My Bunny Story Continues…

[Jenbirdee]

I found out my vet wants 750+ to neuter a little boy bunny.
I found a rescue that will do it for 250 but it’s 2 Hours drive from here and I’m not good at driving more than 45 minutes from home( back and leg problems)

So I decided to sell my little boy and get another girl instead.
Listed him on my local Facebook poultry group and he sold like a hot cake .
Went back to the Amish farmer for a girl bunny. Named her Isabel…

 

[Jenbirdee]

Petunia was very interested in Isabel. After one week in separate cages with adjacent pens, I opened the gate and POOF in an instant found out that ISABEL IS-A-BOY !
Back to square one, lol.
And now I’m worried that Petunia might be pregnant.
So I bought a bunny birthing box for her just in case.

But what to do about Isabel?
Change her name?
Just keep them separated and try to raise money for neutering?
Get someone to help me drive him down to the rescue for more affordable neutering?
Sigh.
Then…
That same day I saw a Facebook post in my local chickens group offering two / 5 month old Swedish duck hens for sale! Immediately replied to that! Set up a meeting for the next day and mentioned - “ instead of cash you wouldn’t wanna trade for a lion head bunny would you?”
Turns out he has a niece who has been asking for a pet bunny.
So I traded one little boy bunny for two Swedish duck hens! A black and a silver.

And now Petunia was an only bunny again. But not for long….

 

[tlcmurphy]

 

[Canadian Wind]

$750 for a neuter??!!

Did you visually check that Isabel was a boy or girl? (not that it matters anymore). Rabbits, like many animals, do mount as a dominance thing. Heck, I had a doe mount the duck right after being bred!

When Isabel mounted Petunia, was there a 'fall off'? When a buck 'completes the deed', so to speak, he literally falls off the doe. Usually with a loud SQUEAK!

 

[Jenbirdee]

$750 for a neuter??!!

Did you visually check that Isabel was a boy or girl? (not that it matters anymore). Rabbits, like many animals, do mount as a dominance thing. Heck, I had a doe mount the duck right after being bred!

When Isabel mounted Petunia, was there a 'fall off'? When a buck 'completes the deed', so to speak, he literally falls off the doe. Usually with a loud SQUEAK!

Yes that was exactly when I finally learned how to sex them to make sure and for sure was a little Buck-oh! I used this

 

[NatJ]

Yes that was exactly when I finally learned how to sex them to make sure and for sure was a little Buck-oh

Are you planning to buy another female, and this time check for yourself?

Or wait a month, and if bunnies are born you can keep a daughter as company for her mother?

now I’m worried that Petunia might be pregnant.
So I bought a bunny birthing box for her just in case.

Mark your calendar. Delivery is most often 31 days after mating. It rarely varies by more than a day or two either direction. (Of course there can be exceptions, but rabbits are pretty consistent about pregnancy length.)

It usually works well to provide the nestbox on day 27 or 28 from when a doe was bred: that gives her time to build a nest (provide plenty of hay or other bedding), but not long enough for her to treat it as a litterbox and make it very dirty.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Okay so now what to do? Did I really want Petunia to be an only bunny? No.
But I wanted to make sure I got her a really truly honestly 100% female bunny friend this time.
So instead of going back to where I got the others, I searched online and found a reputable breeder selling a blue eyed white Holland lop doe! A little pricey and almost an hour’s drive- but this time I was sure to get a female!
And I came home with little Lilly…

…. And then…

 

[Jenbirdee]

Are you planning to buy another female, and this time check for yourself?

Or wait a month, and if bunnies are born you can keep a daughter as company for her mother?


Mark your calendar. Delivery is most often 31 days after mating. It rarely varies by more than a day or two either direction. (Of course there can be exceptions, but rabbits are pretty consistent about pregnancy length.)

It usually works well to provide the nestbox on day 27 or 28 from when a doe was bred: that gives her time to build a nest (provide plenty of hay or other bedding), but not long enough for her to treat it as a litterbox and make it very dirty.

Thank you for good advice! Yes and yes , I considered both those options. Presently it has been more than the 31 days. As I write and post my bunny’s story it’s still a month or so behind what’s currently happening here. And, I am keeping the box for future use possibilities. And I will explain why soon…

 

[Jenbirdee]

Looking forward to your bunny adventures!

They aren't that difficult to take care of. What sort of housing do they have? Mine are kept individually caged although I'd love to get some pens set-up for the few pet ones. Just get them a high quality pellet (cheaper to buy the 50 lb bag at the feed store) and hay. Not too many 'treats' as it can unbalance their guts and lead to bloat. A slice of apple a day is good, or some of that plentiful plantain you have growing at your place!

And yes, if you're going to keep them together, at least one should be neutered! The male is a good idea as they can spray when not. Sooner rather than later. If you decide on one litter, you'll need to keep them separate until the doe is 6 months old.

Welcome to the world of bunnies!!! <3

Forgive me for taking so long I wanted to get good pictures of their set ups. First I have three cages. I’m using two of them and I have a lot of those colorful pet playpen panels so I’ve arranged them around the cages. They each have an open door to their cage where they hop in and out to their playpen areas and back. I’m feeding them Oxbow young rabbit pellets and Oxbow alfalfa. I also got some tractor supply dumour brand of Timothy hay to mix in with the alfalfa . I give them each a water bottle and a water bowl they seem to like drinking out of the bowls better. I have organic apple trees in my yard so I cut small branches and weave them through the edges of the pen and they love chewing them. I also picked up a couple of cat scratch pads. They really enjoy those too. I have washable pet carpets on the floor underneath them and bath towels that I take out to wash once a week. They each have two corner litter boxes and are using them. Good bunnies!! For treats I have been giving one very small Romain lettuce leaf daily.

They also have an area downstairs , part of my ducks hospital room, I bring them down there sometimes for exercise (they love to hop and run!) and when I want to clean their upstairs pens

 

[Canadian Wind]

Forgive me for taking so long I wanted to get good pictures of their set ups. First I have three cages. I’m using two of them and I have a lot of those colorful pet playpen panels so I’ve arranged them around the cages. They each have an open door to their cage where they hop in and out to their playpen areas and back.

That's a nice set-up! When I finally get a place, I'd love to do that for my pet bunnies (as opposed to the breeder/show bunnies).

I’m feeding them Oxbow young rabbit pellets and Oxbow alfalfa. I also got some tractor supply dumour brand of Timothy hay to mix in with the alfalfa . I give them each a water bottle and a water bowl they seem to like drinking out of the bowls better.

Bowls are better, even if they do get dirty more easily and you have to fill them more often. As you said, the buns seem to prefer them, AND they tend to drink more, which is good because they need lots of water. And as I mentioned, it'll be cheaper, and just as nutritious, to get the rabbit pellets from the feed store. Hay at the pet shop is way overpriced, too. Not telling you what to do!

I have organic apple trees in my yard so I cut small branches and weave them through the edges of the pen and they love chewing them. I also picked up a couple of cat scratch pads. They really enjoy those too. I have washable pet carpets on the floor underneath them and bath towels that I take out to wash once a week. They each have two corner litter boxes and are using them. Good bunnies!! For treats I have been giving one very small Romain lettuce leaf daily.

I'm going to miss not having an apple tree anymore. Those are excellent. You have a nice set-up, and they are being spoiled rotten I see!

And Lilly is absolutely adorable! I love the blue eyes on a Vienna White!