new to rabbits and i have a couple questions

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todd131

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i am happy this site exists i have found it quite informative!

i am picking up 2 NZ does on thursday and i am very excited. i will be building an outdoorhabitat this weekend. i was hoping to do it last weekend however, it rained on my plans.

i will have around 3 - 4days that the bunnies will be in dog carriers. one carrier is XL and the other is L. is this ok for short term?

the bunnies are 8 week old sisters and as the time approaches i am getting nervous about making mistakes. can they be housed in the same habitat? i decided to feed them organic pellets and organic timothy hay. i am not sure if i can have a litter box in the dog carriers so any suggestions on the temporary setup would be helpful. i decided on glass water bottles. do i need to put anything down like straw in the dog carrier or just a little hay. i know i will need to clean the carriers daily.

any other tips are appreciated.

thank you for the space!

todd


 
The girls can probably stay together. Just be careful about their sexes, rabbits are notoriously hard to sex even for experienced breeders. So, keep checking their sexes as they grow and if one turns out to be a boy, separate immediately.

The girls will do best if they are spayed to live together. Otherwise, as they hit puberty and get all their hormones they can start fighting and getting territorial.

What are the size measurements on the dog carriers? The XL one should be fine for both of them. You could probably fit a litter box in their too. Of course, they may not use it perfectly until they are properly litter trained, but a good starting place.

For the floor, until they are litter trained, I would keep it bare and easy to clean. Bedding will just confuse them about where to potty. Any accidents should be wiped up with tissue/paper-towel and put in the litter box, then the floor should be clean with a 50/50 water/vinegar mix to get rid of the pee smell. They should catch on fairly quickly this way.

Please share some pictures of your outdoor habitat once it is done!

-Dawn
 
thank you both for replying so quickly! my mind is a bit more at ease.

Emily: i plan on breeding them. i am currently looking for a californian male.

Dawn: should i wait to purchase a male because the sexes may be difficult? i am going to an experienced breeder who seems to be pretty knowledgeable. thanks for the good advice. the XL dog carrier is 40x27x30in. i think you are right, i should be able to get a litter box in it. they just wont be able to be very active in there if they are together. it would be easier for me though and it will not be for too long unless i have a snag in the construction that i am not forseeing now.

do i need to take them to the vet right away? are there shots or medications they will need?
 
If this is for a breeding set up, then house the girls separately. They could stay together while you get your habitat set up for them though.

You may want to start up a thread, or I can move this thread, in the rabbitry area. The information you are looking for would be more prevalent there.

In North America, there are no shots or immunizations that rabbits need.

-Dawn
 
There is no need to take them to the vet right away and rabbits do not require any shots like rabies.
The does will get along fine right now. It's just that when does reach maturity they can become territorial.
They will get along fine with a male but keep an eye on them to make sure that he does not breed them yet. A pregnancy this early would be harmful to them. They will be ready to breed at 6 months.

Emily

Silver Star Rabbitry
Raising and Showing Quality Silver Marten Rabbits in North Louisiana.

http://silverstarsilvermartens.webs.com/
http://silverstarrabbitry.blogspot.com/

[email protected]
 
aurora369 wrote:
You may want to start up a thread, or I can move this thread, in the rabbitry area. The information you are looking for would be more prevalent there.



-Dawn
Click to expand...

my badif i posted in the wrong spot! i'll get used to the layout over time. please provide me with a link when you do, if it is not too much trouble. :)

thank you both for helping me with my questions, i am feeling less anxious about the new bunnies. i am sure i will have many more questions as time goes on. totally newbie LOL
 
so is it correct that i should feed the young rabbits organic alfalfa pellets as the staple until they are 8 months of age? i was going to go with the oxbow organic feed however, now i am confused.
 
Yes, young rabbits can get unlimited alfalfa pellets until they are somewhere around 8 months. They are large breeds too, so they need the extra calories and calcium to grow healthy.
 
elrohwen wrote:
Yes, young rabbits can get unlimited alfalfa pellets until they are somewhere around 8 months. They are large breeds too, so they need the extra calories and calcium to grow healthy.
Click to expand...

thank you for the reply, so just so i understand alfalfa pellets only, correct? of course timothy hay and snacks and treats now and again.


 
Yeah, I would do alfalfa only. I do like to mix alfalfa and timmy hay, just because some bunnies will get very picky and only eat alfalfa even as adults. If you keep them eating some timmy as babies they'll learn to like it. Also, I think you would be perfectly fine doing alfalfa pellets with timmy hay - the pellets would give them the extra calories and such that they need.

Do you plan to feed veggies or greens at all?
 
elrohwen wrote:
Do you plan to feed veggies or greens at all?
Click to expand...

thanks!

yes i do plan on feeding veggies and greens. i have been researching what to feed them. i belong to a CSA for my veggies in the summer and usually have lots of nice greens and veggies. i will have to be careful i believe because i read that some veggies give the bunnies upset stomachs.
 
No worries about where you posted, this is an interesting thread. However, since these buns are for breeding and not house pets, I think the Rabbitry would perhaps garner you more insightful answers to your situation.

I moved the thread over for you, and hopefully you will get some answers from other breeders.

-Dawn
 
DyemondRabbitry wrote:
Just an FYI- I feed an 18% protein until around 6 months then I switch them to a 15%. I don't know much about Oxbow pellets though.
Click to expand...
i cant find any organic alfalfa pellets with more than 15% protein. will that simply make them grow a bit slower? the oxbow organicpellets have 12% will that be ok when they are 6-8 months old?
 
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