New to Buns…need advice on everything!

[whit308]

So, my sister has a pet rabbit(Thumper) whom they adopted after it was abandoned at a petstore, and while my parents are moving I volunteered to take care of it for the next month or so. Its a very sweet, calm rabbit, that licks you when you put your hand near it, and will let you pet and hold it with great ease. However, I know my parents have been going the petstore route with pretty much everything, and I know that most of the time, that is not the best way to do it.  I have chinchillas myself, and I know from history how much stuff in the petstore made for them, is not healthy or useful.  Since I have virtually zero knowledge, and school just started so I don’t have tons of time to be spending on line researching bunnies, I thought I would ask some questions here, and maybe get some help, because I would like to send the rabbit back with a good, simple set up that they could follow to make sure the bunny has its needs met

 

1. They are feeding it “LM Farm vita vittles” and it has tons of junk pieces in it that are not pellets, and I am not even sure the pellets are quality.  I feed my chins purina animal nutrition rabbit(PANR), would this be acceptable to switch the bunny over to?  What are some other easily available pellets I should consider? 

2. The rabbit has been on a mainly pellet, timothy hay diet.  I saw that they should have unlimited hay, but should pellets be provided on a free feed basis, or a predetermined amount of food given at a time to prevent over eating?

3. Since the rabbit has been on mainly pellets and hay, what precautions should I take when introducing fresh vegetables?  I did already give Thumper(who I have taken to calling PePe) a small (less than an inch) piece of celery, which it seemed to enjoy.  However, I don’t want to upset his stomach, and I am not sure if I should even offer fresh vegetables while considering changing pellets. (Chinchillas do not eat any fresh fruit/vegetables so I am way out of realm of knowledge here).  

4.  When first introducing fresh vegetables, is there generally a good vegetable to try first to prevent upsetting his stomach? 

5. He already has a chosen corner that he potties in, but does not have a litter box.  I do know, that when they did have one, often the pee would end up going over the back, so should I try just a very deep litter pan, or a covered one? 

6. His nails are extremely long, and I would like to start trimming them…however, I have zero experience doing this with rabbits, but groomed dogs for quite a while.  However, is it like a dog where, if you trim the nail just a slight bit every week, the quick will recede? Or do rabbit claws even have a quick?  Also, would the least stressful way to do this be by just taking him to a vet?

7. The cage they have has a plastic slated bottom, and very tiny trays underneath.  I have been putting bedding on both layers, is this necessary?  I would really like to take the slate out, because when he pees, it goes under there, and sits below, and is harder to scoop out becaues the stupid trays are so tiny and I have to end up disassemblying half the cage to clean out from under there.  Would it be just best to leave the plastic slate, get a litter box and grass mats for him to sit on( he has a shelf, but is sitting on the plastic grate bottom harmful)? or would it be better to attempt to secure the trays, and remove the slat, and just give him the plastic bottom? 

8.  His food is currently in a gravity feeder, and drinks from a water bottle.  Is this okay?

9. He does not have a house, so I was thinking about building one that can attach to the outside of his cage, where a house that came with the cage was suppose to go(but kept falling off) but was unsure of the size it should be(I am thinking this bunny is around 5-6lbs) or what woods are safe.  For the chins I use a kiln-dried pine, would this be acceptable? Or would it be better to just buy an igloo?  If I use a covered litter box, will the rabbit even want a house? 

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me, I just really want to get this rabbit in a nice set up, where it can be happy and make sure all its needs are being met.  My parents and sister mean well, I just do not think they are very well educated rabbit owners, so if I could get this set up for them, I know they would have no problem continuing with the care. 

 

 

 

[skunklionshow]

Sounds like you will be getting their bunny on track w/ everything.  We are pretty knowledgable folk here, so you found a great spot.  Definately peruse the bunny info link above for more info.  Pretty much everything you need to know if already on this site.

1.  Cut the junky pellets.  I’ve found that most pet stores carry Kaytee’s Timothy Hay Pellets.  Those will do, though I prefer oxbow.

2.  I’ve found that some buns become overly dependent on pellets and that may make adding veggies or eating hay not as preferable to the pellets.  I’ve had to limit my pellets so that my buns would eat their hay & veggies.  Also it was making them chunky.

3.  I believe that Romaine and red or green leaf lettuce is pretty well easily tolerable.  Start small and increase quantity to ensure they don’t have any digestive issues.  My rabbits get a bunny salad 1x a day, it consists of both parsleys, cilantro, red or green leaf lettuce, romaine, collard greens, dandelion greens, and a few pieces of kale. Kale s/b limited.  So stock up on your green leafy veggies & herbs.

4.  A high back  or covered litterbox w/b a good idea.  Is he neutered?  b/c he might be spraying.  Potty habits get better after speuters.

6.  Nails.  I have cats and I have learned that rabbit nails should only get a slight cut.  I can usually trim my cats right up to the quick which is pretty far.  W/ rabbits, my vet showed me that it’s just the slightest tip.  b/c I have so many probs w/ this I’ve started to use the pedi-paw thingy.

Not sure about the cage bottom, but you can use grass mats or even rag rugs to cover the bottom.  I have rag rugs everywhere in their condo and just wash as needed.  My guys do have plenty of covered bed areas.  Jessi prefers her igloo which keeps her protected from my prying hands.  When they nap they usually nap together in a never used litterbox lined w/ rag rug and covered w/ the wicker tent.  I also have a bunny maze placed at the front of their condo for extra exercise and fun.  Check out the binky bunny store…..that’s where I get all my hay.  Good Luck!  Also, we LOVE pictures.

[Beka27]

thank you for trying to whip this bun (and the parents!) into shape! Skunklion covered everything very well.

i am concerned about the gravity feeder. buns need very little pelleted food per day, only about 1/4 cup per five pounds weight of bunny (this is in addition to unlimited hay and 2 cups of veggies per day, which you say you will begin to introduce). the gravity feeder is making me think that the bun gets to eat as many pellets as he wants per day which is not good for him. also, if the bun does get sick, there is no way for them to know how much or how little he is actually eating. this is something that the vet will want to know. do they use the gravity feeder so they don’t have to spend so much time caring for him? IF that is the case, this is a dangerous situation since bunnies can get sick and die in 24 hours time. if they are regularly going 2 or 3 days and barely looking in on him, this is a very real concern.

i think it’s wonderful that you are trying to make these improvements, but are you sure this is something the owners will keep up on? veggies especially, can be very expensive to provide daily for 8-12 years. i’d hate to see you spend all of this time getting him acclimated to a new diet for them to discontinue it if they find they cannot afford to keep it up, or just don’t want to be bothered to grocery shop for their bun. most of our rabbits LOVE veggies, it’s their favorite part of the day. i know it would break my heart to know that a bun loves them so much, but the owners are not willing to provide them regularly.

have you considered making minimal changes this month and then sharing written info with the owners so they can decide if this is something they are willing to do? and if not, are they willing to give you the bunny?

EDITED:  i just reread and saw that the owners are your parents and sister.  with all respect to them, my questions still stand: is this something they will be able to keep up?

[BinkyBunny]

Good for you on helping your family take the best care possible of their new bunny.   I hope they will follow your guidance and advice once they are ready to take the bunny back. 

You’ve received  some great advice already but I just wanted to add to  some of the questions:

3. Since the rabbit has been on mainly pellets and hay, what precautions should I take when introducing fresh vegetables?  How old is this bunny? I know you don’t have a lot of time to research, but this link is actually a very easy read – it’s  a list of all the recommended veggies as well as stuff to avoid. https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/Diet/tabid/60/Default.aspx

 5. He already has a chosen corner that he potties in, but does not have a litter box.  I do know, that when they did have one, often the pee would end up going over the back, so should I try just a very deep litter pan, or a covered one?  A deeper pan should work, and covered boxes work for some.  Mine don’t like them because they feel trapped – they need to have to entrance/exits to feel comfortable.   Now, I am just speaking for my two.  Also ventillation is important.  So if you do use a covered box, you will need to be sure to scoop out the urine daily otherwise the amonia in the urine can become trapped in there and it can cause eye and respiratory irritation.

6. His nails are extremely long, …..is it like a dog where, if you trim the nail just a slight bit every week, the quick will recede? Or do rabbit claws even have a quick?  Also, would the least stressful way to do this be by just taking him to a vet?  Yes, exactly. For nails that have grown very long and where the quick has grown long too, the trim a little, more often will help it recede.  One thing you do have to watch for when you trim a bunnies nails is that you place their back feet leaning against your stomach  or you have them secure in some way, especially when you are doing the front feet –  as a bunny that may kick aggressively in the air to escape can actually cause spinal injury.  Oh, and if his nails are dark, you can use a flashlight underneath the nail to spot the quick.

7 Would it be just best to leave the plastic slate, get a litter box and grass mats for him to sit on( he has a shelf, but is sitting on the plastic grate bottom harmful)? or would it be better to attempt to secure the trays, and remove the slat, and just give him the plastic bottom? Actually either way would work as whether you use the plastic grate you are going to be covering it up with mats anyway.  Usually metal grates will cause sore hocks but bunnies should have a soft bedding.  Some, especially if they are not neutered, will be on the soft cloth bedding, so it’s a good idea to have a couple or more, so one can always be in the wash. Having a litter box and soft flat flooring – non grated will also help him with litterbox habits, though it may not seem like it at first  If he’s not neutered, then he can be messy, but getting him to understand that the litterbox has a certain use, and the rest of the stuff is his soft place to hang out should help with that training. 

8.  His food is currently in a gravity feeder, and drinks from a water bottle.  Is this okay? How old is he? If he’s not a young baby, then I agree with Beka about staying away from the gravity feeder.  Water bottles are fine. I prefer heavy crocks, but sometimes those don’t work well in certain habitats.  Mine are free range and so they aren’t confined to a space where they could drop a bunch of stuff into or step in it.

9. He does not have a house, so I was thinking about building one that can attach to the outside of his cage, where a house that came with the cage was suppose to go(but kept falling off) but was unsure of the size it should be(I am thinking this bunny is around 5-6lbs) or what woods are safe.  For the chins I use a kiln-dried pine, would this be acceptable? Or would it be better to just buy an igloo?  If I use a covered litter box, will the rabbit even want a house?   Dried pine is fine.  Stay away from redwood – as it’s toxic if they chew on it.   I do prefer plastic because if a bunny pees in the corner it’s easier to clean than wood.  The urine  can soak into the bottom edge of wood.

A good idea for a plastic house is to go to Target, or one of those types of stores, that sells plastic storage  tubs in  colorful shapes and sizes and turn it over and cut entrances and exits in it.  It’s not easy to cut that plastic so you have to be careful.  And then you will need to sand off the edges because the plastic can become sharp from cutting.  The photo below is my old set-up, and of course you don’t have to use two! But it gives you an idea of the plastic tubs I’m talking about. I took the lids off, turned the tubs upside down, and glued the lids on. But they are actually just fine without the lids if you don’t ever plan on stacking.  

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me, I just really want to get this rabbit in a nice set up, where it can be happy and make sure all its needs are being met.  My parents and sister mean well, I just do not think they are very well educated rabbit owners, so if I could get this set up for them, I know they would have no problem continuing with the care.  That is absolutely wonderful!!!!!!!  Binkies to you for making sure this bunny has the best care possible.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Well I don’t think I could possibly add anything! It’s all been covered Welcome here!

[jerseygirl]

Not much else to add either. Just be sure to introduce new pellets slowly into his existing diet and keep eye on droppings for any changes. Good for you for taking this on. You can always steer your parents and sister to binkybunny.com too for continued support etc….the more the merrier!

[whit308]

Thanks to everyone! You all gave me so much to work with. I have no worries that my parents will take the best care of the bunny when it is returned, I think they just buy what they think is “cool/neat” for the bunny at the pet store, which isn’t always the best. They already have this food in their house, I just don’t think they knew they should be feeding it to Pepe. It is just a common case of people getting a pet, and not necessarily researching its needs enough, and thinking they had the needs met. My parents are definitely the type of people who like to spoil their pets rotten, but, I think there is a lot of hearsay about pet ownership on all animals in general, and my parents never really talked to anyone who owned a rabbit and knew the proper care required. So, I am very happy to be getting them set on the proper track, and thanks for all the great advice to help me get started!

The FIRST thing I got was a litter pan, its pretty big, uncovered, and deep in the back and put yesterdays news pellets in it, and I am pretty sure he loves it already. I know I do because now there is no soggy pee corners I have started hiding his hay in the corners of his cage, and putting large handfuls in the front corners of his litter box, which seems to work well. I am going to take his gravity feeder out, and put in a ceramic crock. Although, I do like the paper bag toy test thing. He has started taking a small amount of green leaf lettuce, as well as celery (~1/4 cup). Once I double check that my parents pet store has the same pellets as ours, I am going to switch his pellets.

I am thinking about taking his cage off the wheels and putting it on a rug, and buying a playpen, and removing the door to his cage, so he has more time out of the cage and can go in and out as he pleases.

I have seen the pedipaw….but kind of had my doubts…does it work well? And does it really keep it from doing too much at a time? If so, I think that would be great, and something my parents could easily learn!

Also, I am unsure of his breed(or if that is even the right term!), but he has short hair, with short perk ears that are black, as well as black circles around his eyes, then white shoulders and fore paws, with black midsection and hind, if that helps at all! LOL

Thanks again for the great advice, as soon as I finish getting him settled in, I will try and get pics of him!

[Beka27]

HE SOUNDS LIKE A DUTCH BUNNY!

sorry, caps lock, lol!

*searches for random internet pic*

 

does he look kinda like this:

[whit308]

Yup! That is EXACTLY what he looks like!

I also found a pic of him, so that is him in my avatar!

 

ETA: I found out how to attach a pic of him, so here he is bigger, in his old cage…I think he just has the CUTEST face ever!

 

 

113026150071.jpg

[Beka27]

he is beautiful! i love dutches! i know there is one out there, someday, destined to be mine!

[jerseygirl]

Gorgeous!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Ohhhh I love dutches!!!

[BinkyBunny]

Whit, you’re right, he does have the cutest face!  Keep us updated on the progress of you helping your family make sure this adorable rabbit gets the best care. Sounds like from your description, they will be thankful to you for all of your help and care.

[Author]

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