The Bunny Bunch

[Hyatt101]

Aw, I wish we had warm temps! Yes, it was terrifying, mostly because its a small room, and she wasn't making ANY noise whatsoever. And then I was worried she had escaped the room...that would not have been good....

 

[Hyatt101]

So....
I think I found the PERFECT hutch for one of the bunns outside, problem is, I couldn't decide which bunny should get the super awesome hutch! I've talked before about how I'm really crazy when it comes to all the bunns having equal everything. But, here's the link to the hutch, tell me what you think!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pawhut-Wood...071&pid=100015&prg=1085&rk=1&sd=121048991722&


I think it looks great!

As far as the bunnies go, they are all great I'm not happy about the exercise level of the outdoor bunns, so I'm working on that, which is another reason to get a bigger hutch.

 

[Hyatt101]

I need help/advice!

Cocoa was acting very strange. I went to feed and water her, and she was fine, but is very cold outside, and there's some of the worst wind we've had all winter!! So, anyway, Cocoa suddenly started moving around like she couldn't get comfortable, and then she kind of flopped down, not like DBF, her head was still upright. She did this a few times, and then she was fine. Is she just cold? We loaded her cage with hay, and covered her cage to try to block out the wind. She's in the barn, but it's an old barn, and the back door is so flimsy that the wind gets through easily, along with quite a bit of snow.
We can't bring her inside, that would basically be sending her to her death, what with our dog.
Anyone have any ideas?!?!

 

[whitelop]

I know that your barn doesn't have electricity but could you run an extension cord out there to set up a heat lamp for them? I just had to do it for my chickens, my hen is freezing.
Maybe Cocoa is cold, if not then maybe she is having some tummy upset. Has she gotten anything new to eat recently? It sounds like she has plenty of hay, so thats probably not an issue, lol. Maybe she is cold.

 

[Hyatt101]

Nothing new to eat that I know of... Just pellets, hay, and a few cucumber peels, but that's it. I'd have to see about the extension cord, it's just so cold!

 

[whitelop]

I thought about your rabbits last night, with the weather and the heat lamps. I put a heating lamp in my chicken coop and I was worried all night last night about it starting a fire in my coop because of the hay. I put in a black light that has 5W, so its just for heat and not light. It seemed pretty warm in there and they seemed pretty happy. But I wanted to tell you tyo maybe get one of those instead of using regular light bulb, if you decide to put lamps out.
You can get the black lights anywhere, they're critter lights and I got mine from walmart for a few dollars I think. They put off a lot of heat. I used to use it for Foo in the kitchen, when it was REALLY really cold in the kitchen at night, I put it in one corner of her cage so she could get out of it if she needed to and she liked to bask in its warmth.
But I thought about your girls outside at like 4 am this morning when I got up to make sure my chicken coop wasn't up in smoke. I can't imagine how cold it is up there. Its just so hard on all the animals involved.
So basically what I'm trying to say is the critter black light would probably be better with all the hay in their hutches. haha.

 

[Hyatt101]

Aw, thanks for thinking of them! They're alright, thankfully. It was brutal last night! We're just so concerned about any kind of heat lamp left in the barn, because its very old, and we also stack firewood and hay in there, so if a fire were to be started, it would completely destroy the barn and spread to our house, because the house and barn are kind of attached. We put up boards around the back door of the barn, so that the wind wouldn't reach cocoa's cage, and the blanket on top to keep the heat in was helpful.
Pockets has the part of her hutch that's totally covered, so if we just up hay in there, she's fine. She actually pushes some of the hay out!? I don't know why the silly rabbit does that; the hay keeps her warm!

 

[whitelop]

Yes I totally understand the fear of fire in old barns filled with hay! I would be terrified. I thought I didn't sleep last night, I would never sleep if I had a lamp in my actual barn. hahaha.
I'm glad she's okay! I bet Pockets is pretty warm in her hutch, since she has a house part. I bet she's nice and cozy in there! haha.

 

[Hyatt101]

Yeah, she loves it in her hutch! I hope your chickens made it through alright! Do you have baby chicks hatching? I just had to ask because I LOVE baby chicks and honk hey are the cutest things ever!

 

[whitelop]

No chicks yet! I think she's getting ready for them hatch though, she was very restless when I was out there a bit ago. She was shifting around a lot so there might be some movements in the eggs. I hope they hatch soon! I love baby chicks too, they're so adorable.
And yes, they made it through the night fine, I'm just a worrier and I have a hard time with things like that. It just comes with being a parent and an animal owner, maybe nights of lost sleep.
There will definitely be lots of pictures of the chicks when the come!

 

[Chrisdoc]

I´d be a real worrier if we had temperatures like that and animals outside. They do say that the drafts are the worst thing for them not the cold so you just need to make sure that they are well protected from them which must be really difficult. I´d love to see a pic of them in their outdoor hutches in the barn.

I just find it really difficult to imagine how cold it is, we´ve had really dull weather today and expecting rain but it´s still quite warm in comparison.

 

[Hyatt101]

Yes, it's freezing here! They're well protected, so I'll try to get a pic later.

We're going to Florida on Saturday!! We'll be able to get away from all the cold, and relax on the beach! We'll be in the Englewood area
So, that means my older sister gets to watch the dogs and bunnies I wrote out this whole sheet for her on caring for Cocoa and Pockets, and I was VERY thorough so she would know exactly what to do. Still, I can't help but worry a little since I'm not there, and what if something were to happen... anic:

 

[whitelop]

I'm sure you're buns will be fine! It sounds like you got everything in order for her.

Oh and I wanted to stop by your blog to say that I have chicks! I've seen 2 so far. I'll be able to take some pictures later and post them on my blog. I'm so excited and they are so cute!

 

[Chrisdoc]

:woohoochicks at last, I so want to see pics

Nice, a holiday in Florida sounds wonderful. Would love to go there, I´m so jealous. I´m sure the buns will be fine but I think it´s normal to worry even so.

 

[Hyatt101]

I'm very relieved to get out of this cold!

Ooh, Morgan, pics please!! I love baby chicks!!

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

Yes Morgan, we need pics!

Christina, that's great that your taking a vacation in Florida, have fun!

 

[Hyatt101]

Well, I haven't updated in awhile since I'm in Florida, but I thought I would give a quick update:

Since I'm in Florida my mom has emailed me telling me that ruby has been VERY bad lately. She's digging the litter out of her litterbox, and eating a lot more than usual...? She also is desperate to get out of her cage all the time, and she'll bite at the bars. What happened to my perfectly litter trained, sweet, calm girl?!?

 

[whitelop]

HORMONES! hahahaha. Welcome to club, My Baby Bun Has Become a Monster; or MBBHBM. We're making shirts next week and I'll mail you your registration forms! hahahaha. jk.

But seriously, its the hormones. You've reached the point in her life where she thinks pottying outside her litter box is okay, that stalking you for apple jacks is just fine and digging in litter boxes, bars of cages and your skin is perfectly acceptable. The only real cure is spaying.
I'm going through this right now with Ellie. Its difficult. What I've been doing that seems to be working is cleaning her litter box out every single morning, like almost first thing. While my coffee brews I clean the boxes. If I don't, she will use the floor. I have put an extra box out where she likes to go potty when her boxes aren't up to her standards.
When Ellie scratches on her cage, I just ignore her. I don't say anything to her, because they're like kids, when you say something to the bad behavior it reinforces it that its something that gets a rise out of you. I also try to give her lots of stuff in her cage that she likes. I've found that pine cones are good now, you might have an issue being in Maine, but if you find some and bring them in to dry, they'll open up and she might like them.
Sometimes it just takes a little work with them. And when she poops in the floor you have to sweep it up and put it in the box and clean her pee up! You have to tell her that the boxes are the only place to potty! That doesn't always work, but it can't hurt.

Hows Florida? Is it warmer than Maine?! haha. I'm sure it is! Hope you're having fun down there!

 

[Hyatt101]

Thanks! Oh, gosh, I'm not ready to deal with hormones from ruby yet! I'll look around for good rabbit toys and just try to give her a little more exercise. Do they grow out of it?! I'll tell my mom to keep cleaning the cage until I get back.

Yes, Florida is sooo nice! It's super warm, like 80 degrees all week! I can't imagine how cold it will be going back to Maine, since they're getting a blizzard!

 

[whitelop]

I don't know if they grow out of it or not! I don't know if they just modify their behavior or what, I'm just not sure.

I wish it were 80 here! That would be so nice! I can't wait for spring. Now I want to go to Florida! I'm jealous!