The Bunny Chat Thread - For Bunny Owners

[ChocolateMouse]

Suggestions for dry/rough skin on bunnies? I'm thinking plantains in coconut oil but wanted thoughts. No fresh aloe here.

Mama Donut (the mom of my litter) pulled a huge bare patch on her chest right under her top set of nipples when she nested and with all those little baby rex paws it's getting rubbed red and raw. It's in an easy to reach spot so might have to be safe to be ingested, so I might not be able to use a normal lotion or aloe gel.

 

[Compost King]

I posted this picture before its the feed bags I used to extend the roof to prevent water splatter from getting into the rabbit pen.

This morning I put these triangles of wood along the wall about roughly the same height. I had holly leaves scratching me because its a tight fit along that wall. Isn't rabbit keeping fun?

I am just holding the board in place but eventually I will have it nailed into place. this should extend the water dropping off the roof beyond the splatter guards at the bottom. Before the water fell off the roof inside the spatter guards. the Feed bags will be over this to prevent splatter from hitting this board from going inside. All of this is to keep the feeder from getting soaked with water. One of the negatives is that this will restrict air flow but the positive is that I can tie the bags up in the summer when its not raining. Even if I forget to take them back up on a hot day the heat will only build up at the top and the rabbits are not very tall.

 

[FortCluck]

Suggestions for dry/rough skin on bunnies? I'm thinking plantains in coconut oil but wanted thoughts. No fresh aloe here.

Mama Donut (the mom of my litter) pulled a huge bare patch on her chest right under her top set of nipples when she nested and with all those little baby rex paws it's getting rubbed red and raw. It's in an easy to reach spot so might have to be safe to be ingested, so I might not be able to use a normal lotion or aloe gel.

Coconut oil would be my go to for that

 

[igorsMistress]

I'm working on writing about pellets. What kind do ya'll use?

I like Oxbow. I get the Adult T

 

[Skye'sDucks]

Also, I'm writing about GI statics. Anything that I should know about it? I know that they need to have food in them at all times or they can die within 24 hours, but I need to research more.

GI stasis can be a quick killer for rabbits, but it's actually quite treatable from home if you catch it in time. My one rabbit had it bad once (he was put down a few years ago though) and I was younger so my mom did a lot of the treatment for him, but I know it well as in other injuries my rabbits have had minor cases of stasis.

Stasis can be a full-blown issue, or it can be related to other injuries or illnesses a rabbit can suffer from. Because when they are in pain, they sometimes don't eat (or eat enough), so that causes the stasis. I see so many people panic online about it, and while I get its scary, it's very easy to treat at home as long as you stay on top of it and catch it early enough.

Basically, the treatment is baby's gas drops, and I can't quite remember the dosage but you can look it up easily enough. To get food in them, you can also buy canned pumpkin or sweet potato baby food (with no sugar) and give a little to the rabbit. However, I highly recommend critical care. It's downright amazing and has saved my rabbits' lives. It has good nutrients in it and I think is based off of hay or something; its powdered form so you can control how liquid or solid it is. It also comes in flavors like apple and banana to encourage eating. Syringe some of this (just don't aspirate the rabbit -- feed slowly) regularly and keep giving the gas drops and the stasis should clear up.

 

[EverythingDucks]

Oh no.
I just read petsmart rabbit care sheet.
Its horrendous.
https://www.petsmart.com/learning-center/small-pet-care/rabbit-care-guide/A0182.html#how_home

 

[Compost King]

I learned that Pet Smart is only interested in selling us stuff and getting us to go to them as often as possible. I also found Vets are the same way, Not all vets are bad I found the ones that specialize in live stock but still see pets tend to do a great job. The Pet Industry is all about separating animal lovers from their dollars.

When I first got cats the vet at the Dog and Cat animal hospital told me that I HAD to get my cat declawed, as if it was a requirement. She also told me that cats can not go outside (which defeats the purpose of having a cat in my opinion) its too dangerous for them. Took me a while to figure out why she was so crazy... because indoor cat owners are more likely to spend money on unnecessary procedures than outdoor cat owners.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

That cage size suggestion is certainly too small and their suggestion for out of cage time combined with it is Not Good. Otherwise I'm not seeing anything TOO egregious given the time you're able to spend on customers when you work in a pet store. You have to get diluted information to the customers quickly or their eyes start to glaze over and they just demand to buy the rabbit anyhow and try to stick em in a hamster cage. :T I can't count how much time is wasted trying to explain that no you can't stick x tiny animal into x tiny cage - it's gonna grow up and you need to invest at least X$$$ into a cage if you want it big enough.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I'm all for don't sell animals to people who can't care for them but I can't deny that there's a real demand for easy to buy rabbits by people who don't wanna learn and SOMEONEs gonna fill that demand. These care sheets are supposed to be diluted enough and a low enough barrier to entry to try to stop people like that from abusing/killing their animals.

I know. I worked at a petstore for a while when I was 18, and know a lot of folks who were there longer. I still see people like that sometimes just walking through.

 

[EverythingDucks]

Also, it said 75% of their diet is pellets. What the heck.