NEW BUNNY OWNNNERRRR

[Fribzz]

Hello everyone!

Im a new bunny over, a happy mother to a 3 month old lion head cross (I believe a rex) I have read books, and things on the internet. When i bought him they told him he was litter box trained, or atleast getting used to it more and more. But since i brought him home, he doesnt really use it. I mean he does but not all the time. Is there any way that i can encourage him to use it more. Also what type of food. Rightn now i just use pellets because thats what he was used too. ANDDDD the most important haha, litter. I do not like the litter i have right now at all!! Is there anything out there that people enjoy. and any tips and helpful ideas to help me down the road it would be awesome!!! I will put pictures up! onceee i figure out how!

THANK YOU

New bunny lover!!

 

[fuzz16]

cant wait for pictures!!! you can host on photobucket

and sounds like your on the right track

and litter box takes time, i know i didnt really start big time training until they hit 3-4 months because they started gaining control. getting him nuetered will definately help as the stray poops are for marking territory. hopefully he doesnt start spraying!! you would want to get him fixed when his balls drop around 4-5 months...my nueter cost me 98$
a great way to encourage him right now though...is if he poops outside the liter box move the poop into the litter box while hes looking. keep him in a smallish enclosure (but big enough for living) and that will help him go to the litter box as they can forget where it is. use vinegar to clean up spots so he doesnt smell it and pee there agahin...mm praise him with craisins when he goes pee or poop in the litter box...o and only put litter in the litter box. also get a cat litter bo not a corner one and put some hay in it. they tend to poop more where they eat

food wise, right now he will need alfalfa based pellets and LOTS of hay. all he can eat actually dont do veggies or fruits yet, dont start that till hes older, and youll want to introduce those slowly. a lot of people feed oxbow, personally i use purina because of how much i go through

and wood stove pellets. i like equine litter which is a pine based pellet that works the same way feline pine does. avoid shavings and the carefresh.

since hes young still and so new you have a great chance to build a bond. dont pick him up as it scares rabbits. get down on the floor and play wit some jingly cat toys and roll them at him see if hell play.

o and a drop of water in vanilla might help with the smell...it did before i nuetered my male...and he smelt yummy

 

[Fribzz]

yay thank you yeah he gets plentttyy of hay!! and he loves it. I do have a corner litter but i will def go out and get a different one now!!Yeah i play on the floor with him alot. He likes to throw things and jump around like a mad man! He does stay in his cage for a little bit of the day like when im at work or out, but when i get home i take him out to play for a little bit then he goes right back in. I will say im guilty of giving him some baby carrots. I didnt know sorry! THANK YOU AGAIN!!!

 

[Maureen Las]

Once a male is neutered it will significantly help in litter box training.

here are the library links to some of your other questions

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12046&forum_id=17

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12084&forum_id=17

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12079&forum_id=17

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12160&forum_id=17

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=13618&forum_id=17

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12074&forum_id=17

 

[kirbyultra]

Agree with the previous post! Alfalfa pellets, grass hay or alfalfa hay - lots of it! Until he is 9-12 months old he can have alfalfa food. When he gets older he should get Timothy pellets. I love wood pellet litter as well. I used "yesterdays news" before and it was absorbent but I like the way wood pellets help with odor more.

Litter training: most important thing you can do is put their hay in it. If they eat there all the time they will poop there soon enough. Put any stray poop back in the box and put any urine soaked towel in the box. If they get the scent of where their stuff belongs it'll help their routine. It can take time. It took my baby bun about a month to go there 100% of the time.

 

[kirbyultra]

I would also add that at about 4 months old you can start introducing green leafy vegetables. Lettuce, kale, parsley ... Intro one at a time to your bunny and see what agrees with him. Carrots should be an occassional treat, and I wouldn't give too much at 3 months. You want him to eat healthy carbs and lots of fiber. If he fills his little baby tummy with sweet carrots he will not learn to eat his hay.

 

[elrohwen]

What size litter box do you have? What is the rest of the cage floor like - is it bare?

I just saw that you have a corner box - definitely get a bigger one and see how it goes. Second, if there is other absorbant material on the floor of the cage, he might be confused about what is his litter box.

 

[Fribzz]

elrohwen wrote:

What size litter box do you have? What is the rest of the cage floor like - is it bare?

I just saw that you have a corner box - definitely get a bigger one and see how it goes. Second, if there is other absorbant material on the floor of the cage, he might be confused about what is his litter box.

The cage floor is bare. Thats what the woman told me to do when i bought him. Its big enough for him for now. Like i said i had no idea what i was doing so i just bought what i thought i needed. :/ Thank you again everyone.!!!

 

[fuzz16]

glad you came here for help

some things you dont need that pet stores try to sell you: (i know a lot of people spend the money on these things, including me when i first started)
vitamin supplments for water
salt wheels
yogurt drops
plastic house-cardboards better lol
uhhhm....never wash your rabbit