Can anyone recommend a good book?

about keeping bunnies?

I have had bunnies on and off since I was about 8 or so, but I didn't really "get" them until I had Dexter. And since I've been spending time on here, I realise I know diddly squat about the "proper" way to keep bunnies. So rather than continuously pestering you guys over some probably trivial question, could anybody recommend a good "bunny bible" I can buy and read and refer back to whenever I'm being paranoid or the buns do something I don't understand (which is almost constantly ahem Slipper!) Something that covers the very basics right up to how to understand and get along with your bunny. I'm not interesting in breeding or showing them so it doesn't need to include that, but I would also very much appreciate a good chapter on health issues as well following my dealings with the dreaded EC which always sends my blood cold when I see the word now.

I've got the three bunnies I'm ever going to have whilst they all still live as I couldn't afford/have the space to provide any other buns the good home they deserve (although it was so hard yesterday at pets at home seeing a continental giant up for adoption because "my owner didn't want me any more as I got too big" poor bunny how could someone do that to an innocent (admittedly not so) little bun?) and so I want to do the best I possibly can for them and I'm realising I may not be doing that out of ignorance. Like I found out from reading a post last week that carrots aren't good for bunnies. So Slipper doesn't have them any more, but I thought as you always see buns with carrots, they were ok and now I feel bad for doing something I shouldn't

I'm sure Slipper, Badger and Blueberry will thank you as I also do

I'm afraid I haven't seen any particular ones myself that cover everything together, I do like Tamsins book for behaviour (arrived yesterday and I love it). But it's funny you ask this now because I'm thinking of writing my own guide covering all the basics.

RavenMoon said:

I'm afraid I haven't seen any particular ones myself that cover everything together, I do like Tamsins book for behaviour (arrived yesterday and I love it). But it's funny you ask this now because I'm thinking of writing my own guide covering all the basics.

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You really should! I was in pets at home yesterday and had a flick through their selection but none of it was quite what I was looking for. Even something as simple a what you should and shouldn't feed rabbits, their cage requirements, run requirements, handling tips, what not to do, when and how often they should be immunised and spayed/neutered and of course a section on all their diseases and how to prevent it etc etc. On here, I've learned my cage is too small, don't put them on their backs, I can immunise them at any age although the six month rule for greens and neutering/spaying still stands. I've also learned not to feed lettuce or carrots, that I feed them too many pellets so they don't eat their hay, what a binky is (I've always heard it called bunny hop) that some people free range their buns, don't let the vet tell you they have to fast before the op, that bunnies prefer living together (don't know why that never occurred to me duh!) and I'd never heard of coclidosis and I still have no idea what it is. Ditto snuffles. This has all been pointed up to me in be nicest possible way and I great fully appreciate all advice so keep it coming, but I do feel like a really bad bunny owner and no wonder most of them have hated me. So I want to do better and I feel a good book I can read and refer back to in times of doubt would be invaluable! I do also want to get Tamsin's books as I think that would really help my relationship with Slipper. So far, touch wood, Badger & Blueberry seem to really like me and I want to keep it that way!!

Sarah1989 said:

You really should! I was in pets at home yesterday and had a flick through their selection but none of it was quite what I was looking for. Even something as simple a what you should and shouldn't feed rabbits, their cage requirements, run requirements, handling tips, what not to do, when and how often they should be immunised and spayed/neutered and of course a section on all their diseases and how to prevent it etc etc. On here, I've learned my cage is too small, don't put them on their backs, I can immunise them at any age although the six month rule for greens and neutering/spaying still stands. I've also learned not to feed lettuce or carrots, that I feed them too many pellets so they don't eat their hay, what a binky is (I've always heard it called bunny hop) that some people free range their buns, don't let the vet tell you they have to fast before the op, that bunnies prefer living together (don't know why that never occurred to me duh!) and I'd never heard of coclidosis and I still have no idea what it is. Ditto snuffles. This has all been pointed up to me in be nicest possible way and I great fully appreciate all advice so keep it coming, but I do feel like a really bad bunny owner and no wonder most of them have hated me. So I want to do better and I feel a good book I can read and refer back to in times of doubt would be invaluable! I do also want to get Tamsin's books as I think that would really help my relationship with Slipper. So far, touch wood, Badger & Blueberry seem to really like me and I want to keep it that way!!

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All the stuff you've mentioned will be in there :thumb: I've got the layout sorted to a degree too.

I think we've all made mistakes, because there's so much incorrect information out there for bunnies. I still feel awful about the rabbit I had in my early teens (Rikku), whilst my mum should have looked into how to care for them properly she gave me the little info she knew and left me to it. My only saving grace is that she wasn't left in a hutch in the garden alone, as she shared my bedroom. But most of the time she was still in her tiny hutch. It breaks my heart as much knowing that she seemed to like me, at least a little, because whilst she wouldn't groom me she would accept cuddles and wasn't afraid, but would nip other people. I so wish Google had been more prominent at the time, and I'd had the sense to use it. Rikku makes me try my hardest for my current buns.

RavenMoon said:

All the stuff you've mentioned will be in there :thumb: I've got the layout sorted to a degree too.

I think we've all made mistakes, because there's so much incorrect information out there for bunnies. I still feel awful about the rabbit I had in my early teens (Rikku), whilst my mum should have looked into how to care for them properly she gave me the little info she knew and left me to it. My only saving grace is that she wasn't left in a hutch in the garden alone, as she shared my bedroom. But most of the time she was still in her tiny hutch. It breaks my heart as much knowing that she seemed to like me, at least a little, because whilst she wouldn't groom me she would accept cuddles and wasn't afraid, but would nip other people. I so wish Google had been more prominent at the time, and I'd had the sense to use it. Rikku makes me try my hardest for my current buns.

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Yes, that's it. When I was 7 my two best friends both had rabbits so I wanted one too and pestered my parents to get me one. I did read a book, but I can't remember it now and I just learned off my friends. But of course Peppermint hated me so I lost interest and my dad took over until she escaped one day. Then when my parents divorced when I was 12/13 my friend got a new baby rabbit and so I got another one too, Stella. I did look after her as there was no one else, but eventually my dad gave her to my step sister. Then when I was 15, I got another rabbit, Keira. She was my first indoor bunny so she was looked after a lot better in that she was in my bedroom but she was in a too small cage and never got out. Then as me and my mum were moving into a flat, she sold her when I was on holiday even though my dad said he was going to give her to my step brother :evil: I was gutted! Then my ex got a bunny and bought me one too, Cookie. It was then I heard about neutering and injections so at least these were looked after better, but my ex made me rehome Cookie as he kept stamping in the night and keeping him awake. So it wasn't until I fell in love with Dexter that I "got" bunnies and now I'm determined to amend my ways for the same of my current bunnies. I class Slipper as my first bunny in some respects as I know nothing really.

So if you do write that book, let me know! I really want a copy