New rabbit owner and new to the forums

Blue eyes said:

I have a suggestion based on the photos. Those are such large rabbits that the corner litter boxes in the cage are far too small. You will have a much easier time (and happier rabbits) if you use much larger litter boxes. The litter box should be large enough for them to stretch out and lounge in (to give you an idea on size.)

I'd even suggest getting an x-pen to use in place of the current cages. That will allow the space for the larger litter boxes and will make potty training easier. Even if you plan to let them free range, they would still need a larger "home base" cage.

I have photos of such a litter box set up here.

Is that a seed treat stick in the upper photo? Pet stores sell these as "healthy" treats for rabbits but in actuality rabbits are not supposed to eat seeds.

They are absolutely gorgeous buns!!! Do they get along? Are they bonded? I couldn't tell if they were being housed separately or not.

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MaryAnne said:

Unlimited Hay, 1/3 cup pellets and green leafy stuff, romaine, parsley, cilantro, kale. (No iceberg lettuce). A small slice of apple or banana, a baby carrot, or a craisin or two for a treat and for training. Everybun is different though. My guy freaks over a craisin but lazily munches a carrot. He won't get near a strawberry, whereas most other buns love strawberries. I put a pinch of oats in his pellet bowl also.
It's not that the iceberg lettuce is poison or anything, it just has very little nutritional value. Even for us. I use romaine or butter for sandwiches, burgers, etc.
I like to vary the hay. Usually two different types, oat and timothy, or timothy and meadow, etc.
Lots of people give dandelion and other outside stuff, but I'm not comfortable with that. (Is there any weed kill on it? Fertilizer? Who knows.)
Some of the other pet store junk is yogurt treats, salt licks, etc.
BTW, here's my top five things I didn't know about buns, from 2010.

1) Bunnies have extremely intricate digestive systems. They must have food constantly. If their digestive system shuts down, it

will likely never start again. If your bunny is having surgery, do NOT withhold food the night before. Inexperienced vet techs may

tell you to do this. Never ever forget to feed your bun and go to work.



2) Bunnies will eat the first round of poop, usually during the day. When in the wild, bunnies stay in the burrow all day. Since their

digestive system cannot tolerate stoppage of food (see 1 above), their bodies process the food a bit, and they have these special

poops that they then eat and process again. This gets them through the day. The poops are like a blackberry with little glossy round

clusters. You don't see them very often of course, because your bun eats them. I wonder if he knows which type is coming out??



3) Bunnies need hay, moreso than pellets even. Hay keeps their digestive system happy, helps usher furballs through, and keeps

their back molar teeth smooth rather than sharp. Your bun should always have a pile of hay (timothy or oat for example) available. It cost me

$330 to have my bun's teeth ground down. Despite his crying, I will endeavor to give him fewer pellets and more hay.



4) Bunnies have a sense of humor, a devlish streak, and are easily bored. The combination is lethal. They are also very smart. The

moment I leave the bedroom door open, the bun tiptoes sneakily over there and under the bed. The problem with this is we have

a select comfort bed that has an air tube under it. I don't want him to chew the air tube.



5) Which brings me to: Why do bunnies chew wires?? One book had a reason that made the most sense to me. Despite never

having been in a burrow, my bun apparently carries the clean gene. Bunnies in burrows chew on roots that invade their burrow. This

is their 'housekeeping' so to speak. Since I carry the clean gene myself, it's hard for me to be reproachful about this. I just keep

the door closed, and use cord protector in the rooms that he frequents. (Duct taping cords to the baseboards works too).

And one more thing for a new bun slave. You need to keep a close eye on the poops. It's really the only way you know if he has a problem. Smaller than normal poops indicate something is wrong. And find a good vet. Rabbits are considered 'exotic', so not all vets are familiar with them.
Yeah I'm going to stop now so I don't overwhelm you.

MA

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kingofeli said:

What do you suggest as healthy alternative, other than fresh veggies (I've been giving them carrots as treats).
.

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Blue eyes said:

One carrot nib (small baby carrot or about a 1" slice of a regular carrot) is the maximum carrot a rabbit should receive on any given day. Carrots are actually high in sugar just like fruit. Too much sugar can cause a bacterial imbalance in bunny's delicate digestive system. So a single slice of apple (no seeds) or a TBSP worth of raisins is the max. Just one treat per day.

You can see some other alternatives if you click here.

Greens should be part of bunny's daily diet. But if you don't know what (or if) your bunnies had been fed greens in their prior home, then you'll need to proceed cautiously. Greens need to be very slowly introduced so as not to upset their delicate digestion. How to do this is explained here.

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