How do you keep the rabbit from pulling at his cage bars.

[MightyMax]

my rabbits are not in a barn. they have large cages and at least 2 hrs. running around and binkying. they are fed twice a day on pure non-sprayed grass no pellets and a carrot each. fresh water is available to them in water bottles 24-7 and their cages are cleaned twice a week. the cages all have second levels and a unlimited supply of hay, a box/hideyhole and plenty of toys. that goes for all my rabbits, meat rabbits included. I know how they kill my meat rabbits and they do it very humanely.

Who are "they" and how do they kill them?

 

[Silverleaf]

my rabbits are not in a barn. they have large cages and at least 2 hrs. running around and binkying. they are fed twice a day on pure non-sprayed grass no pellets and a carrot each. fresh water is available to them in water bottles 24-7 and their cages are cleaned twice a week. the cages all have second levels and a unlimited supply of hay, a box/hideyhole and plenty of toys. that goes for all my rabbits, meat rabbits included. I know how they kill my meat rabbits and they do it very humanely.

They get two carrots each a day?

 

[booboobunny]

Jackson it sounds like you at least keep your rabbits in better conditions than many places that breed rabbits for meat - I read a recent news article about multiple rabbits being stuffed into tiny cages in terrible living conditions - it was awful for any animal to exist in.
Rabbits need so much mental stimulation that they can get frustrated and bored quite easily. Maybe to stop them rattling the bars you could get some chew toys? I would definitely recommend the are ones that you clip across the bars of the hutch - shaped like peppers or corn cobs that mine LOVE to gnaw at - much better for their teeth than metal bars, plus it'll make it harder for them to get a grip on the bars. When you give them hay perhaps mix some forage into it so it gives them something to hunt through. The more enrichment you can put in their hutches the less likely they are to chew bars - cardboard boxes to chew, willow balls, loofah etc

 

[Jack's-Jane]

Jackson it sounds like you at least keep your rabbits in better conditions than many places that breed rabbits for meat - I read a recent news article about multiple rabbits being stuffed into tiny cages in terrible living conditions - it was awful for any animal to exist in.
Rabbits need so much mental stimulation that they can get frustrated and bored quite easily. Maybe to stop them rattling the bars you could get some chew toys? I would definitely recommend the are ones that you clip across the bars of the hutch - shaped like peppers or corn cobs that mine LOVE to gnaw at - much better for their teeth than metal bars, plus it'll make it harder for them to get a grip on the bars. When you give them hay perhaps mix some forage into it so it gives them something to hunt through. The more enrichment you can put in their hutches the less likely they are to chew bars - cardboard boxes to chew, willow balls, loofah etc

What a very constructive post, chew toys are an excellent idea.

Jackson, it is great that you are asking for advice about how to try to enhance the environment that your Rabbits live in. Whilst most people on RU have Pet Rabbits the whole point of the Forum is to try to help ALL Rabbits be they Pet Rabbits, Show Rabbits or Meat Rabbits. This wont be achieved by jumping on individual's who breed Rabbits for meat. Speaking from a personal perspective I cannot imagine eating any animal of any species. But obviously millions of people do and surely it is better that those raising animals for meat do so in an ethical way, focusing on giving optimum care to the animals during their lifetime.

Thank you for being respectful of the fact that most RU members have Pet Rabbits and for not going into the graphic details of the method used to cull your meat Rabbits Jackson. I am sure that you can inform anyone with a specific interest in this aspect of Meat Rabbit keeping by conversing with them via PM.

Please stick around as most of us will try to be as helpful as possible to enable you to look at what things you could do to improve the overall welfare of your Rabbits. Many of us may not be able to understand how it is possible to do what you do, I cant. But I still want to try to offer constructive answers to your questions.

 

[jackson]

Who are "they" and how do they kill them?

its a market down in Maryland and they kill them by giving them a shot that kills them instantly and then they are sent to the companies that want them.no Silverleaf I should have been clearer. they have one carrot a day given to them by halves.

 

[MightyMax]

its a market down in Maryland and they kill them by giving them a shot that kills them instantly and then they are sent to the companies that want them.no Silverleaf I should have been clearer. they have one carrot a day given to them by halves.

Thank you for the info :thumb:

It sounds a lot more humane than the way much of the rabbit meat for UK restaurants is produced!

 

[William]

its a market down in Maryland and they kill them by giving them a shot that kills them instantly and then they are sent to the companies that want them.no Silverleaf I should have been clearer. they have one carrot a day given to them by halves.

I didn't think animals could be killed with a shot since that makes the meat not suitable for consumption? Or did I misunderstand that and you mean they're shot with like a gun?

That definitely sounds more humane than I was thinking though. Like if they were sold to other people live was one of my main concerns.

 

[tulsi]

What a very constructive post, chew toys are an excellent idea.

Jackson, it is great that you are asking for advice about how to try to enhance the environment that your Rabbits live in. Whilst most people on RU have Pet Rabbits the whole point of the Forum is to try to help ALL Rabbits be they Pet Rabbits, Show Rabbits or Meat Rabbits. This wont be achieved by jumping on individual's who breed Rabbits for meat. Speaking from a personal perspective I cannot imagine eating any animal of any species. But obviously millions of people do and surely it is better that those raising animals for meat do so in an ethical way, focusing on giving optimum care to the animals during their lifetime.

Thank you for being respectful of the fact that most RU members have Pet Rabbits and for not going into the graphic details of the method used to cull your meat Rabbits Jackson. I am sure that you can inform anyone with a specific interest in this aspect of Meat Rabbit keeping by conversing with them via PM.

Please stick around as most of us will try to be as helpful as possible to enable you to look at what things you could do to improve the overall welfare of your Rabbits. Many of us may not be able to understand how it is possible to do what you do, I cant. But I still want to try to offer constructive answers to your questions.

Great post Jane.

 

[jackson]

I didn't think animals could be killed with a shot since that makes the meat not suitable for consumption? Or did I misunderstand that and you mean they're shot with like a gun?

That definitely sounds more humane than I was thinking though. Like if they were sold to other people live was one of my main concerns.

i meant there shot with a gun

 

[Jonm]

One of my rabbits - Coco - regularly bites and pulls at the bars on the run which is attached to the shed but she isn't bored nor unhappy and has plenty of exercise. In fact, she begs/pesters to be let back into the shed after about half an hour of free ranging in the garden and will do anything to sneak back in; she almost tripped my husband over this morning sneaking back in when he went in to get some loppers so I could cut the ivy roots. She then went straight into the run and started pulling at the bars. Prior to this she'd been very happily munching the grass, binkying, running, playing with her sister, washing herself in the sun and also washing her sister. That doesn't sound like an unhappy or bored rabbit to me so why does Coco do it? She was at the vet very recently and had her teeth checked as part of their normal health check (they're fine) and she eats very well, is very healthy. It's just something that she does. If anything, she's doing it because she's cross that Thumper's still outside :lol:

I don't wish to disrespect what has been said, but I'm just saying that bar pulling for some may be just a habit.

exactly this.... Floki is always pulling at her bars going crazy but she's out most of the day....