Needing advice/new bunny mom!

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 1sd reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 5 months ago by LongEaredLions.

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- 11/02/2014 at 11:57 AM
  MandyMarieB
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  2 posts
  Greetings bunny friends!
  
  Yesterday, I rescued a bunny from a family friend who unfortunately doesn’t have a great track record with pets. She wanted to be done with having animals, but her dad surprised her family with new bunnies, since the old ones passed away. She’s just not an animal person, and she had no clue how to take care of these poor animals. They were unfortunately purchased from a flea market at 6/7 weeks old. One of them died on Halloween. (She had them for four days.) So I told her I would take the other, and she gladly gave it to me. I spent most of yesterday researching before she handed it over, but unfortunately I saw a lot of conflicting information, so I wanted to join a forum full of experienced people who can hopefully help me. The bunny is going to have a MUCH better life with me, as it was living in the garage in a tiny cage with a food/water dish that took up half the cage. She was feeding it pellets, timothy hay, and like two full carrots a day. (Which I know is a no no.) So yes. While I don’t know a lot, I definitely already know more than her. (I’m also a beagle and gerbil mom, and it seems like the gerbils are a tiny bit like the buns when it comes to cardboard, teeth, etc.)
  
  I am heading out today to get more appropriate stuff for Skippy, who is a SWEET little boy. So timid and cuddly. I know that younger bunnies should have alfalfa hay, but I’m a bit worried since he already had so much calcium in his diet from all those carrots he was getting. Should he stick with the timothy hay for a bit?
  
  I am also planning on converting a dresser into a proper home/condo for him. Top level will have tile for easy wiping/cleaning, bottom will be the litter tray/litter box. But as far as a bed for the poor little one, who has been living on wire all this time, what should I go with? I gave him a hand towel last night, but it looks like he avoided it completely. Every time I checked on him, he was huddled in a wire corner.
  
  I just really want to give this poor little guy a good life. Any advice would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you!
- 11/02/2014 at 1:06 PM
  LongEaredLions
  Participant
  4482 posts
  Welcome to you and Skippy! He does sound like a darling, thank you for taking him in!
  If he really is as young as they said, he should probably be getting some form of alfalfa in his diet. What I would do is stick with the Timothy hay that he has been getting but also feeding unlimited high-quality alfalfa pellets, such as Oxbow young rabbit. This would be most similar to what he was eating before, so least likely to cause stomach upsets. You shouldn’t start veggies until he is at least 12 weeks old.
  He probably is staying on the wire because that is what he is used to. Your best bet would be to get him off the wood as soon as you can, and them worry about beds after that. Mine love small cat and dog beds, especially ones with a lip they can rest their heads on.
  Welcome again to BB. It really is a great community, I hope you will enjoy it here. And ask all the questions you need! We would love to help you!
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