Rabbitt owners: What is Timothy Hay

[ryanhodapp]

I just got my first rabbit on Sat. I thought it would be an outdoor rabbit. He has a hutch outside and a dog cage inside (only inside when my kids are with me). My son volunteers at our local Humane Society and says the rabbit should be inside. But I have to be honest, the rabbitt stinks.

I need to try the littler box thing and what is Timothy hay? We have been giving him rabbitt pellets, lettuce, carrots and potatoes.

thanks,

 

[Rin]

It is a grass hay and should be most of their diet. I think.

 

[Brody's Broodello]

Quote:
Timothy is a variety of grass that is grown to make hay bales with. You can buy it in bales weighing about 50 lbs or in small bags at Petsmart, TSC or other pet stores. You can also take grass clippings after they dry out in the sun and giv to the bunny. Do not feed iceburg lettuce, it has to much water in it & will give the bunny the runs, which can & will lead to death. We used to breed & show Netherland dwarf buns in the day going so far as to win Best Opp Of Breed at the ARBA convention. So I have some knowledge. Good luck with your new pet.

 

[ryanhodapp]

thank you Brody. I will go and get some this week. I am glad you told me about the lettuce too. I guess I will just let the chicks eat it.
We have a jersey something, he looks albino to me. I wanted a smaller rabbit and my 6 yr old picked it out. His name is John. I call him Jersey John.

 

[Amanda0609]

For just one bunny I would pick a smaller package. I got one from Walmart for $3 and it is going to last me well over 2 months. Lambert always has some in his cage. I also use it in his litterbox so he doesn't get aspen shavings stuck to his fur. He is a lionhead and he is really hairy. By the way I think we need a picture of Jersey John

 

[ryanhodapp]

Hopefully I can post tomorrow.
I also dont know what Aspen is. I kind of bought the rabbitt on impulse
"PLEASE MOM, I will take care of it, PLEASE."
Who ever knew they would sell rabbitts at a Chicken swap.

 

[Amanda0609]

Aspen shavings are the only wood shavings you are supposed to use with rabbits. It doesn't have any odor to it. I can also pick that up at walmart, I don't know if they all carry it. I got a triangle shaped litterbox for my little guy and he only peed outside it once. It is much easier to clean, and he is an inside bunny. He lives in a large dog crate. I was the one that wanted a bunny, my 4 year old loves him and my 13 month old just likes to shake the cage. Have to keep the door closed all the time thanks to him

this is Lambert, the sheepish lionhead rabbit

 

[mom2jedi]

Quote:
Oh my gosh, that is the cutest lionhead I have ever seen! He almost looks like a kitten!

To the OP, timothy hay is better for rabbits than alfalfa and is what most pet stores carry for rabbits and other small animals. It can be pricey though in those small bags as you get so little. One of the feed stores near me actually sells flakes of hay (one section) instead of having to buy an entire bale (which would go bad before any single rabbit could eat it) for $5 which is how much my pet stores sell a tiny bag of it for. A flake lasts a long time. Rabbits are supposed to have access to hay all the time although, I don't always remember to put some in the cage... they do always have a bowl of pellets available.

I think your outdoor hutch will be fine, although I understand the urge to have him inside while the kids are around. Honestly, the larger the rabbit the more docile they tend to be, smaller ones can be a little more skittish so you'll probably love your big guy once you get to know him. Do be careful with his claws however, they do get sharp and all rabbits have very strong hind legs. If you don't have one yet, you'll want to pick up a pair of nail trimmers and get him used to having his nails trimmed. It takes a little practice but is very similar to doing the same thing on dogs or cats. If your bunny is white it will be much easier, white nails are easy to see through so you'll be able to see where the vein is to avoid cutting the nails too short.

I also think the litter box is a great idea. It might help keep the smell down a bit, males do tend to smell more than females. If he has a litter box, you can change that daily to keep down the odor and it won't be as time consuming as changing the whole cage.

Good luck!

Edited to fix typos!

 

[mom2jedi]

Found this list somewhere online - I can't remember where now - and cleaned it up a little. It's pretty complete.


Rabbit Veggie List

Alfalfa, radish & clover sprouts
Basil
Beet greens (tops)*
Bok choy
Broccoli (mostly leaves/stems)*
Brussels sprouts
Carrot & carrot tops*
Celery
Cilantro
Clover
Collard greens*
Dandelion greens & flowers (no pesticides)*
Endive*
Escarole
Green peppers
Kale (!)*
Mint
Mustard greens*
Parsley*
Pea pods (the flat edible kind)*
Peppermint leaves
Raddichio
Radish tops
Raspberry leaves
Romaine lettuce (no iceberg or light colored leaf)*
Spinach (!)*
Watercress*
Wheat grass


Fruit List**
Apple (remove stem and seeds)
Blueberries
Melon
Orange (without the peel)
Papaya
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plums
Raspberries
Strawberries


(!)=Use sparingly. High in either oxalates or goitrogens and may be toxic in accumulated quantities over a period of time

Select at least three kinds of vegetables daily. A variety is necessary in order to obtain the necessary nutrients, with one each day that contains Vitamin A, indicated by an *. Add one vegetable to the diet at a time. Eliminate if it causes soft stools or diarrhea.

**Sugary fruits such as bananas and grapes should be used only sparingly, as occasional treats. Bunnies have a sweet tooth and if left to their own devices will devour sugary foods to the exclusion of healthful ones.**

 

[ryanhodapp]

Thank you so much! this is so helpful. I am pretty sure that the rabbit will be spending more time inside if we can get him litter box trained. I think that on nice days, the outside has to be better than sitting in 4 walls when no one is home. At least outside he can see the neighbors dog barking at my chickens!

This was a great info, I really appreciate it. I love BYC!