New Bunny Momma!

[Salena]

I am a new bunny momma! I just adopted an 8 week old lionhead female. Her name is Dixie! She is the prettiest girl ever!! I am so in love with her and I want to make sure I am caring for her correctly! She is our first bunny and our only fur baby. I worry about everything lol and I fear I will do more harm than good. My goal is to allow her to free roam but for now I have been letting her get out of her hutch whenever she wants 3-4 times a day. I block off certain areas to allow her to roam and investigate slowly so she can become familiar with each space in her own time. I will be calling to find a vet that will see her Monday morning as I have only had her since Thursday  evening. With lionheads is there any breed specific things I should watch for? And just as a bunny mom in general what should I be concerned about aside from the standard diet and bathroom habits?  I want to be the best caregiver for her that I can be and I want her to love my family as much as we love her! All advice is welcome!!! Tomorrow I will  attach a pic of her beautiful little fluffy self!

[Bam]

Congratulations and very welcome to Binky Bunny!

We have a bunny info page, where you can find general tips and ideas about bunny care, diet, bunny proofing etc. https://binkybunny.com/house-rabbit-information/

I cant think of any special needs a baby lionhead would have. As she grows, her fur will (obviously!) grow, and brushing will (again, obviously!) be of need. I have a very fluffy lionhead cross, I use a tiny cat slicker brush with rubber knobs on the end of the bristles. It can be good to get her used to a brush as a baby, even if you dont need to actually brush her yet.

We’ll be looking forward to pictures of little Dixie!

[Wick & Fable]

Welcome! Being a first-time rabbit owner is not a small task, but it sounds like you’re taking initiative to learn, and that’s what’s most important!

I agree with Bam that the best “first scan” of information comes from looking at the RABBIT INFO portion of this website. There’s a lot there and the BB forum community is happy to help to clarify that information as well as with individual questions you have about Dixie!

Re: standard bathroom and diet habits, I will note that rabbits commonly poop and pee while eating hay, so the two worlds commonly collide.

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.

[LBJ10]

Congrats on your new bunny! Yes, definitely check out the Bunny Info section on this site. Lot’s of good information there.

Bam makes an excellent point. Soft baby coats are easy to care for, but that will all change once her adult coat comes it. Getting her used to being brushed now is a good idea.

As far as health concerns go, the only think I can think of would be dental problems. Any rabbit can develop dental problems, but it is more common is dwarf breeds.

[Salena]

I have tried to upload a pic of dixie but I can’t seem to figure it out! It keeps saying it isn’t allowed on this post! Anyways I will keep working on it! She is eating healthy and her feces are normal so I suppose all is well in that area! She is coming up on 10 weeks old. I worry that she isn’t happy. I let her have run of the large hallway for 3-5 hours a day and we don’t bother her during this time. She wonders around and investigates but never do I see her binky. When I approach her she gets startled no matter how I approach her. Just simply walking past her or towards her she gets very nervous. When she is in her hutch she turns her back to me when I approach her. The only time she shows interest in me or anyone for that matter in a positive non fearful way is when I have a treat. I want so badly for her to be happy here and thrive with my family. I can never really tell if she is calm and relaxed she always seems kind of tense. I don’t pick her up and I only gently stroke her head I never touch her in other places. I open her hutch and let her exit and enter without my assistance. I do give her a treat while luring her with it into my lap as I set with her on the floor. I lay in the floor with her and she does her curious little investigating  but she typically sniffs me and nibbles and then goes on about her business. I have been calling for 2 weeks trying to get her into a vet with no success yet. Where I live none of the vets want to see bunnies ! One is on vacation and is supposed to call me when she returns So I hope she is actually able to accept bunnies and is educated on the care dixie needs. I want so badly for dixie to be happy. Am I rushing the process ? Should I be concerned or just more patient? Is there anything I can do to make her happier ?  I just love her so much!! I was able to upload a cover pic of her. She loves to sit up on my daughters old minnie mouse plush rocking horse type toy 🤣 I had it out to donate but dixie took it over and it’s her favorite place to chill ! Idk what she likes about it so much but she loves this thing! Forgive me for the crooked pic I can’t rotate it!

[Louiethebunny]

Two weeks isn’t a lot of time, especially for a new bunny. Since she is still exploring her environment I would wait it out, patience is key. There is actually a link to the HRS’s list of rabbit-savvy vets, you might want to check that out. To add photos try going to your profile then adding photos to your account, they should then add into forum posts easily. Remember, each rabbit is different, and adjustment takes time. You seem to be letting her do her own thing sometimes which is great, rabbits sometimes need their alone time too. She’s so little that everything could be big and scary and new, so as she gets more and more used to her new home she will be more adjusted and happy. She might not be doing binkies because she is just not ready yet, or maybe she needs more friction? Do you have a large spot with an area rug or carpet? Rabbits need some kind of friction to run around and do zoomies. Not all rabbits binky, some display happiness by “tooth clicking/purring” and flops.

[jerseygirl]

How cute! I love her Siamese markings. I had a little dwarf bun who had that colouration. It will be interesting for you to see it change as she grows.

I agree it’s early days and she is probably still becoming accustomed to everything. I do think some of the rabbits with face  hair “furnishings” can sometimes be a little skittish due to their field of vision being slightly obscured. Something to keep in mind.

The uploading of photos is problematic at the moment. We have a how-to thread here: https://binkybunny.com/forums/topic/how-to-add-pictures-tutorial/

 

[Wilburbunny]

Definitely don’t worry! You are doing everything you can and now it’s just up to Dixie as to when she is comfortable with you. Wilbur was like Dixie and didn’t really approach me for awhile, but now he won’t leave me alone! As she is with you longer your connection will get stronger. Don’t worry! Once her nerves settle she will love you to death!

[Trixieandcookies]

Aww she sounds so sweet! Trixie was the exact same way when i got her! Give it time she’ll eventually LOVE you! You are doing everything right!!  😊

[Peanutthebunny]

CONGRATULATIONS

I am so happy for you and I know that dixie will bring happiness to you and your family

 

If you have any questions just come here and we will try to answer it for you

[Salena]

It’s been a while since I have checked in with everyone! Everyone’s advice was great and very helpful! Dixie has changed so much over this last few weeks and she has her first vet visit and I learned quite a bit about her! First of all she is very healthy so for that I am grateful! I was surprised to find out that she is a bit older than I was told by the store associate! I was thinking she was 12 weeks but she is actually around 4 -6 months old! So I have a bunny teen on my hands ! Her temperament has changed a bit lately she has really been showing me what upsets her! She has become the boss of the house and I don’t really don’t know how to teach her that she isn’t the boss 🤣 I cleaned her hutch and brushed her both in the same day and she got very angry at me and even scratched and made an aggressive noise toward me so I do believe it was too much for one day for her! I still can’t get her to use the liter box even purchased 2 kinds of litter and she doesn’t seem to like either! I’ve even scattered her droppings in the litter to clue her in and she shows no interest! But she likes dropping on my husbands sandals 😝 he isn’t a fan of that but it’s funny! She has just started to jump on the sofa and chair but is a bit frightened when she tries to get down! I appreciate everyone’s advice and tips! I think her aggression is bc of her age and hormones and I should probably have her fixed in hopes to calm her aggression down.

[Louiethebunny]

Hi! Thanks for the updates! I bet we’d all love some pictures of Dixie if you’d like to share! She is definitely hitting bunny puberty, sometimes the roughest time for bunny owners. That’s the most common reason for her not-so-great litter habits, once she’s old enough, getting her spayed can really help with hormones, aggression, litter training, etc. So great that she’s healthy and doing well.

[HipHopBunny]

Hi @Salena

Agree with @Louiethebunny, she is going through bunny puberty, and you will have a lot of hormones thrown your way, I am wishing you strength and patience as you embark through the teenage weeks of rabbits. 🙂

When you get her spayed it should help, but not immediately, it will take a month for hormones to officially drain out of her, then she should get some better litter habits, and hopefully settle down on the aggression, although it is not uncommon for female rabbits to be territorial, two of my buns still get a little rifled up when I clean their pen, but spaying should take away most of the aggression.

Yay for her being all healthy! Though, not a surprise when she has you for a bun mom, you sound to be taking excellent care of her. 🙂

 

[Salena]

I tried to upload a pic it’s a bit blurry bc she is quick! I recently bought a new litter and after placing countless poos in to her box she is using it!!!  Yet when she is out of her hutch (which is all hours except when I am asleep or gone) she drops on the couch! I am a very tidy person so this is driving me nuts 🤣 I am following her around picking up poo constantly! I got out some shoe boxes and filled them with litter and place them all over the couch and her other fav dropping spots and she just wants to chew on the boxes 🤦🏻‍♀️ I pray she gets the clue quick! She just started jumping on the couch (it’s a sectional and I have wood floors) So I think she enjoys the friction and the run of the sofa and is just too busy exploring to worry about where her poo is going!! She is my baby though! Lord I love this bunny so much ! She doesn’t care much for me unless I have something for her 🤣 I trade food for love ❤️ and I am totally okay with that! She grabs her daily veggies and takes off with them almost as if someone or something had previously teased her with food! Then again it might be rabbit nature she is my first so I don’t know!! I am going to call the vet and see about having her fixed ASAP. It breaks my heart to think of that recovery but I know it has to happen and I will take off work a few days to make sure she recovers well. I want to be able to leave her out all the time and allow her to come and go from her hutch as she wishes but until she stops peeing and pooping on my furniture I just can’t ! My husband will die if he sets down in rabbit poo or pee 😂 I love this group and all of the excellent advice and support! It’s the absolute best and I tell all my friends about it!! I have one who is considering becoming a bunny mom too and I’ve told her to come here first bc it’s a huge responsibility and it is a whole new world but the love for these little guys is indescribable! Dixie is my baby!  She is like one of my children and I’ve never dreamed I would have such love for a pet! She is my girl 🤣 (I have 5 daughters but she is number 6 in my book)

[Salena]

[pinkiemarie]

Oh how cute! Thanks for the picture!

[Author]

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