New bunnies, is this setup OK?

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This topic has 9sd replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 2 months ago by (dig)x(me)x(now).

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- 08/30/2007 at 4:42 PM
  snikt228
  Participant
  4 posts
  Hey guys — I just picked up a pair of bunnies last week, I guess they are babies since they are pretty small. The pet store said they are both females. I think they are Holland Lops.
  
  I made a cage out of some boxes and a shelf unit. Do think i’m missing anything? They seem to be pretty happy so far. They like to come over to get their heads rubbed. Sometimes they get jealous of the bunny getting petted and try to put their head in front of the other or push it out of the way. They also do binkes all the time when I take them out of the cage.
  
  Here are a few pics of the bunnies and cage. Sorry the pics kinda suck because they are taken with a camera phone.
  
  Thanks
- 08/30/2007 at 5:08 PM
  cookie627
  Participant
  387 posts
  oh they look TOO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!
- 08/30/2007 at 5:29 PM
  Scarlet_Rose
  Participant
  4293 posts
  Welcome Snikt! Your bunnies are cute! How about a paper bag to explore in and chew? Have you taken them to the vet to positively identify their sexes and have a check-up? I would really recommend doing that as I don’t want you to find out when one of them is pregnant. Also, you may want to inquire about getting them fixed as well since they do seem to be so young and are mellow now but later they may turn wild with hormones and territorial marking. It’s really something to keep an eye out for. How high are those panels that enclose the space? It looks like they may not be quite high enough but it is hard to tell from the picture. Do they get any outside time or do they stay in there all day?
  
  Do you have any idea how old they are and have you introduced vegetables and know you’ll need to limit pellets when they reach adulthood? (I noticed the full bowl in the pic). This site has great info on diet, forgive me if I am repeating anything you already know. I just want to make sure! : )
- 08/30/2007 at 5:39 PM
  snikt228
  Participant
  4 posts
  I haven’t taken them to a vet or anything but the rabbit savy person at the pet store looked at them both and said they were both females. I have no idea how old they are.
  
  The panel is high enough where i’m pretty sure they can’t get out. Even if they do they just end up in my closet, no big deal. I’ve given them some romaine lettiuce so far for veggies. They spend the day in there but I let them out for a little bit in a bigger area when I get home.
- 08/30/2007 at 6:52 PM
  snikt228
  Participant
  4 posts
  Here are some more pics. The last pic is them both trying to get head rubs.
- 08/30/2007 at 8:02 PM
  luvmycritters
  Participant
  33 posts
  Oh my gosh! They are soooo adorable!!! Congratulations! Sounds like they are very friendly!
  
  Terry
- 08/30/2007 at 11:41 PM
  BinkyBunny
  Moderator
  8776 posts
  WELCOME! So cute!!! Congratulations!! Your set-up looks cozy and they sure look comfortable in there. As long as they get plenty of exercise for a minimum of three hours then that should be okay. If they don’t get that much exercise, then you may want to expand it a bit.
  
  I don’t see a hay rack though, so unless I missed it, I suggest adding that. Hay in their litterbox is great, but it can get urinated on, so you could put a hay rack over their boxes to keep hay fresh and dry but still where they can "poop & eat" since bunnies love to do both at the same time. Or you can put hay in their box and a hay rack some place else.
  
  Also, the hidey box – can they both fit in that? I know they will be growing, so you may opt for something bigger – just be sure to position it so they can’t use it to jump out.
  
  Chew toys and things to keep them busy are important too (I like the wood chew and carrot) – but don’t put everything all in at once, switch them out so your bunnies don’t get bored. I know you may already do that, just FYI. Also, toys are really trial and error. Scarlet had some good suggestions – paper bags filled with hay and some their pellets are fun too (poke holes in the bag so they can smell it better) Cardboard rolls from toilet paper or paper towels can also be fun. You can also fill them with hay.
  
  Again, CONGRATS!
  
  OH, just another FYI, when they reach sexually maturity soon, don’t be surprised if they change a bit, they may even fight as females can get extremely territorial with each other as their bodies are telling them to defend the best "nesting" area for future litters. So, just keep an eye on them as they reach 3 – 6 months
  
  Are you planning on getting them spayed when they are at the right age?
- 08/31/2007 at 10:11 AM
  MooBunnay
  Participant
  3087 posts
  Hello Snikt228 – Welcome to BinkyBunny to you and your new furkids They are just ADORABLE!! I love the little babies.
  
  Your set up looks great! The fact that you have a nice comfy flooring for them is very important – as a tip – if they get any pee spots on the floor you can spray a little vinegar on it and it comes RIGHT out.
  
  Regarding the sexing of the bunnies – if it were myself I would still go to a vet to get them double checked. When bunnies are young its hard to tell their gender, and being in rescue I’ve hear many many stories of people that got bunnies at a pet store and they said they were brothers or sisters…and they were not! And female buns can get pregnant as young as 12 weeks old – so you may want to bring them to a vet for a check up and just to make sure….
  
  As Binky bunny mentioned – spaying will be key to litter training and bunny behavior as they get older, as well as prevents the dangers of uterine cancer which can be quite common in females, so its definitely a good idea!
- 09/02/2007 at 8:27 AM
  Scarlet_Rose
  Participant
  4293 posts
  Oh my word, they are sooo cute!
- 09/03/2007 at 11:16 PM
  (dig)x(me)x(now)
  Participant
  2517 posts
  So very, very cute! But I must second what the others say— a lot of pet shops don’t know what they’re talking about when they tell you the sex of your rabbit. Make sure to get it verified before it’s too late! And be sure to consider spay/neuter once they’ve reached 5-6 months old!
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