bunny shaking head like she’s saying no….and other questions.

[pa_snoborder]

hello.  my name is dave and i’m new to this forum.  and before i start i wanna say i have a bunny named “rowdy.”  a, we think, 1 year old female bunny we adopted from the pa humane society in october 09.  I also wanna say i’ve read a few post but couldn’t read it all due to the sheer volume of info, and what i ask may have already been posted before.  if so i’m sorry.  but thank you for any help.  my questions are these:

 

1. rowdy had been shaking her head alot like she is saying no.  this usually accompanies grooming or moving, but not always.  she is also shedding on her head currently.  so i’ve rationalized it as she is getting loose fur in her eyes or something like that.  but does this sound like any kind of illness or neurological problem that i should be aware of?  please let me know.  i’m pretty inexperienced, and new at bunny companionship.

2.  aside from the vet, how would you suggest on trimming a bunnies nails?  i mean i will go to the vet if absolutely nessecary but i can imagine that there is a solution here at home.  what do you think?

3. what is a commen activity level for a bunny?  i know it differs usually but what’s the ratio of active time vs inactive time? or maybe what is a healthy level of activity? i typically work until 5pm.  let rowdy out of her pen till 10pm at night.  i work a day job so she’s in her pen from usually 10pm until 5pm the following day.  she is kept in a basic pen with plenty of hay, pellets, and water in a dish.  when she’s out, she’s usually active 40 percent of the time, resting/grooming/sleeping the other 60 percent of the time.  but on the weekends she’s out most of the day and she’s typically less active the more time she has out of her pen.  i think maybe she’s just bored, maybe even happy and feeling secure enough to rest/sleep outside her pen?  during times she out she has run of the house, i only live in a two room apartment.  she typically binkies, explores, and does short runs at different intervals when she is active.  her eating and pooping in normal.  though sometimes her pooping becomes less frequent but never inactive during a 12 hour period of time.

4.  what’s the pro/cons of spaying a female bunny that will never have to be tempted with reproduction?  i know that spaying is for population concerns, but are there any other devestating possibilitys that could occur if she’s not spayed?  she hasen’t had any urge or pee or poo outside of her pen other than 1 time ever.  maybe due to territory concerns…

 

thanks so much for your read/advice.  if any of you pros have responded frequently to similar questions i apologize.  like i say i can’t sit here and read all this.  thanks again.

 

dave. on behalf of my bun “rowdy rampage”  haha.

 

[MimzMum]

Well, none of us are veterinarians here, but I’d be concerned about a lot of head shaking and scratching. Rowdy could have mites or some other internal parasite. Best to see your vet and then all other questions can be answered there.
Love the name btw…I think in the Webster’s that if you look up ‘rowdy’ you see the synonym “bunny”.

I prefer to have my vet trim nails, only because my buns have dark colors and it’s hard to see the quick. Usually once a month is good (please see the other care instructions on our green info bar at the top of the page) but my mini-rex needs his done more often as they grow faster. Sometimes your vet will do it as a courtesy, but mine charges about $15 for all three of mine. And that takes my guilt away too because I’ve nipped a quick once and it makes me feel so bad.

I do know female buns must be spayed because otherwise they can develop uterine cancer and die very young. Plus it’s just good policy. There’s too many accidental litters out there because bunny gets loose (no pun intended) or you get another bun that has been sexed wrongly and it doesn’t take long for the deed to be done. Just a better idea all around.

Everybun is different when it comes to activity. My male was very active until about six months ago (this was long after his neuter) and as he reached the age of about 2 years he began to take more naps and loaf more. I call him my Zen Bunny.
I have another male who’s not quite 2 years and he’s a different breed, but he’s a ball of energy. So each has their own personality and traits and you will learn what your bun’s are by close observation over a period of time.

She sounds absolutely adorable and we’d love to see pix when you have time. Welcome to BinkyBunny.com and I hope you enjoy your stay here!

[pa_snoborder]

thanks for your help. yeah rowdy was named after all the chewing and ripping paper she did when we initially got her.  we learned to house proof things since, but the name stuck!  haha.   i will defiantly invest the time and resources to make sure she is properly taken care of. as far as the concern of internal parasites or mites is that something you can see on the fur or skin of the bunny itself? something i could self diagnose? but since she does need to have her nails trimmed i might as well just lump this into one vet visit and ask questions there.

 

thanks again.

[Monkeybun]

I believe the statistics for unspayed females gettign uterine cancer is 80-85% by age 4… definitely worth it to spay, even if theres no chance of a boy bun being around.

I second MM on the getting her checked for mites/parasites, etc… alot of head shaking and scratching can be an indicator somethings not right.

For trimming nails, I too usually take my buns to the vet.. my dwarf Monkey knows she’s the boss at home, and hates it when she is touched. The vet can make her deal with things that I could never dream of being able to do with her lol. I believe there is a good tutorial about nail trims under the Bunny Info – Monthly maintenance link up at the top.

Welcome to BB!

[MimzMum]

Yeah, I think it’s just a good idea she be seen, since you won’t be able to tell exactly what’s bothering her ears…I think you can see mites, but since I’ve never had to deal with that I can’t advise you.
Internal parasites (like e.cuniculi, which causes head tilt and ear infections) has to be diagnosed by a lab test. But either way, she can do with a visit.
Also, you can be absolutely sure what gender she is by having the vet take a look. I mis-sexed two of my three bunnies and I know lots of other folks here have as well. They are tricky little buggers.
And I meant to mention that I think you’re doing well with her exercise time. At least 3 hours per day of out of cage time is necessary to keep a house bun healthy and happy. But my one male will scoot around a bit, then just sits for the rest of it and it drives me nuts that he doesn’t move more. ^_^
Please keep us updated. Keeping good thoughts for a healthy bunny for you!

[pa_snoborder]

thanks for the info monkey bun. along with alaska you’ve givin me plenty of info and help.

[pa_snoborder]

one more question if i could. do you all have animal carriers you take your bunny to the vet in? or do you take the rabbit pen in? i mean my rabbit pen is medium sized but capable of maneuvering into a car and could be taken to a vet. how does you bunny respond if you put them into a carrier? do they freak out on the vet? i’m just so scared to take her to the vet because i’ve seen her stress out and it’s sad and huddled and breathing heavy. i guess if you could just relay any vet experiences so i can kinda know what to expect. thanks.

dave (rowdy rampage.)

[Monkeybun]

I use a carrier for my 2, its so much easier than lugging around a cage, especially considering I built Moose’s cage from NIC grids lol. I find most store bought cages to be far too small for a bun anyway.

My 2 don’t mind the carriers much. I’ve let them climb in and out on their own, leaving it on the floor for them to explore for days before actually needing them to use it, so they got used to it decently.

A vet visit will definitely stress out your bun a bit, car rides usually do. But, it needs to be done, so don’t stress to much about the stress… lol. My buns have little stuffed bears that they love, so I always put their bears in the carriers with them so they have something to snuggle with. Makes it easier

[pa_snoborder]

thanks monkeybun. do you typically put food/water in the carrier? what about hay? i guess what i’m asking is what is the most comfortable carrier setup for a bunny?

[Kiley Rose]

Some buns don’t mind carriers and car rides. I’m pretty sure my rex, Nixie, loves car rides, she stretches out and falls right asleep once we get moving. My lion head Marlee gets a little freaked, but she stays calm for the most part, just extremely alert.
And I also give them a little recieving blanket with some hay and a toy in their carrier.

[Monkeybun]

I always put hay in the carriers, and carry a little bottle of water with me when I take them out. Never know if traffic is gonna suck, you break down, etc.. I feel better being prepared, so my buns dont suffer

[Monkeybun]

Oh, I also lien the carrier with a soft towel.. although I have to switch to fleece for Moose, little dork likes eating the towels..

[pa_snoborder]

i guess just put things in there that the bunny is familiar with. toys, hay. maybe a treat. well lastly, and i only ask this because work is extremely busy and if it’s a must i will, and this isn’t asked out of negligence for the bunny, but what’s the time frame to get a bunny checked out that may have mites/parasites. i know she must go, that isn’t the issue, but is this something that’s just an annoyance that can wait to the weekend? it’s currently monday night. or is this and emergency/urgent sort of issue? like a next day sort of deal? what time frame would you give me? since i’m new to this i don’t even have a carrier or even been to or established a vet yet.

[Monkeybun]

Hmm good question. If its a parasite, the sooner the better, mites can possibly wait.. its hard to say. Definitely go get a carrier, and start looking for a good rabbit vet. http://www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html is a good list of recommended rabbit vets by state, should be able to find a good one near you.

[pa_snoborder]

okay. i’ll get the carrier tomorrow and get her used to it. i was looking on other sites for possible signs of mites/parasites. she doesn’t have anything in her ears that i can see. no wax/crust/or scabs. allright i’ll get the things i need to make this vet visit possible and thanks again for all the help/advice/suggestions.

dave.

[Monkeybun]

No problem We’re always glad to help bunnies. Feel free to hang around, take a look at the info here, look at other bunnies.. we’re always glad for new members

[Moonlight_Wolf]

Just to put in my two cents to answer your questions:

1. The shaking of the head could be parasites or mites, but it could also be a little thing such as hair itching her ear, my bunny sometimes does this when I pet her ears. It also could be something known as a ‘head shake’ which is a miniature binky (jump for joy). But I think it would be wise to give her a check up, better safe than sorry.

2. For the nail clipping you could do it yourself, I was anxious about doing it at first, but I have gotten better. Maybe your vet could show you how to clip her nails properly.

3. As for the activity levels, I find mine are most active in the mornings and evenings. I think she might be less active the more time she has out of her cage because she knows that she has the possibility of going out for the whole day so she is not over eager to get out. For example when I open my gate to let the bunnies run around they run around for a bit but then return to their pen after a while. If they are in their pen and I close the gate, they run to the gate as if to say, “hey why did you close that!” They like having the option of going out of the pen even if they are not out of it the whole time.

4. As others have said, uterine cancer prevention is one of the main reasons you would want to spay your bunny. Also if you want to get her a friend later down the line, it will be possible if she is spayed. Also spaying improves behavior and litter training (even though yours is already good, it does so for others).

It’s nice to see a new face on the forum! Welcome!

[pa_snoborder]

thanks for your imput also wolf. appreciate that.

[Balefulregards]

Welcome!

I recently dragged my Guy to the Vet for some suspicious head shaking, worrying about an ear infection – but no – no mites, no infection. We suspect that since he is mid-coat Blow that he got a hair in there and it was tickling. But I would always say that if it is something that you don’t recognize as “usual” – a vet trip is in order.

I carry both of mine together in a Mid sized Cat Carrier. I put a soft cloth in it. They snuggle together and give me the general stink eye. When we get there, Coco will hop out…but Jackson hangs back. The carrier I have is easy to lift the top off of it, to reach in for Jackson, as he will hold on with his nails to the edge of the carrier when I try to tip it up. Not worth the stress.

Nails. Sigh. I have learned to do them myself. Coco fights it ( see MarkBun’s video of Dono ripping his heart out) so I have to burrito her tightly. I always end up wounded. Jackson is easier to trance, but has darker nails, so I have to have very strong light to see the quick. I have clipped him too close ONCE and it is a heck of a massacre scene. But, I am a believer in “We all just have to get through this”…kind of like when I had to clip my daughters nails as a baby.

For activity – Coco is active All Day. Jackson hibernates in the maze between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., when dinner is served and he comes out and structs around. They are both free roam 24/7 – so it really seems to be down to the individual Bun. Coco gets active as soon as the sun comes up, whereas Jackson seems to have his spurt of energy between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.

You’ve gotten good advice about spaying. Coco is spayed, but I endured 3 months of her NOT being spayed. She was an adult female when I adopted her, and I was the object of her affection. She was never a smelly bunny, but I got really tired of fighting off her advances when she would cycle into heat – including the Urine Love spray I would get after she had romanced my arm. And the crazy love honking/circling. I thought for sure she was planning to trip me and hope she had knocked me out so I could be all hers!

Having lived with her pre-spay and post-spay, I have to say that the post-spay Coco is a nicer gal to live with. Not so frantic, and no false pregnancies with the territorialness and growling and running around with a ball of fur in her mouth. It was hard to see her like that, as there was nothing I could do to calm her down. It was all hormones.

When we got Jackson ( a year later) there were also no worries about any “Oops” Litters – and their bonding went nicely once HIS hormones died down post neuter. He was a maniac – spraying urine on everything, until his hormones quieted. I also found him to be a great deal more “musky” in smell until about 3 weeks post neuter.

Welcome to the House Rabbit club – once you get in, I am pretty sure there is no going back. Two years ago I didn’t even know people KEPT house rabbits as pets – Now I have two running all over the place!

[bunnytowne]

A bunny usually flicks its feet a lot real quick sucessions and grooms.  Then they take an ear and scratch and groom some more.  This is normal  it is like us getting wax out of our ears.  lol. 

Fur mites.   they leave red patches of bald spots on the skin.   Ear mites you would see what looks like red dirt in the ears.  Usually only one ear.

Welcome to the BB glad to have you

[Barbie]

I’m a bit late coming to this thread, but I want to give my two cents…

You’ve already gotten good advice about the head shaking and spaying so… take her to the vet to get a check up and definitely get her spayed. While you’re at the vet, you can get her nails trimmed (if you’re there for an appointment anyway, most vets won’t charge extra for the nail clipping – at least the 3 vets I’ve used over the years haven’t). Ask your vet to show you the best way to clip nails. Most of the “how to” vids online aren’t that great. One thing I cam recommend – KEEP TRYING. I know it can get frustrating especially when the bunny struggles or you quick a nail. Just go slowly, do one nail or one paw at a time if you have to. Try holding her differently if one particular hold doesn’t work. Just a couple days ago I FINALLY figured out what works for my two. I cradle them on their backs like a baby, with their head tucked into my left elbow (I’m right handed). I then use my left hand, wrapped around the side of the bunny, to hold the back feet gently so they don’t kick, and then use the clippers in my right hand. Works GREAT for me, but something else may be better for you. I haven’t been able to burrito either of them and neither will trance so I have to physically restrain them.

Activity level… Bunnies are most active in the morning and evenings so you’re letting her out at the exact right time of the day for the most activity. some bunnies are just more active than others. Make sure you offer her plenty of stimulating toys (thngs that she can chew, toss, rattle), a diggy box, tunnels, obstacles…. until you figure out what exactly she likes to play with.

I use a plastic cat carrier to take mine anywhere. For one, it’s safer in case you get in an accident – it will keep the bunny from being thrown out of the car, especially if you run the seat belt through the top handle like I do, lol. Two, you don’t have to worry about them running all around the car while you’re driving. You can usually find one fairly inexpensively on craigslist (it might need a good scrubbing though… the one I bought certainly did… ick).

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