Fudge's Diary

Hi all; i got this idea off my housemate, i thought since i am a new indoor bunny owner i thought i'd chronicle his achievements and any downfalls and ask for any help if needs be. This may also help any new indoor bunny caretakers

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So Day 1: 5/11/13

I have had Fudge for 24 hours, and he's getting used to his litter tray, new home and his new caretakers. He stayed in his new home for a wee while, and i let him out to explore my bedroom for a little while last night. Which he enjoyed a lot. He is eating normally and drinking normally, and his poo's are all okay.

Today he's been out and about in the living room with his litter tray, food and my housemate and partner whilst i've been at work and i've just put him back in his hutch for the evening (this is just a temporary measure whilst we rearrange the living room to make more room for the hutch, so we can have it open all the time so he can enter and leave at will.).

We're only have a few issues, one it's picking him up, he seems to squirm a lot and wants to escape from our cuddles, that is for both taking him out of his home (which we're going to allow him to leave on his own) and putting him back him. Also he seems to enjoy gnawing on our skirting boards and other items of furniture, any ideas to stop him doing this?

Hi :wave:

I think your diary is a great idea! Does fudge have let's of other toys he can chew? Mine are currently destroying a seagrass ball! And for your skirting boards I've seen this on Pinterest however I would probably do a rounded top http://www.pinterest.com/pin/526358275170418930/
Also no diary would ever be complete with out pictures, just saying

:wave:

I have a house rabbit, and although he has lived in my bedroom for two years, he still doesn't like being handled. This is quite normal for rabbits, as they are a prey species and it is a natural instinct to resist having their feet lifted from the ground. Personally I think it is in a pet rabbit's best interests to tolerate handling, so I do lift mine up for a short time each day.

Rabbits are also natural chewers. Toys, and of course a plentiful supply of hay that they enjoy eating (some bunnies are quite fussy with hay) will help ... however most rabbits will chew on something they shouldn't from time to time.

Would love to see pictures of your bun.

So we've had him since Sunday; and he's doing really well. He is no longer skittish and no longer afraid of his humans!

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Day 2: 5/11/13

We have moved him from our bedroom into the living room today so he can get used to people being around as well as having a lot more room. He has learnt he can jump in and out of his room into our living area whenever he wants. He has jumped onto the sofa with my partner and housemate for some close contact. He doesn't really like being stroked with a full hand, but he does like a few fingers over his ears and down his back.

we are picking him up, giving him cuddles and brushing him when we put him back into his home at night, so he gets used to it. I am going to pick him up at least a few times a day for a few minutes so he can tolerate being handled

He has such a character! He enjoys exploring his surroundings, and "binkies" a lot; i have got a video which i may share if you have a Facebook Group too ?

I have heard that a mild vinegar and water solution (1 part vinegar to 3 parts water) can help with the gnawing on things, what do you think ?

So he's doing really well today !

He is such a fantastic little bunny, and he is coming on leaps and bounds !
Pics after.

Day 3

Today we've let him run free apart from a few hours when we were out. He's learnt that he can run away from us when he needs to be picked up; but other than that no issues.

He's been on our laps and will tense up when he's being stroked, and when left alone he'll look around and try to get down, he's not been too bad though in general. He's not biting or being aggressive to us in the slightest. We've had to tell him off (we're clicking our fingers at him to show when he's done bad, and when he's good he's getting a treat) for nibbling at stuff, but we've given him boxes and other toys in the living room so he's more focused on those!

We got some straw from a local shop, but i don't know how well he's going to take to it, his bedding area is all scraped free of shavings and anything else.

I put my finger out earlier and he came up and bopped it with his nose, and he'll wander up to you, sniff around you etc, but i suppose his only handling from us lot was when he was ill and on antibiotics so, not such a good start in life.

We have registered him with our local vets, and have got him booked in for a general health checkup and his Myxi and VHD vacs later on this month.

He has been very brave today and we're very proud and here are some pictures to show him today;

On my lap whilst i was playing The Sims 3:

"Draw me like one of your french bunnies":

EDIT: He's been out and about again and been hopping around happily here is a link to a video https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201517347310060&l=1789363301004028618

And another video if it works taken last night : https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10153433669040263&l=7935475907088363795

I think this is a happy bunny !

He's being doing this a lot

can you delete this please ?

He's a beautiful rabbit.

Aww what a cutie

I had a big problem with my belgian hare X Freddie chewing my door frames!!
He was bored as we didn't have him bonded to a friend yet, and was venting it on my poor frames!
The vinegar and water I just put in a spray bottle and spray the places he was chewing a few times a week.

Another wee tip when I have a new bun I spend a lot of time on the floor with them, letting them come to me when they wan't.
They enjoy being able to interact with you on their terms rather than having to be picked up all the time. I do agree with handling him to get him used to being picked up and popped into his carrier, and like gently checking his paws and getting him used to allowing you to quickly check his bum.

Doing this just now will get him used to it and make it easier to handle and medicate him should he need it in the future.
Making sure he has access to unlimited hay will also help to stop him eating your skirting!
Hay is an essential part of a bunnies diet, they should have 80% of their diet hay and the rest pellets and maybe herbs and bunny safe veg
Another great boredum breaker is those wee balls where you can put their pellets in and they need to roll them about to get them out Parsley loves his, I'll need to get a video of him throwing it around the room :lol:

just watched the videos!!!
D'aww though if he's not neutered yet I hope he'll be getting done soon! The way he's running around all excited with his tail up reminds me of when mine were young and still unneutered :lol: doesn't look like it'll be too long till he starts flicking you all with wee!! :lol:

Hey guys i've been terribly busy with work but here is what's happened the past few days.

He is no longer chewing on things he shouldn't; he as a fair number of toys now and he's happy hopping about the living room.

He's been running circles around me, quite literally, and has had a few mishaps with peeing/spraying on the carpet, sofa and my housemate! So we've got him booked in for the vets tomorrow for his castration; of which i think he's going to hate me for!

I have made a few toys for him and he has loved them!

He is getting used to being handled and having cuddles as well as being stroked by us and our friends.

He's been sleeping a lot and eating well too, it's so adorable when he's asleep his nose stops twitching and his eyes are wide open.

He has jumped up on our laps and he has stood up to me and bopped me on the nose and then he just nipped me.

For a week, he's done brilliantly and we do, indeed, love him a lot.

Sounds like he is doing really well. :thumb: