French Lop advice

Hello,

I've been browsing the forum for many months now and have recently just registered. We recently lost out beloved bunny...Archie who we had for 4 years Archie was a house bunny and very much loved. He was found in our next door neighbours garden nearly at deaths door!

We werent sure whether to get another bunny or not but on the way back from an aquarium yesterday we saw a sign outside a house saying "french lop free to good home, needs to go asap" I just couldnt drive past the house so we stopped and knocked on the door. I can't explain the stench and dirtiness that greeted me from this house. I was utterley appalled with what i saw, it took everything for me not to cry and be sick. There were rabbits running all over the house, dogs, cats, poo (not just bunny poo), wee, and just dirt. It really was sickening. And then the man pointed out the French Lop.......he was just the most beautiful bunny i have ever seen poor mite has half an ear missing on one ear where another bunny 'bit it off'!! he looked so depressed, and filthy that i just couldnt leave him there. We brought him home

We chose the name Alfie (was the film we were watching last night!!), he wasnt given a name before!! He's nearly 2 now so the man said! and he's just settling in now. I've never owned a French Lop before so would really like some advice. I really want to give him a bath as he is so dirty and i suspect he has fleas Would it be ok giving him a bath?

Also, i think he's over weight as well - he was fed on chocolate and pasta before!!!!!! i've got him eating SS and he's munching hay like crazy! He's also drinking lots too. Will the weight drop off as he adjusts to the diet?

He's not had much interest in any toys yet, and just flakes out all the time - is this normal? I am taking him to the vets tomorrow for a check up.

Sorry for the long post - but thank you for reading this. and advice or help would be greatly appreciated. I really want Alfie to feel at home, and come out of his shell.

Love Ruth & Alfie xx

Hello and welcome to the RU.

So pleased to hear that you've resscued this bun. Did the man say why he wanted rid?

You can get flea treatment for bunnies, and maybe just give him a brush to get rid of the worst of the dirt and the matts. I think bathing him might stress him out a bit at the moment.

Fancy feeding him on pasta and chocolate :shock: Once on a normal diet and with some exercise, I'm sure the weight will come off. Make sure he has lots of toys, and maybe a treatball, so he has to work to get his food. Hide his food in piles of hay etc as well.

I'm sure there will be people along soon with experience of French lops who can offer you much more advice.

Looking forward to pics of Alfie!

Oh My Alfie is a very lucky bunny to have been saved by you!! He will become a healthy weight on the diet you have him on, Its good that hes eating loads of hay too Just mention to your vet about him drinking lots, did he even have a bowl/bottle of water in his old "home"? Is he indoors? Does he mind being handled? I probably wouldnt bath him now, You can get those dry bath wipe/shampoos at pet shops which might be good for now, and obv flea treatment tomorrow if needed. Good Luck and a HUge Well done!!! XX

Thank you Helen & becki

The man said he didnt like alfie anymore and he was too aggressive!!?? He's the most laid back, placid bunny i have ever met! He assured me he had been neutered....but thats something else to check with the vet.

I didnt dare look out the back where he had been kept for most of the day........he had both a dish and a bottle for his water or so the man said. I have given him a large ceramic dish which he seems fine with (apart from his tatty ears dangling in it!) Bless him.

He's an indoor bunny, for good now. I want him to be a part of our family. He's currently flopped out in our hallway, i have the living room door open and fire on but he's not coming in yet........

I did buy some flea treatment yesterday, and some dry shampoo which i'll use for now. I had a cuddle this morning and he was fine, but i think he's just terrified at the moment poor chap

Awww, he must think he's in bunny heaven! So pleased he's with you now.

How awful for Alfie and the others left behind to live like that He sounds like he's in good hands now and hopefully with tlc he'll come back to health. I would be amazed if he were neutered, the man doesn't really sound like someone who would pay for it and if he is unneutered I'm not surprised he was 'aggressive' with all those other buns around and his poor living conditions.

Please post pics of him and let us know how you get on at the vets

Good luck - it sounds like you're doing a wonderful job so far :thumb:

Oh poor Alfie, but thank god you now have him
With exercise & the diet you are feeding him he'll lose the weight nicely..
Well done for saving this bun.. Cant wait for pics..
Welcome to the forum by the way :wave: 8)

Poor guy, glad he found a home with you!

I know its none of my buisness, but is it worth contacting the RSPCA as it sounds like the animals are not being cared for properly, and prehaps the man himself needs some help? Poo everywhere is not healthy for anyone.

Well done for rescuing Alfie, that's brilliant.

I'm with Beebop - report the bloke to the RSPCA. All those other poor animals...

Thank you for the welcome everyone - i wish i'd registered sooner!

I forgot to mention but i have already reported him to the rspc...... It was one of my first jobs yesterday. They didnt seem to bothered to be honest but said they would send an inspector round as soon as they could. I dont have much faith in the rspca at all though.

The house where we got Alfie is on one of our routes to work, so i could keep an eye out for if he 'advertises' any more bunnies he wants rid of! :shock:

Just another question.....Alfie is using his litter trays at the moment but is also pooping next to the trays as well? Is there anything i can do to stop this or is this just a matter of waiting for him to settle down?

alfie sounds like he's making himself at home it sounds like he's going to be very happy with you, it would be great to see pictures of him

My two pee in their litter tray and mainly poo in it, but there are always ones which stray away from the tray... :roll: :lol:

With the RSPCA they tend to be slow when its to do with anything other than cats and dogs, should respond though if you mentioned the other animals. Guess it depends, but I for one would keep hassaling them, the more you nag, sometimes the quicker they will respond. I don't have much faith in them either, though my only personal experience lies with the USPCA.

Congratulations on your new addition and well done for taking him - sounds like he really needed rescuing!
If he's eating lots of hay then that's great. I would keep his pellets to just a small amount each day so he canloose a bit of the wait and I agree don't bath him. Just give him a wipe over with baby wipes or animal wipes.
Sounds like a good plan to get the vet check him over. They can advise about flea treatment too.
Anyway, it sounds like you know what you're doing and that he will be well loved so I'm sure he will be a healthy happy bun soon

well done for getting him

I would get your vet to check him over and get them to weigh him too, he might not actually be over weight as frenchies can be anything from 10lbs to 2 stone in weight :wink: so unless you have a 3 stone heffer, I would not reduce the food at this point but if you do have to start with the weight watchers programme, you will need to do it really slowly being a large rab :wink: you may have to start his proper food diet from scratch ie: one veg at a time and slowly increase the pellets until he is on a good diet but the hay eating is fantastic news

glad to hear he is no longer fueling the pocket of cadburys :lol: :lol: he is very lucky as chocolate is very dangerous to a rabbit but extremely healthy for us women :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:

And yes, frenchies flake out alot :lol: :lol: they seem to have a 2 track mind, food and sleep :wink: :lol: :lol:

You star for saving him! Frenchies are like bean bags, they just flop and stay there for ages lol and then have mad little bursts of insanity. He sounds happy with you which is good, poor little thing about his ear etc, that's awful.

Thank god you were there and saved him. He really does deserve to be with you now, safe and loved. Archie must have been guiding you thru bunny angels... I'm so relieved you have reported him to the rspca, they must save teh rest of those animals. Keep nagging them and mention all the other animals. Another option would be to report him to the local council health and safety as it is obviously a serious health risk to humans as well as animals - if they get on board that might kick the rspca up the bottom to move faster. Fingers crossed.

I'm completely biased but I love frenchie lops the best. They are so loving and full of character. Perfect house buns. They are very lethargic. They have mad half hours of running around binkying, and chucking, chewing their toys and then its nap time.....oh but not before feeding...they eat loads!!!

There will always be teh odd few poops about, Darcy only pees in his litter tray and does the majority of poops in there too but the odd poop always finds its way out and about.... :lol: :lol:

Love and nose rubs xxxxxxxxxxx

I chased the rspca again this morning and they said an inspector was going out this morning I have asked for a call back to let me know whats going on.

I was going to order one of those cardboard houses from the cardbordguy.com........are they any good and do Frenchies bother with them?

Ruth81 said:

I chased the rspca again this morning and they said an inspector was going out this morning I have asked for a call back to let me know whats going on.

I was going to order one of those cardboard houses from the cardbordguy.com........are they any good and do Frenchies bother with them?

Click to expand...

Thats great news well done!

Yes the large house is the best for frenchies (not much room in the tower one for a big bunny). Darcy adores his house and spends ages doing his own brand of rabbit rennovations!! they are worth every penny xx

Brilliant, thank you

Can you reccomend anything else Romy? toys, food etc...?

All willow balls, hoops toys they love chewing and tossing! Its fab to watch! :lol: :lol: A willow tunnell you can buy from West Willows (google them and will find the website). Darcy also loves jingle toys like the bounce back bunny and balls. They love toys they can pick up with their mouths! xx