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Common Bunny mistakes?

CrazyGal330

Warren Scout
Hi guys. For a current project i am thinking about common bunny care mistakes. Obvious things are companionship, not to keep them with guinea pigs, hutch sizes are so wrong! But what do you think are the biggest common mistakes? :D
 
Not getting vaccinations
Not spaying/neutering
Giving too many pellets/mixed feed and not enough hay
Thinking they don't like you when they're actually scared
Not getting them a companion
Putting them in hutch smaller than 6ft/2ft/2ft
Not noticing signs of illness. For eg, thinking that if they're not eating they'll 'just eat when they're ready" - that's what my OH says to me when Ralph goes into stasis :roll:
 
Food choices
Getting rabbits for young children (not always cuddle buns),
Not realising costs of vet bills.
The time it takes for cleaning/feeding (especially in winter months)
Bonding.
 
Using sawdust
Thinking that as they're furry and look cute, that they'll enjoy being picked up, but as prey animals a lot of them really dislike it
Grass, not realising they need a slow introduction
Putting indoor rabbits out at the wrong time of year
No toys or distractions
 
You need to make sure you use a 'bunny' vet. Some vets just don't have a clue what they are doing with rabbits. For example, I had one vet tell me that my rabbit would be ok to go the weekend without food (when he had dental issues). :shock: Obviously I knew this was wrong, so used a different vet. ;)
 
all the above...
def. about having companions - they are such social creatures and never live by themselves in the wild.
Also the lettuce & carrots thing
Not enough fibre
They need to graze constantly - people dont realise their guts need ot be in motion all the time.
Teeth need fibre
They battle to cool themsleves down - dont buns only sweat on their noses?
 
As already said...........&
thinking they are good pets for kids,
expecting them to be like cats & dogs,
not treating them with the same level of respect & dignity as other companion animals.
 
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Exercise is a good one. People don't realise that a hutch however big is not adequate, a large run preferably with free range time is needed.
 
That pet shops are correct with sexing buns or other breeders and even vets sometimes get it wrong when they are young.

That it's awful in the winter tending to the bunnys for the owner if the hutches are not in a shed or in heated accomadation, and yet the same level of care is required throughout the year. More so in summer when extra cleaning is required to deter flys preventing flystrike.

The costs of a sick bunny and the ongoing care they normally need. My costs have run into £100+ per month per bunny ontop of routine care costs.

The prospect of having to medicate a rabbit 3 x daily+ for the rest of it's life and the strain which comes with making sure this is kept up and done routinely.

The cost of employing someone to care for your bunnys when you are ill or away for awhile.

The costs involved in proper care of a bunny- i.e diet, hay, pellets, routine vacs etc, renewing hutches and maintenance of accomadation, cost of runs and so on.

How rabbits like to be petted, not the way in which we want to cuddle them, snuggle them. Especially a bunnys dislike at being picked up.

A bunny is not for a child or even a teenager ought to be well versed in bunny care before purchasing a bunny. Adults too should also do research-including coming to this kind of forum for advice rather than blindly believing what is taught in outdated books.

Also that a rescue should be used rather than a breeder to obtain a bunny.

Rabbits daily cleaning requirements, and constant tending too. These are more intense than a cats requirements - perhaps on a par with the needs of a dog.

Goes without saying- hutch sizes and exercise requirements- 6x2x2 is okay with an attached run. I think that this is just about adequete for two bunnies. I don't think it allows much binkying room though, so it's better to have additional free range time. Most of what is available is too small- so often, sheds, playhouses etc are a better choice.

A run that is 6x4 minimum. Preferably bigger again. Alot of what is on the market is too small.

How bunnys obliterate your grass and how you require turf and mesh etc and the costs and the diy skills that go with this.

How bunnys nails need clipping routinely and how bunnys dislike it- the way in which a bunny should be held in order to do this correctly and so not to hurt the bunny.
 
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