General Questions (First Time Bun Parent)

[Sheila]

This is my first bun and I have a lot of questions I would LOVE some help with. 

Bear is a female Holland Lop and just a bit over two months old. We are probably not getting her spayed because it’s super expensive (min. $800) and I’m just hoping it wont be an issue (wishful thinking much?) 

1) I have wood pellets in her litter pan right now but they vet said to switch to Carefresh paper litter because they can eat the wood pellets. Thoughts on this? I’m slightly partial to the wood pellets.

2) I have no bedding in her cage because I was told until she’s completely litter trained that I shouldn’t use any. Since shes had no accidents in a month I added some of the Carefresh paper litter to her cage but how much do you add? Also she seems to just slip and slid around on it. He hutch has a plastic bedding material and the combo of that and the litter make for a slip and slid. So do I add more? Less? None? Different product? Also will she confuse this with the Carefresh litter in her litter pan and just go everywhere? See image below 

3) She has either an eye infection or a clogged tear duct (vet isn’t 100% sure) and I went to bribe her with toys and picked up some willow toys but I was told by the vet that I shouldn’t use these because they have aspirin in them. So my question is what toy are ideal for buns and why do they make products that are harmful for them and then sell them? 

4) Since she’s so young, what is a good age or time to start cutting her nails?

5) No one told me not to pick up my bunny. Ever. I bought (I know I know) her from a rabbit place (?) and the woman made it sound like bunnies love to be held and picked up. Apparently you do not pick them up but let them come to you, is that right? 

6) Is there anything else that I’m missing that’s vital to bunny well being? I just recently learn about the extra poop thing, so that’s covered.  

Many Thanks All!

[Harley&Thumper]

1. That comes down to personnel preference really, I use CareFresh bedding in my bun’s litter tray.

2. If you use the same material in her cage as you put in her litter box, you will probably find it harder to litter train her. I would place a fleece blanket down instead

3.You need to find a better vet. Willow is a great play toy for rabbits

4. I would start when the nails get pointy and then trim them again every other month. I personally trim monthly but I would recommend bi-monthly

5. Baby bunnies might like to be held but 95% of adult rabbits hate being picked up

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE spay your rabbit, statistically you will double her life span.

[Deleted User]

I’ve never heard of a spay being that expensive. Most are usually under $500. Spays are a necessity for females due to the high risk of reproductive cancers by the age of 4, which can kill them, and often times they will need an emergency spay to deal with the cancer. If you ever want to get her a friend she will also need to be spayed for that too. Females can also have false pregnancies which is extremely stressful for them, as they pull their fur to create a nest. Unspayed females can also be rather territorial and aggressive. Whoever performs the spay, needs to have a less than 1% fail rate.

Pine pellets are safe as long as they don’t have accelerant in them. Carefresh can get really smelly and gross quickly. If you’re worried about her ingesting them, you can purchase a litter box with a grate. Also, she’ll probably lose her litter habits when her hormones kick in (another reason to spay). Don’t use bedding in the cage because it won’t reinforce any litter training. It’ll make her feel like she can pee anywhere, and it causes a mess anyways. Instead of the carefresh, just wipe up the pee with a paper towel and put it in her litter box.

Willow bark is perfectly safe for bunnies, so I don’t see why they would tell you that. Many people here give their bunnies toys made of willow.

Every 2-3 months is good for a nail trim, which a bunny savvy vet can do easily.

Correct, pick up your bunny only when absolutely necessary. Never pick them up to cuddle. Bunnies are prey animals and don’t enjoy being picked up. Stay on the floor at her level to bond with her, and never force her into cuddling, petting, or picking up.

The major thing with bunnies is their diet. They should have access to unlimited hay, only be given 1/2 cup of pellets per day until 6 months old then down to no more than 1/4 cup, greens shouldn’t be fed until at least 3 months, and introduced slowly one green at a time and monitor poops for changes, and keep sugary treats to a twice a week thing (wait to introduce fruit till 6 months). Never feed things like seeds, nuts, museli mixes, or yogurt drops. Also, make sure your vet is a good bunny savvy one, as bunny vets are able to know the ins and outs that are so different than a dog or cat.

[LongEaredLions]

Hi! Congrats on your bunny!
Unfortunately, we do recommend spaying female rabbits. Girl bunnies who remain intact have a significantly higher chance of suffering from reproductive cancers by the time they reach age two. Additionally, spaying makes them more well behaved and easier to keep with other bunnies. If you have a local rabbit rescue, they may be able to help you find a local vet to get a low-cost spay.
Many of us use wood pellet litter, and it is generally a very good litter as long as it doesn’t contain any propellants, etc. True, they can eat it (and probably will take a nibble at the beginning) but as long as they aren’t actively eating it you should be fine. The same is true for carefresh.
If your rabbit is litter trained, it isn’t a necessity to use bedding at all (outside of the litter in the litter box). If you do want to give your rabbit somewhere comfortable to lay, many bunnies do enjoy having fleece blankets and beds, though you will have to watch for chewing (as well as littering–some rabbits understand the difference between litter and fleece and some do not).
I have never heard of the asprin in rabbit toys before. In general, willow is a great toy for rabbits (the BB store has LOTS of cool willow toys as well as other toys!). Homemade toys, such as brown paper bags, toilet roll tubes, and brown boxes are great toys for bunnies and often the most enjoyed!
You should start cutting her nails as soon as you can, as this will help her get used to the feeling (and could help you in the future!) You should trim the nails often to prevent sore hocks and snags, but if you are nervous for the first time a good vet should be willing to show you. I cut my rabbit’s nails around every two weeks, but it depends on the bunny.
As rabbits are prey animals, MOST instinctively do not like being handled, at least at first. While it is a general rule that picking your rabbit up frightens most rabbits and should be generally avoided, don’t shy away from other forms of handling with your rabbit. Some bunnies love being pet and cuddled. You are right, most affection should be kept on the rabbit’s terms. As your bunny becomes more comfortable with you, you can handle your bunny more
Congrats again on your bunny!

[CinnamonPearl]

Everyone else answered your questions just fine, but I beg of you to spay your rabbit. She will very likely pass on very early without being spayed. If you are unwilling to pay for neuter and spay surgeries, it’s not a good idea to get any mammalian pet larger than a mouse. Spay and neuter is just basic pet responsibility. (And in fact, the only reason it’s not common practice to neuter tiny mammals like mice and hamsters is because spays are too invasive on their small bodies, not because it’s not worth it.)

[kurottabun]

1) It depends on your bunny. Some eat paper litter too and that isn’t good either. Personally I use wood pellets as they help more with reducing smell, but then again my litter box has a grate on top so Kurotta can’t chew on anything below. I’d say try the wood pellets and monitor if your bunny eats them in the first place. Since you’ve already bought Carefresh though, you could finish those first.

2) Yes she may be confused on where the toilet is if both the cage and box have litter. Try putting other kids of flooring for the cage – as H&T said, you could try putting a fleece blanket down, but you’ll have to also monitor whether Bear eats that.

3) Willow seems alright for many buns here, not sure why your vet would advise that. As for why some manufacturers make toys harmful for pets, I suppose sometimes it’s due to misinformation? Also lots of businesses have profit in mind so some would go for the cheapest instead of safest option to make their toys.

4) Personally I don’t have a fixed schedule down, but when I see the nails growing beyond the rabbit’s paws or making sounds on the floor when he runs, then it’s time for a trim.

5) Yup. It’s super rare to have a bunny that actually enjoys being picked up.

6) Bunnies molt from time to time. During these times they may groom themselves a lot more often and start ingesting fur, of which is dangerous if the fur does not come out through pooping. You’d see the term “GI Stasis” very often on these forums – this is when the digestive system of a bunny is blocked and stops working, a condition that is potentially fatal to rabbits. There are many causes to it but this is just one example – so make sure you brush Bean often to help her get rid of excess fur during the molting seasons

[Sheila]

This is all SUPER helpful! I will be getting her spayed, I didn’t know about the significant cancer risk associated with NOT doing it. Thanks everyone! So much appreciation!

[Author]

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