Rabbit questions

BabyKat

straw from a farm is not dust treated meaning that the dust isnt taken out of it as shops are supposed to . Yes i have always used farm straw and hay as i have lived on many farms and always got it free..lol
I dont see much difference really but it is loads cheaper from a farm. Mine comes from an organic farm
Pet shops will advice against it because yo will buy from them but some buy straight from farms
I have never had any problems with it at all and also use it for my guinea pigs and i have 4 piggies and 4 rabbits at the moment

Loopy_Girl

I think it's all down to personal choice really...you could listen to people's opinions and read on the internet till the cows come home but you really have to make the decision. At the end of the day, bunnies aren't used to the luxuries we give them like warmth and shelter (in the wild I mean) so I personally think they are hardy little souls. If everything you read on the internet was true about what not to feed and do etc etc, there would be alot of dead wild bunnies lying around don't you think?!!!
They work on instinct - they like it, they'll eat it. They don't chances are they won't touch it....and this is proven by me putting a floret of cauliflower every morning in Max's greens and every tea time the bowl is empty apart from the floret sitting neatly in the bottom!!!!!!!!!!!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

If you do get a huge bale lbt then remember to keep it dry. If you smell it and it's foosty (am not sure if that's a Scottish word or if everyone knows it!!) then I wouldn't give it...who would want to lie on or eat mouldy straw - blllegghhh!!!!:eek: xx

BabyKat

how very true loopy girl...i have a homemade cupboard to keep my staw and hay in and most farmers stuff is kept inside so should come to you dry
I have just bedded all mine down as here it was so cold last night so at least i know they are warmer

ClareEmily

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

You get timothy hat in pet shops. You also get Excel (which is what I use) from pet shops. Buying them over the internet doesn't make them any better quality than what can be bought from the pet shop. Premium brands are available at the pet shops and it will be the same stuff that is distributed for net purchases. I refuse to pay postage for stuff when I have 2 pet shops right on my doorstep.

I know mine is very good quality as straight from the farm in boxes and is dust free, can't get fresher than that.

"Timothy is slow to establish itself and we would have to rely on herbicides to keep other plants down and we rather work together with nature then against it! Therefore, we grow our Timothy in conjunction with Meadow Fescue grass and White Clover, the clover providing natural nutrients to the soil, while the Meadow Fescue is providing better initial ground cover, to eliminate the need to use herbicides".

Some pet shops do sell quite good quality hay so yes if you don't want to pay postage then petshop is fine

Just saying what I personally prefer

ClareEmily

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

I think it's all down to personal choice really...you could listen to people's opinions and read on the internet till the cows come home but you really have to make the decision. At the end of the day, bunnies aren't used to the luxuries we give them like warmth and shelter (in the wild I mean) so I personally think they are hardy little souls. If everything you read on the internet was true about what not to feed and do etc etc, there would be alot of dead wild bunnies lying around don't you think?!!!
They work on instinct - they like it, they'll eat it. They don't chances are they won't touch it....and this is proven by me putting a floret of cauliflower every morning in Max's greens and every tea time the bowl is empty apart from the floret sitting neatly in the bottom!!!!!!!!!!!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

If you do get a huge bale lbt then remember to keep it dry. If you smell it and it's foosty (am not sure if that's a Scottish word or if everyone knows it!!) then I wouldn't give it...who would want to lie on or eat mouldy straw - blllegghhh!!!!:eek: xx

I believe in giving my bunny the best care I can, and I do listen to any new advice about any new treatments etc etc.

Rabbits are prey animals so in the wild only live for a very short time before becoming someone's dinner or road kill, that's why they breed at such an early age and have so many baby bunnies to keep their numbers up. You won't see lots of dead bunnies cos they are eaten by foxes etc.

Rabbits are used to cosy burrows in the wild, during the day they are in warm cosy nests deep under ground, not in drafty wooden hutches.

Rabbit's aren't that hardy, I have lost two bunnies from GI statis so if any advice I can past one makes sure someone else doesn't suffer the same heart ache then I will be happy. But saying that we once had a wild rabbit who lived for 11 years so sometimes you can just be lucky.

My rabbit would eat cake, biscuits and lots of sugary treats if it was up to her. The veg/hay diet is very important.

If you get a GOOD source of information which you know to be the most knowlegable then just listen to that, I personally believe the RWAF has the best info around, not the RSPCA.

ClareEmily

lbt wrote: »

Clare Emily

Where can I check that my vet is rabbit savvy without paying any charges?

thanks

Hi there

Here you go some questions to ask:

• Do they recommend vaccinations for VHD and Myxomatosis?

• Do they regularly neuter rabbits of both sexes? Has the practice invested in modern surgical and monitoring equipment to help make surgery safer for rabbits?

• Do they give pain relieving drugs to all rabbits during and after neutering operations? If not, choose another vet.

• Are there facilities to hospitalise rabbits away from dogs, cats and ferrets?

• What happens out of hours - does the practice use an emergency clinic for emergency work? If the practice do their own out-of-hours emergency work, are all the vets in the practice "rabbit friendly", or have they an arrangement to contact colleagues who may not necessarily be on-call if a very sick rabbit were brought in?

Finding a good rabbit vet
As soon as you get a bunny, you need to find a good rabbit vet. The early vaccinations and health checks (bunnies in the UK need vaccinating against both VHD and myxomatosis) provide the perfect opportunity to check out a promising local practice. Don't leave it until your bunny gets sick one day to find out where to go! The RWAF has compiled a list of "rabbit friendly" vets available to members struggling to locate a suitable vet to treat their pet. This list comprises of vets that have shown an interest in rabbits and have been nominated by other RWAF members.. Information on the RWAF vet list. Please let us know if you can recommend your vet! Before resigning yourself to travelling miles to use a rabbit vet, do have a good look locally - get out the Yellow Pages speak to other local rabbit owners! There will be loads of really good rabbit vets in Britain that we just don't know about yet. In the next sections, we'll look at what you should be looking for when you choose a vet for your bunny.

Choosing a vet for your rabbit
It is very important to find the right vet to look after your pet rabbit in sickness and in health, some only offer a vaccination or neutering service and don't provide all round health care. Not all vets are experienced with rabbits, and even within a group practice you will find that some of the vets are more knowledgeable and interested in rabbits than others. The ideal situation is to find an expert rabbit vet with good facilities near to your home. Realistically, though, unless you live in an urban area with a good selection of veterinary practices within reach, you will probably have to settle for a perfectly competent vet with a good grasp of the basics of rabbit medicine, an attitude you can work with and a willingness to seek further advice should it become necessary. It is no good finding the best rabbit vet in the country if your bunny gets desperately unwell you have to set off on a three hour drive up the motorway! When choosing a vet for your bunny, here are some things to consider.

Experience
Obviously it is nice to find a really experienced rabbit vet. But quite often we find it is acceptable in many circumstances to find a vet open minded about rabbits that is willing to go away and find information if they don't know the answer off hand. Finding a balance to get the best for you bun is very important.

Facilities
Rabbits need TLC. If your bunny ever needs hospitalising, you need to know he/she is getting the best possible care. Ideally, rabbit hospital cages should be in a quiet place away from predators. It is nice if there is someone on the premises 24 hours a day, but this is not always the case in the UK. If your rabbit needs surgery (and most will, because they need to be neutered) then attention to detail is very important. Warming pads (although not too warm so as to cause heat stroke), the ability to administer fluids via different routes (eg intravenously/subcutaneously) as required, alongside experienced rabbit friendly nurses are all important. Equipment such as a drip pump, pulse oximeter or capnograph aren't essential but can be useful in monitoring patients. The actual anaesthetic used is far, far less important than the experience of the vet in using that technique. Injectable anaesthetics are much more widely used in Britain compared to America, although maintaining a good depth of anaesthesia with gaseous anaesthetics is also important. One commonly used gaseous agent is Isoflurane and this has advantages over Halothane which is now less widely used (for example, a lower risk of cardiac arrhythmias in a stressed animal) but it is not the be all and end all. Newer agents still have been developed for inducing anaesthesia but often patients are maintained on Isoflurane. The ability to intubate rabbits is very important and very much reduces the risk of anaesthetic deaths - this is whereby a tube is passed down the windpipe to maintain an airway and efficiently deliver the right levels of anaesthetic gas or oxygen directly to the lungs – many vets still don't do this. Proper attention to post operative analgesia (pain relief) is paramount.

Attitude
Rabbits are beloved companion animals - not "livestock". You need a vet whom you trust to do the best for your rabbit. You are looking for someone who will put as much effort into your rabbit as he/she would for a dog or cat. Of course you must also be willing to pay the appropriate rate - at least the same as consultation fees as dogs or cats and in some cases more. Expertise can be very expensive. We HIGHLY recommend you insure your rabbit for vets fees. Petplan offer a very good policy at reasonable cost although as with other suppliers preventative treatment is not covered as part of the policy.

Access
Taking your rabbit a long distance for routine surgery or second opinions is fine - few of us are lucky enough to have an expert in the same town. But you *must* locate a good local vet - for emergency care, routine stuff like vaccinations and teeth checks, and basically to be your rabbit's GP. If your own vet is not a totally rabbit whizz-kid, fine. So long as he/she is willing to work with you; admit limitations and assist you seeking a second opinion if any difficulties arise.

Etiquette
Your bunny is a patient of your vet. It is very, very important to respect that relationship with your vet. Never chop and change vets without discussing the situation with the first vet. Using different vets without advising anyone deprives your pet of the best care because the second vet needs to communicate with the first to find out vital history and chopping and changing purely for your convenience is not fair on your rabbit or either vets concerned. If you want a second opinion, a referral or to change vets, for whatever reason that is fine, but you must be totally open with everyone concerned. Remember, you are looking for someone to work for you and your pet.

Loopy_Girl

ClareEmily wrote: »

I believe in giving my bunny the best care I can, and I do listen to any new advice about any new treatments etc etc.

Rabbits are prey animals so in the wild only live for a very short time before becoming someone's dinner or road kill, that's why they breed at such an early age and have so many baby bunnies to keep their numbers up. You won't see lots of dead bunnies cos they are eaten by foxes etc.

Rabbits are used to cosy burrows in the wild, during the day they are in warm cosy nests deep under ground, not in drafty wooden hutches.

Rabbit's aren't that hardy, I have lost two bunnies from GI statis so if any advice I can past one makes sure someone else doesn't suffer the same heart ache then I will be happy. But saying that we once had a wild rabbit who lived for 11 years so sometimes you can just be lucky.

My rabbit would eat cake, biscuits and lots of sugary treats if it was up to her. The veg/hay diet is very important.

If you get a GOOD source of information which you know to be the most knowlegable then just listen to that, I personally believe the RWAF has the best info around, not the RSPCA.

I agree with all what you are saing and believe me there is no more pampered bun than mine!!!! My point was that it is difficult to decide who gives the 'best' advice as there is alot of conflicting advice out there - sometimes you just have to trust your own judgement.

My bunny gets an excellent diet of fresh veg and hay and a small amunt of pellets. I personally wouldn't know about the sugary treats as it would never cross my mind to give Max something sweet - he's a rabbit not a child!!!!

I do the best I can for Max using my common sense and also checking something when I am not sure but as has been proven on this forum and also the rabbit united forum, there is differing info for the same questions frequently.

ClareEmily

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

I agree with all what you are saing and believe me there is no more pampered bun than mine!!!! My point was that it is difficult to decide who gives the 'best' advice as there is alot of conflicting advice out there - sometimes you just have to trust your own judgement.

My bunny gets an excellent diet of fresh veg and hay and a small amunt of pellets. I personally wouldn't know about the sugary treats as it would never cross my mind to give Max something sweet - he's a rabbit not a child!!!!

I do the best I can for Max using my common sense and also checking something when I am not sure but as has been proven on this forum and also the rabbit united forum, there is differing info for the same questions frequently.

I feel that I am getting your back up and I don't mean to

I'm sure Max has the best mommy possible.

I didn't get on with the rabbit united forum at all (because of all the conficting advice) and although I do take away some really useful tips from other rabbit owners. With regards to health advice especially I would rather get it from the RWAF as the vets are the ones giving the advise so know for sure which treatments are correct.

P.S I never said you would give Max sugary treats, and neither would I with my bun, as we are BOTH good responsible rabbit owners. (I did actually mean the shop bought treats for rabbits not actual sweets BTW)

Loopy_Girl

No, no you're not

I will look at RWAF for advice however as it does frustrate me sometimes reading things on the net and then checking elsewhere (RU forum only to be told something else!!) What's a girl to do?!!!!:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

My daughter keeps trying to get me to buy those sugar treat things from the pet shop and gets told a firm no everytime!!!! Aside from the fact it is not natural to their digestion, buns have enough dental problems without adding to them!!!!

I enjoy your posts and am picking lots up from them so thanks x

lbt_2

Hi

At last! We have our new rabbit. She is a nine week old chocolate and white dutch. I put her in the hutch yesterday and pretty much left her alone to settle, then today when I gave her more food I opened the door so that she could go out into her run.

She hasn't been out in the run yet, but is happily eating, standing up, snuggling in her litter tray etc. How long do you think I should leave it before I take her out for a cuddle? She is used to being handled so it isn't anything new for her - I just want to make sure she settles okay.

Thanks