Bren's Bunnies

[brensbunny]

Hi everyone, I just joined yesterday.

Let me first say that this is the first time we have ever owned any bunnies, so what may seem to be common bunny sense to alot of you, is a whole new world for us.

We adopted 2 rabbits. The first rabbit we recieved is Snowbelle, she is approx 1 yr old. Dont know whether or not she is *fixed* I think she is a Rex, she has velvety soft fur. She is a big bunny!

The second rabbit is Brown Bunny, BB for short and we just got her Wednesday of last week. I think BB is a mini rex, she has the same type of fur that Snow has, and looks like her too, just she is A LOT smaller than Snow. I dont know if she is fixed either, they didnt know, that or her age either. The boys that had her, needed to give her away because thier other bunny didnt like BB.

The day we got brought BB home, we introduced them to each other on top of my bed. They seemed to get along.. even laying down next to each other. Though one's head was at one's rear, and vice versa... is this a *bunny sign* that I have mistaken for them tolerating each other?

Since the bed time, that they seemed to like each other, I had built BB a new cage (her's was a tinky cage and she didnt have room to fully stretch out) and placed it down next to Snow's. This was 2 days after the bed intro. I let each of them come out of their cages, and Snow chased BB around, and nipped or bit (How can I tell the difference between a nip and a mean bite?) at BB once or twice, bringing out a little tuft of BB's fur! I did this for 2 days, with the same results. I only let Snow do this for a minute, maybe 2, I dont want BB hurt. Should I go back to trying to intorduce them on the bed, or is it a lost cause?

Now that BB's cage is next to Snow's, when I have BB caged, Snow will lie down in front of BB's cage, and they sniff each other, and BB will run to the other side of the cage, then come back to sniff each other some more. BB doesnt get too close to Snow's cage when she is out, she would rather hang out upstairs. While Snow hangs out downstairs.

BB hardly drops any poo at all on the floor, though Snow on the other hand drops poo everywhere in the vicinity of her litter box!

Since I'm new to bunnies, any thoughts, ideas.. suggestions to bunnies and bunny care would be most welcome

Bren

Snow

BB

Friendly, I thought

 

[Shuu]

Firstly, I'd take them to the vet for a regular checkup. And don't worry! Bonding is almost never a lost cause. It sounds like you put BB in Snow's territory and tried for them to get along there. I'm afraid females are very territorial and so this probably isn't the best idea. That's why Snow is pooping everywhere -she's marking the room as hers and letting BB know it. Try introducting them in the bathroom or other neutral territory for an hour or so a day. Don't rush it. Even if they're getting along fine in the bathroom that doesn't mean they'll be best friends when they get back to Snow's room. You might also try reading through the Top Picks topic stickied to the top of the forum. It has a lot of good info and a couple sites on bonding.

Also, they are both Rexes, and beauties at that. Do you know how much they weigh and how old BB is? She just may have some growing to do to catch up to Snowbelle.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy your stay. (^o^)/

 

[DaisyNBuster]

Aww look at those beautiful Rexes. I love the velvety rex fur.

Welcome to the forum.

Vickie

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Aw! I love Snow's dewlap! They are both beautiful.

If you haven't read the "Cheat Sheet for Rabbit Care" in the "Top Pics" section here, it's great reading.

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=3005&forum_id=1

Best of luck,

Laura

 

[bunnydude]

Aww... What cuties!

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

Yep they are rexes, and gorgeous too! Rexes are great rabbits, i have two as well!

 

[FreddysMom]

What beautiful bunnies .. I never yet had the chance to touch a Rex's fur!

 

[brensbunny]

I'am still calling around to various vets, finding out if they are experienced with bunny's. I found 2, so I will soon make a appt for them. Though I never dreamed spaying a bunny would cost soo much, $300.-$375.00!! Just the thought of doing both the girls, scares me.

Snow is 1 yr old, 7 lbs 4 ounces, according to the bathroom scale, BB wont sit on it long enough for me to get her weight, lol and the previous owners really didnt know how old she was, said perhaps around 3 yrs old. I'll try again later to give her a weigh in.

Should I have not put BB's cage down in the basement with Snow's? Right now I have them set up so that they can see and smell each other, they are cage to cage. Snow from day 1 has taken to marking her territory with poo (it amazes me how many she can just spit out), though I do find some pee spots too. (Anything good to clean that up with, right now I just use hot water and baking soda) I'm always behind her with the vacuum cleaning it up! She doesnt even mind the noise of it anymore. BB really doesnt mark all that much, maybe a dozen pellets in one corner in my bedroom. BB tends to be the upstairs bunny, and Snow downstairs. Though now Snow has taken to chewin on my carpet.. :foreheadsmack: She digs it up at the corners! How to stop that?

She has lots of things to chew on.... I have wood blocks, a set of baby's keys, a hanging wooden toy thing, even a phonebook. Is she telling me that she doesnt like that I brought a new bun into the house, or her area.  We've only had Snow for about 6 wks, and now BB a week. Or could be that she is just a chewer? I know she loves to chew... and chew EVERYTHING. Lesson learned, I bunny proofed the whole downstairs for her after I discovered that she chewed thru the cable wire, the dsl line, the dvd wire.... I put every wire I could find in PVC pipes, and now no broken wires.

I have not tried to put them together since the other day, when Snow chased BB, and BB had fur flying. I dont know for sure whether or not I want to risk one getting hurt right now. I will still read more on bonding, then maybe attempt it again. Though I think I just read that they will ALWAYS remember the scraps that they had. So, it really doesnt look at all promising on them luv'n each other, or at least in my newbie eyes.

Thats all I can think of for now...

Bren

 

[naturestee]

It's definately not a lost cause. It took me a month of working every day to get my rabbits to tolerate each other. Now they adore each other and live in the same cage. Definately check out the Top Picks, there's an excellant website in there on bonding rabbits. It helped me alot. This site also has several good articles on bonding and just about anything else you can think of. http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html

Keep the two cages near each other so the the two rabbits get used to seeing and smelling each other. That should be enough bonding work for now, until about a month after they've been spayed (so they're fully healed). Then start introducing them in a place where neither has ever been before. Some people have used the bathtub or on top of the kitchen table.

I clean urine with vinegar. It works pretty well.

Put a piece of wood over the chewed carpet. You could also put a dig box there- a cardboard box filled with shredded newspaper and such. Carpet can cause dangerous intestinal blockages if ingested, so don't let her chew much.

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

brensbunny wrote:

I'am still calling around to various vets, finding out if they are experienced with bunny's. I found 2, so I will soon make a appt for them. Though I never dreamed spaying a bunny would cost soo much, $300.-$375.00!! Just the thought of doing both the girls, scares me.

I know spaying costs alot but it is worth it in the end because as well as making does less moody it also stops them getting ovary cancer which is very common in does so if you can afford to get it done, i would.  It also may help with the destructive behaviour. Ruby got much nicer after she was spayed. About the digging have you tried giving them bits of newspaper or a towel? My bunnies love destroying them.