Newbie Questions

[Sonn]

I am completely new to rabbits. I have never owned one. But I know someone who has some that breeds them and she is giving me first pick of the litter for free but I will probably donate some money to her since she is also a rescuer. I have been researching rabbits for a little while and have decided that I will either get a bonded pair or a single male (American Fuzzy Lop, or  Holland Lop) depending on how many people are on the waiting list. But I still have a few questions. Keeping in mind I probably won’t be getting it/them for 5-6 months.

The cage is already built it stands 1 foot off of the ground and has a barrier built around the base 2 feet out so my dogs cannot get to it (not sure if that was necessary as they have been trained) it is 5 feet long and 5 feet tall with 2 levels each level is 5 feet long and 1 1/2 feet tall. Would this be better for a single rabbit or would it accommodate a pair? (I would have a picture but new puppy= chewed up camera)

I will not be getting him/them until they are 5-6 months old so she can have him/them neutered/spayed. At this age what kind of pellets are best (I have read conflicting things) Alfalfa based or Timothy hay based?

 

Is Oxbow a good brand of food?

Do rabbits take better to a water bottle or a bowl? Or both?

I will be trying to litter train him/them does it matter the type of litter box? Like does it matter if it is a high back corner littler box or a cat litter box?

What is the best litter to use?

That’s all for now lol

Thanks,

Sonn

[Beka27]

first off, you should do what you’ve been doing and continue to research rabbits.  this is a great article from House Rabbit Society that gives a quick overview of house rabbits, along with links to other related articles.  http://www.rabbit.org/care/living-with-a-house-rabbit.html

as far as the cage, the bigger the better.  make it as large as you possibly can.  you may even choose to use an xpen instead or build a condo out of NIC grids.  what you’ve described sounds fine, but the rabbit(s) would still need at least 4 hours a day runtime outside of the cage.  i’d recommend the cage be situated so the bunny(ies) can get in and out on theri own and have access to a completely bunny-proofed area.

[Sonn]

Posted By Beka27 on 06/08/2008 8:46 AM

first off, you should do what you’ve been doing and continue to research rabbits.  this is a great article from House Rabbit Society that gives a quick overview of house rabbits, along with links to other related articles.  http://www.rabbit.org/care/living-with-a-house-rabbit.html

as far as the cage, the bigger the better.  make it as large as you possibly can.  you may even choose to use an xpen instead or build a condo out of NIC grids.  what you’ve described sounds fine, but the rabbit(s) would still need at least 4 hours a day runtime outside of the cage.  i’d recommend the cage be situated so the bunny(ies) can get in and out on theri own and have access to a completely bunny-proofed area.

 

 

 

Yeah I know about the out time and that is a great website.  They will have about 6 hours out time daily. The soon to be bunny proof is 6 feet wide by 18 feet long. The barrier around the cage is for safety only so that there is no possible way my dogs would be able to reach the cage(they will not be allowed into the bunny room just in case) . I will be able to remove the barrier so they can get in and out of the cage as they please during their out time.

[Deleted User]

Welcome Sonn! Its great that you are researching before you get your rabbit(s). I wish I had done that more!!!

I will try to answer your questions as best as I can. As for Oxbow, they are a very reputible company and I would reccomend all of their items. Timothy based pellets are the best way to go. Stay away from any food that has anything besides pellets in it. Junk food is bad for the rabbits.

Some bunnies prefer water bottles, some prefer a crock. If you notice that your buns are drinking much out of one or the other, give them both options to see if they like the other better.

I think everyone here uses different kinds of litter boxes. A high corner or a cat one would both be fine. Just make sure its big enough for you buns to sit in to make sure they don’t pee or poop over the sides. A lot of people get big litter boxes so they can use it for half litter, half hay. This helps in the litter training process as buns tend eat and poop at the same time.

A great litter to use is Aspen Supreme. I learned that clay litter is detrimental to buns and also any kind of cat litter is bad for them. The Aspen Supreme is like a pellet and very easy to clean out of the litter box (it comes out in one big chunk unlike other litters that clump up and stick to the litter box).

Hope this helps! I’m sure others will be along to tell you their preferences as well! Good Luck!

[MooBunnay]

Hello & Welcome to Binky Bunny Sonn!

Just to give you some of my own opinions – I think it would be a great idea to adopt a bonded pair. Often, people get just one rabbit first and then later want to bond the rabbit – and bonding can sometimes be a difficult and time-consuming task. Its very beneficial for rabbits to live in pairs, they groom each other, entertain each other, and make each other feel secure.

As far as litter – I use something called Lone Star bedding -it is actually something that is used to line horse stalls to keep them dry. It is a wood based pellet that is baked so it does not contain any of the dangerous pine fumes that wood chips have. It is cheap to buy, and can be found at feed stores.

Oxbow is a great food brand – it is the only one that I use! And bunnies for the most part prefer water crocks to water bottles. It is more natural for them to drink from crocks. Make sure the crocks are heavy or the kind you can screw to the side of the cage – or else bunnies like to FLING them!

Great job on all your researching so far!

[Beka27]

i’ve recently started using Oxbow T pellets and their Tim hay. i love it. the hay smells so good. on the website they have a store locator, so you might be able to buy it somewhere locally, to save on shipping. younger bunnies (up to 7 months) can get alfalfa hay along with the timothy, but if you’re getting them at 5-6 months, i would just start them right off on timothy. or give them just a bit of alfalfa. i think from what i’ve heard, people who adopt a pair right from the getgo have fewer behavioral problems. they keep each other company. (that’s actually an interesting thread idea…)

[Sarita]

Oh, definitely adopt a bonded pair right off – so many people get one rabbit and then later on wish they had a friend for their rabbit and then they and the rabbit(s) have to go through the stress of bonding.

[Sonn]

Thanks this is all helpful info!

[LittlePuffyTail]

I like to use Yesterday’s News litter and a water crock as it is much more natural for them than a water bottle.

Happy Bunny researching! There are so many great rabbit websites out there!

[Gravehearted]

I just wanted to say welcome! it sounds like you’ve gotten some great advice, but it always makes me happy when people do research prior to bringing bunnies into their home.

[Sonn]

Posted By gravehearted on 06/09/2008 10:13 PM
I just wanted to say welcome! it sounds like you’ve gotten some great advice, but it always makes me happy when people do research prior to bringing bunnies into their home.

 

 

Thanks I am just glad this forum is so friendly! I always do research before getting any animal even when I was really little and wanted my first dog I read every book I could find before even thinking of asking my mom for one lol. And I am constantly trying to encourage people to research before buying or adopting I have seen too many little animals get thrown away like they don’t matter because “it’s too much work”.

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