Brooms/Water

[ChinaBun]

Is it OK to let my rabbit eat a straw broom? Ilive in China and haven't yet found a place to get hay or straw. Sheeats vegetables and some grass, including dandelions. She's lately beenchewing up the straw broom. I wouldn't mind buying her another broom toeat when that one's finished, if it means she is getting some roughagein her diet.

Also, she doesn't drink water! I have tried different water holders andshe just doesn't get the idea. I'm not sure if I can find a real petwater bottle here. I may have to have someone bring one from the US.Even though she doesn't drink, she seems to get enough liquid from theveggies, as she pees a good amount (the best I can tell).

Thanks in advance.

Nancy

 

[pamnock]

She can eat the broom as long as youarecertain it is not treated with anything and be certain toremove any nylon strings that may be in it.

Are your rabbit's droppings normal in appearance? If so, Iwould not be concerned about the fact that she's not drinking muchwater because she is getting so much moisture from the veggies andgreen foods. Rabbit on a concentrated pellet diet requiremuch more water than those on a diet of greens.

Pam

 

[Pet_Bunny]

ChinaBun wrote:

Also, she doesn't drink water! I have tried different water holders

I just use a bowl for Pebbles water. Make sure it's heavy enough so it doesn't get tipped over or spilled.

Rainbows! :angel:

 

[naturestee]

I also use a heavy bowl. Are you sure she's notdrinking? I rarely see mine drink, but she does. You just might not belooking at the moment.

 

[ChinaBun]

I have tried to show Qingqing ("cheeng-cheeng")what the water bowl is for, by putting water on my finger then on hernose, and also by sticking her nose in the water bowl, but she doesn'tget it. I am assuming that she didn't have a water bowl when she was ababy. My students who have had rabbits told me they never gave theirbunnies water.

Another thing my students with rabbits told me is that it's dangerousto give the bun vegetables with water on them! After I wash the veggiesI put them right into her cage, so she'll get more liquid. My studentssaid that she will get sick. I said that's ridiculous, because innature rabbits eat wet grass.

Qingqing is actually being kept for a while by the British teachers atmy school. They are pet-lovers, but since they are leaving in a couplemonths they don't think it's responsible for them to get a pet. So Iloaned Qingy to them. They love her! I go over there often to see her.It seems like she's doing better with them than with me. Maybe becausethey both had rabbits as kids, or maybe with two people there's morecompanionship. Though my Qingqing is not a friendly bun, but a timidone, bless her heart. She hates to be picked up, will only sometimestolerate being held, and often scoots away when you get close to her. Iam assuming that she wasn't handled as a baby.

Thanks for the help.

Nancy

 

[chiquita090]

Alot of rabbits don't like to be picked up. Don't worry, it's not you, that's just how bunnies are.

That is ridiculous that they said they can't eat veggies with water on them! I don't see how they figure that.

As far as the water goes, try hanging a water bottle in her cage. WhenI was new to being a bunny mom I gave them weater in a bowl too andthey would never drink it. I switched to water bottle and they starteddrinking from the bottle right away. Also, bottles are better becausefrom drinking out of bowls rabbits get a wet chin, and there's somekind of illness (can't remember the name or details) that bunnies canget from having a wet chin.

Good luck!