Leaving Bunny alone for ?# of days

[Kinai]

I have a question. In a couple of months I will be away from home for 5 days. I am HOPING that by then I can have his large cage done.

But how many days would people on here feel comfortable leaving their buns alone?

My PLAN is to load a good size bowl with pellets, and leave a large chunk of hay and a larger than normal Litter pan.

I DO have someone coming in the house for the dog so I will have them refill water and monitor the food but I'd rather them not do much more as they have no experience with Buns.

Does this sound ok or should I modify my plan of care for AJ for my time away???

 

[Blue eyes]

If you leave a load of pellets in there, they will just eat them all at once and that could cause digestive issues. I would not suggest doing that. Rabbits aren't going to moderate their intake. They'll just think they hit the jackpot and munch away.

While many will say that one shouldn't leave a rabbit for more than a day, I have left them 2 days (1 night) before. I did this by not leaving any pellets (they do fine without them) but leaving A TON of hay and several bowls of water. (The bowls were clamped, so they could not be tipped over.) I filled a 13 gallon kitchen trash can with hay and left the can on its side. I knew they would have plenty of hay and plenty of water.

Even someone with zero bunny experience can refill water, add more hay, and offer a measured scoop of pellets each day. I'd suggest having your dogsitter do those simple tasks each day.

You can even write out a simple instruction sheet and leave it there for them.

 

[mark]

We've decided that we'll leave our bun with a trusted, pet-less friend (or someone who has bunny-friendly pets), or have someone who lives nearby come to our place, whenever we go on vacation. We just got her a few months ago so we haven't been away for more than one overnight trip yet. We have another coming up soon ...

 

[Kinai]

Mark.

I haven't been away from AJ. But I will have to be in a couple of months for the 5 days (gonna be torture for me) I will have people in and out of the house but I figure the less they have to deal with AJ and his cage the better I'll kind of feel since neither person has experience with rabbits and the only person I would trust with AJ is going with me when I go.

I may get a larger litter box and fill it with hay mostly on one side and a little on the other. Then put a bowl with his daily hay out. and Then a bowl with extra pellets to make sure he has enough and just have my friends keep an eye on the hay and water.

 

[leighann7]

I don't leave Tawny alone even overnight. She goes with me. But she's a quite clingy and doesn't even like staying home while I run to the store. She just rides in the car like a champ. Though hotel staff usually pause when I say I'm traveling with a rabbit...

 

[BlackMiniRex]

my neighbor takes care of my bunny when i'm gone. its not that hard for someone to simply check on your bunny and give feed and water. i leave the number for the vet (just in case anything were to happen) and also my number.

bringing your bunny with you for a trip is very dangerous for the bunny.
the best thing to do is drop you bunny off at a friend's place or have a pet sitter come over. and of course if you were to leave your bunny at someone's place then you would obviously show them how to care for it.

leaving just a pile of hay in the litter box is just NOT gonna cut it. what if your rabbit were to escape its pen/cage? or your bunny got sick ( they can hide their illnesses) you NEED someone to check on them at least twice a day.

 

[BlackMiniRex]

I don't leave Tawny alone even overnight. She goes with me. But she's a quite clingy and doesn't even like staying home while I run to the store. She just rides in the car like a champ. Though hotel staff usually pause when I say I'm traveling with a rabbit...

i'd be really concerned for your rabbit..
the different situations you put your rabbit in can really stress them out.
all though they may not show signs of anxiety, that doesn't mean they aren't being stressed out (if that makes any sense lol)
i strongly suggest you leave your rabbit at home and just have someone check on them. it is not good for your rabbits health to be carried around everywhere to different places. rabbits like to stay in places where they KNOW they are safe.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Our son comes over and stays at our place if we're gone--2 birds, 4 bunnies and 2 dogs the smallest of which is 176 pounds. We do chat with other members here and have watched their babies if they have to leave--peace of mind is priceless.

 

[RavenousDragon]

We always have either one of my vet tech friends come and take care of the pets or family- but if it's just overnight, we will leave them. If the pet sitter is already coming over, just make sure the rabbits have an extra bowl of water and lots of extra hay and instruct him/her to keep them full just like with any other animal. Honestly, when we have someone over, we have them just skip pellets all together to remove the extra step (they still get greens and hay though). Good luck with whatever you decide and I'm sure it will be what is best for your rabbit, because no one knows her like you do!

I do have to disagree with one thing, BlackMiniRex- some rabbits do quite well with travel. It depends on genetics (aka luck) and how they were raised in general. Yes rabbits can hide their stress, but if a rabbit is used to traveling and does so often, then the rabbit is probably fine with it. I take my own female (not my male, he'd be VERY stressed) with me to teach young children how to interact with rabbits and pre-veterinary high schoolers how to do physical exams (the basics) on exotics- and she LOVES it. She even follows them if they walk away. I've even met a few service rabbits (they tend to be the large breeds- as those are calmer and less snarky).

 

[Blue eyes]

Mark.

I may get a larger litter box and fill it with hay mostly on one side and a little on the other. Then put a bowl with his daily hay out. and Then a bowl with extra pellets to make sure he has enough and just have my friends keep an eye on the hay and water.

Just to reiterate: DO NOT leave extra pellets. Bunny WILL eat them all at once and that is just asking for an upset tummy -- that is NOT something you want happening while you are away.

There just isn't enough space to leave 5 days' worth of hay around either. That is why your dogsitter should be asked to refresh hay every day. That isn't too much to ask. The hay is most critical and you don't want to skimp.

For the sake of your bunny, just have the dog sitter, each day, give hay, measured pellets and water. That is simple for anyone to do.

 

[Aki]

I often have to leave my rabbits when i have business trips. Under 36h　they do fine on their own with a big pile of hay (i generally give two different kind of hay)、their vegetables (about 80 percent of what they would have eaten normally and mostly leafy greens), but only half of the pellets. When it's longer i have someone come twice a day. I prepare everything (i weight and cut the vegetables and everything ) and the person is instructed to give hay and pellets in the morning and hay and vegetables in the evening. It works fine for me but my rabbits are free ranged in a room.

 

[Kinai]

I was not going to just leave the hay in the litter box but there was going to be a good bit of it. I am going to have to get AJ used to my friend who is gonna be the one to interact with him.

I will "train" him to care for AJ. All vet info for BOTH furkid will be left here in case of emergency. Luckily neither have any big allergies

 

[Blue eyes]

I was not going to just leave the hay in the litter box but there was going to be a good bit of it. I am going to have to get AJ used to my friend who is gonna be the one to interact with him.

I will "train" him to care for AJ. All vet info for BOTH furkid will be left here in case of emergency. Luckily neither have any big allergies

Your friend doesn't really have to "interact" with AJ at all - just provide his food, hay & water. Of course it's fine if he does, but there really is no need to bother your friend for frequent "get to know bunny" sessions.

Here's a sample of what I meant for "simple instructions." [you would need to have appropriate size scoop for pellet food]

Don't make things too complicated. It really is just as simple as printing out the following for your friend.

DAILY AJ CARE​

- Refresh water
- Add hay (amount about his body size)
- Give one scoop of pellet food

 

[katiecrna]

I agree with blue eyes 100%
Just leave instructions for your friend. He doesn't need to touch the bunny at all, He probably shouldn't. I don't think it's a good idea to leave a large bowl of pellets. Just have your friend give a small spoonful a day like blue eyes said.
I would also leave a couple litter boxes around, at least 2.

 

[Kinai]

Kat

The size of AJ's cage will not accommodate 2 litterboxes. The bigger one for the few days will take up about a quarter of the cage and will be fine. (Not by choice and only for those days) his cage is 30 inches long and 20 inches front to back and same high. Being a Netherland Dwarf it's an ok size but not one I want. (His custom home will be bigger by alot) I do have him out as much as possible though.

My plan as of right now is to ration out the pellets into his individual meals, same with the hay and greens. Night before I leave (leaving at sun up basically) all pet medical info is placed where my friend can get it if needed for both my furkids. The cage gets fully cleaned so that in the morning all I have to do is put the already prepared larger litter box in the cage, fresh food and water a quick snuggle and be out the door.

 

[lauren8165]

I don't leave Tawny alone even overnight. She goes with me. But she's a quite clingy and doesn't even like staying home while I run to the store. She just rides in the car like a champ. Though hotel staff usually pause when I say I'm traveling with a rabbit...

I am so jealous! I am new to rabbit and have only had mine a few months, but I desperately want a rabbit with that temperament one day. Buns is sweet as could be, but won't let me hold him and definitely wouldn't go for a car ride.

 

[schriss]

When I was going on 5 days vacation, while I had someone to come every day and serve some greens exactly as instructed (and do a small clean up), I made sure as many things as possible did not depend on that person:
- water bowl I use holds over 1 gallon of water so it will last over a week easily. The water doesn't go bad in just few days. Just clean before going.
- Pellets were served in 6 compartment pet feeder, so each serving would present itself at same time every day with my recorded voice playing out loud calling his name. He wasn't scared of the feeder, he immediately knew there is food hidden in it. It is impossible to open it ny an animal.
If it had to be human serving pellets, I would either leave every portion separately prepared by myself OR I would leave something like egg cup so they would not overfeed.
- Hay as usual, large stack that could last over a week easily.
- And lastly, a remote web cam. This one is dangerous to our mental health. If you are on vacation and you do have access on your mobile to be able to see live camera feed of your rabbit at home, it might be difficult to stop checking it every few minutes. But it does provide great peace of mind. But it can ruin vacation if people you are with do not expect to see you looking at the mobile device most of the time and running around looking for better coverage or WiFi hot spots.

 

[Kinai]

Schriss,

Unfortunately all of that stuff in Jas cage would leave no room for AJ. I do appreciate and LOVE the suggestions though! When I get the chance to build his new hutch I will make sure to have the room for that just in case I have to leave him again.

 

[HannesandBijou]

....

 

[user 34902]

I have a even harder question . My bunny is free roamed in my room with a two story large always open cage. I have to leave for ten days and cannot bring him. I have someone coming in every three or so days to fill up his two water bowls, give him affection, and sprinkle pellets all throughout his room so he can scavenge for them. Is this unacceptable? What if someone comes every other day?

Sprinkling hay throughout the room might be an idea so the bun can forage.