Rabbits

[Crow-ded house]

Here is my little Stoney. We got her from a neighbor a couple of years ago. She was raised in a hutch for first year and half and we got her and built this little run for her and she loves it. She has chickens for friends though they cannot touch. She digs but strangely covers her holes back in after a week. Has an upstairs apartment for when she wants. She is an active thing. I learned the term “binky” not too long ago and she was doing it lol

 

[ShrekDawg]

Rabbits can get Lyme and Rabies; the problem is, there are no vaccines for them approved for use in rabbits. So, the only way to protect your rabbit is keep them from being exposed.

The reason the Myxo vaccine is illegal in Oz is because Myxo was introduced into the country decades ago to try to curb the exploding feral rabbit population, and it is still having some impact today. The concern is that a domestic rabbit that had been vaccinated might escape, and be able to convey resistance into the wild population.



It costs 4 x as much as the alfalfa-based feed that I have been using for 30+ years, which I have raised countless rabbits on, and fed to some rabbits their entire lives (up to 12+ years).

That makes sense! So outside, just have a really secure run?

And wow that's really interesting!

That's true, definitely expensive! I thought it looked good though and liked the test for pesticides part but definitely expensive. For 50 pounds it'd be like $90 haha probably appeals to house rabbit owners with a little teeny dwarf or something. I think I'm gonna find something in between. Not as expensive as that but still good.

I have a little blue dutch doe. Sweet. You can give carrots but not toi often as they are sugary. Cabbage and things give painful gas bubbles in their tummies so give sparingly. Too much lettuce will give diarrhea and dehydrate. I give Stoney foid from the feed store daily and a pail full of grass I clip from the yard. Also everyday she gets a big sunflower leaf and some clover everyday. I give spinach every three days, turnip greens on three other days and sunday she will get a carrot. Make sure you talk to her and WATCH A VIDEO on how to pick her up as their spines are fragile. She will needs toys to toss and roll. And something to chew. No cedar, apple or any fruit tree wood that bear pits as those are toxic. Toss in some rose leaves once in a while.

View attachment 1482448 View attachment 1482449 View attachment 1482450 Here is my little Stoney. We got her from a neighbor a couple of years ago. She was raised in a hutch for first year and half and we got her and built this little run for her and she loves it. She has chickens for friends though they cannot touch. She digs but strangely covers her holes back in after a week. Has an upstairs apartment for when she wants. She is an active thing. I learned the term “binky” not too long ago and she was doing it lol

Awww she's cute!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

And thanks for the info!

 

[Crow-ded house]

That makes sense! So outside, just have a really secure run?

And wow that's really interesting!

That's true, definitely expensive! I thought it looked good though and liked the test for pesticides part but definitely expensive. For 50 pounds it'd be like $90 haha probably appeals to house rabbit owners with a little teeny dwarf or something. I think I'm gonna find something in between. Not as expensive as that but still good.





Awww she's cute!!

Thank you!! She really did not get attention other than feeding watering hutch cleaning from my neighbor so was skittish. It took lots of patience (plus a two story bunny bungalo) to get her to take to us. We still cannot pick her up but she will take treats out of hands and will hop up to us and she responds to our voices. You just gotta be patient and not make jerky movements. There is a great forum “rabbits online” that has tons of info like this one has tons of chicken info. Good luck with your rabbit adventure

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thank you!! She really did not get attention other than feeding watering hutch cleaning from my neighbor so was skittish. It took lots of patience (plus a two story bunny bungalo) to get her to take to us. We still cannot pick her up but she will take treats out of hands and will hop up to us and she responds to our voices. You just gotta be patient and not make jerky movements. There is a great forum “rabbits online” that has tons of info like this one has tons of chicken info. Good luck with your rabbit adventure

Aww that's sad! Glad you were able to work with her though! And thanks, I'll have to check that site out!

 

[ShrekDawg]

I think I may have already asked this but what are you guy's favorite breeds of rabbits? And friendliest? I know I was thinking the giant ones but now I'm getting to thinking, those would be pretty expensive to feed and if it's outside, the dog wouldn't be able to get it anyway so size wouldn't really be a factor. Though of course if they're the friendliest, I'll still consider it. But thoughts? I think I read some of the minis have health problems? Speaking of which, also healthiest, please. Thanks.

 

[cassie]

My New Zealands were always very healthy. I raised most of them for meat but once I kept a big New Zealand buck for a pet. He was docile and friendly and fun to have around.

 

[Bunnylady]

I think I'm gonna find something in between. Not as expensive as that but still good.

You're insinuating that Purina Rabbit Chow isn't good? Based on what, might I ask?

I seriously believe that this fascination with timothy-based feed is a market-driven fad. I really think that people who are hyping the timothy-based feeds are doing rabbit owners a disservice, since they are almost always sold in tiny quantities and at exorbitant prices. If one is doing as most rabbit owners recommend, and feeding grass hay anyway, why should it matter if the first ingredient on the feed bag is also a grass?

I think I may have already asked this but what are you guy's favorite breeds of rabbits? And friendliest? I know I was thinking the giant ones but now I'm getting to thinking, those would be pretty expensive to feed and if it's outside, the dog wouldn't be able to get it anyway so size wouldn't really be a factor. Though of course if they're the friendliest, I'll still consider it. But thoughts? I think I read some of the minis have health problems? Speaking of which, also healthiest, please. Thanks.

Any time someone paints with a broad brush, they get very imprecise, and their credibility goes down. Some of my friendliest rabbits, and some of the nastiest, have been Netherland Dwarfs, for example. If the breeder selects for temperament, they are more likely to be producing people-oriented rabbits.

If the breeder isn't being selective, there is no telling what they produce. As an example of this, for a couple of decades, when anyone mentioned a health problem they were having with their rabbit, I was like, "wait for it . . ." and before long, they'd say, "oh, yeah, he's a Lionhead, by the way." Not to say that Lionheads are inherently unhealthy, but there have been a lot of people who were so eager to breed Lionheads, they were breeding anything they could get their hands on, with no attention to size, type, temperament, or anything else. A breeder needs to be choosy; it may not always be in the first generation, but ultimately, you get what you breed for - and that includes a good immune system.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

Thoughts on this one?

https://www.chewy.com/zupreem-natures-promise-timothy/dp/128420

It seems like a good feed to me. I know a person above was saying it was way more expensive than what they feed, but at the same time, it's really up to you with what you want to spend on your bun. The bag I get is about 20 bucks, but then again, its like ten or fifteen pounds, and I have two rabbits. Because of the diet I feed them, it lasts me a decent amount of time.

Also I wanted to add: giving either dried pineapple or dried papaya (without sugar is probably best, but if you can't find it, added sugar doesn't matter too much. It's what I give my buns because it was all that we could find at the store) is a great way to help with their fur ingestion. Rabbits can't throw up or throw up hair balls like cats, and especially if it's a long-haired bun, it can get fur blockages. (Grooming helps with this a lot, too, especially during molting season)

And since I know you were worried about sick bunnies, its a great indicator when your bun is sick. Now, rabbits are pretty good at hiding their sicknesses, so it might not work on everything. But with most illnesses, they'll either get lethargic or don't want to eat.

Every day my buns race to the door to get their piece of dried papaya, and if one of them doesn't run up right away and ignores it when offered, I know something is wrong.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

I think I may have already asked this but what are you guy's favorite breeds of rabbits? And friendliest? I know I was thinking the giant ones but now I'm getting to thinking, those would be pretty expensive to feed and if it's outside, the dog wouldn't be able to get it anyway so size wouldn't really be a factor. Though of course if they're the friendliest, I'll still consider it. But thoughts? I think I read some of the minis have health problems? Speaking of which, also healthiest, please. Thanks.

For some reason when I went to respond to you about the feed, a bunch of replies never came up? So sorry for posting twice.

Well, I have a Lionhead bunny and a Harlequin mix. (I don't think she's a true Harlequin, but I could be wrong. She was a rescue) My Lionhead used to be very fierce and nippy, but he's mellowed over the years and has become pretty sweet. (Still can nip and growl, though its more of a warning bite now and doesn't hurt)

I think with any breed you're gonna get different personalities, really.

With a Lionhead you're gonna have to deal with fur, especially if they have a big mane. Their manes can get knots so you're gonna have to maintain them, and during shedding season...Lots of fur. But really it isn't so bad to take care of, but I like grooming my buns.

My Lionhead also has been super healthy. I'm not sure if that's for every bun, but he's at 10 yo right now and still as spry as my 4 yo Harlequin.

My Harlequin is so, so, so sweet. Never bites. Pretty shy in the cage, but loves to cuddle. I'll take her inside and she'll just lay there with me while I read a book.

Hair has never been too big of a problem with her. And she hasn't gotten sick yet. She's beautiful, too. You should look up the Harlequin breed if you haven't already.

My Mini Rex was probably even sweeter than Pumpkin, my Harlequin. Sadly he was never really litter trained and always peed if I took him inside, so cuddle time was mostly outside. He was SO docile and could care less if I took him out of the cage. (My other buns run away because they hate being picked up lol)

However, he got sick several times and a broken tooth made an abscess that eventually caused him to be put down. Perhaps other Rexes, both mini and not, are healthier.

Again, those are just my experiences. Every bunny is going to be different.