New Bunny - Need help!!!!

Hey all!!!

I got my new rabbit today! Excuse the length of this post but I need to explain it all!

A guy who knows the owner of the stables I work at, is a rabbit breeder. He loves them to bits but he sort of treats them as just livestock. My rabbit killed her babies so he didnt want her any more and was threatning to kill her if she didnt find a home. So I took her, Got her home today.

Now. I have not owned a rabbit before. She is overweight and very nervous. I really don't know what to do!! She is still in the carrying case (I left her nice and quiet in my room to try calm her down but shes still jumpy) I need to get her into her hutch but I have no idea how! I just dont want her to get scared, jump and fall or something

After that hurdle, How do I get her weight down? I mean give me a chunky horse or dog anyday, and I could get them sorted. But this is different :?

I know I was stupid for taking her on when I havent owned one before, and If I just can't get her weight down and tame her properly I know somebody who would gladly have her, but I really want to try before I do that.

I am soo worried . Any help would REALLY be appreciated!!

Thanks everyone!

You could prop the door of the carrier upto the door of the hutch to let her hop in on her own. :?

To get her weight down she will need a small ammount of pellets, lots of hay and veggies and lots of excercise. You should give her access to a safe run for at least 4 hours a day with plenty of toys (cardboard boxes, pipes etc) for her to run through and hide in if she gets scared.

There is also lots of bunny care advice on www.rabbitrehome.org.uk

You a wonderful thing by taking her! If you didn't, she would not be alive.
And I do disagree with what you said about the man 'loving' rabbits. You cannot treat rabbits that way, killing them, and still 'love' them.

Now that she is rescued, how about you hold the carrier open near the hutch door. You may need to wait a while but eventually she will hop on out. Bribe her with some veggies

I dont know about weight though, someone will be along soon to help you out!

xxx

It's not stupid for taking her on! I think it's great that you have... you saved her life!!

As for the overweight problem I think the best thing to do is just feed her on hay (correct me if I'm wrong other bunny owners!! ) Do you know what food she's been eating? And she'll need lots of exercise too! :mrgreen:

Don't keep her in the carrying case either, she's probably scared at being trapped in such a small space, to get her into her hutch just open the hutch door and the carrying case door then hold it up to the hutch and hopefully she'll hop in, that's what I did with my bun when I first got her

As for the nervous thing, maybe tomorrow you can bring her in the house for a run around... just sit in a room somewhere and ignore her as she hops around... then she'll be able to get used to you. After that try feeding her a piece of carrot or something from your hand. This is what I did with my Clio. It took about a week but eventually she became less scared now she loves to be stroked

I'd also recommend taking her to the vets for a check up.

I hope all goes well!

I thought that (holding the hutch) I might try it if i can hold it up for long enough.


I agree about the him loving them bit, Well he loves the ones he gets good baby bunnies out of. And who don't have kittens (?) for whatever reason he gets rid of :?

I have just taken a pic of her, ill load it up in a sec!

Charliesangel said:

And I do disagree with what you said about the man 'loving' rabbits. You cannot treat rabbits that way, killing them, and still 'love' them.

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I forgot to mention that in my post!
I totaly agree with you. That man is shocking! He doesn't love his rabbits... I could never imagine treating a rabbit like that :x :evil:

Just hold the carrier inside the door of the hutch and hopefully she'll hop into the hutch of her own accord. maybe a piece of carrot just outside the carrier will help!

Just line the bottom of her bowl with pellets and make the rest of her diet hay for a little while and the weight will come off.

Enjoy her!

Hiya
I think you need to postpone worrying about her weight problem for now!!
Is she going to be an outdoor bun? Is her hutch all ready for her?
If it is (or her indoor cage) then you can just open up the hutch/cage and hold the carrier in a position where-by she can just hop in. She may take her time so you'll need to be patient.
In a day or so's time once she is settled you can then think about providing a secure exercise area for her. As she is an Ex-breeders Doe I doubt she will have had much of a chance to stretch her legs.
Exercise rather than food restriction is the best option to start her 'get-fit' programme!!
What food has she been used to?
She should have constant access to a good quality hay and water. It is better to feed the extruded pellet food rather than the museli type cereal mix. The main part of her diet should be hay/grass with a small portion of pellet feed every morning. Fresh Veg is OK if she has been given it before. Its best to stick with the dark leafy greens or herbs. Carrots and fruit have a lot of sugar so are best avoided if she is a chubby Bun.
I am sure that she will slim down when she gets the chance to exercise.
Just one thing though, I hope that the breeder is SURE she is not pregnant again. Does can be impregnated within 24 hours of giving birth.
Janex

Thanks for the replies all.

The hutch is inside.

Yes I take back what I said about him loving them, I realise now I was wrong.

Yup the hutch is all ready. I dont know what she was fed on, im pretty sure it was pellets. I asked him so many questions about her but he wasnt that bothered. Shes 18months roughly!

Im pretty sure she is not pregnant, she killed the litter (hence why he wont breed of her) and the fats all under her chin and everywhere!

tealeafy said:

Thanks for the replies all.

The hutch is inside.

Yes I take back what I said about him loving them, I realise now I was wrong.

Yup the hutch is all ready. I dont know what she was fed on, im pretty sure it was pellets. I asked him so many questions about her but he wasnt that bothered. Shes 18months roughly!

Im pretty sure she is not pregnant, she killed the litter (hence why he wont breed of her) and the fats all under her chin and everywhere!

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The 'fat' under her chin is probably her dewlap... all females bunnies have them

I hope she enjoys her new home!

oo no I mean like... she is huge. She is a dwarf lop but is the size of.. a erm... big rabbit lol! (dont know the names of any big breeds :lol: )

Such a pretty little face. I've fell for them big eyes allready.


I managed to fit the carry case in the hutch, have left the case door open and a little bit of lettuce (Had no carrot think the dog had the last of it!)

Hopefull she will have come out when I next go check on her!


Thanks so much for the help everyone I'll keep you posted.

tealeafy said:

oo no I mean like... she is huge. She is a dwarf lop but is the size of.. a erm... big rabbit lol! (dont know the names of any big breeds :lol: )

Such a pretty little face. I've fell for them big eyes allready.


I managed to fit the carry case in the hutch, have left the case door open and a little bit of lettuce (Had no carrot think the dog had the last of it!)

Hopefull she will have come out when I next go check on her!


Thanks so much for the help everyone I'll keep you posted.

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Ahh right :lol: :lol:

Aww bless! Do you have any pics of her?

That's sounds good, she'll be able to get out and explore her hutch when she's ready Your dog eats carrot? Never heard of that before :lol:

tealeafy said:

oo no I mean like... she is huge. She is a dwarf lop but is the size of.. a erm... big rabbit lol! (dont know the names of any big breeds :lol: )

Such a pretty little face. I've fell for them big eyes allready.


I managed to fit the carry case in the hutch, have left the case door open and a little bit of lettuce (Had no carrot think the dog had the last of it!)

Hopefull she will have come out when I next go check on her!


Thanks so much for the help everyone I'll keep you posted.

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Hope she settled in okay.

Just wanted to say lettuce isn't that good for buns, there's a chemical in it that is potentially poisonous.

T
x

Treacle44 said:

tealeafy said:

oo no I mean like... she is huge. She is a dwarf lop but is the size of.. a erm... big rabbit lol! (dont know the names of any big breeds :lol: )

Such a pretty little face. I've fell for them big eyes allready.


I managed to fit the carry case in the hutch, have left the case door open and a little bit of lettuce (Had no carrot think the dog had the last of it!)

Hopefull she will have come out when I next go check on her!


Thanks so much for the help everyone I'll keep you posted.

Click to expand...

Hope she settled in okay.

Just wanted to say lettuce isn't that good for buns, there's a chemical in it that is potentially poisonous.

T
x

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It's just iceburg lettuce that shouldn't really be given to buns. I've always fed mine lettuce once a week and they love it and have never shown any ill effects

lettuce shouldn't be given to human or any animals, end of story. There is nothing nutritional about lettuce, it's primary water.

Should give a small amt. of spinach, like a few leaves with stem. spinach has Fe inside. Good for human and rabbits and lovebirds too.

When you feed her w/ pellet, and it's different brand than the ones she is eating, there is a chance of her stomach unable to deal w/ the sudden changes of diet.

If you can, go back to that man and ask for a small bag of pellet. You then mix your new Extruded Type pellet w/ the old one that she was eating:
1st week: 70% old, 30% new pellet
2nd week: 50% each
3rd week: 30% old, 70% new
4th week, 100% new

Bunny Update!

Got a little further but not much. It's a indoor hutch so I put it in my room last night. She still hadn't come out the carrying case when I went to bed (at half 12 :shock: ) So I left her. She hopped out twice in the night that I know of and had a drink, and ate her lettuce (and sorry I assumed they could have it but I wont give it her again )

But.. She is still hiding in the carry case! I suppose i've got further because she's venturing to the front of it, but soon as she hears something she hops back to the back.

Also, in the night.. Well I don't know what happened I kept hearing bangs as if she had got scared and jumped out of fright and hit the carry case against the cage bars if you get me :?

Don't worry, you're doing very well. She's probably just really scared bless her! This is all very new to her, just give her time to explore, talk to her and eventually she'll get more confidence and come out of the carry case

I talk to her lots, still don't know what to name her!! :shock:

I feel so bad that she is scared, I mean I'd never ever dream of hurting her or anything! But I know she doesnt know that


She has markings just like Clio in your sig!!

oo excuse the double post, so what veggies Can I give her?

At the moment we have apples, cucumber, and lettuce. (Can soon go buy more if she can't have any of them!)

Like I said no carrot's at the moment cause my greedy puppy ate them all

ooooooooooo excuse third post!!

I've got her in the hutch!!!!!! I put some lovely hay down and took the top off the hutch (its one of them indoor cagey things) and she eventually hopped out! she was hopping round looking very worried so i put a bit of the hay she had in the carry case in with her, so not everything was new :?


She did look very worried so I put a towel over the hutch, it only covers the top but it makes it darker so she has somewhere to hide :wink: I did that with my hammyster when he was alive (bless him ) when he would get worried and it worked a treat. But if I shouldnt do it please say so and i'll go take it off!