Just been given a rabbit! Guidance needed please>

rosie383

My husband came home with a rabbit yesterday which, due to unforeseen circumstances could no longer be kept by the owner.
I have never had a rabbit before and don't know where to start. It has a good hutch but I need to make a run for her also and have to get some bedding, hay, food etc.
We didn't have time to prepare for this, so I am needing urgent help. Please do not just come on here and tell me I should not have got a rabbit without researching it for a year.
I don't need that sort of advice. I need practical advice so that we can give this rabbit the best life possible. I have 2 children who are more than delighted to have this pet and I want it to be a positive, happy experience for us and the bunny.
What is the best wire to make a run from? Where is it cheapest to buy this please?
What is acceptable rabbit food? Any helpful advice will be greatly appreciated. If there is a thread already on general rabbit care, then feel free to move my thread.
Many, many thanks in advance.

BTW, she is gorgeous. The children have named her Bonny and she is white with grey ears and grey smudges on her nose.

jackieb

Are you going to keep it inside the house, or out?

rosie383

Outside is the plan. She has been an outside rabbit up to now.

jackieb

My brother has a house rabbit (so adorable!) - it was already a house rabbit when they got it. I don't have much advice but I was just going to say if you keep it indoors, hide all your wires and cables.

torbrex

The wire for the run should have as small a hole as possible, the rabbit we had years ago managed to push its head throught the wire and when it pulled it back, one of its ears was sliced off :eek:

Water dispensers are a must, you can get the ones that dispense water when the rabbit sucks on the tube.

I have also seen food dispensers that operate when the rabbit stands on a pedal, the food stays fresher longer in the holder than if it was lying loose in the hutch.

rosie383

Oh, have to add....... the other reason she will be an outside rabbit is that I'm a bit allergic to them! I'm okay outside, but can't be around them inside. One of my children is 13 and she has agreed to take main responsibility for her (under my supervision obviously).
I know that I can probably get supplies online, but also need to know what I need to buy now, today, and from where.

rosie383

I will get a water dispenser today.Hopefully Wilkos would have them. All she came with was a wee metal bowl which we put water in last night. It's already full of straw. I figured that putting anything plastic in the cage is a no-no as she may chew it?

BTW, Thanks for the replies so far. For some reason my thanks button has disappeared!!!

torbrex

rosie383 wrote: »

Oh, have to add....... the other reason she will be an outside rabbit is that I'm a bit allergic to them! I'm okay outside, but can't be around them inside. One of my children is 13 and she has agreed to take main responsibility for her (under my supervision obviously).
I know that I can probably get supplies online, but also need to know what I need to buy now, today, and from where.

For instant supplies, 'Pets at Home' or any pet retailer that you can find locally will have more than you can dream of for the rabbit, they will also be helpfull with advice, first hand.

Long term you can look at online supplies but definitely get yourself a local contact that you can run to for instant solutions

rosie383

I am going to ask on Freegle on the offchance that someone may be able to help with a run for her,if not, is it easy enough to make one?
Also, is it better to make the run on the grass, or on hard ground? We have a patio type area at the bottom of the garden and put the hutch down there as it is currently wasted space.

torbrex

I have seen rabbit runs asked for and offered in my Freegle area so yes, ask by all means.
A run should be easy enough to build, after all the main part of it is just an escape proof fence so wire and posts up to about 3ft high and make sure that the wire is pegged into the ground at short enough intervals that no lifting can occur.
The hutch itself could stand on the patio for ease of cleaning but I would suggest that at least half of the run should be on the grass.

Millie2008_2

What a lucky bunny to have found you
The first thing to figure out is whether she is spayed? All rabbits and certainly all female rabbits should be spayed, as there is a high risk of uterine cancers in unspayed does. You should also ask if she is vaccinated against Myxi and VHD, as all rabbits should have annual vaccinations against these (rabbits in some areas will need six monthly myxi jabs, your local vet will be able to advise on this)

The other thing to consider is getting bunny a friend as rabbits really shouldn't be kept alone, as they are social animals and once you have seen two bunnies together, you would never keep them singly. A local rescue should be able to advise on this as bonding can be a tricky process

As for housing, the RWAF publishes guidelines and they are a v good resource. Linky http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/ - there are some useful links if you scroll down the home page

The other resource I often refer to is rabbit rehome and their care section http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/rabbitcare.asp

Good luck They are such rewarding animals- I have three