Working Long hours.. New Job

[Bindy]

I currently am a nurse who works 8 hour shifts and am sometimes forced to do mandatory OT, which is getting worse due to staffing demands.  As it stands now my two buns have a fairly consistent feeding schedule of morning/night.  However, I am thinking of accepting a different job to have more time at home but would have to work 2 16 hour shifts and be off the rest of the week.  I am just worried about how this would impact my rabbits, as I live by myself and am aware of the very real threat of GI stasis.  Both of my rabbits have access to unlimited hay and would be fed as soon as I return from work, if I do accept this position.

 

[Inserted by Wick; duplicate topic post with potentially more detail; see below]

“As it stands right now, my two boys eat on a very consistent schedule, as I work 8 hour shifts. I am a nurse, so sometimes my work hours can be extended through mandatory overtime. I am looking to find a way around this by working only 16 hour shifts two times a week, and having the rest of the week off with my rabbits. I currently live alone, and am just concerned how this change on the days I work would impact my rabbits. They both have unlimited access to fresh hay and would be fed as soon as I get in the door. I’m just worried about the thought of GI stasis… The only days their feeding schedule would be impacted, would be the days I would be working 16 hour shifts. Does anyone have any advice. I am on the fence about this job change, only because I am worried about the impact it will have on my fur babies.”

[Wick & Fable]

Welcome to BB Bindy! I noticed you submitted this topic twice with some varied wording, so I went ahead and pasted the other topic to this one, that way all responses will be to a single thread.

I’m actually less concerned about feeding schedule, a more so you being gone for 16 hours. 8 hours is typically OK, especially since you have bonded rabbits and rabbits sleep, but 16 hours definitely spans into activity time. A lot can happen in 16 hours, and you not being there could be dangerous.

What is the home set-up like?

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.

[Bindy]

Hello,

They are in a Semi-finished basement, and have run of the basement.  They have plenty of toys with access to boxes, 2 wooden hay racks to chew, an ikea wooden bed to chew.  They also have willow chews and grass mats.  The floor is covered with blankets, and then fleece over top.  They do not have access to anything that they can harm themselves with.  Everything such as my water heater and fridge is blocked off  with x-pens so they do not have access to anything that they can harm themselves with.  They have access to both water bowls and water bottles which are changed daily.

[Bindy]

They are in a Semi-finished basement blocked off by ex-pens and don’t have access to anything harmful. They have access to many non-hazardous wooden toys, grass mats and both water bottles and bowls which are changed daily.

[DanaNM]

I believe some people only feed pellets and veggies once a day, so I would think as long as they have access to hay they should be OK.

I sometimes am away from my buns for that length of time depending on my teaching schedule and whether my SO is in town, and they just eat more hay (which is honestly a good thing).

I’m wondering if it would be easier on them if you fed them on that schedule all the time, whether you were working or not?

When I’m out of town mine get fed once per day vs. twice per day, and I’ve never had an issue.

. . . 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.  

[Bindy]

Maybe I will consider doing this. The youtubers that I watched fed twice a day, I think that’s where I got that from. It is difficult to manage pets on a working schedule. They are like my kids, so I worry too much

[DanaNM]

I feel ya on that one… i do feed twice a day usually, but if it has to be once a day sometimes I don’t stress about it. As long as you have good hay eaters they should be fine.

If it’s any consolation, the rescue in my town gives salad and pellets once a day and their buns are very well cared for.

. . . 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.  

[Muj Mom N Bun]

And to add to that, I don’t have long work outside of the home hours such as yours… and most of the time I’m home… still most days I “prefer” to feed Bun her fresh veggies twice a day but she is a very good hay eater and I often like to give her a day or two in the middle where she only gets her veg once. I usually consider these days her clean up her intake and green up her poop days since she tends to have darker ones more often. As long as she is eating plenty of hay non stop during the day and gets her 1/4 cup pellets at night, she’s all set! The hay and water intake are the real vital issues…

[Author]

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