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- This topic has 10sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 5 months ago by
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Obviously I am new to the board. I live in Utah and I am a animal control officer for my city. On occasion we get rabbits in the shelter. Thankfully we have people wanting to adopt them. Sometimes we have some with us for months, hence how my family and I got Betty. We have had Betty Bunners for a year now. Never had a rabbit before, and am wondering why it took me so long to get one.
She was caught as a stray in someone’s back yard garden. I have no clue how old she is, I am assuming she is an adult due to the dewlap, I could be wrong. I read it’s hard to age rabbits. She has had no fear of my dogs or cat from the beginning which makes me think someone had to of owned her, but no one ever called the shelter looking for her. Their lose my gain.
Here are some things I am wondering about. She does not like to be picked up, and honestly I don’t mind that. There are times I need to get her in her cage and she will let me scruff her (of course supporting her back and hind end/feet) she is fine with this. Does no kick, wiggle, she isn’t even scared. It makes me wonder if that’s how she was handled by her previous people. Is it wrong for me not to work with her on being picked up? She gets in our laps sometimes, she gets plenty of pets, scratches, brushing, treats, play time, so I’d think she is ok with not being held??
Another thing I find strange is she does not chew on things she should. She seems to know what she can and can’t nibble on. I was thinking all the baseboards were going to be gnawed off, wires etc. The only thing she will get a hold of and nibble is the broom if I don’t put it away or out of her reach in time.
I don’t own horses (yet
She lives outside, but in a confined 8X12 casita, yes it was a little apartment. She has a sliding glass door, a window, power, if she wants I could even hook up the phone line and the cable for her too. Here cage is in there with the door open, so she can go in and out of it, she pottys only in there too. I will have to post a picture of her home. I do leave the slider open but made a gate so she can’t get out. I know hard to picture so I will get a photo soon.
Needless to say we enjoy her, only one of my dogs enjoys her, and I hope she enjoys us too. I am new here so I will try to post a picture of her, I have no clue what breed she is. She is about 7 lbs or so, and a blue/gray color. Tried to post another picture, didn’t work, will get it on later….got to get ready for work.
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Hello and welcome to BB
By the scruff, do you mean by the back of the head? If so, I would not recommend holding your bunny like that. I just put my hand underneath the front paws, and support the butt/hind quarters with my other hand.
I’ve rabbit proofed my living room – and I’ve gotten some chewed baseboards, but I haven’t had any problems in a few months.
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Read up on diet and foods. She gets an assortment of greens/veggies(spinich, romaine, red leaf lettuce, zucchini, etc), timothy hay, and some fruit every now and then. Also has pellets.
I know spaying will help reduce the risk of cancers. When I called the vets around town only one would spay her. Here is why I won’t be taken her to this vet. When I called the vet tech said, “Well he’s never done rabbits, but he castrates pigs, so I am sure he will do it.” The vet wants $180 to spay, which is fine if he knows what he is doing because she isn’t a pig. The next closest city that may have a vet is 2 1/2hrs-3 hrs away or I can go 6hrs away.
As for trying to pick her up by supporting her front legs and hind end, have tried this a few times and thought she was going to kill or injure herself. She literally and figuratively flipped out and gets extremely upset. She is scruffed more by her shoulder area she has quite a bit of loose skin kind of like a cat, and supported on her hand end. She does not flip out, don’t see the whites of her eyes, and she is calm. This is the only way we can get her in her cage if luring her with treats don’t work.
She also loves my dog, and they play with each other well. My other dog can be too rough and is only allowed nose to nose through the gate. The cat, well she isn’t thrilled about her at all, and could care less about her.
Thanks for thinking I am not crazy on the horse and rabbit being similar.
Here she is nose to nose with her favorite dog.
I got a new camera and she is getting tired of me trying it out on her.
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