The Bunny Chat Thread - For Bunny Owners

[FortCluck]

We had a Hurricane/Tropical Storm band pass over... a renegade band that didn't have much of a punch but a few gusts of wind to clear out the stale humid air that has been suffocating us then semi heavy rain fell. I checked the hay rack to see if water rolled down the wall of the shed that the Rabbit Pen was built against and it was dry but splatter water got on the feeder which I never filled ... just a scoop of feed in it that got wet. So I need to work on stopping this water from getting in. So I extended the roof a bit with plastic feed bags, I still need to do a little bit of work to it and next rain fall I will see if it worked. very hard to get a good picture of it because there is not much room between my Holly Hedge and the pen which is a good thing because it keeps the area shaded with nice air flow

We are getting that tomorrow

 

[EverythingDucks]

Anyone have experience with sore hocks?

 

[Compost King]

I have been able to avoid it so far, The issue only comes up in caged rabbits as far as I know. It is also more likely in heavier rabbits with thin fur which my rabbits are... Standard Sized Rex. Thats why I want them off the cage floors and on solid ground with the pens.

 

[BGcoop]

Anyone have experience with sore hocks?

I have not dealt with it myself, but from reading about it one main culprit seems to be when the animal is allowed to stand on urine soaked bedding/areas (some people only use cages to actually prevent sore hocks).

 

[BGcoop]

So we have a few rabbits that we breed for meat and they have had successful litters a few times in the last couple years, however our boy seems quite unintelligent in the mating department-as in he often climbs on the doe facing the wrong direction, or very clearly not anywhere near the right spot, etc. like I said he has been successful so he clearly gets it eventually, but I was wondering how normal this behavior is.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

So we have a few rabbits that we breed for meat and they have had successful litters a few times in the last couple years, however our boy seems quite unintelligent in the mating department-as in he often climbs on the doe facing the wrong direction, or very clearly not anywhere near the right spot, etc. like I said he has been successful so he clearly gets it eventually, but I was wondering how normal this behavior is.

Extremely normal. My bucks do this ALL the time. Sometimes the does correct them, sometimes they don't. If a doe is extra aggressive she might give him a big 'ol chomp so keep an eye on them while breeding.

Anyone have experience with sore hocks?

My only experience with sore hocks past some minor fur wear (stage 1) is in substantially older rabbits (5+ years) that were already on their way out of my herd. But I would treat with a rabbit safe ointment (maybe a plantain suspension) and make sure they have a very clean and dry environment until they heal up, maybe change their bedding daily or use newspaper and change it out whenever I saw moisture. Then once the sores are healed, I would make sure there's thick bedding to prevent further issues. I actually use hay bedding myself.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Baby picture dump time! They're starting to open their eyes! <3

This last one is the runt I've been struggling to keep around. You can see how tiny it really is where it's tucked on the right side of the basket 'o' bunnies up there. Mom started with 11 and lost a few, it's her first litter, now we're on 8. This kit has been getting bullied out of food during mealtimes so we've been "force nursing" where we turn mom on her back and put the kit on her belly to let it get a meal without its siblings. It's JUST starting to catch up. For a few days there we weren't sure it was gonna make it but it's doing OK (not great) now and I think it will make to to solid food.

The harlequins are looking really nice right now, and there's one CHUNKY black bunny up there that's looking promising as well. We may keep those 3 from this litter.

 

[igorsMistress]

I wish I could do that with my rabbits! But we are all highly allergic to them, and they would probably get lost or stepped on. Our house is far from rabbit-proof.

I have a Himalayan rabbit who is about 5 years old, and he doesn't seem to like being outdoors very much. Could it be because his red-colored eyes are more sensitive to light? I don't let him outside very often at all, but when I do, he just sits still and does nothing, or tries to go back indoors. And my other rabbit, a chinchilla Dutch, is rather skittish and nervous. Before we put a top on his enclosure, which is a dog exercise pen in the garage, he would jump out of it and hide.

Mine are kind of litter trained, but I still find poop in places where it shouldn't be, even in their food containers sometimes. The Dutch rabbit used to have a problem where he would get his pee on himself, and even now he doesn't always pee in the litter box.

Does anyone else have rabbits who do not like certain treats or toys? One of my rabbits will not eat apple & banana flavored treats, and neither of them like those toys that have blocks of wood and plastic rings and bells.

I just gave my buns some 2x2 pieces of wood for chewing, they use those rather than willow or apple sticks. I bought a hanging thing with various types of chew stuff on it, hasn't been touched. I made a tunnel out of cardboard, it's half gone. My buns like some of the natural ball things but haven't ever touched a baby toy. They throw their bowls around though. I think each rabbit is different.

 

[igorsMistress]

I keep my bunnies inside in the summer. We're breaking heat records this year and I just can't see leaving them out there. That being said, once it cools off they'll going outside for a few hours each morning. I agree folks should do what works for them so long as the rabbits are healthy and happy.

 

[Compost King]

I agree folks should do what works for them so long as the rabbits are healthy

that's the way I see it. Not everyone has the same situation, resources or climate etc.. so there are no one size fits all for keeping animals.