the advice, all absorbed and will be put into practice. Great tips on the litter tray and the pound shop!

I got up really early this morning to go out and see the girls. Honestly, I'm like a kid with a new toy, it's ridiculous in a woman of my age!

To my relief they had survived their fist night and seemed happy. They have had some more pellets and carrots and kale (just a little bit of that, see i'm learning!) and I've filled the hay cage I bought yesterday and put that in.

At the moment they are very nervous and don't want to be picked up, but I did catch them both and held them for a little while, not too long as I don't want to stress them but I do want to get them used to being handled. I'm working on patience and perseverance being the way to succeed in the end.

I have no idea whether they have been vaccinated. Is it an essential thing to do? I'm not sure if my normal (dog and cat) vet is good on rabbits, but I work with someone who keeps rabbits so I thought I'd find out where she takes hers. Mine seem to be really healthy, with good teeth, clear bright eyes, clean noses and bottoms, but I think it's probably a good idea to take them for a quick check, what do you think?

Trying to think of names. They were going to be Geoffrey and Trevor, but now we've found they are girls we have to think again!

I'll post some pics when I can find the camera (last seen in DS's hands so could be anywhere!)

katebl

Glad they are still doing well today! Jabs are definitely important, especially if they are outdoor buns. They need a myxomatosis (sp?!) jab twice yearly and a VHD jab annually. If you look up the diseases these protect against, you'll see how horrible they can be and will usually result in painful deaths. I think the diseases began (man-made) to wipe out wild rabbits but they can affect domestic rabbits too. The jabs cost me £37 for a myxo and a VHD at the vet earlier this week. Rabbits don't show illness very well so you hear lots of stories of sudden deaths which is heartbreaking.

Daily checklist should go something like this - check they have both eaten (going off food is a BAD sign), have a gentle poke at their tums to make sure all feels well and not too hard, and check their bums to make sure no mess which should be done daily and more so in the summer to make sure they're not susceptible to flystrike. Keep an eye on their poos as well - they should be quite large and fairly firm, pea sized is good. If they are producing tiny, hard poo's, cut back on everything except for hay and water for a couple of days - call it a bunny diet! They also produce caecotrophs - these are the messy morning poo's which you should rarely see as they are meant to eat them. :eek: My little lady is a cashmere lop so her fur is quite long, but both need grooming daily as my little lad is moulting quite a lot. A vet check is definitely a good idea!

You are totally doing the right thing in getting them used to being handled - I am perhaps too soft on mine and as soon as they struggle I feel bad - however both were perfectly behaved at the vet's and even let me clip their nails this week too so I guess they behave when needed. They are clever little creatures, both of mine respond to their names, will come running if I pat my legs, and my little lad even does 'up' like a dog to beg for treats! They are litter trained too thankfully, does take a bit of patience though.

Have you decided on names yet?! Sorry for the long post but the health aspect is REALLY important - for little animals they do need a lot of looking after but they really are worth it.

jennyjelly

Well, finally found the camera, so here are my girls.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46671849@N08/5423227800/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46671849@N08/5422623001/

Aren't they gorgeous?

Sorry, they have changed Flickr and I can't work out how to put pics on now!

Ringing my vet tomorrow to see if they do buns, if they don't I'll check with my colleague and take them where she takes hers. Poor little loves, they are so timid at the mo it will be really traumatic for them, I wish I could explain it's for their own good!

katebl

They are lovely indeed, very cuddly! Honey especially has a beautiful colouring and I love Pickle's patches. How are they today? Hope you got a vet sorted.

viktory

Aw, Honey is the spitting image of my boy, Stan. Thoughts from me: vaccinations are essential. Myxo twice a year, VHD once a year. They'll also get a check up at the same time. Hay is essential, they eats tons of the stuff. Anything other than hay, vegetables, and pellets is considered a treat and should be feed in strict moderation. The digestive system of a rabbit is very susceptible to serious upsets if the diet is inappropriate. Kale, spinach and mustard greens are high in calcium so their feeding should be limited to 3 meals per week. Are they housed inside or out? Mine are outside and have a pen in which they get to run and play (they also have a very large hutch and attached run).

I found this website totally invaluable.