All Things Flemish!

[Sirona]

Hello! I’ve been browsing threads and FAQs and am ready to get some input direct from the source (you guys/ladies)!

I’m bringing home a baby Flemish (born May 20th) in just under two weeks and want to be prepared. For the first 5 weeks of our life together, new bun and I will be sharing a 430sqft apartment with my 14 year old cat, Fenix. After that, we are moving into a pretty big house. I’m thinking that I want to get a suitable cage for bun during this first month, something that can double as a home within a larger pen (or his own room) at the new house. Something big enough for litter box and bedding. The space is so small here (and since he’ll be smaller while we’re here), that I’m guessing it’s ok that he won’t have a large pen area.

Questions as I think of them, and as this thread evolves…

• If I go ahead and buy an X-Pen for use once we move, can I take bun and pen outside for him to play in my front yard inside the pen? Do I need to be concerned about putting him on the ground/eating the grass outside? The yard has been commercially mowed, however, no weed killer or anything like that as far as I know…
• I’m planning on keeping bun’s cage in a separate room from my bed so that I can shut the door between my cat (whose litter box is in my bathroom) and the bun at night. Any tips/concerns on raising the bun for this first month in a cage in the same household as my cat? I was thinking I’d just keep my cat confined to the bedroom/bathroom area and let the bun have his cage in the living room.
• After reading the litter box FAQ, it looks as though feline pine is an ok litter to use, even though other pine litters aren’t. Truth? It’s what I currently use for my cat’s box, so it would be convenient – just want to make sure it’s safe for bun.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[LongEaredLions]

Congrats on your soon-to-be flemmie!
-If the grass has not been treated and is not used by dogs as a bathroom, it is fine to take your bunny out. Do check for any bad/inedible plants, and you may even want to treat with a parasite preventative such as revolution.
-I think it is a good idea to keep the cat and bunny separate for now, at least until everybody gets settled into your new home. Then you can carefully start to introduce the cat and bunny, but even after that it’s not recommended to leave them alone together.
-Any pine pellet litter is fine. I use wood stove pellets, as long as they are just plain wood pellets they are fine. Pellets are fine, shavings are not.
I don’t know exactly when you are getting your bun, but please make sure he is at least eight weeks old before you bring him home with you.

[Sirona]

Thanks for your response!

I’m wondering what size crate I should buy for now… any suggestions? Dog crate on amazon? I think putting up an X-Pen would be too much for the small space I’m in, plus, the bunny will only be here with me a month so I don’t think he’ll be too giant by the time we move (and I get him a pen). I have a small, sunny room in my new house off of the bedroom which I think would work well – the door can be shut so extra safety for bun.

He was born May 20th and the breeder is allowing me to take him home July 8th, so that’s only about 7 weeks… is that too soon? The rest of the babies are going home on the 13th, she wanted me to come sooner since I’ve been devoted to coming out to visit and so I can get my pick.

[manic_muncher]

I just got a flemish baby at 8 weeks old. Her free roaming time in the hallway was blocked off by a bunch of random stuff that I had to keep making taller and taller, she could jump 30 inches and would try climbing the rest of the way out. At 9 weeks old got the new xpen, 42 inches tall. From a dead sit, she can hop straight up and her nose reaches 2 inches from the top. AT NINE WEEKS OLD. So when/if you get an exercise pen, you might want to keep that in mind. My other rabbits aren’t jumpers, so it was quite unexpected.

The first week she was here, we kept her in a dog crate 3 ft long x 2 ft wide x 2 ft tall. It really was too small, but I gave her about 5-6 hours of out time in the hallway to stretch her legs.

[JackRabbit]

The tallest I’ve seen xpens is 48″. I’ve got a dwarf rabbit that’s a jumper — she can clear a baby gate when she wants so I got the 48″ xpens. You can always clip a sheet over the top to make a fake roof. We have 2 dog crates in our lops bunny area inside 3 xpens hooked together around their area. Each used to have their own crate but right now they are a “kitchen/bathroom” crate and a “bedroom” crate with doors latched open. Made cleaning easier. The surrounding xpens is to keep them from chewing baseboards and to keep them contained. So, if you go with an xl dog crate, you can use it later (door latched open) for a “house” within your bun’s area. If you go with an xpen, you can use it later as a portable contained area or to block off an area you don’t want the bun to go in. I’d go with the tallest xpen if you go that route, especially with Manic_muncher’s new girl being able to jump so high and still a (cute!) baby!

[manic_muncher]

If you have 9 minutes that you want to fill with watching, here is a vid of Bonnie (Flemish) and Clyde (Lilac) in Bonnie’s 4×4 configured xpen. She loves toys. He loves food.
(the solid looking blue ball is a cat treat toy filled with rabbit pellets)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn7p8Z_aXiE

[Sirona]

This information is so helpful!! Thank you, everyone… I think I saw these posted in another thread… What do you all think in terms of putting these down under an X-Pen to protect the floor?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003R2LFEI/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_3?colid=X1WXGVGDPXJC&coliid=IAPMJU2O79JAS&vs=1

[Sirona]

Here is my current wishlist if anyone has thoughts… Flemish Giant
Link: http://www.amazon.com/registry/wishlist/X1WXGVGDPXJC

I have about an hour and a half car ride home with the bun. I want to hold him in my lap on the way home… Or maybe in a cardboard box with holes and hay? Not sure if I should bring him home already in the crate. Seems a little big.

[Pipje]

I’d suggest getting a water bowl instead of bottle for a Flemish. I have a friend with some Flemish giants and large xbreeds and they much prefer to drink out of a bowl because they need more water at a time than smaller rabbits, and it’s harder to get a good drink from a bottle as only a little comes out at a time! But that’s just a suggestion.
I’d also suggest not to put him just on your lap, or in a cardboard box, because he will probably in that length of time do a pee! (And if he is just on your lap then he could struggle, hurt himself and escape and get under the seats etc). It would be better to keep him safe and secure in a pet carrier. You can get one for dogs, or just use a sturdy large carboard box with something absorbent on the bottom and some hay.

[Flint]

I suggest the dog crate with two doors. We have a 48″ one and it makes life sooooo much easier!

[Sirona]

Thanks, Pipje! And thanks for the sweet vid, manic_muncher!!

Remy, what would you say is the benefit of the double-door crate? I was wondering how many doors I should go with, so I appreciate your opinion. I think I’m going to order a crate today. Here are the two I am eyeing:

Single-door: http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-iCrate-Single-Door-Crate-48-By-30-By-33-Inch/dp/B000OX89XI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404227666&sr=8-1&keywords=pet+crate+48

Double-door: http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Stages-Double-Door-Folding-Inches/dp/B0002AT3MO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1404227666&sr=8-2&keywords=pet+crate+48

Any opinions on the flooring link I posted?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003R2LFEI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=X1WXGVGDPXJC&coliid=IAPMJU2O79JAS&psc=1

I actually have a really large corner box that my cat was using previously. Maybe it’ll fit in the crate. I’m assuming that if it’s well-cleaned, there’s no harm in the fact that it was previously used by my cat… thoughts? Otherwise I can just buy a new one.

[Flint]

I can actually climb into the crate through the side door and having the litter box against the other door I don’t have much access that way anyways. The side door will also make cleaning a million times easier as you have access to the entire cage through it.

I also want to add, my litterbox was previously used for cats. I just took it outside, hosed it down and moved on. (:

[Author]

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