Complete newbie to Rabbits!

[ames]

Hi everyone, we just bought a blue mini lop. At the moment he tends to poo everywhere in the cage? I'm wondering if this is my fault? I use hay all over the cage and put straw down as thats what the breeder says they eat? [As well as pellets]

We should have a brand new cage arriving Monday/Tuesday with two tiers as we will be getting a lionhead mini lop whatever day the new cage arrives so I want to know what to do and do it right in the new cage. I have noticed people use them plastic corners as a litter box, what do I put in a litter box for the cage?

Also, he is living indoors at the moment until the summer under the advice from the breeder, so he spends alot of time in our living room rooming around with our son. At the moment he poos anywhere in the room, and quite alot in his bed we bought. Do I just but a normal litter box and put hay/straw down in there for him to understand thats where he goes to do his buisness?

Sorry for all the questions!!

 

[ZRabbits]

I found out my boys pooped everywhere when I had hay every where. No one's fault, just something you kind of figure out as you go. Bunnies poop where they eat. If you get a litter box, you could put the hay in there. By accident they pooped in the litter box because the hay was there. Has worked great ever since with my others.

Some people like hay racks, which you definitely will have room with your new crate. You can always put the hay rack near his litter box. He might poop under it but it's not all scattered.

Also bunnies poop for territorial reasons. They need to place their scent. Especially the younger ones. That's why he's pooping in the bed. If you are considering neutering, once the hormones are fully gone (usually in about 2 months) they don't tend to use poop as territorial marking. Kreacher will only poop one or two outside his crate every time after I clean his crate. He's neutered and 1 year old, but this is way of saying "This is still mine." I don't sweat the one or two.

Now Neville, he's pooping everywhere. A ton! But he's going to be 4 months soon, (starting teenage months) so he needs to show his manliness by marking. Something I am going to have to put up with because he will stay intact. The pee marking is the worse. This will also go away once neutered.

Don't worry about all the questions. I think that's what is great about forums. Some questions you can answer, but the real knowledge, comes from experience.

All I can advise you is, get to know your bunnies. They are truly as individual as snowflakes!

Hope this helped.

K

 

[ZRabbits]

One more question I forgot to answer.

What you put in to the litter box.... I use Eco, which is recycled paper with hay on top. There are others who use wood pellets. Others that use straight newspaper.

Don't use cat litter because of the dust and it's bad for bunnies to ingest. And yes, my bunnies have all tried the Eco paper. Thankfully they like the hay better. lol

There are different ways to absorb the urine your bunny puts out so he's not standing in it. Urine scald can really hurt your bunny.

Check at your local pet shop or on-line and see what kind of products there are. Also see what best suits you and your bunny's needs.

K

 

[ames]

Thanks ZRabbits!

Well the bed in our living room has just gone in the bin as he peed in it so assuming he thinks thats his litter tray as there was tonnes of poop in there lol. I will go to the pet store tomorrow and buy a litter tray for the living room.

In his hutch is there anything else I can put down instead of hay? What do they prefer to sleep on? I did see the hay racks, but my breeder told me they eat straw so would have thought to put hay in the rack?

All very confusing at the moment lol

 

[ZRabbits]

ames wrote:

Thanks ZRabbits!

Well the bed in our living room has just gone in the bin as he peed in it so assuming he thinks thats his litter tray as there was tonnes of poop in there lol. I will go to the pet store tomorrow and buy a litter tray for the living room.

In his hutch is there anything else I can put down instead of hay? What do they prefer to sleep on? I did see the hay racks, but my breeder told me they eat straw so would have thought to put hay in the rack?

All very confusing at the moment lol

I use towels or old t-shirts so that they have something to lie on. Cardboard is good. Learned how good it was when Dobby started chewing and ripping up his towel. Now he likes to lay on the cardboard. Kreacher uses a towel. I call it his "wubbie". Neville and Luna both prefer the plastic flooring of their crate. It's cooler for them due to being Long haired. Willard likes the cool flooring but will sometimes sleep in his litter box.

I'm not sure about the straw, but Timothy Hay, Orchard Hay is what I've always fed my bunnies. It's needed to keep their digestive tracts going all the time (have to to maintain their system) and it's good for helping grind down their teeth.

Don't feel bad if it's all confusing right now. We have all gone through the "first time" bunny owner stresses. It will get easier. And it will be all worth it. Bunnies are truly awesome critters to have.

K

 

[PapaJoe]

ZRabbitsDon't feel bad if it's all confusing right now.  We have all gone through the "first time" bunny owner stresses.  It will get easier.  And it will be all worth it.  Bunnies are truly awesome critters to have. 

K
[/quote]

ZRabbits - you nailed it. First time bunny owner as well and yes, I was overwhelmed. The two things that overwhelmed me were: How much they pooped, which was everywhere & how they ran away from me.

For me, I filled a low level litter pan with paper based litter pellets. On top I placed a mixture of Timmothy and Alfalfa hay. I also put their food dish with pellets IN the litter pan, and I hung up a hay rack above the pan. As mentioned, they mostly poop where they eat. This really controlled the poop. Each week I put less and less hay IN the litter pan. Now they eat there is just paper litter pellets in the bottom. I still have their food dish in the pan, along with the hay rack above. After about 5 weeks, I can say they are basically litter trained - as much as a bunny can be. Luckily they picked up on it.

I just opened up the ramp to the lower level of their cage. I wanted to get the poops under control first. It's been almost 24 hours since I opened the ramp, and they still go up stairs to poop. Of course there was a couple here or there, but over all, they used their litter pan. They didn't even used the small corner litter pan I put in the lower level. They still go up top - which is what they are used to.

So don't get discouraged. For me, I used the Oxbow Hay mats in their top level. They love it. They now started to chew a lot. They love ripping them up. But they do lounge out on the plan floor of their cage, which is coroplast (platic cardboard). They like the cool bottom. They kick the mats aside. The bottom cage (just opened) I have lined in a tight woven carpet runner. They haven't chewed it yet, and only a couple poops.

Today I'm at a much better place with my bunnies than I was the first 2 weeks. As many will say - your bunnies will let you know what they like and how they like it. Just observe and experiment. You will learn just how they like things. Keep us posted.

 

[ames]

Wow the breeder didn't tell me I had to buy certain types of hay/straw I just bought the usual stuff in pets at home? Will that do until I run out then go buy the right stuff?

The hutch I have coming Tuesday is a wooden floor so may go to a pound shop and buy sticky tiles to laminate the floor for easy cleaning? I will cut down a cardboard box and make that into a bed and see how he gets on. So glad I signed up to here now lol

 

[ZRabbits]

ames wrote:

Wow the breeder didn't tell me I had to buy certain types of hay/straw I just bought the usual stuff in pets at home? Will that do until I run out then go buy the right stuff?

The hutch I have coming Tuesday is a wooden floor so may go to a pound shop and buy sticky tiles to laminate the floor for easy cleaning? I will cut down a cardboard box and make that into a bed and see how he gets on. So glad I signed up to here now lol

Definitely, don't fret, will do until you get hay.

And good idea about the tiles for easy cleaning in your hutch. Wood does absorb urine so putting down tiles will definitely keep all that away from soaking into the wood.

K

 

[PapaJoe]

Duplicate post - sorry

 

[PapaJoe]

Duplicate post - sorry.

 

[PapaJoe]

ames wrote:

Wow the breeder didn't tell me I had to buy certain types of hay/straw I just bought the usual stuff in pets at home?

ames - I definitely would read everything you can on here. When I picked up our family from the breeder, she told me a bunch of stuff that contradicted what everyone writes on here.

For example: The breeder had the bunnies eating Timothy hay/pellets. I asked about them needing alfalfa hay as young ones - she told me no. It will give them diarrhea.

I told her I was going to take them to the vet, and was told not to, because they don't like to travel.

Told her about the 2 level home - she told me no, they don't like to go up and down.

Final result: I did take them to the Vet 5 days later to make sure they were healthy, and to start a file on them. I introduced Alfalfa in their diet, slowly. Now they are mostly Alfalfa with Timothy mixed in, since they were used to Timothy - but didn't want to eliminate it. AND they LOVE the 2 level home. They do their happy dance and run up and down the ramp.

I'm glad I read this forum and did all of my homework!

 

[ames]

Yikes! Well I went to pets at home today to pick up a litter tray for when he is out in the lounge and a corner one for the new cage and seen the timothy hay so will buy that when my 2 bags have ran out.

Really am learning more about rabbits since I joined here so thats a good start! Thanks for all the help!

 

[1357rabbitlover]

Just thought i'd add the best food out there in UK for bunnies is Burgess Excel, they have one for junior bunnies and one for adults. It's really good and not expensive, and will stop selective feeding.

Hope this helps..