Saved rabbit, need help IDing breed so I can look up care tips

[majorv]

Do you happen to have a weight on the rabbit? It looks more New Zealand to me, not purebred (because of the blue eyes), but a cross with a BEW rabbit of another breed. NZs are stocky and an adult male weighs about 10 lbs.

 

[White Rabbit]

Do you happen to have a weight on the rabbit? It looks more New Zealand to me, not purebred (because of the blue eyes), but a cross with a BEW rabbit of another breed. NZs are stocky and an adult male weighs about 10 lbs.

Thanks for the response, I do not think it is a new zealand as their heads are seemingly long, where as this bunnies seems broader and more "square" for lack of a better word. But it could be since the ears are close. I will be going to the vet this or next weekend or so just to have the bunny looked over and ill ask the vet their opinion since in person is better then pictures and videos I have only picked it up a few times to take it out of its cage into it's play pen so i havent got to weight him yet, but I would guess 8-10 pound range. When I do pick it up it's a squirmer and scratches me, so im still trying to let it bond with me as I can pet him, he just doesn't like being picked up. We will get there though lol

 

[SableSteel]

Looking at the head or ears is not a good way to tell apart new zealands & new zealand crosses. As they are bred for body shape, their head can range wildly, from broad to long and still be within breed standards.

This is a mixed breed rabbit. It could have some new zealand in it. It is not a blanc de hotot. Blanc de hotots are the rarest breed of rabbit in the US. To even see them at local shows is a strange occurrence. People don't just dump blanc de hotots. But also, your rabbit has blue eyes. That means that the markings likely come from a combination of the broken and vienna gene, as opposed to blanc de hotots where the markings come from the broken and dutch genes. Whatever ancestors the rabbit had would have included breeds with the broken and vienna genes. Broken can be found in most breeds, including new zealand. Vienna is found in fewer large breeds (not new zealands) and more commonly in mixed breed pet or meat stock populations.

 

[White Rabbit]

Looking at the head or ears is not a good way to tell apart new zealands & new zealand crosses. As they are bred for body shape, their head can range wildly, from broad to long and still be within breed standards.

This is a mixed breed rabbit. It could have some new zealand in it. It is not a blanc de hotot. Blanc de hotots are the rarest breed of rabbit in the US. To even see them at local shows is a strange occurrence. People don't just dump blanc de hotots. But also, your rabbit has blue eyes. That means that the markings likely come from a combination of the broken and vienna gene, as opposed to blanc de hotots where the markings come from the broken and dutch genes. Whatever ancestors the rabbit had would have included breeds with the broken and vienna genes. Broken can be found in most breeds, including new zealand. Vienna is found in fewer large breeds (not new zealands) and more commonly in mixed breed pet or meat stock populations.

Thanks for the response that's actually why I thought the head was too long. When someone first said New Zealand's I looked them up and saw this, hence why I thought its head was too long since it really doesn't match up to this(Didn't know about the blue eye thing until yesterday either). I don't know if it was dumped, it could have escaped based on the scratch on his back from climbing under something as someone else stated. It likely is a mix since everyone is having a hard time deciding what it is lol but I just wanted to know to learn to take the best care of him. Ill see what the vet says in person. On a good note, the hutch came early. Will build it soon

 

[White Rabbit]

This is his play pen for now, 10x10. I enclosed the top so i dont have to sit outside the entire time and this way I can give him more time outside playing. Toys are taking longer to show up then everything else lol. How bad is this "RHDV2" i am hearing about?

 

[JBun]

RHD is serious. It's almost always a fatal disease if a rabbit catches it. Because you have reported cases of it in your state and near your city, I would urge getting your rabbit vaccinated. Vaccinations are approved, so it's a matter of finding a rabbit vet near you that gives them. The list below does show a vet near your city that gives rhdv vaccinations.

The pen looks nice! It's great your rabbit can safely enjoy grazing and being outdoors. Though with RHDV, grazing outdoors does increase the risk to your rabbit, until your rabbit is vaccinated. So just something to consider.

https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/rhvd2-in-the-us-what-you-need-to-know.99131/
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/RHD.html
https://www.rhdv2.com/california

 

[White Rabbit]

RHD is serious. It's almost always a fatal disease if a rabbit catches it. Because you have reported cases of it in your state and near your city, I would urge getting your rabbit vaccinated. Vaccinations are approved, so it's a matter of finding a rabbit vet near you that gives them. The list below does show a vet near your city that gives rhdv vaccinations.

The pen looks nice! It's great your rabbit can safely enjoy grazing and being outdoors. Though with RHDV, grazing outdoors does increase the risk to your rabbit, until your rabbit is vaccinated. So just something to consider.

https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/rhvd2-in-the-us-what-you-need-to-know.99131/
https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/RHD.html
https://www.rhdv2.com/california

Thank you for the info

 

[White Rabbit]

Hey guys, so for anyone who cares for an update, we are getting along better and better, he will even try to push his head through his play pen to get pets. He will even lick me! I was hesitant for awhile, still kind of am, since i thought he was trying to bite me since he still grunts sometimes, or moves really fast, if i move something in his cage while my hand is in there. Never been bit yet, but he moves fast and i pull my hand out fast haha. The one time I said "screw it" he just licked me, so im so confused. I looked up a rabbit behavior video on youtube and it said grunts can mean many different things, so that was no help haha. He hates being picked up though and scratches me so im still working on that. It makes it a pain to have to chase him and/or have him mess with me all to hop into his cage all on his own when he knows its time to go in LOL. He has dug so many burrows, it's his favorite thing. Soon ill have an underground maze Because he seems to want to socialize more I am debating about adopting another rabbit(harlequin lop, not the mini kind, ill post a picture below) for him to play with. I think it's a baby from the pictures, info didn't have much on them. I haven't gone in to look yet to look in person. I still havent been to the vet for a checkup, but I should be going this weekend to make sure it's a male so I don't get baby rabbits if i do adopt haha. So if there are any links or person tips on introducing rabbits of the same sex, especially younger rabbits to adults, I would appreciate it or any personal experience.

Here is a video of the little guy and me, still debating on a name

 

[Catlyn]

First i want to say that your bun is so adorable! What a little champ to be accepting your affection.

Secondly.
Patience is the key in bonding.
Chances are that your white bunny isn't fixed.
If so, it is best to wait on getting them a playmate. Rabbits need to be neutered in order to bond well, among many other benefits. Then you have to wait at least 4-8 weeks for their hormones to fade. If you skip that wait, you might end up with two rabbits who are permanently unbondable. I got it the hard way.
There are some exceptional cases where a fixed-intact pairing could work, but it's not really worth the risk.
If you luck out and the bun is fixed, your best bet would be to find a rabbit rescue, a humane society or a general shelter that allows your bun to come and meet other fixed ones to test and find the one they would like the best.
Male-female pairings are generally the easiest because nature gives a positive disposition to those, but male-male and female-female could work equally well if the individuals decide to get along. That's why "playdates" at the shelters are the safest route to go.
Adopting a baby would bring more hassle, including some things like aggressive-hormonal behaviours and uncertainty if they'd securely bond with the other residental rabbit. One other good thing is that shelter rabbits are already health-checked and vaccinated if possible. Some shelters will npt only let you bring your bun for dates but also bond them with a bun of their choosing. So it would mean even less hassle for you.

 

[JBun]

Rabbits with blue eyes can have poor vision, especially in brighter light like sunlight. That's probably what's going on. Your hand gets near and your bun can't see what it is properly at first, so is reacting. Then realizes it's just you and is ok.

Some things you can do to help with this, is make sure when approaching your bun, that you talk to your rabbit as you approach, make sure your hand is in your rabbits field of vision(not directly behind or in front in a 'blind' spot), and bring your hand up slowly towards your rabbit as you are talking to your bun. This will help your rabbit know it's just you and give your rabbit time to realize it's your hand approaching and not something that wants to eat him I had a red eyed rabbit that was like this, with poor vision. If I approached too abruptly without warning, she would initially lunge towards my hand until she realized it was just me.

Try treat training him to get him to return to his cage. Most rabbits hate being picked up, and for some it can affect their ability to learn to trust you. So it's best to uses alternative methods while you work on building that trust and gradually teaching your bun to accept some handling.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-with-your-bunny.html
Catlyn mentioned a lot of this, so some is being repeated. You would need both neutered and wait 6-8 weeks for hormones to fade before attempting bonding. Even then it's no guarantee they'll get along. Rabbits are very particular about what other rabbit they'll get along with. Best way to get a companion for a rabbit, is go to a shelter/rescue that has already fixed buns, that you can take your rabbit that has already been neutered at least 6 weeks, on bunny dates to see which rabbits he seems to get along with.

Bonding difficult matches can be quite stressful and time consuming, so if you want to avoid that, I would suggest going for a rabbit that seems to be love at first sight. Usually male/female pairs work out the best, but male/male can work out too sometimes. But absolutely DO NOT try and put two unneutered males together or you risk serious injuries occurring. Intact male rabbits will often try and eviscerate other males.

Bonding is a process you want to be thoroughly prepared for. So make sure to do your research to understand rabbit body language and the bonding process(which is a variable thing). Take your time and make sure it's what you want and you're ready for it.

http://language.rabbitspeak.com/
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-bunnies.html
http://cottontails-rescue.org.uk/information/bonding-bunnies/
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bonding_rabbits_together
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
Here's one rescue in your area. There are others and also your local shelter. This one seems to have been doing it a while and do offer bonding assistance, but they do have very specific requirements for adopting.

https://www.bunnyluv.org/

 

[White Rabbit]

First i want to say that your bun is so adorable! What a little champ to be accepting your affection.

Secondly.
Patience is the key in bonding.
Chances are that your white bunny isn't fixed.
If so, it is best to wait on getting them a playmate. Rabbits need to be neutered in order to bond well, among many other benefits. Then you have to wait at least 4-8 weeks for their hormones to fade. If you skip that wait, you might end up with two rabbits who are permanently unbondable. I got it the hard way.
There are some exceptional cases where a fixed-intact pairing could work, but it's not really worth the risk.
If you luck out and the bun is fixed, your best bet would be to find a rabbit rescue, a humane society or a general shelter that allows your bun to come and meet other fixed ones to test and find the one they would like the best.
Male-female pairings are generally the easiest because nature gives a positive disposition to those, but male-male and female-female could work equally well if the individuals decide to get along. That's why "playdates" at the shelters are the safest route to go.
Adopting a baby would bring more hassle, including some things like aggressive-hormonal behaviours and uncertainty if they'd securely bond with the other residental rabbit. One other good thing is that shelter rabbits are already health-checked and vaccinated if possible. Some shelters will npt only let you bring your bun for dates but also bond them with a bun of their choosing. So it would mean even less hassle for you.

Rabbits with blue eyes can have poor vision, especially in brighter light like sunlight. That's probably what's going on. Your hand gets near and your bun can't see what it is properly at first, so is reacting. Then realizes it's just you and is ok.

Some things you can do to help with this, is make sure when approaching your bun, that you talk to your rabbit as you approach, make sure your hand is in your rabbits field of vision(not directly behind or in front in a 'blind' spot), and bring your hand up slowly towards your rabbit as you are talking to your bun. This will help your rabbit know it's just you and give your rabbit time to realize it's your hand approaching and not something that wants to eat him I had a red eyed rabbit that was like this, with poor vision. If I approached too abruptly without warning, she would initially lunge towards my hand until she realized it was just me.

Try treat training him to get him to return to his cage. Most rabbits hate being picked up, and for some it can affect their ability to learn to trust you. So it's best to uses alternative methods while you work on building that trust and gradually teaching your bun to accept some handling.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-with-your-bunny.html
Catlyn mentioned a lot of this, so some is being repeated. You would need both neutered and wait 6-8 weeks for hormones to fade before attempting bonding. Even then it's no guarantee they'll get along. Rabbits are very particular about what other rabbit they'll get along with. Best way to get a companion for a rabbit, is go to a shelter/rescue that has already fixed buns, that you can take your rabbit that has already been neutered at least 6 weeks, on bunny dates to see which rabbits he seems to get along with.

Bonding difficult matches can be quite stressful and time consuming, so if you want to avoid that, I would suggest going for a rabbit that seems to be love at first sight. Usually male/female pairs work out the best, but male/male can work out too sometimes. But absolutely DO NOT try and put two unneutered males together or you risk serious injuries occurring. Intact male rabbits will often try and eviscerate other males.

Bonding is a process you want to be thoroughly prepared for. So make sure to do your research to understand rabbit body language and the bonding process(which is a variable thing). Take your time and make sure it's what you want and you're ready for it.

http://language.rabbitspeak.com/
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-bunnies.html
http://cottontails-rescue.org.uk/information/bonding-bunnies/
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bonding_rabbits_together
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/
Here's one rescue in your area. There are others and also your local shelter. This one seems to have been doing it a while and do offer bonding assistance, but they do have very specific requirements for adopting.

https://www.bunnyluv.org/

Thank you both for the kind words. Im just glad the bonding process has started. Ill try the hand thing to see how it works. I guess I thought it would be more like my dogs, I have 3 large female dogs and no issues. So I might go opposite sex now if it's easier. He just seems a bit lonely, so I want to get him a friend. I have the cage and hutch so I can try to introduce them that way slowly and through the playpen and cage when the time comes. Thanks for the links ill be sure to give them a read.

 

[White Rabbit]

Hey guys and gals, it's been awhile and it's time for an update. Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, my low content hybrid passed away do to cancer, she was my first dog and just been through a lot together. That one hurt. Wish karma would have helped me on that one for saving this rabbit, but oh well life isn't fair.
Anyway I found out he is actually a she. The vet thinks she is a Hotot x New Zealand mix based on it's white body coloring, blue eyes, black eye, and it's bigger size of 10-11 pounds(she is in the upper 10 to lower 11 pound range) My German shepherd still shows to much interest in her but my Cane corso x Rottweiler mix doesn't have a care in the world. Ill try to get some videos of their reactions as it's just funny. She is an indoor/outdoor bunny, but she prefers it outdoors as when i go to catch her to take her in she runs away from me and it's almost like trying to catch a chicken haha. She has her 10x10 outdoor playpen, she has the hutch above on the side of the house if it's a cool night she can spend time there, and she has a small indoor cage for now which will be upgrading to a indoor playpen area. This summer she will not be happy having to be indoors most days in a smaller area where she can't dig, but hot California summers aren't for her haha. Otherwise this is her now:

 

[JBun]

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. Your bun looks like she's doing great and is quite enjoying those head rubs

 

[White Rabbit]

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. Your bun looks like she's doing great and is quite enjoying those head rubs

Thanks for the kind words. They are her favorite, those and the sides of her face. She will push her face through the fence just for some head rubs/let you know she wants some. She hates belly rubs though lol. I have a wild rabbit living under my deck that is her "friend" and she will chase it when she see's it near her cage even though they can't reach each other, it's funny to see how much faster the wild rabbit is. Now I just need to potty train her for indoors when i build the indoor play pen for this summer.

 

[White Rabbit]

Well her indoor playpen is here. It's 28 panels, each are 12Lx15h for a total for 4 feet wide x 3 feet long and 30 inches high. Got it on amazon for 60 bucks, great deal IMO. I might buy another to make it bigger and add a enclosed room as the clips it comes with allow for that, but we will see. Made a litter box out of an old shoe box, added some hay and am keeping all her food by it. I wish the holes were large enough that I could make a hay box and put it up next to the cage and the litterbox next to it so she can eat and poop at the same time(was watching some videos on how to potty train and this seemed the easiest way) but this will do for now until I buy another kitty litterbox or hopefully she gets used to this one i made, which is kinda small. I could also remove some panels, add the box, and just staple the corners down to the box so she can't escape. I could also just cut some of the wire and make the holes larger so she could eat out of a hay box.So many different options. I still need to add a "real" bed, i thought I had my old cat bed still, guess I don't so I added a blanket for now(not in the video) hope she likes it. I know she wants be to outside but at 95-97 degrees this week, that isn't happening.

 

[JBun]

Yeah, way too hot out there. She should get used to the change, especially if it means extra head rubs

 

[White Rabbit]

Yeah, way too hot out there. She should get used to the change, especially if it means extra head rubs

Haha, im sure she wont mind the extra head rubs, but i can see the look on her face, she wants to be outside digging lol. Gonna have to wait a few months, but wait she doesn't know wont hurt her lol. She will get used to the AC then not want to go out haha.

 

[JBun]

I used to have a rabbit that would camp herself right in front of the ac vent. She LOVED the cool breeze.

If you feel your bun is getting restless being indoors, you can try giving her a dig box. Just use a medium to large cardboard box, cut an entrance and exit hole high up enough to contain the digging material, but low enough she can hop in without a problem, then fill the box with crumpled paper. I had a few rabbits that absolutely loved digging, ripping, and shredding the paper in their dig box. Just be careful with the box placement so it can't be used as a step for her to hop right over the top of her fence.

 

[White Rabbit]

I used to have a rabbit that would camp herself right in front of the ac vent. She LOVED the cool breeze.

If you feel your bun is getting restless being indoors, you can try giving her a dig box. Just use a medium to large cardboard box, cut an entrance and exit hole high up enough to contain the digging material, but low enough she can hop in without a problem, then fill the box with crumpled paper. I had a few rabbits that absolutely loved digging, ripping, and shredding the paper in their dig box. Just be careful with the box placement so it can't be used as a step for her to hop right over the top of her fence.

Thanks for the suggestion, ill try and see if it works, he dig box now is here litterbox, she loves to tear it up and try to flip it over. Had to zip tie it lol. So she moved on to her toilet paper roll for now works haha. Great "free" toy ive found

 

[White Rabbit]

Modified the cage to include the first cage I caught her in giving her a dark room. Hoping this will also help with potty training. Not going so well right now. Have two litterboxes in the corners she likes to use the bathroom on. One pure hay the other hay with wood, encase she likes one over the other. Hope her first cage will help as she would go in there with no issues. I had to add a tarp underneath do to her peeing. Really hope adding the cage helps haha. Then i can take out one of the litterboxes and just use the other as a hay box.