New rabbits - any advice please?

slummymummyof3

We just put some sawdust in the bottom of our litter tray - to absorb any urine. You can also dispose of litter tray contents in your garden waste weelie bin as they are herbivores!

If you gently cover their eyes, you can lie them back in your arms; like a baby and they will sit quite happily for a cuddle (you uncover their eyes once you have laid them on their back in your arms)

jennyjelly

Well I contacted my normal vet and yes they do have someone there who does bunnies, so they are booked in at 2pm today for a checkup and vaccs. I'm going to feel so guilty!

Everything seems to be going ok so far, except that they are so nervous. Every time I go near the hutch they hide in their bedroom and to that footstamping warning thing. I do hope I'll be able to win them round. Anyway they are eating loads and quite active in their run when there is nobody around. I'm dreading having to catch them this afternoon for the vet, they'll probably never speak to me again!

Thanks for the Rabbits United link viktory, it seems to be a mine of information, I shall spend lots of time reading up on it in an attempt to understand them properly.

Slummy mummy I tried the putting them on their back trick on the day we got them and it really works, quite amazing!

amy104

Slummy mummy I tried the putting them on their back trick on the day we got them and it really works, quite amazing!

Please don't do this, its very very stressful to the bunny. They make look relaxed but it's actually a defence mechanism, they are effectively playing dead so the predator (you) goes away. Its actually very frightning for them.

As a rule bunnies aren't very confident about being picked up, they like all four feet on the ground, so try to gain their trust on their level first. If you can sit or lie in their vicinity they'll soon be clamboring all over you out of curiosity. Nose rubs are a fave.

I have 11 bunnies, so if you need any help please ask.

jennyjelly

amy104 wrote: »

Please don't do this, its very very stressful to the bunny. They make look relaxed but it's actually a defence mechanism, they are effectively playing dead so the predator (you) goes away. Its actually very frightning for them.

As a rule bunnies aren't very confident about being picked up, they like all four feet on the ground, so try to gain their trust on their level first. If you can sit or lie in their vicinity they'll soon be clamboring all over you out of curiosity. Nose rubs are a fave.

I have 11 bunnies, so if you need any help please ask.

Amy, I didn't realise this was unpleasant for them and now I feel awful! Shan't do it again now I know. Thanks for telling me.

This afternoon they had their first jabs (VHD) and we have to go back in 2 weeks for their mixy jabs. I don't know if all vets are the same, but ours don't like to do the 2 together as they feel they are less effective this way. The girls behaved impeccably and didn't even flinch when she did their jabs. She says they are a bit overweight but generally in great condition.

She has suggested that it might be worth considering having them spayed as this makes them calmer and more friendly but I'm not sure that's a good enough reason to put them through it so I haven't made a decision yet. They won't be meeting male bunnies to in that sense it's unnecessary, so would it be a bit selfish to do it just for our benefit? My instinct says it would. I'd be grateful for more experienced views please!

When we came home from the vet we fenced off a bit of the kitchen and I sat on the floor with them and a handful of carrot bits. I thought it would take months of doing this but after only about an hour they were really relaxing with me and sniffing me. At the end of the time I was able to pick them up to go back to the hutch much more easily than I expected. I'm going to try to do this every day and I reckon in a couple of weeks they will be so relaxed that the spaying question will have solved itself.

Will probably be asking loads more questions as I go along, but thanks for all the brilliant advice so far!

Kaelea

Hi JennyJelly

I can't add much to whats already been said but

please think again about neuturing your girls, have a google 'bunny uterine cancer' if nothing else changes your mind .. the results of that should, I'm no vet but in my honest opinion its the best thing you can do for your girls

katebl

Good news they seem to be getting to like you! The gap between vaccinations is standard, their immune systems need time to recover between each jab. I'm sure I read over half of female buns who aren't neutered end up with cancer so please take your vet's advice! It took my girl about a week to get fully back to her best but well worth it to know she won't have to suffer that.

Female buns are not (IMO) as friendly as males - my little lad will quite happily curl up under my leg, lie on the sofa with me, and smother my face in bunny kisses (licks!), but from what I understand bunnies that lick aren't that common (he may be a bit special in more ways than one, lol :rotfl:). I read recently the best compliment a bun can give you is if they literally ignore you. If they are quite happy to eat, groom, laze around in front of you without flinching at your presence, that's a sign they trust you implicitly. Thought that was very sweet

amy104

All vets should administer vacs at least two weeks apart so that's completely normal, though my vets always do myxi first.

In regards to spaying, all my bunnies are done, girls and boys, even those in same sex groups. As you vet mentioned it can help with the hormonal behaviour problems. Females in particular can get very territorial and even the cuddliest of babies can turn into a moody little madam. In some cases they can even start scuffling amongst themselves and fall out. It will also help protect them against cancer which is said to be found in 80% of unspayed females by the time they are 2.

Gypsy came to me at 3 years from a hubbys work collegue and was unspayed. She nested constantly and was very territorial over her space, even retrieving the food bowl was a mission if you didn't want to get attacked. I have a lot of experience with bunnies but sometimes she was so unpredictable even I was nervous. I had her spayed and she is now a real sweetheart. She now lives happily with two of my other buns and has never ever bitten me since.

I did think they looked a bit overweight in the pics but I'm sure that will get sorted now they have a caring mummy like you.

jennyjelly

Having done a lot of reading today I've decided that the girls definately should be neutered. The vet did mention the cancer but at the time I was sort of focused on the behaviour and it didn't register (must have been having a bit of a senior moment!) Anyway, having read up on it (one site said 85%!) I think it's a no-brainer, I wasn't happy to put them through an op just for my benefit (ie to make them friendlier) but I think it's certainly worth it if it gives them longer and healthier lives.

Had another great session with them today. Getting better all the time!

SpammyTheSpammer

I found hand-feeding titbits helped to make them less insecure. After that, stroking lightly whilst they were eating.

Many of mine had to be separated after growing up - some fought quite badly although they had been happy together as youngsters. One has a visibly large lump missing out of her ear and I still cannot let them out to play together and they fight through the bars of the cage occasionally. Sheesh, dumb bunnies!

One thing to watch out for with rabbits, they may want to come into the house if the door is open when they are out playing. But beware,THEY CHEW THROUGH CABLES. So far I have found a dead freezer, 2 dead tvs and umpteen playstation controllers that are no longer attached to the plugs. I still love those bunnies.

SpammyTheSpammer

I cannot remember where I read this but it works:-

Initially take them out of their house then hold them in front of it, just an inch or 2 away. Say "HOME" (or whatever you fancy) then let go, they should run into the house, get ready to grab if not and repeat. If they enter the house and stay in the doorway, try to stroke and say "WELL DONE" , offer a treat/stroke then shut the door.

Then repeat, not immediately but 15-20 minutes later. Hold slightly further away, use same word and release. Make sure that they do go home and they do not attempt to double back. Repeat "well done" and offer a treat and stroke.

Repeat until bored, cannot catch rabbit, exhausted or, utter amazement, EVENTUALLY ( this may take some time dependent upon the "independence" of the rabbit) all that it should take to get them to go home should be to open their house and say "HOME".

To my amazement, this worked on pretty much all of our seven bunnies, 2 ducks and now 2 chickens! Some easilly, others not so. One of my bunnies is insistant upon a lap of the garden before she does finally enter their house but does it eventually.