Rabbits!

[tracyjg]

Mine our happy. I just need to fix the floor issues. I have good tile underneath them that belongs to my living room and my bedroom floor . It's no longer available on market. So at the moment it's upside down. I have carpet in that room. We put plastic down. We put the tile upside down. And put towels down. But I need to fix it. In the boys we have plastic and card board down . Card board is harder to clean. We our redoing back yard and shed soon. Have baby ducks and chickens very busy lately with pets.

 

[tracyjg]

Mine become sick and more trips to the vet when there not near each other.

 

[Bunnylady]

How very odd . . . ..in over 30 years of keeping rabbits, and of the hundreds of animals I have owned, I have only taken a rabbit to see a vet twice. I wonder why my animals seem to be so much healthier?

Yes, a person should do their research, but there is an awful lot of nonsense on the internet. Before they follow any advice, a person should make sure that the information comes from someone who actually knows what they are talking about.

A lot of people will tell you that rabbits are social by nature, but they also tell you about this elaborate process that you have to go through to get the rabbits to "bond" to each other. My question is, if they are naturally social, why do you have to go through such an intricate song and dance which may take weeks or even months to get them to tolerate each other? To me, the answer seems pretty simple - they aren't naturally social, they are naturally antisocial, and you have to overcome that natural tendency to get them to live peaceably together. Research on the behavior of their wild ancestors seems to bear that out. Even the House Rabbit Society, for whom the idea of rabbits in cages is anathema, will tell you that there are some rabbits that just cannot get along with other rabbits. Rather than assume that these rabbits are in some way warped or damaged, it seems to me that their behavior is much more like that of the rabbit in nature, and it's these "bonded" rabbits that are actually abnormal. Baby rabbits instinctively huddle together; if they didn't, they would die. As rabbits reach adolescence, the need for their own territory asserts itself, and they begin picking on each other and even fighting. Some naturally more passive rabbits may never get to that point. We, as breeders, may artificially select for a more docile temperament in the interest of making people-friendly pets, but that doesn't change the essential nature of a rabbit, and you can't assume that all rabbits are going to continue to behave like babies as they become adults.

 

[tracyjg]

Well for now mine or fine near each other and I will continue what I am doing and share my experience with others. I am sorry you had a bad experience but that doesn't belong to me or others..people have the same nature and you don't put them in a box away from life.if you think people should be in jail and not in life because there different it not happy. I want my life happy and peaceful I think others do to.

 

[tracyjg]

It doesn't make me a bad person to take all of my pets to a vet. ( including my rabbits) you should take them least once a year for a check up. If you need them in emergency sick or injured that's ok to. It's required by law where I live.

 

[tracyjg]

I am sorry what works here. Doesn't work for you. Every one is happy and healthy. And taken care of.

 

[moomoodiddy]

How very odd . . . ..in over 30 years of keeping rabbits, and of the hundreds of animals I have owned, I have only taken a rabbit to see a vet twice. I wonder why my animals seem to be so much healthier?

Yes, a person should do their research, but there is an awful lot of nonsense on the internet. Before they follow any advice, a person should make sure that the information comes from someone who actually knows what they are talking about.

A lot of people will tell you that rabbits are social by nature, but they also tell you about this elaborate process that you have to go through to get the rabbits to "bond" to each other. My question is, if they are naturally social, why do you have to go through such an intricate song and dance which may take weeks or even months to get them to tolerate each other? To me, the answer seems pretty simple - they aren't naturally social, they are naturally antisocial, and you have to overcome that natural tendency to get them to live peaceably together. Research on the behavior of their wild ancestors seems to bear that out. Even the House Rabbit Society, for whom the idea of rabbits in cages is anathema, will tell you that there are some rabbits that just cannot get along with other rabbits. Rather than assume that these rabbits are in some way warped or damaged, it seems to me that their behavior is much more like that of the rabbit in nature, and it's these "bonded" rabbits that are actually abnormal. Baby rabbits instinctively huddle together; if they didn't, they would die. As rabbits reach adolescence, the need for their own territory asserts itself, and they begin picking on each other and even fighting. Some naturally more passive rabbits may never get to that point. We, as breeders, may artificially select for a more docile temperament in the interest of making people-friendly pets, but that doesn't change the essential nature of a rabbit, and you can't assume that all rabbits are going to continue to behave like babies as they become adults.

Some people rely on others too much and can't use their own common sense or knowledge to know what an animal needs and how to treat and prevent illness/injuries. Growing up on a beef farm, the vet is seldom called out and when they are it is because we need medicine we are not able to purchase and most of the time end up helping the vet perform procedures. ~my little rant~

 

[saltandpepper2]

How very odd . . . ..in over 30 years of keeping rabbits, and of the hundreds of animals I have owned, I have only taken a rabbit to see a vet twice. I wonder why my animals seem to be so much healthier?

Yes, a person should do their research, but there is an awful lot of nonsense on the internet. Before they follow any advice, a person should make sure that the information comes from someone who actually knows what they are talking about.

A lot of people will tell you that rabbits are social by nature, but they also tell you about this elaborate process that you have to go through to get the rabbits to "bond" to each other. My question is, if they are naturally social, why do you have to go through such an intricate song and dance which may take weeks or even months to get them to tolerate each other? To me, the answer seems pretty simple - they aren't naturally social, they are naturally antisocial, and you have to overcome that natural tendency to get them to live peaceably together. Research on the behavior of their wild ancestors seems to bear that out. Even the House Rabbit Society, for whom the idea of rabbits in cages is anathema, will tell you that there are some rabbits that just cannot get along with other rabbits. Rather than assume that these rabbits are in some way warped or damaged, it seems to me that their behavior is much more like that of the rabbit in nature, and it's these "bonded" rabbits that are actually abnormal. Baby rabbits instinctively huddle together; if they didn't, they would die. As rabbits reach adolescence, the need for their own territory asserts itself, and they begin picking on each other and even fighting. Some naturally more passive rabbits may never get to that point. We, as breeders, may artificially select for a more docile temperament in the interest of making people-friendly pets, but that doesn't change the essential nature of a rabbit, and you can't assume that all rabbits are going to continue to behave like babies as they become adults.

For real though, there have been so many times with my dogs and cats that common sense has saved me hundreds or dollars and dozens of vet visits. Make's sense that it's the same way with rabbits! Briar-Rose (my lop) i have been told, will soon need to be spayed, and I need to adopt a male or she'll get aggressive, etc, etc.... she seems pretty chill to me!

 

[Bunnylady]

Anybody else remember this thread?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1037752/too-many-rabbits-please-help-me

@saltandpepper2 - You need to do what makes sense for you and your rabbit. Some females can get cranky as adolescents, but a lot don't. I have dealt with a few "dragon rabbits," and quite a few that were nothing of the sort. I'm not sure whether I have posted this picture on this thread, but here's one that definitely wasn't:


That's my "famous rabbit;" for several seasons, she played "Chester" on the series One Tree Hill. She was an unaltered Holland Lop doe, and such a sweetheart, she could spend all day on a strange set surrounded by strange people, and apparently love it. Fantastic animal.

 

[User395221]

Make's sense that it's the same way with rabbits!

It isn't though, because rabbits are not as "hardy" as dogs and cats. The hard part for those without extensive experience is knowing when something is serious enough to warrant vet attention. Ignore something as "nothing" and it could be "lights out" for mr bunny. I don't rush up for every little observation, but if I don't have sufficient knowledge to know whether it's "nothing" or not, I wouldn't hesitate to go to the vet. Having said that, I've had no issues with my rabbits to need vet intervention, just the routine stuff. Touch wood.

I've been told (by bunny vet) that unspeyed females have a higher incidence of uterine cancer and they recommend it for pets. Of course that doesn't mean you have to do it if you don't want to and it doesn't mean that the higher incidence means that your bunny will get cancer if left entire.

The hard part with "internet info" is knowing what's unreliable and unsound and what's not. A lot of what I believe to be nonsense gets repeated as if it is fact on all forums in relation to all sorts of animals. Researching everything you read would never get you away from the keyboard

A TV star rabbit! I've never "met" one before.