Newbie Needing Answers

[sallysmom]

Ok, I just got a new bunny about 3 days ago. Someone locally way giving them away, and I had been wanting a bunny for awhile. I did my research, Made my own condo cage, and thought I was all set. I was told that she is a she, 8 weeks old (so gender is really  not known), and from what I can tell, she is a new zealand white, an albino. Ever since I have put her in her cage, she will not get out of the litter box. I have hay in there right now until I can get to the store to get some Yesterdays news bedding. I will put food down for her, and in the mornings it will be got, or mostly gone, and poop pellets all over the place. I have not found any pee yet, so she may be using the box??? I have opened the door to try and see if she will hop out, but she just sit’s in there, not moving. Her head will kind of sway from side to side sometimes, noticible if your looking for it.  I need to know if I am doing something wrong? is it just an adjustment period? Do I just need to be patient? Please help me on this. I have done hours of looking on the internet for proper care and such, but it is all overwhelming. I am so excited for my new bunny and just want her/him to be happy. Any help and suggestions anyone can give would be appriciated. Thanks.

[Sarita]

Many times the swaying is common for a red eyed rabbit – they are just trying to focus on what they are looking at – it’s called scanning.

It sounds like your baby is just trying to adjust – part of it is sensory overload, a brand new place. She does need to adjust and learn to trust you – she’s probably scared right now and unsure of her new place. She probably feels secure in her litter box.

You aren’t doing anything wrong at all so don’t worry about that.

You sound like are going to be a very caring and loving bunny parent.

It would be a good idea to find a rabbit knowledgeable vet in your area and have your bunny sexed and checked out.

[Sage Cat]

Hi Sallys Mom,

Congrats on the new bunny! They are awesome pets.

Sounds like your new bun is unsure of her new surroundings. Several people on thin site have said it took their buns days to come out of their pen – or out of the litter box. Lot’s of Patients needed!

Here is a great place to start with information (the House Rabbit Society site – Rabbit 101) : http://www.rabbit.org/care/new-bunny-index.html

It seems that most of us new bun owners have had the best luck with opening the pen – laying on the floor near by and reading. I read – still do sometimes – to my buns out loud a lot when I first got them in February.

I don’t have experience with baby buns – but I have no doubt that some one who does will chime in soon.

Best of luck & keep asking questions – we love to help each other out.

[MarkBun]

First thing you should do is get the bun in to see the vet. At 8 weeks, she is old enough to have become pregnant and you want to find this out ASAP. You could also schedule a spay for her at the same time. I am assuming you don’t want a litter of baby rabbits.

Next, the head swaying is called ‘scanning’. Some rabbits (especially the whites) have a slight deficiency in their eyesight that requires them to move their head slowly from side to side in order to see everything. It is condition that you don’t have to worry about as, as far as I know, it does not worsen with age. It is just something that they live with without any impact upon their quality of life.

The pooping of the pellets ‘everywhere’ is her marking her territory. It is something that usually goes away over time, once they have decided that their place is theirs. Until then, I would invest in a $10 cordless hand vacuum and use that to suck them up. If you haven’t found any pee, then yes, she’s using the litter box. Many buns train themselves to use it.

When you open the door, are you standing right there? She is in a new place with new surroundings and new people about. She’s unsure of things. Some buns take longer to ‘warm up’ to people. So be patient. In addition, letting her stay in the cage for a few days is just fine. It will help reinforce for her that it is her ‘safe’ place. Try not to reach in and remove her while in there. You want a place where the rabbit will feel secure.

In the interim, make sure that the space you plan to let the rabbit loose in is completely rabbit proof (wires covered, not able to fit in places that you can’t get them out of, etc.). If you wish, leave the door to the cage open while you are working on this. It is quite possible that the bun will become curious to what you’re doing and hop out to see.

[sallysmom]

Pregnant???? oh my, oh my, oh my!!!!!  I will definatly be looking for a vet. I sure don’t want baby bunnies running around. One is enough for me right now. Later on after Sally is spayed I will look into getting another. I hear males and females bond well??  Thank you for the suggestions. I was holding her and put her down in front of her cage and she hopped in and started inspecting some of the new toys I put in there (phone book, and a toilet paper tube with hay inside.) So i’m crossing my fingers.

[Beka27]

what kind of flooring do you have in the condo? do you ever see her out of the litterbox? is she exploring the rest of the condo?

[sallysmom]

The flooring is an old piece of lenoluim (sp). I have a pic of the cage and everything on my profile. It’s not much, but i do have more grids to do a second and third level once she gets used to things a little bit. I seen her out for the first time a few min ago!!!!  I guess me posting on here is good luck. lol I went on freecycle and got some extra litterboxes for the extra levels. The ones I got was the kind with lids (cat litter boxes) should I keep the lid on? Just wondering. I’m going to set up a gate outside the cage later and see if she ventures out. Thanks again for all the replys. I am very relived to know that the head swaying is normal. I actually lost sleep last night worrying about it.

[MarkBun]

If I could make a suggestion for your pen – get a cardboard box and cut out a couple of holes on the side and put it in there as a little house for the bun. They sometimes need a private place for themselves.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

^^ Markus has a good suggestion!!

Cute bunny and you’re doing great! Love to see more pics when you can

[ScooterandAnnette]

I was going to make the same suggestion! Bunnies seem to love the feeling of shelter, and having a little “hut”. They’ll also hop on top and sit there to get a better view of things. Just be cautious if you don’t have a top on your enclosure as sometimes they’ll use the boxes to hop out of their pens! (at least our Aeryn did that…)
– Annette

[sallysmom]

I did put a box in there, and she has been in there a couple of times. I opened the door and layed on the floor a few feet away, and she even made it out 2 hops..lol it’ll take time, but its a start. She loves her box. Thanks.

[Sarita]

Sounds like she’s starting to explore and that’s great.

I don’t think she will get pregnant at 8 weeks either – I would not worry about that. It is recommended that litters stay together and with their mom up to 8 weeks and in the males the testicles don’t usually descend until about 3 to 4 months anyway.

[BinkyBunny]

I ditto Sarita, 8 weeks is rather early for pregnancy. It’s usually around the 3 month mark that people need to take precautions..

[Swansea-Girl]

Hi Sallysmom & welcome to the club. I would like to say that me also being a kinda newbie that everyone on here is absolutely fantastic, really helpful & informative. All species of albino (be it rabbit, human, dog etc) have poor eyes sight, it is in the genetics of having a lack of retinal pigment epithelium because of a lack of melanin. You might also find that she could be photophobic (not keen on too bright a light) because of her Albinism.

When I first had Gizmo (I too had her at a young age), I only let her out of her house into a small area, I thought that having the run of the house would have been a bit scary for such a little bunny now Gizmo goes everywhere and we have had to fence off certain rooms with spare NIC square!

[KatnipCrzy]

Maybe she found the linoleum scary at first because it was slippery?  and he/she was probably not used to that.  I use fleece blankets and cotton rugs (without rubber backing) to cover the protective plastic over our carpet in the bunnies pen.  She has an area that is uncovered and is bare plastic and granite tile and she likes to sleep and flop there occasionally.

[sallysmom]

Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions. She is slowly, VERY slowly coming around. She ventured out about 3 hops today. I have her cage open, then about a foot out and the lenth of her cage where she can come out. (if that makes sense). I don’t want her to feel too overwhelmed at once. When I got her she was outside with all of her brothers and sisters in a garage, on a floor, with cedar shavings (like the bedding kind you buy at walmart). So I dont know. I’m going to try and find a piece of carpet soon. I’m proud to say though, that when she thought she was alone she started hopping around in her cage. Looked to be a little bit of what I heard a binkie is supposed to be. I was so happy to see that.

[MooBunnay]

Hello there Sallysmom – welcome to BinkyBunny!

I am also a new parent to a red eyed white, and she does the exact same thing when she gets nervous or when she is just sitting still. It is very normal. Mine is also starting to do some small binkies, she does a little bit of a head flick with a little bit of a shimmy A piece of carpet is a very good idea. Also, how is she doing with her litterbox? I saw that you mentioned she had lots of poops around. This could be territorial marking which generally dies down after a few days, or it could be that she doesn’t know to use the litterbox for poops. When you pick up her poops, place them into her litterbox, and try to keep her cage floor relatively poop-free, this will help you get a head start on litter training!

[BunnyLiz]

I have a red eyed white rat. But i think she is more blind then fuzzy eyed. Poor thing, she also got a tiny bit of damage from head tilt. But she still is comfy and happy. My other rat shows her around and shares in her find of treats since its harder for her to find them. i try and leave the cage the same so she knows where she is going and seems to get around fine, just slower. She was the last rat left in the feeder bin and felt so bad for her. But i still love her all the same, even with the added effort

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

^^ Bunnyliz (learned this at the horse shelter) Blind animals who have a friend often benefit if the friend can wear a bell on their collar…Is that possible for your blind ratties friend?

[BunnyLiz]

KK- im afraid lady is just to.. excited shall we say to wear a bell. i can see her now, running all over the place trying to do whatever it is that she thinks she is doing lol. Ive thought of that, tried to make her wear a harness, since a collar would slid easily over her head. I hoped she would tolerate the harness and be able to add a bell but failed with the harness completely and gave up. They have a VERY LARGE cage, it could comfortable house 10 rats easily if i wanted that many. Its bigger then Hammers if you remember his. Its got 6 levels and i have food water and a hiding place in each in case she cant figure something out. But lady takes care of her, she cleans her up and leads her around. Its kinda cute, if she goes the wrong way lady will tug her tail to tell her “nope annabell, wrong way, follow me” and annabell follows so i think she is still having a good life.

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