New bunny mom with questions

LuvMyAli · Apr 22, 2005

I have read a lot of the posts, books andarticles and still have a few questions I need some helpwith. What is a good age to start harness training?I thought I had my bunny pretty well potty trained but today I caughther going outside the box is this just because she is a baby still(3months)? And the last question. We are looking intogetting our female bun a male bun playmate so we are waiting untilafter we have her altered but a lady told us that getting another bunnywould mean that Ali, our bunny, would no longer be a pet to us but amore a friend to the new bunny. I guess she meant they wouldwant to play together and not be around people is this true?Thank you for any help.

dajeti2 · Apr 22, 2005

Hello and Welcome.

Harness training is started young. I would start working withAli now. Just try and remember to be patient and loving. It takes alittle while. Now Apollo loves his because it means attention andoutsde and treats.

The accident outside the box may have been an accident. Or shemay have ben letting you knowthat is her space. This isusually right around the age where behavior over territorystarts.

I really can't answer the last question because I really don'thave any hands on experience yet. I've heard people say they addedanother rabbit and the new couple didn't really want the humansinterferring. I've heard others say it made both bunns more frindly andloving. I'm not sure. Good luck.

Tina

FrenchLopGirl1280 · Apr 22, 2005

If your going to get a male bun, then are yougoing to get it neutered? If not then they'll do the bad play, and Idon't think you want baby bunnies for the moment. Any ways she's toyoung to have babies. If to get a male bun then get it neutered andthey become best of friends and play but they'll give each otherattention. They most likely to like you humans and their play mates.They will also become a little more loving, caring and friendly. I havenever done this because all my males and females aren't fixed I breedthem. My other suggestion is to get a rabbit toy for them. They canfight over it and play with it. I use a toy called the nibbler. Anibbler has wood sticks which they can eat to make their teeth nice andits health for them, inside the nibbler (middle) there is a nut thatthey can get to after they eat the wood and then the can eat the nut.It keeps them busy so they aren't boared. I would also recommend tostart harness training very soon, like in a couple of weeks. Also tryto hold her more so she will have an awesome relation ship with you soshe's more human friendly. Rabbits when they are young are veryintellagiant to me.

From,

FrenchLopGirl1280:dude:

Apr 22, 2005

Remember Rabbits nomatter the age young or old arevery smart, start harness trainingnow if she balks at it leaveit on hte floor for a while and letherplay with it , that way shewill get used to it in a nonthreatning way , , remember harnesses restrict freemovement and its going totake some getting used to .

As for getting a bunnybuddy i say gofor it , they both will pay attention toyou and each other , I Know yousaid you were having the femalealtered and i would the malealso as son as he is ready ,that way you have cut thechances of cancer and made the spraying syndrom a minimal .

LuvMyAli · Apr 22, 2005

i plan to get the male neutered also but we didntwant to get another until Ali is trained and spayed we just read that amale is a better match for a female( as far as living and playingtogether nicely). Thanks for all your input I have her in theharness now even the smallest is a little big but she seems okay withit. She already broke the vest kind so we are trying a kittyharness. I bought one of each just in case.

IluvBunniez · Apr 22, 2005

I have a Mini-Lop female Thumper andI went and got her a friend FayNay yet anthore Female and the are thebest of friends. I love and play with them both together.Thumper isabout 4 months older than Faynay and she thinks she is her mother, sheprotects her from everything and everyone including me, when I go andtry to brush her and thumper thinks im hurting her she attacks thebrush. Thumper has never been happyer,Thumper and fay are not fixedbecasue i plan on breedding them one time later down the road.I say gofor it and get a friend, if you have to have a male fix him or keep himaway from the girl bun until she is old enough to have babies,If therenot fixed and u dont want babies i dont reccomend them playingtogether.

Ashley*Thumps*FayNay