New Bunny Mom

[Talkal]

Hi there! I’m Tal and I’m a first time bunny mom. In fact, I’m a first time pet person! 

My boy’s name is Gizmo. I adopted him from a very loving family who couldn’t keep him anymore due to their son’s asthma. They rescued him from the local SPCA when he was six months old so he’s just over a year now. He is neutered and litter-trained so I lucked out big time. They also gave me a large cage, a carrier, and some hay/food/treats, for free! They really wanted him to go to a loving home and we still keep in touch.

I’ve had him for less than a month and every day is a new adventure. His cage door is open all the time and he has free run of the living room, office, and hallway (I live alone in a small apartment) which are fully bunny-proofed. He also gets supervised play time in the kitchen and bathroom. I’m a grad student writing my thesis so I’m home a lot but I hope to get him a bunny buddy next year when I have time to bond them.

Every day is a new adventure! Every time I think I’ve figured him out and we have a routine, something changes and I have to figure him out again. He is indifferent to most toys, and prefers to shred/chew newspaper and cardboard but even that gets boring for him. I try to change up his environment every few days to keep things interesting. He likes to explore, so the kitchen and bathroom are off-limits most of  the time, which keeps him curious and interested. He has created two ‘nests’, one behind his cage by the wall, and one under the kitchen table. He likes to hang out in those areas or on the couch. 

So far, he has had no stomach issues and had easily digested most things I’ve given him though he doesn’t eat as much hay as I would like. But I feed him oxbow which helps. He has nibbled on some of my pillows and one baseboard but he’s pretty good other than that. 

He normally likes being pet and grooming me. The past few days, he was lounging and pretty relaxed, I even got a full bunny lounge and petting request! (First time ever, I almost cried). But today he’s mad and wants nothing to do with me, which is odd. He even thumped a few times, which he’s never done. I’ve given him plenty of treats, but it’s just an ‘alone day’ for him I guess.

Anyway, I’m still learning this bunny thing so I basically come to this site every time he breathes lol! I just hope he’s happy and I do good by him. 

[Wick & Fable]

Encouraging hay appetite is very important for longevity and even short term health. How often do you feed non-hay items in a day? Many times if it’s spaced regularly throughout the day, rabbits won’t eat hay because they’ll just wait.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Talkal]

I feed him about a cup of leafy veggies twice a day and pellets in the morning but only if his bowl is empty. So he gets about 3 tablespoons of pellets every other day. I freshen his hay every morning and it seems to help. I suspect I’m overfeeding him treats however. I’m trying to train him to come when called and do some agility (seems to be the only way he likes to play) so I use dried cranberries, banana, and store bought treats. I’m trying to cut down, so I’ll cut the treats into small pieces rather than give him a whole one like I used to. 

[Author]

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