Bunny Basics

[Kiki]

I don’t know for sure, I just got them a week ago and other BYC members guessed them to be 4-6 months

If you've already bought an opened the bag you have pictured above you might as well use it but I wouldn't recommend buying it again.

I buy this at Tractor Supply:

 

[BabyGotQuack]

If you've already bought an opened the bag you have pictured above you might as well use it but I wouldn't recommend buying it again.

I buy this at Tractor Supply:
View attachment 3042697

I think that’s what I’ll do, when this bag I’ve got gets low I’ll buy something else and slowly start adding it to the dumor to transition the switch. Thanks you your help!

 

[Kiki]

 

[Kiki]

I think that’s what I’ll do, when this bag I’ve got gets low I’ll buy something else and slowly start adding it to the dumor to transition the switch. Thanks you your help!

Please make sure you only give them a tiny bit of the pelleted feed each day.
If you give them too much they won't eat the hay.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

Thanks for the video! I follow your rabbit nutters thread and just love him! He is beautiful! What do you use for a brush? I have a hair buster coming this week. I hope it’s worth they hype! It was kinda pricey in my opinion.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

Please make sure you only give them a tiny bit of the pelleted feed each day.
If you give them too much they won't eat the hay.

I was giving unlimited but someone mentioned giving 1/4c so that’s what I’ve been doing because they have not been eating the Timothy hay. I’m hoping they’ll eat the alfalfa I got today.

 

[BabyGotQuack]

I think they’re FINALLY eating the hay! I was getting really worried. But I think getting the alfalfa and limiting pellets helped, thanks for all the help guys!

 

[BelovedBirds]

• A large wire dog play pen - cages and hutches are much too small, and are way overpriced. Dog pens provide much more space for the rabbit and it's needs, and can be purchased for half the price of any cage or hutch. Amazon sells them for around $30 - $40
• Hidey houses - they prefer two entrances, cardboard boxes work great.
• Toys - a wide variety of things to chew on to keep the rabbit busy, and to keep teeth from getting overgrown (I've made lots of DIY ones).
• Treats - avoid pet store treats, fresh veggies and fruit such as apples, bananas, and herbs are much better.
• Food and water dishes - ceramic or stainless steel bowls with a stand (avoid water bottles, they are hard to clean, don't provide enough water, and are very unnatural for rabbits to drink from)
• A brush - though rabbits groom themselves like cats they often ingest too much hair which can block their GI tract, which can cause GI stasis and kill them very quickly. "Bunny hair busters" work perfect, you can get them from amazon.
• Nail trimmers - small, simple, dog nail trimmers are all you need (you can have the vet do this, but it's good to have on hand)
• A large cat sized litter box - low storage tubs can work just fine (avoid the small corner litter trays, the rabbit should be able to turn all the way around and move comfortably)
• Litter - either pelleted pine litter and paper bedding (avoid cat litter, it has clay which can be fatal if ingested)

It depends on the enclosure and the climate where you live. I personally am against keeping them outdoors in small hutches for many reasons. For pets, they really do best indoors where they can bond with you. Rabbits can get quite lonely when they're by themselves in a hutch all their lives, so having them with you often makes for a much happier bunny.
Hutches are usually much too small to provide enough space for exercise and play, and leave little room for the rabbit alone with all the proper things a rabbit should have in it's enclosure.
I've heard many experiences where people have lost their rabbits to predators such as racoons, dogs, cats, hawks, owls, and foxes. Even if your hutch is secure (although most that are sold are not), just about anything can literally scare the rabbit to death, causing a heart attack, without even getting into the hutch.
Not to mention the risk of heat stroke, or even freezing. Rabbits are fairly cold hardy, but in the summer they can easily overheat. This may not be a concern in some areas, but even temperatures above 75 F can cause issues.

One of the biggest threats however is RHDV2, a deadly and highly contagious disease that has been killing both wild and domestic rabbits in America. There is a vaccine now, but it's recommended to keep rabbits indoors and at least off the ground.


Easy! Rabbits can be litter trained quickly (when fixed) and can be free roamed like cats and dogs. Lennon the Bunny, The Bunny Lady, and 101Rabbits on YouTube have lots of information on this.

It really depends on the individual. Some rabbits love it, while others prefer human company. A male and a female typically get along best (when fixed!), or two males. Females are more likely to fight, but some may get along just fine.
Be sure that both rabbits are at least 6 months old and fixed before bonding them. Rabbit rescues will often help you find the right match for your bunny, so you don't end up having to keep them completely separate.

They should be at least 8 weeks old. I do not recommend buying from any sort of store, since they often come from places similar to puppy mills. If you really want a baby, I recommend looking for a reputable breeder. Someone who breeds with the best interest of the rabbits well being. Many people just do it to make a quick buck (no pun intended ) so be sure to avoid people like that, and scammers.

But with how many rabbits are dumped each year, and the millions of rabbits at shelters in need of homes, I personally believe adopting is best. Not only are there plenty to choose from, but rescues will often spay and neuter their rabbits. Which makes it much easier considering you won't have to find a vet and pay for the procedure (which can be anywhere from $40 - $200 or more). In my opinion, getting a fixed adult rabbit is much better than dealing with a baby, which will quickly grow to be a hormonal teen. Once rabbits reach sexual maturity, around 4-6 months, they can become aggressive, territorial, litter habits will worsen, and males may start spraying. Getting the rabbit fixed will, well, "fix" those issues, and will prevent accidental litters (which sadly leads to more dumped rabbits). Some rescues will put babies (8 weeks to 5 months) up for adoption though, so if you still want a baby, rescuing is definitely an option.
Of course you could always check FB or Craigslist for rabbits needing to be rehomed, but sometimes you never know what you're going to get.

If I were you, I would check your local animal shelter or rabbit rescue and see if you can foster some rabbits before deciding on getting one. Many rescues require you foster the rabbit before adopting anyways.

Hopefully this helped to answer your questions, feel free to ask me anything though, I'll be glad to help
I have a whole Pinterest board for rabbit enclosures if you need ideas too.

This is such a good bit off information! I share most of your views on how bunnies should be kept. Bonnie was advertised for free online, in a wire cage on a patio, outside with no weather protection, not a single hide, no hay, no toys, nothing to chew. She actually scratched deep indents to the cage's plastic base. She was also left unvaccinated, so the first thing I did was get her seen by the vet and vaccinated. Next job: spay, proper teeth check and nail trim!
She's started displaying the aggression that I was warned about- but it isn't bad at all. She occasionally gets in a bad mood and circles my feet, or lunges at my hands if I touch her bowls. She's usually great, very sweet, interactive, she even allows some strokes and takes treats. Any tips for helping her bond? Or is spaying really the first step I can take?

 

[EverythingDucks]

This is such a good bit off information! I share most of your views on how bunnies should be kept. Bonnie was advertised for free online, in a wire cage on a patio, outside with no weather protection, not a single hide, no hay, no toys, nothing to chew. She actually scratched deep indents to the cage's plastic base. She was also left unvaccinated, so the first thing I did was get her seen by the vet and vaccinated. Next job: spay, proper teeth check and nail trim!
She's started displaying the aggression that I was warned about- but it isn't bad at all. She occasionally gets in a bad mood and circles my feet, or lunges at my hands if I touch her bowls. She's usually great, very sweet, interactive, she even allows some strokes and takes treats. Any tips for helping her bond? Or is spaying really the first step I can take?

Poor baby, good on you for rescuing her!

Getting her spayed will definitely help, but for now, I would try laying on the ground with her and offering treats. This will not only help her get used to you, but she'll see that you're not a threat.
Though based off the behavior you described, it could be that she's just territorial. Now that she's not in such a tiny place she may be protective of what she does have now. In that case, spaying is definitely the fix here. But hopefully just spending time with her will get her to come around.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Poor baby, good on you for rescuing her!

Getting her spayed will definitely help, but for now, I would try laying on the ground with her and offering treats. This will not only help her get used to you, but she'll see that you're not a threat.
Though based off the behavior you described, it could be that she's just territorial. Now that she's not in such a tiny place she may be protective of what she does have now. In that case, spaying is definitely the fix here. But hopefully just spending time with her will get her to come around.

for sure, I'd agree with that- she does seem territorial. She's 10 months old so she really should've been spayed months back. Her old owners were scared of her, and did not handle her correctly, so I think its a wonder she's as friendly as she is (most of the time)