As a new bunny parent - what do you wish you had been told?

[TinysMom]

Today I received a call from a gal who bought a rabbit at the feed store and was given my business card. (She doesn't have internet right now so she kept the information on the forum and will come on here later).

Her parents had raised rabbits years ago for commercial purposes and her daughter wanted to have a rabbit and now that she is 9 - the mom felt she was old enough to have one (with supervision).

We talked for about 45 minutes and we discussed several things - but I'm worried I may have overwhelmed her. Here is some of what we covered:

• litter box training the rabbit
• the "teenage" phase
• when to introduce veggies & how much
• the importance of hay and GOOD pellets without junk in it
• an emergency kit (basically I told her three items - canned pumpkin for diaherrea, gas meds for gas and pro-biotic in the tube in case she sees green poops or something that makes her suspect the intestines are off

She knows she can call me anytime (have I mentioned I'm the crazy rabbit lady here in town) and she is going to bring her kids by sometime (after making an appointment) to see the flemish giants and the kits. Since her daughter hopes to be a vet someday - I told her that I can get her number later and call her when we have newborns so they can see the newborn babies too.

What "brief" topic did I miss that perhaps I should have covered. Oh - we discussed toys too - free ones (toilet paper roll with hay inside) and cheap ones.

I would like to keep a list handy since now whenever the feed store and TSC sell a rabbit - they're pretty much giving out my business card as "the rabbit lady" (they're kind enough to not say I'm crazy...I hope).

 

[undergunfire]

Spaying and neutering? I know you don't have a lot of resources for that in your town, but maybe some adopters would be willing to drive to San Antonio? Although, this might be something to bring up later or suggest while on the topic of the "teenage" stage. It would be nice for them to hear that there is hope in the event that their bunny is not easy to handle while going through "the changes".

Cage size & offer types of cages that are good (and can be found locally).


Hrm....can't think of anything else .

 

[Bex&Bun]

Wish I'd known about the Hay thing. Mine still wont really touch much of the oat hay, they love their lucerne but I dont give it to them much since I found out it was bad! Also the issue with cages and how much space they REALLY need!

 

[Luluznewz]

I would just really make sure that she understands that no matter what they do, its possible the rabbit they get will not want to snuggle.

I think thats something that would be hard for a 9 year old to understand. I dunno, i'd just make sure that rabbits are the pets she really wants. I just have a hard time seeing them being a fulfilling pet for a young child.

 

[hartleybun]

you could also mention how long a rabbit can live in the uk we vaccinate our bunnies so a mention of vets fees would be useful.

i think its great that you have made yourself available to your community as a source of bunny advice. that in itself is a bonus

 

[jcottonl02]

Hmmm.....I was quite aware of lots of things when I first got my Benji, as he was from the vets, and I currently worked AT the vets. Any questions I had were easily discussed with vets, and they frequently asked me how he was doing etc.
It was incredibly useful!

I wish I had learnt JUST how important hay is. I knew it was important, and Benji had fresh hay available 24 hours, HOWEVER, he still doesn't eat very much of it, and this has led to overgrowth of his front teeth. He really doesn't eat much at all (he does eat SOME though, so that is something). I wish I had pushed him when he was young, to eat lots of hay, because obviously now, 4 years later, he is used to not eating mounds of it.

With Pippin, however, I pushed it immediately, and now he can finish perhaps 3 or 4 hay racks in one day.

I feel like I am to blame the Ben doesn't eat lots of hay, but I am now trying to really push him to eat it. I am trying out lots of new, better quality hays etc. just to see which one he actually starts munching away on.

Also- SPACE. Luckily my Dad knew just how much space a bunny needed, so built Benji a massive hutch, and bought Pippin a massive hutch. But I wasn't totally aware of JUST how much space they needed.
Luckily after joining this forum (very soon after getting Ben), I realised the incredible importance of hay, and try to get that across to people I know who have buns but don't understand that, and also the space. Now my buns have a mahoosive shed, but are soon to move inside, and I try to stress the importance of space to others, and living inside, for as much social interaction as possible.

 

[CiaraPatricia]

When I got my first rabbit, I assumed they'd be the same to look after as guinea pigs, so I didn't read about them, I kept them with my guinea pigs too. She was pretty well looked after, but I wish I had known that she should be spayed. I didn't learn that til doing research before getting my current two rabbits! Dylan only lived til 5, and if she was spayed might have lived much longer

 

[TinysMom]

Thanks folks. She had bought a "starter kit" for her bunny - which for a lionhead may turn out to be ok - especially since she is taking time to let the rabbit out every day for playtime. She bought a collar and leash and we talked about how she needs a harness instead and to make sure where she goes doesn't have pesticides sprayed.

I didn't mention spaying/neutering because she is a single mom on a limited budget and I wanted her to "enjoy" the rabbit a bit and then be able to understand about that later on. There is a vet 70 miles away who will spay/neuter...and she and I do plan to keep in touch on a rgular basis. I was afraid to overwhelm her at once with a lot.

She did have a guinea pig in the past but she knew rabbits would be different.

I will be glad when she has high speed internet (instead of dial-up) and can come here. I'm sure y'all will make her feel welcome.

Oh - I did go over treats with her - about limiting them - some examples like banana, etc.

Keep giving me ideas - please! I appreciate it.

 

[irishbunny]

Looks like the cards you handed out were definitely worth it! It is great she has you to ask when she has questions!

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

Ha ha this is going to sound silly but i wish i was told about the dead bunny flop,or the fact that rabbits could and will lay on there side,lol. When i got Belle she did a flip onto her side and i thought she had a stroke or something, i called a friend of mine who had rabbits to ask her if she was ok or should i be concerned,lol!!!!!!!! I know it sounds silly but i was totally concerned something was wrong with her,lol

 

[jcottonl02]

BINKYS!!!!!
I forgot about those.

I was so worried for so long when Benji just wouldn't stop leaping into the air, his legs and paws flailing out in all directions and his head jerking, with those ears flapping about. And then he'd run in circles in a frenzy-like manner, pause, and then WHIIZZ round again.

I spoke to my friend (she's not that knowledgable, but at the time I wasnt part of this forum), and she said it was probably ants biting him on the grass or something.

EVENTUALLY i found out what it was. But I was actually quite worried that there was something wrong with him.

Lol now I know he was just a very happy boy!

 

[cheryl]

Luvmyzoocrew wrote:

Ha ha this is going to sound silly but i wish i was told about the dead bunny flop,or the fact that rabbits could and will lay on there side,lol. When i got Belle she did a flip onto her side and i thought she had a stroke or something, i called a friend of mine who had rabbits to ask her if she was ok or should i be concerned,lol!!!!!!!! I know it sounds silly but i was totally concerned something was wrong with her,lol

Don't worry your not the only one....Around five years ago when my Marshmallow was around eight weeks old i seen her just flop onto her side and she didn't move..i thought she was sick so i went and made an appointment to see the vet lol.

Well Marshy got a clean bill of health..and i was left with embarrasment lol...well i didn't know..i was just worried she wasn't well or something lol ...ahhh the memories..still makes me giggle when i think of that day.

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

cheryl wrote:

Luvmyzoocrew wrote:

Ha ha this is going to sound silly but i wish i was told about the dead bunny flop,or the fact that rabbits could and will lay on there side,lol. When i got Belle she did a flip onto her side and i thought she had a stroke or something, i called a friend of mine who had rabbits to ask her if she was ok or should i be concerned,lol!!!!!!!! I know it sounds silly but i was totally concerned something was wrong with her,lol

Don't worry your not the only one....Around five years ago when my Marshmallow was around eight weeks old i seen her just flop onto her side and she didn't move..i thought she was sick so i went and made an appointment to see the vet lol.

Well Marshy got a clean bill of health..and i was left with embarrasment lol...well i didn't know..i was just worried she wasn't well or something lol ...ahhh the memories..still makes me giggle when i think of that day.

ha ha ha glad to see that i am not the only one,lol

 

[Never2ManyBunnies]

Here's a quick list of things that come to mind, that I didn't fully understand as a new bunny owner (even after reading a few books):

1)The importance of having food (hay) available 24 hours a day.

2) Buns are very social.

3) Bun poops are a wonderful thing! (As in indicating they are okay/healthy). And the bigger, the better- as myvet has taught me.

4) rabbitsonline.net is the best!I was a bunny owner forover a year before I stumbled on this site;and that was after many evenings spent googling for rabbit information.


Peg, this is wonderful that you are dedicating the time to help new bunny owners. I have to believe thatsome rabbits will live better lives because of your help!!

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Ways to save money would have bee nice. If I had known about horse stall bedding and even bulk hay when I first got a rabbit I could have save quite a bit of money in the first 2 years.
Better caging options would have been great. Korr probably would have been very happy to have the cage he has now when I first got him. Even if I had considered an x-pen or large dog crate it would have been good.
Proper diet and healthy treats would be good. The pet store treats are not very good, small bits of fruit are much better.
A lot of the stuff I have learned on here would have been very useful when I first got rabbits.

 

[snap]

Bunnyproofing? I know I like to take my buns upstairs to the hallway or to my room, and so I bunnyproof those-when necessary.

Temperatures, and how to deals with heat/cold. I assume it's an inside bunny but I took Harper outside once in like 105 degree weather before I knew it was bad. He almost went into shock, it was really scary. Plus, you never know if the heating/cooling will fail and you have to make arrangements for the bun. Plus, dunno where you are in Texas, but I got hit by Ike and had to stay in my house with no power for about five days and one bun, but I had no idea how to make him comfortable in the heat. :c

And yes, ways to save money would probably be really helpful. I know I would have loved that in the beginning. Especially free/cheap toys to make, that's usually fun- it may be fun for her daughter. I fold up vegetable bits in origami, for example. It's super fun. XD

 

[tonyshuman]

1)They shed A LOT
2)You probably will end up going to an emergency vet at least once per rabbit, because they hide symptoms until it's so late sometimes!
3)Some like to be naughty!
4)Just because he doesn't chew on your baseboards in one house may not mean he'll always be that way.

plus what the others have said

 

[funnybunnymummy]

How smart they are! I had no idea rabbits were as intelligent as they are. I mean, now that I've had Gus for awhile, it doesn't surprise me near to as much as it did when I first got him the things he has learned to do (either taught by me or figured out by himself!). I mean, who knew you could teach a rabbit to use a litter box, to come when they're called, to run obstacle courses, etc.?

Rue

 

[bengal77]

Rabbits molt. I knew that they would shed but I had no idea they lost clumps at a time. The first time Lily went into a molt I panicked and thought she was dying.

 

[Cabrissi]

1.) BUNNY PROOFING especially on wires and electric outlets! I knew, I proofed and I still have lost some to curious bunny teeth! Unplugged USB and mobile phone charger were sitting on a low bed-side table... nibble-nubble... *human leaping to save it faster than she thought she could move and still being too slow* :censored2:

2.) Poop-ology - as it's often the first place you get an idea somethhing is amiss in buns

3.) How freaking addictive they are. Seriously. I should have known since I suffer potato chip syndrome with all my other critters too...:dutch