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The pre-bunny freakout.

Larilie

Young Bun
So after a few months of baptism-by-fire fat pack bunny furniture, reading, getting confused, reading some more, searching around for people with bunnies, identifying allergies, contradictory advice of every possible variety and random bouts of "We're going to need more stuff."/"Why do we have so much stuff?! How can two fluffy little beings with minds of their own require so much... ok, we need the stuff." attacks we've arranged to pick up the bunnies tomorrow.

So I'm panicking. Because questions like "What if they hate me?" (I have sat with them and they didn't seem to hate me... my dad on the other hand got mugged by a cat when he declined 'I would like some stroking now' type vibes. Jumped from a standing start up to a good five and a half foot up on my dad's chest, but I digress) and "Hang on, 80 - 90% of their diet is hay... but how much is the diet? Do I just keep putting it in until I can't find the bunnies any more?" have started occurring in my brain.

Um. So what would your top tip for a new to the whole looking after bunnies thing be? And any ideas on how I can help them settle in? And eventually maybe some stroking? (I've had a cuddle with each of them but they don't usually get all the socialisation in the world because there are everything from hamsters and budgies to horses and dogs the size of horses, so they're sort of... well, they said they used to be very good at being handled but they don't often get that without a vet being involved or something, I was kind of focussing on not hurting him at the time.)

Basically... help? Please? Thank you for reading this far, I get a bit weird and rambly and that is why I shall shut up now. And thank you again. Ok, now I'll shut up.
 
Ok....breathe....don't panic...I'm sure you'll have everything you need!! Are they going to be house bunnies? Top tip is just to spend as much time as you can sitting with them and getting to know them. They will soon get used to you and attack you ( oops I mean come to you) when you have treats or their favourite herbs!
 
You'll be a great owner because you care so much. :D
Hay, they should eat about they own body size in hay every day with a spoonful of pellets. That's an estimate as every rabbit is different and some need more or less pellets than that. You can had feed the pellets like treats to get them to love you some more and make sure each rabbit gets equal. Best advice I have is get down on their level, sit or lie on the floor with them and find the places they like to be stroked the best, most like the tops of their heads being rubbed.
Give them lots of hay, room and love and you can't go wrong.
 
I love that you have done mountains of research first!
Thats so refreshing, give yourself a huge pat on the back for that.
My top tip is that you will be adopting small prey animals & you have to quietly & calmly earn their trust.
To do that get down to their level ie the floor & let them come to you.
Also let rabbits be rabbits, enjoy their lovely social interactions & just watch them :D
Sounds like you will be a great bunny parent, remember we all had to be first timers once & you are starting from a stronger position because you are well researched.
:thumb: Good Luck!!
 
Thank you!

They have to be outside bunnies because of various furry creature allergies on the people living indoors but I'm plotting to become a semi-outdoor human. I'll try lying down with them (yay for runs bigger than me!) and hand feeding them if they'll let me and things. And breathing. I'll try and fit that in somewhere. :)
And thank you for the hay measuring! I was really thinking I'd need to start doing maths... And somehow that rarely ends well.
I feel a little less overwhelmed now, tips are always helpful, somehow it's easier to work out what is ok when other people who know what they're talking about it say it's ok.
 
I got a bit like that when i got Woody a few wks back, thinking omg im going to have 2 rabbits to look after! It is a bit tricky with me having Bella inside and Woody outside as i have to go spend time with him outside because he keeps spraying me and im not having him doing that in the house, roll on April to get him Neutered! I feel so guilty that he is on his own atm, he gets a friend soon though so 3 bunnies for me hehe. Cant wait to see piccies of your bunnies!!!! You will be fine :thumb:
 
Don't worry so much about the hay, just make sure you give them more than they'll eat so they never run out (you'll soon gauge how much this is). Try not to fuss over them too much in the beginning, give them some time to settle in.

And well done for doing all the research first :)
 
Your post made me laff :lol:

As for hay, I find it better to give a couple of big handfuls (it kinda comes out in clumps when you use baled hay - top tip for new bunny owners, get baled hay if you can, MUCH cheaper!) two or three times a day than to give a massive amount once a day, they like it fresh and puffed up.

It depends on your setup really. Are they indoor bunnies? Will they have a litter tray? This is what mine get...

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And then I top it up two to three times a day. I use the hay rack when the hay is stalky and thick strands as it gets flat quicker then. When it's finer and softer I tend to just shove it in their box. :)

As for them liking you, it kinda depends on the bunnies. Try not to pick them up but sit on the floor with them instead and they're probably trust you easier. They are also easily bribeable with food ;) though don't feed too much!
 
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