A few bunny questions…

[Jaymie]

Hi there :]

My first question is about hay. Pretty recently I’ve developed goofy allergies to hay – sneezing and stuffy noses. They’re a pain, but pretty minimal. Definitely not gonna stop me from providing hay for Saffron. Saffron is primarily eating timothy hay. I have some orchard grass, but haven’t given it to him yet. Is there a hay that’s easier on people allergies and still awesome for bunnies?

And secondly, Saffron isn’t neutered. He isn’t spraying, he’s fine with a litter box and he’s going to be a solo bunny. When Elias (another bun) was alive, I had him neutered – and it was really stressful and traumatic for the both of us. Quite frankly, I’m kind of scared and I don’t want to put Saffron through any pain. What do you guys think?

[Elrohwen]

Some BB members have reported less allergies by using orchard hay rather than timmy. Also, you might want to try wearing gloves and a mask (like the ones they sell at Home Depot for painting) so you don’t breathe it in or get it all over your hands. That might reduce your symptoms.

And I definitely think you should get him neutered. An un-neutered bun has a lot of hormones running through his body that are telling him to mate all the time (that’s why they “breed like rabbits”!). A bunny that isn’t neutered is going to have a pretty stressful life trying to fulfill these “urges”. How old is he? He may be well behaved now, but as he ages and his hormones kick in more, you might see more issues with spraying, aggression, bad litter habits, and general smelliness (unneutered buns are stinky!) Also, while not as much of a risk as in females, there is still a reproductive cancer risk in males which is eliminated by neutering. With a good rabbit savvy vet, the whole procedure should be pretty un-stressful for both of you. Just think – a little bit of pain now (that he won’t even remember a week later) will save him from a lifetime of frustration and stress.

[Monkeybun]

Not to mention you can always ask your vet for pain meds for your bun. Monkey LOVED her metacam every day, She thought the stuff was a treat lol.

Orchard grass is lovely, and its as good as timothy hay nutrient wise! Monkey loves it, as does my Moosey man.

[Jaymie]

Thanks guys!

I’m going to be giving Orchard a go. I’ve heard good things about oat hay too. Hopefully these allergies will just disappear.

Elrohwen- Saffron is about 3 years old. I’m going to have him neutered. It’s obviously for the best. I suppose I was just hoping it wasn’t needed. My previous bunny Elias had a really bad experience – his stitches came undone. The thought of anything bad happening to Saffron really freaks me out. Maybe I’m a bit over-protective.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Going through a neuter sucks. BUT It’s worth it-healthwise and behavior wise. Plus what I like to point out -what if you weren’t fixed and not allowed to mate? That would not feel good at all So neutering or spaying is ALWAYS the right choice. If your not sold-I can certainly post some health links for you. As well-jsut becuase he’s not spraying does not mean he won’t. KEY is neutering before it’s a habit

Hay causes allergies to most-often people will say they are allergic to their bun but it’s really the hay. Orchard should be better then tim but experiment around. Alfalfa is the one you don’t want to feed to a grown bunny-at least not all the time. Gloves, long sleeves and masks can be worn for handling. You can get the masks cheap at a home depot or similar store in the painting section

[bunnylove817]

I had the same issue with the neutering. Midas was PERFECT before the neuter, no aggressive issues, pristine litter box use, no humping/spraying and I read that the health issues are mainly for females (although they do exist for males!). And he was almost 2, and the older they are the more “dangerous” it is and most vets dont know anything about rabbits… etc etc. I was freaking out basically, but I thought about how it would be like to have to think about mating all day every day, and be “locked away” by myself.. and its pretty terrible. So i got him fixed, and it wasnt bad at all! He didnt need pain meds and he was back to himself the next day (almost, by day 3 he was fine :])

Sorry so long, thought I’d tell you my story :]

About the hay- I also have slight allergies to the hay and what I died was tried different types and different brands. Some brands seem to be a lot dustier than others, which always upsets my allergies more. I use timothy (oxbow brand.. although they can be very dusty sometimes..depends on the bag.. I hear that bunnybale and kleenmama has good hay), orchard, brome, oat (which Midas doesnt really like, I have to mix it so he will eat it), and bermuda grass. He gets a different mixture of them every day.

Good luck! And keep us updated on Saffrons neuter

[mocha200]

I just got my bun Mocha neutered about to weeks ago, and he ripped out his stitches to and was bleeding all over. So we had to take him back to get more stitches and he just got his stitches out this morning. I know how you feel i was so scared i thought he was going to die, but he is totally back to normal now.

i think we use tim hay but i am not sure cuz we have a horse so i use the stuff we give him.

[bunnycutie]

neutering is totally worth it! i just got it done for my rabbit about 3 weeks ago. its great for behivour and haelth problems. if you rabbit isnt neutered, they can die from reproductive cancers. and the pain meds arent too expensive—ours were 30$. and they adore the pain meds. buttons always loved his metacam, too monkey! lol!!! oat hay does have less “allergins” than timothy, so thats a smart choice. buttons had internal stiches that just dissolved with time and on the outside he was glued, which wore off in about 1 and 1/2 weeks. spaying is more complicated that neutering. and actually neuters go really fast and have an easy recovery.

[Elrohwen]

One thing to look for in a vet for neuters – Some will keep your bun over night for monitoring. Now, for experienced rabbit people, it’s probably not a big deal to get your bun back, make sure they’re eating, check stitches, etc. But I’m a first time bun owner so I was ecstatic that he was going to have professionals monitoring him. The next day the vet called around 10am and he still hadn’t really pooped much, so she wanted to keep him a few more hours. When she called later in the afternoon, I knew he was really 100% ready to go home with no issues. If he had come home the day of the surgery and hadn’t pooped all night, I would’ve been a nervous wreck (and probably paid additional money to take him back to the vet anyway).

I’m sure most places who offer this charge a bit more, but to me it was worth the peace of mind since I didn’t have experience dealing with bunny health issues. Just something to ask about (and to think whether you’d want this or not) when you search for vets.

[BinkyBunny]

sounds like your first experience with neutering was scary and traumatic. I’m sorry for whatever happened that made it that way. I also advocate neutering, but I agree it is VERY important to find a rabbit-savvy vet. That makes all the difference.

Oat is also a good hay for people who have allergies. It is higher in calories, so if you find your bunny gets a little chubs on it, then you can mix in other hays and hopefully just the mix won’t set of your allergies.

[Ashelee]

ok im actually having the same exact issue with the whole hay thing. Only its bad, my allergies are horrible to the point where I am sneezing as soon as I open the timothy hay bag. I sneeze about 20 times in a row and then cant breath for several hours afterwords. I dont know what to do. I saw some of you recommended orchard hay. Is it just as good for them? Right now I have to have my boyfriend give her the hay, and I feel bad about that, even though he said he doesnt mind. The rabbit was my idea and my responsibility and so I just feel bad asking him to do things like feeding her and such (he loves animals dont get me wrong, and doesnt have problems with it, just I feel bad lol). I have tried the gloves and mask and it doesnt work for me. SO any other suggestions besides the orchard hay? How about timothy cubes…I heard they are good for people with allergies, but wasnt sure about nutritional value.

[Jaymie]

ah, Ashelee that’s terrible. I’ve had some pretty bad days like that. I think since winter is here and I’ve been locked up in my apartment for a while (only escaping to take out the trash) my allergies are doing worse then they were before. I’m not sure about the nutritional value of timmy cubes. I’m currently on winter break (I’m at UIC in Chicago) but Saffron and I spent most of the break with my family in the suburbs. My mom and sister have extreme hay and animal allergies. I brought along the timmy cubes as an alternative, and no one in the house had an allergic reaction to them. However, Saffron would kind of ignore the cubes.

I gave Saffron some Orchard grass today. He’s loving on it. Next time I order bun supplies, I’ll be picking up some oat hay.

I appreciate all your guys’ advice and stories on neutering. As soon as I find a proper vet, Saffron will have an appointment. (That being said, any vet recommendations for Chicagoland?) …and my room is starting to smell like splash. barf.

[jerseygirl]

That being said, any vet recommendations for Chicagoland?

http://www.hrschicago.org/articleslay2.html

[Beka27]

Yes, the issue is usually the timothy hay, try another kind of grass hay and that may help… Orchard is awesome and it’s still as inexpensive as timothy…

Timothy cubes are not a replacement for hay. They don’t provide the same nutrition and fiber content as regular hay, and they don’t help to keep their teeth in shape. They can be offered as a treat, but buns still have to have regular hay.

[wendyzski]

I’m up on the north side and I go to Chicago Exotics   http://www.exoticpetvet.com on Dempster in Skokie.  It’s a bit of a hike if you’re down at UIC, but they are the “house vet” for the Red Door shelter so they do a LOT of buns.  They aren’t cheap but I trust them

[jerseygirl]

Sorry Jaymie, that link I put above does not seem to be opening on vet info. I’ve copied and pasted it below.

House Rabbit Society of Chicago
Veterinarian Referral List
P. O. Box 7907
Westchester, IL 60154-7907

(847) 266-0068

Last updated: 04/04/2006 10:24:15

ALL CREATURES ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Kenneth Welle
Dr. Sandra Murrell
708 Killarney
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 328-4143

 ANIMAL EMERGENCY 911
Dr. Rasch & Dr. Siwek
3735 Dempster Street
Skokie, IL 60076
(847) 673-9110

*ANIMAL EYE ASSOCIATES
Dr. Samuel Vainisi & Dr. Gretchen Schmidt
Various Locations:
Wheeling – (847) 215-3933
Berwyn – (708) 749-4200
Chicago – 2123 Clybourn
PRACTICE LIMITED TO EYES ONLY

ARLINTGON PARK VETERINARY HOSPITAL
Dr. Larry Fetzer
2105 Hicks Road
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
(847) 934-1535
 

BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Donna Rauch
1203 N. Route 83
Grayslake, Il. 60030
(847) 548-2626

BREMEN ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Scott C Gallatin
7613 W. 159th St.
Tinley Park, IL 60477
(708) 532-5577

BURNHAM PARK ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. J.B. Bruederle
1025 S. State Street
Chicago, IL 60605
(312) 663-9200

CRESTWOOD ANIMAL CLINIC
Dr. Craig L. Wardrip
5443 W. 135th Street
Crestwood, IL 60445
(708) 396-1014
 

DUPAGE ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Mary Felt
377 E. North Avenue
Villa Park, IL 60181
(630) 834-8242

ELBURN ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Susan Cechner
403 E. North Street
Elburn, IL 60119
(630) 365-9599

FAMILY PET ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Marla Minuskin & Dr. Rae Ann Van Pelt
1401 Webster
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 935-2311

FOX LAKE ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Christine Sherden
6115 Northwest Highway
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
(815) 459-0317
 

GARY AT NORTH VETINARY CENTER
Dr. Elise Ciribassi
154-156 N. Gary Avenue
Carol Stream, IL 60188
(630) 653-1000

GRAYSLAKE ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Julie H. Lamberty
1490 E. Belvidere Rd.
Grayslake, IL 60030
(847) 223-8612

*INDIAN PRAIRIE ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Sam Ristich
657 Route 59
Aurora, IL 60504
(630) 820-6999

KNOLLWOOD HOSPITAL FOR PETS
Dr. Deborah Mitchell
2237 W.Schaumburg Road
Schaumburg, IL 60194
(847) 893-8944

McKILLIP ANIMAL HOSPITAL LTD.
Dr. Allen L. Glater
2867 N. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 248-7266

*MIDWEST BIRD AND EXOTIC ANIMAL HOSPITAL
All Doctors
7510 W. North Ave
Elmwood Park, IL 60707
Phone: (708) 453-8181
Fax: (708) 453-8194
http://www.midwestexotichospital.com

*MORTON GROVE ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Roberta Drell
9128 Waukegan Road
Morton Grove, IL 60053
(847) 965-4010

PORTAGE PARK ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Julie A. Mayer
5419 W. Irving Park Road
Chicago, Il. 60641
(773) 725-0260

*TERRY ANIMAL HOSPITAL
Dr. Rich Mattson
1419 Lake Avenue
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 256-1131

VET SMART
Dr. Jennifer Anda
809 Civic Center Plaza
Niles, IL 60074
(847) 965-4242
 

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