New Bunny Owner

[Cinn]

OK, so on Sunday we bought out first bunny.  She is way cute, however she was not care for very well (hence my purchase). so let me start with what I know, and then ask what I don’t…

She is a female, aprox 2 yrs, white with black spots, and super super soft.

1 – How can I determine what breed she is?

2 – How can I tell if she is overweight?

3 – What are the big patches of extra fur? (not explained well… like double chin, and also on her hind quarters)

4 – How long does litter training take?

5 – Does she need a hide out?

6 – How can i clean the red mulch stains on her bum from the previous owners litter choice?

Thanx so much

Momma of (no name) bunny

[kirstyol]

Do you know if she has been spayed? This will make a big difference to litter training and other behaviour issues, there is also a serious risk of uterine cancer in unsprayed female buns so it is definitely something worth doing if she hasn’t been done already.

What is her set up like just now, does she have a cage? if so what size? yes I hide out is a great idea, bunnies generally love them (my Bramble is not so keen, he is too nosey to be hidden away he likes to see everything that’s going on although he does occasionally hide out in a cardboard box)

The extra fur under her chin sounds like what Bramble has, if so its literally extra fur and nothing to worry about, is she long haired? You might find the extra fur disappears a bit once you start brushing her. I can never get under Bramble’s chin, he tries to eat the brush, so I have just accepted his beard as I call it.

The weight thing is a bit of a difficult one without knowing how big she is etc, but she should have a shape to her, almost like people’s figure tends to come in a bit at the waist. Well bunnies are similar but I am sure someone can explain what to feel for better than me.

The red stains might just go away on their own to be honest, or you can do a butt bath, again others are better to advise on this as its not something I have ever had to do with mine. are you sure its a stain and not a urine scald?

[LittlePuffyTail]

If she has short, plush fur she sounds like a Rex or Mini-Rex.

It’s a good idea to bring any new pet for a vet check-up. The vet can determine if she’s a healthy weight.

[Hazel]

Definitely have her spayed if she’s not already, at two years old her cancer risk is getting very high.

[Cinn]

What a wonderful day. I got home a little later than expected and the hay had run out. She made sure to let me know, lol. But she did use her all day, except once, and then she went in her empty food dish.

I grabbed a washcloth and warm water tonight, and during mommy/bunny time she munched her veggies while I carefully wiper her bum. Some of it came off, so it may just be nasty residue. Anyway, I cleaned away, very gently, wiping and brushing. She even kicked her back legs out, and was just chill. ten she got up and tried to get back in her cage to potty.

guess we will try more tomorrow.

Thanks everyone. There is a lot of information on this site. It is really helping.

cc

[Little Lion Head]

Cinn do you have a picture? Would help to determine breed. Welcome to BB!

[Flopsie]

Hello, to answer your questions:

1 – How can I determine what breed she is? If you can upload some pictures that would help. I can’t help with this one but a lot of forum posters are awesome at giving feedback.

2 – How can I tell if she is overweight? I would say this depends on her breed and her size. Do you know what her diet was. This isn’t very scientific, but if you run your hand down her spine and you can feel each nook and cranny, then she might be thin (again, not a scientific method). If she can’t clean her self (e.g., poopy butt), then she is also likely overweight. For more of an empirical explanation, a vet might be able to tell you.

3 – What are the big patches of extra fur? (not explained well… like double chin, and also on her hind quarters). Not sure what the big patch of fur is on hind quarters, but the extra fur under her chin is a dewlap. Personally, the dewlap is amusing to me and I love it. Females get the dewlap and I believe it gets bigger if they have babies (please correct if i’m wrong).

4 – How long does litter training take? Litter training varies between individual rabbits, but the consensus is that a bunny cannot be truly litter trained unless spayed. So you want to find that out ASAP.

5 – Does she need a hide out? I”m not sure what this means. If by hide out you mean a hidey house or a safe place for her to chill and relax in, then yes. It would be nice for her to have that for fun and even for her own sense of security.

6 – How can i clean the red mulch stains on her bum from the previous owners litter choice? I’m not good at this one so i’ll let others respond.

[Author]

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