Bunny fur scruffy

[SarahsBunny]

I had gotten this baby bunny two weeks ago and in the beginning he had some pooping issue but after I gave him some gas medicine he started pooping again. So today I folded and got him a sibling from the same person who gave me this one and I can’t help but notice how different their sizes are and the quality of the white ones fur. Apparently they came from the same litter and got off the mothers milk at the same time too. The original owner fed them kaytee pellets and timothy hay. I have been feeding the white one oxford young rabbit pellet and oxford alfalfa hay because I heard its better for younger bunnies. I also always gave the white one water and let him out to run around daily when he’s awake and back inside the cage when he’s asleep. He hops around like normal and is very curious and happy but I’m wondering why is there such a size different and fur quality difference if they came from the same litter with two weeks apart. Is the black one obese? Or just very healthy
Is there anything I can change up in the white ones diet to help it regain the fur quality it once had? Theyre a little over two months old (probably 2 months and 2 weeks)

 

[JBun]

Was his fur like that when you got him or has it changed? Was there any mention of him being a runt? Also, what does the white bunnies poop look like? Maybe post a photo of it here.

Are you feeding unlimited pellets each day, or if you're limiting them, how much do you feed the white rabbit each day? Are you still feeding timothy hay in addition to the alfalfa hay? If so, how much do you think is being eaten in a day(based on a pile the size of the rabbit)?

 

[SarahsBunny]

The fur was much better before and there was no mention of the bunny being a runt. It doesn’t act weak and runs around with its brother, eats, poops, pees everything like normal. I heard pellets should be fed less so I would only give it about two tablespoons and mostly alfalfa hay. It doesn’t seem to prefer timothy hay as much as it does alfalfa. I do mix it up and give it, but it mostly eats alfalfa hay. I started giving it much more pellets since being advised to. (Calling the bunny it since im not sure of the gender yet) I’ll attach a picture of the poop. It’s from far away because this is the only time i was sure it was the white ones poop and not its brothers since it was in the corner and pooped a ton before running out.

 

[Ampee]

The fur was much better before and there was no mention of the bunny being a runt. It doesn’t act weak and runs around with its brother, eats, poops, pees everything like normal. I heard pellets should be fed less so I would only give it about two tablespoons and mostly alfalfa hay. It doesn’t seem to prefer timothy hay as much as it does alfalfa. I do mix it up and give it, but it mostly eats alfalfa hay. I started giving it much more pellets since being advised to. (Calling the bunny it since im not sure of the gender yet) I’ll attach a picture of the poop. It’s from far away because this is the only time i was sure it was the white ones poop and not its brothers since it was in the corner and pooped a ton before running out.

Just my 2 cents but those poops look okay to me.

 

[Blue eyes]

It's hard to get size perspective on the photo of the poos. They seem formed ok but may be a bit small.

Young rabbits are still growing, so they can eat more pellets. Just be sure they keep eating plenty of hay. Since the pellets are likely alfalfa-based (check the first listed ingredient on the bag), then they don't really have to have alfalfa as their hay. It is good you are mixing the timothy hay with the alfalfa hay. Since he's picking out the alfalfa (because it is richer and sweeter), try to increase the amount of timothy in the mix. We don't want him to resist switching over to timothy hay when the time comes.

Having sibling rabbits at this young age may become problematic in a few weeks/months. Once they mature, those hormones can cause the snuggliest of rabbits to begin fighting. Also, their sexes are not determined yet? That means they should be separated starting at around 10-12 weeks of age to prevent pregnancy (so young is risky for pregnancy).

It is generally not advised to get 2 baby bunnies at one time. Better to let the first one grow and get neutered and then let that one choose its bondmate from among other fixed rabbits. As it is now, if you keep the one you got today, there is a possibility that as they grow, they will not get along or bond. (Baby "bonds" don't count as true bonds since hormones can change that.) Hopefully you are ok with the possibility that in several months, they may need to be permanently housed separately-- for the next 10 years. If not, you may want to reconsider your plans.

 

[JBun]

With the rough coat and decreased growth rate, it's possible the bunny has contracted an intestinal parasite. If the bunny continues to have a rough coat and slow growth rate even after the diet change, I would suggest having your bunny checked by a knowledgeable rabbit vet, and have a fecal float test done, and possibly blood work, to check for parasites as well as liver function(as hepatic coccidiosis can cause these symptoms as well). A 10 day course of fenbendazole can sometimes clear the parasite issue up, though depending on what parasite is causing the problem(if that's what this is).

Like Blue Eyes mentioned, your rabbits will likely need to be separated now, or soon. If they're both males, as soon as humping/pestering starts, or by 12 weeks old usually. If male/female, when humping starts or they're starting to get irriatated with each other, or by 12-14 weeks usually. If both females, as long as they aren't pestering each other and there are no signs of aggression, they may be ok to stay together until around 4-6 months old, when they're old enough to get spayed. If you aren't sure of their sexes, the vet can check. And if you aren't sure when to separate, when in doubt, it's better sooner than too late and a fight breaks out, as fights can result in very serious injuries.

If you separate, get both spayed/neutered when the vet says they're old enough, wait 4-8 weeks for hormones to fade(if you had to separate before the surgery), then you can attempt to rebond. Though before spay/neuter surgery can be done on the little one, the possible health issue will need to be sorted first.

https://rabbit.org/veterinarians/
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Spaying_and_neutering_rabbits
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-bunnies.html
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bonding_rabbits_together