Getting bunnies what to expect and what to buy?

[FernbergFarms]

Hey y’all, I’m buying Holland lop bunnies in a week or two and I was just wonder what to buy and what to expect? They are babies just ready to leave their mom and we have a hutch for them that will be quite large as they are little but at least they’ll have room to grow into it. So what should we buy? Food? Food dishes? Treats ? Toys? We know many people with bunnies and bunny sat a rabbit for a month last year. Now it’s our turn to take the plunge and finally get some (we’ve been thinking about it for a year or two now) we are buying them this wknd.
Thanks for any advice!
Alli

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hey y’all, I’m buying Holland lop bunnies in a week or two and I was just wonder what to buy and what to expect? They are babies just ready to leave their mom and we have a hutch for them that will be quite large as they are little but at least they’ll have room to grow into it. So what should we buy? Food? Food dishes? Treats ? Toys? We know many people with bunnies and bunny sat a rabbit for a month last year. Now it’s our turn to take the plunge and finally get some (we’ve been thinking about it for a year or two now) we are buying them this wknd.
Thanks for any advice!
Alli

What are they for?
What sex are you getting?

 

[FernbergFarms]

We are buying a female this weekend and maybe a male as well (haven’t decided yet, I’ve heard it’s bad to breed siblings..? So we would have to get the make somewhere else or fix him) we would eventually like to breed them, but we would like to have them for pets first and learn how to care for them.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

We are buying a female this weekend and maybe a male as well (haven’t decided yet, I’ve heard it’s bad to breed siblings..? So we would have to get the make somewhere else or fix him) we would eventually like to breed them, but we would like to have them for pets first and learn how to care for them.

If you're going to breed, make yourself comfortable with culling and processing extras.

Yes, breeding siblings locks in the best and worst traits

 

[FernbergFarms]

Wait. We are talking about rabbits right? People cull their rabbits??

 

[FernbergFarms]

These rabbits will for sure just be pets for a year or two. So what should I buy for them?

 

[EverythingDucks]

Cull doesn't always mean to kill, it sometimes means to simply remove them from the gene pool, so you won't be breeding them anymore. But a lot of rabbitry owners will butcher rabbits that are no longer of use to them, and they can then eat them or sell their meat.
When breeding you will have to be prepared for still births, babies that don't make it, bad mothers that could end up killing them, does trying to castrate bucks, etc. Breeding rabbits is not for the faint of heart. Are you sure you are ready for all of this? I would keep rabbits as pets for a while until you are 100% sure you want to breed. Get to know some people who breed rabbits, and watch lots of YouTube videos. For now, I would watch Lennon the Bunny (on YouTube). She makes pet rabbit care videos.

Anyways, here is what you'll need for them:

They will need unlimited Alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets until they 6 months old. Then you should switch to Timothy hay and 1/4 a cup of (timothy) pellets. They should always have access to fresh hay. Hay is a key part of their diet, and it helps to wear down their teeth. The small hay racks they sell at pet stores are not big enough. Large hay boxes (which you can buy on amazon and many online pet companies) work much better. Many people provide the bulk of their hay in their litter box, but I prefer to provide fresh hay from another supply.

They will also need a water bowl with clean fresh water at all times. Don't bother with the water bottles. Rabbits need as much water as a large dog, and the nozzles do not let enough water through to keep them hydrated. The nozzles will also be very hard to clean (a lot of people don't even clean them) and bacteria will get caught in there, which is very unsanitary and unsafe for your rabbits. Not to mention the award and unnatural angle they will have to turn to get it.

They will need plenty of toys too. Rabbits are very smart and playful, and since their teeth are constantly growing they need something to chew on. You can make DIY toys with paper bags, cardboard, a paper towel tubes. I have made tons of these, so I can show you how if you'd like.

I also suggest litter training them. While this is much easier to do with fixed rabbits, it can still be done when they are intact. You'll need a large cat sized litter box. Don't bother with the corner pans, they are much too small and your rabbits won't use them well. Under the bed storage tubs work well. Don't use cat litter, as it have clay which can be fatal if ingested. You can use paper based bedding, the same stuff that is often used for hamster and rabbits bedding. Don't bother with using this all over the hutch though, or the rabbits will use it as a litter box and you'll waste a lot of money.
Once you have a good layer of litter, you'll want to fill up the rest with lots of hay (while still leaving enough space for your rabbit to turn all the way around in).


Something to be aware of, is that once rabbits reach sexual maturity (3-6 months) they will often become quite aggressive and very territorial. Their litter habits will worsen and (males especially) will start to mark everywhere. They will also start to stink. They'll go from a sweet, cuddly baby, to a chaotic and moody teen. Once they are a bit older their hormones will level out. Getting them fixed will fix any lingering issues. This is typically done around 6 months of age.
I often recommended adopted an already fixed rabbit, or a bonded pair, for new rabbit owners. That way you can skip the whole teenager phase and you won't have to get them fixed yourself. You cannot actually bond two rabbits until they are both fixed. While two intact males can get along fine, it's best that they are fixed. Having two females together (even when fixed) can be quite hard to bond. They are notorious for fighting with each other. While not impossible, they typically will not get along together well. Being siblings will not help them to get along better, weather you have two males, two females, or a male and female.

I suggest you get one rabbit for now. Wait until he/she is 6 months old, and bond it with another rabbit. I would at least have one of them fixed. Neutered males tend to make the best pets, so it may be better for you to get a male first, get him fixed, then bond him with another rabbit. If you still want to breed at this point (after having the males for a while) then get an intact female. Then you can get a buck to breed her with.

Something to consider when keeping rabbits in hutched is that predators can easily kill them. I know a few peoples whos rabbits (who were kept outside in a hutch) were killed by predators and even their own dogs just from being scared. A dog could just be wanting to play, and that alone could give the rabbit a heart attack. Baby rabbits are especially vulnerable to these things. Not to mention the weather (heatstroke is a common cause of death for rabbits), lack of space (most hutches are much to small to provide the space for exercise and enrichment), and how they are farther away from you (a lot of rabbits kept in hutched become aggressive or fearful or their owners due to the lack of bonding and socialization). These are just some things to keep in mind.
For pet rabbits, I will always recommend keeping them indoors. Playpens are much better than the cages since they are cheaper, larger, and have many other uses. It's best that they free roam in a bunny proofed room for 4 hours a day (4 hours being the minimum). This allows them to properly exercise, explore, bond with you, and be much more free. Lennon the Bunny has lots of videos on how to do this, and I have lots of information as well.
A lot of people do not consider this an option because "rabbits smell", or they chew too much, or because they just have not heard of this before. But many people free roam their rabbits and there are plenty of solutions to the common problems that come up when discussing the free roaming of rabbits.
If this sounds like something you would like do, I'd be glad to help. If not then that's fine too, but I hope I helped with your other questions. If there is anything else you would like to know about, chances are I'll know how to help.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Wait. We are talking about rabbits right? People cull their rabbits??

Yes. They're a good source of protien, and you can't keep every one that you have birthed

 

[FernbergFarms]

Thank you for all the information!
I just didn’t know people culled rabbits.. we breed most our animals and we’ve had whole litters of kittens die, chicks, duck, and it isn’t easy but it comes with the territory. Our whole family would love to keep her in the house but unfortunately some family members have allergies and we don’t even let the dogs inside when they come over.
The hutch we built is high on a shelf so the dogs won’t get them, it’s very Predator proof. We are also building two hutches.
I would love to learn how to make toys for them!

 

[CSAchook]

Lots of good advice here already but I will add my two cents.

Water: You will need something that cannot be tipped over. Either a really big, heavy dish, or a dish that locks to the side of the enclosure.

Timothy hay: I buy the full sized bale from a local source and store it in big tote boxes. Full bales for livestock are a much better deal than the wee little bags they sell for rabbits. Just make sure the bale is in good shape/good quality.

Pellets: I personally really like Oxbow brand. Their pellets are all very high in fiber and made from timothy rather than alfalfa. They also offer juvenile and adult formulas. Whatever brand/formula you go with though, stick with it! Rabbits have delicate digestive systems so switching feeds must be done very carefully.

Other food: For pets especially, a daily offering of fresh greens is highly recommended. There are tons of online lists about the foods rabbits can eat and in what amounts. You also may be able to grow or forage for some options. Twigs/ leaves of common trees like apple, mulberry, and willow are beloved by rabbits. They also adore fresh herbs. I also buy dried "foraging mixes" for my bun. These are usually a blend of dried herbs, flowers, leaves, and roots and are another great way to get your bun a bit more variety in their diet. Likewise you may sometimes want to get other types of hay, like orchard, oat, or meadow for a little variety. These can be mixed in with their regular timothy.

Toys: This will likely involve a bit of trial and error. Different buns have different preferences. Try a few different types of things, don't spend too much, and watch to see which toy gets destroyed first.

Poop! Rabbits produce several hundred poops per day. These make amazing fertilizer! The poop can be added directly to the garden or composted. Rabbit urine is very caustic though so any soiled hay or litter will need to be composted before it can be added to the garden.