New baby Bunny

[baldinal]

Hi everyone I just got a new little girl. Who kinda fell into our lives. I have had rabbits all my life but i am out of practice for a few years. Looking back on my previous rabbits I think there are a few things I would like to do differently. So I have dove head first into all this information. I fell set on food and housing. But i have come across a few other questions. First of all I am under the assumption she is a holland lop but I wanted your expertise. What do you all think? Also has anyone had luck with clicker training? I used it with my dogs with great luck. And finally with enough time and diligence how reliably can a rabbit be litter trained?

Thanks for your help!!!!

 

[mdith4him]

So cute!!! I can't comment on the breed, but I can comment on litter training. Our first rabbit was litter trained very quickly and only left a few stray poops (this was before he was neutered). Now that he's neutered, things are pretty much the same. Every now and then he poops other places and very rarely he'll accidentally pee over the edge of the litter box.

Our second rabbit learned to pee in her litter box before she was spayed, but she left poops EVERYWHERE. After her spay, she's been much better about peeing and pooping in her box. She'll leave little poops around every so often, too, but they're easy to clean up.

Have fun getting to know your new bun!

 

[1234bunnies777]

I do think she is a holland lop. as for clicker training i have mot every tried that before but you do have to remember that bunnies are not like dogs.

Litter box training for me was a huge success although I would recommend getting your bunny spayed because it makes the training much easier!

hope I helped
good luck :biggrin:

 

[baldinal]

Thanks for your reply! I did think of another question. If I have her base cage on a higher level than the area I let her run around can I put another litter box on the ground and will she use both?

 

[1234bunnies777]

I would think it would confuse her but you could give it a try!

 

[baldinal]

And yes I am well aware there is a huge difference but I do know that between this little girl and my dogs. However I do know that rabbits are incredibly intelligent. I would like to channel that into a few commands that will make life a little easier. Im hoping that it is never too soon to start getting her used to the sound. I am just curious on successes around here with it.

 

[baldinal]

A few more questions. What do you use as substrate for the bottom of the cage? And what is the best choice for litter?

 

[Nelsons_Mom]

I use wood pellets (either wood stove pellets or horse pellet bedding depending on the season) for litter. And for bedding I just have fleece in there. I like that better than towels or other fabrics cause it won't form threads when chewed so they cant be accidentally swallowed.

It's better to use a "non bedding" like that when litter training since using two traditional pet beddings can confuse the bunny's litter training.

The clicker training can be successful, but since rabbits aren't as smart as dogs, it might take more tries. But, as long as It's a behavior they would naturally theyll catch on quicker. (Such as jumping up or standing on hind legs.)

 

[baldinal]

Great that is what I was planning on. At what age do most people spay their little girls?

 

[Nelsons_Mom]

I think my girls got done between 5 and six months. That's pretty standard. Some will do it between 4 and 5 if they base it on weight instead of age.

 

[agnesthelion]

Welcome! She is adorable and I would guess holland Lop too

As far as litter training, Agnes is very good with her litter box. She may leave a stray poop here and there but poop is the least of your worries. They don't smell or stain so easy to clean up.

Pee, she is 100% on pee in her cage. Free run she was too! Up until a couple weeks ago when she discovered the couch. She has peed there a few times.

Agnes is a Lionhead so similar size to holland lops. The smaller breeds mature faster so can be spayed sooner. She is getting spayed at just over 5 months.

Litter I also use wood stove pellets like Jordan.

I also don't use bedding. For Agnes it is baby blankets.

As far as a second litter box on the floor, it might confuse her at first but I think it could work. Instead of having a completely new one, can you just take the litterbox outmof her cage and put it to the floor? It would be ideal to allow her to have access to her "home" anytime she is free run though......

I haven't done clicker training but I know of people who have. Rabbits are very intelligent it just takes patience.

Agnes knows her name and will come when called. She also knows when she is getting pellets or her veggies and will come running.

She greets me every morning, she is so excited to see me. She licks me and runs right over to me.

Congrats on your new bunny. They are amazing animals. and again welcome!

 

[Bebe623]

Congrats on your new bunny she is so cute and I'd guess a Holland lop.

 

[Ape337]

Very cute little bun! My 3 buns are fixed and don't seem to need more than 1 litterbox. They are 99% with pee unless a hiney hangs out over the edge, oops! Some stray poos but no biggie. Humma has run of the house when I'm home and I gave him a second litterbox, he ate the hay in the box but returned to his cage to go potty in spite of the second box being set up the same way. I use horse bedding pellets in the boxes. My buns have custom NIC cages so no bedding, they have tile and garage floor. :biggrin2:

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:wave: Darling little bunny!