thevanguard6
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Here's a helpful rabbit manual
- Thread starter thevanguard6
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Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:
Did you write this yourself? I'm sorry but I keep seeing you putting this link all over the forum. If you have chosen to feed your rabbits this way, that is your choice but I don't think it is fair to imply that this manual is or should be a standard.
Some people feed nothing but pellets. Some feed nothing but hay. Some feed primarily greens. Heck, one person fed nothing but dog food to their rabbit. Any one of them could argue that it works for them but that doesn't mean any of those is ideal.
The diet of domestic rabbits, especially those that live indoors and are neutered, have very different nutritional requirements than wild rabbits that are breeding, evading predators, and dealing with possibly extreme weather changes.
These nutritional requirements for indoor, fixed rabbits is what the House Rabbit Society and the RWAF have spent decades researching. They have seen what does and doesn't work. And I have seen those recommendations be updated over the decades as they continue to learn more.
If one is looking for something close to a standard, I would think the HRS and RWAF would be a better place to look.
Some people feed nothing but pellets. Some feed nothing but hay. Some feed primarily greens. Heck, one person fed nothing but dog food to their rabbit. Any one of them could argue that it works for them but that doesn't mean any of those is ideal.
The diet of domestic rabbits, especially those that live indoors and are neutered, have very different nutritional requirements than wild rabbits that are breeding, evading predators, and dealing with possibly extreme weather changes.
These nutritional requirements for indoor, fixed rabbits is what the House Rabbit Society and the RWAF have spent decades researching. They have seen what does and doesn't work. And I have seen those recommendations be updated over the decades as they continue to learn more.
If one is looking for something close to a standard, I would think the HRS and RWAF would be a better place to look.
Cluckin'Bunny
Well-Known Member
Is this a good thing to do? I've heard you shouldn't do this for dogs or cats because they won't understand.
"Odds are, your rabbit will run around the house and leave droppings here and there.
Whenever this happens, immediately get the rabbit and show him/her the unwanted
'presents' that they left on your rug. Push the bunny's face toward it (they don’t
like that). Then, put them back into their cage for about 20 minutes. As well, place
the rabbit droppings into their litter box.
Do this every time your rabbit leaves 'presents' on the rug."
"Odds are, your rabbit will run around the house and leave droppings here and there.
Whenever this happens, immediately get the rabbit and show him/her the unwanted
'presents' that they left on your rug. Push the bunny's face toward it (they don’t
like that). Then, put them back into their cage for about 20 minutes. As well, place
the rabbit droppings into their litter box.
Do this every time your rabbit leaves 'presents' on the rug."
Mariam+Theo
Well-Known Member
No, do not do this. Rabbits do not understand that pooping on the floor outside their litter box is wrong. They think they are marking their territory because that is how they mark territory from other rabbits in the wild. You should just pick the poops up, put them in the litter box, and clean the area with a distilled white vinegar/water mix.
Mehidk
Well-Known Member
Absolutely not. They are not dogs. They are marking their territory and all you just need to do is pick up the poop and clean up the area with vinegar/water or a pet safe cleaner.
This “manual” is not official. Refer to HRS’s website for actual information that has been researched.
I totally disagree with punishing rabbits, doesn't make sense. Rabbits don't do that when raising kits or in their hierachy, they don't have that concept - they know they are always right. They are not a wolf pack. They have their rituals and fights over dominance and territory, but that's something different. Turn your back and they do it again, whatever it is, because it's not what they do is wrong but because you do something wiered to them when you are there.
They are smart enough to get some of the concept, I reckon, they know exactly when I run out of patience and going to catch them after following them, smugly not going home, through the woods for half an hour, but that's about who of us is more pigheaded, a hierachy thing, not about involuntary bowel movements. Occassional stray bunny berrys are something to live with.
As I would put it, litter training is a misnomer, we take advantage of a natural behaviour. Common toilet spots serve several functions in the wild, it helps to keep the warren hidden, and they are important communication spots and markers, they can smell who is around, if there is a doe ready to breed, and other things. So using one spot for their business is deeply ingrained in them. "Litter training" is finding out what spots they prefer, and nugding them to use the litter box where we want them to do it. With an incentive, like putting poop and soiled bedding there, also the hay rack, and by eliminating the odor at places we don't want them to use (Thorough cleaning +Vingar seems to work) or blocking this areas until the litterbox is established.
Just to give another example of how to feed rabbits: Mine don't get much hay most of the year, 95% of their feed is green forage, and what they graze or dig up. Pellets are just a treat. There is no problem with toxic plants when rabbits are allowed to chose and have enough different stuff to chose from.
Vegetables only in winter so they get some wet food too. Jerusalem artichokes, kale, cabbage, carrots, apples.
They are smart enough to get some of the concept, I reckon, they know exactly when I run out of patience and going to catch them after following them, smugly not going home, through the woods for half an hour, but that's about who of us is more pigheaded, a hierachy thing, not about involuntary bowel movements. Occassional stray bunny berrys are something to live with.
As I would put it, litter training is a misnomer, we take advantage of a natural behaviour. Common toilet spots serve several functions in the wild, it helps to keep the warren hidden, and they are important communication spots and markers, they can smell who is around, if there is a doe ready to breed, and other things. So using one spot for their business is deeply ingrained in them. "Litter training" is finding out what spots they prefer, and nugding them to use the litter box where we want them to do it. With an incentive, like putting poop and soiled bedding there, also the hay rack, and by eliminating the odor at places we don't want them to use (Thorough cleaning +Vingar seems to work) or blocking this areas until the litterbox is established.
Just to give another example of how to feed rabbits: Mine don't get much hay most of the year, 95% of their feed is green forage, and what they graze or dig up. Pellets are just a treat. There is no problem with toxic plants when rabbits are allowed to chose and have enough different stuff to chose from.
Vegetables only in winter so they get some wet food too. Jerusalem artichokes, kale, cabbage, carrots, apples.
Cluckin'Bunny
Well-Known Member
I thought so, thanks.
The House Rabbit Society website (rabbit.org) is excellent.
I know vet's are expensive, but they have a wealth of information on bunny husbandry and health. They want what's best for your bunny.
I know vet's are expensive, but they have a wealth of information on bunny husbandry and health. They want what's best for your bunny.
