Getting a bunny

[andbab]

My mother inlaw got two rabbits before christmas. Were supposed to be the same gender. Surprise. She now has four baby bunnies. So my daughter is going to get two of the babies. So I'm trying to learn what all I need to know before we get these little bunnies. I know they will be going to the vet to check sex. I know to feed them pellets and veggies and clean water. So what else. I got my daughter a bunny last summer and it died within a week of us getting it. I don't know why and I don't want this to happen again. My three year old has the memory of an elephant.

 

[Stina]

hay, lots of hay. Young rabbits can have alfalfa and grass hays, adults should have just grass hays. Hay should make up the majority of their diet. Fiber is very important for them...the pellets should have at least 18% fiber, if no over 20%. Zupreem makes good pellets, sunseed makes a good mix, oxbow has some good foods as well. I am currently using a mix Kaytee Forti-Diet ProHealth for adult rabbits and for growing rabbits and my bunnies are doing well (I have 3...1 ~6-7 months, 1 5-6 months, and 1 around 3 months). DO NOT get any Kaytee food in the old style packaging!!!!! If you get Kaytee and aren't sure if its the old formula, check the ingredients for ethoxyquin....its BAD (a proven carcinogen). Make sure they have something solid to sit on if you have a wire bottom cage. Give them as much time out of the cage as possible. Be careful with the veggies that you don't give them anything toxic or harmful. www.rabbit.org is a very good website with bunny info! http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html has good diet information

 

[gypsy2621]

Quote:
Hay as a main staple in a rabbit diet is going to create starvation/malnutrition. they have to have the pellets to mantain proper nutrition. hay diets lead to loss of fur quality, bad teeth issues,loss of body condition.
Technically rabbits do not need hay at all, the proper pelleted diet provides everything they need, fiber, vitamins, nutrients etc.
Keytee diet for rabbits is junk food, all those pretty colorfull pieces are high sugar no value fillers. steer clear.
Talk to Experienced Breeders they will steer you in the right direction,more so than on line reading.
I have raised rabbits for over 20 years, I have many plaques for excellence in breeding (ie: showing) and Hay is only given once a week not daily,
On the web there are 100's of different views on what should/ shouldnt be fed to rabbits 99 % of that advice will lead you right straight to a vets office and a high vetting bill .
Most of those views are from people who never raised a rabbit in their life. and must mention a lot of the information is incorrect.
As for vets, most of them do not have a clue how to treat a rabbit that is sick. most rabbits die after a visit to the vets because they were given the wrong medicine. pennicillian given by mouth will kill a rabbit but they can use the injectable form. most vets do not know this.

Not to scare you or anyone else, there is a disease called Pasturella that is not cureable and anyone saying it is is looking to bilk you out of money, symptoms can be masked but never cured. It will come back in a few weeks of stopping treatment.

Vet schools only briefly touch on rabbits and other exotcis. they are geared for cats and dogs. choose your vets wisely. and as for a vet sexing a rabbit they are no more correct than anyone else.
I have seen people bring me a rabbit saying the vet said it was female , flip it over and it was very obviously not a girl. there are tell tail signs there!
You ask how could the vet miss something so obvious? easy they do not know what they are looking for or at, or didnt move fur to check those 2 spots.

good luck with your rabbits. they are a joy to snuggle up with.

 

[chixie]

I have had rabbits for years... I raised them when i was in future farmers of america...they need hay daily... ( especially when they are shedding) they also need feed ... also no vegetables until they are older... and you could join a rabbit forum to get more info...

 

[Jessika]

Ton and tons of water! I have had a 10 lbs. rabbit out drink my 80 lbs dog!

 

[texasgal]

Quote:
I agree with gypsy. They can and should have hay, but a quality pellet in NECESSARY. Hay can vary in nutrients and quality and should NOT be the main staple in rabbit diet, but a good pellet is consistant with protien, fiber, vitamins, etc.

Get online and find a local breeder. One that raises and preferable shows rabbits. Most will be glad to sex your bunnies for you, as well as share with you where they get their feed and how and why they feed what they do.

It's not difficult, but find someone with knowledge to talk to. A long-time breeder will really know more than the average vet about caring for rabbits.

All the best .. and, of course ... WE WANT PICTURES!!

deb

 

[gypsy2621]

Quote:
I have raised Jersy woolys and English Angoras and they got hay once a week I have yet to ever have one come down with wool block reason being they are fed quality pellets.
hay is a treat/bordom item and not a necessity as long as pellets are quality. I know many breeders who feed no hay what so ever and have yet to have a rabbit with any problems.
now we are talking Breeders wwho have been breeding more years than I have.
Quality pellets have everything a rabbit needs.
compare feeds till you find the one that works best for your situation.
Suggestion : find out about the feeds before you get the rabbits, feed merry go rounds are not healthy for any rabbit and fast food changes lead to gutt issues and problems you will not want to have included.
Do you know what breed the rabbits are, or are they barn yard mutts?

 

[andbab]

the rabbits are just barnyard mutts but they are cute. What am I looking for in good pellets. Is it ok to have hay and pellets free choice. What is the best pen. Not really into wire cause it doesn't look very comfortable I couldn't imagine living on it. I'm thinking of a shed type so my daughters can go in and play with the bunnies.

 

[texasgal]

We had our rabbits in what used to be an aviary .. it was completely wired in, with a roof, and a dirt floor. We hung cages inside and each rabbit had their own cage. While my daughter was feeding and watering and during "play time" .. she would take them out one at a time and put them on the ground to run and play and dig. It was kinda cool, because they got to where they would come to the door of the cage like "Is it MY turn" ..

Be careful of completely closed in areas and solid floor, IMO, because their urine has alot of amonia in it and can cause respiratory issues ..

Also, two rabbits of the same sex will sometimes begin to fight, even if they have been raised together .. just something to watch for ..

Have fun!

 

[gypsy2621]

any type of enclosure will be fine, but remember rabbits dig and burrow, I would be sure to have wire under dirt so they can not dig their way to freedome, nothing worse than going out and having an all day search for an escaped rabbit.
I would be concerned for germs and parasites in a dirt floor type environment. I am not a huge fan of colony breeding. too much can go wrong and you wont know untill its too late.

wire cages are fine as long as there are resting boards to lay or sit on if they choose. most times the resting boards or mats are chewed on , just the nature of the beast.

As long as there is plenty of space to get away from each other you can sometimes keep same sex rabbits together, but the minute they start fighting seperate them. it does no good for bunny A to beat bunny B to death or cut it up to the point of vet bills. of course male and female together equals babies and if they are siblings you really do not want that.