Just a few rabbit questions.

[Konotashi]

I was wondering what you guys fed primarily? I've heard Oxbow is a good feed, but I don't know if the feed store near here carries it; I'll check. Is Nutriphase good for bunnies?

If I were to get a 50 lb. bag for my single Holland lop, would the food stay fresh if I seal it? I know that buying in large quantities is cheaper than buying a lot of smaller bags, so I want to save some money over time.

How do you litter box train a rabbit? Do I just put a litter box in his favorite corner?

What's the best litter to use for the litter box, and what's the best kind of litter box to get? Are the corner litter boxes effective?

Will he use a hammock if I put one in his cage, or are rabbits not known for using hammocks?

At what age will an intact male rabbit start to spray? Do some males not spray at all? Does neutering stop this behavior?


Sorry about all the questions. Now that I know I can keep my bunny, I want to be POSITIVE that he gets the absolute BEST care I can offer, since before, he was only with me over the weekend.

 

[Konotashi]

Now it wont let me edit that. Two more questions I have:

I've seen the word 'binky' on this site. What does that mean?

Is sand safe for rabbits to play in? I heard they have a ball in it, but is it safe for their respiratory systems?

What exactly is head tilt, and what causes it? Is it preventable?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

50 pounds of food is a lot for 1 bunny. Even if you save money, you will probably have some go bad before you can use it. You can try putting it in freezer bags and freezing it in smaller amounts (5-10 pounds per bag). I would try to get a 25 pound bag at the largest for only 1 bun.

If he is already going in one area, you can just put the litter box there and he should use it. Put any stray poops in the box. clean up pee with a paper towel and put it in the box. Not having litter in the rest of the cage can help as he will learn that there is only litter in the box. You can use towels or blankets instead of other litter.
I use a large, rectangular cat litter box. Corner ones tend to be too small for most rabbits. Clay and/or clumping cat litter is not suitable for rabbits. It can cause blockages if eaten and respiratory problems. Most people in here use a recycled paper or wood pellet litter. Some use a product like Carefresh.

Hammocks are not really safe for bunnies. You can use small dog beds or other soft stuff instead. Some rabbits like to have levels in the cage as well.

Males can start to spray when their testicles descend, usually between 4 and 6 months old. This is a great time to get them neutered. Neutering can help with hormonal behaviours like spraying and humping. They can still be a bit moody when they are young (teenagers).

A binky is a little jumpy. twisty thing rabbits do when they are happy.

I am not sure about sand. Some people have sand boxes for their bunnies. I don't think it would be a huge issue as long as the rabbit doesn't eat it.

 

[pla725]

I would go with a smaller bag of hay for your bun. I use Oxbow or Kayteebrand.

I don't feed pellets to my rabbits. For a young bunny I would give alfalfa pellets to help with growth.

My rabbits get unlimited hay plus veggies twice a day.

Some people use Yesterday's News, Feline Pine, shredded paper, wood stove pellets. Depends on what your rabbit likes. I use a large cat litter box for all my rabbits, even for my dwarf.

 

[Konotashi]

So 25 lb. maximum bag of food, no hammock, but maybe a level, not cat litter, and bigger is better for litter boxes?

I was reading a thread about scent glands. Where are scent glands on bunnies, and how do you clean them?

 

[MikeScone]

Konotashi wrote:

I was wondering what you guys fed primarily?... If I were to get a 50 lb. bag for my single Holland lop, would the food stay fresh if I seal it?

What's the best litter to use for the litter box...

At what age will an intact male rabbit start to spray? Do some males not spray at a

I'll answer a few...

Scone gets Big Red Rabbit's Choice feed - I think that's an Agway house brand. I tried him on Oxbow, but he didn't like them. He only gets a small handful a day, so a five pound bag lasts for several months. It might be cheaper in bigger bags, but I just don't use enough to matter.

The bulk of Scone's diet is hay (Orchard Grass and Peter's Meadow Mix are Scone's favorites) and fresh vegetables (Spring Mix in the morning, and kale or romaine lettuce or dandelions or bok choy in the evening).

For litter, I use a base of newspaper with aspen chips over that.

Scone has hardly never really sprayed, and he's six years old, so some males don't.

Head tilt is caused by some diseases. The rabbit's head literally tilts to one side - in extreme cases it will go entirely sideways, so one eye is pointed straight down. It's pretty rare, and although at one time rabbits with head tilt were considered incurable, today with good care they can recover. It's not preventable in the sense that there's anything specific you do to avoid head tilt, as such - just keep the bunny healthy and the issue will probably never arise. *knock wood*

Scent glands are around the anus, and you'll probably never need to know exactly where. Cleaning them isn't a normal bunny-owner issue (your mileage may vary).

 

[slavetoabunny]

Konotashi wrote:

So 25 lb. maximum bag of food, no hammock, but maybe a level, not cat litter, and bigger is better for litter boxes?

I was reading a thread about scent glands. Where are scent glands on bunnies, and how do you clean them?

I have four rabbits and order 25 lbs. at a time. I would get no more than 10 lbs. at a time for one rabbit. Here is a good video that shows you how to nail clip and clean scent glands.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vldSCV9qY3c]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vldSCV9qY3c[/ame]

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Replying to your question on using sand and the word "binky".
The word binky, not sure what it means, but the bun jumps in a strage manner, a happy manner and it means they are happy as heck. Binky! Our bun does it out in his pen, he gets so excited, and that's what a binky is, "can't contain the excitement"! Heee.