I took in my friend’s 9 year old rabbit

[moistgreentoast]

Hello,
My friend has had Dean for almost 10 years now. He’s an awesome rabbit, and my friend loves him. But his cage was always really dirty when I went to visit, and Dean is getting on in years. His sister brought Dean home from her friend who bred/showed rabbits.
My friend is moving to Florida in a few weeks and didn’t think moving Dean all the way there would be a good idea. He hasn’t been doing too well lately and has his good days and bad days.
Sooo. Dean came home with me.
His cage right now is much too small, and I have plans to build a new one.
Last night I bathed him (his back was covered in poop) and trimmed his nails.
One of his nails on his back foot was so long it was curved back and hitting his toe ;___; (I was able to trim it down fine).
I’m really trying not to be angry at my friend for his condition, but wtf. His quick wasn’t even long, so I was able to cut his nails short no problem.
And his water bottle leaks, so his cage was always wet, and now he’s got a sore on one of his feet because of it (or because of the long nails?).
His teeth look overgrown. I think the vet might have to trim them. I can’t really get a good look right now though. He’s still agitated from the bath + nail trimming, and I’m afraid he’ll bite me (he’s a cranky old man). He has a vet appointment for Tuesday, the closest small animal vet is almost 2 hours away.
He’s an awesome rabbit though, he seems to enjoy just sitting in my lap, and he hops around the living room with Emma (my Golden Retriever) following closely behind. She treats him like a baby, it’s ridiculous. She follows him around and licks his ears, he doesn’t seem to mind at all.

Here’s my idea for a cage:
We decided making it out of wood wouldn’t really work well, since we’d be so limited by something that will fit in and out of the apartment if I move while Mr. Dean is still around. And since we’ve been discussing moving, it’d be good to get something we can easily disassemble. That, and we really don’t have access to too many tools (lol). So, we’re making the frame out of PVC pipe. And then covering it with a wire mesh and using wire to hold it all in place. Then we’re making the bottom detachable, and it’s going to be a piece of plywood covered in floor tiles. I don’t know the dimensions yet. I’m going to see what they have available at the store that doesn’t need much cutting, since we’ll have to buy some sort of hand saw.
After completely rearranging my apartment, I have room for a pretty big cage (2′-3’x5′ or so).

Sooo,
Advice? Ideas for a cage?
He hasn’t had hay in… years. I’m picking some up today for him though. I’ve been giving him bits of organic dark green lettuces, I was told to introduce it slowly so his digestive system can adjust.

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[MooBunnay]

It sounds like Dean is very lucky to have been taken in by you! I think it would be a very good idea to get some faux sheepskin pads to put on the floor of his cage, because it sounds like the sore on his feet would be very painful. Is it a sore on the heel? In that case, the term for it is a “sore hock”, and it would be very good for Dean to have something to protect it from the floor.

I’m not sure if you are already aware, but bunnies can be very well litter trained, so he won’t need all that bedding that I see in that cage. Also, pine shavings (which I think those are) are not so good for him, so it would be better to start working on litter training him.

There are some really great ideas on this website on how to create good cages, you can open the drop down menu under “bunny info” and click on the “cool habitats” link. I would imagine for the amount of time, effort and money you would be spending to build a new cage, it would probably be easier to purchase an ex-pen, these are like dog exercise pens, and you can set that up quickly. They can also fold out to allow Dean more exercise time, and then be folded in a bit when he is done exercising.

He sounds like a fantastic rabbit, it is pretty rare for a bunny to enjoy sitting in someone’s lap, and befriend a dog so quickly, so you’ve got a really great bun there I’d love to see more pics!

[jerseygirl]

Welcome moistgreentoast (lol) and Dean! It’s great you’ve taken him in and understand his needs so well. He looks like a Rex breed and they are prone to sore hocks. The nails and cage condition probably would have attributed to this too. As Moobunny said, some soft material where he can rest off his hocks would be an idea. Your cage idea sounds good, definately more than he’s used too. When you have limited space, you can always utilise the vertical space and build some levels for a rabbit to hop up too. Or, if successful with litter training, they can have time outside the cage for exercise and interaction. Maybe with Dean, considering his age, it’d be best to have that 1st vet visit to check his condition. This may indicate what he’ll be able to manage cage wise with levels etc.

Hopefully his new home and companions will give him a new lease on life. Sounds as if you’re enjoying him already! Be sure to keep us posted after his vet visit.

[MimzMum]

You are a true hero! ^_^ Thank you for taking in this magnificent bun! He’s gorgeous!
I have to say, I always need to have the vet trim my bunny’s nails…they simply won’t sit still well enough for me and I fear cutting something vital, plus my eyesight is poor. But at least they DO go to get this done.
I also really don’t understand your friend’s treatment of the bunny, but thank goodness he has you now! You sound very well versed in all things rabbit.

Welcome to BinkyBunny.com!

[Beka27]

Welcome here! I know it’s hard to understand why some people do what they do to their pets, but you have him now. At least you can rest easy knowing the rest of his time on this earth will be peaceful and pampered and hopefully free from pain. Thank you so much for “rescuing” him.

I agree, he looks like a mini rex, maybe mixed with some dwarf which caused those cute little ears. I have a mini rex (my uppy-eared bun) and they are a true pleasure. Very opinionated, but absolute dolls. As was said already, rexes are prone to sore hocks b/c of having very little fur cover on their feet. They are also prone to being a bit chunky. The vet will be able to check everything over for you, and if you have any questions, please ask us too. Is this your first bunny? One thing I noticed is that it appears he is being free-fed pellets? That is usually not a great idea b/c it can cause them to overeat and not eat enough hay and veggies, which should be the focus of their diet.

As far as cage, I’d really recommend you buy a dog exercise pen. Your idea sounds like it *could* work, but it sounds very labor intensive and not too easy to store. You will end up spending the same amount on an xpen as building something yourself, but the benefit to the xpen is that it can be folded up flat and put away in a closet in about 2 minutes. Many of us use xpens b/c they are very easy to maneuver. Another thing to consider… is what you will do with it afterwards. I hope Dean has at least a few more years with you, but there is nothing wrong with thinking about future plans. If you chose to not get another rabbit after Dean, I think a traditional xpen could easily be sold online on a site like Craigslist or in a garage sale, moreso than a Do-It-Yourself creation.

Again, welcome here. Keep us posted on Dean and how he does. A great site to read (if you have not already) is the House Rabbit Society. HRS has tons of articles and FAQs about rabbit care, housing, health, behavior. Their site is: www. rabbit.org

[Ruffles&Daisy]

Welcome, and thanks again for taking in Dean. He so cute. I would second Beka’s idea for an exercise pen instead of a build it yourself cage. They are a snap to put up, very roomy and you can add a level if you wanted by making an upside down E out of wood. Easy. I have plywood with stick tiles as a floor and it can be slippery. YOu will want to get some rugs. Target has their throw rugs (all cotton 2×3 rugs) on sale now for $3.99 and 3 of those cover the floor pretty well. I also put in a favorite beach towel for him to scoot around and make a nest in. You could easily resell your x pen or use it again for another rabbit or dog down the road. I love my setup, it’s easy to set up and clean. Good luck and keep us posted.

[alicat]

Yay! A mini rex!! He is super cute and it sounds like he will be so happy with you and your golden, munching on super yummy HAY! I can’t believe how some people just miss the basics. I wanted also to tell you that Home Depot and Lowe’s will cut down plywood for you so, if you go that route, you can be more flexible on size.
Good luck with Dean! ( I love the name- my friends cat is also Dean and I laugh every time we call for him… DEAN! DEAN!)

Ruffles- thanks for the heads up on Target rugs, I always try to find them at thrift shops, but they don’t have cotton very often. I am going today– Diego Rabbit is due for some redecorating!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Welcome here!!! It sounds like he’s very lucky to have found you!! Thanks for looking after this little guy and always feel free to ask questions He’s super cute-deserves a good mommy like you

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