Brand New Rabbit-Momma

[Kitsufox]

I’ve been mother to an adorable little Dutch Rabbit (just over 2 months old) named Pheobe *grin* And it’s been a wonderful experience so far.

Aquiring her bordered on a whim (my Finace and I had talked about getting a rabbit, and at a Farmer’s Market a local rabbit shower was willing to sell a little dutch darling very very inexpensivly, and I just couldn’t pass her up, since I already owned a cage perfectly suited) but I’ve been doing my homework and making sure that I do things right.

I’ve been shocked by the warmth and responsivness of rabbits. They’re unlike any pet I’ve ever owned and are a complete joy. I have no idea why they havn’t caught on more strongly as housepets! After just a week Pheobe prance and plays and begs for attention (which I’m all too happy to give… Her cage is next to my computer desk and nothing lightens one’s day quiet like having thier bunny dance up and poke a nose through the bars.)

 

Anyways… Pictures… Just because I feel the need to show my darling girl off.

 

[kimberleyanddarren]

she is very adorable! pics are always welcome congrats on your new addition and welcome!

[Beka27]

she’s beautiful! such amazing coloring.

[RabbitPam]

Isn’t she pretty!

[Lisa_43]

I love the last picture, she looks so adorable.

[JK]

Aren’t bunnies amazing!  I never had one either before I got mine and they are so entertaining and fun.  Do you let yours out of the cage??? She is so darling.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Welcome kitsufox! We’re glad to have to here and those are some awfully adorable pictures of your little darling! I look forward to seeing you around!

[MooBunnay]

Welcome to BinkyBunny Kitsufox! Your bunny is very adorable I’m also surprised that houserabbits as popular of pets as cats and dogs – I love their personality as well.

[Toki+Pumpkin+Elmo]

She almost looks like a puppy! I totally could’ve mistaken her as a puppy not a rabbit.

[Kitsufox]

*grin* Thank you all for your compliments! They’re so kind.
It was actually her coloration that stuck me as so wonderful. Before now I’ve never seen such a pale tortie rabbit. As for the pictures… Hehe. A decent camera and a wonderful subject makes all the diffrence.

As for getting out of the cage, we haven’t hit that point yet. We do alot of interaction in the cage (Basicaly the rule we use is that in her cage she can end the interaction anytime she wants and we don’t pursue it further). The current focus is bonding and trust. We hope to eventually at least be using our Exersize Pen to give her opportunities to really stretch out (My Finace will be building her a ramp so that we can set it up and give her leave to come and go from her cage as she pleases). She’s still very uncomfortable about being lifted, so until the ramp is built there won’t be alot of out-of-cage time.

Oddly enough, my Mom stopped by a few days ago, and mistook her for a guinea pig until she sat up and suck her ears in the air.

So far every day with Pheobe has been a learning experience. Just yesterday, she learned that she can beg and I’ll go fetch veggies for her. Apparently I’m rather impressionable and easy to train…

[JK]

You really don’t need to build an official ramp.  I have a  plastic container underneath the door to the cage to prop it up to make it flat with a towel over that .  A lot of time Edson sleeps on the “stoop”.  She definitely needs some out of the cage time for exercise.  An xpen is really the best way to go and not that expensive. You can then put another litter box in the xpen area.

[rabbitsmba]

OMG she’s so SWEET! I love picture #2 where she is showing that hay rack who’s boss! And judging from that picture, she doesn’t need a ramp *grin*……hee hee!

[Kitsufox]

Don’t worry. She’ll definitely be getting time out of the cage. Particularaly since I already own an ex-pen and can make sure she’s safe while it’s done. Fortunatly, given her size a week confined isn’t such a bad thing (We really need the ramp, and a barrier to keep her from getting underneeth the cage), but it will happy on Monday when my Finace gets time to do bunny/puppy proofing (we’ve got another new addition coming to join us soon). For perspective, a picture…

As you can see, the cage is elevated, and thus at least a flight of “steps” will be needed for her to get in and out. I do already know she is fully able to get DOWN (there was an incident yesterday involving me cleaning the cage and her deciding that waiting for me to fill the hayrack was unacceptable, so she jumped down for some scraps that had fallen out of the cage). I’m fairly certain she can’t get back up, though. And since she’s not big on being lifted (can’t say I blame her), its just not possible without risking her hurting herself trying to get away if I go to lift her back in. I also need to line the ramp bettween levels (she climbs it well, but I dont’ like her feet on that wire). My plans for the ramp out of her cage are pretty simple, just a bird ladder lined with shelf-liner (which will be very securly atttached). The exersize pen will be set up directly in front of the cage, so I can just open the door and she can come and go as she pleases, wiith a sheet spread out to attend to any “accidents” (her litterbox progress has been great so far, but it’s still imperfect). And there will be the barrier to keep her from getting under the cage, but that’ll just be a bit of wood forming a box around the base of the cage.

As a side note: Directly above her are my pet rats. They were evicted from the bottom half when she moved in last week. All four are older (pushing 2, every last one, which isn’t bad in a species with an adverrage lifespan of 1 1/2) and don’t need the space they used to. I have yet to decide if we’ll be keeping the top level on the cage or taking it down once they’re gone (that short lifespan wears thing. Saying hello and goodboy to 10 little faces over the course of 4 years is hard…)

She’s a wonderful ham for the camera, though. It’s like she realizes it means more people than just me get to fawn over her or something.

Now… Time to slip off and touch up the cages and vacume before work drags me away. What I wouldn’t give to not have to work and just be able to hang out with my various furbabies all day (The army here consists of a Labradore [Crash; 13yrs], 4 rats [Mohinder, Sylar, Hiro, Ando; Variations from 1 1/2 to 2 years], 2 Cockatiels [Saske & Sakura, Ages unknown. Technicaly my Finace’s] and a Cocker Spaniel [Teddy, 5 1/2 weeks… Hasn’t acctually moved in yet, but will be in about a week or so].

[babybunsmum]

wow you’ll have quite a housefull!  i tried to post earlier & some how swiped my touchpad & lost everything   so here’s the gist…

your bunbun is *adoreable*!!!  and she sure does look comfy posing for you.  i love how she was sitting in her hay rack    i’ll bet as she grows she’ll be able to get in & out of her elevated enclsure (nice one btw) without a ramp… for now you could use a step & i’d bet she figures it out just fine especially since she jumped down already in search of hay.  i can’t wait to hear of her antics after she gets more settled & has free-roam time… she’s sure gonna be a character!

[JK]

After seeing the pictures you are right a ramp is in order!  Good luck!

[Beka27]

i think you could probably make a step with some wood. she will be jumping in and out easily in time. and is she okay on that in-cage ramp? you might want to cover it with a towel or piece of outdoor carpeting so her feet don’t snag on the bars.

[LittlePuffyTail]

She’s so tiny and cute!! Cutest bun ever!!!

[Kitsufox]

Posted By Beka27 on 06/01/2008 11:09 AM
i think you could probably make a step with some wood. she will be jumping in and out easily in time. and is she okay on that in-cage ramp? you might want to cover it with a towel or piece of outdoor carpeting so her feet don’t snag on the bars.

She’s done fine with it so far. The bars are very close together, but despite that I worry about the bars hurting her feet in the long run, or her getting caught up in them. I’ve got the stuff to cover it, time has been the only issue. Tommorow durring my day off it’s a high priority to cover her ramp in the cage.

It’s acctually a Ferret Nation Cage from Midwest… I bought it back when I thought I’d never burn out on rats (darn lifespan), but it’s so well designed and flexible that it’s perfectly workable for any number of species. Though… Right now is cute overload. 4 rats in the upper section and a bunny on the bottom… All of which know that if they stare at me long enough while sending telepathic waves, I’ll bring treats.

And.. Babybunsmum… It was so sad! I didn’t acctually get to see her hop up in the hackrack like that! My Finace and our buddy Dave noticed her doing it while they were playing a videogame (Cage is in the living room), and my camera justt happened to be sitting in plain sight on my desk by providence alone. I’m thankful for the photo, but would have loved to have been there. She hasn’t felt the need to climb the hackrack since that we’ve noticed. But she is rather a bit of an adventurer.. She seems to love exploring and sticking her nose into anywhere it will fit.

Really, though… Her outgoing personality is a blessing. My backup plan for if the normal activity level on weekends (Our house acts as a sort of “homebase” on weekends when we’re coordinating on weekends, so it can get active) was too high for her was going to be to have a secondary cage setup in the bedroom, where she could be put when things got out of hand for her. Instead she’s watching the activity and following people past the cage as we do things. She’s wasn’t even phased when Crash stuck her head in the cage to check it out while I was cleaning (Blasted Labrador… She’s decided that Rabbit Poo is on the list of delicacies, right up there with Rat Poo and Cockatiel Poo.).

[JK]

Yes definitely cover that ramp. I’m so worried little toes could get stuck and then that could be quite disasterous. I cover my cage door that’s propped up with a towel just for that reason. Sounds like you will get that done tomorrow!

[Sage Cat]

Oh, she is cute!
I love Dutch buns.

I’m also a new bunny mom – got my 2 in Feb. They really are a blast!

[Lagomorpheus]

you are so damn lucky!!! what a little darling!!!!

[Kitsufox]

As of today the ramp has been modified.

The ramp is covered in cubboard shelfliner, which is sewn on with twine on all four edges. Once she got over her initial rejection of the change (which took about 3 minuets) she was very happy about matters.

Lagomorpheus… The luckiest part of getting her… I paid 10$. The lady I got her from breeds dutch for show… and sold her dirt cheap because there wasn’t enough white on one of her feet so she isn’t show quality! I went to the Annual Local Swap Meet looking for ducks to give my Dad for his Birthday. Didn’t find any Ducklings, but got her. It was actually my Labrador, Crash, who found her. We were strolling past, seeking ducks and she veered off course, and dragged me over so she could sniff the bunnies. None of the rabbits freaked (I had originaly been keeping my distance so Crash wouldn’t disturb them) and I met Pheobe!

 

Sage Cat… Your dutch pair are adorable! I’ve fallen in love with the pattern, too. Though I’m also partial to the Himilayan markings and the spotted ones…. and the “fox” pattern… Okay… If it has big long ears and a cute nose, I’ll probbly coo at it and tell it how darling it is… Heck if it has fur and a nice disposition I’ll probobly do the same.

[Lagomorpheus]

Dutches are my *favorite* too!

[Kitsufox]

I got my wish! She poped up into the Hayrack again this morning! and in a single bound, no less.

Also, shiney new litterbox, as she insists that corner should be peed in regularaly.

[Beka27]

well it’s obvious a lovely corner to pee. that is the silliest thing. i can’t believe she hops in there like that!

[Lagomorpheus]

gahhhhhhhh I’m sooo jealous. I dream of having a baby dutch bunny!!! More pictures please!

[Scarlet_Rose]

Simply too cute!  She really has you trained!  Here is a fun little quiz for you to take: http://www.planetx.org/~bunny/purity.html

[Sage Cat]

Ha, ha, ha – Have you ever written a limerick about your bunny? That quiz is great! I’m not telling my score!

Kitsufox – she is sooooocute on that hay rack: “What? I’m just eating hay.”

[Beka27]

1. Have you ever confused a checkout person with a gourmet veggie that you bought for your bunny?
2. Do you spend more on your bunny’s food than on your veggies?

lmao!!!

[JK]

 

Yes to both questions!  I was just at Whole Foods and bought dill and mint and the checkout person said “oh are you using the mint for tea”? And I said no it’s for my rabbit and so is the dill. $5.00 for 2 small bunches! I don’t eat that stuff!!!

[Kitsufox]

I’ve been fortunate and had really good luck getting Pheobe to take veggies. So far she likes Carrot, Romain, Parsley, and Carrot Greens. And that’s everything I’ve tried so far. Fortunaty I’m a pretty big veggie eater, so Pheobe and I share alot.

We’ve also started doing out of cage time for her.

The exersize pen is setup, as you can see. Pheobe’s cage is the lower half of the big cage, and the rats are in the top half. The cage to the left is my Finace’s cockatiels. The cage-corner you can see in the forground is Sylar’s “Convelesing Cage” (He’s been off-color, but it’s all age related, so he just nneeds some time here and there to rest extra. He’s come around alot so that on bad days he can get some privacy.) The Laptop on the desk is mine. Ignore the clutter. We’re spring cleaning and prepping for the arrival of our new puppy.

Also, for your enjoyment: Cuteness.

[Beka27]

what a lucky bun! it’s like a penthouse!

[Author]

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