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Maddy

Maddy

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Nov 23, 2008
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Location
, Missouri, USA
Okay, I have wanted a bunny for a long time and I'm still trying to learn as much as I can.
So, I'm hoping for a lot of replies with LOTS of information. There's really nothing specific right now, I just want to learn a BUNCH of information before (if) I get a rabbit soon.
So please reply :)
 
I have not got my bunny yet either, so I know what its like preparing. I have been doing it for awhile.

Like the other member's said, the Library part of the forum will help you out a lot.
There is TON'S of information on this forum which is very helpful, it has been amazing help to me as I have been on multiple hours daily reading. It does take a long time going threw the forum, I will admit. But, I dont mind helping out by telling you what I know. The things I am going to say are things I have ready over the years on the forum and on the internet, Also things I have heard from breeders, ect. So, I hope this helps :)


Food:
Bunny food should be pellets, not any of that fancy brightly colored crap the pet stores sell. The pellets should have protein and be made from high quality hay. So pretty much, they are hay compacted pellets. Rabbits should get a certain amount depending on size and age, which I forget what amounts they are, you might have to look this one up. Sorry, I know I read it here on the forum, just forget where. Try looking around here: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_forum.php?id=48 That has info about food and hay. As far as hay goes, bunny should always have access to hay. Put it where they can get to it easily, not where they have to struggle to get to it. The litter box is the best place, or if you put a hay rack right above the litter box.

Water:
Make sure a bunny has water at all time, and make sure its fresh. Bunnies can over heat easily so if you take him/her outside, make sure they have cold water to drink.

Cage:
Bunnies need lots of room to run, hop and play. There cage size depends on the size of the bunny. Small breed bunnies need a smaller space than large breed bunnies, of course but I think the minimum for any bunny is 4ft by 2ft. So, it should be that size or bigger. Bigger is always better though... in this case at least. The best type of cage I can recommend would be a C&C cage. You can make them any size and shape you want!!! You can see them here: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=54903&forum_id=93 or http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=46713&forum_id=93 or http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=31876&forum_id=21 Those should give you some good ideas. And not to mention C&C cages are a lot cheaper to make than to buy those way to small cages from the pet store.

Toys:
Toys are important as bunnies love to play, and they need something to occupy them. They are a lot smarter than people give them credit for. You can buy or make your toys, but if you decide to buy, be prepared to spend a LOT of money. To make yous, you can always use cardboard, shredded paper, paper, toilet/paper towel rolls, and I know there is some other things. I bought all my toys so I am not too good with the whole make your own toys thing. Im sure this thread: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_forum.php?id=93 should have some stuff about making toys. If not, post a thread there and I know people on here will have some GREAT ideas for you!

Play time:
Bunnies need out of cage play time to stretch, run and BINKY!!! Bunnies need a few hours a day for this and its a great time to also bond with your bunny. Sitting in the middle of the room (that has been bunny proofed) with some bunny safe treats is a great way to get your bunny to trust and bond with you. This is an fun, important time for your bunny. Make it as fun as possible for them!

Veggies & Fruits:
Bunnies should have fresh veggies and fruits! You can give them every day, as treats, or just a few times a week, but in my opinion bunnies should ALWAYS get them at some time or another. Here is a list of safe veggies & fruits you can give bunnies: http://www.adoptarabbit.com/articles/packet/abcvegi.html You should not just give them as much as you want though, bunnies should get a certain amount of each. I am unsure of the amounts though, so look around here: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_forum.php?id=48 If you cant find anything on veggie and fruit amounts, then post a thread asking. Somone on the forum can help you.

Spaying & Neutering:
Spaying and neutering is important if you do not plan to show or breed. Getting your bunny fixed can help there behavior very much. A rabbit that is mean can be a lot nicer by fixing it, the same with a feisty bunny, it can be calmed down by fixing. From what I have heard, bunnies make much better pets when they are spayed or neutered. One main reason for a male bunny is to get him to stop spraying and marking. One main reason for a female is to make sure she doesn't get female cancer.
I would definitely say, get your bunny fixed when he/she gets of age!

Umm, thats about all I can think of to tell you right now. Keep looking around the forum though, it will help you out a lot.

:biggrin:











 
Hi, Maddy...

My #1 piece of education is: A rabbit is NOT a throw-away pet. They need good daily care & attention for as long as they live. They are a 100% commitment to anyone that gets one.

I liken them to housebreaking a puppy. When you're housebreaking a puppy, you know that eventually the almost constant, concentrated attention given to that puppy will end. Not so with a rabbit, IMO.

You may have read this thread. http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=58527&forum_id=1 If not, you may learn sumpin' from it.

I'm 60 years old and Mahpsie was my first rabbit, though temporary, through no fault of her own.

I had no idea how many rabbits get euthanized because of people that get them & later find out that a rabbit just isn't for them. If you know someone with a rabbit, maybe... they'll allow you to borrow it for a few weeks, or at least let you take care of it in their home?

Don't get me wrong...I love ALL of God's critter's. It's just that it takes a certain kind of person to properly care for each kind of critter.

Educate, educate, educate. :lookaround;)
 
Great suggestion ^^^ Borrow a bunny!

You could also volunteer to foster rabbits from your local rabbit rescue or humane society. That would allow you to experience bunnies, without making the long-term committment (and also helping someone small in the process ;) )
 
Borrowing a rabbit, fostering and volunteering at a shelter are great ideas. We recently had a member here realize that bunnies just weren't her thing and sadly she had to rehome them. Sometimes, you can do as much research as you want. Things sound so different in writing, and the sheer excitement of having a new pet also comes into play. Everything is new, everything sounds good, and you go in super excited, energetic and optimistic. Once that initial phase fades though, it leaves some thinking 'uh oh'.

If I may, I would strongly recommend adopting from a shelter if you do decide you want to go ahead with getting a bunny. There are so many advantages to adopting to be honest. Not only are you helping the bunny in question, but you are also helping another by providing space. Shelter rabbits are most often spayed/neutered so you don't have to face that part of rabbit ownership either (which can be a bit scary for a first time rabbit owner especially one who hasn't knowledge of a proper vet). Shelters often have babies as well so you can still get an adorable baby (who will reach the terrible 2's quickly enough :p) if you want. Also, a big advantage is proper support from the shelter and they often help with bonding if you were to decide to get 2. By the way, adult bunnies are great additions as well, especially since you can really get a feel of their personalities.

Bunnies are certainly not for everyone. I'm a huge rabbit lover myself, but even us rabbit lovers can tell you that it's not always easy. They really are a joy to have though if they are right for you and you are right for them.

I'd definitely consider having a more direct contact with them before heading out to get one. :) As for the rest, there is a LOT to learn but you will learn as you go along as well. It can sound a bit intimidating at first but it's not so bad. Joining this forum was a very good start. The forum itself provides a ton of information, and then you have members who can give you a lot of great tips and tricks.

Best of luck!
 
While other sites can have some good info I hope you look around this forum as well. ;)

We try to have a wide range of info where some of those sites are centered on one mind set.

The ARBA site says this in regards to bonding...

Can I keep 2 or more rabbits together?
 Rabbits are very territorial, and in most cases, if multiple rabbits are kept together they will end up fighting at some point. Normally, when reaching sexual maturity they may become aggressive and start positioning for dominance, which can lead to fighting. Rabbits are usually satisfied to be alone, and having a partner to live with is not necessary. Especially if you provide care and attention to the animal daily.
There are, however, cases where multiple rabbits have been successfully kept together without fighting. If you wish to have more than 1 rabbit kept together, we suggest introducing them at a young age, keeping a close eye on them, and if one or more become aggressive, separate them at that time to prevent injury to any of the animals.

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The House Rabbit site says this....

What are the possible types of introductions?
  • Boy and girl: one of the easiest, often fall in love at first sight, but not always
  • Girl and girl: sometimes easy, often fighting
  • Boy and boy: sometimes easy, sometimes difficult, usually fighting at first, but not at all impossible
  • Two babies: extremely easy
  • Three or more rabbits: Difficulty varies, depending on sexes, personalities, and whether or not two of the rabbits are already bonded
  • Baby and adult: Sometimes difficult, but goes well if adult is very tolerant
  • Bringing home a rabbit to an existing rabbit. Much easier if you bring a girl home to a boy than if you bring a rabbit home to a girl.
  • Bringing two rabbits home at the same time. Quite easy, even if they're same sex. Usually the new space is enough to make them become friends quite on their own.
---------------------------------

Ok well the first site makes it sound like it is a handful of cases, the second if you read through all their info makes it sound like there is a match for every bunny. Also many sites will say that male/male bonds are next to imposible. Tell that to my bonded group of four males.

My perspective is that you have to treat every animal differently. When it comes to food, interaction, friends etc.

I try to avoid absolutes, when it comes to the care of my bunnies/animals. The same question can have a different answer when asked about a different bunny/animal. The same food doesn't work for every bunny/animal. Almost all my bunnies can eat pellets just fine. Only one has extreme issues with pellets. Currently we are trying to work on that.

------------------------

Other things to keep in mind. If the bunny is going to be justa pet not a pet/show bunny, neutering and spaying can be an expensive option. Some feel that they can handlehormones andfind that they can't in the long run. Some bunnies with time calmdown but not all. My 5 and 1/2 year old bunny who can't be fixed still acts like a hormonal nut ball. So if it is strictly a pet bunny you may be able to find a rescue or a shelter that has the bunnies fixed:)Pas if they were broken). Plus to most rescues is the bunniesareusually in a home which means that the fosterparent can tell you more aboutthe bunny that you are intrested in. Sometimes rescues and shelters can have babies up for adoption.

If you do go through a breeder make sure it is a responsible one. If you choose breeder I would post in the rabbitry asking breeders what you should look for.

There are many other options: craigslist; freecyle; newspapers; petstores etc... There are pros and cons to those options.

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It is great your are doing research before getting a bunny. Please read through this site, as well as the other ones linked. Than ask all the questions you want because everyone here would love to help you in any way possible.
 
Another thing to consider when you are reading material from the ARBA and House Rabbit sites is the following:

House Rabbit: Assumes rabbit is spayed or neutered, then predicts behaviour

ARBA: Assumes rabbit is intact/ not desexed, then predicts behaviour.

This helps to explain why it seems like sometimes information is conflicting with eachother :).
Try to read the websites critically. List what you plan to do, and see how it matches up with the recommendations - that can help you find the information right for your scenario.
 
NorthernAutumn wrote:
Another thing to consider when you are reading material from the ARBA and House Rabbit sites is the following:

House Rabbit: Assumes rabbit is spayed or neutered, then predicts behaviour

ARBA: Assumes rabbit is intact/ not desexed, then predicts behaviour.

This helps to explain why it seems like sometimes information is conflicting with eachother :).
Try to read the websites critically. List what you plan to do, and see how it matches up with the recommendations - that can help you find the information right for your scenario.
Click to expand...

Excellent point!!

On the bonding info, I'll recommend two other sites I think have more up-to-date philosophies.

For breeders:

http://rabbittalk.com/

They have a whole section on 'Colony' housing. They're mostly meat breeders there from a homesteading background, but they have great ideas re: making their rabbits lives happy, even if they are short.


On the rescue end, I love THIS one:

http://www.coastalhumanesociety.org/rabbitats.shtml

The Rabbitat founder, Quan Myers, says this:

3. Can groups of bunnies live together in one Rabbitat?
Quan: Groups of buns can live happily together as long as they are introduced into their new home at the same time. There will always be a dominant bunny and fighting is a concern if a new bun is placed in an already established group of bunnies.


PS: Also listen to JadeIcing, our current bonding queen, LOL!

sas :bunnydance:
 
Yep its because affiliated with ARBA don't neuter their rabbits. Their information they publish in their books and magazine is awesome. They even have a nice house rabbit section in the guidebook to raising better rabbits and cavies. They do mention spaying and neutering throughout the book. They are also talking about publishing s newly updated version too.

And I second giving rabbit talk a look too. :)
 
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