Brand new fuzzy bunny

[nwgirl]

A few days ago I adopted a fuzzy bunny whose owner says it is a year old. It seems to be very docile, sweet and liter trained (yippee!). But it is shedding like crazy so I've been brushing daily. The bunny loves Timothy Hay. He hears the bag and gets all excited! Besides the hay, should I offer the pet-o-malt that cats use to control hairballs?

I'm also not sure of what breed of bunny it is. Does any one want to take a guess at it? I thought maybe Angora, but it's a small bunny maybe 3lbs.

Meet Choco...

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Looks like a lionhead attempt and what a cutie! Hay should be available all the time for bunnies and go easy on treats as whatever converts to sugar is really not good for their immune system. When you let him out of his cage be aware that he MAY chew any and everything that he comes across...cause that's what bunnies do

Oh, I noticed that his door opens downwards which has caused broken legs in startled bunnies. I'd cover it with a piece of carpet or even a thick towel/cloth if I were you.

 

[nwgirl]

Toast'n Jelly :

Looks like a lionhead attempt and what a cutie! Hay should be available all the time for bunnies and go easy on treats as whatever converts to sugar is really not good for their immune system. When you let him out of his cage be aware that he MAY chew any and everything that he comes across...cause that's what bunnies do

Oh, I noticed that his door opens downwards which has caused broken legs in startled bunnies. I'd cover it with a piece of carpet or even a thick towel/cloth if I were you.

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Great advice. Thanks. I didn't know that about the door - I will cover it. The hubby and I are planning to build a large condo. I can hardly wait to move him out of that cheap little cage. Last night I bought him a small stuffed toy bunny and caught him sleeping with it. It was so adorable. Might have to think about getting him a sister​

 

[mom2jedi]

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Great advice. Thanks. I didn't know that about the door - I will cover it. The hubby and I are planning to build a large condo. I can hardly wait to move him out of that cheap little cage. Last night I bought him a small stuffed toy bunny and caught him sleeping with it. It was so adorable. Might have to think about getting him a sister

Most buns do better on their own, they can be very territorial even with little mates. Yours is super cute! If you do get him a companion, I would recommend getting them fixed, altered rabbits have better luck being together, plus it saves you from unexpected litters.

If you're planning on keeping him as a house rabbit, take a look at this site. The cages are really cool. The originals were designed for guinea pigs but they work really well for other small animals too. Have fun!

http://guineapigcages.com/cubes.htm
This gives you the instructions on how to build one.

http://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/search.php?searchid=65392
This one is just examples of rabbit versions.

 

[Bunnylady]

Looks like a Lionhead to me, too. A lot of lionheads don't have full, poofy manes; some just have a few wisps of longer hair. He is a cutie!

Might have to think about getting him a sister

Has he been neutered? I would recommend doing so before you introduce another rabbit to him. An intact pair housed together is generally a recipe for disaster. The gestation period on rabbits is 31 days, a doe could have a litter once per month. They can get really cranky when pregnant; a buck can be seriously injured by a hostile doe, and vice versa. Trust me, breeding should only be done with great deliberation, and after a good bit of research. A spayed/infertile doe housed with an intact buck may not produce young, but she may not have any fur on her back from being ridden so much, either!

Some people are very much in favor of keeping rabbits together, others are totally against it; read up on the subject, then choose what works for you.

Some people swear by papaya enzyme to prevent hairballs in rabbits. You can get it in pill form from the health food stores, or as dried papaya. It's the active ingredient in some meat tenderizers as well, though they also have a lot of salt and maybe other flavorings added in. Some rabbits will eat the enzyme tablets like candy. Dried papaya, well, it basically is candy, so go easy with it, not more than a couple of pieces per day. Dried pineapple contains another enzyme that can also be useful against hairballs, but the same thing applies - go easy with it.

Enjoy your new bunny buddy, he looks like a really lovable guy!​

 

[nwgirl]

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Thanks for the links. The photos are great. We just purchased 3 sets of the storage cubes, wire ties and some plastic tubing to cover the electric cords. This little guy is going to be living large

 

[nwgirl]

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I will do more research instead of adopting another bunny right away. I believe Choco is neutered, but I'm just going by what the previous owner told me. I will sex him now that's he's becoming more familiar with me

I really appreciated the advice. I haven't had rabbits since I was a kid so I'm really not that knowledgeable, but I'm learning.

I've only had Choco for 4 days and I can tell he is starting to become more comfortable around me and his new home. One day I was lying down and was trying to keep him close to me so I could pet him and he lightly nipped my finger. I understood it was a warning, but it still amazed me that it was so soft and didn't even leave a mark. Heck, my chickens bite harder than that!

He's cute but then again I think all bunnies are cute