Hey looks like you are going to be a great bunny owner!

I’ll let the others answer some and I’ll make a few comments on some:
4) She doesn’t need a bath unless she really is covered in poop. Bunnies clean themselves like cats.
5) See the INFO section on this website, BinkyBunny has some great information about nails, etc.
6) Before we answer questions about diet, how old is the rabbit? rabbit.org has some good diet info.
8) First, get her spayed. Then contact a local rescue group and they can guide you through the bonding process best. Where do you live?

I had a bunny like that who was soiled when I first got him. It grows out pretty quickly and they clean themselves down there.

Also, since the bun is probably an adult, I would cut out the alfalfa. Only give a pinch per day for variety, but not in big quantities.

The most important thing for combos is both being fixed. Girls and boys generally work best, but same sex couples are not a problem for lots of buns as well. There are lots of excellent bonding articles on the web.

HI!

Is there anyway while she is on the ground to pick her up around the middle and sneak a peak? If she is a year or so old then she really isnt "old" but should be hitting puberty. Males spray something awful if they arent fixed.

NIC cubes are great houses. Have you ever considered using a cardboard box up against the shelf so that she can jump onto the box then onto the shelf? Thats what all my rabbits do. If you think the shelf is too high then if you bring the shelf halfway down and really reinforce it with additional panels under the shelf it would be short enough that it would only be 6in off the ground and she shouldnt have trouble getting up and down from it. You could always take the shelf out if she has problems with it and give her something shorter to lay on like a short cardboard box.

We bought cheap roll out linoleum for the base of our cages. We used the NIC cubes and then used the lineoleum as the base. Easy to clean, easy to mop, not too slippery.

 She shouldnt need a full body bath and it can really freak them out if you put her in water. My little boy really needed a bath after I adopted him so I took a damp cloth and washed him outside the tub. You will probably need to really spot clean her bottom frequently if its dirty. Getting her spayed will fix this usually.

Putting the bun in a "bunny burrito" wrapped in a blanky will help to cut nails. There should be pictures here in one of the nail clipping sections.

She is really too old for alfalfa and that will just give her too many calories. Unlimited timothy hay is needed and you can introduce others like Oat, Bermuda, etc if you want, just not alfalfa. Romaine lettuce is a good intro veggy. Then you could try parsley, cilantro, dandelion greens. The diet area on http://www.rabbit.org is a big help.

 Your new bun probably isnt sure of her surroundings yet and still has the horrible memory of her past home. She probably expects being put in a cage with no roaming. I would let her out as much as possible and keep an eye on her. If you sit in the floor with her she should eventually come to you. I would let her come to you versus you going and getting her. If she explores on her own in the area you provide she will get much more curious and venture farther. If she sees you arent a threat, then she will come and check you out if you sit in the floor with her. Let her sniff you, climb on you, she will learn you are her friend.

Make sure to give her toys. Carboard toilet paper tubes, small cardboard boxes,small stuffed animals,etc. She will need some extra stimuli and stuff she can call her own.

Getting her spayed should be an asap kinda thing. Female rabbits have an 85% cancer rate if not fixed by age 4. After age 4 risk goes up as well as the risk of it spreading. Plus having her fixed soon will allow for you to get her a freind faster.

As far as a friend age isnt necessarily an issue. Even size isnt an issue. My 5lb lop is with my 2lb dwarf. But girls dont usually get along so it would probably need to be a boy. Is there a way to check to see if there are shelters near you? The best thing you could do is let her pick out her new friend. Sometimes what you pick will work but if it doesnt then you may end up with two rabbits who hate eachother and will fight and have to be let out at different times.

Welcome Sevyn and to the wonderful world of bunny ownership!  You’ll love the moderators here as they are really sweet and have all sorts of great info on hand. I would like to chip in a few tidbits as well and I see that Poopy has already responded as well!

1 – I would take your bunny to a qulaified exotics veterinarian for a check-up, usually it is receommended that you do this at least once a year, most importantly when you bring a new animal into your home. Your bunny can also be sexed as well.  And, being a new bunny and needing to gain trust and bond better in order to exam your bun, the vet would be a great place to get that done as well as having them trim the nails too and that way you can concentrate on bonding/trust when you go to do it yourself next time.

2 –  Personally, I build a ramp for my NIC cage.  Binkybunny posted a pic.  It is 7" wide and about 30" long, I affixed carpet from a remenant store with carpet tape and some aluminum edging found in the "welding" section at Home Depot, drilled holes in it and secured with screws, then put several cup hooks, 2-3 in the leading edge and hooked them over the first bar on the "top" floor for the ramp.  You will need a space that is two open NIC panels long for this. As for flooring, I had some cheap hardboard (thin stuff), that I cut to fit in various lengths on the floor (I would not go more than 2 NIC panels wide with it otherwise it is hard to maneuver into place, stuck leftover linoleum tile on it then placed my final flooring over that, be it carpet remenant affixed to a board and framed or a carpet sample that has the edges bound or even a natural stone tile flipped on the "wrong side" for traction and to keep bunny cool. The reason I did the linoleum base is because it is incredibly easy to clean and prevents spills from going all over the place, plus a vacuum or hand broom works very nicely.  As when I clean I remove the actual flooring to reveal the linoleum about once a week for a thorough cleaning and wipe with a diluted solution of white vingear & water. It sounds like though in lieu of this, you have the plexi glass which is another alternative.

3 – Plexiglass is really hard for a bunny to gain traction on.  If your bunny has good litterbox manners, carpet remenants work just fine.  I’ve had mine for over a year now and are still in great shape with bunny-proofing.  Also above in #2 I mentioned natural stone tile, you can also use porcelain but most does not give good traction and you can find "leftover" or "castaway" tiles at a tile store.  Most tiles are only 12" and the NIC panels are 14" so you can go with the 12" one with a gap on each side or have the 16" one cut to size with a wet saw.  Regular towels work too and you can also use sea grass mats. I have also found small plastic grate stuff as well and it hoses off nicely, the holes are very small and it makes a handy tool for wrapping a towel or a piece of berber fleece I bought at the fabric store on the remenant table.

4 – Use your kitchen sink, it’s better and I feel you have more control than a bathtub. Place a towel on the counter next to it for setting bunny on after washing.  Have you planned on what type of shampoo to use?  I would advise being very careful in selecting one. What I’ve used in the past is the sensitive stuff for ferrets and I’ve also seen plain old Ivory used at the shelter.  I would say do not use one for a dog or cat, they tend to be harsher and well, in lieu of opening up a horrific topic, lets just say rabbits are used for "product research" because of their extreme sensitivity and it is always good to bear in mind that they are extrememly sensitive creatures and it is best to play it safe. Run some mildly warm water, take your time and you may want to use a harness on your rabbit because they can be very slippery and you do not want them to fall or get hurt.  This is just what I’ve done in the past and others will likely lend their experince to this as well.  From the sound of it, your bunny needs a good cleanup after the abuse and would recommend a bath.  Normally, they do not need them, but when they are in bad shape, it is usally done as a "fresh start" and to remove anything else on their fur like leftover pine shaving residue.

5 – I recommend the "bunny burrito." wrap your babe in a towel covering the front feet leaving back feet free, flip on back, trance, secure legs and trim using a flashlight if they are dark nails and keep styptic powder handy. Repeat for front legs by securing back ones with a towel. Ask your vet if you can watch as well.

6 – Try some romaine lettuce for starters, that usually goes over well, add some parsely too. By nature parsely has been used for digestion for years and so I would say that it is a safe bet. Next a carrot. Wait at least three days between introduction and watch the litterbox for any bad reaction, if so, put that veggie on their "sensitive" list and do not feed again.

7 – You’ve taken a bunny that is used to utter confinement and neglect and let her roam in the Taj Mahal.  It’s going to take time for your bunny to adjust, bunny return to the cage for safety and what it knows. Be patient, maybe tempt out with treats while sitting on the floor and offer toy diversions as well.  If she seems too overwhelmed place a small barrier around a small space, this is usually recommended anyway to prevent territorial poo.  Too much freedom at once can lead to a misbehaving rabbit.

8 – Try a shelter and bring your bunny with you. A pet store should be the last option.  Introduce them slowly to get used to each other.  Binkybunny is an expert on bonding so I would talk to her when the time comes.  Try Petfinder.com they may be able to find a rabbit up for adoption in your area. Where do you live?

Another suggestion would be educate yourself and set up a folder in your favorites on your computer for bunny-stuff.  Some favorite web sites I keep on hand:

https://www.binkybunny.com

http://www.rabbit.org

http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/

http://www.hopperhome.com/

http://www.oxbowhay.com/index.sp

Hope this helps!

hello and welcome!

you got some really good advice- I just wanted to add…

You can get some cheap rugs to put on the bottom of the cage. I have a throw rug type thing I got at Target- Just a really thick piece of woven pieces of fabric. If it gets peed on, I just pop it in the wash. It might be too hot now, but in the winter time it’s nice to have some fleece around the condo cage.

Also- don’t be worried about your bunny not exploring yet. I got my second bunny from a shelter and it took her about a week to leave her nic condo. And even then she wouldn’t go more than a few feet out. It took some time, but now she’s all over the place. Just relax and let her explore as she wishes.

Hello and Welcome to Binky Bunny!

I think its so great that you save a bunny from such neglect and that you are being so careful to treat her right

I think everyone else covered most of the information, but I did want to second that going to rescue is a much better plan than going to a pet store. A rescue group can help you with the bonding process, as well as help you set up “dates” with potential suitors rather than just try to shove any bunny on you as a pet store would!

About the exploring, I think she’ll definitely start to get used to it. Just give her a few days to learn her surroundings (and she’ll plan some “escape routes” lest a great predator come into the house ) and then not to soon after you’ll start to see binkies!!

Welcome to BinkyBunny sevyn!  You have gotten some great advice so far, I just want to chime in with a resource you might be able to use.  There is a wonderful rabbit education and rescue center in Ontario called the Ontario Rabbit Education Organization (http://www.ontariorabbits.org/)

They have a top notch web site, and can probably help you with care tips, local vets, and bonding if you choose to get another bunny.

welcome sevyn! you’ve gotten lots of fantastic advice from so many members, i’ll add in my two cents too

1 i would also recommend getting her into a vet, since she really does need to be spayed. It’s also a good idea to know if there are any health issues that need care. I’ll second osprey’s suggestion of consulting the Ontario rescue group since they will have some good vet recommendations. Most vets don’t know enough about rabbits to give them proper care, so it’s worth the time to research vets before taking your bunny in. http://www.ontariorabbits.org/health/healthvets.htm

2 & 3 she likely will become more brave about going up levels over time. you can also use a single grate and zip ties to make a step. i bought coroplast to cover each floor, since it protects their feet and is very easy to clean with vinegar and water. i’ve had mine for about 1 1/2 years and there hasn’t been a need to toss it. you could also add some rag rugs (the kind without the fuzzy pile that bunnies like to eat) or also some undyed seagrass or maize mats.

4. I would discourage a full bath, they are highly stressful to rabbits. Generally spot cleaning with a warm wet towel is best, but since she does have some poops stuck to her, you may try soaking her in just about an inches or two of water while working the poop out of her fur.

5 As Poopy recommended – see the bunny care section on here for info about how to clip nails and the bunny burrito

6. At her age, both her pellets and hay should be timothy based. If her pellets are alfalfa, slowly transition her over to timothy. As far as veggies go, you’ll want to introduce things one at a time and keep an eye in her litterbox to see if her tummy is ok with each new things. I’d recommend trying things like: flat leaf / italian parsley, dill, dandelion greens, chard, carrot tops, romaine. you’ll want to stick with darker green veggies, since they have lots of nutrients

7 As Hedi suggested lots of toys and playtime will help. Think about her life before coming to live with you – it’s going to take
her some time to adjust and feel safe.

8. Once she’s spayed, i would recommend adopting her a friend!

Welcome Sevyn, and for the rest of you….WOW! You know your….stuff!! BinkyBunny members sure are rabbit savvy! I’m so proud to have ya’ll here….ya brainy bunny people you!!

I only have a couple of things to add or rather reiterate:

First, you are wonderful Sevyn to rescue this bunny. Poor thing!!

I ditto finding a vet. It’s important to establish a rabbit savvy vet anyway, and if your bunny has any urine burn on her hind area due to being so soiled there, the vet should be able to offer care for that and for anything else that may be needed. They can also check her weight and recommend a diet that will get her back to health. Depending on her weight they may recommend unlimited pellets.

They may even say the alfalfa mix is okay if she’s severely underweight and malnourished. Eventually though, once she’s healthy again, then you’d have to wean her gradually off those (over a month). If her weight is okay, then I would wean her off alfalfa soon.

Regarding the NIC Cubes: My husband is an architect, and I remember when he built ours, he made sure the middle was always supported by panes. You can see the "Cool Habitats" section under cubes and see our set-up. Scarlett’s solution is also a good one!

Regarding bath: If her backside is so soiled that the warm cloth doesn’t work, you can fill the sink with just a couple of inches of luke warm water and give her a butt bath. Depending on how freaked out she gets, you can also run her bum under luke warm water. I have to do this with Bailey often, but she’s so used to it, she just calmly hangs out and lets the gentle stream of water clean her off.

Keep us updated!

Hello,
Well, to answer your question #2 – it sounds like your bunny just LOVES you! The grooming is a great sign – my bunnies don’t groom me that often (I’m jealous ) Its great that she runs over to you, I think she really likes you and definitely appreciates someone loving her after all that struggle. There are a few other people in Canada on this forum – if you want, you can start a second topic called something like “where to get hay in ontario canada” or something like that and I bet you can get some responses. Its SUPER SUPER important to get your bun on a diet of 90% hay – it will be 100% thebest thing you can do for her health. A great place to find that stuff is feed stores – people usually buy bales of oat hay for horses (or timothy) and so the bales come super cheap if you have somewhere to put it. Also – see if you can get in touch with any rescues and email them to ask where you can get hay (or call or attend an adoption event), I found these rescues listed below that look helpful!
http://www.rabbitrescue.ca/
http://www.ontariorabbits.org/

You’re welcome! Isn’t everyone great?  I didn’t realize though that I had some atrocious mis-spellings that I have now corrected. LOL

Handling takes time, but it sounds like you are the highlight of her life and the grooming you, that’s fantasitc! I don’t know if you have them there in Canada but try a remenant store.  You can often buy little carpet samples there and smaller leftover pieces if the experiment goes well with the stuff from your brother. Wow, random scraps from the last owner?  Does her fanny twitch when she’s eating the banana? That means they really, really LOVE it! All in all it sounds like she is in a much, much better place now and I hope that her and your cat are going to get along famously. Rabbit vets can be pricey because they are considered an "exotic" animal and that fancy word often means a fancy price too. The Ontario Rabbit Org site link that MooBunnay gave you looks like it could help you out in your search as well. 

Also when providing a veggie selection, be sure to provide ones with vitamin A, other than the obvious carrot, there is also: beet greens, bok choy*, carrot tops, dandelion greens, kale*, parsely, snow peas, romaine, red, green leafy lettuce & spinach**.

*These veggies can cause a skunk-like odor in the litter box, see thread by poopy for more reading.

**This veggie is high in oxalates, don’t give if bunny has urinary tract or sludge problems.

With the rabbit food, as with resourcing from other bunny people in your area, try a vet that treats rabbits, or even buying them from a reliable retailer off the internet.  Being in Canada I know the shipping may be costly, but worth a try.  A couple I know of are http://www.oxbowhay.com and http://www.americanpetdiner.com. As for the hay like MooBunnay suggested a feed store, I get mine from there ($8-$10) and bought a huge container from my hardware store that holds an entire bale and I keep it in a shed outside.  It lasts about 5 months, depending on how piggy my two big bunnies are. Be sure that it doesn’t get wet as you do not want to be feeding your bunny moldy hay because it can cause sclerosis of the liver and can lead to death. If you know anyone that has horses, ask them if you can buy a 1/2 bale from them or a few flakes at a time.  Also it’s important to remember not to buy hay for cows as it may contain mold and sometimes is not as high of a grade as that for horses. You’re looking for some that has a sweet smell (no mold), with few weeds and not a lot of seed heads or cow manure baled up in it (gross I know but a lot of hay farmers let their animals roam the pasture).

Red or orange pee, while disconcerting is actually normal for a bunny. Color can vary, it can be white, yellow, orange and brown and even bright red.  Bright red can me mistaken for blood but if it were blood, it will separate from the urine, if it is uniformly red, that is the urine only, no blood. Bunny pee is usually smelly, as you will learn from changing a litter box and it is possible she put a scented calling card there as well. Her ego is growing now and she is adjusting to her new life at being the center of the universe.  Which leads me to the grunting and thumping, she’s getting territorial and for a bunny adjusting to a new environment, it’s normal. Treat her as consistently as possible and try to establsih a routine as well while still being flexible about your bunny’s preferences too. Keep up with trying to bond and spend a little time petting, praising and treating to establish how the relationship is going to be between you and your bunny. She’ll settle in within a few weeks (usually) but it may take a little longer.

Good luck with unpacking and organizing!

 No worries.  I think that kind of stuff is easily forgiven in forums, and chats as we just try to get our points across typing fast.  I know i always go back and think….egads, what a mess I made.  But I try not to sweat it too much.    There is a spell check feature if you have IE, but you have to download the little tool thing – easy enough if you want.   It is good at catching typos.

I’m new to the forum and don’t know much about bunnies but wanted to let you know for a bunny cage bottom you could use coroplast, basically plastic cardboard. I own a lot of guinea pigs and make their cage out of that and plan on incorporating coroplast into the bunny cage aswell. Its reusable and safe for bunnies to chew on, but it still needs something over it because it doesn’t provide enough traction. Something that you could use for traction is fleece. Information about fleece and coroplast is on the site below.
http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/
Good luck with the bunny and hope this helps.

Thanks BinkyBunny! For some reason I am not able to download the tool.  I’ll need to spend some time to figure out why.  I’ll let you know if I have any trouble!

Sevyn – were you able to track down some hay for your bun?