New owner needs help!

[Winterbunnies]

Having just took in 2 unwanted lop rabbits last night (neighbour wanted to dump them at the shelter), I am determined to be a responsible owner and treasure them, but I’ve never had bunnies before (or any pet since I was 5 years old, for that matter), so I’m still quite unsure what to do.

Firstly, I’m sure that they’re both adult males and desexed, so I don’t have to worry that they’ll multiply, and they have never lived indoors or been litter trained.

They’ve been fed on what looks like horse food (some kind of mix?) and carrots at the previous owner’s place.

I have placed them on a warm rug &towel in a secondhand hutch that I’ve thoroughly cleaned with bleach and vinegar solutions last night. They spent the first night in the garage, and this morning I have moved the hutch into an area with some bark in the fenced backyard.

I’ve got some questions:

Firstly, I’ve read that rabbits should mainly be fed by hay with some veggies. Where can I buy hay in Melbourne, Australia?

Secondly, can rabbits of any age be litter trained eventually? I’m sure they’re over 2 years old.

How can I check for fleas? Should I take them to see a vet? If so, can anyone recommend any good vets that don’t overcharge ( I am a student, it has to be affordable)?

My backyard is quite small and only has tree bark, paving and synthetic turf. Is it okay to let them explore the yard?

My front yard has good grass but is not fenced, can I safely let them out with a leash during the day?

The rabbits seem quite docile but don’t like being handled. They have loads of loose fur and nails that have never been trimmed. Should I buy some tools to tidy them up or would it be the best to let a vet do that? (do vets do that?)

Housing them indoors is not a good option for me because my house has good carpet and furniture. At lest until I can be sure of their behaviour.

I’ve only gone over the rabbit caring tips briefly (having only got the rabbits less than 12 hours ago), so any tips would be great.

I have yet to name them anything, so naming suggestions are welcome too.

So far, I have nothing but 2 bunnies, a hutch and a handful of veggies. A step by step guide would be most appreciated!

Lots of thanks.

[britt and yeti]

soo many questions!

rabbits need UNLIMITED amounts of hay… bun bun prefers timothy hay. pellets and veggies… my bunny diet bible.. http://www.rabbit.org/care/veggies.html 

rabbits can be litter trained! it takes time and effort take all poops and peed papertowel and put it in their box.. and plop them in aswell.. they enjoy pooping and eating.. put some hay in their box aswell. another trick i used was positive reinforcement “gooood boy!!!” with pets and a little treat.

fleas can be seen on the back of their neck behind their ears.. (they cant reach there for grooming) if you’re still unsure check with a vet

you can take them outside but make sure they’re on a leash and harness.. and only while you’re there to watch.. predators heat and cold can obviously injure your buns.

you can “pluck” your bun just run your hand and lightly “tug” the fur will come out.. i suggest investing in a brush.

their nails should be trimmed monthly… use guillotine clippers and make sure you have some styptic powder on hand for any bleeding. be mindful of the main vein running down into their nails the “quick” white nails are easy.. you can see the pink.. black nails.. use a flashlight to see through the nail.

if you put down a rug ontop of your carpet you can designate a bunny area or room! use an x pen (like a baby play pen) make sure they have tons of toys. see the habitat and toys forums for awesome cheap ideas.

be sure to find a vet and see if they have been spayed or neutered and check their overall health. 

welcome to BB post pictures if possible for bun name ideas. read the forums and ask every question. we’re all here to help.

thank you for rescuing your 2 buns. buns are definitely great companions. but also a big commitment. 

[Jenna, Chubs & Comet]

Hi there,

Welcome to the world of bunnies! Firstly, good for you for trying to prevent these guys from going to a shelter which is likely overrun with rabbits and for finding a site like this and taking initiative on learning.

This site and all of the information many of us use here advocates very strongly for indoor rabbits. There are many reasons for this. Rabbits are very temperature sensitive and being outside doesn’t allow any control over this. Bunnies are prey animals and they are easily startled. Being outside leaves them vulnerable to things that frighten them and that’s not good for their health. Another big reason is that these bunnies are social animals who love to interact with their humans! Keeping them outside in a hutch prevents you from getting to see their personalities and prevents them from being able to bond with you very well. So…I think that is something you should consider.

1) We have a very active member on here, jerseygirl, who also lives in Australia and she would probably be able to tell you where to get the hay. If she doesn’t see this soon, you could always send her a message. She could probably also help you in finding a vet.
2) Yes, all rabbits can be taught to use a litterbox with patience and persistence. Some are better with it than others and some catch on more quickly than others but it’s definitely worth a shot! Check out ideas on how to get started in the bunny info section on the site. https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/Default.aspx
3) Bunnies can be allowed to play outside in a safely supervised area. A lot of people like to use an xpen of some kind to limit space so the bunny can’t run away and get themselves stuck somewhere, hit by a car, etc. There is also some danger of large birds grabbing a bunny so if the area is covered, that is ideal. Some rabbits respond okay to a harness type leash and that can be a safe way to let them play also. Some bunnies won’t tolerate them so well though.
4) You can check for fleas by looking at their fur but if you’re unsure, a vet check-up would definitely not hurt. You can trim nails at home (and again, check the bunny info page here) but if you are not comfortable with that or not right away (I wasn’t), a vet can show you how at a check-up and the nail trim is usually very inexpensive. There are brushes you can buy to help with the loose hair (a good one on here if you wanted to do that) but bunnies do shed a good amount!
5) There is a section on bunny proofing that may be helpful when you’re thinking about possibly having them inside. Many people have a cage or pen for their buns for when they cannot supervise and then allow them some free roam time when they can. Some bunnies are able to be free roam all the time but you may want to start with some limits if you’re worried about their behaviors. There is a section on toys and habitats as well for ideas on that. Best way to manage behavior for a bun is to make sure they aren’t too bored so that can be helpful.

I don’t have any ideas for names right off the bat, post some pictures! Also other sites that are a good source of info:
http://www.rabbit.org/
http://www.rabbitwhisperer.com/2008/01/rabbit-talk-101-deciphering-and.html

Best of luck! This is a wonderful site for getting help with bunnies and sharing the joys of owning one with others who get it.

[Monkeybun]

With you being in Australia, I strongly recommend bringing the bunnies indoors. Myxo runs rampant there, and its scary and has no cure for bunnies. So indoors where mosquitoes and other insects and predators can’t get to them is of great benefit to them.

[LittlePuffyTail]

First of all, it was wonderful of you to take on these bunnies. I wish you many happy years together! BB is a great place to get all the know-how you will need for your new little furries.

I ditto, Monkeybun. There are so many dangers for outside bunnies. Bunnies make wonderful inside pets and can be litter trained. You will get much more enjoyment from each other with them inside. To see some great indoor bunny setup ideas check out Binky Bunny’s “Bunny Info/Great Habitats” section.

 

[Winterbunnies]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I feel really blessed to have these bunnies come into my life.

More questions on the way ^^

 

1. X pens sound like a good idea. If I were to get one, what should the approx size be like? What about the height? My bunnies are about 30cm long.

Will something like this do? x pen

If I were to let them out in the front yard with the patch of grass for half a day each day (supervised by my lovely grandma), would you recommend the x pen or harness/leash? I think they might like to explore a bit more with a leash rather than a pen.

2. Will they mistake synthetic turf as grass if I let them wonder in the back yard? I haven’t had enough time to observe them yet, but I’d hate to think they’ll chew on something that’s definitely not good for their little bellies.

3. The buns seem to get along with each other very well, but I’ve noticed that last night, only one of them slept in the box part of the wooden hutch while the other just stayed in the wired part. I’ve given them thick blankets and towels, and draped a blanket over the top of the entire hutch. I think the temperature drops to around 7 degrees C at night, would that be too cold for them? As of tonight, both of them decided to not stay in the covered box, why is that? I checked the area, it hasn’t been soiled and the bunnies seem content with being there before the sun went down.

4. Double checked on the food that they’ve been fed previously, they are definitely horse food. Is it safe to feed buns with those (I think they’ve been eating that for a long time), or are pellets a better choice? I plan on introducing some hay later this week when I can get my hands on some.

5. I’m still quite unsure about bringing them indoors. I’m a fussy person and it’s hard for me to picture sharing a house with animals, but then I’ve never really had a pet. I do love the bunnies but it’s a whole different mindset!

That’s all I’ve got to ask for now. I’ve booked them for a trip to the vet tomorrow for a general check-up, I’ll definitely take some pics if the weather is good

 

Thanks again! <3

[TH004]

2. My first rabbit would taste ANYTHING she could get her mouth on. I would recommend you watching them the first few times to make sure they don’t try to eat it.

4. I would definitely switch from the horse food. I did a lot of research on pellets and the nutritional values of each and my favorite is the Oxbow pellet line. My rabbit LOVES them!

5. I’m a very fussy person who doesn’t like pet smells, hair, etc. I also keep my buns inside! I learned how to live with a rabbit, while keeping my standards. My first buns shed a lot, so I made sure to keep her in her own area, usually a laundry room, to keep the hair contained. When I let her out, she wasn’t allowed on the furniture, because I didn’t want hair there. She learned that rule quickly. I used baby gates and shut doors to rooms I wanted to be perfectly hair free. I also kept a blanket over her cage, to prevent flyaway hair.

My buns now doesn’t shed, but molts, so random hair isn’t an issue. I use Carefresh litter. It absorbs the smell the best IMO. Anyone coming into my home would NEVER guess I have a pet! I don’t use air fresheners either. (I hate how they cover smells… smells should be gone to start with!)

[TH004]

5. continued… My hubby grew up with only outdoor pets. He always believed that is where animals belonged. After dating me, he realized you can keep them indoors and it not smell or get hair all over your kitchen, etc. When my first buns passed right after we got married and moved in together, he was the first to want to pick out another house rabbit!

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