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Behavioural Problems (Ginger Chicken)

Scientific tests with lab rabbits that developed neurotic behaviour showed that hay was the best toy for them - it keeps them busy to have a big bundle of NICE hay (hay being so variable - riding stables or farms may have the right stuff - not usually in pet shops) Also if you put hay in a big box with litter, they will use it as a toilet - it took me 10mins to clean a double hutch last night as all the mess was in the box (I use large, underbed storage boxes from wilkinsons) and I keep the hutch floor bare as they have another box of hay for a deep bed. They are very relaxed rabbits!

The main reason they need fresh hay twice a day though is for their health - they should be eating their own body-size in hay daily! Because they sit on it and pee on it, I split this into 2 bundles morning and night, so they're never bored or without hay to nibble on. Hay keeps their guts moving better than dry food, which can lead to too many squidgy poops - and hay wears their teeth down, so they shouldn't have tooth problems unless it's genetic.
 
I wouldn't recommend sand, it can easily get into their eyes and badly irritate them and could cause tear duct blockages and things like that. Rabbits eyes are extremely sensitive and don't 'water' things away well which is sadly why they are often used to test things like cosmetics :cry:

I really would suggest you get your unneutered bucks neutered ASAP. I am confident that the problems you're experiencing are due to a sexually mature male being in the vicinity of other rabbits and getting frustrated by that. In my opinion it is quite unkind to keep single unneutered rabbits near each other, they are naturally social animals and will get very frustrated to be alone - plus the additional sexual frustration/territorial behaviour sparked by smelling other buns of both sexes. Having him neutered means that after careful introductions, he will be able to live with another bun without the risk of fighting or litters!
 
AlisonA said:
I wouldn't recommend sand, it can easily get into their eyes and badly irritate them and could cause tear duct blockages and things like that. Rabbits eyes are extremely sensitive and don't 'water' things away well which is sadly why they are often used to test things like cosmetics :cry:

I really would suggest you get your unneutered bucks neutered ASAP. I am confident that the problems you're experiencing are due to a sexually mature male being in the vicinity of other rabbits and getting frustrated by that. In my opinion it is quite unkind to keep single unneutered rabbits near each other, they are naturally social animals and will get very frustrated to be alone - plus the additional sexual frustration/territorial behaviour sparked by smelling other buns of both sexes. Having him neutered means that after careful introductions, he will be able to live with another bun without the risk of fighting or litters!
Click to expand...

Oh well I must be unkind then :roll: Maa isn't neutered and she lives next door to Benny (who is - I'm not taking any chances of babies!) - she seems very happy just to have neighbourly company, although really I think rabbits have very different personalities so you are the best judge of whether your rabbits are happy or not.
 
Guilty Feelings

Buck the neutered male was already done when we got him. I know that many people think that bunny (male ) should be neutered but the idea makes me feel guilty that I am removing something that mother nature endowed bunny with. I know that you can also argue that keeeping bunny is wrong. The fact that bunny was born into a captive life means that you couldn't release him into the wild any way. DILEMMA!!!!!!!:cry:
 
Elve - As is often the way in the written word, you've misinterpreted what I meant, although I can see it can be taken two ways. I'm particularly really referring to buns (males in particular) being kept near other UNNEUTERED rabbits. From what I have seen of unneutered rabbits being kept near but not in contact with each other they do tend to display more anxiety behaviour, pacing and being destructive.

In your case, Benny is neutered so Maa won't be smelling sex hormones from him and getting frisky from them. And conversely because he is neutered, he doesn't feel as frisky when he smells her. But if they were both unneutered, chances are they would both be going bonkers by each others smell - and that's what I think is going on in Ginger Chicken's situation.

GC I do see what you mean, but I do feel that it's a simple fact that they are in captivity, so what is kinder? Having them put through a relatively simple, quick operation where they may be in some discomfort for a couple of days, but which means they can live happily with a companion for the rest of their life, or to leave them unneutered so they have to live alone and if other rabbits are around, frustrated and displaying behavioural problems? Which is in fact the reason you came here for help in the first place! No-one seems to have a problem with neutering dogs or cats so why rabbits? I'm not having a go with that particular question, I'm just curious.
 
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Ginger Chicken said:
Buck the neutered male was already done when we got him. I know that many people think that bunny (male ) should be neutered but the idea makes me feel guilty that I am removing something that mother nature endowed bunny with. I know that you can also argue that keeeping bunny is wrong. The fact that bunny was born into a captive life means that you couldn't release him into the wild any way. DILEMMA!!!!!!!:cry:
Click to expand...

mother nature endowed me with a womb but I am most definitely not having any more babies! :lol: Seriously though - that's my choice - our pets rely on us to make sensible, informed choices for them, because they depend on our care :) If you get any bunny neutered though be sure and ask your vet how many ops the do, do they use isofluorane gas, check they know to feed rabbits right up to surgery (unlike cats/dogs) etc. Vet college only covers rabbit medicine minimally, so not all vets update skills - it's wise to check :)
 
have you tried this?

Hi Ginger,

Firstly may I sympathise with your predicament, I have also suffered similar things. I found that two main things helped were damping the sand down that they are living in this helps to stop the eye irritation and also if you can afford it some air conditioning helps. I'm not sure how this stops the erratic behaviour but certainly it works in the summer months particularly if the hutch is overheating in the sun.

Hope this puts some food for thought ::wave:
 
Descisions affect lives

Elve,
thank you for the advice. I now feel suitably reprimanded AlisonA(just like being back at school!!)
I like to say that I always take time and deliberate over descisions I make especialliy when it comes to my own life or that of bunny. I just want bunny to have a content life.:cry:
 
Ginger Chicken said:
Elve,
thank you for the advice. I now feel suitably reprimanded AlisonA(just like being back at school!!)
I like to say that I always take time and deliberate over descisions I make especialliy when it comes to my own life or that of bunny. I just want bunny to have a content life.:cry:
Click to expand...

Well the fact that you want that and have asked for advice makes you a good bunny mum IMO :)

Unless you're a bloke of course :shock: :lol:

I think the main issue here is hay, not neutering - hopefully it will go a long way to calming him down :)
 
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The Sun is Setting for Bunny Burrows

Bunny Burrows will soon no longer be with me.:( He only has a couple of weeks at best. Its strange to think that he started me on this forum and soon the subject of my dilemma will be leaving me. It is quite a shock:cry: I suppose I should look at it as being the natural order of things and for his sake its for the best. The little 'fella' has caused me no end off stress and heartache, but it just seems so surreal that I will soon be waving him off as he travels into the sunset to a mucher better place than here!!!!:cry: :cry: :cry:
 
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