First time bunny owner needing a lot of help! (Prepare for a story)

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Definitely makes a GOOD difference.
To find out more about clicker training clickertraining.com is a great website with lots of information!
 
I thought it might be something like that (blindness). In most states it's technically illegal to keep wild animals, but considering that Lucky is blind and wildlife rehabilitators would just put him to sleep, I think you're doing the right thing.

I did some research on keeping wild animals in New York, and all I could really find was this:
http://www.animallaw.info/administrative/adusny19nyadc820_1.htm
It sounds like you'll be okay keeping him, unless Long Island has a specific law against it.
 
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OMG thank you. That was so sweet of you to look this up for me. It's just horrible..people can keep DANGEROUS wild animals...tigers, wolves and so on. Yet, its against the law to keep a wild bunny even when it's blind. I've called a few different vets and I've been given different answers yes/no either way i think I'm going to keep her. What are they going to do? put me in jail for taking care of a blind, wild bunny?
 
Thank you so much for the website. I'm going today to pick up a clicker. I already picked up treats that she loves! Strawberrys the freze dry things. she loves though. Which helps because the vet gave me a medicine that will help her which is good because she eats it with the treat.
 
The vet says she might. But me and my husband believe that since she may be blind and she is being taken care of us she might not become wild. If she does we will accommodate her needs so she is happy. That's all we want for her. I just wish I could help her relax. I think she's happy with me. She falls asleep on me pretty much all the time, but she's bunched up, her back legs are to her sides what looks to be relaxed but I'm not to sure if he is. I'd like to thin she's relaxed. I'm going to get the clicker today I;m rally excited. Already got her treats :)
 
Yeah, back legs flopped out, is a sign of being relaxed. The ultimate relaxed position is the dead bunny flop(dbf), and if you ever see it you'll know why it's called that. They really look like they are dead with their whole body flopped on it's side. More than one bunny has freaked out it's owner when in this position :)

People have had to care for little cottontails before, because of a disability. There was a member on here a while ago, with one that had to have a leg removed because of an injury. I guess if you had to, you could become a registered rehabber if it became necessary, but it probably wouldn't come to that.

It'll be interesting to see how the clicker training goes. You may want to hold off on sugary treats until she is a little bit older. It's usually recommended to wait at least until a rabbit is 12 weeks, to start introducing veggies and treats, and then treats should be limited as they can upset a rabbits digestive flora and cause serious digestive problems. But with your rabbit having been eating fresh foods in the wild, she may not have problems with veggies at her young age. Just always keep an eye out for changes in her poop. If they get soft at all or much smaller than usual and/or irregular shaped, then it means that she is either getting too much sugar and it's upsetting the digestive flora, or she could be having a hard time with a new veggie. That's why it's best to introduce one new food at a time, so that if there is a problem, then you know what food it is and can stop giving it, or reduce the amount. Some veggies/foods can cause gas with some rabbits, so it's good to get to know your bunny's normal behavior, so that if she is ever acting *off* then you will notice it and know that she needs attention. Intestinal gas for rabbits can actually be pretty serious, as it can sometimes lead to a gut blockage. Some signs of pain or discomfort are sitting hunched up and not moving around for a long period of time, changing postitions frequently(laying down and getting right back up repeatedly), eye squinting, teeth grinding, not pooping, and the most noticable is when it's feeding time and your bunny usually comes running but this time it doesn't and doesn't want to eat. You may never encounter any of these problems. It just depends on how sensitive your little bun ends up being, but it's good to be aware of these things in case you do end up having a rabbit that is sensitive at all. These veggie lists are pretty good, and will give you a general idea of how to introduce new foods, and what foods are good for buns.

http://www.3bunnies.org/feeding.htm#greens
http://www.rabbit.org/care/veggies.html
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/drop/Drp_en.htm

It's so great that you are willing and able to care for this little girl. She probably wouldn't have lasted much longer, out there on her own. I'm glad she's ended up in such a good home :)
 
I think I need to consider myself very lucky with my new bunnies. One nibbles on me (I think he was trying to groom my shorts off of me this morning) and both lay on their sides all the time, or in the litter pan with a leg or two hanging over the edge. I'm pleased they are relaxed in my crazy household. They certainly are precious.


One thing you'll learn is that the harder it is to run from a posture, the more relaxed the bunny is. An alert rabbit will stand on all fours, or sit with his ears straight up and his eyes wide open. The "meatloaf" position, with the front paws pulled in tight, is somewhat relaxed, but still alert. If the bunny is lying down with his hind legs off to one side or straight back - he's really relaxed. The "dead bunny flop", fully on his side or even back, is the ultimate in relaxation - but most rabbits will only do this for a few seconds at a time.

Keeping ever alert to their surroundings is why many (if not most) rabbits will never completely close their eyes, either - when Lucky is lying down relaxed and his nose stops twitching, he's probably asleep, even if his eyes are mostly open. In the seven and a half years he lived with me, I never once saw Scone with his eyes closed.
 
Wow! that's one lucky bunny!
I rescued Peter from a neglectful owner, accidental bunnies always steal your heart!

Most of the running and jumping and banging into things just sound like he's excited, hyper or playing... so there isn't really much you can do about him wanting a hop I'm afraid! In my experience they will pretty much do whatever they want, regardless of time!

Hope everything goes well at the vets!

Lynne and Peter xxx
 

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