Help re housing, food & Temerature please!

Hi

Im back again for more advice...sorry!!

Firstly, i wanted to check what people would recommend is best to put in Barney's cage for bedding etc. At the moment i am using wood shavings all over the bottom of the cage and then i just put his hay in for him to eat or/and use as his bedding etc but im not sure if i am doing this right as i have read not to use wood shavings but these came with him when i got him. What is best to use? But i should add that he doesnt spend a lot of time in his cage, only when he fancies a bite to eat!

Secondly, he doesnt eat any of the pellets i put in his dish, these also came with him and i dont understand why they kept feeding him these as he just wont touch them so i am going to have to change. I read that it is best to change his food over 10 days is this correct? He doesnt starve though as he has hay 24/7 and plenty of veg etc. How much veg can you give them a day as i dont want to give him too much???

Thirdly, when we go to bed or go out to work Barney is left in our kitchen/conservatory and it is very very cold in there at these times until we come home and put the heating on. He has a blanket and things to lie on as the floor is all gloss tiles but i was just worrying that he might be too cold in there, does the cold bother them a lot? Im not sure how to keep him warm in there and worry in case he is too cold! Any ideas?

Sorry for the long detail and hope somebody can help and hopefully i will get there in the end! xx

I would suggest reposting your questions as separate items in http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=28 and being very specific about your questions. That way you are likely to get more responses which will help you. The welfare section is not viewed as frequently as the rabbit care.

If you include the quantity of dried food and type you currently feed and what other foods you give your rabbit. It is not a good idea to change their diet reguarly, rabbits need consistency if they are to remain in good health and diets not changed slowly can result in a large vet bill and a rabbit who has gone into stasis

Rabbits have a nice fur coat which will keep them warm, the one consideration is to ensure that the temperature does not fluctuate too much and your bun is not exposed one minute to outdoor temperatures and then a hot room.

With regard to accomodation is the shavings and hay currently all over the floor of the hutch? do you use a litter tray? Lino tiles work well and are easily cleanable and are cheap to buy. A nice large litter tray filled with lots of hay works well, or hang a large hay container above the litter tray.

Hi thanks i have tried to split it into the different sections...sorry!!

How do rabbits get stasis, i want to avoide this as much as possible!!

Yes the shavings are all over the floor, the hay is on one side of the cage which he moves about anyway. I dont use a litter tray at the moment as i dont feel the need for one as he always poos in the same place in his cage and i always clean him out but i am looking to get one asap. They just seem so big to put in his cage!

Thanks

How do rabbits get stasis, i want to avoide this as much as possible!!

Stasis is where the gut slows down or stops and can result in the death of a rabbit if it is not treated and detected quickly. Things you can do to minimise the risk:

• Hay should make up at least 80% of the diet ideally more. They should eat as much hasy as a pile the same size as their body.
• In connection with lots of hay, minimal pellets so they do not get over weight.
• Regular teeth checks, by feeding a diet which has lots of hay you can minimise these risks. Dental buns are more at risk of stasis when their teeth need treatment.
• Ensure a good water intake, ensure bottles are working, not frozen and always topped up, provide a bowl if you feel that you bun is not drinking enough.
• Plenty of exercise
• Low sugar diet, this includes fruit and veg which is high in sugar and also commercially made treats.
• Minimise stresses - including rapid changes in temperature, predators (dogs, cats and foxes - some dogs and cats are not a problem)
• Groom long haired or when rabbits are moulting to prevent the gut slowing down due tot he presence of hair.
• Watch the size of your rabbits poos. If you notice your Buns poos become smaller or less in number seriously look at what is happening, get a health check particuarly the teeth, decrease the amount of pellets which should increase hay consumption, increase the amount of exercise your rabbit has and try and increase water intake.

the shavings are all over the floor, the hay is on one side of the cage which he moves about anyway. I dont use a litter tray at the moment as i dont feel the need for one as he always poos in the same place in his cage and i always clean him out but i am looking to get one asap. They just seem so big to put in his cage!

If you bun poos and wees in one corner I would add a litter tray, this makes cleaning out so much easier and also ensures that the cage lasts a lot longer. Another big benefit when you have buns indoors is that the smell of poo and wee does not migrate into the wood of the hutch which then always smells of rabbit :shock: Litter trays can be of any size. Personally I would get rid of the wood shavings and replace with lino. the shavings then dont get all over the place but more importantly your bun will be protected from breathing in particles of it. This is a link to a recent thread about shavings

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=144379&highlight=wood
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=163079&highlight=shavings

Thanks again! That was helpful!

I am going to get a litter tray this weekend and look for alternative bedding for him as these wood shavings dont sound too good at all!

Cheers x

Kellyrich said:

Thanks again! That was helpful!

I am going to get a litter tray this weekend and look for alternative bedding for him as these wood shavings dont sound too good at all!

Cheers x

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Care fresh and megasorb are good at the bottom of litter trays to absorb the wee. Have a search through this website looking at what people do with the inside of their hutches and you will very quickly realise that the floors of hutches do not need to be covered.