New Owner Questions

OK. I have a few questions... :?:
1) How do you know when a bunny is happy or comfy in it's new home?
2) How do you tell if a bunny is sick or healthy?
3) Do young bunnies need lots of handling? Are they like human babies and need to be taken out and held a while or can it be Like 2x's a day or can it be when ever? as long as you don't forget about them (I know with my Hedgehogs I have to handle them everyday to keep them tame)
4) Can Bunnies get worms or anything from being held?
5) Do all young bunnies wiggle their way to your chin and try snuggling there?
6) How many times do you feed a young bunny? Once at night? Or Keep Bowl felled at all times?
7) Do they need wheels?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm really worried about doing something wrong.. Right now I've got a sick Hedgehog and I'm paranoid about not giving or doing the right thing for this poor baby bunny.
Have been thinking and had a bunch of questions but I forgot most of them before I got home. Thanks for all the help.
I took a few more pictures of oreo
you can see all photos here... :arrow: http://www.angelfire.com/moon2/oreospage456/Oreo/index.album?i=3
bunny hugs from Oreo and Allie.

7. Nope, no wheels but they do need space to run about and toys to play with.

1) How do you know when a bunny is happy or comfy in it's new home?
You will see when they are relaxed, they are interested in their environment, don't mind to sleep though, and are generally happy looking.

2) How do you tell if a bunny is sick or healthy?
Once you have a bunny, you would observe it automatically and would notice fairly quickly if something is different to the usual, ie. not eat as quickly or as much as normal, be quieter than normal etc. If you have a gut feeling that something is wrong, then you are probably right and it's best to get them checked out. Rabbits are good at hiding illnesses as they are pray animals, so being observant and picking up on the slightest changes is important.

3) Do young bunnies need lots of handling? Are they like human babies and need to be taken out and held a while or can it be Like 2x's a day or can it be when ever? as long as you don't forget about them (I know with my Hedgehogs I have to handle them everyday to keep them tame)
I have lots of animals and can't handle each one every day. As long as you don't forget about them and spend time with them regularly, they should be fine. This can however vary from bunny to bunny.
Also, the more time you spend with them, the more they will bond with you. I can definitely say that my bunnies, that I spent a lot more time with when they were young, are much more comfortable with being handled than the ones that arrived later when I didn't have quite so much individual time for them anymore. But I find that once they are friendly and trust you, that's how they stay even if you go on spending a little less time with them.

4) Can Bunnies get worms or anything from being held?
No more than any other animal... worms are not a common problem in rabbits.

5) Do all young bunnies wiggle their way to your chin and try snuggling there?
Some do, some don't. In general, bunnies don't like being lifted off the floor as they are pray animals. In general they are not as cuddly as most people imagine. I can pick all of mine up without problems, but none of them really like it, but rather just tolerate it. A cuddle on the floor however is a different matter and is loved by many bunnies.

6) How many times do you feed a young bunny? Once at night? Or Keep Bowl felled at all times?
Babies should have food available all the time until they are about 6 months old when dry food should be restricted. Hay must be available at all times.

7) Do they need wheels?
Nope, but plenty of exercise outside of their hutch/cage.

Thanks, Tamsin and LurcherGirl. Right now I've stopped giving Oreo veggies and fruits. She is just on the rabbit food and tomorrow when petsmart opens I'll buy hay for her to have. I was wondering if rabbits need any shots? Like cats and dogs. Oreo still isn't use to being around all the animals I have. She jumps and scratches my hands sometimes my arms or neck with her claws. I clean the cuts up. I was also wondering about biting. Oreo like to lick a lot and sometimes she tends to nibble and bite my fingers or arms. I say no and tap her lightly on her nose. Is there any special way to teach a baby not to do this? Oreo is always being handled. My nephew and niece are very interested in her. She is getting lots of love from everyone. She is really a sweetheart. Thank you all for all the help. Since I have a lot of time right now I'm going to look for more information on rabbits. Thanks again for all the help.
Oh I have one more question, Can bunnies get fleas? or Mites? :?:

Hi!

Rabbits can get vaccines/ shots for Myximatosis and VHD, generally the Mxyi one is given twice a year and the VHD one is given once a year. If you're not in Britain it might be different - give your local vet a call and see what they offer.

As for biting, rabbits nibble a bit when they are grooming themselves and it sounds like your rabbit likes you and is grooming you if she is licking and nibbling you .

For harder bites, I used to gently tap Jack on the nose and say NO and he stopped. He used to bite a lot when I got him. I also found that squeaking like a rabbit when he bit me hard put him off doing it! :lol: He hasn't bitten me for months now, but he still nibbles when he's 'grooming' me.

I have scars on my arms from being scratched by my rabbit, he hates being picked up and gets frightened and attacks, we only pick him up when neccessary; he stopped scratching as much when he got used to us and learned to trust us, but he still tries to take lumps out of the vets arms (one vet won't go near him without a towel ) She might be scratching as she's frightened?

My rabbit does sometimes scratch 'playfully' though if I have food in my hand or if he wants to get attention, he kind of digs at my hand: your rabbit might just be being playful.

Hope thats of some help


Kate and Jack

Forgot to say about fleas or mites: rabbits can get both. Ear mites are quite common I think, if you check inside the ears and they look scabby or there is a lot of wax, these are indicators of mites. Also, if your rabbit is scratching their ears a lot and shaking their head. They are quite easily treated by the vet.

I don't think fleas are as common as mites, I've never had any experience with them, but I think one of the signs is dandruff in the rabbits coat.