What should I do to keep my bunny happy and healthy ?

[Sentorini-bunny]

Could you please help
Me through one problem?

I got my rabbit after he weaned . He is been with me from last 3 months . I love him very much so does he .
I used to live with 3 ppl and bunny was loved by all us 3 .
But after sometime 2 ppl moved , bunny was still happy with me he is eating food well playing well .

And i never kept him in play pen he is been always a free roam bunny but now he turned 5 months .

Ppl are suggesting me to neutered him . But i am afraid of neutering him cuz he is so tiny and i don’t want any surgery on him .

On the other hand i work full time and i am not at home from 7am to 5 pm .
I keep hay available 24*7 in morning i give him fresh veggies with pallets in the morning before i leave and
At evening around 7-8 give veggies again.

When he is around people
He is so happy and binking and all . Doesn’t matter if it’s a dawn or dust .
But from last few days when i go home he sleeps whole day . He chew wood and when i come back home he stays still . He does bink and run fast from one room to another .
But ,

It feels like he is being lazy or something from few days. I have given him some oxbow chew play toys . He plays with them too . But it feels like he is not as happy as he used to be .

Should i get him a female rabbit who is already spayed ?
Or
Should i let him go to another people’s place for better home ? But i am afraid if new owner will not treat my little bunny well or no and I don’t want my rabbit to go to new places and adjust every time .

[Bam]

Is your bun still interested in his food? That is the first thing to check when you feel your bun isn’t acting quite like he usually does. Will he take a treat?

At 5 months, a bunny is starting to become an adult. An adult rabbit is less active than a baby bunny. Especially during daytime, which is resting-time for rabbits.

Another thing to check is how his poop looks. Is he pooping the same amount as normal? Do the poops look like they normally do? Does he eat his hay?

You don’t absolutely need to have a male bun neuteted for health reasons, but if you are planning on getting him a friend, it is necessary for a good and strong friendship.

Rabbits as a rule like having a rabbit friend. There is a bit of a process before you can let two rabbits, who have never met each other before, spend alone time together. This process is called bonding. We have a bonding section where you can get great advice on how to make 2 rabbits live together happily.

Please tell us more, especially about if he’s eating. If a bun won’t eat or will only eat a little food, something is not right.

 

[Sentorini-bunny]

Yes he is eating normal sometimes he eats alot . I fill his hay two times in a day , but that is like once a week .
other than that usual routine he follows . He eat perfectly his treats and always excited for his treat .
poop normal .

even drinking more water and not making any territories.
He is using perfectly good litter box .

if I don’t neutered him and get a female spayed friend will that work ?
or it would be better if both bunnies are neutered or spayed ?

 

[Bam]

I’m glad to hear he’s eating and drinking! Appetite and poop are best indicators of bunny health that we have!

It is best if both buns are neutered and spayed (and have healed) before bonding. An un-neuteted boy will have sexual desires that a spayed girl will not appreciate. She will likely try to defend herself when he tries to mate with her. And he won’t understand why she is angry, because his hormones are telling him he needs to make babies. Rabbits can get into terrible fights and hurt each other badly.

 

 

[Asriel and Bombur]

I just want to emphasize what Bam said about bonding, that it really is important you go through the proper process and not put them together right away and hope it works out. Bunnies really can get into dangerous fights. I have several scars to prove that from when I attempted bonding my two.

that being said, I think your boy is just becoming an adult bun. My boys aren’t nearly as active as they were when they were under 6 months old. They hardly binky or run around unless it’s for a treat. They mainly just enjoy flopping, getting attention, and just being present with you. It doesn’t mean he’s unhappy that he’s stopped being super active.

 

neutering also isn’t that dangerous of a procedure. Yes it’s a surgery so it will have risks, but overall it’s very safe if you have a good bunny savvy vet doing the surgery.

[DanaNM]

Others have given good advice so far! I agree that he’s prob settling into his adult energy levels. It’s very important to get your boy neutered if you plan to bond him. He could be bonded with a spayed female or another neutered male.

To keep things interesting for him in the meantime, having a rotation of toys and different hide-outs might help keep him stimulated (even just moving them around so it’s a bit more interesting). I have found sometimes it seems like my buns settle into their routine and aren’t as active, especially once I started giving free roam (oddly enough).

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Sentorini-bunny]

Good to know .this was really helpful people . I am glad i asked otherwise would have ended up harming small bunnies.

[Sentorini-bunny]

Yes he is a free roam bunny and i took him to lease free parks where he runs fast and got happy in green grass. Thank you for your reply .

[Louiethebunny]

Just an FYI, some parks use pesticides or chemicals in the grass, so I would be cautious with a bunny at the park. I would also beware of dogs or other animals in the environment that could be predatory or cause stress to your rabbit. Some people like to buy pop-up puppy playpens because they are quick to set up for giving a bunny outside time.

[Asriel and Bombur]

I second these playpens, but I also second these worries. I used to live near a park and brought my boys a few times. They loved it, but we made sure to keep them in a pen that had a top to secure them from any potential sky predators. We also stayed as far away from people as we could and used a blanket so they wouldn’t nibble on the grass.

[Author]

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