[redneckprincess]

Hi, I'm new here. I found this forum when I was looking for some information about my newest member of the family, Fluffy the Lionhead Rabbit (better name then bunny the guinea pig who passed away this week after many years of being a good little piggy, and his cagemate had passed a few months earlier ). I am actually not new to rabbits, I raised and showed checkered giants when I was a kid in 4-h. I was just a bit blurry on remembering some of the details from before they were fully trained and adults.

As to feeding fresh veggies and fruit- I keep finding conflicting information about this. I have heard everything from 3 months to 6 months they should be on a strict pellet and timothy hay diet. Fluffy was born May 15 so she would be getting close to 4 months old. Is now too soon to start making her salads and giving her carrots/fresh fruit as a treat?

And for handling-She has a couple tiny, as in smaller then my pinky nai,l mats near her rear end. Brushing her is nearly impossible since she is more interested in running around the room then letting me hold and brush her in any way. Right now I am using damp hands to get the loose hair out, and will be feeding papaya and pineapple a couple times a week just to be safe once she can eat fresh foods. But i really want to make sure that those little mats do not become an issue. Is there something I am forgetting about catching and calming a rabbit?

 

[Purple-Hops]

Hi and welcome!! Congrats on your little friend

I would introduce veggies very slowly when she hits about 6 months. Her belly will learn to tolerate them then, start with one or two types of veggie and watch her for diahrrea or lameness and either switch them out or write a list of what she likes. Acceptable fruits and veggies can be found on this list:
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html

I might also add, and stress the importance of the difference between the care of show rabbitd and pet rabbits. This website www.rabbit.org should be your new bunny bible. Go there first for any questions you may have.

Set yourself with a rabbit savvy vet http://www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html and have her spayed when she reaches 6 months. Show rabbits aren't usually altered (if at all) and I guarantee you, if you don't already know, rabbits who are spayed and kept indoors can live far far longer than an un-altered rabbit.

Your bunny should see a groomer who can cut out her little tangles. Once they're cut out, brush her once/twice a day. Lionheads have a fine mane (especially behind and around their ears) which can be quite painful if pulled on during their own grooming. You will have to get her used to being brushed!! lol Pick her up and before she gets to play on the floor groom her with a gentle cat brush (I'm not 100% sure which brush is good for lionheads but I use a ZoomGroom).

You can litter train her too, but it might be easier to do when she is spayed


Any more questions, just ask!

 

[redneckprincess]

Thank you very much for the great information. That list of veggies is printed and hanging on my fridge now as a great little reference.

This afternoon I managed to get her held on her back in a little bunny trance. She is now extra fluffy and tangle free. I use a small cat slicker brush that's designed for being a bit more gentle then the wire slicker brushes and so far so good with it. Not sure on what brand it is though. Right now feed wise She gets unlimited Timothy and orchard grass blend hay that I purchase from a feed store, and Pen Pals 18% which is the highest quality feed they carry. In a few months I will start slowing letting her test out some nice fresh greens.

Litter training is so far so good. I have only seen one pellet not in her box but next to her cage. For some reason I have always had an easier time litter training buns then cats (my cats have always been very very picky about they're litter brand). I did a lot of explaining when I was a kid at the fair because my cages were lined with canvas and had litter boxes in them. Usually that was seen more with the people who had dwarf buns. For cleaning anything I use white vinegar, it will normally take out the smell of a bucks spray, good info since 6 months is when you have one altered and I had a buck start spraying at 3 months once.

I am sure I will run into other questions as time goes on, I am just really glad I found these forums. It's great being able to discuss all of our furry, feathery, or scaly family all in one place

 

[Purple-Hops]

YW! Glad things are going okay thus far.

Only thing, and I hate to say it bc it seems like it works, the bunny "trance" can be a bad thing. the "trance" they are in is actually a defense, passed on from their wild cousins. Bunnies have jumped out of this position and injured their backs, twisted their backs, fell down etc. . . It shouldn't be practiced. It's such a widely used things though, and unfortunately, allows people to think it's cool to do.

Myself, I was never able to successfully keep a bunny down and Acacia nearly hurt herself flipping back once. That's when I looked more into it.

I would try to limit that as much as possible. Maybe someone can hold her with their hand covering her eyes (she's like 95% less likely to jump this way) and calmly talking to her as you brush

Glad you like it here! Always willing to help