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Putty posted:Is this where I can post to see if a rabbit would be a good pet for me? I'm doing it anyway. Where do you live? If you’re in New England I know the BEST rabbit rescue. I would adopt a bonded pair personally. Like with kids, it is more expense/work but not double. A lot of the primary investment can be shared/expanded to accommodate two and their social behavior and overall visibly better quality of life is so worth it. I wouldn’t try to bond two unfamiliar rabbits as a beginner. As far as getting an unfamiliar sitter, it’s totally doable, but they may be squeamish about poops and litter tray business. Still not nearly as bad as trying to get someone to feed your snake. If you’re worried you can find a place to keep them or make a friend in the rabbit scene.
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Aug 18, 2019 00:50
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Putty posted:- I work 9 to 5 and sometimes get stuck in overtime up to 8pm or sooner. The rabbit would be alone for possibly 12 hours at a time and I don't know if that's detrimental to a social animal. Welcome ! Can't reply to everything but here are some general tips: - Rabbits are actually a good match for your average 9 to 5 schedule because they are most active in the morning when you wake up and in the evening when you come home. They spend the rest of their time chilling, sleeping, and generally laying about. (see FAU's post on the previous page) Most pet rabbits I've had were alone and that did not cause any issue, although of course I made sure to play with them regularly. Their toys are cheap:   - Free roam is doable with a bit of experience and bunny proofing but still very much depends on your rabbit's temperament. In terms of breeds I would probably recommend a Holland lop? They are friendly and usually pretty cuddly, even if a bit stubborn. I think they can be prone to certain hereditary problems though. (specifically: skull malformations leading to teeth misalignment) - Rabbits don't really smell -especially females- they are clean pets. (just watch them groom the moment you're done petting them, it never fails) However certain foods like endives can make their urine smell. Just make sure to empty their litter box frequently. Cleaning it regularly will also help you notice if they stop pooping entirely, rabbits have very fragile digestive systems and apathy/lack of appetite should be cause for immediate concern. (google "stasis") Also please never buy those flashy bags of "mix" food available everywhere: https://www.consoanimo.com/avis-mix-lapins-nains-cereales-riga.html These are mostly garbage, your bunny will only eat half of it and might develop deficiencies. Hay, fresh vegetables and water should be its main source of food. Good pellets should look like these: https://www.zoomalia.com/animalerie/versele-laga-cuni-complete-pour-rongeurs-adultes-p-16089.html Lastly, if your only previous experience was with dogs, maybe adopt a flemmish, they're quite big.  (don't do it)
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Aug 18, 2019 02:28
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Bun poop is one of the most remarkably scentless substances on earth
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Aug 18, 2019 02:48
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shame on an IGA posted:Bun poop is one of the most remarkably scentless substances on earth I use it as fertilizer for my plants.
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Aug 18, 2019 02:58
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Sassy Sasquatch posted:I use it as fertilizer for my plants. As do I! By letting Harriet run around our garden! She eats the plants and fertilizes it. As well she loves it.
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Aug 18, 2019 03:01
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Electric Bugaloo posted:stuff I live in NJ, a bit far. I would be open to adoption, but I'd honestly prefer to get a young rabbit so I can have it for the longest time. Rescuing obviously has its benefits but I'd have to think carefully on it. Sassy Sasquatch posted:stuff This is all good to hear! I would definitely consider a Holland lop since I love the floppy-eared ones. Cleaning after a litter box personally sounds much better than picking up dog crap. Feeding sounds a bit more complicated compared to a dog's singular food, but manageable.
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Aug 18, 2019 03:36
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I must add one crucial thing any new rabbit owner needs to be informed of right away: It is totally normal for a rabbit to have blood-red urine. Creepy, I know!
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Aug 18, 2019 03:38
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Same.
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Aug 18, 2019 04:21
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Putty posted:I live in NJ, a bit far. I would be open to adoption, but I'd honestly prefer to get a young rabbit so I can have it for the longest time. Rescuing obviously has its benefits but I'd have to think carefully on it. Feeding is easy. Timothy hay ad libitum and good pellets (Oxbow is my trusted brand) once or twice daily, depending on how you decide to do feeding. Veg is good to supplement as you see fit (but check because certain vegetables can be unhealthy in excess) but giving your rabbits different foods to try and react to is like half the fun. Young rabbit vs old rabbit is not as concerning as you might think. Rabbits can live to be 12-14 and the vast majority of adult shelter buns are under the age of 4, probably avg about 1-2. A year old rabbit is good since they’ll usually already be fixed and litter trained. At least in my area, HRN will set you up with a fixed/vet assessed rabbit for $75 and a pair for $125. Getting your $25 baby bun fixed and immunized will probably run you in the several hundred easy and you’ll have to find a vet who works on rabbits, which isn’t a given everywhere.
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Aug 18, 2019 05:01
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Also I highly advise you to work with a rabbit-specific rescue/breeder who can help you with vet poo poo. Please don’t just pick up a bun from a random shelter/county fair/pet store unless you’ve got some experience and already know a vet.
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Aug 18, 2019 05:07
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Electric Bugaloo posted:Feeding is easy. Timothy hay ad libitum and good pellets (Oxbow is my trusted brand) once or twice daily, depending on how you decide to do feeding. Veg is good to supplement as you see fit (but check because certain vegetables can be unhealthy in excess) but giving your rabbits different foods to try and react to is like half the fun. Fwiw we started using an auto feeder when the flems realized they could wake us up for kibble, and now they are pretty attuned to the time and seem to like it. One thing we’ve noticed about buns is that if you’re used to predator pets, it’s easy to assume rabbits will gorge themselves and need to be managed — but ours at least are pretty self regulating. We put out a ton of hay in a manger and then have their kibble feeders, then day to day we hand feed them their vitamins (they get glucosamine because flemmies) and greens and whatnot. But even when they’ve infrequently busted open a bag of kibble they eat much less of it than you might expect. Anyway this is also partly to say that we’ve found we can leave them with tons of hay, water, and their feeder even overnight without issue when it’s a situation where boarding them would stress them out too much.
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Aug 18, 2019 16:58
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boberteatskitten posted:Fwiw we started using an auto feeder when the flems realized they could wake us up for kibble, and now they are pretty attuned to the time and seem to like it. One thing we’ve noticed about buns is that if you’re used to predator pets, it’s easy to assume rabbits will gorge themselves and need to be managed — but ours at least are pretty self regulating. We put out a ton of hay in a manger and then have their kibble feeders, then day to day we hand feed them their vitamins (they get glucosamine because flemmies) and greens and whatnot. But even when they’ve infrequently busted open a bag of kibble they eat much less of it than you might expect. Agreed. The issue with overeating buns is obesity, but that tends to be more about overeating/feeding the wrong kinds of food and about not providing enough space or ability to get exercise. A rabbit fed predominantly on as much hay as they want and pellets and given lots of space to run and jump and stand up will probably never have obesity issues unless/until they stop moving as much and develop arthritis due to age.
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Aug 18, 2019 18:40
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I've been looking into adoption/petfinder stuff and forgot you actually have to qualify as a good pet person to adopt and beat out other applicants. This is going to be hard.
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Aug 21, 2019 05:00
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Putty posted:I've been looking into adoption/petfinder stuff and forgot you actually have to qualify as a good pet person to adopt and beat out other applicants. This is going to be hard. lol. Are you white?
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Aug 21, 2019 05:10
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If they ask you what you would do if your rabbit destroys something valuable, do NOT say "rabbit stew".
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Aug 22, 2019 04:28
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grack posted:If they ask you what you would do if your rabbit destroys something valuable, do NOT say "rabbit stew". "Slow-roasted in the oven to savour the revenge"
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Aug 22, 2019 06:20
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Electric Bugaloo posted:lol. Are you white? What?
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Aug 22, 2019 19:02
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Putty posted:What? Umm, no middle aged shelter lady is gonna make you jump through any hoops to adopt a pet if you're white and clean-cut looking.
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Aug 22, 2019 19:33
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I am constantly surprised with how chill Harriet is. Washing machine and dryer in the basement near her lair going? Stretch out, yawn, flop. Dog next door barking super loud while she's out in the garden? Munch on the hosta, hop on the patio stones and boop my foot, try to climb into the water fountain. Bunny does not GAF
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Aug 22, 2019 19:39
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bunnyofdoom posted:Dog next door barking super loud while she's out in the garden? Munch on the hosta, hop on the patio stones and boop my foot, try to climb into the water fountain. Well, it's Harriet. If that dog decides it doesn't want to live anymore, that's out of Harriet's paws.
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Aug 22, 2019 22:25
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I am gonna check for shivs in the garden
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Aug 23, 2019 02:42
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bunnyofdoom posted:I am gonna check for shivs in the garden Does she dig roughly six-foot-by-two-foot sections of dirt in the back yard?...
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Aug 23, 2019 02:50
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Neddy Seagoon posted:Does she dig roughly six-foot-by-two-foot sections of dirt in the back yard?... No. The graves she dug is more appropriate for chipmunks or squirrels. Yes, no joke, she has dug trenches that size in the garden
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Aug 24, 2019 02:32
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Does Harriet sleep in her litter box?
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Aug 25, 2019 05:34
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Hey all. I asked on the previous page about moving cross country (Madison, WI to Olympia, WA) with a rabbit and got some good advice. I also have a vet appointment this Thursday to just get a health checkup and to consult on the move cross country, but in the meantime I'm still trying to prep for the move. This aspect of it is probably the thing that's stressing me the most. So I will be keeping carrots in his carrier in the passenger seat while driving. He's about 4.2 pounds and has a small carrier. Is that enough room? I'll be stopping every two to three hours to let him out of his cage. I just ordered this today for the breaks and for while in the hotel room. I got the large size. Is the small carrier going to be big enough? The one I have is similar to this Should I get something bigger that will fit a litter box? Another thing is Carrots is a huge rear end in a top hat when being transferred from his cage to his carrier and never wants to get in. Should I just opt for a bigger carrier that fits a litter box that I can remove from the car every so many hours, put him on some solid ground to relax him and let him eat, and leave the first thing I linked for inside hotel rooms? Thanks guys.
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Aug 25, 2019 23:55
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I would use an absorbent substrate like a pad or even folded up paper towels and maybe count on replacing it easily every few hours. Something that’s ok for him to shred and dig and chew and eat if he gets stressed/because he feels like it and also something that he can piss all over. If you think he’d be more comfortable in his litter box or with furniture that smells like home maybe get a larger carrier. I’d also make sure he gets lots of water and greens like lettuce with his hay and pellets. Something that won’t give him diarrhea/loose stools/travelers’ tum but will give him moisture and extra hydration (I’d avoid lots of fruit or sugary treats until you’ve arrived). I imagine he’ll have access to food but no real access to water during the driving parts so it’s extra important that you hydrate him when you can. If you’re gonna let him out for breaks maybe make sure he has a bowl to lap out of.
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Aug 26, 2019 00:32
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grack posted:Does Harriet sleep in her litter box? Surprisingly no. Just outside it and happy
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Aug 26, 2019 00:39
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bunnyofdoom posted:Surprisingly no. Just outside it and happy Well, okay, only one of the signs of a serial killer, then. Wait, does Harriet like fire?
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Aug 26, 2019 01:30
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grack posted:Well, okay, only one of the signs of a serial killer, then. I don't let her near the matches anymore
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Aug 26, 2019 01:51
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Does anyone else's rabbit hate or love leather? The Himalayan so far has destroyed three pairs of shoes and a purse strap.
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Aug 26, 2019 17:37
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FactsAreUseless posted:Does anyone else's rabbit hate or love leather? The Himalayan so far has destroyed three pairs of shoes and a purse strap. One of the flemmies loves to chew leather. Learned that lesson after a few shoes too.
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Aug 26, 2019 17:44
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Things have been up and down with Ludo lately. First, I solved the problem with him digging in his litter by putting some slats in there. In the proces of doing that, i realized that there's just no reason to keep him crated anymore. I wasn't even closing him in the crate anymore, since his room is rabbit-proof, it was just convenient to keep his food and litter on a big plastic tray. I kept the plastic tray and put the cage in the cellar. A few days ago, I thought he might be sick because he wasn't eating his pellets, and I noticed that there were some uneaten cecotropes in his litter box. Now I think the problem is that a) I gave him too much fruit and vegetables on Thursday night and b) the company (Dumor Advanced Diet) changed their formula and he doesn't seem to like it. He'll pick at it, and he's still eating hay, and the romaine lettuce and carrot I offered him, and he's pooping. Is it time to switch to another brand like Oxbow?
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Aug 26, 2019 18:11
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Halloween Jack posted:A few days ago, I thought he might be sick because he wasn't eating his pellets, and I noticed that there were some uneaten cecotropes in his litter box. Now I think the problem is that a) I gave him too much fruit and vegetables on Thursday night and b) the company (Dumor Advanced Diet) changed their formula and he doesn't seem to like it. He'll pick at it, and he's still eating hay, and the romaine lettuce and carrot I offered him, and he's pooping. Is it time to switch to another brand like Oxbow? If you'd like. Some people will slowly mix the two pellet types and wean fussy rabbits from one type of feed to another. Others will just force the issue a bit by removing other options (hay, etc) and waiting until the bun is hungry enough to eat what's on offer, but I've heard stories (urban legends?) of stubborn rabbits going into stasis with that kind of treatment so I've never done it myself. Jareth was suuuuper picky with his food. At one point I switched from Oxbow to Blue Seal and he refused to touch the new pellets once the Oxbow was all exhausted (he'd sort through the bowl with his face and selectively eat the Oxbow pellets while Spock and Marfa just hoovered everything else down indiscriminately). Then eventually one day he came around to them and decided that he liked them a lot and there was no problem. Then I switched back to Oxbow and it was literally the same exact process all over again.
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Aug 26, 2019 21:20
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Ludo just...forgot how to drink from his water bottle. Since I took the crate away, his hay rack and bottle are now mounted on the fence that blocks off Kate's art desk. He didn't forget how to eat hay, thankfully. I've tried to show him how to drink from it, many times. When he's thirsty and I show him how to get water out of it, he just starts lapping water off the floor. So I'm just giving bowls of water and hoping he comes around.
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Aug 29, 2019 15:53
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Halloween Jack posted:Ludo just...forgot how to drink from his water bottle. Since I took the crate away, his hay rack and bottle are now mounted on the fence that blocks off Kate's art desk. He didn't forget how to eat hay, thankfully. Bowls are vastly superior to bottles in every way and every rabbit I've known prefers bowls when given the chance and hates going back to bottles. Bottles are convenient for people, not rabbits (and every bottle I've used dripped). Pet stores sell various kinds of dispensing water bowls at all sorts of price points for cats and dogs. One made for cats should be perfect for 1-4 rabbits. Give it a good clean with every refill/1-2x per week and maybe put down some kind of floor covering if the rab makes a mess. The rabbit may trip on the bowl or hop into it once or twice at first then they get used to it super quick. My old trio had a basic cat-sized dispensing bowl with the fillable reservoir, available at any pet store for like ~$20 or less, in their wooden Leith cage with absolutely no problem at all. I'd pull it out when they got floor time and it made keeping them hydrated while out and about much easier.
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Aug 29, 2019 16:08
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Well, I'll put him back on the gravity waterer, but last time he had it he was just dumb as hell and constantly got his ears wet and immediately found something dirty to drag them through. (I know lops need to dip their ears in hot weather, but his room is the coldest part of the house.)
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Aug 29, 2019 16:15
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Halloween Jack posted:Well, I'll put him back on the gravity waterer, but last time he had it he was just dumb as hell and constantly got his ears wet and immediately found something dirty to drag them through. (I know lops need to dip their ears in hot weather, but his room is the coldest part of the house.) Eh it gives him something to do, rabbits are fastidious groomers.
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Aug 29, 2019 16:37
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I finally ended up using both and Lillian just picks whatever she wants at the time. If I take one out she won't use the one that's left 
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Aug 29, 2019 16:45
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Rabbits are also very stupid.
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Aug 30, 2019 01:41
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Speaking of which, after one whole year of ignoring the second floor of her pen (I never worked up the courage to just put her up there, the angle is awkward to try to hold her and out her in there and I was afraid she'd kick out) Lil has suddenly discovered it and has now spent all morning loudly barreling up and down the ramp.
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Aug 30, 2019 17:55
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