Rabbits

[Ilovemychicks08]

Hi all!
I know i was going to get fish tank. But i cant get the same tank at the same price. And with all the problems ive already had with just trying to start it.
So instead i think im going to do a rabbit. At the fair last week i really started to miss mine. And knew i could much easier care for a rabbit than a fish tank.
So i plan on taking my integration coop from my chickens. As im making my coop walk in and wont need it anymore. The coop is a 4 x 3 and i think its 3 feet tall id have to check. Then the run would be a 4 x 10. Id also be doing a complete wooden fence with wire/brick so she/he couldnt dig out.
Im mainly looking at New Zealands, Satins or Rex. I already know who I'd get them from. What breed would be best for living mostly outdoors? but completely covered so no predators could get in or scare them. During the winter if it got to cold i could bring them into a completely insulated shed. Id have a indoor rabbit if it wasnt for my dads allergies.

What pellets are best to feed? Its been so long and the brand we use to feed either completely switched their label or isnt made anymore.

And i know rabbits need Timothy hay would a 10lb bale last a month? Or would i be best to buy a 50lb bale which is cheaper and it would last longer as long as it doesnt mold?

My rabbit checklist
- bottle for water
- bowl for food
- hay holder
- litter box
- pellets
-hay
- pine shavings and hay for coop/hutch
- toys/hide tunnels
Im probably missing a few things.
Thanks in advance

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I always kept my rabbits outside. I gave them extra hay in winter. They did fine. Mine never took to a water bottle, plus in winter they were useless. I just used coop cups for water. I replaced frozen for fresh daily.

The hay holder didn't work well for me either. The rabbits just pulled them down and they didn't hold enough hay. I just used the hay we bale for our goats. It's a mix of grasses. They ate it, and it was their bedding. If you can store the hay where it stays dry and off the ground I'd buy the bigger bale.

I just bought the pellets we could get locally in a bigger bag because I had a bunch of rabbits. I initially started with the Kaytee brand of pellets.

All my rabbits are gone now. I still have fish tanks. Fish last longer than rabbits apparently.

 

[my spoiled chickens]

I reccomend mini rex, we have 2 of them, one girl who was kind of a rescue and one boy that my sister bought as a mate for the female and he won a prize at the york fair, and we had rex before then aswell. Make sure to give them something to chew on like a stick or a knaw toy

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I always kept my rabbits outside. I gave them extra hay in winter. They did fine. Mine never took to a water bottle, plus in winter they were useless. I just used coop cups for water. I replaced frozen for fresh daily.

The hay holder didn't work well for me either. The rabbits just pulled them down and they didn't hold enough hay. I just used the hay we bale for our goats. It's a mix of grasses. They ate it, and it was their bedding. If you can store the hay where it stays dry and off the ground I'd buy the bigger bale.

I just bought the pellets we could get locally in a bigger bag because I had a bunch of rabbits. I initially started with the Kaytee brand of pellets.

All my rabbits are gone now. I still have fish tanks. Fish last longer than rabbits apparently.

What breeds did you have?
I have coop cups for my chickens that are technically for rabbits. So i can just get more of those.

I dont remember if we used a hay holder or not.

I can get Kaytee, Nutrena, and a few others locally. For purina or other TSC brands i have to go further.

Thank you!

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I reccomend mini rex, we have 2 of them, one girl who was kind of a rescue and one boy that my sister bought as a mate for the female and he won a prize at the york fair, and we had rex before then aswell. Make sure to give them something to chew on like a stick or a knaw toy

I use to have minis. They are to small i feel to keep fully outdoors in winter here. We had ours in a heated room in our garage(which is now storage).
Thank you!

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

The breeder i plan on getting from does mini rex, rex, polish, satins, new zealand, lops?, mini lops, lionheads and then a few other breeds but they dont breed those ones.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What breeds did you have?

I had lionheads, mini lops, and mixes of those two breeds. Rabbits are very hardy in my experiences with them.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I had lionheads, mini lops, and mixes of those two breeds. Rabbits are very hardy in my experiences with them.

Im thinking rex , lops or new zealands now. I love the down ears on the lops. The size of the zealands. But ive always had rex before.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I vote New Zealand!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Im thinking rex , lops or new zealands now. I love the down ears on the lops. The size of the zealands. But ive always had rex before.

I adored my mini lops. They were nice bunnies. The lionheads were a bit aggressive. Nothing like a fluffy adorable bunny trying to bite you or pee on you.