New Member with New Bunny and lots of questions.

[crooz]

Hi everyone! My name is John and I just brought a six-week old norwegian dwarf into my home. I have had him now for a little more than two days. He has his own area in my room and I have occassionally let him roam out into another blocked off area of the room just outside of it. In his little area I have placed a large blanket that covers the entire floor over layers of newspaper. I have also placed a handful of timothy hay along with bowls for food pellets and water. There is also a large box with an entrance hole and small windows that he has been using as shelter. I am thinking of purchasing a large cage instead of confining him to just this area of my room to make cleanups easier.

This is my first rabbit ever and I bought a guide from which I found out that six-weeks may be a little too young to remove him from his mother. Is this correct and if so will this cause any long-term problems?

He also seems to very skittish, letting my hand come very close but runs away when it comes in contact with him. On occassion he has accepted hay from my hand. Otherwise, he is very curious of everything else around him. I have also been regularly on the floor next to his area on my laptop or reading a book. I have heard from others that I should have contact/hold him to get him accustomed to touch but have also heard that I must wait until he is ready before I even pick him up. Which one is correct?

Also, I have purchased some recycled newspaper pellets as litter but am unsure about how big the litter bix should be.

Any additional information regarding the breed and new-owner tips would be much appreciated. I’ve read the entire book I bought but still feel so clueless! Thank you all very much and I look forward to all the input.

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[kralspace]

Hi John,

what a beautiful bunny you have! Have you named him yet? I’m a fairly new bunny slave (1.5 years) and I’ve learned a lot from the people on this site so welcome!

I got my first one at a very young age too, and he was so excited about the house that it took quite a few days for him to calm down and properly take over his kingdom. I found this site to be great fun and helpful, tells you how to read bunny language. The first time I ‘washed’ my face and turned my own ‘bunny butt’ on Pringles I was amazed that she responded just like the website said.

http://language.rabbitspeak.com/rabbittalk.html

again, welcome, Kathy

[Beka27]

welcome here John!  he is a beautiful bunny!

so you are not using a cage right now, you just have a section of your room?  my suggestion to you would be to NOT buy a cage, rather get an exercise pen that is designed for dogs.  they are usually about 4 x 4 feet when made square, but can also be configured into different dimensions (like 2 x 6 feet if you need something long and narrow).  an xpen would be the first and last cage you’d need to buy.  it would be large enough to house him his entire life (along with out of cage playtime daily).  many of the cages that are sold at petstores are just waaaay too small.  the ones that are larger are very expensive.  you can get an xpen from between 60 and 90 dollars at most places i think.  money well-spent.  some people build condos, but it takes some time and creativity to do.  it’s always an option later, but if you need a cage ASAP, go the xpen route.

i don’t think being removed from the mother will have any long-term problems, many petstores do that b/c the small cute bunnies sell quicker.  it’s always possible, but you’ll just want to make sure he is getting the diet he needs.  baby bunny diet differs from teenager and adult bunny diet.

check out the BinkyBunny diet section for more info… https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=60

i personally wouldn’t worry about a lot of contact right now.  you’ll need to let him become accustomed to his surroundings and get used to you.

as far as littertraining, it will help once he is older, neutered, but until then you can confine him to a smaller space (like the xpen) and be diligent to catch accidents.  you can use a reguar cat litterbox, or they have high-side boxes made for buns.  they’re relatively inexpensive, so you can get a smaller one and get a larger one in the future.  i’d get one about 3 times the size of your bunny.  you want him to have room in there.

BinkyBUnny also has a littertraining section https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=62

and if you haven’t please check out the House Rabbit Society.  they are the authority on rabbit care.  http://www.rabbit.org/

ask if you ahve any other questions, we’re here to help.

[COOKIE'N FLUFF MOMMA]

welcome!  Cute bunny!  Sounds like you are almost on the right track.  I agree w/Beka. Do not buy a cage. I bought the biggest one possible and it cost me a fortune. Then i came to this site and figured out i could build one for a fraction of the price and more room for the bunnies! This site is great so ask any questions you have. Alot of us here are going through the same thing you are and we all share experiences. Good luck with your new little Bun! 

[Beka27]

if you do have some time… maybe a long weekend coming up, and you are creative, here is the link for what some of our cages look like.  many people use NIC grids (which are wire shelving things) to create an enclosure or condo. 

https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=71

it will peobably cost you about the same to build something as it would to buy an xpen, depending on what kind of materials you use, how large you make it, etc.  the nice thing about building is that you can build vertical and have different levels if floor space is an issue.

this is what i have… total area is about 5 x 7 feet.  the cage it is connected to is a nice cage… but it alone costs 90 bucks!!!  i could have gotten an xpen for less than that.

[MarkBun]

As for getting him accustomed to you and petting, you are on the right track with being on the floor reading a book or working on your laptop. However, let the lil guy free while you do this so that he can come over and inspect what you are doing. It is at this point that you SHOULDN’T attempt to pet him. Let him come to you on his terms. You can turn your face to see him and if he sniffs towards you, return the favor but do not attempt to pet him. A person’s hand looks an awful lot like a talon to them.

Eventually, he’ll begin to hang around you a bit more and you can try the pets. Do not reach towards his face or pause to let him sniff you – basically just the opposite of what we do with dogs. Try stroking his back first. Once he isn’t hopping away from you, try the top of the head and the ears. It takes some time with some buns – even my Dono of 6 months with me still doesn’t want me to pet him.

[notjulesverne]

Ah he is so cute! Welcome.

[rabbitsmba]

OMG – either that is the tiniest, sweetest bunny I have ever seen or you are a giant!

[Sarita]

Welcome! What a darling little rabbit.

Eight weeks is the recommended time to wean from their mother but as long as he is in good care then I would not worry about any long-term problems with this.

I would use a small litter box for him since he’s so tiny and the bigger he gets the bigger the litter box – now there’s no guarantee at his young age he will absolutely use a litter box but it’s a good idea to have one for him.

I very much agree about the x-pen – however, he is very small and there is a possibility at his age he can get through the slats. While I normally would not recommend a cage at his age and size it’s a good idea temporarily until he gets larger. I would want him in a cage when I am not around to keep him safe.

Also babies are extremely curious and I think your current technique is best for bonding with him.

[crooz]

Thank you call for the great advice! I will definitely look into x-pens now. The pictures look so neat!

I have let him roam around when I’m on the floor but thank you for telling me -not- to reach out to him or pause to look at him because I’ve been doing the complete opposite! So far he only comes up so that his nose touches me to sniff and then hops away.

I have also been picking up the blanket from his enclosure while he’s outside of it to toss out the droppings about twice every day, when I wake up and before I go to bed. Is this too frequent? The blanket has stains from his urine as well. Should I replace the blanket as soon as it is soiled or is it fine to leave it for awhile?

He is very small, only about the size of a normal sized hand. I’m no giant! Again, thank you all so much for all of the information!

[Beka27]

i would start to direct him towards the litterbox. when you shake out the poops, put some of them in there. you would be surprised… some buns do catch onto the litterbox rather quickly. they like to have their own spot to go potty. when you figure out your caging situation, you’ll be able to have something that can be easily wiped down for urine.

[Floppy]

welcome! you have gotten lots of great advice already, what id like to say is that the bun according to house rabbit website, should
only be eating alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets until the bun is 7 months but at 12 weeks you can introduce veggies…I have a 1 year old and
a 3 month old bun … those baby buns are a lot of work!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Welcome!! You’ve got lots of great advice so far-I’ve nothing to add!!

[crooz]

Posted By Floppy on 05/23/2008 12:17 PM
welcome! you have gotten lots of great advice already, what id like to say is that the bun according to house rabbit website, should
only be eating alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets until the bun is 7 months but at 12 weeks you can introduce veggies…I have a 1 year old and
a 3 month old bun … those baby buns are a lot of work!

 

Ahh, you’re right! I’ll go ahead and make the switch today. Hopefully he isn’t too upset.

 

[Nicci607]

welcome!!! He is SO CUTE <3 <3 <3!!!

what is his name?

switch the food carefully, though!! Bunnies tummies are very sensitive. make the switch, over a few days, so he can get used to his new food.

^_^

[Sarita]

Actually if he’s on timothy pellets that is perfectly fine. You will want to give him handfuls of alfalfa hay daily though.

[Sarita]

I want to mention that the House Rabbit Society does not specify alfalfa pellets just unlimited pellets so you should stick with a high fiber pellet like the timothy pellet. Also for the pellets while it says unlimited you should still measure out how much you are giving him just allow him to eat as much as he needs, when the bowl gets empty measure out more – it’s good to get in the habit of measuring so you can see how much pellets he is eating.

The House Rabbit Society website also does not say unlimited alfalfa hay so a good handful of alfalfa hay along with unlimited grass hay is what you should be feeding.

[RabbitPam]

He is darling! Welcome!
I’d like to add that the sooner you get him a litter pan the sooner he will learn to use it. Notice where he has been peeing and pooping on the blanket frequently, then set the litter pan on that spot. That’s where he’s selected to go and will be most comfortable there. Put some of his poops in there with some soft litter like Carefresh or Yesterday’s News. Then put a bit of hay in one corner of it. He may munch while he goes and it is more enticing. Let it stay urine soaked a little bit in one spot instead of cleaning it out totally – he’ll come back to his own smell more readily. With a tiny bunny I’d try a low front pan, like the corner ones with high sides made for bunnies. Don’t forget to put one out in your home when you let him out later. They use several until they get used to where to go.

Lying down near him is great. Just stay still like Markusdark explained going about your book reading business. He’ll get curious and explore you. You might have a little treat (a raisin) near your arm so he associates you with tasty fun.

[skunklionshow]

Baby bunnies are sooo cute!  I ditto everything that has been said.  The other thing I’m thinking is if the x-pen slats are too wide, you can cover w/ cardboard.  Depending on your floor, I would think that cardboard covered in newspaper might also be a good ground cover, especially w/ litterbox training. 

My other suggestion is to seek out a bunny vet now, rather than when an emergency occurs.  You likely may want to get him checked out by the vet since he’s such a baby.  You might also want to consider buying pet insurance.  It covers urgent/serious care and w/ a bunny that can get expensive fast.  Plus start saving up for your spay/neuter.  Do you know is it a boy or girl? 

Please harass us whenever on this site.  I’ve learned so much here and recommend it to every bunny person I meet.

[Beka27]

or as far as the xpen, you could get a box of NIC cuces as well and ziptie them around the outside, just at the bottom. you’ll use them later on for bunny-proofing.

[crooz]

I have been feeding him Timothy hay so I’ll start the switch to Alfalfa this evening. I’ve also read that freezing the pellets is advisable to keep them fresh. Truth?

[BinkyBunny]

Welcome Crooz! Be sure that when you switch anything in the diet – even if it’s good for him, to do it slowly.  Take a couple of weeks to slowly wean in the new with the old (gradually increasing the new day by day)

Also, regarding the xpen – if you have already gotten it, then at this age, I think it would be best to cover the first foot of the pen, with chicken wire, or mesh (can get at any hardware store….and then secure it on with zipties) because he is so little he could actually squeeze his head through only and then panic. This can hurt, cause injury or sheer panic – which is dangerous too)   When you wrap the wire or mesh around, be sure to make it fit rather tight so there is no way for him to push the mesh back and still put his head through.

Regarding picking him up – If you had him from birth, then handling him right now would be okay, but because he’s in a brand new location, give him some time to settle in and  to feel safe with you first. Then start handling him more. It will be a good idea to get him to tolerate being handled at this age so that when you do have to pick him up for monthly maintence/nail trims etc in the future, it won’t be so stressful. Most rabbits, no matter, how much they have been handled do not enjoy being held (though there are the few that do), but you can help with their tolerance level.  When you do get to the point of handling him. Offer him a treat – at his age you can’t give him fruit, but you could schedule handling around the time he eats and you could give him pellets while handling him.

But again, because he is so new to your place, give him another week or so to just settle in and get used to his surroundings and you. Mark, and the others gave you some great advice about how to do that.

Regarding the freezer – as long as you keep your pellets in a sealed container they should be fine.

[crooz]

Hi again everyone!

I’m happy to report that he is now very tolerable of my petting and now occasionally hops up to me and places his front paws on my legs. Last night he wouldn’t start nipping at my fingers but I figure that’s because he was hungry and I had been out all day.

He goes through almost all of the hay that I give him daily and is putting on noticeable weight.

Do you all think a 2×2 (2 squares.. so 28in X 28in) NIC enclosure is okay for a rabbit of his size? It also has a second level.

Also, I was looking at the shop and I thought the papaya tablets sounded nice but noticed that they soften food. Are these for rabbits of any age?

Thanks again!

[BinkyBunny]

That is fine for now, though he will outgrow that and you’ll have to expand as he grows and becomes more active. You’ll be amazed at how quickly these little guys grow! I like the idea of second level to give him some exercise.

That’s great to hear about the hay – stuff as much as you can in his hay rack as he should have access to hay 24/7.

Regarding your question about the tablets and if they are for rabbits of any age. This is a good question! In my opinion, at this time, because your bunny is so young it would be better to wait to give him treats. Usually you want to wait until he’s a young adult (7mnths – to a year) to offer him even fresh fruit. So, I would suspect dried fruit, even in tablet form, would apply.

I also just emailed Oxbow (the makers of the Papaya Tablets) to get their take on it, and I will ask anothe rabbit savvy vet to get a second opinion on that. I’ll keep you updated. Once i confirm either way, i will add that to my product description.

[Sage Cat]

Hey John, What a cute little bun you have there.

I have only had my 2 bunny’s for about 3 months now. However, mine are 2 & 4 years. So far I am having a great time learning about rabbits! I’m sure you will too!

My buns like to take my finger in their teeth (gently – lucky for me) and toss my hand aside as if it were a toy. I have noticed they will also nibble a bit if I have been handling fruit or vegetables.

I still have a habit of holding my hand out to my bunny’s – But they have gotten use to this and will run over to sniff my hand & then present for pets.

I use the Papaya Tablets as a way to “check in” with my buns. My buns LOVE them. I give them each one in the morning & My husband gives them each one in the evening – both my vet & the Colorado HRS recommend this. Them refusing a favorite treat wold be a sure sign that something is wrong. But I don not know about giving them to a baby bunny.

I hope some of this helps.

[crooz]

Thanks BinkyBunny for contacting them! Their input would be great. And thanks Sage Cat for the information about the tablets. They sound so good that I don’t want to wait to feed him some but it looks like they will have to wait.

I’m sorry if this question has been answered before but I’m stopping by the home store and look for pick up some flooring for the NIC cage. Would type of flooring do you all recommend? He is not litter trained at the moment (he pees in the litter box only because the hay is in there) so I would like something fairly easy to clean or switch out if need be. Also, I’m going to cut some of the ‘wires’ to create openings and was wondering what a good material would be to cover them so they don’t scratch the bunny in case he run past them.

Thanks again!

[crooz]

I am also doing a little shopping in the BinkyBunny shop for cage treats and bunny toys and wanted some input on some “essentials”

I’m having them sent to Hawaii so does anyone know how much I would expect to pay for S&H on about a $30-$40 order?

[Beka27]

you can send BinkyBunny an email directly by clicking on her screenname and she can answer that question for you.

i love the willow toys (star, candy cane, balls, sticks). it’s edible and buns love it. the straw mats are really nice too. you’ll find that BB has the best prices.

[BinkyBunny]

Oh crooz, Fedex offers the best rates for the mainland, but Fedex is so expensive to Hawaii – I will need to send it via Priority or Parcel Post to make it worth your while. Priority to Hawaii, I have heard, takes about a week, while Parcel Post can actually take a few weeks. I can give you a quote for both. Since we don’t offer USPS on our site, I will have to take your order manually and check out the rates.

With our shop, we don’t base shipping on how much you spend, but on how much your order weighs. Someone can order $30 – $40 of light stuff, or their order can just be hay only, and that can cost more due to weight. So you can email me, like Beka said, via my profile OR you click on “contact us” at the bottom of the page.

In your email tell me what it is you want exactly, along with your address. I will calculate the total, and email you back. From that you can decide whether or not you want to order. If you do decide to order then you can email me your pnone #, and I will then call you to get your credit card and place the order.

[COOKIE'N FLUFF MOMMA]

I would say the willow toys are a must. My baby buns cant get enough of the willow tunnel!

[BinkyBunny]

Okay, update on the Oxbow Papaya Tablets and can babies have ’em or not: I heard from Oxbow and they recommend waiting to until babies are 3 – 4 months old.

[crooz]

Posted By BinkyBunny on 05/29/2008 11:50 AM

Okay, update on the Oxbow Papaya Tablets and can babies have ’em or not: I heard from Oxbow and they recommend waiting to until babies are 3 – 4 months old.

Aww, okay. Thanks for contacting them so quickly and I will get that list to you ASAP!

[skunklionshow]

I wonder if it would be a good idea to put together a big order….if so I agree w/ the willow goodies.  I have the willow tent, willow tunnel, and willow hay bin.  The tent & tunnel are HUGE hits!  They are such awesome quality, better than anything I could find in the pet store.  I’d like to get the willow house, but that will have to wait for a bunny condo addition. 

[Author]

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