I just got 3 rabbits. 2 are male, 1 is female...all are unaltered, but kept separately. I have MANY questions, mostly to do with housing, so here I am!
So, first some info about the bunnies and their current setup...
I have no idea how old these bunnies are (they've been through several owners from my understanding...tho 1 is tattooed in his ear...supposedly was gotten from a breeder...I have no real notion about them) They all look healthy but I guess one of them had ear mites in recent times (lady told me he had ear infection and that she had to soak crusts off...I went online and looked it up and I'm thinking ear mites...so that's one question...best meds for that). I would say all three are around 10 lbs each...Twitch is black male with floppy ears (had the "ear infection"), Thumper is brown/black marbled male with stand up ears (was told this one had been abused by a child (thrown around by ears and such) and he's fairly skittish...thumps quite often, thus the name), and lastly is the girl who I'm told is a Californian (pink eyes, white with brown ears, nose, etc) who I have yet to think of a name. Currently they are in "smallish" wire cages that they came with (really 1 long wire cage divided into 3 compartments about 2' x 2' 6" each) but I have a big porch that has a wooden floor (half inch or less gaps between boards) and completely enclosed with chicken wire. I have sectioned it off into 3 "cages" with chain link panels reinforced with chicken wire on bottom...each section is about 4' x 6'. It is absolutely secure from predators getting in and from them getting out. I'm also considering a long cage attached above their areas to put my guinea pigs in... (But I will always keep cages in the house also so they can come inside during inclement weather and such). My main question for this area has to do with their excrement. I put litter boxes out there but they're not really using them. My husband thought we could just let them go out there and sweep daily into the gaps between boards to go under the porch and to treat that area with something like lime to control it (and the odor) so I would really appreciate any ideas about this... Also need to know what they should have in there...should they have ramps and shelves to climb on? Boxes to hide in? I currently have a pet carrier in each area for them to use as a house. I put them out there for a day or so, but the weather got cold...again...so I brought them back in (I'm in Texas, about an hour north of Dallas). I've had them less than a week, now. Anyway...sorry so long and everything, but I just basically want to know what you all think of my cage arrangements (so far) and what tips you have for me to improve on any of it. Thanks so much!
So, first some info about the bunnies and their current setup...
I have no idea how old these bunnies are (they've been through several owners from my understanding...tho 1 is tattooed in his ear...supposedly was gotten from a breeder...I have no real notion about them) They all look healthy but I guess one of them had ear mites in recent times (lady told me he had ear infection and that she had to soak crusts off...I went online and looked it up and I'm thinking ear mites...so that's one question...best meds for that). I would say all three are around 10 lbs each...Twitch is black male with floppy ears (had the "ear infection"), Thumper is brown/black marbled male with stand up ears (was told this one had been abused by a child (thrown around by ears and such) and he's fairly skittish...thumps quite often, thus the name), and lastly is the girl who I'm told is a Californian (pink eyes, white with brown ears, nose, etc) who I have yet to think of a name. Currently they are in "smallish" wire cages that they came with (really 1 long wire cage divided into 3 compartments about 2' x 2' 6" each) but I have a big porch that has a wooden floor (half inch or less gaps between boards) and completely enclosed with chicken wire. I have sectioned it off into 3 "cages" with chain link panels reinforced with chicken wire on bottom...each section is about 4' x 6'. It is absolutely secure from predators getting in and from them getting out. I'm also considering a long cage attached above their areas to put my guinea pigs in... (But I will always keep cages in the house also so they can come inside during inclement weather and such). My main question for this area has to do with their excrement. I put litter boxes out there but they're not really using them. My husband thought we could just let them go out there and sweep daily into the gaps between boards to go under the porch and to treat that area with something like lime to control it (and the odor) so I would really appreciate any ideas about this... Also need to know what they should have in there...should they have ramps and shelves to climb on? Boxes to hide in? I currently have a pet carrier in each area for them to use as a house. I put them out there for a day or so, but the weather got cold...again...so I brought them back in (I'm in Texas, about an hour north of Dallas). I've had them less than a week, now. Anyway...sorry so long and everything, but I just basically want to know what you all think of my cage arrangements (so far) and what tips you have for me to improve on any of it. Thanks so much!