considering a bunny in the future

[Leowyldemi]

it's been about three weeks since howie passed away, and the house isn't the same without a bunny here.

i am still wounded by howie's passing but i feel that there is room in my heart for another bunny, i've been weighing the pros and cons for a couple of days, and it's not going to be immediate, maybe in a month or two when i can get a nice big hutch, and some really nice things to make a bunny feel at home and also to give my heart time to heal.

but i have some considerations to make,

i would like to know how common kidney problems are in a bunny, it was mentioned at howie's appointment, and now i am wondering if the vet may have missed something and that's why he passed away.

also it seems i've been reading alot about tooth problems in lionheads, was i lucky with howie?is there tooth problems in the breed?. i would like to get a lionhead if i can, thanks to howie i fell in love with the breed.

 

[elrohwen]

I'm very sorry for your loss! When you feel ready I'm sure another bunny would love to come and live with you.

I haven't heard of kidney problems in rabbits, so I would say they aren't common. Kidney issues can occur in any animal, but I certainly wouldn't call it a rabbit specific issue. Hopefully someone else can give you more info on that.

As far as teeth problems go, small breeds with smushed faces (like lionheads) tend to have more teeth problems. This doesn't mean that every one will, or even most - it just happens more in these breeds than in other breeds. If you get a lionhead from a shelter who is not a baby, they will be able to tell you if it has teeth problems. Typically these chronic issues develop early in life due to the way the jaw is shaped. If a rabbit is a year old and has never experienced teeth problems, it probably won't become a chronic issue (not saying it will never happen, but if it does it's more likely to be isolated).

 

[Leowyldemi]

thanks!

that actually makes me feel better, knowing that will help me take care of the bunny when/if i decide to get another one in the future, the house doesn't seem the same without a bunny here

 

[Nancy McClelland]

I concur. The only bunnies we've had any teeth problems with are the smaller breeds, so make sure you check before you take one home with you. Out of 32 rabbits we've rescued, we have not had one kidney problem. We've had three get urinary infections and one had a huge bladder stone. Good luck in your search.

 

[Leowyldemi]

i have made a decision,i definately want another bunny, but i may have to wait until april to get them, otherwise they'll be stuck in howie's old cage, and depending on the breed that might be uncomfortable, he only used it really to sleep in and eat and potty, but he was a small bunny.

i'm looking into lionheads, and i saw an adorable post about jersey woolies, i also saw an adorable black hotot,and i like flemish giants(so snuggly!)

any recomendations? i want a lap bunny if possible

also is possible to leash train abunny, i heard about it but it doesn't seem like something that would work, i never did it with howie.

we have chicken hawks so i don't know if i'd let a bunny outside anyway!

i'd also like to learn more about jersey wollies so if there's any threads, point my nose that way

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Leowyldemi wrote:

also is possible to leash train a bunny, i heard about it but it doesn't seem like something that would work, i never did it with howie.

You can harness and leash train a rabbit, just don't expect to go for a walk like a dog. The harness and leash is more to keep the rabbit safe and prevent it from running off. You do need to introduce the harness slowly as some rabbits do take longer than others to get used to it. It is important to get a safe harness, H style ones are preferred and Figure 8 ones can choke a rabbit. Basically, you don't want a harness that can tighten when on the rabbit or one with straps that are too thin (like a rope harness). The leash should not be too heavy, and a length of about 6-8ft is good.

 

[woahlookitsme]

i am not sure if there are any threads about jersey woolies.
But Heres a couple lists of breeders
The lady I know who breeds and sells them is kathy moerbe she is in Texas though. If i ever got a wooly it would be from her. Woolies are great lap bunnies with a wonderful temperament. They dont need to be groomed as much as an angora but definately need a brushing at least every two weeks.
Theres one breeder from PA on there.
http://www.bunnyrabbit.com/info/breeder_links3.htm

Heres the National Jersey Wooly Rabbit Club site. This is all the breeders emails in the club looks like there's a bunch from penn. I hear the wooly people are really nice and friendly.
http://www.njwrc.net/emails.htm

EDIT. Also check out the featured articles.
http://www.njwrc.net/articles.html

 

[Leowyldemi]

thanks!

i found a breeder for jersey woolies and hotots,i'm considering hotots too, i met the black one and he was very sweet(his name was marty, i'm hoping that's common for the breed, but i need to do more research.

i was a bit dissapointed, there seems to be no reputable flemish giant breeders in the area,lots of ads on hoobly, but something about them is setting off alarm bells in my head,i don't see them on any breeder lists or anything