About to go to store, any recommendations?

[Nina]

I know this site has a lot of stuff, but i’m just trying to get stuff set up for my two bunnies. So far all i got, is a soft mat, some food and water bowls, a cat tunnel, some brushes and some animal nail trimmers. I’m going to use feedstore for the hay. For those that get a few things from Pet smart. What are some items you guys would recommend? I’d feel better knowing I wasn’t getting something that would be bad for them or that wpuld go to waste.

Also, I’m collecting cardboard boxes for hides, mazes, toys, amd games. Thats ok, right? I’ve heard they liked it and just wanted to double check it is ok.

[joea64]

Do you already have an X-pen/animal playpen? If not, look into that. Any good model of X-pen will work; they might be listed as having been originally made for dogs but will work for many other pets including bunnies. Get the biggest-size area you can so your buns have plenty of room to scamper around in, and get a good height so they can’t jump over the grid (mine is 42″). Cardboard boxes are first-rate; I have two stacks of such boxes that might otherwise have been disposed of but will keep my bunnies happily chewing and whapping them around for a long time. I recommend you also start saving empty toilet-paper rolls (make sure there’s no glue on them); they make outstanding chew toys/treats when filled with hay. You did get a litterbox/litter or bedding, right?

If you can get ahold of a bag or two of Oxbow Simple Rewards treats (essentially cookies based on timothy hay with various bun delicacies mixed in), those would be good (you can buy them from the Binky Bunny store). My own buns Panda and Fernando love the apple/banana flavor. I’d also suggest getting, if you haven’t already, styptic powder or a styptic pencil in case you have a minor accident while trimming the rabbits’ nails; if they have dark nails, a small flashlight to check where the quick is is also helpful.

[Deleted User]

Litter & litter trays

simethicone (baby gas drops)

critical care- good to have on hand in case you have a sick bun who wont eat, but my local petsmart doesn’t carry it. you can try to spoon feed this but I think the syringe method would be most effective

Chew sticks? I get my bunnies apple orchard sticks. It keeps them busy and has helped to stop my boy bunny from chewing so much of my baseboards!

I wouldn’t really purchase any toys marketed as “rabbit toys” …. I’ve wasted lots of money to find out that my buns won’t play with any of them.

[Nina]

I already have 6 paper towel rolls stashed away and ready to be made into toys! Glad to hear that they and cardboard is good!

I’ll make sure to look into the different X-pens today.

Not yet, but i know what litter and litter box i want. The litterbox will a highwalled cat litter box I found at Walmart. The litter itself, i was thinking about a litter called Yesterdays news. It is a paper based one, i have heard things about. As well as have seen it used for heat and cool packs in case of emergency.

Oxbow seems to have a lot of good bunny stuff from what i have heard around. I’ll be sure to get the simple rewards. I can use actual fruits as treats too right?

I’ve heard sonewhere yiu can use cornstarch instead of the stypic powder. What is your thoughts on that?

Apple orchard? Got it

Really? Huh, glad i asked!!! I would have wasted the money too

Right, i need to get both critical cares. The one for herbivores and carneviores, so i have something for my lizard if something happens with her

[Wick & Fable]

I would actually opt for small towels (square hand towels) rather than paper towels. Will be cheaper in the long run and you’re producing *much* less waste daily. If you still want a good quantity, I highly recommend bamboo paper towels: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=bamboo+paper+towels
— After 1 use, throw it in the washer and it comes out like a thick cloth material that can be re-used. It comes in a paper towel roll, so there’s a lot! I’ve had Wick for 8mo now and have still successfully used the same 12 bamboo paper towels to success, so I haven’t even touched the 2nd and 3rd roll I had purchased, since I haven’t used much of my first one.

For storing the used towels, I purchased a laundry bag that’s advertised for those who use cloth diapers for babies — It’s antibacterial, odor controlling, and water/leak proof. If it can handle human waste, storing rabbit-used towels is a breeze! I empty the bag and throw it in the washer all together to wash everything, and then just dry it in the dryer as normal.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Deleted User]

I use yesterday’s news as litter and it works great! The only thing is, I am switching to using wood stove pellets or equine pine pellets (make sure you don’t use pine shavings, but these pellets are fine). Both the stove pellets and equine pellets work like yesterday’s news but are MUCH MUCH cheaper! I wish I knew about them before! A bag of yesterday’s news is $16-20 for 30lbs, but you can get 40lbs of wood stove or equine pellets for around $6-7 !!!

[Nina]

Wick are you talking about the litter box? Or what are the bamboo paper towels for? If you mean for cleaning some of the rabbit stuff, than that is certainly good to know!! If you mean for the litter box, then I meaned i had a small stash of empty rolls going for some chew treats.

I will look into the bag and bambo towels though. Always I appreciate the help and tips

wait, they are really that cheap?!?!?! Very glad to find out about that!!!! Do you know if you can get them at a feed store or where do you get these pellets?

[Boston's Mama]

I use pine pellets and get mine at petstore – labeled as kitty litter pine pellets , different country though … they come as cat litter , horse stable pellets , or wood stove pellets ( however the wood stove version often has accelerant in it so much sure to check it says on packet no accelerant added or nasty chemicals- it should just be pine pellets)

[Wick & Fable]

Hey Nina! I’m referring to cleaning, so wiping up accidents, or wiping down cages, litter boxes, etc for various reasons. It’s definitely a great buy!

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[S&D17]

You can get the Wood pellets at Tractor Supply or Menards. 

I would go to the Goodwill and look for different things- baby toys, hay feeders (i have used a trash can, wood crate, corn cob holder), Wicker baskets and placemats.

Then id go to Once Upon A Child and look at toys, blankets, balls, etc. 

[Nina]

No accelerant, petstore or Tractor supply. Not sure what Menards’ is. Have never seen a once upon a child, but will keep my eye out.

I’ll go looking for my nearest goodwill, the one i know of is almost 2 hours away.

Awesome!!! Thanks for the clean up tips!!!

[joea64]

As a general note, make sure that you know the measurements of your cage/habitat/bunny condo door before you go shopping for a litter box.

I found out last evening when I tested with putting the litter box I bought on Saturday into the lower level of my partially-completed bunny condo that it’s just a little too big to fit through the 15″ door. Oh well, I’ll just have to get a slightly smaller one and I can still use the big one as an “outside” litterbox if/when the buns go to free-range status.

[ThorBunny]

I also found wood stove pellets at Agway if you have those near you! They also have them at Home Depot and Lowes but usually only during winter months. They’re definitely the best and cheapest litter

One more thought (because lately I’ve been having problems with this ). Make sure the water bowl you got is very sturdy! Many buns love to chuck and tip over bowls since I guess they see them as toys. Its best to get a heavy crock or something they can’t get their teeth around or pick up. Some people also get a water bottle for emergencies in case the buns knock their water bowl over!

[joea64]

Posted By ThorBunny on 8/16/2017 8:34 AM

I also found wood stove pellets at Agway if you have those near you! They also have them at Home Depot and Lowes but usually only during winter months. They’re definitely the best and cheapest litter

One more thought (because lately I’ve been having problems with this ). Make sure the water bowl you got is very sturdy! Many buns love to chuck and tip over bowls since I guess they see them as toys. Its best to get a heavy crock or something they can’t get their teeth around or pick up. Some people also get a water bottle for emergencies in case the buns knock their water bowl over!

I made particularly sure to get a big, heavy, ceramic/crockery dog dish for Panda and Fernando’s water bowl last weekend precisely due to this.  I might go ahead and get a water bottle as a backup, though. Come to think of it, I probably need a separate bowl for their salad – the little bowl I got is good for their pellets, but a minimum of 2 cups of greens each day needs a bigger bowl.

[Nina]

Agway? Never heard of it, will look into it though. Thanks for all the places i can find it!

Ya, i couldn’t find a ceramic bowl.yet tgat i think was heavy enoygh, but i did find a bowl that i think moght be hard for them to pick up.

For the veggies, my work buys alot of small bins for storaging things, but they never use the lids. So i think i’m going to take a couple of those and use them. They may yoss it, but at least it is just the veggies and not the pellets or the water.

As far as cage measure meants. I got a call today, I’ll be picking up her up next weekend. So depending in if I have time to go buy some NIC grids or not. I may end up using and empty 4′ 3/4″ by 7′ closet as a cage for her, for a little while. So i should be fine on the litter box sizes for now, but that is a good thing to keep on mind for the future ^^; thanks

[Luna]

Litter – Agree with getting wood stove pellets for bedding, but just make sure your buns don’t try to eat it. Most buns will just give it a few investigative bites and then stop…Luna wouldn’t stop lol. But I think part of the problem is that she is so used to Carefresh paper bedding.

Treats – Certain treats at the store are commercialized for buns even though it is not good for them. Don’t buy anything that looks like trail mix (ie. nuts), seeds on a stick, or yogurt drops.

Nails – Flour also works if you accidentally cut the quick.

[joea64]

NIC grids are first-rate (my new bunny condo is based on them), but make sure you get a LOT of cable ties; you’ll need to fasten at least 3 on each edge for a tight, sturdy connection. And be sure to trim them closely so your buns don’t chew the ends off and/or get jabbed in their eyes by accident!

[Nina]

O.o didn’t think about them eatting it. Thanks for the heads up!

Ya i’ve heard bad things about the seeds and yogurt. Someone suggested simple rewards by oxbow?

Flour? Oh! Great news i always have flour! (Likes to bake stuff from scratch.)

3 huh, i was gonna do 2 in an x, but 3/4 make since, i guess. Also D: ya! Don’t want to cause harm to my bunny babies to be!!!

[joea64]

Posted By Nina on 8/16/2017 8:03 PM

O.o didn’t think about them eatting it. Thanks for the heads up!

Ya i’ve heard bad things about the seeds and yogurt. Someone suggested simple rewards by oxbow?

Flour? Oh! Great news i always have flour! (Likes to bake stuff from scratch.)

3 huh, i was gonna do 2 in an x, but 3/4 make since, i guess. Also D: ya! Don’t want to cause harm to my bunny babies to be!!!

Have a look at my own brand-new bunny condo that I completed last evening (the thread is in this same subforum) to see how I did it. The picture is kind of small but you can still see how I fastened the cable ties on each grid and then snipped them off, using scissors – or you can use snips that you can get at the hardware store – as closely as possible. Also, make sure that the grids aren’t too big – they should be 1″ to 1.5″ square (mine are 1.3″). If they’re too large, rabbits, especially dwarf or babies, can get their legs or even their heads caught by accident, and you’ll have to cut them out of the grid.

[sarahthegemini]

Regarding the treats, I don’t recall the Oxbow ones being all that great either. Veggies and herbs are great for treats!

[Wick & Fable]

Wick’s treats are Oxbow and he enjoys them. He’s a fan of the dried strawberry, banana, and the veggie treats shaped like hearts <3

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[joea64]

Posted By sarahthegemini on 8/17/2017 9:35 AM

Regarding the treats, I don’t recall the Oxbow ones being all that great either. Veggies and herbs are great for treats!

I think it’s all a matter of individual preference, really. Panda and Fernando love them, particularly the apple/banana flavor. I think I bought the only package left (for now) in my locality, but I should be able to find the banana flavor (is there any bun living who doesn’t like bananas?) and get a couple more packages this weekend. The good thing about the Oxbow treats, in my own opinion, is that they’re based on (ground meal) timothy hay.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By joea64 on 8/17/2017 9:59 AM

Posted By sarahthegemini on 8/17/2017 9:35 AM

Regarding the treats, I don’t recall the Oxbow ones being all that great either. Veggies and herbs are great for treats!

I think it’s all a matter of individual preference, really. Panda and Fernando love them, particularly the apple/banana flavor. I think I bought the only package left (for now) in my locality, but I should be able to find the banana flavor (is there any bun living who doesn’t like bananas?) and get a couple more packages this weekend. The good thing about the Oxbow treats, in my own opinion, is that they’re based on (ground meal) timothy hay.

I can’t remember off the top of my head what they were but I do remember there was something questionable in them. I’d rather give fresh or dried veggies, herbs fruits etc. No other unnecessary crap added

[Deleted User]

I’m the same sarah!

Im sure bunnies love the treats…but to me any commercially produced product has probably got some extra crap added to it…like all our packaged food…

[joea64]

According to Oxbow’s page:

http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/type/detail?object=11375

the ingredients for Simple Rewards Apple/Banana are: Timothy Grass, Oat Groat Flour, Barley Flour, Cane Molasses, Dried Apples, Bananas, Guar Gum, Mixed Tocopherols (preservative), Rosemary Extract. The directions instruct not to exceed 1-2 pieces per day, or no more than 5% of the total daily diet.

Their Banana Treats, on the other hand, are 100% freeze-dried banana pieces without artificial colors or preservatives. http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/type/detail?object=10422

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By joea64 on 8/17/2017 11:23 AM

According to Oxbow’s page:

http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/type/detail?object=11375

the ingredients for Simple Rewards Apple/Banana are: Timothy Grass, Oat Groat Flour, Barley Flour, Cane Molasses, Dried Apples, Bananas, Guar Gum, Mixed Tocopherols (preservative), Rosemary Extract. The directions instruct not to exceed 1-2 pieces per day, or no more than 5% of the total daily diet.

Their Banana Treats, on the other hand, are 100% freeze-dried banana pieces without artificial colors or preservatives. http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/type/detail?object=10422

I think it was the molasses that concerned me. 

My bunny’s really liked The Hay Experts dried cranberries – just pure dried cranberries, nothing added And their dried pineapple pieces.

[Deleted User]

I’m sure they are fine to give. I just personally try not to feed my babies anything from a package

[joea64]

I went to look up the question of molasses and rabbits, and found several discussions here on BB. The consensus seems to be that while molasses in smallquantities isn’t harmful (most pellets, even the really good brands like Oxbow, contain a small amount of molasses as binder and taste improver, for instance) it should only be fed sparingly since it’s just another version of pure sugar. So follow the instructions on the packages and only give them 1 or 2 of those treats a day, and the pure-dried-banana treats may be better.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By joea64 on 8/17/2017 11:57 AM

I went to look up the question of molasses and rabbits, and found several discussions here on BB. The consensus seems to be that while molasses in smallquantities isn’t harmful (most pellets, even the really good brands like Oxbow, contain a small amount of molasses as binder and taste improver, for instance) it should only be fed sparingly since it’s just another version of pure sugar. So follow the instructions on the packages and only give them 1 or 2 of those treats a day, and the pure-dried-banana treats may be better.

Yep it’s fine technically in small amounts. I just don’t see the point, especially when a sprig of dill or thyme gets my two all excited  

[Nina]

1. I love that you guus got onto a debate about treats. No, really i do.
Learning alot!
2. Herbs? I am actually growing some inside now. What kind do rabbits tend to like? I have mostly basil and mint, maybe a little thyme
3. Was gonna buy lots of veggies spoilimg my bun seems like a good excuse to make my diet better too.
4. I will male sure to look at your thread! ^^

[joea64]

If you think the debate about treats is recondite (meaning obscure, abstruse, esoteric)  you should check out the comments that occasionally pop up – there have been several in Behavior and Bonding this week – about just how far an unaltered male bun (or one who’s still got live sperm in him after neutering) can ejaculate to get a female bun pregnant!

[Deleted User]

I’ve given my buns basil, mint, lavender, oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, cilantro… and I’m sure there are others I’ve given but can’t remember. They can have a ton of different stuff! It’s good to familiarize yourself with what they can and can’t have, and what should be limited!

[sarahthegemini]

Mine love dill, thyme and coriander the most but they don’t mind mint, and rosemary.

[Nina]

Thanks! I’m making a list of all the great suggestions and warnings! You guys have all been such a great help and if anyone has anymore tips, i would be very grateful!!!

[Author]

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