Help needed!

[JessicaMoore]

Hello!

On the 29th of this month i am getting two rabbits.
Most likely a male & female mini lop.

So far I have brought:

Tui premium Food
Tui premium Treats
Petex Hay
Petware Pine Bedding
Nail Trimmer
Combo brush
Trixie toys - carrot & corn
Trixie toys - 2 x straw radishes
Trixie carrot shaped gnawing stone

Which totaled to : $101.23
I ordered everything off Pet.co.nz (since i am from NZ) and within the next week I will be getting:

Ware lounging logs
Brooklands corner litter tray
Kaytee Natural Pine Bedding & Litter
Trixie Gnawing Stone - Carrot
2 x 120ml ware best buy water bottles

All from a different site, Petpost.co.nz
Which totals to: $58.84

I will be getting a hutch in a few weeks off trademe.co.nz
I will also be getting the two bunnies off of trademe.co.nz

What i need to know:

Can a unspayed female & unneutered male live together and if yes how long before i will need to get them neutered?

What else will i need to purchase?

Name ideas?

General information on training

General information on breeding

Your experience raising rabbits?

Thank you!

 

[ladysown]

Depends on age of bunnies.

If purchasing young bunnies they need to be separated by 11 weeks of age. Youngest rabbits known to have kits was 12 weeks but that's the exception not the rule. BREEDING by 12 weeks DEFINITELY happens.

So separate by 11 weeks of age.

If you have a large enough cage just put a divider in so they can still see and smell each other through the wire.

Book them to get surgery at four months.

Keep them separated for another month and then start the bonding process at that time.

I think you've bought plenty. Toys are easily made from at home things like cardboard, twine, unique hay feeders, pickle jar lids, phone books etc.

 

[Blue eyes]

For the divider between cages, be sure there is a couple inches gap between one divider and another. In other words, if you have two separate cages, don't have the cages physically touching, but have a couple inches gap between them. Otherwise, males have been known to impregnate a female through wired divider.

Be careful of pine bedding -- especially if it is not kiln-dried. It emits harmful phenols.

Ladysown is correct on separating them no later than 11 weeks. But you need to be very careful when you do have them together beforehand. It is possible that they could begin fighting, and if they do, it may compromise their ability to bond later. It does no harm to keep them separate until after they are fixed and healed.

Remember, just because two bunnies are fixed does not guarantee a bond. The rabbits will be the ones making the choice as to whether or not they will accept each other.

I am not familiar with that pellet brand. Just be sure it is a plain pellet that does not have any colorful add-ins or seeds in it.
You might like a quick look through this site for some care tips, including bonding, choosing bunnies, litter training, feeding, etc.

 

[minimoomin]

Welcome from a fellow Kiwi!

If you want some more toys check out baby toys from Trademe and MightyApe (that's where I get mine, as prices in stores such as the warehouse ones are way too expensive). Post some photos of your hutch and rabbits so we can give more advice on housing the rabbits and their names!

Good luck.