# Rabbits



## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Does anyone have a rabbit?

We got one last night, well its more DH who got him I wanted guinea pigs  

He is 6 months old and a black Lionhead and as of yet un named!

Anyone got any tips? He came with a small hutch but we have seen quite a few accessories on Zooplus we are getting him at the end of the month yay!!

xxx


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

I have bread rabbits for yrs but now i dont have any   My female died 2 weeks ago   They need lots of picking up because they tend to go back to being wild so quick. And males are better than females coz they tend to grunt at you  especially when they come into season   And belive it or not they love goingfor walks and love being bushed


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I think this one will need plenty of grooming, we love him to bits he is sooo cute!
DH is popping him onto the lawn now for some exercise. The grass is a bit wet tho... DH will have to dry him off with a towel before he goes back in his hutch!

xxxx


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

It depends how wet he is when you go to put him back. And be warned rabbits love digging and i had a male who would not stop in  run or for that matter his cage. He chewed every cage he was in ( both the wood and he bars   ) so in the end he lived in the garden


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Sallyanne ~ I wouldn't mind him living in the garden, or at least free ranging through the day and back in the hutch at night. He is timid at the moment though so want him a bit tamer tbh.

Happygirl ~ When we get Rhubarb a friend we are going to get a dwarf lop I love them  I am going to call her either Crumble or Custard  This will be when he has been neutered though

What do you think of these two links?
This one is the run we are getting at the end of the month for him to roam around in during the day.
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/rodents/cages/pens_fencing/pens_with_racks/35638

And this is the little house we are going to put in there so he can hide if he needs too! 
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/rodents/cages/pens_fencing/pen_accessories/33223

/links


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## sallyanne1 (Oct 23, 2006)

Oh i like them   My rabbit would either chew the wire and get out or dig out though


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

Hi 

I have 5 bunnies in total.

2 Netherland dwarfs (both black) both live together names: Stripe & Smokey
3 Mini dwarf lops (one white, One multi coloured and one giner & white) 2 live together the ginger one is on his own atm  Names: Snowy, Mopsy & Ginger

They all live outside in big runs but they have to play out in the garden separatly as they dont all get along with each other

1 of my netherlands used to dig but doesnt anymore but my white lop does dig great big holes  

We may get a g/f for our ginger as he is our youngest and lives on his own  and wont get on with the others  I wish they could all run around the garden together 

Ctm xx


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Ooo they sound lovely!

We would like 2 female dwarf lops to keep Rhubarb company in the Spring but we want to do lots of bonding with Rhub first! He is a bit timid! When we get the girls we are calling them Custard and Crumble!  

I have seen a really big 7 foot hutch!! I was thinking of getting but it is pricey...   

On Zooplus I have seen a run and some other bits I am getting Rhubarb at the end of the month. The main aim once the garden is finished is for him to free range  

xxxx


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Just thought I'd pop a pic of my Rhubarb and his Girlfriend Crumble on here

Crumble









Rhubarb


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

Oh they are so lovely!! Once I figure out how to get piccies on I will show mine off 

My Ginger now has a g/f called Bridget. We got her from a rescue


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Upload your piccies to photobucket and then post them on here hon


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

Smokey 







Stripe 
Both 4 yrs 3 months old








Ginger  Just over 1 yr







Bridget  Coming up to approx 1 yr








Snowy  now just over 2 yrs (this was taken when we 1st had her and she has grown alot since then!!)







Mopsy  also just over 2 yrs


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Oh they are gorgeous!!!


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

What hay does everyone elses rabbits eat?? 

I am having a nightmare getting mine to eat it. Just ordered a sample pack from the hay experts!


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

I have difficulty getting mine to eat hay! Only Bridget and Ginger eat it. I cant think of ways of getting them to eat hay


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I've ordered the sample pack and whichever they like or eat even they will be getting!


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## Zeka (Mar 7, 2009)

Ctm - Mopsey looks just like my house bunny, Daisy! She's 5 yrs old so sleeps quite a lot and snores, its so sweet!

All these photos are soooo cute.

Zeka x


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

Zeka - Your Daisy looks lovely!! Just like my Mops as you say!!

Saila - Any good with the sample pack??


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I've not tried him yet hon, will be giving it a whirl in the near future!!

xxxx


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## Zeka (Mar 7, 2009)

Have you tried the bunny yoghurt or white choc drops from Pets at Home? My bunny goes crazy for them!


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I try not to feed stuff like that as mine have a tendency to get fat   If they have a treat its usually some banana or something


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## Zeka (Mar 7, 2009)

Don't think I've ever tried banana. Will have to give it a go. ...I agree rationed treats are best way. She only gets a few drops a week. Really funny watching her if she smalls we've been eating real chocolate and she starts hunting around for it.she's happy to climb all over us then but its all cupboard love!


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## Zeka (Mar 7, 2009)

Btw, do any of you have bunnies that mix with dogs? I'd love to get a v placid dog but don't want to upset the bunny or for her to be attacked. I'd never forgive myself. Just wondered if anyone has any experience of them living happily together?


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

I know of someone who had bunnies and a dog and in fact the dog was scared of the bunny!! I wouldnt know how they went about mixing them though 

I have given mine chocolate  and they come round sniffing and jumping all over me if I am eating it but I too dont want them to get fat  

They had to go for their jabs last night, went to a diff vets this time as the one they are registered at seems to be loads more expensive than anyone else!! They were all coming to me for a love (which is unheard of with all of them except Snowy and Smokey!!)


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## Zeka (Mar 7, 2009)

♥Saila♥ said:


> Sallyanne ~ I wouldn't mind him living in the garden, or at least free ranging through the day and back in the hutch at night. He is timid at the moment though so want him a bit tamer tbh.


Just reading back about bunnies living in the garden and thinking about the resident fox in ours - she sits there brazenly sunning herself! So no garden for our bunny as I don't think she would last five minutes!

A friend's just bought a really cute havanese dog (I'd never heard of the breed before) and it had such a lovely temperament. Although I would ultimately love a cocker spaniel, I'm wondering whether something smaller and not so bouncy would be better. What breed is your friend's dog ctm?


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

Oh I cant remeber now hun  Was a while ago now 

Cant believe you have a fox who just sits in your garden!!!! We had one walking down our road in the middle of the night so the next morning we put net up over their runs just incase it decided to get in our garden. Its all been taken down now though as it was a pain to keep unclipping it.

How all of you are well and your bunnies too


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

We have a chihuahua, Rhubarb is obsessed with her but Crumble is totally indifferent to her xx


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## purplejr (May 20, 2009)

Hi,

Hope you don't mind me gatecrashing but I need some advice.

We adopted the rabbit from next door when it ate it's way through our fence 2 years ago and never went back. It's not a rabbit you can handle or stroke but will eat from your hand. It has free run of the garden 24 hours a day and a hutch if it wants to sleep in it.

Anyway on Mon DH went out to feed him at about 6pm and he was laid on the lawn next to the fence not moving. He let DH stroke him and didn't move. I went over and he was all wet under his mouth and down his front. He let me pick him up without struggling and I took him inside. DH found an emergency vet and we rushed him over there. He'd perked up a little by the time we got there but was still docile.

Vet examined him and said not usual good gut sounds but unsure of cause. He's been eating normally and as far as we can tell pooing too. The dribbling could be due to teeth but diff to check without anaesthetic. Gave us worming stuff, zantac, baytril and rehydration sachets and told us to watch his eating.

Took him home and he perked up a bit more by bedtime. Were worried if he'd stay in box over night so put him back in his hutch with loads of straw. He jumped straight out and started drinking loads.

Next moning DH went out and he came over as normal but let him stroke him. I went out and he wouldn't let me touch him. We've struggled to get the drugs into him as he won't be handled again so have resorted to mixing them with his food with he has been eating mostly.

Am really confused by the major turnaround as he is now running round like normal when we thought he was going to die a couple of days ago. He does keep sneezing occasionally.

If anyone could shed any light on what may be wrong we'd be grateful.

thanks for reading


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

Hi hun,

Dont know what to say really   I would just keep an eye on him to make sure he doesnt do another U turn and get ill again as rabbits need seeing to quickly. I think you need to get the vets to check his teeth just incase this is causing the dribbling 

When I was looking for a rescue rabbit I used to go onto a website called rabbit rehome, they might be able to give you some advice about it http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/index.php

Hope it all works out for you though hun xx Its so upsetting seeing our furbabies ill


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## purplejr (May 20, 2009)

Thanks,

He seems to have stopped dribbling but he does seem to grind his teeth He is also still sneezing and occasionally not so lively.

Is it common for them to recover so quickly from apparent deaths door?

xx


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

My little smokey was really ill as a youngster and with the right meds he made a great recovery and quite quickly aswell xx 

Sounds good that he is not dribbling anymore though  My bunnies sneeze some of the time but I think that may be down to dust  off their hay / straw.


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## purplejr (May 20, 2009)

thanks, we're keeping an eye on him.


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## Mummytoone (Mar 23, 2002)

Hello, just stumbled across this thread as you do.....  

Not sure if I can help re the poorly bun. My husband is a vet and I have 16 years of veterinary experience. Bunnys are really prone to getting something called gut stasis. This is when they dont eat for a day or so and their guts stop moving, this is potentially a life threatning illness and when examined a vet may not here much in the way of gut noises. With a few drugs and tlc it can be turned around and a rabbit can get better as quickly as it becomes unwell which may have been the case with yours. However I would def get his teeth checked again incase that is what is stopping him eating.
Teeth care is REALLY important but once the damage is done there is not a huge amount that can be done apart from regular dentals. Good calcium and phosphorus levels are really important, plenty of hay, very few treats, and good quality food will prevent the damage. Foods such as Supa rabbit are fantastic as it prevent selective feeding from the mix type foods when a rabbit will only eat certain parts of the mix food and leave the stuff that contains all the calcium and phophorus. Available in most vets and large pet stores. Rabbits are designed to graze for most of the day to keep their teeth down and giving them treats, biscuits, toast etc will just fill them up and they will be less inclined to eat the important stuff such as hay.

Hope this helps!

L xxx


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## Mummytoone (Mar 23, 2002)

There you go bunny mummys! 

http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/products/excel-feeding-plan-step-2.html


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## purplejr (May 20, 2009)

Just to update you, we've had to put him to sleep cos he was having fits.     

Thanks for all the advice.


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## Zeka (Mar 7, 2009)

oh Purplejr, I'm so sorry to hear your bunny was having fits and had to be put to sleep. I was really rooting for a speedy recovery especially after the little surge of activity yesterday.  

Zeka x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

I'm so sorry to hear about the poorly bunny.

My bunny Rhubarb is booked in to have his bits off tomorrow 

xx


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## purplejr (May 20, 2009)

Poor Rhubarb, hope he makes a speedy recovery.


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Me too, I hope its not long before he can be back with Crumble she misses him xx


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## Zeka (Mar 7, 2009)

Hope Crumble still fancies Rhubarb without his bits! Lovely that they have each other. I'd love to get Daisy a beau but think it would just unsettle her now. In fact she's been worrying me a bit. She is 5yrs old, so I appreciate she's knocking on a bit, but she just seems to sit in her cage even though the door is open all the time (she's a house bunny). She seems alert and is eating but seems to be less and less active, noticeably so. Anyone got any thoughts or do you think she's just getting a bit of an oap??
Zeka x


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## ♥Saila♥ (Mar 27, 2006)

Both my rabbits are about 1yr old so I am glad they have each other too, its lovely for rabbits to have some company.

You could ring a local rescue and see if they give you any advice on whether to get her a friend or not

xxx


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## hbrodie (Aug 17, 2007)

wondered if I could bump this thread and ask some advice about my rabbit?

I have a gorgeous himalayan rex called Harry. He is 3 next month. I had him neutered when he was 6mth old (I think, it was the earliest he could be done as he was becoming a bit grumpy and the vet suggested we do that asap)  

anyway, the issue I have is that he is the grumpiest old fart I have ever known! I have had rabbits since I was 7, and I also have guinea pigs. Harry was grumpy alone so we put him in a run next to the guinea pigs and he was happier so we put Maisy the guinea pig in with him as her friend died   
he was ok, they get on fine, but he is so grumpy towards humans   
I go to the hutch and he growls and lunges forward at me. I put my hand in to get his bowl and he lunges at me and if I am not fast enough he bites or scratches my hand   He even bit my 19mth daughter last month just because she was stood near the cage - she was saying hello and leaned forward and he just caught her  

What is wrong with him? the vet said it would be ebtter once he was neutered but it is worse  

I had a bunny like this a few yr ago but that was a girl and she had a check up and we were advised neutering with her too - which worked a treat. the vet said when he took her ovaries they were covered in multiple cysts and he had never seen so many! poor Poppy.  from that day on she was as placid as a dishcloth  

do I take him to the vet for a check up? I am able to cut his claws but not as often as I want to as he won't really let me. 
he has a big hutch and a run which he hops in and out of as he pleases. he runs free in the garden in the summer when I am home in the day....
I hear him growl at maisy sometimes   and in the summer when the windows are open I hear him thumping his feet all night


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## Zeka (Mar 7, 2009)

Hbrodie, 
It sounds like you have done everything right in terms of making sure he has a big cage, had his bits cut off, given him a friend, so I am surprised he is still grumpy. It could be just a territorial thing. Is he like it outside his cage too or is he friendly then? Are you able to handle him lots and lots even though he is grumpy, as this understandably helps loads with this behaviour, but I'm sure you know that if you've kept bunnies for years. 

Don't worry about the thumping a night time, most bunnies do that. It freaks me out when our house bunny does it, I have to admit, as its like she is sensing something ghostly in the house. It may just be a cat passing by they has spooked yours. My bunny does this when cats pass the french window (or often also for no reason at all!)

With regards to the lunging when you go to put food in his cage, does he come near enough before lunging for you to touch the top of his head? If possible when you reach in, reach in over his head with your arm touching him as possible. I find this stops my girl lunging as she mostly thinks I am just going to stroke her and she likes the contact. She is a sweety but very territorial in her cage so does the same as your bunny sometimes - she's worse tho when I am trying to feed her a treat by hand and she gets crazy for the bunny treat and tries to take the food/attack at the same time for no reason. Its very odd behaviour but I havent solved that one yet  

When I trim Daisy's claws I wrap her in a towel and put her on her back on my lap (- she's the only bunny I've known not to go into a trance like they normally do when you lay them like this) and get one leg out at a time. This the only way I can do it with her as she is so strong when she kicks out. Hwo do you manage it with yours? 

Not sure i've helped at all but just wanted to tell you how I get round similar bunny behaviour...

Good luck with Harry (...arrrr, that was the name of my all time favourite bunny btw who used to follow me everywhere   )
Zeka x


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## hbrodie (Aug 17, 2007)

thanks zeka
your bunny sounds ovely, gorgeous picture!
harry is like it in his garage cage (cold season) and his out door cage (warm season) and he lunges from one end of the hutch / run to where I am and if he is near the bowl I do try and talk to him to stroke him also but he just won;t let me   I really wonder if he has a pain somewhere   but he is eating and drinking well, pooing VERY well   and washes maisy when they are sat together   maybe he just hates humans


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

Hi lovely bunny owners 

This might be a long shot but here goes...

My little Snowy girl, she has just gone 3 yrs old, has developed spurs on her molars, she had them removed beginning of Feb and then again on Friday (23rd) Also on that morning I noticed a big red lump on her eye (was like a spot  ) anyway they said it could be whats known as cherry eye or could be blocked tear ducts and they would look further once she was under for her teeth. She has also lost alot of weight  She was 2.5 back in Feb and now only 1.8kg.

When I went to collect her on the friday, they said her eye was caused due to trauma and they gave me some cream to put in. Her eye is getting worse and when she went for her free health check last night (rabbit awarness week and at a different branch) they advised me to take her back to main branch as her eye is very swollen. They think she may have fluid behind the eye and if left untreated, sorry but tmi coming up, her eye could pop out   

She didnt eat on Saturday so had to get some recovery food from vets. At the moment (as shes still not eating huge amounts) we are grinding her pellets up and mixing with water and syringe feeding her. She aslo lost another 0.5kg since Friday  

Sorry its so long but just wondered if anyone else had experienced swollen eyes  I hate seeing her like this and she now cant see out of her bad eye  

Coz xx


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## Zeka (Mar 7, 2009)

Sorry to hear your bunny isn't well. I'm afriad I don't have any experience of eye problems. I do hope she gets well soon, you must be very worried. Hugs Zeka x


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## ctm (Sep 12, 2007)

Thanks Zeka  I am worried as I think they will want to put her under again and I really dont think shes strong enough to come out of it


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