questions

[Bougatsa]

I know I am out of my waters lately but I am still worried about how easy it is going to be living with a bunny in this phase…. And I want to get all the important information.

You know I am a college student and on every holiday (2 weeks on Christmas, 2 in easter and 3 months in the summer) I go and stay at my parents. Can my bunny be used to that or it will always be stressfull for her? Even if I want to leave for like 5 days I will have to take her to my parents. It is one hour drive. Is that really bad for her? Can she copy with that? Do any of you have to do this with your bunnies and if yes how does this affect them? Every time I go to my parents she is in my bedroom so there is no moving around in the house. Another thing that concerns me is that every time she will be moving to my parents with me she wont only have to change environment but her routine too… This is because when I am in the city I have her in the living room and this means that  she is out of her cage all the time I am there and able to supervise (of course only if she will be litter trained) whereas when I am at my parents house she is in my bedroom which means that she has time out when I am in there (a few hours every day mostly noon and before I sleep). The food habits wont change, neither I’m having another cage for her there. Every time she will be moving in her cage.

Next question…During next year I will have to go my parents every other weekend (to see them, get money etc). This means she will be left alone for 2-3 nights as my brother is moving out after summer. I know how much hay and water she needs these days but I dont know about pellets. Do I put the amount of 3 days? Would it matter if she was left with only hay for a day?

These are my biggest concerns and I dont want her to be miserable because of that…

[Karla]

Posted By Bougatsa on 06/27/2010 02:51 AM

It is one hour drive. Is that really bad for her? Can she copy with that? Do any of you have to do this with your bunnies and if yes how does this affect them? Every time I go to my parents she is in my bedroom so there is no moving around in the house. Another thing that concerns me is that every time she will be moving to my parents with me she wont only have to change environment but her routine too… This is because when I am in the city I have her in the living room and this means that  she is out of her cage all the time I am there and able to supervise (of course only if she will be litter trained) whereas when I am at my parents house she is in my bedroom which means that she has time out when I am in there (a few hours every day mostly noon and before I sleep). The food habits wont change, neither I’m having another cage for her there. Every time she will be moving in her cage.

I think she will get used to it. As long as she has her cage and you are there, she will be fine. And eventually, she will get used to your parents’ place as well and recognise the scents.

And perhaps once she is spayed, she will have more run time at your parents’ place as well. Do they have a fenced garden? Because then you can get a pen for her to be in outside when she can not have out time in the bedroom (just make sure, it is covered from the top as well, if you are not there, and that is in the shade). Somehow I don’t think there are that many predators in Greece as in the US, so I would think you would be fine, but you know best, of course.

Next question…During next year I will have to go my parents every other weekend (to see them, get money etc). This means she will be left alone for 2-3 nights as my brother is moving out after summer. I know how much hay and water she needs these days but I dont know about pellets. Do I put the amount of 3 days? Would it matter if she was left with only hay for a day?

We leave the bunnies quite often at the weekends. I feed them as if I am going away for 14 weeks. I leave all hay out for them, tons of veggies that should last them forever, and a huge amount of pellets. It’s not like they eat without stopping, so although they have everything to eat, they still keep their usual eating habits. But this way, I don’t worry.

[Elrohwen]

We started taking Otto with us everywhere fairly early on. He’s been to my parents’ house, my mother-in-law’s house, and numerous friends’ houses. He’s just fine! I think starting him early in life helped. He jumps out of his carrier in a new place and within a few minutes is lounging around like he’s always lived there. It’s totally possible to take your bunny places and have them be just fine. The more you do it, the more they get used to it.

As for leaving over the weekend, I always feel more comfortable with someone to watch them if I’ll be gone for more than one night. Can you get a friend to stop in and feed her and check on her? If not, Karla gave some great advice for how to feed them for a long period of time.

[Bougatsa]

Not really, none of my friends live close to me so that is not an option. I have let her alone twice in the past for 2 nights and she was fine when I got home, still had hay and water.

Karla we dont have a proper backyard so whenever I will have to leave her at my parents I need to count on her litter habits and on my mother’s and little brother’s mood into playing with her. I do believe that after the spay (if it goes as wished..) she will gain her litter box habits back as she used to do…for example when we went at their house in Easter she did pee and poo the first 2 days but as soon as she adjusted she was using the box again. That’s why I believe she will be litter trained again. But I cant force them to spend time with her and even though they will feed her and put water they probably wont let her out much…

[RabbitPam]

Spockie got very used to my parent’s house also. You’re bringing the cage with you, but consider having a nice cage left there, so she will be familiar with it as her home away from home. It might be easier and she will go from carrier in the car directly into her other cage. I think she’d be fine with that.

A baby gate in front of a door can be very good for letting a bunny into one room to run around but not having access to other rooms. Also, an exercise dog pen that can collapse flat and be stored, like under your bed, that could open up for her to play in might be an option.

As for leaving her, my only concern is water. If you usually use a crock, get a hanging water bottle as a back up. sometimes they mess up the water dish and you can’t tell if they drink out of it after that, or step and spill it. If she’s used to a water bottle normally, then hang up two. Or leave a crock there with it as well. Possibly under the bottle so it drips into the dish. Otherwise a big hay bin will be unlimited for several days at least.

[Bougatsa]

She has a water bottle which is fairly big and can last for at least 4 days so there isnt a problem with the water…I aslo tie it with wire so that there is no chance it will fall…
I have considered taking another cage to my parents and maybe I will do later on. Now all my money is going to go to her spay… :S

[Deleted User]

Hey bougatsa, your situation sounds very much like mine! I recently moved two hours away from boyfriend and in the meantime he moved back in with his parents. So I take Boston home with me whenever I go see my boyfriend. I would reccommend putting your buns cage on the floor of the passenger side of the car. It will be the most stable spot for your bun. And I agree that your bunny will get used to the drive.

We keep an extra cage at my boyfriend’s parents house and we only have my boyfriends small bedroom for her to run around in there. I think she has gotten used to his place and she runs right to her favorite spots when we get there. But we have blocked off a hallway in the past and let her run around supervised for awhile. (I don’t like to let her our into the whole house—its not bunny proofed at all!!)

I’ve also left Boston home alone for a couple nights at a time quite often. I give her tons of hay and water but I don’t really give her extra pellets ever. Boston will devour all of the pellets in one sitting, so I don’t really see the point. I’m not sure where you live, but its getting really hot here in MN so I would just really make sure that temperature won’t be a problem when you leave your bunny. I used to leave a radio and a nightlight on for Boston so she wouldn’t get lonely and also a fan blowing near by so she doesn’t get over heated.

[Author]

Messages