Hi there, a week and 4 days ago I took in a rabbit who was in need of a new home. She was being bullied by the two other rabbits in the old house. In the home before that she was traumatized by a giant rabbit.
I've been told she's about 6 months old, and this is her third home, the poor girl.
I don't know if I did the right thing by taking her in as I have no experience with rabbits, barr a very regrettable period as a child, 20 years ago. I shudder to think of how I cared, or rather, didn't care properly at all for that poor creature.
I did 'some', research the couple of days before getting her, and watched lots of lennon the bunny and a few others on you tube.
Fifi is a mini lion lop, white with pink eyes. I was told she is extremely sweet natured and while being quite skittish on the floor, completely relaxes when she is held on your lap.
On the 45 minute journey back to our house she kept trying to get out of the cardboard box ( I know- baaaad idea, not having a proper carrier), so she ended up sitting on my lap in the back snuggling the entire journey.
She has her own small room as her 'base' , just off from the kitchen. It has tunnels hides, chew toys, seagrass houses, her litter tray which is half filled with a very good dust free bedding called aubiose, and half filled with hay, piled up- can post a video to see if people think it's suitable.
She was 'sploofing' in her room within minutes.
That night, not long after we got back with her I brought her to sit in my lap on the floor while we watched a film. She sat there for 50 minutes, and I think would have stayed there for the duration if I didn't take her back to her room.
During the day she is free roamed in a very large living room and kitchen, ( my fiance works from home and I am medically signed off at present, so can really monitor her), she sits in the same two places, but mostly she sits under the TV table, which is very much out in the open. Also I have some parrots that can be very loud, and who don't phase her at all- has no reaction.
She hasn't chewed a single thing, toys, nothing, and I was told she's not a chewer, and I'm a bit concerned about this, as it's such a key aspect of rabbit behaviour.
She has a few short boughts of activity, bounding around, but for the most part she just flops to the side and stays like that, sploofs or loafs under the TV table. I'm worried about this too.
I haven't wanted to pick her up and force cuddles, and she hasn't sought them out, but I'm worried that she will stop enjoying being held if I don't initiate them.
She jumps into mine or my partners lap when I hand feed her each day.
She gets a quarter of a cup of burgess pellets, ( which was given when she came), plus a third of a cup measurement of a green mix- rocket, chard etc, with a bit of kale, mint, parsley- twice a day. She really really loves her food. Once or twice a day I'll give her a tiny bit of carrot or apple.
She is being spayed on Thursday.
I am really stressed out about her candy floss fur - I've read a lot about gi stasis- but it's hard to brush her, and I don't want to force/ chase her around at this critical stage of our relationship.
Should I just pick her up and make her cuddle since I know she does love it? The other day when I sat her in my lap for the first time since she arrived she stayed there until I moved her on one occasion, but moved quite quickly the second time. I think I should just let her come to me, but like I say, I don't want her to stop enjoying it.
Also her bum was a bit pooey a couple of times and I held her like a baby- she didn't struggle much, and washed and snipped it. I'm so stressed out about this long fur,and the balance between making sure she is brushed, and stressing her out and damaging our relationship.
Can anyone please let me know if it sounds like there are any obvious flaws ( there must be some), in what I'm doing, and give me a bunny experts opinion on how it sounds like she is doing, her personality and what I should do about the fur and continuing with cuddles?
Sorry to have written such a lot! I really want to do the right thing by this little one after having such a rough start in life, and also to make up for my childhood rabbit mistreatment. I want to do the very best for this girl. Thank you so much if you've read all this, and any advice would be so, so gratefully received [emoji120][emoji169][emoji195]
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I've been told she's about 6 months old, and this is her third home, the poor girl.
I don't know if I did the right thing by taking her in as I have no experience with rabbits, barr a very regrettable period as a child, 20 years ago. I shudder to think of how I cared, or rather, didn't care properly at all for that poor creature.
I did 'some', research the couple of days before getting her, and watched lots of lennon the bunny and a few others on you tube.
Fifi is a mini lion lop, white with pink eyes. I was told she is extremely sweet natured and while being quite skittish on the floor, completely relaxes when she is held on your lap.
On the 45 minute journey back to our house she kept trying to get out of the cardboard box ( I know- baaaad idea, not having a proper carrier), so she ended up sitting on my lap in the back snuggling the entire journey.
She has her own small room as her 'base' , just off from the kitchen. It has tunnels hides, chew toys, seagrass houses, her litter tray which is half filled with a very good dust free bedding called aubiose, and half filled with hay, piled up- can post a video to see if people think it's suitable.
She was 'sploofing' in her room within minutes.
That night, not long after we got back with her I brought her to sit in my lap on the floor while we watched a film. She sat there for 50 minutes, and I think would have stayed there for the duration if I didn't take her back to her room.
During the day she is free roamed in a very large living room and kitchen, ( my fiance works from home and I am medically signed off at present, so can really monitor her), she sits in the same two places, but mostly she sits under the TV table, which is very much out in the open. Also I have some parrots that can be very loud, and who don't phase her at all- has no reaction.
She hasn't chewed a single thing, toys, nothing, and I was told she's not a chewer, and I'm a bit concerned about this, as it's such a key aspect of rabbit behaviour.
She has a few short boughts of activity, bounding around, but for the most part she just flops to the side and stays like that, sploofs or loafs under the TV table. I'm worried about this too.
I haven't wanted to pick her up and force cuddles, and she hasn't sought them out, but I'm worried that she will stop enjoying being held if I don't initiate them.
She jumps into mine or my partners lap when I hand feed her each day.
She gets a quarter of a cup of burgess pellets, ( which was given when she came), plus a third of a cup measurement of a green mix- rocket, chard etc, with a bit of kale, mint, parsley- twice a day. She really really loves her food. Once or twice a day I'll give her a tiny bit of carrot or apple.
She is being spayed on Thursday.
I am really stressed out about her candy floss fur - I've read a lot about gi stasis- but it's hard to brush her, and I don't want to force/ chase her around at this critical stage of our relationship.
Should I just pick her up and make her cuddle since I know she does love it? The other day when I sat her in my lap for the first time since she arrived she stayed there until I moved her on one occasion, but moved quite quickly the second time. I think I should just let her come to me, but like I say, I don't want her to stop enjoying it.
Also her bum was a bit pooey a couple of times and I held her like a baby- she didn't struggle much, and washed and snipped it. I'm so stressed out about this long fur,and the balance between making sure she is brushed, and stressing her out and damaging our relationship.
Can anyone please let me know if it sounds like there are any obvious flaws ( there must be some), in what I'm doing, and give me a bunny experts opinion on how it sounds like she is doing, her personality and what I should do about the fur and continuing with cuddles?
Sorry to have written such a lot! I really want to do the right thing by this little one after having such a rough start in life, and also to make up for my childhood rabbit mistreatment. I want to do the very best for this girl. Thank you so much if you've read all this, and any advice would be so, so gratefully received [emoji120][emoji169][emoji195]
Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk