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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.
- This topic has 17sd replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 1 month ago by
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I’m a new bunny keeper from Hertfordshire in the UK. A few weeks ago I went into Pets at Home and saw that they had a new ‘adoption centre’, with some animals that they hadn’t been able to sell (grr) and some that other customers had given up for adoption. There were two beautiful bunnies there, bonded brothers, about 6 months old. I really fell in love with them and I went home and did the research to see if I could care for them properly.
A few days later after a lotttt of thought, I made my decision and ordered a hutch. When it arrived the next day I went to collect the brothers, but their little cage was empty. I asked the staff if someone else had adopted them, and they said one of the brothers was ill and they had gone to the vets. I called the next morning to ask how he was, and they told me “oh, it died. But the other one is still here”. I just couldn’t leave him there, so I went and got him straight away.
So that is how I got my new friend, Harry. Here he is:
He has been with me almost a week now, and as you can see he is a very relaxed bunny. He doesn’t show much inclination for chewing, digging, hiding or any of the normal bunny things but that might just be because everything is so new to him. I’m sure once he settles down he will play with his toys a bit more. He has a great appetite and besides lots and lots of hay he has tried and liked spinach and raspberry leaves (from my garden) and cauliflower leaves. He was not interested in green beans. Today I bought him some parsley to try. I got it from a very expensive organic, luxury greengrocer who seemed a bit offended that his high class produce was going to a rabbit!
Harry likes being rubbed behind the ears, between the ears and along his jaw. He loves his hutch and is very proud to have his own territory. He comes out every few hours, has a sniff around and usually starts racing up and down the room in random bursts of energy. But he spends most of his time sitting in his litter boxes munching hay, or sitting just in front of his hutch guarding it from intruders:
Usually I leave his hutch completely alone, but today I cleaned out the straw and replaced with newspaper to keep it a bit neater. He did not approve AT ALL and sat next to me angrily surveying the damage. However I put everything back where he had arranged it, and filled his bowl with grass cut from my garden, so I think he has forgiven me.
As for me, I am 23 and from London. I have a degree in animal behaviour and I currently work at a cow sanctuary, although I am looking for a new job at the moment because as much as I love working for a charity, my husband also works there on a similar low wage and we want to earn more so we can save for the future. My husband is in India for a month but he is very excited to meet Harry when he gets back.
Harry and I have a vet’s appointment tomorrow afternoon to get him vaccinated and for a general checkup. Unfortunately his eyes started to weep yesterday evening which may have been because I lit some incense in another room (I didn’t realise he would be so sensitive to it
) or could be unrelated. I hope some drops or antibiotics sort it out and it doesn’t turn out to be something long term. Harry’s brother died of bloat, nothing contagious, and besides the eyes Harry seems really healthy and happy.Edit: Forgot to add, when Harry is neutered and no longer potent he will hopefully be bonded with Jessica, a single doe in a rescue in Essex. Although she is a large New Zealand she has lived with dwarf bunnies before and so hopefully will not bully little Harry. They are having a bunny date in a month or so to see how they get on.
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Thank you
He is REALLY fluffy but I don’t think he’s moulting, he hasn’t shed any hair since he arrived. None on the carpet on it in his hutch. He is not neutered but he is going to be in another week or two. The vet said it would be too stressful for him to have vaccinations and an operation all at one time so he is being vacc’d first and then neutered. I know it then takes a while for him to recover and stop being potent, so I’m not sure exactly when he can go and meet Jessica. She is also not neutered and is going for her op at around the same time, so I think it will be 4-6 weeks at least before she can come home, assuming they like each other.
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I moved my pictures in photobucket and forgot to change the links, oops.
He is not neutered and I don’t think he’d ever seen a vet before today. I took him in due to the runny eyes and he got a thorough examination. His incisor bite is very straight and she couldn’t see any spurs on his molars, heart and lungs good, lots of gut sound, ears and nose clear. I have him on eye drops and antibiotics because the vet couldn’t tell if it was conjunctivitis or an upper respiratory infection.
When he recovers from this illness and has a little break he can be vaccinated and then neutered. I am wondering whether to ask for a skull x-ray at the same time as he’s neutered, so that it’s just one general anaesthetic and I will be warned of any tooth root problems.
P.S. Skipper is a real cutie
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Thank you.
Your bunnies are all so gorgeous, I could spend all day looking at their different colours and shapes.
Good news – Harry’s eyes look SO much better today. The left one is more or less back to normal, just a bit of moisture right on the corner. The fur is no longer wet. The right eye, which was the worst one, is at least 50% better. I’m very relieved
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