New Bunny Mom

[BunnyMunchkin]

Hello everyone!

I am a new member and soon to be owner of a cute baby holland lop. I have done a tone of research and purchased a couple of books but I am getting some conflicting information and was hoping someone could help me clear everything up. 

I had originally read that it was best to get a cage with a solid bottom floor since the wires could hurt their feet. I was later told that it was best to get a mesh grate bottomed cage that way the bunny is not sitting in its own waste. What is everyone’s opinion on this?

I had read everywhere online and in my books that it was best to spay/neuter at 6 months of age. But all three of the breeders in my area that I have spoken to have said that they done recommend spaying/neutering at all. The find it unnecessary and dangerous due to the anesthesia. What is everyone’s opinion on this? 

And my final question is about pellets. I have read that some people choose not to feed pellets at all while others say that a good quality pellet should be used. What is everyone’s opinion on this? 

Thank you!

[tobyluv]

Wire can hurt a rabbit’s feet, so if a wire bottom cage is used, you will need to cover the wire with newspaper, cardboard, rugs, or blankets. Whenever you use rugs or blankets, you need to be sure that your bunny doesn’t chew on them. Fleece blankets are best to use since they don’t contain long strand fibers  Also, cages sold for rabbits in pet stores are never large enough.  A large dog crate would be better or an x-pen would give your rabbit even more room.  You have to be sure it’s tall enough so that they can’t jump out.

Rabbits should be spayed, for behavioral reasons and for health reasons. Unspayed rabbits can be hard to litter train, they can develop attitudes when they hit puberty, or be aggressive, but it is most important to prevent uterine cancer, which is so common in unspayed rabbits  A male is mainly neutered for behavioral reasons, although testicular cancer can occur, but it’s rare.  As with females, it’s much easier to litter train a neutered male.  Unneutered males can spray and they may want to hump everything in sight.  It’s really very frustrating for them to have those  hormones ruling their bodies.

A rabbit can be on a pelletless diet, but you would have to feed a variety of around 15 veggies/greens a day to make get the necessary vitamins. Rabbits shouldn’t even have veggies until they are around 12 weeks old, and the vitamins, minerals and fats in pellets are good for young growing bunnies. When rabbits reach 6 months old or so, you can cut back on the pellets and feed according to their weight. A medium sized rabbit (5 – 7 pounds) would get about 1/4 cup of pellets a day. A smaller rabbit would get less, and a larger rabbit would get more. Use only plain pellets, not ones with seeds or colored bits in it. Oxbow is a good brand, and it’s used by many members here. Of course, the biggest part of a rabbit’s diet is hay. They should have that available at all times. A young rabbit can have alfalfa hay, but an adult ( 6 – 8 months old) should have grass hay, such as timothy or orchard grass, or any of the grass hays. Adults can have a tiny bit of alfalfa once in a while as a treat.

Click on the BUNNY INFO link at the top of the page.  You will find good information on all the basics of rabbit care, including diet, and which veggies and better than others.

[BunnyMunchkin]

Hm I thought I replied to this already but it seems to have disappeared. Thank you for answering. Basically everything I had already written down was correct then. That is a relief because I was starting to think that I needed to rethink the cage. I had already bought a pretty large pen and also a tall x pen that I am hoping to be able to attach to the cage for extra added space. I was starting to doubt myself because I thought breeders would know what is best but I am seeing that that might not be true. As for pellets I had already been looking into oxbow and also the small pet select brand though I am still trying to find more information on that one.

[Jessica]

Also for bunnies hay is the main part of their diet. Also give them free access to hay. For baby it alfalfa and for buns 6 months and up it’s Timothy but I passed the alfalfa hay and just went for Timothy. and yes the bigger the pen the better it is for the bunny. The bunny must be able to hop 3 times without bumping into stuff, be able to stretch comfortably and be able to stand on its hind legs. Toys are also needed for bunnies too. They love to manipulate and chew. Don’t get any soft plastic toys. And also welcome to being a bunny parent if you have any questions the forum will be happy to answer.

[BunnyMunchkin]

Thanks! He will definitely have enough room for hops and stretching out! I have already ordered the alfalfa hay as well. As for toys and chews I was told to avoid anything like hard wood and hard chews because their teeth could be damaged at such a young age is this true?

[Jessica]

I wasn’t told anything about hardwood chew hurting their teeth. I mostly get her parrot wicker balls in bulk, she has her thin chew sticks, a few wooden dowl ones my sister got her, tp tubes, dried sanitized pine cones, her baby key set cause they’re hard plastic but if she chews them I r move them for a while and this untreated wooden boat I found for her at a craft shop.

[Jessica]

I’d ask a vet on the hardwood chews hurting teeth to make sure.

[tobyluv]

Small Pet Select is a good company to buy from. I have never tried their pellets, but their hay is really nice. American Pet Diner has nice hay, and I assume their pellets are good too. My bunnies and many other bunnies love their Timothy Gold hay. It’s a second cutting of timothy which is softer. It is always green and fragrant.

Some rabbits don’t care that much for toys. They would rather toss around paper towel tubes or tear up phone books. So don’t be disappointed if your rabbit doesn’t play that much with its toys, or quickly loses interest in them. My biggest concern with toys is that most of them are made in China.

I buy most of my rabbit food and supplies online, at drsfostersmith.com. They have Oxbow and American Pet Diner, and their prices are better than PetSmart and Petco. Plus, they usually have some things on sale. Normally, their shipping is free if you buy $49 of merchandise, but lately it has been free at $19. They frequently send emails, with all of their specials and showing rates for free shipping. Every once in a while, the shipping is free no matter how litter you spend.

[BunnyMunchkin]

Thank you! I will look into getting some timothy gold hay when the time comes. I was told right now that he is on alfalfa hay so I think I will continue with that until he is old enough to switch. I was also told that he isn’t on pellets just hay. What would be the best way to introduce him to pellets?

[tobyluv]

Most rabbits love pellets. Some people even use them as treats, or as a way to lure a bunny back into his pen. Since this bunny has never had pellets, go slow with them. Just put down a spoonful or two and see how that goes. You could put them in a bowl or scatter them in the hay. Even though hay is the absolute best thing for a rabbit to eat, it’s surprising that those breeders aren’t feeding baby bunnies any pellets. I don’t see how they can be getting all their nutrients, needed for a growing body, since they wouldn’t be eating greens yet.

Petco, if you have one of those stores near you, sells APD Timothy Gold, in 24 oz. bags for $5.99. They also sell it here in the BB store. At Drs. Foster & Smith, they have the 24 oz. bags and a 5 pound bag.

[BunnyMunchkin]

Only one breeder chose not to feed pellets. She said she had tried pellets but it was making them sick so she took them off of the pellets. Which kind of worries me when I go to re introduce pellets. I found the timothy gold at amazon and since I am a prime member it will be easiest for me to get it there.

[Brynn]

Posted By BunnyMunchkin on 8/05/2016 11:40 PM
Thanks! He will definitely have enough room for hops and stretching out! I have already ordered the alfalfa hay as well. As for toys and chews I was told to avoid anything like hard wood and hard chews because their teeth could be damaged at such a young age is this true?

Hi! I’m a new bun mom too! It is so hard not to worry about them! However, I just took my little Bibble in to see a vet who specializes in rabbits and she told me that it was perfectly fine to give my 6 week old bun some wooden rabbit toys to play with. She mentioned Willow and Apple wood. You can’t give real food “treats” yet, and it gives them something fun to do. Hope this helps! Good luck!!

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