Just bought a baby lionhead rabbit. ADVICE NEEDED!!!

[kt_luvs_kitties]

Ok, So I know that people here are against pet store animals. I agree. But I went into Pet Supermarket to get a few cat toys (for the kits) and I saw a 10 week old lionhead bunny left all alone in his cage.He is gray with a white undercoat.
I held him, and instantly FELL IN LOVE!! I had them put him on hold until Monday, since I dont get paid until then, and I wanted to read up on them. I have to buy him a cage first.
I am buying the extra large pet house that they have. I bought him Kaytee treats, the bedding stuff they suggested, a bunny harness. I will buy his food on Monday along with the other toys, treats, food..

What is the best food?

How to potty train?

How do I introduce him to my cats? He will be kept seperate in another room until I feel comfortable with the intro.

What is the best veggies to give him? How much is enough?

HELP ME PLEASE!! I really dont know alot about them. But I want to be prepared when I do go to pick him up. Any help is MUCH appreiciated.

[buttercup132]

You don't / shouldn't really feed pellets because they aren't too healthy for them. As long as you provide for now alfalfa hay since he is a baby. Once he gets to be a little older I would say 4 months change to Timothy hay. As long as he has constant acsess to hay he dosen't need pellet food.

If he is 10 weeks he can't have veggies yet as his immune system is not ready for them yet. start feeding veggies when he is 6 months old. The time to be fixed, you can use them as bribary to make him forgive you lol.

As for introducing him to your cats, let him get settled in first. When you bring him home put him right in his cage till the next day then take him out and let him explore one room a day. After a couple days let the cats wonder into the room and sniff the cage etc. Without bunny in it. Let them do a whole search for about 10 minutes then bring bunny in put him in the cage and let them smell the cage. Any swatting or trying to get the paws through the bar discourage immeditaly.

Just say no and maybe spray them with a water bottle. If everything gose fine then proceed to taking him out of the cage and letting them see him. If they do swat through the bars then wait another couple days and then try again and just keep repeating.

Litter training, bunnies natuarlly are very clean animals and will choose a corner to go in. Once you notice the place he picked put the litterbox there and pick up so poop's (they are just prosced alfalfa) put them in the box to help him realize. Once fixed they usually don't have any accident poo's going places. DO NOT use cat litter. Karen has said before that it can give them lung problems and if they eat it can cause big problems and blockages. I recomend Yesterday's news. Having cats I'm sure you are familiar or at least herd of this. It is safe for the bunnies to eat/chew and is very absorbant.

Make sure baby bunny has lots of chew toys. There teeth never stop growing and constantly need to be worn down by chewing. Also their nails need regular trimming like a cats everything the same applies with the quick etc.

Make sure when bunny is 4-6 months old he gets fixed. If not it can lead to alot of behaviour issues that aren't pleasant.
Example: Biting, growling,lunging,being VERY territorial especially female bunnies, spraying (males and females) , bad litter habits, and of course the cancers they can get. Bunnies are more supseptable to cancer's of the genitals then most animals wich is why most people think they only live for 4 years when they usually live as long as a dog.

[Kalei]

lol I know alot of people here seem to be against pet stores, and some pet stores I don't like either. But I don't see anything wrong with buying animals from the petstores, because think of it. If everyone went on strike and never bought from the pet stores, then the animals at the pet stores would never get a home. Either way you look at it, one of them doesn't get a home. I think that people should look into both pet stores and animal shades to make it fair.

anyways I was getting off the topic. Alot of what Buttercup is right! I agree with her. The only thing that is different is that I have always provided both pellets and hay to my rabbits because they just love both of them and then they get both sources of health nutrition. My bunny is now about 5 mnths and I do slowly feed her little peices of apples and carrots now and then to get her body used to them. And she is great and has never had any problem at all, her poo is always perfectly normal I haven't got her fixed yet of course cause I'm going to wait for 6 months, mainly for money reasons lol. But it is so great that you are gaining knowledge so you will know what rabbits are like when you get one! Hope you lots of luck with your new bun bun! Post lots of pics!

[buttercup132]

lol I know alot of people here seem to be against pet stores, and some pet stores I don't like either. But I don't see anything wrong with buying animals from the petstores, because think of it. If everyone went on strike and never bought from the pet stores, then the animals at the pet stores would never get a home. Either way you look at it, one of them doesn't get a home. I think that people should look into both pet stores and animal shades to make it fair.

I must disagree. True they don't get homes (for this I will use dogs) A puppy sitting in the store looking all sad. But think of where it came from. Most come from puppymills. Where the mother is bred and bred and bre, laying in her own feces, fighting other dogs for food, maybe not even getting food at all, dirty or no water, never getting human attention , never going to the vet, getting beaten.having absesses wich are common because of their living conditions having the pain from those absesses sometimes not being able to lay down from pain. The puppy gets taken away from the mom early so by the time he gets to the pet store he is old enough to be sold. On the way to the store one of it's brothers or sisters die from the living conditions and not being cared for. The little puppy it'self is sick and weak ,nervous and scared. By buying that puppy you are making it so that the mom is bred again right after having those puppies.Your making it so that she has to go through more pain and suffering. If you didnt buy the puppy it would stay in the store. The dogs would stop being bred because the other puppies aren't selling.
The mom would either be put of of her misery or taken to a shelter.
There would be no more puppies dying in the cold no more dogs suffering. So to make a change that big it all gose back to not buying that puppy and supporting the pet store. Yes the puppies need homes to but some will have to suffer in order to save the rest.

This is what they have to endour in order to produce those puppies.
Now rabbit's can be just as bad. Cramed up in little cages where they can't even turn around or lay. They get no hay maybe a handful of those stinkin pellets. They sit on wire cages and get what is called sore hocks. There fur is dirty and matted. Their nails and teeth are so long that they curl. Once again absess form. Causing pain especially if one pops. Never any veggies. Laying in their own feces. And the same thing gose on for the rabbits as the dogs. You buy on from the pet store and you keep the other ones coming. It's a vecious never ending cycle.

I'm not saying your terrible for buying one from a pet store and I know how you can just fall in love sometimes.
It's just next time if your out looking for a bunny to look in shelters and stuff first.

Kt I'm sure you knew already most of what I said because you deal with cats and stuff , I was just trying to mainly expalin what I ment to Kalie. Sorry not trying to single you out.

[kt_luvs_kitties]

I understand Buttercup. I dont usually buy from pet stores. I rescued all of my cats.

Now with the baby. I am not going to buy him a wire cage. I would think that would hurt his little pawsies. I am buying one with a plastic bottom, which I will wash in my tub to keep it clean.

What toys are suitable for the bunny? I read that you can give them paper towel holders, and phonebooks. Is that really safe? What if they eat it? The ink does not hurt them?

Now for bedding.. Do I buy pine or what? How about those hidey houses? Is that a good idea, or could that make him skitish?

Sorry about all those questions. But I am nervous about taking the proper care of him. I want a happy, healthy, well-balanced bunny. I dont want to make mistakes.-*

[buttercup132]

Thats good that your not using wire, I have had wire cages without any place to get off it and my bunnies have developed sore hocks, which are scabs on their heels. I have since bought a hutch with a hide out with hay so they can get off the wire.

Lots of people give their bunnies the whole phone book when the new one comes in and it is perfectly safe. Most bunnies don't actually eat the paper they usually rip it up and chew it. I also give my left over wrapping paper( from opening presents and stuff) wich they love to rip up and make a lovley mess lol.

As for store bought toys I have found most bunnies demolish these, they are called "Flip 'n' Toss" I belive or something along those lines.



Bunnies LOVE to chew apart wicker baskets (without the coating of course)

My bunnies love these



There is also this that they love to throw in the air and toss around


Also cardboard is good and like you said old toilet paper rolls.

As a baby you can give him/ her cheerios like one a day to earn his/her trust. And if he/she gets a little bit of runny poo put a little plain dry oatmeal in a container the runny poo can because by stress. There is a poo that they produce called cecil wich is a wet poo that looks like a bunch of grapes stuck together that is normal and will continue to happen their whole life, it is for them to eat to help digest the food a second time around.

Don't use shavings as bedding as it can cause upper respratory issues.
Rip up news paper (Once he/she is litter trained you could probly add less) . Don't put it down flat without ripping it because it can make their feet blue from the ink.

[Karen]

See http://rabbit.org for all the information you need. And, by the way, Miss Hoppy started on vegies at about 8 weeks, as she refused pellets, and has happily lived on hay and veggies ever since.

[Argranade]

Awww congratz on your bunny boo bun!

Any photos?

[zippy-kat]

Piper has free access to timothy-based pellets as well as timothy and mountain grass hays. I buy from www.americanpetdiner.com.

Housing? He has the 48in double level bunny condo from Leith Petwerks. (I have plans of adding the 3rd level whenever I move.) They are expensive but they are goooooood quality. He loves it and often prefers to stay in it rather than come out to play.

Potty training? Never had to. I just placed a litterbox (I line with newspaper and use carefresh bedding as litter) and he took to it right away.

As for the cats... it really depends on the cat. I fully trust K'Cee with Piper but would NEVER trust Sid (even supervised). There's no way for us to tell you how or when to introduce them as we don't know your cats' personalities but you'll definitely know.

Good luck and pics, pics, PICS! lol

[Kalei]

lol no worries, I don't feel singled out or anything. I think alot of people on pet talk have their own opinions. It's not a place where people should be getting into squats and arguments its a place where you should happily talk about your pets! And you are a very smart person Buttercup! I can't wait to see the new pics of The Lionhead rabbit!

[cassiesmom]

So, how is the bunnykins? My nephew had a bunny when they got their cat. They were actually best buddies. He was very easy to take care of, loved looking out of the window and having his long ears petted, and he received baby carrots as a special bunny treat. He ate hay (timothy) and also packaged rabbit food. The bunny had to be pts due to congestive heart failure and the cat was confused afterward, looking and meowing for his buddy. It was very sad. I'm hoping he will be on the rainbow bridge.