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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A I’ve never owned rabbits before, and now I have two. Help me.

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    • Peter cottontail
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        I’ve wanted a bunny for a long time now and I adopted two. I have two dogs in my house a golden retriever and a goldendoodle. The bunnies cannot be let out because even brining the bunnies in sight of the dogs had them going insane, so bonding is not an option. It breaks my heart they have to stay in a cage most of the day. I’m not sure what kind of bunnies they are. They are only a few months old. I want to litter train them but all they do is go to the bathroom everywhere instead of the box. I bought them hay and they seemed to love that. I think they are really stressed out right now and I’m not sure what to do. It seems like they don’t like me
        Any tips would be much appreciated.


      • Bam
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          Are the rabbits de-sexed or of the same gender? Bunnies can get pregnant at 12 weeks, so you need to separate them if they are intact and boy and girl.

          That’s just the first thing you need to see to.

          Littertraining-tips you find here: https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/5/PID/940/Default.aspx
          It is however very difficult to litter-train bunnies that have hit puberty and are intact.

          Are the bunnies in a separate room from the dogs?


        • Peter cottontail
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            Posted By bam on 12/13/2015 8:28 AM

            Are the rabbits de-sexed or of the same gender? Bunnies can get pregnant at 12 weeks, so you need to separate them if they are intact and boy and girl.

            That’s just the first thing you need to see to.

            Littertraining-tips you find here: https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/5/PID/940/Default.aspx

            It is however very difficult to litter-train bunnies that have hit puberty and are intact.

            Are the bunnies in a separate room from the dogs?

            Yes, the bunnies stay in the laundry room with the door closed, but that doesn’t stop the dogs from hovering by the door.
            They are both males and not neutered. I plan on setting them up a vet visit in the near future.
            Thank you for the tips


          • Bam
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              Great that they’re the same sex, but you will have to have them neutered because they will start fighting when they reach puberty and rabbits can really hurt each other. If you see fighting you need to separate them and keep them separated until they are neutered + have healed.

              The dogs sound troublesome though. The breeds are good breeds for obedience-training. It’s always more difficult with two dogs of course. Are they your own dogs? Do they listen to you at all?


            • Peri and Poe
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                I agree with bam one of the most important things is to find out the gender and separate if need be ( if you think you cant handle two, imagine handling up to 14 kits). If you havent alrady I would strongly suggest taking them to the vets for a health check (they can also sex them properly).

                Getting your rabbits neutered/ spayed is important nontheless as it could prevent illnesses such as uterine cancer (which 80% of female rabbits get). Also it will help with litter traininng as even if you manage to litter train them before puberty, this all goes out the window when the hormomes kick in- this is possibly why it may be hard to litter train them now. You can get your rabbits neutered/ spayed between 4-6 months possibly earlier.

                Do the rabbits have a clean litterbox, what i would suggest to help litter tain them is to put some of their poop in the litterbox, so hopefully they get the idea.

                Make sure never to allow your rabbits alone with the dogs, as they may harm them. You mentioned having to cage the rabbits in a lot, i would suggest to check atleast that the space is within the recommended area needed for rabbits- many of the cages available for rabbits are not actually suitable for their size. lack of exercise can make your rabbit overweight as well as cause health issues and depression.

                Im sure that the rabbits like you, sometimes it takes a while to build a bond with a rabbit, but a lot of floortime goes a long way to getting them to trust you.


              • Bam
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                  Yes, I should’ve said that: As a rule it takes time for humans and bunnies to bond. Especially with bunnies that have a bunny friend. It’s not about dislike at all, it’s about trust. Rabbits are prey to almost all bigger and same-size animals there are in the world. So their instinct is to be wary. Cats and dogs are predators themselves so they don’t expect to get eaten by strangers, which makes it easier to bond with them.

                  Do they have a hidey-box in their cage? Bunnies like a hidey-box, it makes them feel safer when they have a “roof”.

                  Here are some ideas for habitats: https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/GreatHabitats/tabid/229/Default.aspx


                • Peter cottontail
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                    Thank you everyone. It’s hard to bond with them because when I let them out they just pee and poop everywhere.
                    As for the hidey hole in their cage, I bought them from some kids and their cage is so small it won’t fit! I plan on buying them a bigger cage and more toys, treats and house things.
                    The dogs are puppies and do not listen at all, they are not mine. I have roommates. Letting them out to use the bathroom and bring them back in is a nightmare.
                    I’m pretty confident with the laundry room though. I let them play and sweep up after.
                    They are already being nicer and less scared. I walked in on them this morning and said hello before feeding and they perked right up. I would take that as a good sign.


                  • Bam
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                      It does sound like a good sign! Food is the way to the rabbit’s heart =)

                      Other than that, the general rule is to let the bunnies come to you. It’s best if you sit on the floor. Don’t touch them, don’t even look straight at them at first – bunnies are very curious and they won’t be able to resist going over to check you out. Don’t grab them when they do, just let them explore in their own time.

                      Rabbits tend to mark their territory when they are in a new place. They mark both with poop and with pee. Have you tried putting a litterbox someplace where they have done their business? Rabbits as a rule like to choose their place to go themselves, and if you put a litterbox in that spot, they are very likely to go in the box. It’s good if you can get them to pee on some paper so you can put the paper in the litter-box, plus some poops.

                      Puppie-dogs can really be a handfull. When my dog was a pup it took ages to get her in from the garden =/ She and my buns get along excellently, but she was already an adult dog when I got the buns. It’s way easier with adult dogs.


                    • Peter cottontail
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                        I have put the litter box where they usually go they just go in the other corner lol

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                    Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A I’ve never owned rabbits before, and now I have two. Help me.