Welcome.

How long has Umi been acting differently? As for her change in color, that is probably just her coat maturing.

As for the carpet – this is pretty much age-related and probably only the way to stop it is to keep them confined – how are they housed? For most people those sprays don’t work – the rabbits actually like the way they taste.

As for litter training – most rabbits will leave some pellets around and some of this may be age related as well – age and altering will help with this. Young rabbits are harder to train than older rabbits for the most part.

If Umi continues to act unlike her normal self, I would consider a visit to the vet.

Hello Maria, welcome to binkybunny!

The first indications of illness that I always look for with my bunnies are if they stop eating, or stop pooping normally. Then, the second thing I look for is unusual behavior. My bunnies generally do spend quite a bit of their day sleeping in the corners of their cages, but are more lively when I let them out in a pen to play.

It is a very good idea to read up on rabbit behavior, and I think that all of us were just like you when we first got our bunnies, always checking to see what is normal and what is not! That is a good idea because rabbits have very different care needs than cats or dogs, and rabbits are sometimes hard to understand.

As far as chewing on the carpet, it is hard to stop because they are just exhibiting a natural tendency. I have my bunnies in large exercise pens with a rug underneath them so that they cannot get to the carpet. I chose rugs with a very tight weave of fibers which seems to tempt them less than the shag carpet that I have!

Welcome Maria!

You happen to be entering one of the roughest time for bunny owners. Your bunnies will soon be reaching sexual maturity, if they aren’t already. This is their messiest and destructive times. Spaying may help with the destruction a little bit, but young bunnies are like young puppies, they can get into things. Lots of energy. As far as their territorial poos, that should get better with spaying. You may see that continue though if your two bunnies stop getting along, or there are other animals in the household that don’t know the “bunny rules”.

Also, iss there anyway you can give them a bigger cage. You said 3 1/2 by 1 foot. For babies, it’s okay, but they will be outgrowing this very soon. Xpens are a great way to expand while limiting and blocking. Also, this may help them exercise more and be a little less destructive.

Is there a particular place on your carpet that they return to? If so it could be due to a scent that was there from before (a previous tenant’s animal) or just a place they started and became OCD about. My vet gave me the tip to spray a bit of perfume on the area you want them to avoid. That has worked with my bunnies. For some members this has worked and for other’s it hasn’t. (I am not fond of perfume lingering about, so I just spray a bit into a paper towel, and then rub it the area. I do know that most of the commercial stuff like bitter apple spray doesn’t work well for many.

With all the carpet chewing going on, it definitely a good idea to keep a close eye on how they are feeling, but I am glad Umi seems to be back to her normal self!

Well, it is fine for now but when they get larger, I think it will be too osmall and you will be better off with an x-pen.

What type of litter are you using?

What type of shavings? Do you know? Are they aspen or pine or chlorphyll?

If they are only 10 weeks old they still have alot of growing to do. It’s hard to know how large they will actually get but they will continue to grow.

That is odd that this does not say what type of shavings it is. Even though the package says it’s safe and the pet store used it doesn’t necessarily make it safe. If it’s aspen shavings it safe, if it is pine or chlorphyll it is not.

I would definitely look for another vet since she is not comfortable with spaying. I am always amazed when I hear this, especially if you live in the U.S.) 

It is important to find a rabbit-savvy vet though.  Rabbits do react differently than cats and dogs to anethesia, but for a rabbit-savvy vet it is not a problem. Here is a great link from the House Rabbit Society about spay/neuter, as well as how to find a rabbit-savvy vet, along with a list of references. https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/5…fault.aspx

As far as the xpen goes, it’s true that very small bunnies and babies can get their heads stuck, there are some things you can do until they get bigger – like ziptie some wire netting to the first foot of the inside.     As far as how tall – the shorter ones are easier to lean into, but if you have any hidey houses with flat tops, they can jump out easier that way -however, you can cover the top with blanket or sheet to prevent that.

Also check out the cool habitats section for other pen/cage ideas.https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/Coo…fault.aspx

By the way- your bunnies are adorable!!!  Can’t wait to see more photos of them.

HI! I’m a couple of days late, but welcome.

I would try a safer litter for the long term. You can buy shavings still, but switch to a bag that clearly states Aspen shavings. I saw some at PetSupermarket, though they’re not a national chain. You can also try Aspen pellets which is good for them too. Those are sold in Petsmart.

I agree with BB, ie. your vet sounds like she’s not comfortable with the surgery, therefore rec. against it. Females are prone to cancer later if they don’t get spayed, so it is not just a pregnancy issue. If you follow the link provided by BB, you’ll get a vet you can proceed with. An X-pen will be great for them, too.
Here’s a great video on how to set up a habitat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjZ64sz1Lhs&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch