Rabbit Imagination

[dr_peter_kraz]

So it has come to my attention that some of thenewer members could use some help on Rabbit play. Also Ithink In this thread I well be starting off withbunny-proofingbecause when rabbits play its important to havea nice play area for are loved ones ( and safe). I want as many ideasas possible added on to this thread so go to town my forum friends.

Before allowing your bunny to have full run of the house witch forfirst time rabbit owners is very possible( it also allows your rabbitto grow physical and mentally strong). The first time outshould be well supervised, see how see reacts to herenvironment. When you do this you can see if all your valuedproperty is properly put in a unreachable area. I want to saya living room can still look very atractive after bunny proofing, youjust need to feel out the lay of the land. make sure allpotted plants are not harmful to your bun or better yet ( i do this)put all potted plants on the top shelf. Also make sure allcords are out of reach. I've read in this very forum thatthese cords( phone, electrical) make nosies only rabbits can hear whichin turn is very attractive to them. Not only that but thesecords look like tasty vines ready to be comped on. NowRabbits do have a tendency tobe afraid of heights but therehappens to be some curiosity that well encourage are little Friends toclimb to new heights( I would call it being brave as well).My point being if you happen to have a desk in the rabbit play room (which is fine because rabbits love just hagging around) you what topush it under the desk when you leave. And just rememberthere may be other interests for that little bun so make sure the firstfew time are supervised.

Now I also what to dive in alittle deeper with the ways to cover up andrepel are friends for the furniture or wood sidings( not saying allrabbits do, and if so this well the most troublesome the first year)unfortunately some rabbit owners give up in this year of adolescencebut please persevere the rewards after that first year are so worthyour troubles. Bunnys find many odors repulsive so test themout ( not on the bun itself but on the area you want to keep in-tacked)things like perfume, shaving lotion, and hot sauce. Yet youcan easily go to any pet store and fine something there. Withthings that new to be hidden you can get creative with, mats, blankets,towels, tubing, wooden bumpers,Plexiglas, and just as simple as theright furniture arrangement. Keep in mind chewing issomething that should be encourage, because Rabbit teeth do not stopgrowing( which I well cover more of in the second to lastparagraph). I have found that my environment is very stylishand at the same time rabbit friendly by just putting some time into it.

So now for what we have all been waiting for ( given my title/description/subject) rabbit play. Rabbits main objective inlife is chewing. so when I say this I mean there programed tochew and if you do not supply the right things for them you well soonsee my point. the little bun well start chewing on carpet,furniture, and the way to divert this is to give then something to chewon. If you give then engaging things to chew on the wontthink twice about chewing on the carpet. Straw and wood willdo the best job. They can really have a good time with wickerbasket which can be purchased at any craft store, All sizeswell do. Also go to a pet store you will find that there arewooden toys for many pets that well do. Rabbits are veryimaginative whenit comes to toys. I read a bookthat made this same point, people say "Rabbits are not intelligentenough to play with toys" but oh yes they are! This well makea huge improvement for your Rabbits playtime. Heres a list ofthings to look for in a toy or just a toy, something that makes noise,jingles, rattles, bounces, like a lid, wire balls,balls,key chains,empty cans(non sharp), and may favorite idea is hard plastic baby toys(i'm looking at a picture of a bun in the back of a tonka truck rightnow, hahahah). Then towels are Fayes personal favorite, shedigs on them, slides on them, pushes them, and for some odd reasonjumps on them, and in my room I have one hanging from the side of thecage which she likes to dart through. See they have such aimagination I'm not sure if she imagines it to be a foe or a monster ofsome sort,lol. Now another thing is cardboard and any typewell do ( no chemical residue though please) such as from cereal, papertowel rolls, toilet paper rolls, tissue boxs. THESE TOYS SAVEYOUR HOUSE so make sure there are always good toys for yourfriend. Rabbits can get depressed just like us and I'm notsaying get two rabbits ( you never know if they well get along soplease be vigilant). I'm saying stuffed animals would be amuch better friend if your not home all the time. Then alsotry building a gym with ramps and other ideas you can dream up.



Go to the hardware store and get some big tubes for them to runthrough, get some wood and build a ramp, just be creative and have fun,and experiment. Remember the bun is alot more fun loving andopen to many ideas for play. Just get involved and it well beworth your time. Last thing is give at least two hours inthis type of environment a day( have toys in the cage aswell). I hope I shed some light on this subject and lets keepthis thread going with some of the things your rabbits love.Take it from here forum..........................................

Love

Peter & Faye

 

[Carolyn]

:shock: Wow!

You've been doing your homework! A++, Peter. :dude:

Fauna does chew on her stuffed animals; although Tucker doesn't, sopeople must be be sure that their rabbit will not ingest any fibers ormaterial. Some rabbits do, some don't, as I said.

Have you ever just put down a brown paper bag and watch a rabbit playhide and go seek with you? Haven't met a rabbit yet that wasn't curiousabout what's inside a brown paper bag, although I'm sure there are somethat could care less.

-Carolyn

 

[dr_peter_kraz]

Oh yes Carolyn I have, paper bags areabeautiful thing in fayes eyes. She tares themapart all night and day( but mostly when I'm trying to sleep,lol)

 

[Carolyn]

Ohhhh yea, now that you mention it, I do recall a paper bag under the bed with her in the picture you posted of our Beauty.

Buck's rabbits like wiffle balls. I've been meaning to get them for my rabbits, but I keep forgetting about it.

When I bunnysat Buck's rabbit Calbert, Mr. Calbert just had tohave his baby rattle in his litterbox. If it wasn't there, he'd gobalistic. It was the way I'd get him in his cage at night. I'd pick uphis rattle and put it on the cage floor. Without fail, that rabbitwould hop right into that cage and flig that rattle into the litter boxwith a look to follow that could kill.

"Don't Mess with my Rattle, Woman!" :X

-Carolyn

 

[dr_peter_kraz]

that is just to funny, I sometimesstick a paper towel roll on Fayes noise and she'll grad it and reallyjust throw it as hard as she can. wiffil ball I like that Ithink I'm going to pick one up

 

[Cinnabun]

lol.. i buy Cinn cat toy balls with a bell in the middle and like lines on it so she can grab it and throw it! lol

 

[Stephanie]

Great thread, Peter!

I haven't tried the paper bag with Abby and Valuran yet, Chompers could have cared less of course.

I've heard those little toys that cats play with, the balls with the bells in them, some rabbits like to play with also.

 

[dr_peter_kraz]

this is what a paper bag and the other boxes I mentioned turns into

 

[Stephanie]

Look at that face! I was hoping you'd post some more pictures soon, in fact, I was going to ask for some.

You should see our living room...half chewed cardboard all over theplace. We give them free reign of a huge area and need to keep themoccupied.

 

[blueyes65]

Well I am surprised of your knowledge, and feelguilty thinking you wereone that was just passing by, pleaseaccept my apologiesYour post here is greatly informative and I havetried to think of ways to play with Shadow. And you havegiven me some great ideas.

My problem with Shadow is when I go to play with her she will not shareher toys. Shadow grunts and jumps at me...I am very slow andgentle in playing but she really has a problem with sharing. Some ofthe thingsShadow enjoys is rabbit blocks, paperplates, plain white paper which she will jump around the room with thislong piece hanging from her mouth and a good go at hide and seek....that seems to get her out of any bad mood she may be in at thetime. Look forward to some of the other ideas as this postgoes along. Great to have you on board

 

[dr_peter_kraz]

Oh another great thing is a baby gate, now when Ifirst got Faye it was a way for me to keep her in the designated playroom. It was a very funny experience though, because fivemins later there was a hole ( in the size of a large bun) and no bun tobe found. So what I did was cut out all the plastic and witha little bit of creativity took some chicken wire and nailed it on(trygetting through that Faye,lol). I like the idea of making agym as well, because even though Faye has no locked doors she gets setin her ways and doesn't always burn all the calories she takesin. Yet all We need to do is find a interests and expand onit. So lets say Faye likes tubes, well I think I would say "why not put some tubes together that go up then across and backdown".Has anyone build a gym for your bun? if so orif you thought of some great ideas pleasedon't keep it toyourself

Peter & Faye

 

[Carolyn]

dr_peter_kraz wrote:

this is what a paper bag and the other boxes I mentioned turns into

THAT'S It!

That's the picture I was thinking of!

I get those tissues too. The ones with the brown bunnies on the side. Isearch for them in the grocery store. I'll go 5 boxes deep to find one.



-Carolyn

 

[dr_peter_kraz]

Thats so funny, you know what I do to find thoseboxes! For the people that don't know the tissue boxes withthe rabbit prints are mixed in with other prints so you have to shufflethrough some to find the rabbit boxes. I knew that was theone thats why I put it up so every one know the photo you were talkingabout,lol. Is'nt that funny Carolyn who would figure usrabbit nuts searching out rabbit tissue boxes ( I find it very fittingfor my decor).

Peter

 

[bunnylover78642]

PROBLEM::: I let my bunny out and watch them. Itis hilarious but if I want to pet them or put them in their cage again,they wont come near me... They run around with like their a chickenwith it's head cut off. (no offense). They also always seem bored inthe cage. Another PROBLEM is that when I have them out of the cage theypoop all over the place. Where they do it the most I put a litter boxand then they purposfully go right next to it while looking at me. NOTFUNNY!! I am stuck every night on my hands and knees picking up bunnypoop. Another PROBLEM:: Gemine, a female about 5 months old, alwaysbites me when I am holding her some times it is just a nip but othertimes it is really hard like almost breaking the skin hard. I don'tknow why I have told her know. She gets 2 handfuls of pellets a day,enough hay to last all day long, plenty of water, and she has a saltwheel. Please help!

 

[gjsara]

pete i love you and you know this! you have onlybeen here a short time and for somereason or another i gravitatetowards you maybe its because you are a caring person and you are oneof the only men on here who i have known that has come here andcontributed so much ! you are great and i thank you for finding us andbestowing your knollage on us and aking the time to care andgive something back!

sara

 

[Buck Jones]

Comprehensive post, my friend! Littleleft to add after that one. It'll merit "bumping up" in thenear future time and time again, I am sure.

Buck

 

[Carolyn]

Thought of that myself, Buck.

This one's definitely going to come up "a few times" in the future.

A job Very Well Done, Pete.

*High Five*

(I bet I can find 3 brown bunny tissue boxes at the grocery store. How many are you down for?)

-Carolyn

 

[dr_peter_kraz]

bunnylover78642 wrote:

PROBLEM::: I let my bunny out and watch them. It ishilarious but if I want to pet them or put them in their cage again,they wont come near me... They run around with like their a chickenwith it's head cut off. (no offense). They also always seem bored inthe cage. Another PROBLEM is that when I have them out of the cage theypoop all over the place. Where they do it the most I put a litter boxand then they purposfully go right next to it while looking at me. NOTFUNNY!! I am stuck every night on my hands and knees picking up bunnypoop. Another PROBLEM:: Gemine, a female about 5 months old, alwaysbites me when I am holding her some times it is just a nip but othertimes it is really hard like almost breaking the skin hard. I don'tknow why I have told her know. She gets 2 handfuls of pellets a day,enough hay to last all day long, plenty of water, and she has a saltwheel. Please help!

It dosent happen over night thats the realproblem. Start off with the baby gate closing them in a smallarea like a breeze way. Have two litter boxes if its anybigger, but for you start with the small area( a non carpeted area soyou can vacuum the poos up instead of being on your hands andknees). Put some hay in the litter box and theywill be more apt to sit and eat. I would like to see thatlitter box filled with corn cob litter too. when they eatthey will love it ,poo and eat, poo and eat. Pretty soon whenyou expand the space the buns well make a bee line for the litter boxbecause the litter boxis drilled into there mind to be theultimate place to poo and tinkle( and the only place they will wantto). It takes time but for Faye with just the info I gave youshe naturallywanted to use the litter box. Also tocontinue this training, in the cage get a litter box and putitin the spot where they tinkle( because all rabbits tinklein a certain part of the cage). Now to me it sounds like theycould use more time out side the cage (not to say your abadmom, because I'm not at all)because when you letthem out they flip out with the freedom they have no clue what to dowith. So set the two in a small bunny proffed areathat we talked about and let the two get used to it. Like Isaidonce then know how the system works and they have earnedmore space let them have it. For now keep it small.

Now for the play issue get on their level and the bun well certainlyinvestigate you, theres no dought in my mind.Just waitforthem to come to you. Also when you approce,theysound skittish so be slow show them your not a predatorcoming to snatch them up( funny but true).Are they both 5months old because if they are some of these reasons are because theregoing through a stage, its called "The Age ofInnocence"(which is the first year, but dont give up on them). They willsettle down, for example my bun faye never liked cuddling the firstyear there was way to much for her to explore. Now we fallasleep together and cuddle for aleast two hours aday. Shes amore mature women, hahaha.with the cagedoyou have any toys to play with, I would really suggest someblanket's or towels. The cage maybe to small.. Alsothe cage should be looked at as a den not a jail, and the cage can seemlike a jail ifits small and they spend the whole daytheir. Two hours is the minimum play time out of thecage. The cage should be a retreat, a place to seek refuge,and a place to take a break from the busy world.

So with the bitting when ever your bit you need to squeak of make alittle noise to let them no it hurts you. Then on the otherhand they maybe love bit which will happen when your close andcomfortable with one another( out of the blue she'll bit out of purelove) But breaking the skin seems to be a problem that needs to beaddressed(thats not a love bite). Do not bite back(lol) butlet the bun know it hurts and you well not have that type of behaviorin your house. Do you think your scaringthe bun insome way? Slow down when you pick up the bun and also showher theres nothing to be affaird ofperhaps a quick pickup fora 1/2 min then set her down ( do this many times so the bun well getused to it)

So now for feeding for any 5-7 pound bun2 onces of pellets aday isgood. Make the hay avlable any time any amount because thatis a rabbits main concupstion. Then on top of that I givefaye twice aday1 handful of romaine lettuce, 3 baby carrots, 4 sticksof cilantro, and a small head of broccoli( for them its BIG).Thats very important so please tomorrow good get some veggies of greensfor your buns.

I hope I answered your questions

 

[dr_peter_kraz]

Carolyn wrote:

(I bet I can find 3 brown bunny tissue boxes at the grocery store. How many are you down for?)

-Carolyn

hahaha, any amount

 

[ariel]

Well done on a great thread