Hello from Toronto!

[aozora]

Hi everyone! My name is Amy and I'm from Toronto, Canada. I just made a couple of posts and figured I should have come and introduced myself first (oops!).

I'm a relatively new, first-time pet owner so a lot of this has been a learning process for me! I adopted my bun, Mocha, six months ago from a local animal shelter (Toronto Animal Services to be exact). He is roughly 1.5 years old now and from what I heard, he was surrendered for biting which was largely resolved once the shelter neutered him. Very happy to report that he rarely does that now, and usually only a warning nip when I'm trying to clean (or possibly mess up) his pen. I'm not really sure what kind of mixed breed he is, but I'm pretty sure he's at least part lionhead from the long mane around his neck.

It could be his age but he's a hyperactive little bugger! Definitely an enthusiastic chewer who would chew anything he could get his little teeth on. I use a hard plastic chairmat to line his cage (after realizing through trial and error that he will tear up tarp, blankets, and yoga mats like they're nothing) and he's attempted to even gnaw at the edges of THAT too! Good thing I managed to deter him by covering those parts up with cardboard, but I'm going to have to replace them regularly because he also goes through cardboard like candy.

He's quite naughty too, he loves to go straight to the corners of my room that he knows are off limits to him (due to the presence of books, power bar, etc.) to explore once I let him out for his playtime. The moment I call his name or move to stand up, he races back over and never fails to give me the most innocent look he can muster! This can sometimes go on for up to 5 or 6 times until I finally chase him back over or lure him with a treat.

Anyway, I'm always googling for answers to my questions and this site never fails to show up as one of the top results, so I finally took the plunge and made an account. Nice to finally talk to you all!

Lastly, I uploaded a couple of pics of Mocha for you to see what he looks like-- both awake and asleep!

 

[whiskylollipop]

What a little cutie! He looks so soft. You'll want to make sure he's not ingesting TOO much cardboard, though. Welcome to the forum!

 

[Bville]

:hello Mocha looks like my bunnies! The picture I have of them as my Avatar is a couple of months old and now they are shedding out their "baby" coats and look more like Mocha without the mane.

 

[aozora]

Thank you Laura! Your bun from your avatar looks adorable too (I've always wanted a lop myself).

I would say Mocha only eats about 30~40% of the cardboard-- usually he just goes to town biting a billion slivers off and leaving the pieces scattered all over the place for me to clean up! Do you think that's still too much? I give him lots of willow sticks and wooden toys to chew on but his hands down favourite is cardboard so I don't want to deprive him of it too much!

 

[aozora]

:hello Mocha looks like my bunnies! The picture I have of them as my Avatar is a couple of months old and now they are shedding out their "baby" coats and look more like Mocha without the mane.

Hello! Oh gosh, they really do! I was surprised by how few bunnies seem to have the same colouring that Mocha does. How do you describe that colouring? I've been wondering for the past while and I still have no idea how to best explain it to people.

 

[Bville]

I think it's Siamese Sable.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Thank you Laura! Your bun from your avatar looks adorable too (I've always wanted a lop myself).

I would say Mocha only eats about 30~40% of the cardboard-- usually he just goes to town biting a billion slivers off and leaving the pieces scattered all over the place for me to clean up! Do you think that's still too much? I give him lots of willow sticks and wooden toys to chew on but his hands down favourite is cardboard so I don't want to deprive him of it too much!

Swallowing cardboard or other paper products is a sign that his body wants fibre. As long as you give him unlimited hay (change it for a fresh handful at least once a day) and you know he is eating a good amount of it, he won't feel the need to eat cardboard.. so you can give him as much of it to rip up as his little heart desires.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Hello! Oh gosh, they really do! I was surprised by how few bunnies seem to have the same colouring that Mocha does. How do you describe that colouring? I've been wondering for the past while and I still have no idea how to best explain it to people.

I'm no expert, but I know that that wee white spludge on his nose means Mocha is vienna-marked! As for the rest of his coat colour, I'm not sure. It's very unique, looks almost harlequin to me. Although it's probably closer to chestnut agouti. Siamese Sables should have near-white bodies, no? :anyone:

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

Hello and welcome to RO! Mocha is adorable! I adore his little white spot on his nose, its so cute!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Very cute little guy. Ours have been chewing cardboard for more than a decade with no problems. The only thing you have to be careful of is a box with photo quality pics as they are a plastic applique, but the ink is soy just like with newspapers, so, it's bunny safe.

 

[aozora]

I'm no expert, but I know that that wee white spludge on his nose means Mocha is vienna-marked! As for the rest of his coat colour, I'm not sure. It's very unique, looks almost harlequin to me. Although it's probably closer to chestnut agouti. Siamese Sables should have near-white bodies, no? :anyone:

I learned something new thanks to you! I looked up vienna marking this morning and learned a lot about the gene and BEWs (which I never knew existed). His colouring has always been confusing to me because depending on the lighting he can be more grey-ish or more brown-ish, but his undercoat is like a very light tan and his fur changes patterns every time he sheds (it's quite amusing when he sheds a shape like a giant butt right over his buttocks-- I should upload a pic!)

Hello and welcome to RO! Mocha is adorable! I adore his little white spot on his nose, its so cute!

Thank you! That's my favourite part too, it's always so easy to spot him when he's trying to hide or is up to no good

Very cute little guy. Ours have been chewing cardboard for more than a decade with no problems. The only thing you have to be careful of is a box with photo quality pics as they are a plastic applique, but the ink is soy just like with newspapers, so, it's bunny safe.

Thank you! I'm so glad to hear cardboard is okay. I only ever give him the plain kind of cardboard just in case, but that's definitely reassuring to hear! I think he would be happy to know he can keep chewing to his heart's content too