Rabbits

[tazz1227]

Now don't be hasty...who says your bunny is "over-weight"? My vet told me one of my bunnies was "obese". I say they are like babies...they are SUPPOSED to be cute and fat and fluffy!! Yes they are the BEST pets!!

[buttercup9637]

My vet said my rabbit is over-weight. He is a dwarf rabbit and he weighs 7.2lbs!!!!! he supposed to weigh a couple of pounds!

[tazz1227]

My vet said mine was "obese"...she is a mini lop and she should weigh about 6 pounds like her sister but she is topping the scales at12.7 pounds!

[sqwelch]

I think I need some advice off you guys !!! I just rescued a wee rabbit last night, caught some guy dumping it, so guess what I've decided to keep it !! I've never owned a rabbit in my life, don't even know what sex it is (will take it to the vet) any advice would be appreciated. I've bought the hutch, it seems to be litter trained, got the dried food, some carrots, some hay, any favourite foods or food to avoid ??
I've attached a pic, hope you can view, any ideas of type ?

[Snuggles]

the pic didnt load for me but if you e-mail it to me at [email protected] i could tell you breed or how to tell sex., color. veggies in very minute amounts. green pellets with 17% or so percent protien and 20% fiber.
good luck! rescuing rabbits is hard.

[Daisylover]

What a cutie!!!! You have a dutch rabbit, which are probably the most people-friendly of all bunnies. They tend to be calm and enjoy having people around.

I have 8 house rabbits and am in line to be Exec Director of a rabbit sanctuary here in Michigan, in the Ann Arbor area. I have been working with bunnies for 10 +years.

SQWelch and I are going to disagree on things, I can tell. I think you should go to www.rabbit.org for the BEST advice concerning domestic rabbits as pets.

A rabbits first food should be unlimited TIMOTHY hay, not alfalfa. Then 1-2 cups of fresh, dark green veggies and then only as a last resort rabbit pellets, also perferably made from Timothy Hay. Alfalfa is very high in calcium which adult rabbits do not need. Much of the excess calcium gets excreted in the urine but what doesn't goes into the bladder, forms into crystals which grow up to become bladder stones, very painful and very serious for the bunny, often requiring surgery. A way to tell if the bunny has too much calcium in his diet is a white sediment in the middle of his urine, that is a warning sign and shouldn't be overlooked. Not all rabbits gets the bladder stones but why take the chance?

Also rabbit pellets that have seeds and dyed puffs of "treats" in them are likewise bad for rabbits. The seed and the puffs are put in there to appeal to people, and yes, the rabbits love them but they are empty calories which tend to put weight on a bunny. An overweight bunny has a harder time cleaning himself and eating his cecals, which is important. As one of our rabbit vets said, do wild rabbits eat pellets? Also don't give your bunny a lot of fruit, a little bit once or twice a week is fine. Too much sugar, including carrots by the way, can make their poo's too soft and is an indication that there is a gut problem. The poo's need to stay hard and round and a dull dark brown. You also need a rabbit specialist vet. Many vets do not take the training in rabbit health and, while having good intentions, can often maim or kill a rabbit by giving the wrong meds or treatment, using the wrong anesthetic. Never give a bunny iceberg lettuce (too much water, no vitamins).

I think you will be pleased to have a rabbit as a pet. They are wonderful....very amusing and comical, not to mention cute as heck. Be sure to read the link on Rabbit Proofing your house in the House Rabbit Soc webpage mentioned above. I believe it is under the Behavior link. This is critical if you want a happy life with your bunny. Spaying or neutering are very important too, as an unaltered rabbit will poo and pee everywhere trying to get the attention of a mate. Likewise they will be much better about using a litter box.

Good luck with your bunny! Let us know if you have any other concerns or questions.

[tazz1227]

Hi Daisey!! Excellent advise as always. I need to slip a question in. One of my bunnies...not sure if it is Boy Boy or Girl Girl has been having soft "poopie" and from your email...you stated carrots can cause this? You didn't tell me that! When I saw the soft "poopie" I stopped ANY fruit and just did the veggies and hay and the "treats" they got were....carrots! So that may be the cause?? HELP!!

[BufftheBun]

Hi I am new to this, but I have one bunny a holland lop mix and I was feeding her a baby carrot twice a day and she was having a problem with the soft Poo. The vet had me take her off the carrots and greens and give her just hay and her pellets (the Oxbow timothy pellets) and the poos went away. I have her back on the greens now but no carrots and no more soft poo! So it may very well be the carrots that is giving your bunny the soft poos. I did find that Oxbow has Critter Carrots and they are not supposed to have the sugar in them, my bunny (Buffy) loves them and I haven't had a problem with soft poos since feeding her these either. By the way, my bunny was pet of the day back December 15, 02 if you wanted to see her! Hope that helps!

[tazz1227]

Hi Buff...your bun is adorable. I have heard about the oxbow hay. I am currently using the Kaytee and they are not real thrilled but they do eat it. I will eliminate the carrots as of today! Where do you get the Critter Carrots? Thanks for the advise. I will let you know how it goes if you like.

[BufftheBun]

You can find the hay and critter carrots at Oxbow's website, www.oxbowhay.com My bun absolutely loves the Orchard Grass and the Oat Hay, although the timothy is a favorite too. Good luck with the soft poo!

[tazz1227]

Hi Buff...guess what?? I didn't give any carrots last night and NO SOFT POOPIE!! Now I am going to see when I get home but you know what else I noticed? They "go" in the litterbox and occassionally get some around the litter box when they jump out however, this morning there was none around the litterbox. I don't know if the carrots were also making their litterbox habits bad but I am SO THRILLED right now! Thank you so much. I am loving the Oxbow website. What else do you recommend? What "healthy treats"? My babies like to snack and I have to bribe them when i am trying to get ready for work.

[Daisylover]

Hi Tazz!

Have you made General yet, heh-hehpheh!!!!!?

Good news about the disappearance of the soft poos....... and the mess outside the litter box....... When the buns get soft poo you should definitely eliminate the fruit/carrots and cut back on the dark greens but increase the hay....and make it a good timmy hay like the Oxbow. My buns refuse to eat the Kaytee timmy so I have my bunny vet order it for me, 50 lbs (!) at a time. It's not cheap but it's very good for them and they love it, so I decided they are worth it! in fact Chocolate will often only eat a bit of greens and then finish her meal with the hay. I am thrilled..... she's 8 yrs old and I try real hard not to be a nervous mom about her age.

[tazz1227]

HI DAISEY!! Not quite General yet....CLOSE!! You know, I did not know they would really EAT it because mine has never really eaten it. They will nibble while they sit in their litter box but never just decide to eat it...matter of fact I put some in a basket for them that they could chew and they have not touched it. My vet also carries Oxbow hay. I have to take Girl Girl for her check up which I am not looking forward to....she has just started to "love me" and "trust me" and all of that will go down the tubes!! I will definitely try the hay. Any other healthy eating suggestions. My babies love to eat!

[Daisylover]

Hey Tazz,
No, don't really have any other healthy eating tips...just timothy hay and more timothy hay, and more timothy hay.....you get the idea. Hay is a free choice item and should always be available.

How is Girl-Girl doing now after that scare? I know what you mean about rabbits hating you after a traumatic event like what the two of you went through. That's why a lot of people take their bunnies to the vet to cut toenails and check ears and teeth...that way the big old meanie is the awful person in the white cost and not you.

We have to give meds to some of our sanctuary bunnies and I seem to be about the only one who doesn't have to fight with them to take their meds..... I think it is because I don't just grab them and shove the med down their throat (or whatever) and put them back down.... I get down on the floor with them and we talk and have a talk and a pet or two or three, then they take their meds usually with no trouble and then we have another conversation and more pets.... Of course this means it probably takes a little longer to give the meds but on the other hand I don't usually have any trouble either. You could always try a reward system too aft giving meds....maybe a TINY piece of carrot instead of a whole one. And do it each time so the Girl-Girl comes to expect that treat for taking her meds..... It's worth a try.

Here endth the 748th lesson according to Watson!

[M.a.m.a.s. Gurl 07]

I just won a bunny!!