Treasuresandstuff's Bunny Blog

[treasuresandstuff]

Well, to start I have two rabbits. One is a wild colored AFL named Burnie. We got him in a terrible state. His fur is baddly matted on the rump, belly, legs and chest. I got him for his lovely fur because I spin. My poor dariling will need to have the above mentioned areas clipped for life I think, which is ok for me as the area I need hair from is his saddle area. I think with brushing daily and clipping as needed his life will greatly improve with us.

The other we have is Diamond. She is a red eyed white lionhead. First we were told by the seller she is just a lionhead, then another breeder came by who focuses on lionheads and she said Diamond is a double maned lionhead. Then on a yahoo group I was told she is what is called a Teddy lionhead and is genetically a throwback to their angora ancestors. Whatever she is she was also gotten because of her long lovely hair. She so far as no issues with matting but it may be because we clean the cage when we see a dirty spot and because we have been grooming both rabbits daily since we got them. I want their coats in top condition for spinning.

They are being fed Purina rabbit food, show I think. I also add some rolled oats. I did this years ago when I had satin angoras. Seemed to help their coats. I also added calfmana to the blend back then but have not been able to get it yet. I remember being told that black oil sunflower seeds were good for wool bearing breeds too. Back then they were quite expensive, so I will have to look into that.

First priority though is raising the money for a double decker indoor hutch to get them off the bedding and to illiminate that risk factor for matting. Then I will play with my feed to see what works best for these two.

They do get out of the cage time each day, and will continue to once we get the better cage.

Now to figure out what kind of fresh stuffs they like :big wink:

 

[treasuresandstuff]

So far so good, well yes and no on that. We have managed to clip down the AFL quite a bit but he still has several mats and being on a solid floor in his cage has caused dirt to mat the bottom of his feet and droppings to stick to his bum. The same is slowly starting on the Lionhead as well.

I am looking for cages better suited to them until I can buy the dream cage I found online. Even with these problems I have people telling me that wire floored cages are cruel even with rest spots to get off the wire. However which is crueler, wire in 2/3 of the floor and no mats or no wire and tons of mats? That is the decision I must make here.

Also until we have wire floors they can not have loose type hay and have to have the compressed blocks, otherwise I have to groom them after they eat their ration of hay and avoid even more mats because the hay can not fall through the floor if missed by the rabbits.

This is a very slow and both physically and emotionally painful process for the rabbits and us, but at least we can minimize the pain by managing the matting until better cages are acquired.

I only hope better cages can be found soon ray:

 

[treasuresandstuff]

While poking around I found some NIC panels. Someone mentioned using these to make a cage for the rabbits and I dismissed it thinking it would hurt their feet, but I figure if 1) I offer a litter pan and 2) cover a nice section of the flooring panels it should be OK. Or I can get some 1x1/2 in wire mesh to put over the floor panels. :? It will reinforce the floor, and allow the droppings to go to the pan below. Also giving more support to their feet. Only thing is I can not get the mesh until payday on the 21st. I am going to have to work on the design more before I put a rabbit into one. Deffinitely will NOT be able to double decker this kind of cage, at least not with the design I have in mind. Maybe if I play with the design after getting these two into "stage 1" NIC cages. Will keep my blog updated on progress. onder: Hmm, also need to devise a pee guard. . . :huh

 

[treasuresandstuff]

Ok so I am working on a cage for the Lionhead to start because she is more laid back. I had enough to do the walls and a ramp up off the floor where the bedding to absorb urine will go. I don't like to use litter boxes with longhaired rabbits because they tend to sit in them all the time and it defeats the purpose of getting them out of the bedding. Only had issues of sore hocks with a satin i won in a raffle. Only bought the ticket to support the club, lol! Had to put her in a solid bottomed cage then had no issues. Anywho, the holes in the cubes are too big for her feet. I am thinking of putting some cardboard on there to help her out. At least until payday when I can get the better flooring wire mesh.
I need a smaller feed dish for her too. She keeps sleeping in hers lol!

 

[treasuresandstuff]

Poor Diamond is dealing with a case of poopy butt. She is very sensitive to the availability of hay. She was fine until we ran out of hay and found out that there is currently a shortage in my area. No one has any except farmers and none want to drive to me, I have no gas so I can not pick up from anyone offering help outside of my town.

I got some very awful emails from my ad on CL about how I was starving the rabbits, some on how I was killing by feeding too much hay, and how I should just eat them and be done with it.

I ended up re-homing one of my snakes and taking the little money I got for her to walmart and getting some of the crummy stuff they have there. It was actually the last bag and they had no clue when they would have more.

Diamond is only getting hay and rolled oats to help her gut get moving again. As soon as hay and straw are available I will be getting plenty of both and storing in my shed on and wrapped in tarps.

Diamond's cage will have a full floor as of today or tomorrow. I am going to slowly improve her cage until I am happy then I will look into making a better cage for Burnie. I find that Diamond "goes" better after some exercise so I am giving her 30 minute sessions through out the day to help.

 

[treasuresandstuff]

I decided to trim down the 1 x1 cage wire and use it to get Burnie out of the bedding and he seems happy about it. I put a dish of hay in the cage and he dug straight in.

Diamond is still touch and go, vet says to bring her in tomorrow if she is still passing gooey poops. I am to keep a log on how her droppings are for the next month whether he decides she needs to come in or not.

I could really use a list of things I can buy without seeing a vet for an emergency kit, its been a while since I had one for rabbits.

 

[treasuresandstuff]

Happy news, Diamond's issue seems to have cleared up and we are very relieved to hear it, see it and smell it lol. I've had to put off finishing the bottom of her cage due to some issues not having to do with the rabbits, but I will take care of it in about an hour and when I am done I will get a photo of her cage so maybe I can get some advice on improving it and how to go about adding another level for her. Mind that would mean figuring out how to put in a door on the floor level. . .

Burnie will let me touch his face when he is having run time, but still runs away and stops at me after wards. I know he wants lovins but he's still so afraid. We still have a lot of work to do on his mats too. Poor guy but at least we got him off the bedding so he hopefully will have less issues with wastes sticking to his feet.

Any idea where to get a pan of some kind for the bottom of his NIC homemade cage? I prefer plastic, and at least 3 ft x 2 ft. I prefer a pan to a flat surface as I want something to catch and store wastes until cleaning day. Which happens to be today lol!

Any waste pulled from the cages will go into the compost bins outside Ah goodies for the garden lol!

 

[treasuresandstuff]

Looks like we may be taking in a female short haired lop mix on Monday. They got hit with a micro something or other in a storm last night and their hutch was totaled. Bunnies everywhere! They managed to catch most including this one but some are still loose. It was a two sided 8 hole hutch from what I understand. They are an odd mix used mostly for meat, but this one was so sweet looking I agreed to take her as a pet.

Will have to get wire to put a lid on Diamond's cage then so I can have back the wire part of the solid bottom cage. No worries on Hay, found a place to get some near KC on Monday. Getting two bales. Should keep us for a while.

 

[treasuresandstuff]

Payday! Everybunny is doing big happy hops. We get to get fresh pellets, some more of whatever hay we can find, some wire for working on cages, and tomorrow we may be bringing home a new bunny friend who is in need. We will write down as much info on the new rabbit from the original owner as we can so we can share it here. We know she is chinchilla colored and pretty sure its a girl, definitely a lop of some kind.

We found a home for the button quail we had rescued. They were just wandering around the grounds at an animal swap and no one wanted anything to do with them. They are going to a retired gentleman that wants them for a farm they are working on near Warrensburg, MO. He may even want Me (Kathy) to do some fiber prep for them. Details are being worked on.

 

[treasuresandstuff]

We had just purchased a pair of electric clippers for Burnie's matting issues and tried them this morning. They do not work. Not even on people hair. So they have to go back. Sigh.

We will be switching to the Brome Hay today. I hope the rabbits like it. They are out of the timothy hay we had.

So far Burnie will not eat veggies. I keep trying but he turns his nose up at them. I have not tried cilantro or parsley yet so those will be my next attempt. Push come to shove I can dry these and mix them in his hay ration each day.

I am glad to report that Diamond has had no further issues with her gut, having hay at all times definitely agrees with her. As does her oats. Will take new pics of the rabbits soon.

Sad news we did not get the gray lop we had intended. Things just fell through and she went to another family who will hopefully do what is best for her and not eat her or something.

 

[treasuresandstuff]

Did a 30 minute clipping Session with Burnie. He held still better than expected, although he had some issues with us messing around his male parts lol. Unfortunately that is where the worst mat is right now. Got a small section of it. Will have to go slowly. Diamond was cleared to go back to being given pellets after her poopy butt issue, but so far has not eaten them. I'm wondering if I should leave them until they are eaten then she gets her next ration or??? Was shocked at how I was jumped on in Nutrition section after the people in the health section told me to go the hay and oats route. Actually told I was sickening and killing my rabbit. At least that is how I took it. Made me really question whether I should post for help anymore. I mean come on. I have only had the rabbit all of 3 weeks and I am a bad owner?? I took in two rabbits in need of good care and caging, go through the trouble of bending over backwards to find hay for them and cut up my hands building a cage for one and I am a bad owner??? I would HATE to see what a GOOD owner is. - - - -I'm sorry, I just really needed to vent. These are new problems for me. When I bred Satin Angoras I did not have these issues. Ever. Its not like she doesn't get to a vet. If I was like that I would probably have just eaten her. I mean come on if I can build cages, drive out of my way for HAY, and still be called a bad owner (at least insinuated to be one) maybe she'd be better off being eaten. I am just so upset right now. I do not mean it and would not eat her, she is a dear friend and blesses me with bunny fur to spin. She is highly valued in this house. I am not some jerk going to just dump her somewhere or eat her or let her just sit and suffer the way poor Burnie did before coming to us. It hurts to have people decide that if I am having issues its my fault. What am I bunny GOD?

 

[treasuresandstuff]

Never mind on the Diamond not eating pellets issue. Lil bugger ate them in her own good time and pigged out on the evening ration eating every bit. Silly lil things just love to drive us nuts lol! I appologise to anyone I upset in my worry and frustration.

 

[treasuresandstuff]

I have been running auctions on ebay to help us pay to neuter Burnie as he is old enough but not too old and had someone contact me to make a "larger donation than current bids would allow". I will post here if we do receive this generously offered donation. It just warms my heart to hear of people doing such wonderfully kind things. I do not run a rescue per se, but do take in kittens each year, get them "fixed" then find homes each year, usually 3-5 females a year. Gotta help somewhere! Now its with rabbits. So many rabbits needing homes and so many people raising them for money Not saying all breeders do, just the majority that openly advertise. Like on Craigslist in the farm section.

 

[mistyjr]

Rabbits sure drive us nuts...ullhair:

 

[treasuresandstuff]

Yes they do Diamond is now shedding out her first baby coat, it does not help her issues lol!

 

[mistyjr]

Yeah, I know. I cant touch any of rabbits until my allgery/infection goes away. My arm is sensitive with rabbit fur. And I break out.. Thanks Infection...

 

[treasuresandstuff]

I'm sorry to hear that! I always feel bad when I hear of anyone allergic to a type of pet they adore. Me it seems to be something they need that I am allergic to. I am allergic to pine and cedar as well as prairie grass hay! I am find with straw, brome, timothy, and orchard hay though. Also allergic to mouse urine, how is that for odd?

 

[mistyjr]

We dont think its from the rabbits.. I been out in the sun for 2 weeks and am really burnt. On Monday i gotten cellulite from getting scratched by the rabbit cage and had blood poison as known as cellulite and my arm is sensitive from pet hair and then i got burnt and gotten sun allergy and then the pills that they had me on, found out last night at the ER that I am allergic too... So until my infection is gone, then I should be fine. and can touch my buns again.

 

[treasuresandstuff]

To mistyjr: Great to hear you are not actually allergic to your rabbits!

Blog update: Just got back from the Vets office. I was putting some money I raised towards getting Burnie neutered on the account and found out I had a 60 cent credit! Then found out they changed their prices for spay and neuter. On hearing that I got scared. Usually price change means increase. For once it was a decrease! He had found a supplier of some of the altering supplies that was cheaper so he lowered his costs! Instead of a spay running around $200 or so, it can be as low as $90 depending on different things that can happen or be asked for above normal needs. So for rabbit spay we have put down $125 to be safe. For a neuter she said should not be more than $90 unless there is a reaction to any of the meds or anesthesia. We are so happy! So we only need to gather about $75 more dollars to have Burnie neutered! We have been doing ebay auctions and now have a couple of options on our personal website. Like drawings of animals my husband and I have helped in the past with their stories written on the back. I am also selling off my Magic the Gathering card collection.

 

[treasuresandstuff]

I am knocked off my feet and breathless. We have had a donor come forward and donated $100 to the care of the rabbits! This will cover Burnie's neuter and maybe buy a sheet of coroplast to make a pen style cage for the pair once bonded!

The Donor wishes to remain anonymous and we respect that. They chose to help because they live in a place that they can not have a rabbit of their own. I am just blown away. When they contacted us to ask about making a donation I was thinking a couple dollars or something.

I hope they know they are blessed and through them our little furry friends have been blessed. Generosity thrives and I am at a loss of how to properly show my gratitude. We have them set up to receive regular updates and photos but I would like to do more for them as a thank you. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.