New bunny - what to buy in advance

Hi

Just wondering if someone could possibly put a topic in the Rabbit Care Reference Section on what to buy for your new/first bunny.

I'm getting a new bunny in March/April and haven't had one since I was about 10, I'm doing plenty of research as to what I need to buy in advance and having read about hay, wood shavings etc, it seems a lot has changed since I had a rabbit before. I want to do my best for my new bun, and give it a good life.

When I had my previous rabbit, he had sawdust (which is now understand is a no-no), straw, and rabbit mix to eat. He also had fresh fruit or veg every other day.

Some beginners/idots guide info would be good. :wink:

Thanks

Well i thought i would start in here lol

Hutch / Cage - if indoor people on here seem to prefer the dog crate idea as you can get huge ones much cheaper than rabbit cages and you can add a second shelf - eBay is a great place to look

Food - a good quality pellet not a mix - Science Selective or i think the other one lots of people feed is the Excel feed

Litter pan if you want to litter train, you can get corner ones or cat litter trays if you have the room

Toys, - although lots of household things can make great toys such as boxes and the cardboard from loo rolls

Hay - Most people feed timothy hay altho i have to admit i dont i give meadow hay

Carrier - ideal of taking bun to the vets - i have one of the cat carrier type things with some vet bed inside

Nail clippers and brush for grooming

Cleaning equipment for the housing

Hello :wave: It's great that you are taking some time to have a really good think about what you need to provide for your bunny

Quinn's list is a really good start, I guess if we're doing a beginners guide then we can do things in more detail, e.g. minimum hutch size recommended by RSPCA/Rabbit welfare association is now 2 5*2*2 - a far cry from the 3 foot hutches of yesteryear!

In addition to the things that Quinn has listed, I would suggest a companion as well In the past 10 or so years, neutering has become quite commonplace and it is now well recognised that rabbits are social animals and are generally much happier if they are kept in pairs or small groups. The easiest way to achieve this is to visit a rescue centre and get a pair of bunnies who have already been neutered and bonded, saves a lot of hassle on getting baby bunnies which then need separating, neutering and re-bonding at a later date! Also, lots of people go to rescues to get a partner for their existing bunny, which means that a lot of pairs of bunnies are overlooked and can spend long periods of time in rescues One that I know of has several pairs who have been there for over 2 years - and that's not because there is anything wrong with them, it's just because most people are looking for one bunny to accompany an existing bunny.

Let us know how you get on - what else would you like to see in a 'beginners guide'?

How could i forget a companion i got quinn a girlyfriend yesterday lol

Oh and with regard to housing i forgot to say a lot of people have sheds for their buns, i will be getting one soon for when my two are bonded

I have some things that would be good for a begginer guide
*what is safe to feed them and not safe
*some basic info for begginer owners
*things to consider before getting one or as it seems to be two
*pros of bunnies
*cons of bunnies(hopefully not many!)
*pros and cons of having two
*pros and cons of having them inside/outside
*what to get for one bunny as well as for two
*common signs to go to the vet
*what to do once you get the bunny(example : if you leave them alone for awhile)

How could i forget a companion i got quinn a girlyfriend yesterday lol

Click to expand...

did you??? any pic's - i didn't think you had Quinn castrated yet??

Thanks for the replies.

Just one question on bedding - if having the bunny in a hutch in the shed, is it best to use wood shavings and straw for bedding?

Quinn isnt castrated yet but i fell in love with the little girl so hes out in his hutch and shes inside in her big cage until hes done and they can be bonded and move into the new shed im getting

In my hutch i have newspaper with wood shavings on top - a nice deep layer - then i have a litter pan with hay in and i use shredded paper for bedding at the moment along with a snuggle safe - i used to use hay for bedding but it made the toilet training harder

Benny's hutch is totally bare :shock: He has a huge plastic underbed box in the bedroom compartment, with thick newspaper, paper based litter (shavings are not recommended as they give off phenols which can stress a rabbit's liver) and lots of hay in it - He has decided it's too nice to toilet in though, and now gets out of 'bed' to do it on the floor :roll:

So I put a few sheets of newspaper down in the 'bedroom' and roll it up every morning and leave it to dry out - He spends all day in his covered run with another hay tray/litter tray.

I cover the hutch with carpets at night if it's cold, and have a shower curtain across the front of the hutch to keep rain out. If there are foxes around you need wooden shutters really too.

Just read back on this thread (and I can't be bothered to do any housework :lol: ) I dithered and planned and researched for months before I got any rabbits - It seemed more complicated and daunting the more I found out!

In the end I had Science Selective pellets - but these have to be mixed in bit by bit with the bunny's existing food, as you mustn't suddenly change their diet.

Timmy hay and meadow hay - I now just use timmy hay although they really love nice meadow hay - no car so I can't get it very easily.

I introduced veg slowly if I wasn't sure what they'd had before - and mine were all adults from rescue - if it's a baby rabbit then best to leave veg till they've settled in for a few weeks. I have stuck to 3 veg as again, no car makes it difficult for me to get more - chunk of carrot (not too much as it's high carb) big leaf of spring greens or cabbage, chunk of brocolli - I started all these with just a tiny piece for a week or 2, gradually increasing the amount.

I bought a sack of megazorb bedding - paper based litter available online or, if you have a car, dirt cheap from a supplier - do a search to find one near you.

I have never bothered with straw or shavings - I just give them a litter tray each, or rather a big storage box as they are less likely to miss and pee over the sides - When I got the girls they didn't know how to jump into the boxes, but they soon realised what those back legs were for, and enjoy hopping in and out - you need more headroom the higher the sides though - My hutch bunny has an underbed storage box as it's low sided.

dishes - mine prefer water out of a dish to a bottle, except for Tia, who likes her boppy

My 2 house bunnies live seperately in dog crates - they are much easier to clean and feed and pet than the outside bunnies - and you appreciate their personality more when you share your home with them - so long as they don't chew or dig or destroy everything, like Benny did - he's happier with more freedom and air outside - a real lad

You do need to keep their nails trimmed though if they live indoors - the concrete on the patio wears down my outside bunnies nails.

The one thing I wish I had is a car - they are always sick at night or at the weekend (usually both) and it's awful if you are stranded and no way to get to a vets, plus all those bales of hay are a bit impossible on the bus!

My bunny first aid kit has soluble asprin, rennie rapize, probiotics from vetark (or your vets) syringes - 1mm are best - vetzyme antibacterial powder, apple and pear baby food, (well I ate it on porridge last week - must remember to buy some more ) scissor type nail clippers (hate those guillotine things!), thick, unscented baby wipes. I find damp hands are the best grooming tool for a normal furred rabbit - you would need combs etc and hairdressing scissors for a long haired type.

Take the plunge and don't worry too much! - Bunnies are susceptible to stress and sudden changes of diet, so try to give them a calm environment, very regular routine which they will get familiar with, and the same food every day - few pellets, some veg and loads of fresh, nice hay (should be a bundle roughly the size of the rabbit's body, twice per day), and water of course.

As for one or 2 well they give each other confidence in a new situation, so are easier to settle in in pairs, but Benny seems just as happy on his own as he was with his brother (who died of bloat 4 months after I got them )- I think male/female neutered pairs are maybe closer to each other. If you want a pair it's easier and cheaper to go to a rescue as they will already be neutered and bonded

Here is my list of things I'd get for a new rabbit or 2! Sorry if any of this has already been said!

1. A Home. If outdoors they need a large hutch, at least 5ft wide, 2ft deep and 2ft high with access to a run in the daytime. If you have the room a shed makes a perfect home for a couple of rabbits. If indoors a 4ft dog crate is ideal. They must have exercise and not be confined to a cage all day though.

2. Litter tray. Rabbits are very clean and will use a litter tray. I would buy a large cat litter tray which is big enough for an adult rabbit to lay in. I put newspaper on the bottom and hay on top. It can be easily cleaned daily or every other day.

3. Bedding. I use newspaper for the indoor cage and hutch but my shed has lino on the floor which is wipe clean. The outdoor rabbits get soft barley straw as bedding. They also have a Snugglepad in winter which is like a microwavable hotwater bottle that is safe for rabbits. The indoor rabbit has a fleecy pad as a bed. You can buy vet bed from most petshops which is soft and easy to wash.

4. Hay. A rabbits main diet is hay. It is essential for keeping teeth healthy and should be available at all times. The hay should smell nice and be green not brown.

5. Food and water bowl, wooden toys, treat ball for putting pellet food in and cardboard toilet roll tubes for playing with. Animal safe disinfectant spray for cleaning litter trays.

You must feed the rabbit the same food that it is used to. You may want to change it later and it should be done gradually over 10 days.

I would recommend getting 2 rabbits as they are company for each other. They love to play together and groom each other.
The pros are that they make wonderful pets, make you laugh and bring joy to your life.
The cons are they like to chew furniture (if indoors) can be expensive and time consuming (like all pets really) have a habit of pooping everywhere (which you don't really notice when you love them!) can bite and scratch and more often than not don't like being picked up.

I love my rabbits and think they are the best pets to have. If you spend some time reading as many posts on this forum as you can you will learn alot about rabbits and everything else you can find out as you need to. There are people here who have years of experience looking after rabbits and it is a great place to learn and share your experiences with others!

Good luck, I hope you find a special rabbit or two

Quick question about hay. I know that rabbits eat hay, but if you use hay in their litter tray, would they eat that as well? :? or am I being thick?

I put hay in their litter tray, they eat whilst pooping! :shock: My 2 also have a hay rack that I fill on a daily basis as well as topping up their litter trays

HTH

I use Carefreah in my litter trays as really clean, can get from pet shops and my garden centre does it too, on offer at the mo!

My bun isn't keen on hay so i put it everywhere. i have a big clump at the end of his tray he doesn't use, you will find that they use a certain end, like a particular corner in the hutch. Whilst on the loo, and Jacob is a typical man and on the loo for AGES, he has a nibble of hay, just needs a magazine or a book and he'll be sorted! Good luck with your new friend/s.

Yes they do eat the hay in the litter tray. They tend to eat and poop at the same time. Just keep adding more hay!

yes they eat the hay in the litterpan - quinn and rosie have litter pans and hay mangers and they use both they eat and poo at the same time

forgot to say - find a good rabbit vet BEFORE you get your rabbits - most vets are great with cats and dogs but many don't know much about rabbits, although this situation is improving slightly.

Ask them what anaesthetic they use with rabbits (should be isofluorane and a sedative injection prior to that)

Should a rabbit be starved before an op? (NO!!!!)

Do they clip teeth? (should not clip teeth - better to use a tool to burr them down)

what vaccinations do they recommend for a rabbit and when? (should be myxomatosis vac followed 2 weeks later by VHD vac)

what kind of stitches do they use on a rabbit? (should be invisible, dissolvable as rabbits are known to chew out their stitches)

Is there a rabbit specialist at the practise? (some practises with several vets may have a vet that's interested in rabbits - I would only use one of the vets at my group practise as the other one was awful)

....If the vet receptionist can't answer these questions, it may be a good idea to make an appointment to speak to the vet, or ask them to phone you when they have a minute

I'd also ask whether they routinely give painkillers to rabbits after operations such as neutering, and whether they use heat pads (rabbits can't maintain their body temperature very well under anaesthetic so need some extra warmth to help them). You'd be surprised how many vets don't think it necessary to give rabbits painkillers, even if they've had invasive surgery!!

Thanks everyone for your replies, I must say I feel more confident about getting my bunny now.

Next bit of research will be to find a good breeder not too far from home.

Have you looked on the rabbit rehome search pages? There are lots of rabbits needing good homes. Which area do you live in?