Fostering the Cottontails

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 13sd replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 1 month ago by LoveChaCha.

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- 10/15/2011 at 12:14 AM
  Hokankai
  Participant
  252 posts
  Hello everyone! My housemates and I recently decided to foster a rabbit from our local humane society, and lucky for they happened to have a mama and her three kits for us to take home! We’ve had them for about a week now and boy are they cute. We’ll have them until January unless I decide to adopt one after that . They look to be New Zealands, but any idea on their ages? I was able to sex them yesterday (2 girls and a boy) so it’d be nice to know when I need to head back to the shelter with the boy to keep him from impregnating his sisters .
  
  Anyway, here’s our little Cottontail family!
  
  Their cage, a 4’x4′ Martin’s rat playpen converted into a rabbit cage
  
  Blue
  
  Peter (aka Fatty)
  
  Pipp, the one I’ll adopt if she stays as sweet and tolerant as she is
  
  Me and Pipp <3
- 10/15/2011 at 5:01 AM
  LittlePuffyTail
  Moderator
  18092 posts
  They are beautiful!!! Welcome to you all. My guess would be New Zealands too or a mix, depending on how big they get.
- 10/15/2011 at 7:35 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  They are precious! I love REW bunnies!
- 10/15/2011 at 9:13 AM
  Hokankai
  Participant
  252 posts
  Posted By LittlePuffyTail on 10/15/2011 05:01 AM
  They are beautiful!!! Welcome to you all. My guess would be New Zealands too or a mix, depending on how big they get.
  
  Yeah that’s what I thought. Mama is BIG and heavy, and their dad was at the shelter and looked the same as mama. Not sure how much they weigh though.
- 10/15/2011 at 10:27 AM
  LoveChaCha
  Participant
  6634 posts
  What cuties and Welcome!!
  
  I’ve had my bunny since she was 7-8 weeks old.. and it is amazing to watch rabbits go through changes, watching them grow.
  
  Their personalities will evolve and change. Mine sure did.. she was skiddish. Now she is bratty, demanding, and pushy..
- 10/15/2011 at 4:35 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Welcome. They are adorable! I love New Zealands and have had quite a few. As for weight, it can be anywhere from 8 pounds and up. They are big beautiful rabbits. My Maxine was about 13 pounds and I had a male foster named Gideon and he was about 11 pounds. You will love their dispositions. They are cool rabbits.
- 10/15/2011 at 8:06 PM
  lashkay
  Participant
  1548 posts
  Great adorable bunnies and great setup! Welcome and congratulations!
- 10/15/2011 at 8:20 PM
  Hokankai
  Participant
  252 posts
  Thanks everyone! We love them so much and are praying that they find fantastic homes one day. Mama is so sweet. She doesn’t like to be picked up (not surprising because she’s so huge…and a rabbit ) but LOVES to be pet and hand fed her veggies. She’ll just hunker down and let you pet her for forever! She bit my roommate once and broke the skin, but that was because she had JUST sliced an apple and had the juice still on her finger so it was an accident.
  
  I’m worried because I’ve already fallen for Pipp, who is just like mama, but I don’t know how I feel having such a large breed of rabbit as my first…but we’ll see how she is closer to her return date .
  
  I look forward to reading and learning more about these fabulous creatures! I’ve never had a rabbit before (one of the few species I haven’t gotten my hands on yet) but I love learning about how different animals communicate through their body language and learning about their behavior.
- 10/16/2011 at 3:39 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  The bigger breeds require no more care than the smaller breeds and they have nice mellow personalities. Don’t base anything on size. I think you will find these rabbits to be great “beginner” rabbits. They recommend the larger rabbits for people who have young children because they are large (harder for children to pick up) and because they normally posses mellow and sweet dispositions. I hope you consider keeping on of your fosters, they are lovely.
- 10/16/2011 at 6:05 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  I would keep an open mind as they age tho. They will change as they get older. Since you are doing the tremendous task of fostering them, you get “pick of the litter” and that could be any of the babies… or mama.
- 10/16/2011 at 7:08 AM
  Hokankai
  Participant
  252 posts
  They may not require more care, but I bet they eat twice as much . That and I’m finishing up my last year in college, so once I’m done I’ll be in transition for a little while and I don’t know if it would be fair to Pipp to tote her around the car with me for the next year. The timing’s a little off and I’d rather get a rabbit after I know where I’m gonna be for the next year.
  
  I’ll definitely be keeping an open mind though. She tolerated me cuddling her on the couch for 5 minutes and didn’t even thump at me when I put her back!
  
  One question, do bunnies have a baby coat just like dogs have a puppy coat? They are so fluffy and soft right now.
- 10/16/2011 at 7:58 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Yes, they have soft fluffy coats when they are babies.
  
  I agree that you should finish college and be settled before you get any pet.
  
  It’s true they may eat more but not necessarily twice as much – as far as costs, the food is not that expensive for one or two rabbits no matter the size – it’s the vet bills that can add up.
- 10/16/2011 at 9:21 AM
  bunnyfriend
  Participant
  2368 posts
  Welcome! They’re really cute! And I agree with Sarita, I have two rabbits and costs have become higher but not doubled, but I have a $400-$500 vet bill coming up for a spay for my girl and another $150 for a checkup and blood work so I have a baseline for the boy.
- 10/16/2011 at 12:04 PM
  LoveChaCha
  Participant
  6634 posts
  Babies will tolerate cuddling… and when they get older, they may not. I get footflicked and stomped at on a daily basis. I just laugh it off, and don’t take it personally LOL!
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