[BunnyRabbit7788]

:question:Ok i'm planning on getting a bunny VERY soon but I have NO CLUE what to buy for it. I have no idea about cages,food,vet services or anything! I would really like to know EVERYTHING possible. If you could tell me EVERYTHING write it here or pm but PLEASE don't give websites they NEVER help! So post anything you know here thanks

 

[BunnyRabbit7788]

Will anyone please help me?

 

[kathydip]

Oh dear - everything I know - I am not sure I can do that all in one post.
I will try but I am going to have to reference a few websites that I found extremely helpful
Best cage - make your own from coroplast and Neat Idea Cubes. You can reference Cubes and Coroplast for more detail. I know it says guinea pigs but the concept works for bunnies as well - you just need to add a roof. I have a 4 level cage for 2 of my buns. Of course it is never closed and they have the run of the bedroom. My other 2 bunnies each have their own room. I have got to work on bonding.
Bunnies should be feed unlimited timothy grass hay - alfalfa if they are babies. They should have a good quality pellet such as Oxbow. Alfalfa based for young buns or timothy based for adults.
They should receive leaf lettuces and other veggies. You can reference House Rabbit Society Rabbit Care Guide for a list of good rabbit veggies. It's the house rabbit society's site and has a lot of great information.
If you want to litter train your bun (highly recommended) you should first get him or her fixed. Then you can place the hay in the litter box. You should not use a clay based litter. Instead use something like feline pine or yesterdays news.
Bunnies should have a check up at least once a year. And of course they should start out by being spayed or neutered. If you are in the UK I believe that there are shots they will need. In the US they don't require any shots.
They may need their teeth trimmed as they get older. I believe if they are fed the right diet they may never need it. That does depend on the bun.

 

[kathydip]

Oh and be sure to bunny proof the room before letting your bun out for a hop. Even if they have a large cage like mine they still should be allowed out for hops. That is why I just gave mine their own room - which I know is not always possible. I also will let them out from time to time run the hallway. They seem to like it.
They will chew on everything -especially if they are babies. Cords are never safe around a bunny. Baseboards and rugs are usually fair game for a bunny as well.

 

[luvnature]

Kathydips information on bun buns is always great!

Its good you want to research everything you will need to know before you get your bun :bunny:
Another great way to find out info is to use the Search tab up on top of the page. Type in key words on what your needing to find out and learn about.
Threads will come up for you to take a look at.
There is a lot of good information here on PT.

 

[kathydip]

Thanks luvnature!
I have learned most of what I know from you guys here at PT. The rest was research on the net.
Of course that was all "book smarts" Oliver, Ophelia, Penelope and Teddy teach me more real life things every day!

 

[MeggieQC]

I will also tell you to check on House Rabbit Society Rabbit Care Guide like Kathydip mentioned. After owning my bunnies for 4 yrs I still go back for info, you even have a search box.

I haven't read Kathy's whole post but before getting a bunny, make sure you have enough money first to have him/her neuter/spayed and enough to take your bunny to the vet for any emergencies!!! One of my bunny once got sick and it cost me over $1200. I don't mean to scare you and all but when you see your little furry one getting sick, you're going to want to have the money to take him/her

The Neat Idea Cubes that Kathy mentioned is also great, if you decide to go ahead with it here's a thread from a while ago
http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f27/nic-cages-31333.html

This website have also great cages, I got the ones for the rats, but it's actually for my bunnies and they love it:
Martin's Cages Inc. - The source for all your pet cage needs.

There is so much to say here, I can't possibly post all I know. You can ask us specific questions which will be easier to answer. Also browse on this forum cause you can find a lot of answers!!!

 

[MeggieQC]

haha luvnature you beat me to it!!

 

[kathydip]

I agree that bunnies can get expensive very quickly. My first bunny was sick when I found her. I never totalled up what I spent on her in the 9 months we were blessed to have her. She was on meds since the day I found her. Baytril, Metacam (that is NOT cheap), critical care food as a supplement. She was at the vets at least once a month - at the end more often. She had to have her teeth filed down. Don't get me wrong - she was worth every penny I spent and then some -but bunnies are not inexpensive pets.

 

[litlebunnies2]

Be sure to match your bunny size with your space some bunnies grow into very large bunnies, others stay very small. Research to make sure you get the right bunny. And best to keep the bunny indoors, indoor bunnies are much safer and have more fun, and its so much easier to have a good relationship with them. Also make sure any toys you get your bunny are appropriate, i/e. nothing that they could swallow and get into trouble with. bunnies require daily care and cleaning, and attention.

 

[Jess]

Rabbits are a big responsibility and you should reaaaally consider if rabbits are right for you- They are more like little puppies that never grow up IMO... always hiper and eager to destroy what evers around them!
Rabbits should have fairly large cages at least one square foot per pound of rabbit. Bigger the better tho- my bu Smudge is around 5 bls and he has aboout 12 square feet of room, including his shelf.
All rabbits should really be nuetered- they are better behaved, easier to littler box train, less hormonal, and they cant get reproductive cancer if they are fixed. Girls are especially at risk for this and most dont live past 4 or 5 if they arent. If you arent planning on getting it fixed tho, you should get a male.
Diet is very important too- they should have unlimeted hay, about a cup of veggies, and a sall amount of plain pellets a day. Mixtures with seeds and stuff are acually really bad for them.

Good luck with your bunny!

 

[torigrrrl]

Hello, I think you have been kind of scolded more than helped w/ your question. First of all congrats on your decision and we have all been beginners at one time or another. And yes there is tons of conflicting info on rabbits/ even on this forum......LOL. As a breeder of English Angoras bunnies I often sell supplies to my customers and always give info packages to them, the cage should be at least 4 times the size of the bunny. I feel that all wire cages are cleaner but thats up to you, beware cages that are made of alot of wood(bunny will soon chew it into bits and they are alot more expenceive). Plain pellets are the best choice in food, but I also add a mixutre of blackoil sunflower seeds and oats(for every 10 cups of pellets there is 1 part seeds and oats) but I show bunnies my mixuture is a coat conditioner,so thats just an option--always have hay(most prefer timothy hay). Of course you will need a water bottle and a litter box, don't use clay litters, rabbit litters can be anything from paper to low odor pine shavings, always add a little hay in the boxas rabbits enjoy eating in the litter box and don't get weirded out if you see your baby eating its fecesRabbits have to do thatBut they do so and you will probably never see it happen. As far as bedding goes its up to you anything for shavings, paper pulp,blankets,etc.,
Bunnies need at least 2 hours a day out of cage,but that doesn't mean they should have run of your house either--rabbit-proof in the room(s) it will be in. and you should put a couple of liter boxes in those rooms as well(it helps w/ training). You will need somethings in the cage and out of cage for your baby to chew on, I make my most of my toys they can be dig boxes filled w/ shredded paper, old magazines,towel rolls filled w/ cotton,treats,paper.ect., Just remember that you want a rabbit to have fun w/ so don't get really stressed over your baby--have fun........Hope I was Helpful.

 

[torigrrrl]

Me again.........Just wanted to let you in on some of more advise....I agree that spaying/neaturing is great and it helps w/ hormones alotbut don't think of it as a have to case-thats your decision all the way. I have some retired breeder rabbits who are female that are 6 and 7 yrs old that were never spayed! Also when speaking of pellets people should take into account that they ALL are were developed by livestock nutritionists who have a complete understanding of what a bunny needs,so don't sweat the brand names. W/ that in mind also realise that if all you want to feed are pellets and hay you and your bunny would be just fine. I feed treats as treats not as a large basis of their overall food, meaning salads aren't an everyday thing in my rabbitry---it is a treat and shouldbe treated as treats--people don't think that carrots and corn could be fattening but they are!!!Also rabbit owners tend to baby they rabbits---there is nothing wrong w/ seeds and nuts as a treat just remember they are treats!!!!Also a little honey and molasses are great for a rabbits coat and skin. Like I said before owning a rabbit should be fun. I think the actual rabbit that you plan on purchasing is the most important decision you are about to make---Smaller rabbits are more nervous and hyper---females tend to be nicer--but all rabbits have their own personality--research all breeds and ask your breeder questions about the personally of parents. Or adoption might give you more insight into a rabbits personally because they tend to be older and the rescueres will be able to tell you more about the individual bun. If buying from a pet store see if you can spend a little time w/ the bunny before purchasing.....Good luck

 

[Jess]

Hello, I think you have been kind of scolded more than helped w/ your question.

No one is scolding her. If anything we are just making sure she knows rabbits are a big responsibility and not just simple pets that can be thrown in a hutch.

 

[kibblesmom]

There is a difference in owning rabbits as pets and breeding them as show animals. So it really depends on which you would like to have. I have 3 and all of them have the run of the house (when we are home) and bring us a lot of joy and laughter. My only regret with having rabbits as pets is that I didn't get them sooner.

 

[DarceyLop]

Don't worry too much! I only had 1 hutch, half done, when I went to check out babies up north. I picked up the runt and immediately was taken with her! I dropped by Petco, picked up 1 food dish, a blanket, Yogies, a water bottle, a big bag of TIMOTHY HAYand was sure to get a sandwich bag full of pellets from where she came from. For over a week all she would eat was timothy(gets her big) and pellets from home. Rabbits don't need to go to the vet unless something happens. over time you can get your bunny an outside hutch, litter box, extra dishes, toys, carriers (my babe has a big red MeowMe SleepyPod-total god sent!). Fun fruits are good for daily treats and veggies as well. Check out the House Rabbit Society website for more info on diets, and read, read, read! Rabbits are complex creatures, so it can take a while (8 books in my case) to really get the picture. Good Luck!!!