New bunnies advice needed

Hi we our the proud owner of two little bunnies popcorn and fluffy! We bought a hutch and attached a run to the hutch - they also have a garden to roam in ( when we are in the garden with them) we bought the rabbits from pets at home .. We bought the hutch and everything else the weekend before so we was prepared.
When we bought the rabbits we was told that because they was young not to put them out in the hutch and to buy a cage and keep them in the house...because they had never been outside .
So here's my questions ...
How long should they be kept in side?
They are very shy and seem nervous and as we only got them yesterday we have left them in the cage to get use to there surroundings
How should I rabbit proof my dining room ... Should I buy a playpen type of thing?
What about litter training?
I have a daughter who is desperate to love these little rabbits but at the mo they aren't coming out of there bed when we are around so she's standing looking at them through the glass in the door so she doesn't scare them .

Can anyone give me some advice please xxx

Welcome!
People will be along with advice.
Please be aware that rabbits scratch and bite, and the majority of them don't want human affection (some do - my Charlie Rabbit loves a cuddle). Be vigilant when your daughter and the rabbits are together.
Personally, I'd use a playpen. But I've had four roaming free in the house and lost carpets, furniture, phones etc as a result.
Put a tray where they decide to toilet. They usually pick one spot. That's the best you can do for litter training. Don't give them soft cushions etc, as those become toilets.
Keep them inside until the weather is reliably warm.

Hi than you .. They are just constantly in there bed area... I will go and buy a playpen today thanks again

Jenniewren81 said:

Hi than you .. They are just constantly in there bed area... I will go and buy a playpen today thanks again

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You will need a puppypen, rather than a playpen, and don't buy a fabric one as some people do, as they chew through them in no time!

Hello there! Puppy pens make good enclosures for inside but slowly is the key so as to give the bunnies time to get used to their new home and owners. The best way your daughter can interact with the rabbits is if she site on the floor and let them come to her - they are usually very inquisitive and will want to inspect her. She must be told not to shout or scream when around the rabbits or they will get scared and always treat them gently. Then as the rabbits become more used to you all you can try holding them but make sure you have them secure so they can't wriggle or fall.

If you give them a litter tray with newspaper or similar at the bottom filled with hay this will encourage them to use it as their toilet. Do this before they start free roaming and they may always go back to this when they want to use it.

Any more question then please feel free to ask. Did PAH tell you what sex they are?

The puppy pen will need wire mesh over the bars for baby rabbits so they don't push their heads through and choke themselves.

From what you are saying, I am guessing they are to be outdoor rabbits?

I am recalling my very first rabbits - the only ones I ever bought (always rescue rabbits after that). They were baby rabbits and I have to say, it was summer and they went straight in to the garden hutch/run. It was perhaps a smidge warmer than it is now though.

Personally, if they are to go outside, I would not invest too much in an indoor set-up and providing your hutch is adequate and full of hay, it shouldn't be too long before they can go outside. Actually, are you able to bring your hutch inside for a short time rather than buy puppy panels etc?

Don't expect too much in the cuddly bunny sort of thing - as has been said, mostly they don't like it! You will find they will accept contact, but on their terms which might mean ground level petting etc.

In the right environment, rabbits make brilliant pets, but not necessarily up to the expectations of young children who might have to accept the common expectations might fall short of the cuddly bunny image which is portrayed.

cara said:

In the right environment, rabbits make brilliant pets, but not necessarily up to the expectations of young children who might have to accept the common expectations might fall short of the cuddly bunny image which is portrayed.

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Unfortunately, this is the "small print" on the bunny owner contract and not many people realise that. Rabbits generally don't like being picked up, carried or squeezed. With time though they can very much enjoy some calm, quiet human company and gentle strokes. It will take patience though. I have two rabbits. One loves to be stroked and will flop the minute you touch him but his brother hates being touched and will give you an absolutely horrified "why are you TOUCHING me" look and then runs away lol. They really do have very individual personalities.

As far as confidence goes, they more secure rabbits feel, the more confident they will become. So offer them plenty of places to hide. Anything from an old cardboard box with holes cut in it to one of the many fancy hideouts you can get, like this:


(from http://www.manorpethousing.co.uk/ )

You seem to have all the advice I can think of. The only thing I can add is if your daughter has any reading homework, maybe she could sit near the rabbits and read out loud (quietly) so they get used to her voice and can approach her in their own time.

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my first important thing to do would be take them to a vet and get the sex double checked and save your self and the buns lots of stress and hard work. i bought 2 buns from pets at home, 2 males apparently but 2 months later the 2 buns had 6 babies. Its always worth it to get a second opinion. my buns were really shy too and ive worked really hard to get them tamer but they dont like to be picked up or cuddled lol.. wish they did.

Definitely take them to the vets ASAP to get them to double check what sex they are as PAH are very unreliable with that. Also get the vet to do a health check as the bunnies will need vaccinations.
It will take a lot of time and patience before the bunnies will allow you to handle them. If you can avoid picking them up as much as possible then they will feel safer. You could get some of their pellets and hold them in your hand and they will come over to investigate, and learn to associate you with food and will come to trust you. Don't expect them to be cuddly bunnies though, I have 4 rabbits and three of them do not enjoy very much human contact!

We got our first from a breeder on his own, never again, the poor guy must have been so scared. He hid away for so long we thought he'd never appear. We left veg out at night and it was gone in the morning, the only sign he was fine.

He lived in the hidey hole continually, I can't imagine how he felt. It was full of wee and really smelling but we didn't want to shoo him out of his only safe spot. After 3 days he would come outside whilst we were around and within a week he'd relaxed into his new environment.

To help speed it up, keep a radio on all night on a talking station, they'll get used to background noise.

Once he grew past palm size we extended the cage with a fabric puppy run. That lasted a few weeks until one morning he was sitting on the sofa with the sideways look of "yes, do you have a problem with this". He's been free running ever since.

Litter training completed in 3 days, he chose the sofa! When he got a rescue girl bunny who had a weight issue he didn't mind moving to the ground. Once they connect the tray to toilet you can move the tray an inch or so per day to where you'd like it.

Bunny proofing: lots of wire covers and cardboard and don't have wooden furniture. As much as we spent on toys they much prefer random but of cardboard. The inside of tin foil is their favourite, nice a tough for some proper gnawing.