Hello: New To Bunny Care

Charstar67 · Jan 30, 2013

My daughter just purchased a new Holland Lop (at least that is what we believe his breed is) from a friend. She is wanting to show him at the county fair for 4H this coming summer. He came from a pet shop and so has no papers indicating age, breed, or even sex (lol I know that sounds strange that I don't know that and I could probably find out if I just looked!!). We don't know much about the care of our bunny and so I am looking for any info that I can grab a hold of. I would like my questions answered that I have posted below.Thank you for your time.

1. Is there a way to tell how old he is?

2. Is it important to feed them Timothy hay or can pellets be enough for healthy digestion?

3. We have had our bunny for about 5 days ago and he still isn't very accepting of us. He runs away and hides every chance he gets and turns away from us when we get down on eye level with his kennel. How long does it usually take to acclimatize a bunny? Do we just need to be patient or is this looking like a non social rabbit? What are some tips on helping him feel more at ease with his surroundings and learn to trust us?

4. When and how often should we do regular health checks at the vet?

5. How do I know if he is fixed? And if he isn't, how soon do we want to get this done?

woahlookitsme · Jan 30, 2013

There is no real way to tell how old a rabbit is but most people can give a good estimate. If he was bought young at a pet store he was probably 4-8 weeks of age at the date bought.

I can help with showing questions so Ill help with number 5. If she wants to show him and there is no pet class or the fair doesnt allow altered animals, then he will not be able to be neutered. Show animals are meant to breed and produce offspring of higher quality than the parents so that is the reason they are not neutered. If it was a female you might get away with it but being that boys have external genitals it is not possible to show an altered animal unless specified in the specific show rules. With that said showing can be super fun and a great way to produce a college fund if you win but that is usually with what are called meat pens (I paid for my first semester of college with my win money from one year of winning reserve grand champion). Hollands are VERY competitive and with a pet store bunny she is most likely not going to win a conformation class. Welcome to the site and good luck! If you have any other show questions they can be answered in the rabbitry and showroom area

Pics are of course always welcome!

whitelop · Jan 30, 2013

Congratulations on your new baby bunny and welcome to RO!

1. I don't know how you can tell age, I think its pretty hard to determine. Someone else can help more I'm sure.

2. Timothy hay or other grass hays are important in the diet. They should be offered freely and in unlimited amounts. They help with digestion as well as to help wear down teeth and curb boredom. Pellets, babies normally get 'unlimited' pellets, but sometimes that leads to a stomach upset. I feed my baby 1/2 a cup of a day of pellets. I would say anywhere from 1/2-1 cup a day would be good. You have to find the balance of pellets. Also, if you didn't get the same kind of pellets that they were feeding at the store, then you should transition the bun slowly onto the pellets. Like start out with 1/2 a teaspoon and work up to how ever much you decide. He should have unlimited hay so he can eat between little bits of pellets until he's been weaned onto the pellets. Of course, if he is eating the same pellets, then you don't have to do that, just decide how much to feed him.

3. Bunnies are prey animals, so they're always somewhat cautious. I think babies tend to be pretty nervous if they aren't handled a lot as they grow. Chances are, you pet store bun was not handled a whole lot and is a little skittish. My pet store baby is the same way, lol. It just takes time. What I did to help bond with my baby is to feed her her pellets by hand. It shows her that when I come to see her, I'm bringing good stuff and she can trust me. I also like to sit with her. I did the 'ignore method', where you sit in their area, but you don't mess with them. Just read or get on your laptop or watch tv. You let them come to check you out when they're ready. Because as they are cautious, their curiosity always gets the better of them and they'll check you out. You just have to be patient and eventually you'll have a bunny who isn't scared of you. But you also have to remember they aren't dogs, so they don't behave like dogs.

4. I'm not sure about vet checks. I would want to take him because you got him from a pet store, just to make sure everything is okay. And if you're interested in showing, I would want to make sure he has a clean bill of health before putting him in a show situation. But for me personally, I would say like once a year for a house bunny to make sure everything is alright. But I'm not sure about other people. ?

5. Like woahlookitsme said, if you want to show then you can't alter. If you decide you don't want to show, then you alter at like 6 months+. Chances are since its a baby, from a store, its not altered. Like she also said, if you're interested in showing, there are a lot of knowledgeable show-er's and breeders on this forum and they're always more than happy to help with those types of questions!

Can't wait to see some pictures!

Korr_and_Sophie · Jan 30, 2013

There really isn't a way to tell age. You can tell younger rabbits from adults. Generally, the younger they are the easier it is to get a good estimate, but past about 4-6 months it can be quite tough. Since you got him from a pet store, chances are he is about 8-12 weeks old.

Hay is needed for rabbits. It helps with digestion, wears down teeth and provides food without worrying about excessive weight gain. Young rabbits, under about 6 months old, can have alfalfa hay, but adults should stick to grass hay like timothy.

It can take time for a rabbit to get used to a new environment and new people. You can try just sitting in his area and ignoring him, he should want to explore you eventually. When he does, don't do anything as that can scare him off. Some rabbits are not as social as others, but can warm up to people with time.

Vets should check the back teeth as part of an exam. It is recommended that you get an exam on a yearly basis. You do need to go to a rabbit savvy vet though and that can be pricey. Usually back teeth problems lead to weight loss, not eating and even drooling, so there are some signs that there is a problem. Front teeth are pretty easy to check yourself, so looking at them when you do nails or something is a good habit to get into.

If you got him from a pet store at a young age he is not neutered. Males can usually be neutered at around 4-5 months or after the testicles drop. Females are usually done around 5-6 months. Since you are wanting to show him, he does need to be kept intact. Some 4-H shows do allow for neutered rabbits, but it is generally preferred that they are intact.

Nancy McClelland · Jan 31, 2013

Don't really have anything to add to what's been said. Hay is an integral part of a bunnies diet and they can live on hay and veggies without pellets. Ours get a very small amount of pellets, unlimited orchard grass (I'm allergic to Timothy) and fresh veggies in the am and the pm.

Charstar67 · Jan 31, 2013

Thank you so much for this valuable information on showing. I am very excited to see if brings her a blue ribbon! She told me this morning that she doesn't really care if he is ribbon material or not because she says "I love him no matter what!"