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Advice please

M

Margie

New Kit
Hi I am new to the forum so I am learning on posting etc lol
I rescued my first rabbit Warren over 12 months ago he was about 6 months of age at the time I had him as a house rabbit but he seemed unhappy when I put him in his cage at night due to him chewing through wires if left unsupervised he also kept trying to mate with my cat and my German Shepherd so off to the vets we went to be neutered and he did calm down a lot I rang the RSPCA regarding him going outside etc I got him a large two tier hutch all insulated and he has the run of the garden he now refuses to come indoors, won't be picked up for a cuddle or to be groomed he runs away when I go near him he will go into his hutch at night if I use a torch he follows the light into his hutch and he then has has food treats like cabbage fruit etc his other food is given in a morning I always make sure he has rabbit treats food and fresh water at all times
My worry is he has eaten all my pot plants he eats bread I I put out for the birds and the bird seed lol this morning the poor birds didn't get a look in Hecate all the bread and bird seed while the birds watched ! Sometimes if I go to move him away he will jump in the air and kick out at me with his back feet and sometimes when in his hutch I can hear him thumping so loudly which then makes me worry he's not happy but I can't leave him out at night as we get fox's in the garden I use a heat pad in his bed area which he sits on and seems happy enough I can only describe him as a "rabbit with attitude" I have wondered if I should get him a rabbit for company but I was told by pets at home where I had him from not to put another rabbit with him so I'm not sure what to do I feel sorry for him being on his own love him to bits and just want to be able to pick him up without running around the garden any advice if there's anything I can or should be doing would be great
Thanks
Margie
 
First of all the best piece of advice I can give you is don't listen to anything you are told at pets at home. They are notoriously ignorant of rabbit welfare.

It sounds like he's a very lucky chappy to have found you. He sounds like a perfectly normal rabbit to me. Because they are pray animals they aren't always the most social with humans and you really have to spend a lot of time with them, on their level, not picking them up and totally on their terms, before they learn to trust you. If you sit on the grass while he's out you'll find he will eventually come and investigate you. When he does that, offer him a treat. My rabbits always liked coriander when we were getting to know eachother :) The more time you spend just being there while he's being a rabbit and letting him sniff around you and work out that you're a friendly human the more friendly he will be with you. Mine have been with me for over 3 years and they still will not let me pick them up, because they don't like it when their paws leave the ground. But they will crawl up around my lap and let me stroke their noses, and will rush to greet me in the mornings to have their heads patted and their food delivered.

As for the thumping, my indoor rabbits do this too, often at around 3 in the morning when the streetlight comes on. It's not about being unhappy it's about being startled by something and warning the other nearby rabbits to be on guard.

Is he getting plenty of hay to chew on? It might stop him attacking your pot plants and the bread and birdseed quite so much. Rabbits are supposed to have an all day supply of hay to munch on, they can eat a pile of hay the size of their whole bodies in a day, and I rarely see mine without a bit of hay sticking out the sides of their mouths! You may want to just double check what varieties he's eaten online to make sure they're not poisonous to buns, some plants are. I dunno about the bird seed but I don't think bread is very good for them either.

Oh and with regards to a friend, I'm sure if you found a rescue nearby they'd be more than happy to set him up with a lovely spayed female bunny to keep him company. Rabbits just love to be in pairs, but pairs of boys can fight.

I hope that helps. Good luck with your little Warren!!
 
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Hello :)

Rabbits definitely benefit greatly from the companionship of another Rabbit, Rabbits are very social beings.

With regards to the Fox, they do not confine their hunting to the hours of darkness. I am afraid that your Rabbit is in grave danger if left to free range unsupervised during the day. I would strongly advise you to make alternative arrangements for him to exercise- a large secure aviary type run for example. If how a Rabbit is kept during the day would not be safe from Foxes at night then the reality is it is not safe during the day either.

Could you place the food you leave out for the birds up on a bird table, out of reach of your Rabbit ?

You dont mention the availability of hay for your Rabbit when you said he has 'Rabbit treats, food and fresh water available at all times' Hay is the most important part of a Rabbit's diet.

Have you had him vaccinated ? This is another essential that Pets at Home staff may not have told you. Sadly 'advice' given from many Pets at Home stores is 'patchy' at best, more often it is completely wrong.

There is a lot of useful information on the Rabbit Welfare Association's website

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/?section=leaflets.html
 
Welcome to the forum and well done for getting your bunny neutered, its very responsible and sensible.

Regarding his behavior, I had a rabbit who began life as a house rabbit and when he moved outdoors he became aloof and did not want to know me. What helped him to come out of his shell was a mate. Rabbits are social creatures and really need a friend. They can become relaxed and docile and feel safety in numbers with their own kind. Any friend or friends will also have to be neutered or hormones will take over and aggression can ensue. A good reputable rescue will help your rabbit choose his own friend and possibly bond them for you.

With regard to his diet I must advise caution in what you are feeding and how much. Bread and bird seed can cause bloat and stomach blockages, both of which can be fatal and incredibly painful for the rabbit. Please do not let him access any more. Cabbage and fruit should not be given regularly. Fruits are high in sugar and can be unhealthy for rabbit teeth, cabbage is very dense and too much can lead to stomach problems. Rabbits have notoriously sensitive stomachs. The best diet will consist mostly of hay and or grass with a small amount of pellets and green veg such as erbs like parsley, dill and coriander. Iceberg lettuce is a big no but occasionally other lettuce can be given such as romaine. Carrots are fruit are like chocolate to a rabbit and should be given very rarely and only in small quantities.

As for plants in the garden, some may be toxic for him, there are many good plant guides you can refer to as to what is safe for your rabbit to chew. He sounds bored and frustrated, hence the constant eating. If you have grass in your garden he should be grazing on that. If not he needs lots and lots of hay in his accommodation and wooden chew toys for him to wear his teeth on. His hutch may not be big enough either and when he gets out to play he is maybe making the most of the space he has. A decent sized hutch should be around 6 foot with constant access to a run. But really the bigger the better. A shed would be even more practical and spacious.

To be quite frank, Pets at Home have told you a lot of rubbish and really pet shops should not be supported as there are rescue centres overflowing with unwanted rabbits. It sounds like you have been mis sold a rabbit with poor advice. Rabbits really need companionship and a lot of commitment. They are actually difficult animals to look after and not ideal pets for children contrary to popular belief. They can live for up to ten years or more and cost a lot in veterinary fees (vaccines, illness, neutering) so require a lot of commitment.

One final point is that fact you are rotating this rabbit between indoor and outdoor homes. Rabbits have sensitive respiratory systems and really need to be kept in an environment where the temperature is stable and constant. His immune system will struggle to cope with being exposed to warm then cold air all the time. He needs to live in one place or the other especially in winter or he will get ill and develop a chronic condition which will need lifelong treatment (pasturella). You are right to worry about foxes, foxes can chew through wood and rip the wire off hutches, they are very efficient predators. So if you have space in your house, maybe in a utility room, spare room or garage to create a large playpen using dog crate fencing for example then it would probably be best for bunny to remain indoors for the winter.

I can post some helpful links regarding accommodation and plant guides if you like. If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask, we have so many helpful and experienced members on here.
 
Last edited:
Fifibutton said:
Welcome to the forum and well done for getting your bunny neutered, its very responsible and sensible.

Regarding his behavior, I had a rabbit who began life as a house rabbit and when he moved outdoors he became aloof and did not want to know me. What helped him to come out of his shell was a mate. Rabbits are social creatures and really need a friend. They can become relaxed and docile and feel safety in numbers with their own kind. Any friend or friends will also have to be neutered or hormones will take over and aggression can ensue. A good reputable rescue will help your rabbit choose his own friend and possibly bond them for you.

With regard to his diet I must advise caution in what you are feeding and how much. Bread and bird seed can cause bloat and stomach blockages, both of which can be fatal and incredibly painful for the rabbit. Please do not let him access any more. Cabbage and fruit should not be given regularly. Fruits are high in sugar and can be unhealthy for rabbit teeth, cabbage is very dense and too much can lead to stomach problems. Rabbits have notoriously sensitive stomachs. The best diet will consist mostly of hay and or grass with a small amount of pellets and green veg such as erbs like parsley, dill and coriander. Iceberg lettuce is a big no but occasionally other lettuce can be given such as romaine. Carrots are fruit are like chocolate to a rabbit and should be given very rarely and only in small quantities.

As for plants in the garden, some may be toxic for him, there are many good plant guides you can refer to as to what is safe for your rabbit to chew. He sounds bored and frustrated, hence the constant eating. If you have grass in your garden he should be grazing on that. If not he needs lots and lots of hay in his accommodation and wooden chew toys for him to wear his teeth on. His hutch may not be big enough either and when he gets out to play he is maybe making the most of the space he has. A decent sized hutch should be around 6 foot with constant access to a run. But really the bigger the better. A shed would be even more practical and spacious.

To be quite frank, Pets at Home have told you a lot of rubbish and really pet shops should not be supported as there are rescue centres overflowing with unwanted rabbits. It sounds like you have been mis sold a rabbit with poor advice. Rabbits really need companionship and a lot of commitment. They are actually difficult animals to look after and not ideal pets for children contrary to popular belief. They can live for up to ten years or more and cost a lot in veterinary fees (vaccines, illness, neutering) so require a lot of commitment.

One final point is that fact you are rotating this rabbit between indoor and outdoor homes. Rabbits have sensitive respiratory systems and really need to be kept in an environment where the temperature is stable and constant. His immune system will struggle to cope with being exposed to warm then cold air all the time. He needs to live in one place or the other especially in winter or he will get ill and develop a chronic condition which will need lifelong treatment (pasturella). You are right to worry about foxes, foxes can chew through wood and rip the wire off hutches, they are very efficient predators. So if you have space in your house, maybe in a utility room, spare room or garage to create a large playpen using dog crate fencing for example then it would probably be best for bunny to remain indoors for the winter.

I can post some helpful links regarding accommodation and plant guides if you like. If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to ask, we have so many helpful and experienced members on here.
Click to expand...

This really deserves a *!
 
Thank you for replying with great advice I do give him lots of hay his bedroom is always full of hay to keep him warm too I will defiantly check out any plants before I plant in the spring
I have contacted a local rabbit rescue to see if they would be willing to help me with introducing him to a neutered female rabbit
 
Thank you so much I trusted the advice I had been given but what you have told me makes more sense I will defiantly do what you have said his hutch is 6ft and 2 tier so has an upstairs too where his bedroom is he has the run of the garden all day but I will be getting it more rabbit friendly now the bird food can be put high up out of warrens way I feel terrible now as I was not told about the risks in eating certain things he had his vaccinations at the vets few weeks ago and was given a health check which was all good he does have toys to chew to help his teeth hopefully a friend will help
Thank you
 
Don't feel bad, you did the absolute right thing and sought information to make sure that you were doing the right thing for your friend, it's not like you didn't ask the questions you were just given bad advice or no advice, and you still came here to get more when you were worried. Your rabbit is lucky to have you as his human.
 
Hi he has availability to hay at all times as I use it for bedding too he is vaccinated and goes to see the vet for health checks I realise now I'm giving him too many green vegetables so I will check how much and how often he needs these
 
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