Adopting a Bunny

[mochi]

Hello all,

I found a bunny at a local rescue who I am possibly going to adopt. I had a zoom meeting with his foster family that went well! He’s a Californian rabbit and looks like such a sweetie.

He is mostly litter trained but still is pooping outside the litter box (he’s 8 months) My only concern is that he is going to be my roommate lol and I am nervous about him keeping me up. The foster family said he’s a quiet bun but they sleep on a different level so weren’t able to help much with nighttime questions.

Does anyone have rabbits in their room and have tips?

I want to ensure I am making the right decision for myself and for the bun. I have had a rabbit in my room before and he was good at night albeit had some rough ones. I just am nervous with the nighttime. Everything else I feel I can work on with litter training and such!

She said he likes to dig carpet but doesn’t like chewing furniture or wires which is nice though I’ll still block stuff off if I adopt him. Any advice people have would be lovely! As much as I miss having a bun around, I don’t want to make a decision solely on emotion. My heart misses having a bun but my brain is telling me to think logically so I am coming here for advice! Thank you all!

[HipHopBunny]

He sure sounds sweet!🥰

Maybe you could try fostering him and seeing how he is at night? The only time I really slept with my buns was when I was bonding them, and they did pretty well. 🙂

Fingers crossed that it’s a match!

[mochi]

@HipHopBunny He is super cute!! Also yes they allow me to foster him for about a week to decide if we are a good match. I just want to make sure I do everything right with him if I decide to! Nighttime is the only time I’m worried about at this moment as I believe I have a good grasp on the rest. I just deal with some noise sensitivity issues so my anxiety has me freaked about sharing a room again!

I know they make grids that don’t have bars so I was going to look into those to combat chewing.

[DanaNM]

I have buns in my room (and have for about 10 years now), and some nights they can be noisy little buggers, but for the most part it’s fine. I do have a bonded pair and usually in the evening Bun Jovi will run around honking trying to mount Myra, so that’s really the noisiest they get.

I tend to only give them the loudest toys during the day (like really crunchy chew toys). Giving them lots of exercise and stimulation while we’re awake and when they are active also helps them be more quiet overnight. I reserve softer chew toys that are more quiet for overnight as well.  I’ve found that my cube-condo is much quieter than an x-pen, as it doesn’t create and move around so much, even if they nibble the bars. Hanging a towel or sheet over the wall they nibble can also help with cage chewing.

I also have an air filter or fan running all the time, so the white noise helps cancel out their noises. I think overtime I’ve just gotten used to the noises they make, so the only time they really wake me up is when I hear something I don’t recognize. Sometimes they are being really loud, I tell myself “well they are just having the best time ever right now”, and it makes me smile and helps it not be so annoying!

If all else fails, soft ear plugs can really help!

. . . 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.  

[mochi]

@DanaNM

Thanks so much! Your reply definitely made me feel better. I’m feeling more confident about adopting a bun and sharing a room. I am home 99% of the time as I only leave to work which is only part time at mostly 20 hours a week, so whenever I’m home I plan to have him free roaming! I will look into the cube condo! I was looking at the grids that are plastic but I’m not sure how air quality would be so I might just stick with the metal barred ones. The blanket is a good idea — thank you!

Honestly I’m not against free roam of my room entirely one day, but for now I think it’ll be easier for him if I ease into it! He’s a rescue bun who was rescued from a meat factory in a small cage with his brother who didn’t like him. I want to give him the best life I can!

[DanaNM]

Great, glad you are feeling better. 🙂

I think it’s good to ease into free-roam. I like to let new bunnies get settled in their main space for at least a few days to help them get organized with their litter box and feel more at home. Then you can gradually allow free-roam time and see where you need to up your bunny-proofing game. Some bunnies aren’t great candidates for 100% free-roam due to poor box habits or destructive tendencies, but can still be super happy with several hours of supervised roaming time per day. I actually noticed when I gave one of my pairs 100% free roam they actually became less active because they weren’t excited to come out and explore.

. . . 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.  

[mochi]

@DanaNM

Oh that’s good to know! His foster mom says that he doesn’t chew furniture or wires so far (though I’ll still bunny proof to be safe!) He’s mostly one to dig carpet but that’s not a huge concern with me! He is litterbox trained for pee but is still learning with poops. The only thing is I believe his foster mom says she uses cat litter but I heard that’s not ideal so I was hoping to change it — I’m hoping he will be able to make the change alright!

[DanaNM]

I wonder what she means by cat litter? Clay litter is very dangerous for rabbits, but “feline pine” and some other pelleted paper litters are safe for bunnies.

. . . 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.  

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