Newbie to bunnies & this forum.

[naughtybunny]

Okay so I just got my baby bunny about a week ago but have no idea whether its a female or male, how old it is, and what type of bunny it is. I was hoping you guys could help me out? When I bought the bunny I asked the owner what it’s gender is & he said it was too small to know. He said it would be noticeable later on. However, I forgot to ask how old it is. The bunny is really small so I’m guessing it is about 1-3 months old. I am leaning more on 1 month old though because its super tiny which is why I decided to buy it. Is there any way I can find out its gender and age?
Also, what type of rabbit is it? I have no experience with bunnies so please a little help here. The only other time I had a bunny was when I was very small but he was already big. The bunny is black & has some white traces on its face & around the neck. The one on his face runs thorough its nose and goes around its head and down its mouth and connects with the white collar around its neck. It sort of looks like a skunk. I cant attach any pictures because it says the size of them are too big but im trying to describe him/her in the best way I can. It’s ears are really small their so cute. Oh yeah, it’s paws or what ever they’re called are white too and it’s nose is really pink.

Oh yeah also I just wanna know more on the basics of bunnies. Anything important that starters need to know. I keep my bunny in a pretty big cage with its water bottle and food bowl. I give it alfalfa everyday kus I read young rabbits should eat alfalfa. The cage came with pellet food but I think my bunny is too young to eat that. It doesn’t want to eat it when I try giving it to him/her. It doesn’t even want to eat any of the treats I have bought it. All he eats is the alfalfa and I give it a little lettuce everyday. But yeah that’s practically it. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks in advance

[Roberta]

Hi Naughtybunny and Welcome…
If you can post a pic it will help people guestimate age and breed. Baby bunnies need unlimited hay and pellets at this age, so you are off to a good start.
A good place to look is the rabbit info on the home page the house rabbit society http://www.rabbit.org also have some great info.
What part of the world are you in ? Is your bunny living indoors or in an outside pen ? This info will help people give you advice.
Did you get your bun from a breeder, pet shop, rescue ?? I know it’s very hard to gender a bun under about 9 weeks, even 12 weeks sometimes but a breeder would usually know.

[Roberta]

OK, just saw your coment about pics being too big. Easiest way to shrink them on your PC or laptop is to open them in paint, select resize or skew and reduce by about 70%, just enter 30% in the top and bottom boxes. On your phone you will need to get into your camera settings and adjust picture size to 600*400 or visaversa (it could also offer 430*630) anything about that size. You should be able to edit each pic individually the same way. It will then be the right size to upload.

[Beka27]

The breed sounds like a dutch, Google pics of dutch rabbits.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Welcome to BB. A great place to start with care/health info is the “Bunny Info” section here at Binky Bunny.

[Hazel]

Welcome!
If he’s too young to eat the pellets you can mush them up in water and let him eat it that way. What kind of pellets are they?
Like Roberta said, unlimited hay is important. Also, I wouldn’t give him veggies just yet, if he’s really that young.

[naughtybunny]

Is there a certain type of pellets that the bunny should be eating since it is so small or should it just be eating the regular ones any bunny eats? My bunny is a house bunny so I have him indoors in its cage. I let it roam around the house everyday though. I am in Southern California right now, currently attending college. As to whom I got my bunny from I have no idea lol. I was at Petco & some guy and his girlfriend had two bunnies for sale and I just fell in love with the baby; I had to get it. When I bought the bunny I didn’t know what type of questions to ask but now I am sooo regretful about not asking anything. However, I’d expect the owner to tell me anything important and info about the rabbit. But no, it was a very quick & brief sale. But I mean that’s practically it. Thanks for your help though

[naughtybunny]

What’s wrong with giving him veggies? The pellets I give my bunny came with his cage. They’re called Kaytee Fiesta Max. I also try to give it some treats like Tropical Nut & Fruit Mixes & Yogurt Drops but it doesn’t want to eat any of them. I don’t give my bunny treats regularly just once in a while but I guess it doesn’t like them because it doesn’t take ’em. I read that bunnies absolutely loovee treats but my bunny is the opposite. Is they’re something wrong?

[naughtybunny]

What do you guys think? I posted pics below.

[naughtybunny]

Lets see if this works. Click on the link for a pic

[naughtybunny]

Here he/she is again.

[LoveChaCha]

The problem with yogurt drops is that rabbits are herbivores cannot digest milk or dairy products. Pet store treats are not very good for a bunny unless it is dried papaya. I would try a very small piece of banana or a craisin as a treat.

If you have a baby bun, I would highly recommend Oxbow alfalfa based pellets for your bun. A plain pellet is best for bunny.

[Sarita]

I think it’s fine to give him veggies in small amounts but like LoveChacha suggested on the pellets, those Kaytee pellets with the mixed stuff in them, no good.

Goodness he’s adorable – I think he is a Dutch or a Dutch mix.

[Sarita]

And as for treats – some love them and some don’t but I agree as well, no yogurt drops. You’ll eventually find a suitable treat he loves, don’t worry.

[Hazel]

In your first post you said he might only be 4 weeks old, if that’s truly the case he shouldn’t get veggies yet. If he’s older it’s okay, just take it slow

[Roberta]

Hi Naughty Bunny,
S/He is absolutely gorgeous and yes very young, probably a little too young but the good thing is S/He is with you now and safe. Treats are a bit rich for babies, nice plain pellets are best with no colourful stuff, that’s really bad for them especially when they are little. Leafy veg and fruit can be introduce slowly once they have established good gut flora etc which is why its recommended to keep them on unlimited supplies of the plain healthy stuff to prevent life long intestinal and digestive problems. I suppose if you were to go for a comparison it would be like feeding a newborn human baby a diet of burritoes and M&M’s, I would not want to change the nappies !!!!! Once S/He is a bit more developed you will find treats that are appreciated. Many of us use fruit or dried fruit like Craisins. My bunnies are Craisin Whores and will do anything to get them.

[naughtybunny]

Thanks so much everyone! You guys are very helpful. I really appreciate it

One more thing, how can I find out its gender?

[Roberta]

Hi NB,

The best way at the moment would be a vet check…. This might provide you with gender id ifS/He is old enough to tell and it’s also good to get their health checked immediately if your are unsure of their origins so any evident health problems can be identified and possibly prevented from becoming worse. Your vet should also be able to give you a good idea of the correct age.
Check out the rabbit savvy vet list at http://www.rabbit.org or check locally for vets who treat or specialise in exotics.

[naughtybunny]

Hi Roberta,
About how much does a vet visit cost? Is it expensive?

[Beka27]

The cost varies. Best thing is to look up exotic vets and call around. You will need an experienced vet for annual exams, in the case the bunny gets sick, and to neuter or spay when the time comes, so now is a good time to start looking.

[Author]

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