Hi! New to the forum! With my Easter bunny babies! :-3

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jfulcher

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I recently got a Albino New Zealand baby bunny for Easter, and then rescued a dwarf baby bunny shortly thereafter from being snake food.! And it seems they are of the opposite sex... (Oops!) But they have pair bonded, and love each other and would not bear a moment without each other! I named my albino Cadbury, and my dwarf Thumper. Both are as sweet and tame as they are cute! As soon as I saw that my bf had gotten me a bunny, I raced to find the LARGEST cage imagineable!!! So they are in a 4'x3'x3' cage... Inside... I've potty trained them for the most part.... Got Cadbury off her diet of hay she was fed, and onto a complete rabbit pellet diet, supplemented with hay and other veggies.! I found the "Rollin'The Hay" ball works wonders for keeping them from ruining their appetite! Neither are very nibbly, or chewie... Which is good! They only chew on the stuff intended for them to...!

Well, as long winded as that introduction was, I hope I make some new friends,and learn new things here!!!

And below is a picture of my babies, having a snack!

image_zps845202f0.jpg

I know I need to clean.... There's icky starting to build up....:vacuum:
And that hay ball isn't usually up so high... I was adjusting it so I could clean...
 
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:hello & :welcome1
You have two adorable bunnies! So glad you rescued the little dwarf bunny! Just want to add as already mentioned bunnies can breed at a very young age so if you do have a male & female, you will want to separate them so that she doesn't have babies. Its great that they get along & are bonding but you don't want to have an unplanned litter of bunny babies. Make sure they have plenty of hay to eat at all times. As baby bunnies alfalfa is what is recommended for hay. You might want to check up & read our online library of info on diet & other helpful info especially if you are new to bunnies. I've learned so much here & everyone is so helpful. Best wishes to you & your new bunnies!
 
I was prepared for a litter, I have a somewhat "pet shop" in the making... And already have people lining up for babies, if indeed they do have a litter. I almost mixed up my chameleon and bunny list! So, if she ends up popping they have homes lined up. And I've pre-screened them that they were bunny friendly, and weren't going to use them for snake food. Granted I have snakes that would gladly eat a baby bunny, the difference is, I am not feeding them to it.... So, in case there are any anti-snake people on here, I have four snakes and I'm bunny friendly..! ^__^
Eventually if Thumper IS a male, he will be neutered...! But from what I know he's around 4-6wks old and Cadbury she's probably 9+wks... So guessing he's a he, I'm planning on a litter, and I've been feeding them plenty of everything!

But question... IS IT ODD, FOR A BUNNY TO NOT BE "CHEWIE"!?

Usually they chew everything right?! These guys don't! Happily, not cords, but they only chew wood... Not paper, not the hut I bought them... Nada...and the wood is very very slightly... I do give them treats that wear down their teeth, and feed that will wear as well...!
 
do be prepared for the fact that should she kindle (have babies) at a young age she may well have NO clue what to do with them. and every four weeks thereafter you'll have new baby bunnies.
 
I was prepared for a litter, I have a somewhat "pet shop" in the making... And already have people lining up for babies, if indeed they do have a litter. I almost mixed up my chameleon and bunny list! So, if she ends up popping they have homes lined up. And I've pre-screened them that they were bunny friendly, and weren't going to use them for snake food. Granted I have snakes that would gladly eat a baby bunny, the difference is, I am not feeding them to it.... So, in case there are any anti-snake people on here, I have four snakes and I'm bunny friendly..! ^__^
Eventually if Thumper IS a male, he will be neutered...! But from what I know he's around 4-6wks old and Cadbury she's probably 9+wks... So guessing he's a he, I'm planning on a litter, and I've been feeding them plenty of everything!

But question... IS IT ODD, FOR A BUNNY TO NOT BE "CHEWIE"!?

Usually they chew everything right?! These guys don't! Happily, not cords, but they only chew wood... Not paper, not the hut I bought them... Nada...and the wood is very very slightly... I do give them treats that wear down their teeth, and feed that will wear as well...!


Oh no not at all, none of my bunnies are chewers, some rabbits do chew a lot but it's not weird for them to be good and not nibble.
 
They are adorable! I'm new here too, and it's a very active forum. Rabbits can breed from 8 weeks old. But anyway welcome! :)
 
do be prepared for the fact that should she kindle (have babies) at a young age she may well have NO clue what to do with them. and every four weeks thereafter you'll have new baby bunnies.

She's a very attentive loving bunny, but should that happen, I won't be too heartbroken. I MAY attempt to bottle feed one or two.. Just for the fun of it.... Should the worst happen. But like I said she's a VERY loving bunny. She's babied Thumper since he arrived. But yet again they've pair bonded. And I couldn't break them up, she'd be heart broken, and he'd be lost as well... I've never seen two critters love each other so much! AND SO QUICKLY!!!

Today was the first day Thumper allowed me to scratch him behind the ears, and him actually come up to me! I was sweeping out their cage, which is actually a really big kennel, and they were stealing my sweeper and throwing my pile around.... So they're high in spirits, and happy as can be! And thumper was actually going under me trying to see what my kitties were doing behind me. Which my kitties are totally bunny friendly! I'd actually worry more about Cadbury playing too roughly with them! LOL!!!
 
Oh no not at all, none of my bunnies are chewers, some rabbits do chew a lot but it's not weird for them to be good and not nibble.

This is good to know. I was worried something wasn't right...! They'll pull a bag in their cage but that's it... They just like the crinkle sound it makes... Which I still put an end to... With bitter apple spray... Cadbury wasn't pleased with that...
 
Welcome and congratulations on your new bunnies. Very cute! They look really happy in their new home. And it's nice and big, which is definitely something you'll need when your new zealand is full grown :)

Just a word of caution. It really would be best to separate them when they are 12 weeks old. It's hard to break them up, I know. I hated separating my babies too, as they were so happy being together, but if your girl rabbit were to get pregnant at that young age, it could potentially be fatal, as she wouldn't be fully mature yet, and that can cause complications. Also just leaving a male rabbit in with the female all the time, can also lead to problems like him mounting her at the wrong end, and her getting annoyed and bitting his genitals, and also female rabbits have two uterine horns and can get pregnant in both at the same time, which can also cause problems for them and even be dangerous to them as well. If you intend to breed, it's best to wait til she is mature at 6 mo. old. Since they are both still young, you have a few more weeks to think about it before it becomes an issue, but if you see him trying to mount her, that would be a good time to finally separate them til he is old enough to get neutered, if that's what you are planning to do.

With regards to their diet, grass hay is really good for their teeth and digestive systems. So eating lots of hay will help keep the sharp points on their teeth worn down. I prefer to feed my babies grass hay instead of alfalfa. Rabbits can get picky about their hay later on when you try to switch from alfalfa hay to timothy, plus too much alfalfa can cause digestive problems for some rabbits, especially if introduced into the diet too quickly. And if you are already feeding a plain unlimited (or almost unlimited) alfalfa pellet, then having alfalfa hay as well isn't really needed.

Not all rabbits like to chew on wood or branches. I have a few that will chew on just about anything, and others that are really picky and only like certain wood of certain thicknesses. I offer dried pine chew blocks, apple branches, and willow branches to my rabbits. Some like the willow and some like the apple better, some of them don't even touch their pine blocks. Just experiment with different rabbit safe woods, to see if there is one that yours prefer. And since they are still babies, it might just be that they aren't used to being able to chew on different things, and they may start doing it more as they get used to their new home and as they get older (so watch out for those power cords :) ).

It looks like you've already started veggies. Usually it's best to wait til they are 12 weeks, but if they aren't having any soft poops from eating them at this point, then you are probably ok to continue feeding them. Usuallly it's best to introduce new veggies, one at a time starting with small amounts and gradually increasing, to minimize the chances of digestive upset and soft poop. It's also good to limit sweet treats like fruit and carrots, to just a little bit each day, so that the gut flora isn't upset, which can cause serious digestive problems. Here's some veggie lists and diet info if you want to take a look at them.

http://www.3bunnies.org/feeding.htm#top
http://www.rabbit.org/care/veggies.html
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html

Rabbits can really be wonderful pets. They definitely have their challenges, but when they give you bunny kisses, and when you see your first binky, it makes it all worth it. I hope you enjoy it as much as we all do :)
 
I understand, and also want to reiterate that I AM going to get him neutered in the near future.! I don't want an unlimited supply of baby bunnies lol or for his hormones to get the best of their bond...

BUT I did want to share a pic of how my cage is looking since my friend who owns an AstroTurf business gave me some free turf, and I "redecorated"... I was worried they'd eat it... But they were just pulling at it, and digging at it seeing what the heck the new "toy" was under their footsies!!! It's almost complete... I have a bad back so I couldn't finish it. But it looks lovely! And all the naysayers that are going to tell me my bunnies will eat it, well if I see that happening its gone, or if they say they'll destroy it.... Well... WHO CARES!? I got it for looks... Not for life.... And also for Cadburys comfort if/when she "kindles". Anyway... Here's the pic!!!
image_zps01306e60.jpg

I think it's beautiful like they have their own yard that I never have to water and only have to hose off if they soil it.....! It's a luscious deep green...! And VERY soft!!! I'm almost jealous!!!
 
ALSO since putting more things in it, i.e. their hay ball as freestanding, the log hide they chew on, their food bowl, and the corn hut they refuse to use.... They aren't nibbling at it... But they did attempt to dig a good bit LOLOLOL!!! Cadbury started that mess!!! I ended it with treats...!
 
ALSO since putting more things in it, i.e. their hay ball as freestanding, the log hide they chew on, their food bowl, and the corn hut they refuse to use.... They aren't nibbling at it... But they did attempt to dig a good bit LOLOLOL!!! Cadbury started that mess!!! I ended it with treats...!

Turf is now finished, and NO nibbling, and no more digging! They LOVE it!!! And it's extremely plush!!! I am loving it too! I hope it's as easy to keep up as I think it will be!!!
 
Looks nice :) They look very interested in their new furnishings. Little buns are so curious about new things. I thought about using that same stuff at one point, for one of my rabbits, but she's a MAJOR chewer and I figured it wouldn't be a good thing for her, so I went with fleece instead, since it's supposed to be not as bad if they do chew on it. Seems to work well for her. She'll nibble at it some, dig at it, scrunch it up and have all sorts of fun. And of course, I'm always having to shake it out and lay it back down for her :) I like to use a low pile carpet with rubber backing, when I can, as it gives them good traction and doesn't slide around. Some of my buns don't chew and don't have pee accidents, so I can use carpet for them. Just not her. So if you find you have chewers, fleece fabric works well, and I just shake it out and toss it in the washer, to clean.

And yes, be ready for them to destroy just about everything you give them. Rabbits are little destruction machines, and have loads of fun doing it. A few of mine LOVE to destroy old phone books. I'll lay one out in a box with high sides to contain the mess(because there is certain to be one, and a big one), and a hole for them to hop in. I have one rabbit that will spend hours in there shredding, ripping, digging, shredding some more. Dig boxes seem to be a favorite too. But homemade toys are a necessity with these guys, since they destroy everything so fast. It might be a good thing yours aren't chewing on the corn thing. Corn isn't really good for buns, and if it's whole corn kernals it can actually be dangerous cause it has been known to cause GI blockages. But some rabbits just aren't big chewers, and like other activities like digging and running around. If your buns don't seem to be chewers, try a dig box with shredded paper. They may end up using it as a potty though. When mine do and it starts to get bad, I'll just throw it out and start over with a new one. You can also try the cardboard toilet paper tube that's leftover from a used roll. They make great cheap toys. I'll cut mine up into different shapes like spirals, wagon wheel things, and smaller rings, and you can also stuff them with hay for a fun toy. Cardboard boxes with holes cut in them for exploring, also can by fun for them. The paper and boxes with just plain ink and not the smooth color printed kind, are generally considered safe for rabbits. So, those are the kind of things that I'll use for toys for my rabbits. I rarely buy anything anymore, since they just destroy it anyways. Hard plastic baby toys, like the keys and plastic links, are one kind of toy that I'll buy for them though. You find you just have to do a lot of experimenting with new rabbits, to find what works, what doesn't, and what they like and what they don't, because they are all so different, with different personalities, and don't all like the same things. Picky little rascals :)
 
It might be a good thing yours aren't chewing on the corn thing. Corn isn't really good for buns, and if it's whole corn kernals it can actually be dangerous cause it has been known to cause GI blockages. But some rabbits just aren't big chewers, and like other activities like digging and running around.

I think because it's a hidey-hut, it's not made out of kernels, or at least that's the impression I get. I think it must be made of the husks. I have a toy for bandit that lists ingredients as seagrass, corn and sisal. But the corn is the green corn husks, not corn itself.

Otherwise, lots of good ideas for toys given. Bandit digs in his tunnel and at the ground sometimes, but whenever I try to give him a dig box, he completely ignores it, so I'm not sure how to satisfy that need. He's a decent chewer, redesigns the entrances on his boxes, chews up his foam mats. But he also loves playing with his plastic keys and his wire hay ball, just carrying and throwing them around, digging at them etc.
 
Very cute buns you have there.

I would probably be concerned over the astro turf... Not because they will destroy it, but because there is the chance of them eating it and getting a gi tract blockage. It's made out of a type of plastic, right? I probably would not keep it in with my buns, it just takes some boredom overnight and they could decide to eat it, then you wind up with enormous vet bills.

Heads up as well, if she's a New Zealand, you will need a much bigger cage. Check out a picture of our Alice if you want to see how big they get, she could be 10+ lbs. Alice is 10.4 lbs and needs a huge area (She actually has free roam of the house at her fosters).

Also, looking at that first pic, I doubt your boy is 4-6 weeks, he looks more around 8-10 weeks.

Also, bonding would not work if you only get him neutered. Both of them would need to be fixed, her hormones would make her either extremely hormonal or even aggressive. We just had someone who wanted to surrender two "bonded" rabbits to our rescue who were intact, now we are only expecting one to come because one killed the other. I would never recommend intact rabbits together once they are mature.
 
I think everyone here brings up a great point. First off I would love to welcome you aboard! Everyone here is such great friends, because Bunny friends are the BEST friends! Welcome to the bunny world!

Everyone here is just trying to help you out and give you some advice, please don't feel defensive. The most important thing to you is your bunnies well-being, and everyone here is offering ways to keep your bunnies well :]

As has been stated before, bunny breeding.. or any breeding at all, when can be avoided, makes me sad.. all the babies that are born and find homes.. well, those homes are then taken away from bunnies that are homeless just like your two were to begin with. Or taken away from bunnies that are dying because nobody gives them a chance, because they are in a kill shelter and are running out of time. It just breaks me heart.

Also, seeing as it can be fatal for your girl to get pregnant and go through with birth -- it really is a great idea to seperate them. I am also new to this forum, but I listen to these people because they KNOW what they are talking about. Believe me, they all mean well.. and I love them for that. When I have questions, they are who I ask. d;

I have two male rabbits, both I saved off craigslist, they are young. I got them both fixed actually last friday, but they have been kept seperate, and yes it's a pain in the butt, but atleast I know they're well & aren't going to hurt one another. Once their hormones calm down - then I will work on bonding them. & I pray it goes smoothly.

Good luck anyways, and again, welcome aboard.
 

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