A Few Rabbit Questions

[zophie]

Hello,

Me and my boyfriend have been trying to figure out what pet we want to get, and he is pretty set on getting a rabbit I was wondering if anyone with bunny experience could give me a few tips here:

1. I have a dog, and we have an old crate for him. my dog's 80 lbs., so It is fairly big- roughly 50 inches across, 30 inches deep, and 50 inches tall. I am considering using this, but I was also looking at buying a large x-pen, for instance:

http/www.shopping.com/rabbit-exercise-pen/products

I'm not sure what product I would get, but this just gives you a idea of what they are like.

2. Me and my boyfriend are tring to figure what breed we want to get-- I like the Flemish Giant, and he likes the Holland Lop. I am open to the Lop, but I would like to know what you guys think is best.

Any help would be awsome. Thanks,

Zophie

 

[mrs biffster]

I used to have many rabbits and i found they all had different characters and temperaments. The most docile were chinchillas, Californians and new Zealand whites. Dutch and English were a bit aggressive especially the does when in season. Netherland Dwarfs can be a bit temperamental at times. I used to have Dwarf Lops and they are fine.

 

[kmur]

Hello,

Me and my boyfriend have been trying to figure out what pet we want to get, and he is pretty set on getting a rabbit I was wondering if anyone with bunny experience could give me a few tips here:

1. I have a dog, and we have an old crate for him. my dog's 80 lbs., so It is fairly big- roughly 50 inches across, 30 inches deep, and 50 inches tall. I am considering using this, but I was also looking at buying a large x-pen, for instance:

http/www.shopping.com/rabbit-exercise-pen/products

I'm not sure what product I would get, but this just gives you a idea of what they are like.

2. Me and my boyfriend are tring to figure what breed we want to get-- I like the Flemish Giant, and he likes the Holland Lop. I am open to the Lop, but I would like to know what you guys think is best.

Any help would be awsome. Thanks,

Zophie

Ah, finally something a n00b like me can help with! We've had bunnies for many years, and I take care of all of the rabbits at our local Humane society.

They are AMAZING pets! Very smart despite what most people think. They're very crafty little buggers, and most of them (thought they have VERY highly individualized personalities) love to be pet. Generally, all rabbits dislike being held, but there's always exceptions.

I find that breed stereotypes really don't apply, so you can't say much for a rabbits character based on its breed. The stereotype is that the dwarfs are mean and jumpy, and the bigger the calmer. Well, I can say that my 5 pound guy, Randall, is the biggest snuggler that I've ever seen. Our 11 pound rabbit who recently passed... Well, we had a lot of not-so-nice nicknames for her.

They all need a LOT of running room. With ours, we treat their cages much like you would a dog kennel - Just in there when nobody is home, and out and about other times. Most rabbits litter train very well, though sometimes you have to be willing to put a litter box where THEY decide they want one. They do chew pretty badly, so you need to do some bunny proofing.

They are not low maintenance. In order to be content, Randall needs at least two or three hours where he can snuggle up next to me and get pet, and another few hours running around.

I think a dog crate and a pen are both completely fine, as long as they offer the rabbit enough room to completely stretch upwards, as well as get a good 3 or 4 lateral hops. Those pens work fine for most rabbits, but I've seen a few (like mine, of course >.>) who cane scale them. What I find works best is NIC panel cages. NIC panels are 14"x14" panels that you can zip-tie together to make all sorts of fun shapes, as well as shelves. They're fairly bunny-proof, and easily expandable. They're available at places like target or k-mart, but I normally get them at a local ReUse center.

Here's a picture of Randall's cage, so you can see what I mean -

They need a pretty varied diet - Normally 2 or 3 good quality greens and root vegetables (I use Escarole, Cilantro, celery and raddichio, with occasion carrot or dandelion as a treat) as well as a quality pellet (not necessary, but handy to have) and constant access to a good timothy hay.

I really want a Giant, but have too many pets right now No personal experience with them, but am dying to get some!

Also, for even better judge of the size of that cage, here is a picture of me hiding inside of it.

 

[ash90]

i have a english lopp eared atm and she is fine with cat and both dogs the dogs get keptin line by her but my dog are very passid with her so depend on your dogs tempriment but pretty much good pets very effectionate n lovely in wither wen ur hands are cold lol

 

[zophie]

Hello,

Me and my boyfriend have been trying to figure out what pet we want to get, and he is pretty set on getting a rabbit I was wondering if anyone with bunny experience could give me a few tips here:

1. I have a dog, and we have an old crate for him. my dog's 80 lbs., so It is fairly big- roughly 50 inches across, 30 inches deep, and 50 inches tall. I am considering using this, but I was also looking at buying a large x-pen, for instance:

http/www.shopping.com/rabbit-exercise-pen/products

I'm not sure what product I would get, but this just gives you a idea of what they are like.

2. Me and my boyfriend are tring to figure what breed we want to get-- I like the Flemish Giant, and he likes the Holland Lop. I am open to the Lop, but I would like to know what you guys think is best.

Any help would be awsome. Thanks,

Zophie

Ah, finally something a n00b like me can help with! We've had bunnies for many years, and I take care of all of the rabbits at our local Humane society.

They are AMAZING pets! Very smart despite what most people think. They're very crafty little buggers, and most of them (thought they have VERY highly individualized personalities) love to be pet. Generally, all rabbits dislike being held, but there's always exceptions.

I find that breed stereotypes really don't apply, so you can't say much for a rabbits character based on its breed. The stereotype is that the dwarfs are mean and jumpy, and the bigger the calmer. Well, I can say that my 5 pound guy, Randall, is the biggest snuggler that I've ever seen. Our 11 pound rabbit who recently passed... Well, we had a lot of not-so-nice nicknames for her.

They all need a LOT of running room. With ours, we treat their cages much like you would a dog kennel - Just in there when nobody is home, and out and about other times. Most rabbits litter train very well, though sometimes you have to be willing to put a litter box where THEY decide they want one. They do chew pretty badly, so you need to do some bunny proofing.

They are not low maintenance. In order to be content, Randall needs at least two or three hours where he can snuggle up next to me and get pet, and another few hours running around.

I think a dog crate and a pen are both completely fine, as long as they offer the rabbit enough room to completely stretch upwards, as well as get a good 3 or 4 lateral hops. Those pens work fine for most rabbits, but I've seen a few (like mine, of course >.>) who cane scale them. What I find works best is NIC panel cages. NIC panels are 14"x14" panels that you can zip-tie together to make all sorts of fun shapes, as well as shelves. They're fairly bunny-proof, and easily expandable. They're available at places like target or k-mart, but I normally get them at a local ReUse center.

Here's a picture of Randall's cage, so you can see what I mean -

They need a pretty varied diet - Normally 2 or 3 good quality greens and root vegetables (I use Escarole, Cilantro, celery and raddichio, with occasion carrot or dandelion as a treat) as well as a quality pellet (not necessary, but handy to have) and constant access to a good timothy hay.

I really want a Giant, but have too many pets right now No personal experience with them, but am dying to get some!

Also, for even better judge of the size of that cage, here is a picture of me hiding inside of it.

Thankyou so much for the info!

I have been doing some more research, and I think I will go for a Giant. I was just wondering, is 12 sq. feet big enough for a Flem?

Do you know if Oxbow is a good food for rabbits? I used to have a Chin, and it was one of the best foods for them...

Do you prefer Timothy Hay, or Orchard Grass?

I have been doing a little research on the differences in gender, I herd that bucks were more affectionate but don't know if this is true... do you have a opinion?

Me and my boyfriend were trying to compromise on a rabbit breed (I want big! I want floppy ear's ) and we came up with the breed French Lop. Any experience with them?

Thank's so much for the help! I really appreciate it

Zophie

i have a english lopp eared atm and she is fine with cat and both dogs the dogs get keptin line by her but my dog are very passid with her so depend on your dogs tempriment but pretty much good pets very effectionate n lovely in wither wen ur hands are cold lol

Ash,

I have the sweetest most mellow dog He loves any cats he meets, and his best friend is one of my pet rats

Do rabbits usually react okay to other animals? That is one of my major concerns, as my house is full of pets of all kinds !

 

[kmur]

While it still does very, in my experience, bucks are a little more affectionate.

Oxbow makes a very good quality product, but if you look around, you can find one just as good for cheaper. I buy bulk timothy hay from local farms by the bale, and a bale lasts about year. It's normally a few dollars for that bale. I imagine the availability depends on where you live though With pellet, the big thing is to look at the fiber and protein content. My local tractor supply company offers a good quality feed for six bugs for a 40 pound bag; a whole lot cheaper than oxbow

When you say "12 square feet," I'm not sure exactly what you mean. If you are referring to 12 square feet of floor space, that's fine for holding for a good chunk of time, but he'd need a lot more room to run around. If he's only going to be in there for sleeping/rest periods, I'd aim for a minimum of 6 square feet of floor space, but if he's only going to get a few hours out a day, you'd probably want a whole room for him. Big pets mean big spaces

I think that for a rabbit newbie, you'd be better off going for a smaller breed, like the lop. With big floppy ears, you need to keep at eye out for ear infections since they trap humidity, but I haven't seen it be much of a problem.

You'll need to familiarize yourself with palpitating tummies and checking teeth. Intestinal blockage and misaligned teeth are the two biggest problems a rabbit will face, and you'll need to keep a close eye on them. Rabbit digestive tracks are very sensitive to change, and they are especially proned to issues during shedding season. This is why the constant hay is so important. If its not there, it's almost impossible for them to get enough fiber in their diets.

 

[zophie]

When I said 12 sq. feet, I ment 12 sq. feet of floor space- but if I get a rabbit, he/she will defintly be out running about for a few hours a day.

When you say small rabbits are easier then big one's what exactly do you mean? In what way are Giants more hard to look after then smaller breeds?

I am going to look around for some hay farms But I did read that oftin they sell straw, for hoarse stables instead of hay. Is this true?

Thankyou so much for your help, I really appreciate it!

Zophie

 

[kmur]

When I said 12 sq. feet, I ment 12 sq. feet of floor space- but if I get a rabbit, he/she will defintly be out running about for a few hours a day.

When you say small rabbits are easier then big one's what exactly do you mean? In what way are Giants more hard to look after then smaller breeds?

I am going to look around for some hay farms But I did read that oftin they sell straw, for hoarse stables instead of hay. Is this true?

Thankyou so much for your help, I really appreciate it!

Zophie

Technically, they are no harder. It's just easier sometimes when you don't have to worry about massive amounts of spaces and food

There's definitely a big difference between straw and hay, but anyone farming the stuff should know the difference. For hay, craigslist.org was my best friend by far. This time of year it doesn't show up much, but once summer starts you're generally set

 

[zophie]

Sorry for the late reply..

Yesterday I went to see a old friend of mine who has a bunch of rabbits- he was showing me different breeds, cages, supplies, etc.
He also gave me a really great deal- a huge cage for 100$. The mesurments in inches our: 80 x 55 x 45- that's inches. So it's roughly about six feet long, I think. Would this be enough space for a larger rabbit breed?

A few questions I need answering:

Is it okay if a bunny chews plastic (can I use a plastic litter-box)

Can Rabbits go up/down stairs?

When my friend was showing me rabbit breeds, I found one that I really loved; The English Lop. Do you know anything or have any experience with this breed? Thankyou

Zophie

 

[aly_starh]

Sorry for the late reply..

Yesterday I went to see a old friend of mine who has a bunch of rabbits- he was showing me different breeds, cages, supplies, etc.
He also gave me a really great deal- a huge cage for 100$. The mesurments in inches our: 80 x 55 x 45- that's inches. So it's roughly about six feet long, I think. Would this be enough space for a larger rabbit breed?

A few questions I need answering:

Is it okay if a bunny chews plastic (can I use a plastic litter-box)

Can Rabbits go up/down stairs?

When my friend was showing me rabbit breeds, I found one that I really loved; The English Lop. Do you know anything or have any experience with this breed? Thankyou

Zophie

Hi,

Personally, i would stay with a smaller breed if its your first rabbit. I have an english cross, Alfie. He is the coolest per ever lol!

A rabbit wont chew plastic, so its fine. Alfie has a plastic litter tray.

Yep he will be able to go up and down the stairs, quite funny to watch!

And an English lop sounds cute! I would defos get it!

Good luck, and piccies please!

 

[zophie]

Sorry for the late reply..

Yesterday I went to see a old friend of mine who has a bunch of rabbits- he was showing me different breeds, cages, supplies, etc.
He also gave me a really great deal- a huge cage for 100$. The mesurments in inches our: 80 x 55 x 45- that's inches. So it's roughly about six feet long, I think. Would this be enough space for a larger rabbit breed?

A few questions I need answering:

Is it okay if a bunny chews plastic (can I use a plastic litter-box)

Can Rabbits go up/down stairs?

When my friend was showing me rabbit breeds, I found one that I really loved; The English Lop. Do you know anything or have any experience with this breed? Thankyou

Zophie

Hi,

Personally, i would stay with a smaller breed if its your first rabbit. I have an english cross, Alfie. He is the coolest per ever lol!

A rabbit wont chew plastic, so its fine. Alfie has a plastic litter tray.

Yep he will be able to go up and down the stairs, quite funny to watch!

And an English lop sounds cute! I would defos get it!

Good luck, and piccies please!

Thankyou!

I was looking at the local animal shelters and found two sweet Holland Lop babys- Zoe and Timmy. I am going to look at them tommorow, as I am consedering adopting them. Here is a link of pics:

Timmy:

http/bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/animal/animalDetails.asp?animalid=125574&result=9&statusID=3

Zoe:

http/bcspcapets.shelterbuddy.com/animal/animalDetails.asp?animalid=125575&result=10&statusID=3

One other thing- Is the cage dimenshions (80 x 55 x 45 in inches) big enough for Timmy and Zoe/ a English Lop?