new owner-need all the help I can get

[niniliefie]

hey all… i could really use a lot of help. i got liefie about 5 weeks ago, at 7weeks, already eating carrots and apples and apparently she should have been with her mum longer and shouldnt eat veg before 6 months. i continued as the previous owners told me to and started reading… only after reading i realize a few things and need help. 1. do i stop the carrotsand apples completely? she loves them and when i dont give them to her in her free time, she gives me attitude… she feeds on pellets and a nice combo of hay regularly…

2. she is very very social… and jumps on the bed and cuddles and plays a lot(also enjoys eating my cellphone chargers… no matter where i hide them) she has 2 hours play time from 5-7 in mornings and again from 5pm till 9 or whenever she goes to her cage by herself. the rest of the day she is in the 3m/1.5 cage. i got her a teddy and she sleeps with it, grooms it etc. i want to get her a companion(female only-our vets say they can, but none of them have actually ever spayed a rabbit-so im being careful) can i put a dwarf with her? or would it be best to put one of her siblings with her, as they are the only people close by who have rabbits like her? 

3. she is litterbox trained , pees and poos a lot, but when i leave for a night and come back, she not only gives me attitude, but her first 3-5 pellets of poo is very small, then normalises completely until i leave again… should i be concerned? ive only left her 2 times for one night and have to leave for 2 nights this week. my mother comes by the house to feed her, but she wont allow anyone but me to touch her… she doesnt even leave her cage for anyone else. wll she be ok? 

4. i clean her cage every 2 days and use water and vnegar etc. but she still smells a little. is there anything i can use on her? my sister uses a pet spray on her dogs? can i use that? 

thats it for now… im sure ill have more questions in future.

regards

ninie

[Roberta]

Sounds like you are doing pretty well so far… At 7 weeks it is a little young but they are usually weened or weening by then and should be producing their own cecal poo’s (The soft grapelike clusters of poo they eat to get essential enzymes for the gut to work properly) Apples and carrots should only be a treat so maybe reduce them slowly and introdue a green vegetable like cilantro(coriander), basil, parsley or bok choy……
Becuase she is still very young the extra calories from the fruit won’t be too bad but you don’t want her continuing on such a sugar rich diet so I would start to reduce her down to maybe a slice of apple or a piece of carrot per day…
It’s great that she is eating lots of hay and pellets, its very important they get lots of good nutrients as they grow… You might want to look at slowly reducing the pellets as she starts to approach puberty (4-6 mths old) the amount she should have will depend upon her adult weight and size…
I would avoid using any sprays on her directly, maybe check her bottom and her anal glands and make sure they are clean… Also is she definitely a she ? Even breeders can get this wrong when they are under 10-12 weeks…..
I think two nights should be fine as long as someone is checking on her twice a day and they know what signs to look for if she is unwell… Have contact details for a vet available and explain to your mother that if she is not eating or has not used her litter tray that she may be unwell…
Finding a vet… What general area are you in ? (Never give out your exact address) Nearest town or city is fine and will help some of us to suggest vets that are possibly near you.

[niniliefie]

thanx! she is gona be mad… but ill reduce and add green leaves. ive checked and dont seen any testes… so im pretty sure she is a doe. the smell isnt bad, its only when im real close to her fur with my nose when we cuddle. there doesnt seem to be any abnormalities and nothing sticks to the fur! iis the small pellets a problem? as they are only a few right when i get back. ive read some blogs where owners said it happens when they leave also? and the additon of a newcomer? can i add a dwarf or should it be one of her sze rather? i$ in south africa in northwest klerksdorp/potch area. the vet i take my dog to is really good… but when i asked about rabbits, she said its the same as with cats and that they only do bucks not does?

[Roberta]

The pellets sound like a stress issue from separation if it only occurs following an absence…
I would probably look about for another vet as cats and bunnies are very different.
We do have another member here from South Africa I am just not sure where she is geographically to you.
I found this on Bunspace and there was a review that was very good regarding spaying of too little girl rabbits.

Panorama Veterinary Clinic
Address: 1 Uys Krige Drive
7500 Cape Town
South Africa
Vet’s Name: Dr. Bernice Van Huyssteen
Phone: (021) 930-6632
Fax: (021) 939-9941
Email: panoramavet@mwebbiz.co.za
Website: http://www.panoramavet.co.za/
24h Emergency: Yes

[Roberta]

Here’s another that specialises in birds, bunnies and other small animals..
http://vw.hatfieldvet.co.za/

[Roberta]

Another one, I think it might be a bit of a drive but they also stock lots of Rabbit Supplies and are also Bird and Bunny people.
http://www.birdandexotic.co.za/

[niniliefie]

Capetown is about 1200km from me, but hatfield is 200 away! Thank you so much for the help!

Getting another bun? Dwarf? Like her? Or does the breed not matter?

[Beka27]

I wouldn’t worry about getting another bunny right now. Rabbit bonding is not as simple as just putting two bunnies together.

First things first, both rabbits will NEED to be spayed before they can bonded. Females can be very territorial (with and without hormones), but being unspayed increases the chance that they will fight when together.

Females rabbits also have an incredibly high risk of developing reproductive cancer by the age of 3-4 years if left unspayed. Check with the vet that Roberta posted that is close to you and speak with them about spaying and what their experience is.

[niniliefie]

Ok… So I’m stearing away from a second bun for now! Thanx for the advice! The last website is for the academic vets clinic at the university I completed my degree at, so I think I might do that in the new year as it is familiar. At which age can rabbits be spayed?

They also have packed hay and many toys, so I will make an effort to go there. My dad breeds with birds, so he might wana take the trip with me.

I’ve reduced her carrot intake and upped the hay. Pellets are the same for now, but she prefers the hay anyway.

My 2 day trip is comming up and I’m real worried, but my mom and neighbor will check in on her and they know what to look for. I don’t know if its missing her or fear that she won’t be OK that is the worst. I got her about a week after my 2 best friends both moved 2-3hours away for work… So we’ve spend a LOT of time together in the past 5 weeks.

She use to drink from a ceremic bowl, I then started teaching her to drink from the drinking bottle and now she drinks between 20 and 40ml from that per day! I know they should drink a lot, how much is “a lot” though?

And how smart ARE they? I have a blue collapsable bin in the room where I put everything and anything she chews on that she shouldn’t… She now actually jumps on it or in it to get to these things! Does she know? Of is it just coincidence? It doesn’t seem to be.

Thanx for all the help and advice. Its making things a lot easier.

Regards
Nine

[Roberta]

Bunnies are smart, Very smart…. They can and do solve problems, like how to open the Xpen… Once done they remembered and it now only takes them seconds to do it. It was done so they could access the hay and newspapers, not just a random escape attempt… The whole thing was a well thought out and executed mission. I still hear the theme from Raiders of The Lost Ark Everytime I think about it.
Each bunny can be different with water intake… My Nermal drinks very little water but loves her greens, Pascal drinks two full bowls a day and scoffs his greens, the rest of the warren drink some where in between. It does appear to be seasonal to a degree.

[Deleted User]

Smart? YES!!!!! My Henry has free roam of the whole house except the lounge and one son’s bedroom – and guess what I woke up to at 5 am this morning? My son saying ‘out’! and going crook! Dam bunny! How in the hell did he get in (again)? My son can’t get into his own room, yet Henry can??? (Have I said this already? Dam rabbit!).

[NikitaSue20]

Rabbits can be very different when it comes to water and veggies and pellets. Like thump my boy eats everything in sight….even his hay hammock *sigh*. But Oreo is different she eats very little and drinks very little and hates all kinds of hay (will nibble here and there) But she is a completely normal weight, very healthy (had her checked many times). I guess she doesn’t like worldly goods and possessions. (next Buddha incarnate?) I think alot of it is learning your rabbit. And smart? goodness yes. way too much for there own good.

[niniliefie]

This forum is so helpful, thanx to all of yall! My trip starts tomorrow and I’m already suffering from seperation anxiety! Hahaha
We just got to the point where she will lie next to me for a cuddle, follow me around etc. I’m a bit afraid that 2 days away will make a dent in our progress!
Do they travel well? (If you travel with them often) she is a real madam and she is REALLY smart! Today she pulled my gym shoe under the bed after I had put the one on! She just pulled it to the middle and then came back out! Hahaha (maybe she knows by now that when I put them on I leave?)

Since I started giving her more hay, she doesn’t chew on her mineral block anymore… Should I replace it(maybe she is bored wiith it)

Thanx for all the stories and advice guys(and galls).

[niniliefie]

thanx to all for advice on the trip! liefie did very well and was actually happy to have me home! she plays and lies down for cuddles etc! ill be more relaxed when i need to travel again… 

[niniliefie]

thanx to all for advice on the trip! liefie did very well and was actually happy to have me home! she plays and lies down for cuddles etc! ill be more relaxed when i need to travel again… 

[Rachel Anne]

In addition to binky bunny, I’ve found this site to be VERY helpful with any questions that have come up. It’s the official site for house rabbits:

http://rabbit.org/frequently-asked-questions/

It discusses when you can start to introduce vegetables, when to shift from alfalfa to timothy hay and pellets, and much more. There are lots of books out there that don’t have the most updated/accurate information, but this is a reliable place to go (though not as fun and friendly as binky bunny ) They also just published a fifth edition of the House Rabbit Society book.

[Author]

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