I broke down and bought a rabbit a petshop last night

[ilovetegocalderon]

So I went to the pet store last night (not theone referenced in my other post “Horror at Pet Store” - a differentone). I bought some hay and the usual that I needed and thenI look over and see this rabbit in a cage all by itself looking so sadand lonely. I inquire about it, not intending to buy, justcurious. They tell me that she has been there for almost ayear. She’s my rabbit Rice’ssister!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I remember Rice was in a cage withanother rabbit when I got her. Well, it’s the samerabbit!!!! She was really fat and didn’t have any toys, theusual pet store scenario. I held her and petted her for awhile and fell in love with her. So, um, I boughther. I told the store owner that if she didn’t get along withRice (who I’ve been wanting to have a friend since her and Beans don’tget along) within 2 weeks, I would have to return her. Theyagreed. I took her home, set up a nice big cage for her withwater, pellets, hay (which she never had) and a little bit of romaine(which she never had), along with some chew toys. She seemedto have a blast in the cage throwing everything around. Icould tell she had never played before. So I wascontent. Then I took her out to play a little and noticed,she had mushy poop!!! Do you think this is from the hay and/or romainewhich she never had before??? I’m so paranoid now.Also, any other advice on what to do? By the way,Rice and Beans are super jealous and have never begged for pets to theextent they did last night. It was actually kind offlattering.

 

[Snuggys Mom]

I would have gotten her, too. A year all alone in a petshop! Poor baby girl!

Are you feeding her a different type pellet? If so, that'sprobably what's causing the mushy poop. They need to beswitched over slowly. (Forgive me if you've heard this before)

It took me about six weeks to completely switch Shadow over to our pellets.

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

You know what, I have heard that a million timesbut for some reason I didn't think about that last night. Soafter reading your post, i called the petstore and asked them and theysaid that the pellets i bought from them were the same ones they werefeeding her. So that cant be it. Could it be theromaine and/or hay? She never had any of thatbefore.

Also, right now she is in a separate room but when I let her in therabbit room for a little bit last night Rice seemed to recognize herimmediately and they were both sniffing eachother and they looked to befriendly towards eachother. Then when I started petting bothof them, Rice charged at her and tried to bite her. Rice iswaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay smaller than this rabbit but this rabbit didn'tdo anything back to Rice. Why did Rice do that so suddenly?

 

[naturestee]

Aw, congrats on the new girl! What are you going to name her?

I agree with Laura, the mushy poops could be from switchingpellets. I'd also hold off the romaine and other freshveggies/fruits until she's used to the new stuff. Keepfeeding her hay. Grass hay, even if she's never had itbefore, shouldn't be an issue. My vet actually had me stopfeeding Fey and Sprite all pellets when I first got them, and give themonly hay and start feeding veggies. Then he had me startslowly adding pellets after a few weeks. This was becausethey had health problems because of their previous pellets though.

Oh, and I'd guess that Rice was jealous when she saw you petting her sister.

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

naturestee wrote:

Aw, congrats on the new girl! What are you going to name her?

I agree with Laura, the mushy poops could be from switchingpellets. I'd also hold off the romaine and other freshveggies/fruits until she's used to the new stuff. Keepfeeding her hay. Grass hay, even if she's never had itbefore, shouldn't be an issue. My vet actually had me stopfeeding Fey and Sprite all pellets when I first got them, and give themonly hay and start feeding veggies. Then he had me startslowly adding pellets after a few weeks. This was becausethey had health problems because of their previous pellets though.

Oh, and I'd guess that Rice was jealous when she saw you petting her sister.

Thanks!! I haven't thought of a name yet. Anyideas? (i dont think i wanna name her a food item related toRice and Beans unless its fiendishly clever, lol).

And ok, i understand Rice may have gotten jealous but you think thereis hope that they will be re-bonded?? I really hope sobecause I want to keep this rabbit. She deserves a goodhome. She's been in the pet store too long. Butlike i told the owner, i simply cannot have 3 rabbits that don't getalong in my apartment. It would just be too much.

 

[stopwarownarabbit]

What a great story! It was meant to be.

 

[SunnieBunnie Rabbitry]

ilovetegocalderon wrote:

Thanks!! I haven't thought of a nameyet. Any ideas? (i dont think i wanna name her afood item related to Rice and Beans unless its fiendishly clever,lol).

How 'bout Rice, Beans, and Tortilla :shock:

Sorry... Hispanic heritage showing through

~Sunshine

 

[naturestee]

SunnieBunnie Rabbitry wrote:

ilovetegocalderon wrote:

Thanks!! I haven't thought of a nameyet. Any ideas? (i dont think i wanna name her afood item related to Rice and Beans unless its fiendishly clever,lol).

How 'bout Rice, Beans, and Tortilla :shock:

Sorry... Hispanic heritage showing through

~Sunshine

I was thinking Cheese!

 

[cheryl]

wow the poor thing has been there for ayear!that is a long time for a bunny with no exercise,i hope everythinggoes well with the bunnies,i would hate for her to have to go backthere,i wish you all the luck that the bunnies can get along with eachother



cheryl

 

[Snuggys Mom]

I like "Cerveza" with my rice and beans.

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

Ha ha hato Tortilla, Cheese and Cerveza. :disgust:

But listen guys, um....i dont want her now. do you wanna knowwhat she did last night? she freaking bit me so hard that shedrew blood!!!!! Rice and Beans NEVER bit me. Noteven on the first day home. I'm soooooo incrediblyangry. I had to walk out of my room and take a few deepbreaths before going backin my room. I really don'ttrust her now. I had her up on my bed petting her.Then I had to move her off of my shirt that she was sitting on and shecharged and bit me. What should I do guys? I'm soaggravated. I know I shouldn't feel this way but I'm so readyto send her back to the pet store. I know its horrible butI'm scared to handle her now. Please help me.....:cry1

 

[m.e.]

Ouch! :hug2

I think, in all fairness to this little girl, she deserves more of achance. You yourself said she was unsocialized, had never been playedwith, and is, I assume, unspayed. Her reaction was well within therange of normal, even to be expected given her past situation. In hermind, that shirt was hers and you took it (bad bunny slave! )

All bunnies are different, and you can't compare the behaviors of oneto the behaviors of another. Peanut used to bite, and thump, andcharge, and box our hands. I thought we had adopted a possessed rabbit:shock: But like your new girl, she was unsocialized, overweight, andpositively brimming with hormones. In her mind, we weren't respectingher personal physical boundaries and territory, and she had to put usback in line

Time and patience work wonders. Give this girl a chance at a better life and she may amaze you with her progress

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

You are right m.e. I just needed to hear it. Sometimes i need to put in my place. LOL

She does deserve a chance. I think i just wanted to vent outmy frustration. I felt betrayed but you are soright.

But what do i do about my paranoia of handling her now?

By the way everyone, I named her Marshmellow, Marshy for short.

 

[m.e.]

It's fine to vent I once had a shelter bunny bite me so hard that through myshirt he drew blood and left a bruise that lasted severalweeks:shock: (hurt like the dickens, too). I was really,really nervous around him after that.

So I understand not wanting to handle her too much. But just like youaren't keen to get bitten, she's doesn't want to have her space invadedagain, at least not yet. Maybe taking it slow, giving her treats, gentle petting, etc. willbe good for both of you.

Btw, I think Marshmellow is a great name

 

[SunnieBunnie Rabbitry]

Do you have plans to get her spayed? That should help tremendously with those out of control hormones.

That's one thing I learned from breeding rabbits - if left intact -when denied their natural instincts to procreate, they'll show theirdismay & frustration in the worst of ways... I've got the scarsfrom bites to prove it!

I understand your feelings of nervousness in handling her. Ifelt the same about my rabbits that bit & charged.This may sound a bit harsh, but this is what worked for me - Whenever Ihad to take them out of their cages (and even reach in to feed), Iwould get a stick or some type of object to put in therefirst. I would then hold their head down with it (at theneck), and when I felt they were secured enough... I would reach in andget a safe hold of them at their scruff. I would secure theirears in my grip of their scruff just to keep them from turning theirheads and biting my wrist... but not at all pulling on theirears. I would then remove them from their cage and put themon a small, carpeted tabletop. Being up off the ground and ona small platform drew their attention away from me and more towardlooking around and down. That's where I would interact withthem... on the small table.

After I worked with them there, I'd pick them up securely - so as notto panic them & keep them trusting me - then I would walk totheir cage & let them hop in on their own terms. Mosttimes I can give them a pet on their head before closing theircage. I did this as the regular routine until they no longercharged or lunged when I'd open their cage. This did twothings for me- 1) it helped me get over my nervousness whenhandling the rabbit & helped to put the biting in the past, and2) it helped the bun get adjusted to me handling it.

I hope things work out between the 2 of you.

~Sunshine

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

Hi SunnieBunnie! Thanks for theadvice. I do plan on getting her spayed, hopefully within thenext couple weeks. (Rice and Beans are both spayed as well.)I'll try that method of handling her until then.

Honestly, Rice and Beans are the only bunnies I ever had and they werealways so wonderful. Never honked, or batted at me or bitmeor anything. That's why sometimes whenI would read some posts about agressive mean bunnies I didn'tunderstand....until now!! Marshmellow honks a lot and thebite really hurt bad. But earlier in the day yesterday I wason the couch and she was sitting on top of my stomach and letting mepet her and when i stopped she gave me the most delicate little nipbecause she wanted me to continue. i was thrilled.....only tohave her bite the heck outta me a couple hours later. :X

 

[maherwoman]

Aww!!! I can't believe what goodtiming!!! I remember you wanting to find a good friend forRice (who's a boy, right?), and what a perfect team...siblings...howadorable! I would have brought her home, too!

What wonderful luck...for both you and your new little babe!Let us know when you think of a name for her and when you have pics, ok?

Until then, give her hugs for us! :bunnydance:

P.S. About nervousness about handling her, Iunderstand...you've just gotta remind yourself of how much you love herand what made you fall in love with her. Remember why ithappened, and try not to repeat things. Just remember thatyour new baby has issues that you've not had to handle before, and thatit'll take time. Just give her plenty of space, and let hercome to you.

Here's a thread about aggression that might help:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12319&forum_id=17

And one about communication and language:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12051&forum_id=17

If you've already read those, I apologize...just thought I would give you something that might help.

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

Thanks Maherwoman!!

Actually Rice is a girl (so is Beans) and the name I thought of for the new bunny is Marshmellow, Marshy for short.

 

[petkeeper]

I think you should name her Salsa!!How are the poops now? you will probably have a problem for alittle while til she gets used to the good life!! I wouldhave gotten her too...poor thing...I can't believe they kept her for ayear that is amazing for a petstore. Ususally they will markthem down for a quick sale.

Congratulations, hope all works out well with her.

Shannon

 

[peapoo_bunny]

..aww...poor little girl! a year is a long timeto sit in a petstore and watch all of the other animals beingbought.. i think she'll settle down some after awhile...just rememberthat she probably hasnt been handled much or given alot of attention tofor a whole year, so she's probably not used to it yet. just give hersome time..and plenty of treats

good luck with the new bunny!!!