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drgnfly447

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Hartford Alabama
Hello everyone. I'm new to the bunny world and I really need some advice . My bunny is about 12 to 13 weeks old. I clean her cage every morning and give her fresh Bahia and Timothy hay. She also gets pellets. What I need to know is safe woods to give her. We have an abundance of trees but I'm not sure what they are other than oak, cypress, cedar and pine. I have been trying to do some research on the types of wood I can give my Dixie to chew on without harming her. Out of the trees I mentioned pine was one that has shown up a few times as safe and there were some comments that pine was not safe. I have introduced her to treats . One day I'll give her a small spinach leaf and in a couple of days I'll give her a peeled grape. Yes I read that you are supposed to peel it for them . I think next I'll give her a cherry tomato without the seeds. If I'm doing something wrong I hope someone will let me know and help me with my wood dilemma. Thanks in advance for any advice and help. I'm planning on adding to my entourage so I don't want to make any mistakes. The things an empty nester will do!!
 
Hello and welcome to the forum!

For introducing greens, it's a good idea to do one at a time. So rather than a bit of spinach one day and something else a few days later, just stick with one. For example, offer a little spinach one day. If all is well (no change in poos) then offer a little bit more of the same on the following day. Gradually increase each day for several days always with the same green.

If she's worked up to eating a handful of spinach in one day, then add that to your list of greens she likes (and tolerates).

Then try a different green like basil or romaine lettuce. Same thing. Offer a little bit one day and ever-increasing amounts each day.

I'd skip any fruits or sugary things like carrots and just concentrate on "greens" until you get a good list of tolerated greens.

You can see more about diet-related advice here on my webpage (there's a separate page for each item- pellets, greens, hay, treats).

Here is a list of safe and not-safe plants. Scroll down on there for the categories of 'tree leaves' and also 'tree twigs' (not always the same!)
http://earthhome.tripod.com/saferab.html

If I don't see a particular plant on a safe list, I err on the side of caution and don't feed it.
 
If they sell them at places like petsmart. The only fruit trees on our property is peach. I read that woods or twigs like peach have to be dried for several months before they can have it.
 
Haven't been able to find any of those types of wood. I now have an even bigger issue. I have noticed when I go out in the mornings to clean her cage and feed her she charges me . Now I got this bunny 12/10/2018 and was told that she was 10 weeks old . My husband will usually fill her water bottle but has not much to do with her and he is able to put his hand in her pen with no problem. Well today I went to pick up a bale of hay and decided to get some black oil sunflower seeds for her and my chickens . When I got back I proceeded to go out and clean her cage. Well ... she boxed my hand pretty good. Now understand I try to socialize with her scratch her on the head and take her out and love on her. She doesn't seem to like me touching her. What is wrong with my rabbit? She is being really hateful and I don't understand.
 
Now I got this bunny 12/10/2018 and was told that she was 10 weeks old . My husband will usually fill her water bottle but has not much to do with her and he is able to put his hand in her pen with no problem. Well today I went to pick up a bale of hay and decided to get some black oil sunflower seeds for her and my chickens . When I got back I proceeded to go out and clean her cage. Well ... she boxed my hand pretty good. Now understand I try to socialize with her scratch her on the head and take her out and love on her. She doesn't seem to like me touching her. What is wrong with my rabbit? She is being really hateful and I don't understand.

I'm guessing she isn't spayed? Female rabbits who aren't spayed tend to become seriously cage aggressive (meaning they'll instantly lunge at any hand, toy, bowl, etc. as it reaches into the cage). Generally (but not always) this behavior is limited to when the rabbit is in her cage/"her" territory. Spaying usually fixes this but if you wait too long to spay, the behavior can become learned (meaning it will continue even after the hormones are gone). Cage aggressive unspayed females are about as common as teenage humans who yell at their parents.

This site has great info on rabbit spay/neutering. It's really important in females because of the otherwise high risk of cancers of the reproductive organs (having to do with the fact that they're induced ovulators and their reproductive system is pretty much always on overdrive).
 
Same rabbit bigger problem. My husband has taken over the care and feeding of Dixie. She allows him to put his hands in her pen and she nuzzles his hand for scratches. The problem is she has started to pee and poop in her food dish. Empty or with feed in it she does her business in her food dish. I plan on buying a feeder that attaches to the side of the cage but at the moment I have to use the dish. We plan on breeding her so having her fixed is out of the question. Any advice on this would be most appreciated.
 
Hello everyone. I'm new to the bunny world and I really need some advice . My bunny is about 12 to 13 weeks old. I clean her cage every morning and give her fresh Bahia and Timothy hay. She also gets pellets. What I need to know is safe woods to give her. We have an abundance of trees but I'm not sure what they are other than oak, cypress, cedar and pine. I have been trying to do some research on the types of wood I can give my Dixie to chew on without harming her. Out of the trees I mentioned pine was one that has shown up a few times as safe and there were some comments that pine was not safe. I have introduced her to treats . One day I'll give her a small spinach leaf and in a couple of days I'll give her a peeled grape. Yes I read that you are supposed to peel it for them . I think next I'll give her a cherry tomato without the seeds. If I'm doing something wrong I hope someone will let me know and help me with my wood dilemma. Thanks in advance for any advice and help. I'm planning on adding to my entourage so I don't want to make any mistakes. The things an empty nester will do!!
I've read that pine and cedar are completely unacceptable they are dangerous for rabbits to chew,

These types of wood are suitable for your rabbit: apple, ash, birch, hawthorn, hazel, juniper, maple, pear, poplar, spruce and willow.

I have an ash tree in my backyard so gave her a stick and she likes it.

For the fresh food and greens, I am growing some spinach on my backyard but I would say she wasn't very excited when I gave her some, she didn't like cabbage and parsley root either, she liked celery, carrot and apple (I am not giving a lot, just a slice). I know she likes banana as when I visited her first time they got some they were all very happy, I just didn't buy bananas last week but I had some dried skins I was going to use as natural fertilizer for my plants and gave her some - she loved it! Also I have some dried carrots and she liked them too. I've read about what herbs you can give and I have some that I dried myself she loved dried nettle!

Next time I will give her some mustard greens I've read that it's also good, she liked mint too, actually I've just seen dry rabbit food they sell in the pet store with mint so think it is safe too. She loved fresh dandelion leaves and fresh parsley and coriander greens, now going to give her some basil. She had no interest in thyme unfortunately, I have a lot of fresh and dried, but no, not her type.

I also have her for only 2 weeks now and she is 10 weeks old, I've read that too much fruit is no good as too much sugar not very healthy, only give as a treat, same with carrot, better give carrot greens.

So, what she definitely liked: nettle (only had dried from my backyard - she loved it!), dried banana peals (loved!), fresh dandelion leaves, fresh coriander greens, celery, apple and carrot she likes but I am not giving very often, maybe every 2-3 days a slice, celery half stick every other day.
 
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Haven't been able to find any of those types of wood. I now have an even bigger issue. I have noticed when I go out in the mornings to clean her cage and feed her she charges me . Now I got this bunny 12/10/2018 and was told that she was 10 weeks old . My husband will usually fill her water bottle but has not much to do with her and he is able to put his hand in her pen with no problem. Well today I went to pick up a bale of hay and decided to get some black oil sunflower seeds for her and my chickens . When I got back I proceeded to go out and clean her cage. Well ... she boxed my hand pretty good. Now understand I try to socialize with her scratch her on the head and take her out and love on her. She doesn't seem to like me touching her. What is wrong with my rabbit? She is being really hateful and I don't understand.
Maybe she just needs some attention? I understand she is not an indoor rabbit maybe if you can spend some time with her just sit on the floor and don't do anything just let her do what she wants and she will come to you eventually and will ask if you can hold/pet her. Always works for me.
 
The problem is she has started to pee and poop in her food dish. Empty or with feed in it she does her business in her food dish.Any advice on this would be most appreciated.

I suggest getting her a litter box. She seems to be trying to use the food dishes as a litter box. Give her a roomy plastic box. Add some litter like wood pellets (these are not the same as shavings) and top it with some hay. She will probably start using it right away as a litter box since she seems to be looking for a litter box anyway. It will make clean up easier for you too.
 

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