Bunny not pooping or eating greens?

[Chocoteddy0]

Thanks! I'll bear everything in mind. Less treats...I keep on giving them to him cos he just loves em. I have to be less of a softie next time!!

As for the biting,wow, do they really get dominanant when they are so young? I thought they reach sexual maturity at 4 months? Confuzzled!

Is it a good idea to show him I'M boss or just let him have his way? I don't want the biting to continue. Right now I sort of shriek and say "No!" then turn my back to him (not for long though, I'm always scared he'll run under the bed, even though its so low its probably physically impossible). The reason for the shriek is not cos it hurts (lordy, no, the tiny thing couldn't draw blood if its life depended on it. it barely HAS teeth - seriously) but cos i know rabbits scream when they think they are gonna die. If he thinks he's killing me, he might stop. lol.

 

[Marietta]

Teenager bunnies are "rebels with paws", being in their 'teens brings out various agressive behaviours, like in humans. Your reaction when he bites you is very correct. In this way, he'll know he's hurting you. Also saying "NO!" with a steady, determined voice (NOT shouting) could make him stop. Experiment on this and see what works with your bun.

In regard to treats, bunnies are like children, they usually like to eat whatever is bad for their health. Likewise, bunnies don't know where to stop when it comes to eating. They are junk food addicts, but that doesn't mean that because they like treats, which are bad for their health, they can have them. They can have a healthy treat instead, such as herbs (dill, mint, parsley, rosemary, thyme, levander, etc.) or a thin slice of a safe fruit, not too sugary, e.g. bitter apple (=the green ones, if you have them there) or a thin slice of orange or tangerine or pineapple, or pear or papaya or banana. Beware: most exotic fruits are toxic to buns. Do read the toxic plant list and the articles on the safe fruits and veggies.

Marietta

 

[Chocoteddy0]

He doesn't bite too much now. When I shriek he gets pretty freaked out and backs off, with his ears up and facing me. Then he goes back to normal and eats or rubs his chin against hand and stuff.

Thanks for the advice on food!My rabbit luurves his sugary stuff but I'll stop giving them to him. Though I do slip in a small slice of carrot into his toy - its this sort of long sphere thing, shaped like a sausage I guess, with bars on it and a bell inside. You can slip treats through the bars but it requires loads of rolling of the ball before you can get the treat to fall out - that is, if you don't have opposable thumbs. Sugar loves rolling this andif I pick up the toy and shake it, he comes running when he hears the bell because he knows I have added the daily bit of apple.

Also, how do I know if my rabbit is under/overweight? Sugars fur is pretty thick, cos hes young I think, because all adult rabbits I've seen don't have super thick fur. But when I hold him I can feel the defined ridges of his spine, and clearly feel his hipbones and if I wanted to, I could count the bones in his ribcage. Its quite sickening. Is he underweight? Or are all bunnies like this? How can I change his diet to make him less bony?

Lastly, this weekend I am getting proper hay instead of grass, and taking Sugar to the vet to get vaccines, and see when I should spay/neuter him (I'm GUESSING hes a boy here) and generally learn more about my rabbit. Though theres a high chance I know more about rabbits than the vet does, cos few vets are knowledgable about rabbits apparently.

 

[Marietta]

Chocoteddy0, you're a very good bunny mom for reading and trying to learn all you can about rabbits. It's even more important since you live in a country with no rabbit savvy vets. This is also my problem, so, knowledge and a top forum like RO, was and still is the best chance I got.

Your bun will get fatter if you adjust his pellet quantity, i.e. feed him a bid more pellets daily (did you find the junior rabbits special pellets?) and if you can find alfalfa cubes to feed him. In regard to weight, could you post clear and close photos of him (one whole-body profile photo and one taken from above him would help), in order to see how thin he looks? Also, can you weight him? (if you have a kitchen scale, it would do the trick, just be careful when you place him on it, hold him well, so that he cannot jump and injure himself).

Bravo for getting hay! He should have hay available at all times.

Marietta

 

[Chocoteddy0]

I dont think my pellets are for junior rabbits, but he likes them anyway so hopefully they are ok. I decided to get hay early. I couldn't wait! I got alfalfa hay instead of timothy, was this wise? Sugar <3s hay!

He doesn't look skinny though cos of thick fur. I think he's ok. I'll just make sure he has hay 24/7.

Right now he is binkying his way around my living room!

 

[Marietta]

He can have alfalfa hay till when he's about 10-12 months old. Then switch to timothy hay, that has less proteins and is more suitable for adult buns.

Pellets especially designed for junior rabbits contain a higher percentage of protein and nutritional elements, which are necessary for the growing-up organism of the baby and teenage rabbit. Therefore, in case you can find junior rabbit pellets in you city, it would be preferable to feed this special pellets until your bun gets to be, again, 10-12 months old. If you can't find it, then you have no choice but to stick to the adult rabbit pellets you've already bought.

Marietta

Eddited to add: We'd love to see pics of your cute baby! What's his name?

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Alfalfa is a great hay for him. He needs that extra protein - especially as little as he is!

More pics of little Sugar???? please????

 

[Chocoteddy0]

Thanks for the advice. My bunny is called Sugar.

I will try and post pics soon!!

 

[slavetoabunny]

Marietta wrote:

Pellets especially designed for junior rabbits contain a higher percentage of protein and nutritional elements, which are necessary for the growing-up organism of the baby and teenage rabbit. Therefore, in case you can find junior rabbit pellets in you city, it would be preferable to feed this special pellets until your bun gets to be, again, 10-12 months old. If you can't find it, then you have no choice but to stick to the adult rabbit pellets you've already bought.

By "junior rabbit pellets", are you referring to alfalfa based pellets or is this something different?

 

[Haley]

How is your little guy doing? Is he still pooping and acting normally? I think you dodged a bullet here- I hope hes on his way to a healthy recovery!

 

[Chocoteddy0]

Yeah, he seems to be pooping normally now. I think it might just be him settling in.

 

[Marietta]

slavetoabunny wrote:

Marietta wrote:

Pellets especially designed for junior rabbits contain a higher percentage of protein and nutritional elements, which are necessary for the growing-up organism of the baby and teenage rabbit. Therefore, in case you can find junior rabbit pellets in you city, it would be preferable to feed this special pellets until your bun gets to be, again, 10-12 months old. If you can't find it, then you have no choice but to stick to the adult rabbit pellets you've already bought.

By "junior rabbit pellets", are you referring to alfalfa based pellets or is this something different?

I'm sorry for this late reply,I just read your question, I'm not receiving e-mail notifications on new posts lately. No, I don't mean alfalfa pellets. When my bun was little, I was feeding him the "Vita Special for Junior Rabbits" of Vitacraft (I don't know if the particular company's products are imported in U.S., the company is seated in the Netherlands). These were small (in order to fit in the tiny mouths!), round, standard pellets, no mixes, which were high protein-high energy pellets, expecially designed for the needs of growing rabbits. I don't remember the analysis any more, but I can find it, if you're interested.

Marietta

 

[slavetoabunny]

Thanks Marietta. I was just curious. As far as I know, we have no such product over here.

 

[Chocoteddy0]

Pretty sure I can't get any junior rabbit pellets out here. I don't even know if the pellets I have now are alfalfa based! Eek!

 

[Haley]

Has anyone heard how this sweet boy is doing? I hope he's ok ray: