RobnAud
Member
Hi everyone,
We just picked up our buns this weekend. 2 Holland Lops - one doe (Chloe) and one buck (Jasper) both 6 weeks of age. Not spayed or neutered yet due to age but we plan to do the buck as soon as we can and the doe by 6 months of age. We've placed litter trays in 2 of 4 corners, food (pellets and hay) in a third corner, and left the 4th corner free. We have them in a 2depthx4longx3high NIC cage. The free corner is right by the L front of the cage in front of the door. Right now they are quite timid, but curious. They don't like to be picked up and come in for a sniff and then hop away or turn their back.
Question #1: Is it normal bunny behaviour for them to be peeing in their hay and pellets? I thought putting their food in one corner would prevent them from using that corner as a toilet. I guessed, wrong, I suppose. But, I also put a basket of hay in their other litter trays and they jumped in the hay basket and peed in both of those too. Anything to be concerned about and try to change? Or normal behaviour for bunnies claiming their new home?
Question #2: What should we do in terms of handling these little guys? Should we let them be... approach us, sniff us, run away.. until they let us pet their heads or backs? Or should we try to handle them as much as possible to get them used to us? I'm more inclined to go towards the first option. Seems more caring. Would appreciate any advice or suggestions.
Question #3: When is a good time to spay the doe? With the buck we're going to wait until his testicles descend and are visible... is that right? With the doe, I think I recall reading that 6 months of age is a good yardstick. Again, any advice would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance. This seems overwhelming right now because when you first get your buns you have in your head an impression of how it's going to go and how they're going to be... and when you actually get them, it's different.
We just picked up our buns this weekend. 2 Holland Lops - one doe (Chloe) and one buck (Jasper) both 6 weeks of age. Not spayed or neutered yet due to age but we plan to do the buck as soon as we can and the doe by 6 months of age. We've placed litter trays in 2 of 4 corners, food (pellets and hay) in a third corner, and left the 4th corner free. We have them in a 2depthx4longx3high NIC cage. The free corner is right by the L front of the cage in front of the door. Right now they are quite timid, but curious. They don't like to be picked up and come in for a sniff and then hop away or turn their back.
Question #1: Is it normal bunny behaviour for them to be peeing in their hay and pellets? I thought putting their food in one corner would prevent them from using that corner as a toilet. I guessed, wrong, I suppose. But, I also put a basket of hay in their other litter trays and they jumped in the hay basket and peed in both of those too. Anything to be concerned about and try to change? Or normal behaviour for bunnies claiming their new home?
Question #2: What should we do in terms of handling these little guys? Should we let them be... approach us, sniff us, run away.. until they let us pet their heads or backs? Or should we try to handle them as much as possible to get them used to us? I'm more inclined to go towards the first option. Seems more caring. Would appreciate any advice or suggestions.
Question #3: When is a good time to spay the doe? With the buck we're going to wait until his testicles descend and are visible... is that right? With the doe, I think I recall reading that 6 months of age is a good yardstick. Again, any advice would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance. This seems overwhelming right now because when you first get your buns you have in your head an impression of how it's going to go and how they're going to be... and when you actually get them, it's different.