Bringing New Bunny Home – Tips?

[bunnnnnnie!]

So, as of tomorrow I will be a first-time bunny owner!   I am VERY excited, but also nervous because I have never had a bunny before!  I am experienced in small animals, I had guinea pigs for a long time, but obviously they’re not quite the same.

Does anyone have any tips for bringing bunny home?  I’m adopting a Holland Lop buck from a girl who is moving and can’t bring him with.  Right now he’s an outdoor bunny, but he will become a house bunny the second he’s mine!  I just want him to not get too stressed with all the changes, and I want to make sure I do things right!

So, any tips and advice for a first time bunny owner, bringing home my new little buddy tomorrow, would be GREATLY appreciated.  Maybe there’s some stuff you wish someone would’ve told YOU about when you got your first bunny?

[Elrohwen]

Congrats!! I would just recommend putting him in new cage and letting him explore. If he wants to come out, let him. Just sit with him and let him approach you if he wants. And if he’s too overwhelmed and just wants to sit in his cage, you can let him do that too. It probably depends a lot on how well he was socialized in his old home. When I brought my second bun home, she charged right out of her cage and ran around the house. She was a little unsure of us, but clearly not totally freaked out, so it’s all individual to the bunny.

My only piece of advice is about litter training – only put litter in the litter box (a blanket on the cage floor is ok, but not other litter), and don’t use a corner litter box as they’re not usually big enough. Those were two things I definitely didn’t know before researching bunnies much more. I’ll admit I was so happy to learn I didn’t need to put bedding in the whole cage and change it every few days! That would’ve been a pain 😛

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Elrohwen on 05/06/2010 03:10 PM
Congrats!! I would just recommend putting him in new cage and letting him explore. If he wants to come out, let him. Just sit with him and let him approach you if he wants. And if he’s too overwhelmed and just wants to sit in his cage, you can let him do that too. It probably depends a lot on how well he was socialized in his old home. When I brought my second bun home, she charged right out of her cage and ran around the house. She was a little unsure of us, but clearly not totally freaked out, so it’s all individual to the bunny.

My only piece of advice is about litter training – only put litter in the litter box (a blanket on the cage floor is ok, but not other litter), and don’t use a corner litter box as they’re not usually big enough. Those were two things I definitely didn’t know before researching bunnies much more. I’ll admit I was so happy to learn I didn’t need to put bedding in the whole cage and change it every few days! That would’ve been a pain 😛

 

Actually he comes with his cage, bedding, food, brush, everything.  I may end up replacing the cage (depending how big it is, if it’s too small it’s gotta be replaced!), but for now I’ll just use his original “stuff” and then replace as needed.

But you think it’s ok to let him out of the cage right away?  Or do you think he’d feel safer staying in?  I just don’t want to scare him or stress him out.

[RabbitPam]

Welcome,
Once you have him, we’d love to have you post in the Welcome section of the Lounge with some pictures of your new little guy.

If he has anything at all that can come with him that is “his” be sure to get it. Dishes, toys, the same food he’s used to just to start. Put some urine soaked litter in his box and a few of his own poos so he recognizes the smell. When he is in his new cage and room, don’t let him have total run of the house. Let him get to know you, the cage and just one room first. He will get acclimated to his surroundings and feel safer in his cage at first. Just sit or lie patiently on the floor when you let him out and ignore him. He will explore, including you. If he approaches you, let him get close and have a little treat in your hand that he can find.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By RabbitPam on 05/06/2010 03:28 PM
Welcome,
Once you have him, we’d love to have you post in the Welcome section of the Lounge with some pictures of your new little guy.

If he has anything at all that can come with him that is “his” be sure to get it. Dishes, toys, the same food he’s used to just to start. Put some urine soaked litter in his box and a few of his own poos so he recognizes the smell. When he is in his new cage and room, don’t let him have total run of the house. Let him get to know you, the cage and just one room first. He will get acclimated to his surroundings and feel safer in his cage at first. Just sit or lie patiently on the floor when you let him out and ignore him. He will explore, including you. If he approaches you, let him get close and have a little treat in your hand that he can find.

Great, thank you!  Yes, I will be sure to post LOTS of pics in the Welcome section once I pick him up tomorrow. 

I know for sure he’s coming with his own pellets, I’m assuming hay too.  If he is being fed anything but timothy hay, do I need to slowly wean him over to timothy?  Or can I just switch over?  I know pellets need to be slowly weaned, but not sure about hay..

 

[Elrohwen]

I agree with Pam – let him out of the cage, but just give him one room to explore. If he is feeling freaked out and doesn’t want to come out of his cage, that’s ok too. Just let him go at his own pace.

For hay, you don’t need to wean him over – you can just give him a new hay. Though sometimes they aren’t super excited about eating a different kind of hay and in that case it can be helplful to blend them so he can get used to the hay you want him to eat.

[Karla]

I’ve kept mine in the cage for the first 2-3 days. For 2 reasons: for them to be properly litter trained and know that the toilet is for business and that the cage is their territory, and the rest of the place is mine and should not be used as a toilet.

And second of all, actually to let the new bunny relax and get to know its cage, our scent and feel secure in its new home knowing that there are bars between him/her and the rest of us who all probably look rather scary at first sight.

As mine are free roamers, I have had no problem caging them for the first few days knowing that it will be worth it.

Really read up a lot on litter training, so you are prepared. If you do it right from the beginning, they get it very quickly (2-3 days). Once they get a bad habit, it can take ages to teach them not to do it.

When he is ready to come out of his cage, just open it and let him get out in his own time. Please, don’t lift him out (or lift him and put him back in the cage either, when run time is over). Just be patient. Karl sat for a whole day with the cage door open and was too overwhelmed to get out. The next day, he would only sit right outside the cage – the world can be a very scary place for a bunny, sometimes

[Beka27]

Welcome! It’s so exciting to get a new bunny!

Is he neutered already? I guess that’s my biggest piece of advice that not everyone knows. Rabbits have to be spayed or neutered.

As far as his cage and things, if he’s in a very small cage (smaller than 2×4 feet), I’d suggest you start looking into a bigger one right away or get a dog exercise pen to make a “playpen” to attach to the cage. If he is in a wire-bottom cage, those can be very harmful to their feet, so look into replacing that immediately, or getting a cut piece of scrap linoleum to cover the wire floor.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Karla on 05/07/2010 01:38 AM
I’ve kept mine in the cage for the first 2-3 days. For 2 reasons: for them to be properly litter trained and know that the toilet is for business and that the cage is their territory, and the rest of the place is mine and should not be used as a toilet.

And second of all, actually to let the new bunny relax and get to know its cage, our scent and feel secure in its new home knowing that there are bars between him/her and the rest of us who all probably look rather scary at first sight.

As mine are free roamers, I have had no problem caging them for the first few days knowing that it will be worth it.

Really read up a lot on litter training, so you are prepared. If you do it right from the beginning, they get it very quickly (2-3 days). Once they get a bad habit, it can take ages to teach them not to do it.

When he is ready to come out of his cage, just open it and let him get out in his own time. Please, don’t lift him out (or lift him and put him back in the cage either, when run time is over). Just be patient. Karl sat for a whole day with the cage door open and was too overwhelmed to get out. The next day, he would only sit right outside the cage – the world can be a very scary place for a bunny, sometimes

 

Thanks for all the advice, I really appreciate it!  Right now he is intact (not neutered), can I still try to start litter training him?  Or should I wait until after he’s neutered?  I’ll be bringing him in to get fixed as soon as I find a reputable rabbit vet in the area.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Beka27 on 05/07/2010 03:43 AM
Welcome! It’s so exciting to get a new bunny!

Is he neutered already? I guess that’s my biggest piece of advice that not everyone knows. Rabbits have to be spayed or neutered.

As far as his cage and things, if he’s in a very small cage (smaller than 2×4 feet), I’d suggest you start looking into a bigger one right away or get a dog exercise pen to make a “playpen” to attach to the cage. If he is in a wire-bottom cage, those can be very harmful to their feet, so look into replacing that immediately, or getting a cut piece of scrap linoleum to cover the wire floor.

 

He’s not neutered yet, but will be.  I’m in the process of finding a vet right now.  I also am already shopping for an exercise pen for him!   I also plan on letting him have free run of the kitchen (once I bunny-proof it) whenever I am home.  After he’s neutered I may let him have free run of my entire apartment, I just don’t want him to damage the carpet.

[Karla]

You can still litter train him. Karl was not neutered either when I got him at the age of 5 months although he was free roaming. He was neutered when he was about 7 months, and the only accidents he has ever had was after the neuter when the hormones went berserk. So, definitely go for it now.

It is better to start straight away, so that the bunny gets its from day 1. And it will make it so much easier for you – and for him, because he will know what is expected of him. Of course, you cannot necessarily expect miracles from an intact bunny, but the pooping and peeing will not be due to lack of litter training skills, but hormonal in that case.

Are you prepared for the litter training? Basically, if you are still keeping him in his cage, then wipe up the pee instantly and put the paper towl in his litter box. The same goes for the poop. It is hard work, and just when you think that he will never get it…then he gets it

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Karla on 05/07/2010 10:05 AM
You can still litter train him. Karl was not neutered either when I got him at the age of 5 months although he was free roaming. He was neutered when he was about 7 months, and the only accidents he has ever had was after the neuter when the hormones went berserk. So, definitely go for it now.

It is better to start straight away, so that the bunny gets its from day 1. And it will make it so much easier for you – and for him, because he will know what is expected of him. Of course, you cannot necessarily expect miracles from an intact bunny, but the pooping and peeing will not be due to lack of litter training skills, but hormonal in that case.

Are you prepared for the litter training? Basically, if you are still keeping him in his cage, then wipe up the pee instantly and put the paper towl in his litter box. The same goes for the poop. It is hard work, and just when you think that he will never get it…then he gets it

Yes I think I’m ready for the litter training.  I’m however town on what product to use in the litter pan.  Some people tell me wood pellets (like Feline Pine), but then others say don’t use a pellet because the rabbit will eat them and create a blockage.  Some say use Carefresh, but others say it’s too hard to clean/scoop.  Some say use Aspen shavings, others say the shavings get dragged easily out of the box and such.  I am so confused.

 

[Karla]

Haha, yes, I can imagine. I remember that whole period of going through different kinds. I’d say, just go for one first and then try the others, if you don’t like it. I use some kind of wood pellets, but with a disposible baby bed matt underneath to make cleaning so incredibly easy. I just lift the matt up once a week and throw it all in the garbage bin without any mess.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Karla on 05/07/2010 10:21 AM
Haha, yes, I can imagine. I remember that whole period of going through different kinds. I’d say, just go for one first and then try the others, if you don’t like it. I use some kind of wood pellets, but with a disposible baby bed matt underneath to make cleaning so incredibly easy. I just lift the matt up once a week and throw it all in the garbage bin without any mess.

 

Do your buns try to eat the wood pellets at all?

[Elrohwen]

Bunnies don’t eat wood pellets or Yesterday’s News anymore than they might nibble on any type of litter. They’re not going to gorge on it. They know what is food and what isn’t food and they’re not going to get confused. I find the pelleted litters are by far the best kind (either Yesterday’s News or wood stove pellets or horse stall pellets). I don’t think shavings really absorb odor or liquid well and I think Carefresh is expensive (and I’ve found it to be dusty the times I’ve bought it for my gerbils, though other rabbit owners haven’t had this problem). I put a papertowel down under the litter so it’s easy to throw away – nothing sticks to the litter pan.

Here’s a funny story to show you that rabbits don’t eat pelleted litter: We took Otto with us to my parents’ house for Christmas. They get up earlier than we do and Otto was begging for breakfast, so I showed my dad how much to feed him and said he could do it in the mornings. One morning I get up and my dad says “Otto hasn’t been eating. He just threw his food all over the cage.” I look in the pen and Otto has a big bowl full of Yesterday’s News litter pellets. Lol. He was so angry at the lack of food that he started scattering them all over the cage. My dad was confused by the pellets, but Otto certainly wasn’t 😛

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Elrohwen on 05/07/2010 10:44 AM

Bunnies don’t eat wood pellets or Yesterday’s News anymore than they might nibble on any type of litter. They’re not going to gorge on it. They know what is food and what isn’t food and they’re not going to get confused. I find the pelleted litters are by far the best kind (either Yesterday’s News or wood stove pellets or horse stall pellets). I don’t think shavings really absorb odor or liquid well and I think Carefresh is expensive (and I’ve found it to be dusty the times I’ve bought it for my gerbils, though other rabbit owners haven’t had this problem). I put a papertowel down under the litter so it’s easy to throw away – nothing sticks to the litter pan.

Here’s a funny story to show you that rabbits don’t eat pelleted litter: We took Otto with us to my parents’ house for Christmas. They get up earlier than we do and Otto was begging for breakfast, so I showed my dad how much to feed him and said he could do it in the mornings. One morning I get up and my dad says “Otto hasn’t been eating. He just threw his food all over the cage.” I look in the pen and Otto has a big bowl full of Yesterday’s News litter pellets. Lol. He was so angry at the lack of food that he started scattering them all over the cage. My dad was confused by the pellets, but Otto certainly wasn’t 😛

 

Hahaha, poor bunny, he probably looked into his bowl and was like “WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?!”

I think I might give the wood pellets a shot, then.

[Elrohwen]

He was not happy! They seem to use their noses first, so if it smells like food, they’ll eat it. If it just smells like wood, it’s not very appetizing. The wood pellets are also quite a bit bigger than pelleted food (YN is closer in size to food pellets) so there’s no confusion among bunny caregivers either 😛

[bunnnnnnie!]

So I went and picked up my bun.. I’m quite certain he is NOT a holland lop.  He’s quite large.

He’s very cute though, and I love how he looks!  Chocolate brown and white.  He is not eating right now though, is that an issue?  He’s been home for about 10 minutes, so I’m assuming he’ll have to settle in more before he wants to eat.  How long should I wait before I should be concerned that he’s not eating?  What are some ways I can encourage him to eat?  He’s only been here 10 minutes and I’m already obsessing over him.

His cage is also woefully small.  I think I’ll be getting him a dog cage and adding some shelfs and modifying it for him.  Either way he’s getting a bigger cage ASAP.

[mocha200]

don’t worry ten minutes is not long at all if hes doesn’t eat by the time you go to bed then tell us. but i am sure there isn’t an issue. hey could you post a pic of his cage?

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By mocha200 on 05/07/2010 06:14 PM
don’t worry ten minutes is not long at all if hes doesn’t eat by the time you go to bed then tell us. but i am sure there isn’t an issue. hey could you post a pic of his cage?

I haven’t gotten the pics uploaded yet, but the cage is SMALL.  I wouldn’t even feel comfortable having a guinea pig in that size cage.
 

It’s about this size:

He’s got just barely enough room in it to stretch out, and that’s about it.

[mocha200]

is it that kind of cage or is it like a hutch?

[Nibbles_NZ]

 

He’s not neutered yet, but will be.  I’m in the process of finding a vet right now.  I also am already shopping for an exercise pen for him!   I also plan on letting him have free run of the kitchen (once I bunny-proof it) whenever I am home.  After he’s neutered I may let him have free run of my entire apartment, I just don’t want him to damage the carpet.

 

Both of my rabbit like to dig and chew the carpet!My big bunny tore 3 holes in my capet. Watch him close. I would recommend making him a diggy box. This helps with my rabbits digging issues. It’s also great fun! And they can chew on the cardboard box!

[Nibbles_NZ]

Oh, one of the members on this site has a video of her bunny playing with a diggy box on you tube. Just type in Diggy box! It’s sooooo cute! That’s what sold me on the diggy boxes and my buns love them!

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By mocha200 on 05/07/2010 06:56 PM
is it that kind of cage or is it like a hutch?

 

It’s basically that cage exactly, same color and everything.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Okay, here’s a pic!  Can anyone confirm that he’s not a Holland Lop?  He seems quite large to be that.

He’s VERY friendly!  I reached into his cage to give him more hay and he put his head under my hand and seemed glad for some pets.

[Nibbles_NZ]

I wouldn’t use pine shavings. They are not good for rabbits. They cause respiritory and liver problems. I use the Carefresh brand and really like it. It is absorbant and safe. It does cost around $19 for a larger bag of it but I don’t use as much. It lasts about 2.5-3 weeks per bag. That’s for two rabbits. My rabbits won’t go in the litter box if it is dirty at all so I have to change it everyday or they will poop all over the place. lol.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Nibbles_NZ on 05/07/2010 07:51 PM
I wouldn’t use pine shavings. They are not good for rabbits. They cause respiritory and liver problems. I use the Carefresh brand and really like it. It is absorbant and safe. It does cost around $19 for a larger bag of it but I don’t use as much. It lasts about 2.5-3 weeks per bag. That’s for two rabbits. My rabbits won’t go in the litter box if it is dirty at all so I have to change it everyday or they will poop all over the place. lol.

 

Yup, I know.  The pine is what he came with.  I’ll be switching him over to something better within the next day or two.  I’m not sure if I should bed his entire cage though, or just his litterbox?  Would it be confusing to him to bed the whole cage AND the litterbox?

[Nibbles_NZ]

It’s so hard to tell what breed rabbits are. There are like 45 different breeds and they are mixed a lot. He does look big but he could be mixed with a larger bred bunny. Holland lops aren’t as small as mini lops. He isn’t a fuzzy or English that I can tell. Who knows. He is cute though Needs a larger cage I keep mine in a Xpen. I got it at the pet store for $40. You can also buy the top and bottom for $15 each.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Nibbles_NZ on 05/07/2010 07:57 PM
It’s so hard to tell what breed rabbits are. There are like 45 different breeds and they are mixed a lot. He does look big but he could be mixed with a larger bred bunny. Holland lops aren’t as small as mini lops. He isn’t a fuzzy or English that I can tell. Who knows. He is cute though Needs a larger cage I keep mine in a Xpen. I got it at the pet store for $40. You can also buy the top and bottom for $15 each.

Yup, I’m getting him a new cage, new bedding, etc, etc, starting tomorrow.

 

[Nibbles_NZ]

Don’t do the entire cage. I would do the litter box. Get a cat litter box. Not a corner one. He will be too big. I put the bedding in the litter box and put the hay on one side of it. I noticed you have the same feeder I do. I put the litter box right in front of that feeder. Rabbits usually poop when they eat. When he poops, scoop some if it up and put it into the litter box. When he pees, soak a piece of paper towel in it and put it in there too. He will catch on in no time.

[Nibbles_NZ]

Keep in mind, rabbits are not at all cheap. If you can buy anything such as litter or hay in bulk at a better price…do it! I even buy 10 lb bags of pellets. lol I have 2 though lol

[Nibbles_NZ]

Oh, note that the x pens will say on the box that they are in no way meant to be used as a cage. I do. A lot of people do. I wouldn’t buy a cage and an xpen. My rabbits both like to jump and I still don’t have a problem with it.

[mocha200]

i would get a new cage! but i would keep the old one for those kind of cages make GREAT litter boxes!

[Beka27]

Poor bunny, that cage is so small! :o( Thank goodness you got him when you did! He’s adorable!

[Moonlight_Wolf]

It is very possible that he could be a Holland lop I can’t really see how big he is because there is nothing in the cage that I can measure his size to but he could just be a big Holland lop, or he could be a mini lop, who knows…

You could buy a new cage or you could make him a NIC condo! I love those, look in the great habitats section and you will see a lot of cool habitats there.

Yea the cage could definitely be used as a litter box, so it won’t be waisted. I personally use my old commercial bunny cage to store hay bales in, it is the perfect size too.

[BinkyBunny]

Posted By Nibbles_NZ on 05/07/2010 07:11 PM
Oh, one of the members on this site has a video of her bunny playing with a diggy box on you tube. Just type in Diggy box! It’s sooooo cute! That’s what sold me on the diggy boxes and my buns love them!

 

Is this the diggy box you were talking about? 

[BinkyBunny]

If he’s full grown and around 4 pounds then he’s a holland, but he actually sort of looks like a mini lop(which is larger than a Holland) or a mix anyway. The only reason I say that is that his face looks a little longer, not as flat, and his ears look a little longer. Either way, though, BEAUTIFUL! I’m so glad he has you now so you can give him a bigger space and lots of love.

What’s the update so far? How’s he reacting to his new home…and new human so far? Sounded friendly — just wondering if he decided to expore or not.

Edited to Add: 

I forgot to answer your original questions:  As far as what I wish someone would have told me before I got a rabbit —-

 

1.  SAVE up for the inevitable vet visit.   Try and keep at least  $200 for emergencies if at all possible.  I have pet insurance (VPI) and credit card dedicated to vet care.  That way I can pay for vet care with the card if I am tight on funds. Then I can create a claim with insurance and pay which will help pay for the amount due on the card.    Rabbits can get ill very quickly.  If your bunny does not poo and/or eat within 12- 24 hours, there could be something wrong and waiting to have the funds can be really risky.    Which brings me to #2 

2. POO — watch it.  .     Rabbits are prey animals and so they will not overtly show distress or problems until it is VERY serious, so the best way to tell if your bunny is not feeling well before it becomes too critical is to watch their poo and eating habits.  if your bunny hasn’t pooed in 12 hours, and refuses food, even favorite treats, then that is a definite sign of something wrong.  

 

3.  Find a rabbit-savvy vet.  So yeah….there’s a theme here.    Not every vet is rabbit savvy.  Rabbits are actually considered exotic…yep…exotic.   Which means that the vet needs special/additional training beyond cats and dogs.    So why in the world is a rabbit considered exotic?  The way they react o anethesia, pain meds, and antiobiotics and other treatments is not the same as cats and dogs.  They are prey animals with a much higher heart rates, and their digestive system is has it’s own unique challenges, plus they also have other “rabbitty” things like teeth issues (which actually are not uncommon in dwarfs and lops).   So it’s important to find a vet who is experienced with rabbits.   The HRS website (www.rabbit.org) has a list to find rabbits savvy vets as well as advice on how to find one as well.

 

There’s alot more advice, but I don’t want to overwhelm you.   I think the best thing is to go through the Bunny Info pages as really that is an example of all of the learning lessons that many people, including myself, had to go through.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Update!  Mr. Zeus has a new cage!   

 

It’s a dog crate, size Large.  I’m eventually going to experiment with adding another level to it, but for new he seems to like it!  He’s already eaten some of the hay, a few pellets, and a little bit of carrot.  I know carrots aren’t very good for rabbits, but I’ve only been giving him very small bits.  I just want to make sure he’s still eating, and he likes carrots better than romaine.  He’s eating the romaine, just not very quickly.

I also had him out in the kitchen for awhile today, and he did good.  He came out on his own (I’d never take him out of the cage, opening the door and allowing him to come out ONLY).

I do have another small question!  It seems like his breathing rate is kinda fast, but maybe rabbits just breathe fast?  He’s not panting, not making any sounds, acting totally normal.  His mouth, nose, and eyes are clear.  Is this unusual?  Maybe he’s just a bit stressed or something?

(Oh and PS, yes that’s pine in his litter box.  It’s actually a mix of pine and “Total Comfort”, similar to Care Fresh.  I’ll be switching him over to Care Fresh, but I’m doing it gradually in hopes that the familiar sight/smell of pine will help in the litter training process. &#160

[Elrohwen]

Can you post more pics of his body from the side? His face looks very Holland lop to me, though other parts of him seem more mini lop. If he’s more than 4.5lbs he’s probably a mini lop. Very cute!

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Elrohwen on 05/09/2010 06:48 PM
Can you post more pics of his body from the side? His face looks very Holland lop to me, though other parts of him seem more mini lop. If he’s more than 4.5lbs he’s probably a mini lop. Very cute!

 

Here’s some sorta side views..

 

Sorry that’s all I’ve got for now!  I’m not sure how much he weighs, I don’t have a scale.

[Minty]

He doesn’t look that big, maybe around the same size as my bunny, Sully (who is Holland Lop.) I also think Sully is a bit big for the breed, but they can be above 4 pounds and still be Hollands… I think Sully is almost 5 pounds!

[bunnnnnnie!]

An update, he’s now peeing in his litterbox!  Yay!

He’s pooping outside of it AND inside of it, but mostly inside.  I’ve just been putting all the poops in the litterbox as I find them.

His water bottle stopped working last night.   For now I just have a bowl in there for him, which he’s making a mess of, but I’m going this afternoon and getting him a new bottle.

I have a hay question!  As long as his hay is not alfalfa, is it alright if he has a grass hay that’s timothy mixed with a few other species of grass hays?  The reason I ask is I can get horse hay for cheap because I own a horse.  The lady I get hay from has very nice, clean, soft hay.  But I don’t think it’s absolutely 100% pure timothy.  It’s MOSTLY timothy, but there’s a few bits of other grasses in there.  Will that be a problem?

[Elrohwen]

Horse hay is awesome for bunnies. They’ve kind of like mini horses as it is, so any hay suitable for horses is good for bunnies too. The variety of grass hays will be better for him than just timmy anyway since variety is always good.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Elrohwen on 05/10/2010 08:34 AM
Horse hay is awesome for bunnies. They’ve kind of like mini horses as it is, so any hay suitable for horses is good for bunnies too. The variety of grass hays will be better for him than just timmy anyway since variety is always good.

 

That’s great to hear!  Horse hay is soooooooo much cheaper than the bagged up “small animal hay” they sell in stores, and he is going through hay like a fiend so I really am glad I can use the cheaper option.

[kralspace]

That’s great you have a horse too to share the hay. I use good clean coastal for the litterboxes and they love it. I’ve been getting it from the closest feed store that I’ve always dealt with but this morning I got a tip to drive a couple miles out and check out this other feed store and I love their hay. they store theirs in the warehouse where there’s plenty of air circulation and although it was baled last fall, it’s just as green and fresh as ever.

The store I’ve been getting it at stores it in a tractor=trailer box and I think it ages quicker and I usually wind up throwing the last few flakes in the garden because it gets so dusty.

This bale is wonderful, new litter boxes all around!

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By kralspace on 05/10/2010 08:55 AM
That’s great you have a horse too to share the hay. I use good clean coastal for the litterboxes and they love it. I’ve been getting it from the closest feed store that I’ve always dealt with but this morning I got a tip to drive a couple miles out and check out this other feed store and I love their hay. they store theirs in the warehouse where there’s plenty of air circulation and although it was baled last fall, it’s just as green and fresh as ever.

The store I’ve been getting it at stores it in a tractor=trailer box and I think it ages quicker and I usually wind up throwing the last few flakes in the garden because it gets so dusty.

This bale is wonderful, new litter boxes all around!

 

Yeah if I had the space I’d buy a few bales at a time just for the bun, but I live in a studio apartment so I’ll be buying by the flake for him.  I figure 2 flakes should last me a good amount of time.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Just talked to the lady I get my hay from, she’s GIVING me hay for free!  She said since it’s just a few flakes, to just help myself when I need it.  Yaaay!

[bunnnnnnie!]

Ooops, wrong thread!

[Nibbles_NZ]

Posted By BinkyBunny on 05/08/2010 11:31 PM

Posted By Nibbles_NZ on 05/07/2010 07:11 PM
Oh, one of the members on this site has a video of her bunny playing with a diggy box on you tube. Just type in Diggy box! It’s sooooo cute! That’s what sold me on the diggy boxes and my buns love them!

 

Is this the diggy box you were talking about? 

I LOVE that video! It is SOOOOO CUTE!
 

[Author]

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