I posted most of this in my thread asking from help identifying breed but....
Two months ago there was a little rabbit on the side of the road. I tried to catch him but he was too scared. The next morning a neighbor reported that she had caught him in her yard. I offered to house him since I still had a small cage from years ago. When I went to get food for the rabbit I noticed someone had put a dirty small cage on the curb. I knocked on their door and they basically slammed the door on my face when I asked if their rabbit got out. When I returned from the store the cage was no longer on the curb. I am assuming someone got tired of having an Easter bunny.
I did put up signs and tried to see if someone else would claim him. No one did. So after a week I took him to the vet to see what I was dealing with. He was born just before Easter this year (2017), almost 3 pounds and in decent health. I disagree with the vet on the last because his coat was dull and I could easily feel bones but its the only vet in my area who will see rabbits. Since the vet later tried to tell me I had to leave a cone on a rabbit I am a little questionable about actual rabbit knowledge, but that's a whole other issue. I scheduled him for a neuter and put him on a waiting list for a local rabbit rescue.
After his neuter we put a yoke on him and left him in the small cage while we set up an area for him outside. I am allergic to rabbits and can't have them inside. Plus I won't keep a rabbit in a small cage for long periods, they need to stretch their legs, I also have cats so allowing him to run in the house is not an option. Once he was fully healed he moved into his new area.
Its a fenced in area about 30 square feet (if not bigger, I did't measure it) with a two story hutch, a shade tree, potted plant for hiding under, tunnels and toys. We put him in the hutch at first to get used to that and then opened the door for outside access. He slowly expanded his boundaries over a week and is now comfortable with the whole area. He gets put in the hutch at night to keep him safe; but during the day he gets to explore, sunbathe, run and nap anywhere.
He is a very picky bun. He gets annoyed when I move things in his area and frequently puts them back where they belong. He also refused to use a litter pan, instead using it to nap in while in the small cage or in his hutch, and has made the furthest corner of his area his potty spot. It works for me because his hutch just needs a refreshing of hay and bedding every other week (I do top the hay between and do light cleaning daily; but the full refresh and deep cleaning is twice a month). The potty spot gets cleaned up daily. I tried to move the litter pan into the corner but he pottied around it so its just a dirt spot that he piles on top of.
His favorite veggie is kale but he gets a good rotation of veggies plus fresh cutting and fruit from the yard (fruit is once a week, all plants bunny safe). He absolutely loves tossing around his willow ball and hopping in and out of his pop tent. Plus stretching out for a mid day nap with his legs stretched out or curling up against his potted plant.
Two months ago there was a little rabbit on the side of the road. I tried to catch him but he was too scared. The next morning a neighbor reported that she had caught him in her yard. I offered to house him since I still had a small cage from years ago. When I went to get food for the rabbit I noticed someone had put a dirty small cage on the curb. I knocked on their door and they basically slammed the door on my face when I asked if their rabbit got out. When I returned from the store the cage was no longer on the curb. I am assuming someone got tired of having an Easter bunny.
I did put up signs and tried to see if someone else would claim him. No one did. So after a week I took him to the vet to see what I was dealing with. He was born just before Easter this year (2017), almost 3 pounds and in decent health. I disagree with the vet on the last because his coat was dull and I could easily feel bones but its the only vet in my area who will see rabbits. Since the vet later tried to tell me I had to leave a cone on a rabbit I am a little questionable about actual rabbit knowledge, but that's a whole other issue. I scheduled him for a neuter and put him on a waiting list for a local rabbit rescue.
After his neuter we put a yoke on him and left him in the small cage while we set up an area for him outside. I am allergic to rabbits and can't have them inside. Plus I won't keep a rabbit in a small cage for long periods, they need to stretch their legs, I also have cats so allowing him to run in the house is not an option. Once he was fully healed he moved into his new area.
Its a fenced in area about 30 square feet (if not bigger, I did't measure it) with a two story hutch, a shade tree, potted plant for hiding under, tunnels and toys. We put him in the hutch at first to get used to that and then opened the door for outside access. He slowly expanded his boundaries over a week and is now comfortable with the whole area. He gets put in the hutch at night to keep him safe; but during the day he gets to explore, sunbathe, run and nap anywhere.
He is a very picky bun. He gets annoyed when I move things in his area and frequently puts them back where they belong. He also refused to use a litter pan, instead using it to nap in while in the small cage or in his hutch, and has made the furthest corner of his area his potty spot. It works for me because his hutch just needs a refreshing of hay and bedding every other week (I do top the hay between and do light cleaning daily; but the full refresh and deep cleaning is twice a month). The potty spot gets cleaned up daily. I tried to move the litter pan into the corner but he pottied around it so its just a dirt spot that he piles on top of.
His favorite veggie is kale but he gets a good rotation of veggies plus fresh cutting and fruit from the yard (fruit is once a week, all plants bunny safe). He absolutely loves tossing around his willow ball and hopping in and out of his pop tent. Plus stretching out for a mid day nap with his legs stretched out or curling up against his potted plant.
