Just got a new bunny! Super nervous...

[JBun]

It might be worth trying a different pellet like oxbow adult. Those kaytee pellets have a lot of additional ingredients that oxbow doesn't have, and one of those ingredients might be what's causing the cecotrope problems. It might just be easier to start him on the adult pellets so you don't have to mess with having to transition him off of the juvenile to the adult. Plus the adult pellet doesn't have alfalfa in it in case that's what's causing the problems.

Finding a pellet that he can tolerate might also calm him down some. He might just be really hungry and that's what's causing some of these behaviors. Baby buns grow really fast and they need a lot of food to keep up with the growth. It's hard for them to be getting enough food by just eating grass hay because it's lower in nutrients and takes longer to eat. Pellets are more condensed and nutrient rich, so it fills them up faster.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Thanks JBun. I bought oxbow adult -- do I need to transition and only give him a small amount to start with and gradually increase?

 

[JBun]

I would gradually increase, at least over a weeks time, maybe even two. I've even gone as long as 4 weeks for a really slow transition for a particularly sensitive bun. Two weeks is safer than one, but I have done less than a week with a rabbit that wouldn't eat hay and I had no choice but to hurry and get him on the new pellets. I just keep a close eye on their poop for any signs of it going mushy or the fecal balls becoming really small in size. Also any signs of discomfort after eating pellets.

 

[lavendertealatte]

How much do you think I should give?

 

[Meredith Tervo]

So I’m a new bunny owner too...sadly I have to pick one to go back to my moms house because I thought I had selected two females I don’t know which to keep and can’t afford to have them both fixed right now Also I bought an outdoor rabbit hutch that is perfect for two kits but man have they blossomed in just the past week!! Any tips on how to choose??? *Ugh* also any newbie tips would be greatly appreciated!!! I’ve discovered I need to put something on the floor to cover the mesh...what is something I can use temporarily until I can size a piece of plywood? And until I can get something inside setup is there anything I should be aware of while they/he/she are kept outside? And last what I can think to ask is, what is best way to store my 50lb Timothy bale?? Didn’t realize it could get moldy!! It’s in my garage at the moment but it is really humid here and there are lots of water bugs and cave crickets in the garage at all times!! Any suggestions would be oh so ever helpful!!

 

[Blue eyes]

@ Meredith, I suggest you start a new thread and just copy/paste your question on that new thread. That way you will get more answers and answers specific to your questions.

In the meantime, you can put a piece of ceramic or porcelein tile as a resting area for the rabbits on top of the mesh. It is cool and gets them off the mesh. You can buy a single tile at any hardware store. Depending on your hutch, you can get whatever will fit through the hutch opening -- 12"x12" or 14" x 14" or even 16" x16."

For newbie tips, you can check here (my website).

If you feel better about keeping hay out of the garage and indoors, you can get a plastic storage tub and drill some holes in it for aeration. Assuming you have A/C inside, that will help keep humidity down as well. For indoor storage of hay, I use a 13 gallon kitchen trash can. But the storage totes can work as well if air holes are drilled.

 

[Meredith Tervo]

@ Meredith, I suggest you start a new thread and just copy/paste your question on that new thread. That way you will get more answers and answers specific to your questions.

In the meantime, you can put a piece of ceramic or porcelein tile as a resting area for the rabbits on top of the mesh. It is cool and gets them off the mesh. You can buy a single tile at any hardware store. Depending on your hutch, you can get whatever will fit through the hutch opening -- 12"x12" or 14" x 14" or even 16" x16."

For newbie tips, you can check here (my website).

If you feel better about keeping hay out of the garage and indoors, you can get a plastic storage tub and drill some holes in it for aeration. Assuming you have A/C inside, that will help keep humidity down as well. For indoor storage of hay, I use a 13 gallon kitchen trash can. But the storage totes can work as well if air holes are drilled.

Thank you for your answers! Very helpful!! Feeling silly because I can’t seem to figure out where to start a new thread on this website lol Which page/heading do I go to to do so? My hay bale came in a thick green tarp-like wrapping, is it ok to keep it wrapped? And would you happen to know how long the bale will keep and will I be able to recognize if it happens to mold by smell or what not? I may find those answers on your website so headed there now to check it out...thanks again!

 

[Blue eyes]

To start a new thread, click first on "FORUMS" at the very top of the page. That will show you all of the different topics to choose from. Click on the one that fits your topic to bring you to that section. (There are choices like nutrition or housing or behavior.)

Once there, you will see a green button on the right half of the page that states "Post New Thread"
Click that and you're set to go.

 

[JBun]

How much do you think I should give?

Sorry, a little late answering. I would start off with maybe 1/4 tsp twice a day for 2 days, then I would increase to half tsp., then each day I would increase half tsp more twice a day. If you feel that's too much too fast, stick with increasing 1/4 tsp twice a day, each day.

 

[lavendertealatte]

I may have increased too fast .. I did see a lot of tiny poops but still regular poops.. what does that mean?

Today, cecotropes again T_T

 

[lavendertealatte]

Also bunster plants the cecotropes on the opposite end of the pen and they are always on the floor, not in the litter box. Does anyone know why?

 

[Kita channel]

bunbun also eats lots of hay but doesn't seem to be making much dent in the pellets...

also if you buy a bale of hay where do you typically store it? I was thinking garage but I saw a huge roach in there the other day so now I'm hesitant >__<

Maybe get a large storage container which you can get from alot of stores for cheap and store the hay in there which will also help keep it fresher for longer

 

[LacyH1011]

Also bunster plants the cecotropes on the opposite end of the pen and they are always on the floor, not in the litter box. Does anyone know why?

My 8 week old babies are also letting their cecotropes land on the floor around their run instead of reingesting as they're supposed to, or putting into the litter box. My only thought is they haven't figured out that part yet?

 

[lavendertealatte]

so I ended up storing my hay in the den where Bun is. Looks ugly, but oh well, he's taken over the room anyway.

Lacy how are your buns doing?

Bunster should be around 4-5 months old now. We're noticing no testicles dropping so he might be a she. Also it seems that his personality is becoming more skittish. He startles when my husband walks through the den in the morning. :/ Could this be a hormone thing? I hope it doesn't become permanent.

 

[Blue eyes]

My 8 week old babies are also letting their cecotropes land on the floor around their run instead of reingesting as they're supposed to, or putting into the litter box. My only thought is they haven't figured out that part yet?

8 weeks is still very young. It can take them some time to figure out their cecotropes.

 

[lavendertealatte]

so Bunster had his/her first legit accident since being potty trained... about 4-5 months old now. Aghhh was hoping we'd get through this period without that. Luckily it was in her cage area and not the carpet, but does this mean we need to do re-training??? It was RIGHT next to the litter box. -____- I cleaned out the box today, in case that was the problem..

 

[Blue eyes]

It isn't unusual for a formerly potty trained rabbit to "forget" that training with the onset of hormones. I don't see any point to trying to train him/her until after being fixed. Fixed rabbits train themselves (just need the right set up).

 

[Sophia]

Bunbun is sitting like a loaf with his ears pressed down .. is he mad? cause i've cleaned up his poops and stuck them in the box with him?

What breed is he he could be a lop and that would be the same as some of mine stick their ears up when they are little but then over time keep their ears down for longer periods of time until they keep them down all the time.