New Dwarf Bunny Owner - Advice?

[emiliewasmyeve]

We just added two dwarf bunnies to our family. We are already the proud owners of two kitties and two dwarf hamsters. We got a dwarf lionhead named Charlie and a netherlands dwarf named Chysanthemum. They are only 2 mos. old... so we can't tell the sex yet.

We've only had them for 3 days, but we are in love!! They are so sweet and loving... the kitties love them, too! They will literally lay on our chest and just cuddle for hours.

I have never had bunnies before, so I have some questions. First, it seems like they eat A LOT. We give them rabbit pellets and fresh fruit & veggies. They eat both. But, I am not kidding when I say they can/will eat 10 baby carrots, 5 sugar snap peas, and some lettuce in 1 day. Is that normal? As soon as I put veggies in their cage, they are gone 10 minutes later. I don't want to make them sick!

Also, when can you start litter box training? Or, should you littler box train dwarf bunnies? Just curious about that.

Also, what is their ideal bedding situation? We have them in a pretty large cage w/ wood chips (from the pet store) and hay. They have a wood house to hide in. Any other things they love?

Any advice, tips, tricks you could offer would be great! We love our little babies and want them to be as healthy and happy as possible!

[Jess]

Congrats! First of all, I would hold off on the veggies. I think I heard some where that buns that young shouldnt have veggies or some thing, but Im not sure. But either way I wouldnt give them so much. Smudge gets sick if he has any veggies at all, but then again he has a sensitive tummy.

You can start litter training as soon as you want. When they pick a bathroom corner just put the litter box there! Sometimes they can be stubborn tho, so be patient.

For bedding, pine and cedar are toxic so dont use them. Once they are LB trained, you dont even have to use bedding. For now tho, wood shavings seem to be uncomfortable, so go for Carefresh type stuff. When they are LB trained, you can even use carpet!

Also check out this link: The Language of Lagomorphs

Good Luck!

[An1ma1Lov3r]

Congrats on the buns! Can't wait to see pics!

[emiliewasmyeve]

[Dragonrain]

Hello and welcome

Congrats on the new additions!

First off I just thought I would mention that you should be very careful with them around the cats. Cats can carry a bacteria called pasteurella multocida that can be transfered by cat bites and scratches - and it can cause deadly infections in rabbits. You might have heard people before say that if a cat attacks a wild bunny it will die - it's usually because of that bacteria. Even if you have indoor cats that have had their shots, they can and usually do carry this bacteria - it is part of the natural flora of the cats mouths. I'm not trying to say that your cats are mean or anything, but if they play a little to rough and scratch or bite the bunnies infection can become an issue.

It's normal for buns to eat a lot - they're little eating machines! Since they are so young, you really shouldn't be feeding them so much veggies. But since you already started - are you seeing any signs that the veggies are bothering them? Mushy poo or anything?

Are you giving them hay? Hay should be their main diet, and is also a great bedding! For really young buns, alfalfa hay is usually suggested while they are still growing - but when adults they should be switched over to timathy. Also, hay in pet stores can be expensive so it's better to get it somewhere else because you will probably go through a lot. I get mine online bulk 10lbs at a time and that lasts my neitherland dwarf a couple of months. I also know some people buy it from local farms.

You can start litter training now if you want - but keep in mind that babies have accidents - and that if you want your bunnies to be better about using the litter box fixing them usually helps.

Once you find out their genders are you planning on getting them fixed? You usually can tell the gender when they are 2 mos. old. It will probably be easier in a month or so - but be careful not to wait to long because dwarfs can be sexually mature at 4 months, which means that if you have a male and a female then you could end up with lots of bunnys! When sexually mature they can have some behavioral problems, and females should be fixed to reduce the risk of cancer.

Deffinatly post some pics of the little cuties when you can! What are they're names??

House Rabbits - Behavior, Care, Rescue, Adoption, Education | House Rabbit Society

[emiliewasmyeve]

Thanks for all of the help!

To address some of the questions:

We got them at a very reputable pet store and there, they had been eating veggies for a couple of weeks. They aren't displaying any behavior that would make me thing the veggies are making them sick. However, I probably should cut back on how many I let them eat.

Thanks for telling me about the cat bacteria! That is scary. I am trying to introduce them to the cats.. but I will definitely be more careful.

And yes, we definitely plan on getting them fixed. The pet store says they are 2 mos. but that we won't be able to tell their sex for another couple of weeks.

[kathydip]

I want, I want, I want....

They are adorable.

[Binky]

-SSQQQUUEEEAAAAALLL-
So adorable!

Can I eat them?


xD

[litlebunnies2]

Oh how adorable, Steals them quickly while no one looks

[Jess]

Quote: Originally Posted by Binky -SSQQQUUEEEAAAAALLL- So adorable! Can I eat them? xD

You want to eat everything, dont you?! First Izzy Behr the hamster and now 2 baby bunnys! Pretty soon out pets will start disapearing... one... by one...

Adorable Bunnys!

[mebri123]

aw those are some super cute bunnies do that get much bigger than that?

[emiliewasmyeve]

YouTube - charlie: bunny trance

Watch Charlie's bunny trance....

[Jess]

Cute! Be careful when you hold him like that tho- If he flips over or rolls off your lap he could get injured.

[halfwaynowhere]

At 8 weeks, you should be able to tell their sex... you just have to know what to look for, its actually pretty easy. There are several websites with pictures and diagrams, just google "sexing rabbits", and you'll come up with plenty of good sites.

those buns are too cute, I want to eat them! lol. congrats on the two!

[Jennicat]

Yeah, veggies are not recommended for young bunnies. Even "reputable" pet stores are generally pretty clueless about small animals, I've never had one give me correct information.

I'd suggest going to House Rabbits - Behavior, Care, Rescue, Adoption, Education | House Rabbit Society, bookmarking it, and then reading the whole thing.