General Care Questions for Mini-Rex

[MimzMum]

I am curious, now that I’ve brought home my third bun. He (or she) is approximately a year and a half old, altered and healthy so far, although I haven’t checked teeth yet or specifically gendered this one. (One dot in the right ear means girl, I think, but the Petco folks insisted this was a male rabbit.)

 

Anyway, I have my lop and my lionhead sussed, but are there any specific care rules for the mini-rex? I am mostly concerned about his hips, which look ‘splayed out’ and any care advice on shedding for him, since he’s blowing his coat right now? Also, are their diets different from other bunnies? And as far as temperament goes, he’s skittish due to being housed with small children and locked in a basement. Will he bond well with my other bunnies or should he be solitary?

 

Thankies in advance!

[MarkBun]

Okey, Minzmum, calm down, you’ve had babies before.

Mini Rex’s are just like other buns. Same diet, same care. They are a little more wired than the big lops but not nearly as much as the netherland and dutch dwarfs. Just use a brush for the coat and try the best to keep him calm.

[MimzMum]

Yes. Calm. *deep breath* Bunny valium, anyone? xD Actually, I wouldn’t mind one myself.
He did the Bunny 500 around me at least a thousand times trying to get him into his night pen tonight. He is firmly ensconced right by my bed on the opposite side from Mim & Pip. I don’t want them to get any closer till I’m sure he’s healthy.
He does have a little spot of something on his nice white shirtfront, and under his chin it looks like there might be some kind of scratch or scabbed area healing up there, but he’s still too skittish to have me look at him properly.

Poor little guy is pretty high strung. But I just realized that I saw the woman with the four little boys, all ranged ages five to eight, max., in the pet store the other day when I went in for hay after my doctor’s appointment. They were having a demonstration of how to put a harness on a TEENSY little dwarf bunny that looked absolutely petrified. I remember wanting to snatch it away and ask them what they thought they were doing giving a wee little bun like that to a bunch of boys.
I am certain they are the same ones who dumped Fiver off…get this-as related by the store clerk-because he was TOO BIG. 0_o;

I feel so sorry for that baby bun…and at the same time so glad that I rescued Fiver from being treated the same way by anyone else!

Thanks for the advice, Markus. I will try to keep my cool.

 

P.S. Found the second dot in his ear above the first one I caught a glimpse of at the store…so, must be a boy. ^_^

[Sarita]

Congratulations! I didn’t know you were getting another rabbit.

I have a standard Rex named Emmy.

These rabbits seemed to be prone to sore hocks and to callouses on their back feet for a number of reasons – partly their super soft fine fur and partly because it seems these rabbits can have a tendency to be overweight – I’m not sure why, if it’s just their build or what, I’m sure there is someone who has a theory on that though.

Emmy is shedding right now and I basically just pick out the fur but you need a softer brush to brush them because they have such short fur and I think they may have more tender skin.

I have had a standard male named Eddie before that I got adopted out and he was a super easy going rabbit (he was a beautiful blue gray, just stunning). Emmy is a female and she is more high-strung. I don’t necessarily think it’s a rex thing though or a female thing, just an Emmy thing. She’s high strung but very sweet.

Do keep their toenails trimmed though – I find it easy with the rexes since they don’t have the fur covering their toenails. Of course Emmy has white nails too not sure if your new bun has white or dark nails.

I think because they do have a tendency to be overweight you may want to make sure he gets plenty of exercise.

Overall I love the rexes, I think they are so unique looking and so soft. They have the wrinkled brow that makes them look worried and the curly whiskers.

[MimzMum]

Thanks Sarita! That is all very good advice and I shall follow it to the letter!
Yes, I didn’t know I was getting another bun either…till my daughter cried out from that lonely corner in the store. I think we were committed at that point, and if not then, I should be ‘committed’ soon! lolz.

I do love that furrowed brow. This is a very ‘me’ bunny, as in I am a worry wart and I am sure Fiver and I shall find some common ground there. Poor little guy is pretty jumpy, I think I am making progress already though. I certainly don’t want to get bitten, so I’m moving slowly.

Yes, his toenails are white and very obvious. I will have no trouble finding them. The lady at the store said they were long and curved, about an inch long at least by what she showed me with her fingers, and she said he is easy to trim, but we’ll see how he does with me. It’s not my strong suit, by any means.

I will watch the hocks. I currently have a straw mat in his pen with him, as he definitely doesn’t like slippery surfaces. I think once he gets more used to the litter box (he is leaving lots of marking poops at present) that I’ll start keeping a level of Carefresh in there with him. He seems so soft and delicate, I just want to wrap him up in cotton balls! ^_^

Thanks again for the information. I did find a small article online about rexes last night and saw the caveat about brushing them. No furminator for this little guy, I really don’t think he’s going to need it anyway. I usually use a love glove on my other two as I’m scared of piercing their skin.

How long again should I wait before trying to introduce him to the other two? I know I should have their cages near each other, and he needs to see the vet first for a checkup, but is there a time limit as to when they should all rub noses? I’m trying to remember how it was with Pip, I think Mim knew there was another bunny in the house for awhile before they actually ‘met’, but I don’t recall how long it was before I started trying to bond them.

They are still in the process of that, btw.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

What I want to know……….

WHERE are the PICTURES Mimz??? *pouting*

[kralspace]

AAHHHH, that answered a question for me about my white rex, Lola. The furrowed brow…..I’ve tried hard to describe why she looks so different from the other buns, not just the fur, but her whole facial expression, it’s that brow that really accents the stink eye or the “caught me in the act” look.

Kathy

[MimzMum]

lolz, K&K they’re in the Lounge under “Well butter my bum and call me a biscuit….”

[skunklionshow]

Trigger (RIP) was a mini-rex.  He was a wild & crazy lil’ nut job!  He was all white w/ brown eyes and very long eye lashes.  After his first 24 hrs in his new classroom, he was out running up & down the hallways like a loon.  He had a tendency to run up & down the stairs like a person.  He regularly attempted the full 3 flights, but usually only got up 2 b/f the hall staff caught him.  He had no fear what so ever and had the biggest personality of all our lil’ buns.  I think your in for a real party!  CONGRATS!

[MarkBun]

Posted By Sarita on 08/21/2008 5:46 AM
Congratulations! I didn’t know you were getting another rabbit.

I have often found that people never know that they’re getting another rabbit.  Most of the time, it just happens.

[MimzMum]

Yes, Fiver is already showing he’s going to spout a TON of personality! ^_^
He thumps louder than both my other buns put together. And that’s saying something, seeing as they both need to go on diets right now. >.<

Your Trigger sounds wonderful. I’m sorry to hear he left for the Rainbow Bridge, but I have a wonderful mental image of him running up those steps…maybe with the ‘Rocky’ theme in the background! ^_^

[kimberleyanddarren]

wow you will be getting plenty of wake up calls whenever fiver needs a bunny slave then *thump* lol

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

LOL I Found the pics YEAH!!

[Author]

Messages