what do bunnys need

[bunnylove1]

just wondering what your bunny’s love and the things that are in their homes. anything u guys would highly recommend and things that you dont. please cover all bases !!!!!!

[bunnyfriend]

Welcome Do you mean for just habitat and toy stuff?

I highly recommend the maze haven, tunnel haven, and cottontail cottage. Those three are my bunnies’ favorites (besides food). Rabbits love tunneling and having hidey houses. Any cardboard box would do well also. You could also try piling some blankets on the floor and your bunny will probably enjoy rearranging them.

Phone books. A really good way to give your rabbit something to destroy and shred. You can also shred up phone book paper and put it in a cardboard box to create a diggy box for your rabbit.

For hay racks/boxes using willow baskets are awesome. Most rabbits love eating them and it’s completely safe.

I’m sure I’ll come back and add more stuff to this list!

[Tipsy Bunny]

my bun does love her cottontail cottage!! Its funny because she rips and tears her other cardboard boxes but when it comes to her cottage she keeps it so pristine! My bun loves anything willow because whatever she can get her little teeth on she ingests so willow is what I can give her unsupervised. She also loves when I take her wiffle ball and stuff it with treats!
I suggest buying your rabbit treats from a rabbit savvy store as petsmart and petco arent exactly rabbit savvy. They sell many treats that are very bad for rabbits. There are some toys that rabbits can have, but the died rice rolls and cardboard tubes with fluff in them are not good.

[bunnylove1]

thank you soo much for the information. i hope to get as much as i can im going to be a new rabbit owner soon and would love to know all i can. i have a few more things to do on the nic cage witch i got to w8t till next week end to do, but would love to know what i can start buying. if any one can look on amazon and link something you recommend it would be great please keep giving more info.

[Monkeybun]

litter box with a non-pine or cedar shavings litter. don’t need litter everywhere in the cage. variety of toys, a dig box is sometimes nice, cardboard hidey holes, chewable toys are always good to save on your furniture

[kamdynandsunshinesmom]

A big one for my buns is Willow Wicker Baskets and straw mats. Sunshine loves her litterbox and hidey house!

[bunnyfriend]

Oh space. LOTS of space. How big is the nic cage you are making?

You must be so excited to get your new bunny! Do you have one picked out yet?

[bunnylove1]

its only a 3 by 2 i have limited room but its got 2 levels b/c the bunny is going to be a baby when i get him/her. there due in a week ish and i should be able to see the litter in 3 weeks and pic one out. the breeder stated that there mostly chocolate Holland lops and sometimes a red. im soo excited please keep up the info i need a information over load any knowledge and experiences please let me know good bad indifferent.

[bunnylove1]

also i was wondering can i stick adhesive sand paper to my floor tiles to help with traction and also there nails??

[Tipsy Bunny]

I would suggest using rugs instead. There is a nonslip under-pad that goes under rugs strictly for smooth surfaces. rugs provide comfort more than sand paper.

[peppypoo]

Welcome! Check out the House Rabbit society page at http://www.rabbit.org, or the big “BUNNY INFO” link at the top of this site to get an idea of how to house your bunny, what to give in terms of food, and when you should spay/neuter.

[bunnylove1]

well a baby isnt going to be boxed trained yet hell be about 5 weeks when i get him do u have any more advise for lift off areas?

[BunnyDuck]

5 weeks?! That’s way to young for a bun to be leaving its mother. They should be at least 8 weeks old.
Babies have a very high risk of suffering from enteritis and other health problems if they leave the mother before 8 weeks.

[Monkeybun]

Yeah, don’t put sand paper on the floor. That’s just asking for trouble. To keep his nails nice, just trim them every 4-6 weeks.

And definitely do not bring home a bunny before it is 8 weeks old, otherwise it could end up with serious health issues. They need mama til 8 weeks.

And you can definitely start litter training when he/she is still a baby. My little Monkey picked it up at 8 weeks no problem.

[bunnylove1]

well i might have the age wrong there due in a week and i cant bring him/her home till the end of march

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Sounds like about 7 weeks maybe? Having got my bunny from a breeder, I also want to mention the option of checking out your local rescues or petfinder. Sometimes they have baby bunnies, and also grown bunnies, and the bonus part is they will come spayed or neutered which can save you $$ you’d have to spend in a few months anyway.
Bunnies can be litter trained right away, I got my Samson young (awful pet stores) and she litter trained nearly the first day I had her. They naturally like to use one spot and be clean, so it works to your benefit as well by starting off early.
Rabbits, even baby ones, need to have at least 4X4feet of space for their cage/pen. Small/medium breeds will be full grown by 6 months, so its just not worth the $ to make or buy a smaller cage anyway.
Have you found an exotic vet? Rabbits really need to be altered for them to be the best pet they can be, as well as reduce the rate of cancer from 80% chance to practically nil. If cost is an issue, this might be another reason to get an older bun, just by a couple months even, a 4-5 month old bun instead of a 2 month old! and you’ll also likely avoid the terror teenage months that buns go through

[bunnylove1]

well i wanted to rescue but the codes in ny are crazy they want to do house checks the 9 yards and my husband wont go for it. i also wanted a Holland lop witch i was having a really hard time finding on long island. when i get to the cross roads of neutering i well take that leap lol. do u have any information or things that u approve of disapprove in terms of toys cage items and things like that. the more information i can get the better

[bunnyfriend]

Since you are adopting from a breeder then the breeder should keep the bunny with its mom until 8 weeks. In a lot of states it is illegal to adopt out rabbits under this age. It sucks waiting, but it’s really what is best for your bunny and will ensure that he has the best chances to be healthy and happy.

As for the toys, most pet store toys are not okay for rabbits (even though they say they are). Best toys I have found so far are untreated willow baskets, balls, and rings, phone books, cardboard boxes, cardboard rolls from toilet paper, hard plastic baby toys (like keys for tossing), timothy mats and balls, dried out pinecones, dried out raspberry and apple twigs, and blankets. Anything for a store like BB or Busy Bunny you can trust.

Oh also a lot of treats commonly sold at pet stores are not okay for rabbits, like yogurt drops which can actually kill your rabbit. Anything with dairy or human food like cookies, crackers, pasta, bread, cake, ect will cause the build up of bacteria that rabbits shouldn’t have which can give them G.I. stasis. Stuff like craisins, raisins, fresh fruit, carrots (which are so sugary they should only be given as a treat) in small amounts are great treats. Also botanical hay is great, and can be given as much as you want.

[bunnylove1]

i just spoke to the breeder there due between the 8th and the 13th n i cant take mine home till the end or march. i will make shore not to get those treats i have given them to hamsters in the past and don’t judge i have tried them my self i like them lol but i understand about the dairy ill stay clear of that. i cant w8t to get my bunny please continue with more information.

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Only because you mentioned when it comes to it, boys can and should be neutered about 3 months to avoid being sprayed, circled, humped and other not so fun behaviors. Girls at 5- 6 months to avoid the hormones. So its pretty soon after you get it. Before you get your bunny is really the best time to find an exotic vet and ask about costs of visits, alteration, etc.

What that breeder is doing is illegal, the State of NY you cannot sell a rabbit under 8 weeks. They made that law for a reason, its extremely unhealthy for your baby bun.

I generally stay away from pet store toys dedicated to small animals. However, BB has a great online store, and everything there is bunny safe and approved

[bunnylove1]

well if the bunny is born the 8th lets say and isn’t given to me will the end of march like 31s thats around 8 weeks and im pretty shore she was jst giving a estimate b/c u cant even give a date till after there born. btw is this ok to have for bunny’s ? http://www.ebay.com/itm/kitten-guinea-pig-rabbit-ferret-small-pet-fleece-snuggle-sack-10X14-quality-105-/170771356690?_trksid=p3284.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D21%26pmod%3D310374264981%26ps%3D54

[peppypoo]

That’s fine to have for bunnies, but it’s pretty doubtful that they will actually use it. A lot of people try buying adorable pet beds for their bunnies, but the biggest complaint seems to be that the bunnies pee on the beds and don’t actually sleep in them, haha. Personally, my bunnies have always just preferred to lay down on nice flat surfaces. It may seem weird and uncomfortable to us humans, but they seem to like it.

What you absolutely need is a litter box, hay, and water/food bowls. For toys, bunnies like things that they can make a project out of, such as cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls, or old phonebooks. Some also like to play with cloth, so an old shirt or a towel might be good too as long as they aren’t trying to eat the material. Pet stores will try to sell all sorts of adorable-looking “toys” for rabbits, but honestly, I’ve found that most of the cheapest and best toys are just the things you already have lying around the house.

[bunnylove1]

thank you peppy very good info any one else have anything to add?

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