Need Bunny Tips!

by CinnamonPearl Tue 26 Dec 2017, 4:57 pm

Hey y'all! I have some exciting news. Very Happy

I'm getting a bunny! I'll hopefully have him within the week. I've been heavily debating getting a bunny for quite a few months now, researching a little and deciding on and off. But today I was at the shelter, and I met a lovely little man named Clover, and I just knew that he's my bunny. He's the sweetest thing! He's a snuggly baby, but also really active! He binkies so much, heehee. ^^ So I was wondering if there are any bunny owners on the forum! If so, could you give me tips? Very Happy

I wanna take as best care of him as I can. I'm researching a ton and I joined up a rabbit forum, but I wanna get info from everywhere possible. And also, if anyone knows any other good rabbit forums besides the House Rabbit one, I'd love to hear your recommendations. Thanks everyone!

by River Tue 26 Dec 2017, 5:29 pm

My parents have a few -- mostly older rescues. My biggest tip is that if you have or are getting a rex, bumblefoot is a huge risk. No matter what floor you use, it can still happen, and sometimes just never fully goes away.

Our old man, Kale, developed bumblefoot in his old home. Years on soft floors and medicines and creams and he still has some hairless soles, but at least its no longer red or swollen. Vetwrap is useful to have on hand for these guys.

Secondly -- brush. Often! Older rabbits aren't the best at self cleaning, and even with a daily brush, we still find ourselves taking them in to get groomed for mats every once and a while. This hasn't been a problem with the younger ones, but I don't know how old your guy is.

We go through hay really fast around here. Get the big bag. Also, Abraham (my New Zealand mix) throws his bowls upside down, so do yourself a favor and get a heavy bowl. He likes using the lighter bowls as toys, though.

by CinnamonPearl Tue 26 Dec 2017, 5:31 pm

What is bumblefoot, exactly? I'll have to do some research on it.

Clover is 3 years old, and I'll definitely be getting him a brush.

And will definitely get the big bag of hay! ^^

by River Tue 26 Dec 2017, 5:36 pm

Bumblefoot is also known as sore hock syndrome -- it's common in Rex breeds. It usually originates from wire floors, which is why they aren't used for rabbits, but it can happen to more sensitive rabbits regardless. The feet lose their hair, and begin to get raw or swollen spots without the protection -- if there aren't measures taken against it, it can become a bacterial infection.

There are a lot of ups to rabbits! I'm not their main caregiver so I don't really have much say on them, but from what I can tell, they're sweet as can be. Abraham really bonded to me, so when I move out I might be stealing him...oops. They're so fun, I'm sure you'll be a great parent. Will you have him neutered? It can increase the lifespan a good bit, so I'd reccomend it. Hearts

by CinnamonPearl Tue 26 Dec 2017, 5:40 pm

The shelter neutered him already! Very Happy

Saves me a nice amount of money, heheh.

by Rodents rock! Tue 26 Dec 2017, 6:42 pm

How exciting!!! And what a perfect bunny name, Clover, he was meant to be yours! Very Happy

Can't wait to see pictures!

by CinnamonPearl Tue 26 Dec 2017, 7:57 pm

Thanks!

I just hope I can get everything ready fast enough to snag him! I'm so nervous about it. xAx He's such a sweet boy, I'm worried he'll charm too many other potential adopters.

by Rodents rock! Tue 26 Dec 2017, 10:16 pm

Can you pay the adoption fee so they can hold him for you?

by CinnamonPearl Wed 27 Dec 2017, 9:28 am

Im not sure! But I will definitely go and find out today.

by Nijimi にじみ Wed 27 Dec 2017, 12:25 pm

If you're having a hay box/rack, put it above/right next to the litter box.

by Frizzle Fri 29 Dec 2017, 2:58 am

I have rabbits, though they are not pets. For hay, try finding someone local on Craigslist, it will be much cheaper then buying from the store. In my area, I'm able to reliably get good hay for $3 a bale, as opposed to $15 a bale in store, and vs the $5ish for the small bags. My mice love the hay as well, so double the critter love for you! Same with feed, for $15 I can buy 50 lbs of feed at a time. Even if you throw away half the bag due to it becoming less fresh (but I'm pretty sure you can freeze a portion?), you'll still save money compared to buying the small bags marketed to pet keepers.

You'll want to feed him whatever the rescue is feeding him at first to avoid potential bloat, then gradually change him over. If they don't send you with transition feed or you can't get the same food, give him straight hay for a few days, then gradually add pellets.

I like water bottles, especially for my hairy breeds and females with large dewlaps (they can get infections from getting it wet from a water dish, probably not a problem unless Clover gets chubby and a "dude" lap, ha ha) Invest in a j-feeder, if not for everyday use, then at least for when you get a pet sitter and need some peace of mind.

For caging, you can actually build fairly large customizable ones out of metal storage squares, and put platforms and ramps in it, fitting it to the space that you have. If you Google search how to build them, a lot of people build them to sit on a flat surface. Make sure you keep up with regular nail trimming, if they grow too long it changes how the rabbits are putting pressure on their feet, and is more likely to cause bumble foot. If you use something with a wire floor, you want it to be 14 gauge, 1/2" X 1" squares. It is true that certain breeds are more prone to bumble foot such as rex and giant breeds. If Clover is a fluffy breed, wire bottoms might be preferable to keep him from getting bedding stuck in his fur (I have several lionheads, it is a pain!) Regular bedding changes are important to avoid urine scald.

Mmm, I think that wall of text is about it for your basic rabbit 101. For treats, mine really love pinecones, and to hear them all chewing at once is really musical, all plinking away.

by CinnamonPearl Fri 29 Dec 2017, 5:25 am

Ah, thanks a ton! I definitely need to find a better place to get hay, yeah, and Ill get transition food from his shelter. Def will grab a water bottle as well, good catch! I almost missed that. As for caging, I actually plan to have a pen rather than a straight-up cage. A cage for a rabbit seems to be the same as a cage for a cat: super pointless. Heheh. Thanks a ton, Frizzle!

by Frizzle Fri 29 Dec 2017, 6:31 am

You're very welcome! The DIY ones with the storage squares are basically pens with a roof, you'd be surprised (well, or maybe not, lol) how high rabbits can jump and CLIMB to get out of their housing. For your average house bun, they are more like kennels for a dog. If you haven't read up on rabbit proofing your rooms, definitely do that. Hide those cords, and say goodbye to your carpet and wood trim!

by CinnamonPearl Fri 29 Dec 2017, 6:08 pm

Yeah, definitely need to get right on bunny proofing. I finally finished setting up his pen, so now I can get to the rest of my bedroom! I'd like to get some sort of flooring to protect the carpet in his pen ~~so my mom doesn't flip~~. I might go plastic, and then give him a bunch of blankets so it's not too hard on his feet. But I'm not quite sure where to acquire that!

by River Fri 29 Dec 2017, 6:18 pm

Vinyl flooring works -- fleece can work short term, but isn't best long term. Coroplast (or however its spelled?) is great and easily cleaned if you provide enough hay and blankets to get around on. This is what our unneutered male is on; he's more messy than the others.

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