Rabbit Rescue

[Toady]

I have 3 smaller rabbits and a full sized bale of hay (the big 20kg ones) lasts my lot about 5 to 6 months. My girls are still young so get free fed pellets and Loki needs extra cause he has to put extra into 'fluff' production so they get pellets that I mix with mixed chaff for the extra protein. But Jiminy looks like an adult and as a big boy he'd probably only need 1/4 cup of pellets a day so a 2.5kg bad would probably last him a few months... I get roughly 6 to 7 months from a 20kg bag for my lot and the girls get 1/2 cup morning and night and Loki gets the same.

When looking at hay try to find a place that sells to horses, avoid the lucerne hay (it's called Alfalfa in the US and is the same thing we eat as sprouts) but oat, barley or other grass hays are fine. My bale of barley hay cost $15 and the 20kg of pellets cost me $27, fresh veges is probably the most expensive thing but if you have farmer's markets or have room to grow your own costs go down.

 

[Misschief]

I have 3 smaller rabbits and a full sized bale of hay (the big 20kg ones) lasts my lot about 5 to 6 months. My girls are still young so get free fed pellets and Loki needs extra cause he has to put extra into 'fluff' production so they get pellets that I mix with mixed chaff for the extra protein. But Jiminy looks like an adult and as a big boy he'd probably only need 1/4 cup of pellets a day so a 2.5kg bad would probably last him a few months... I get roughly 6 to 7 months from a 20kg bag for my lot and the girls get 1/2 cup morning and night and Loki gets the same.

When looking at hay try to find a place that sells to horses, avoid the lucerne hay (it's called Alfalfa in the US and is the same thing we eat as sprouts) but oat, barley or other grass hays are fine. My bale of barley hay cost $15 and the 20kg of pellets cost me $27, fresh veges is probably the most expensive thing but if you have farmer's markets or have room to grow your own costs go down.

Awesome!, we have a veggie patch so im sure Jim will love that. He will be inside out back house in a crate until we can safe guard the back yard.
I have no Idea where to get the food from, I can only find the Rabbit and Guine pig mix from www.vernpetdirect.com.au. Does pet barn stock anything descent until I can find a reliable quality supplier?

 

[Toady]

I think some Pet stock stores have the Barastoc pellets, although they probably bag it as their own. Otherwise see if there's any rural supply stores, I just googled and found Sydney Equestrian Supplies has the pellets and probably hay too... but they're out at Ebenezer though, or there's Kensington Produce

 

[Misschief]

So a little upsetting news, we went to go pick up Jiminy and turns out he was not desexed, so we told the vet to desex him and we wont be paying for it because they had advertised as "Male rabbit free to good home, Micro chipped and desexed" turns out he is not micro chipped or desexed and they didnt even know if he was 100% male WTF!!! how irresponsible and this is a very very expensive vet who claim to be prestige.
My question is we dont know how old he is, so is desexing him going to be a bad thing or a good one??

 

[Toady]

That is very irresponsible!! If Jiminy IS male and not desexed than they should be able to see testicles (they're not exactly little things) and they should go do some research on how to sex rabbits!!

Desexing IMHO is always a good thing for a house pet, entire females get hormonal and some get aggressive when in season and males are known for spraying, bit like male cats. People are surprised when I say the only thing that isn't desexed in my house are my fish and me.

 

[Misschief]

That is very irresponsible!! If Jiminy IS male and not desexed than they should be able to see testicles (they're not exactly little things) and they should go do some research on how to sex rabbits!!

Desexing IMHO is always a good thing for a house pet, entire females get hormonal and some get aggressive when in season and males are known for spraying, bit like male cats. People are surprised when I say the only thing that isn't desexed in my house are my fish and me.

yea totally understandable unless your showing animals should be desexed also i just didnt know if it was like dogs, for a giant breed you dont desex until their fully grown because they get development problems.

 

[Toady]

As far as I know it's safe to desex rabbits no matter the sex or breed from 4 months old... but some vets won't desex them that young, but looking at the size of him he should be right to undergo the snip.

 

[Misschief]

As far as I know it's safe to desex rabbits no matter the sex or breed from 4 months old... but some vets won't desex them that young, but looking at the size of him he should be right to undergo the snip.

excellent

 

[Misschief]

More news, he is now a she!! lets hope they have it right this time!! desexing is on Monday

 

[Toady]

Well at least they're still going to go through with the desexing... still going with Jiminy?

 

[ladysown]

a good non-pelleted diet also includes grains, woody type materials as well as a variety of greens. You'd also need to look at providing trace minerals, a mineral and salt block. It is not just hay and greens.

You can feed pellets PLUS add things like greens and hay and oatmeal.

 

[Misschief]

Well at least they're still going to go through with the desexing... still going with Jiminy?

Not sure yet, we are contemplating it, but I like the name Delilah or Gant for a girl Bunny.... but im open to suggestions

 

[Misschief]

Very excited!! get to pick up bunny tonight lots of photos tomorrow.

I also wanted to say she is 3.5 kg (7.7lbs), would this mean she is relativelyyoung since she is not under weight?

 

[HolyHandGrenade]

I feel like she could be 4-1/2-5 months, based on my observations from watching Monty grow.

Here's Monty at around 5 months. No hint of dewlap yet, and probably 7-8 lbs. Just a guess, since I don't have a scale around home.

 

[Misschief]

I feel like she could be 4-1/2-5 months, based on my observations from watching Monty grow.

Here's Monty at around 5 months. No hint of dewlap yet, and probably 7-8 lbs. Just a guess, since I don't have a scale around home.

What sad person leaves a baby rabbit in a vacant house for 2 weeks! idiots.... Kinda cool if she is that young though means I have more time to get to know her.

 

[Misschief]

Well I couldnt have asked for a better start to our relationship, I thought she would be quiet and not in the mood to socialise but I set her up in her crate and tried to hand feed her a big of Bazil and Mint, she ate it straight out of my hands, she was then out of the crate exploring the room and climing into my lap
I will upload some videos when I get home but here are a few photos

 

[HolyHandGrenade]

Dang, that's a huge crate! I wish I had space for a bigger one for Monty, but soon she'll get more romp-around time in the kitchen with her crate door open.

 

[Misschief]

Dang, that's a huge crate! I wish I had space for a bigger one for Monty, but soon she'll get more romp-around time in the kitchen with her crate door open.

hahah yep its a big space, I dont want her to get hot and bothered and feel contained, she got about 10 minutes exploring time lastnight and she is such a curious bunny, but because of the spaying I didnt want her running around too much, but she was keen to get out and about so I couldnt resist... she LOVES basil goes nuts for it, so we started a little bit of clicker training lastnight.
One of our dogs is a acting a little funny about her smell, so we now know what we are up against, lucky I have the space to keep bunny in a spare house while the dogs are outside and they can see her through the glass once they get used to her smell.. baby steps is the key

 

[Toady]

I'm glad she's settling in well. Is that a 4 ft crate? She looks so tiny in it

 

[Misschief]

I'm glad she's settling in well. Is that a 4 ft crate? She looks so tiny in it

Yeap it is, another great night, she was binking (is that what its called??) quite a bit tonight and she likes to lay on her side... still no name thought