Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS.  SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.  We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. 

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. 

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A ALOT of questions: I am getting my first bunny

Viewing 10 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • AileenMichelle
      Participant
      1 posts Send Private Message

        Hey everyone!I’m thinking of adopting a baby dwarf lion head and Later on a shelter bun. I wanted a baby bun first since its my first bunny and A) I rlly want it to bond with me. Or do you think I should get an older bun first and then a baby?

        B) So im new to bunnies, I’ve always been into cats and hamsters and since one of my cats ran away I think it’s okay for me to get a bunny now.
        The cat that I have now is verr friendly with all animals so this wont be a problem.
        If I’m getting a baby, how do I introduce him to my cat?

        C) I know that bunnies are fed veggies everyday. How much has it cost you monthly or weekly to support all the veggie buying?

        D) I’ve heard the Lionheads have a problem called epilepsy. None of the breeders here in south florida know about that. Does anyone know a GOOD lionhead breeder in south florida?

        E) What is your best method for having the veggies last longer?

        F) Are we supposed to bathe our buns every once in awhile?

        G) I’ve seen leashes for buns, do they go for walks outside?

        H) Is this the same for bunnies? Hamsters get dizzy and sometimes die in car rides if they are in an uncovered cage. Thats why the pet store puts thme and a dark box with holes.

        I) What is the best age to neuter/spay?

        J) Since I have to wait for a certain age to neuter/spay what do you think is the best gender to get?

        K) What makes a rabbit litter a good litter?

        Thanks so much!!! If you could just put the letter of the question your responding to that’d be great


      • Sam and Lady's Human
        Participant
        2001 posts Send Private Message

          A, baby bunnies are cute, but you’ll have to pay x amount to spay (from $100-300), and they don’t really bond any differently than an adult would.
          B- I’m not sure about pet introduction, I would wait until they both show interest though.

          C, Its about 10 bucks a week for me to feed my 2, but I also have a flemmie who eats about 4 cups a night With just 1 small-med size, its about 20 a month.

          D, I have a lionhead and have never heard of an epilepsy problem! If you get from a rescue though, its best to pick one out based on personality, as it differs bunny by bunny and not breed to breed like say, dogs.

          E, I keep mine in the veggie drawer and they do fine.

          F, Nope, bunnies aren’t meant to be bathed. *IF* a bun gets something called poopy bum, you can sit her in 1/2-1in warm water in the sink, but never get them totally wet.

          G, leashes can be really dangerous for rabbits. If you want outside time, its best to have an xpen or two and cover them so birds of prey can’t swoop in.

          H, I’ve never heard of that. And a rabbit wont get dizzy or die from a car ride

          I, 3 months for a boy, 5-6 months for a girl is average.

          J, whatever has the best personality

          K, I love using Wood Stove pellets. Super cheap, about 5 bucks for 40lbs.


        • Monkeybun
          Participant
          10479 posts Send Private Message

            I would get a shelter bunny first. Babies can very hard to deal with, as they learn and grow up. they chew, they dig, they pee where they shouldn’t for a bit… and puberty is worse. A shelter bunny that is already altered would be a better first bunny, as its past the hormonal stage already, and set in its personality. You can bond just fine with an adult bun


          • Deleted User
            Participant
            22064 posts Send Private Message

              I’m just going to copy/paste your questions then answer them lol

              A) I rlly want it to bond with me. Or do you think I should get an older bun first and then a baby?
              If you’ve never had a bunny before I would suggest adopting a little bit older shelter bunny. Since its a little bit older it’s personality is established and you don’t have to worry about hormonal bunny teenagers. If you get a shelter bunny, most likely they will already be spayed, that saves you stress, time and money worrying about when to spay/neuter and aftercare.

              B) So im new to bunnies, I’ve always been into cats and hamsters and since one of my cats ran away I think it’s okay for me to get a bunny now.
              The cat that I have now is verr friendly with all animals so this wont be a problem.
              If I’m getting a baby, how do I introduce him to my cat?
              When I introduced Missy to the cat, I kept Missy in her pen and let the cat walk up and sniff her through the side. That way neither the cat or Missy could lunge, and Missy could run in her hidey hole if she wanted to get away or was scared and the cat couldnt follow her. I got really lucky because Missy gets along really well with the cat in my apartment as well as my cats at my parents. Just introduce them slowly, give them both ways to get away from each other if they are scared. Don’t leave them alone together.

              C) I know that bunnies are fed veggies everyday. How much has it cost you monthly or weekly to support all the veggie buying?
              I get bunches of parsely and cilantro once a week and they’re only 70 cents each, then I get either kale or dark green and red lettuce blends for about 2$. I honestly only spend maybe 5-10$ a week depending on what I buy

              D) I’ve heard the Lionheads have a problem called epilepsy. None of the breeders here in south florida know about that. Does anyone know a GOOD lionhead breeder in south florida?
              Sorry, I’m from indiana, but I would suggest finding shelters. Also looking on the ARBA site can give you some good ideas.

              E) What is your best method for having the veggies last longer?
              Some veggies or herbs (like basil) go bad sooner if they are too cold. I have a mini fridge in my bedroom in the apartment and I keep her veggies on the bottom shelf and I make sure not to close the bag all the way so the air can go over them. They usually last the whole week.

              F) Are we supposed to bathe our buns every once in awhile?
              Rabbits are pretty good about keeping themselves clean. All the sources that I’ve found really discourage having people bath thier bunnies. Just make sure you keep thier nails trims and do weekly brushings. Sometimes after I brush Missy I’ll dip my fingertips in water and rub my hands together to just get them damp and run them over her fur. This works pretty well to pick up all the loose hair sitting on top of her coat. If your bun gets any poop or pee on thier fur you can fill a tub with a couple inches of warm water and gently clean thier bottoms with a soft cloth, but dont ever fill up a tub and submerge them.

              G) I’ve seen leashes for buns, do they go for walks outside?
              You can get harnesses for buns, but I dont have one for Missy. Rabbits bones are so fragile struggling with the harness or getting it snagged on something can potentially lead to broken bones. If you want to take the bunny outside, I would keep her in an enclosed area, perferably with a top, just to be extra safe from predators and make sure that she is on untreated grass free from any weeds that could be toxic.

              H) Is this the same for bunnies? Hamsters get dizzy and sometimes die in car rides if they are in an uncovered cage. Thats why the pet store puts thme and a dark box with holes.
              I really hate when pet stores stick bunnies in little boxes with holes. Missy travels with me everyweekend and we’re in the car about 40 minutes at a time. If you’re traveling with your bun get a cat carrier that is big enough for them, thier greens maybe a toy or two and with a space for a water bottle. You dont want the carrier to be too big otherwise your bunny can slide around and might get hurt. I put a blanket on the bottom of her carrier for traction and buckle her into the front seat facing me so we can keep an eye on each other, lol.

              I) What is the best age to neuter/spay?
              I’ve read that males can be neutered as young as 3 1/2 months as long as the testicles have descended, but for spays you should wait until they are at least 6 months to lower the risk of complications.

              J) Since I have to wait for a certain age to neuter/spay what do you think is the best gender to get?
              I’ve had a male and a female and both have advantages and disadvantages. Males tend to spray when they are mature but females can sometimes do this too. Females can also go through ‘false pregnancies’ where they truly think that they are pregnant and begin to build nests and can pull thier hair out of thier dewlaps to make nests with. I don’t really think either gender is better than the other, just personal preference.

              K) What makes a rabbit litter a good litter?
              I started out with carefresh, but it is really expensive and I switched to using untreated woodstove pellets. I can get a 40lb back for about 5$. Some people use hay as litter, your bunny wont eat the hay that theyve went on, but hay can get pretty expensive too. You can use newspaper or shredded paper as long as you make sure that the ink is non toxic

              Hopefully that answered all your questions well!


            • KytKattin
              Participant
              1195 posts Send Private Message

                I agree that a shelter bun is an easier first bunny. Go and see what they have, tell the person this is your first bunny so you are looking for one that is really sweet towards people (read: this does not mean snuggly!). Just one that doesn’t have bad manners like aggression.

                As for bonding, I honestly think you don’t really bond with a bunny until they are adults, so starting with an adult really is best. They really don’t become who they are going to be until they are full grown and spayed/neutered. And I honestly don’t think that how they are raised has a huge impact on how they turn out. People with multiples report huge varieties of personalities, even with siblings raised exactly the same.

                It costs me about $5-7 weekly for veggies. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. I give my girl a large variety because she is not supposed to eat a lot of pellets (not that pellets are a large part of the diet normally anyways). I don’t drink coffee, I buy my rabbit veggies. Though cost will depend on where you live. I live near a huge agricultural center, so I can get a large variety for lower prices, not to mention often organic.


              • bunnyfriend
                Participant
                2368 posts Send Private Message

                  Hi, welcome to BB

                  Since you’re going to adopt I’ll share some information on baby rabbits versus adult rabbits since I’ve adopted both (not arguing either side).

                  Baby rabbits are a LOT of work and are very delicate. So especially for a first time rabbit owner (and even an experienced rabbit owner), babies can be difficult. They grow up very fast. That being said, Wilbur, a female bunny I adopted at 8 weeks old, litter trained within 3 days but was super energetic and always getting into trouble. One of the other biggest things to think about is personality. Baby rabbits do not have a set personality and their personality often changes once they reach adulthood. Wilbur was brave and liked attention when she was a baby but now she is 9 months old (and spayed) and is skittish and doesn’t want attention from me most of the time. I love her just the same and wouldn’t trade her in, but that’s something to take into consideration.

                  I adopted Totoro at about 6 months and Tigger at 2-3 years old. I specifically picked out Tigger because I was a first time bunny owner and knew I wanted an adult. He was very very sweet and affectionate the entire time I had him until he passed away. Totoro I adopted because of his personality, he’s a total love muffin and actually snuggly (not common for rabbits). I really am a strong believer in adopting adult shelter buns, at least that’s what has worked the best for me so far. A lot of people think adult buns from shelters are somehow damaged or not good pets, but most of the time a rabbit is given up out of carelessness. Adult shelter buns also come spayed and neutered which is very nice. Wilbur’s spay costed $400.

                  I hope this helps


                • FrankieFlash
                  Participant
                  1710 posts Send Private Message

                    Welcome! I feel I might have a few insights on a few of your questions. I’ll try not to repeat anything that people already said because I agree with everyone’s posts so far.

                    A) I got a baby bun as my first bun. He was super cute and tiny (well he still is small). What I didn’t know, is that it would take him several months just to allow me to pet him (on his terms) and for me and his relationship to start. So during those first couple months it was REALLY frustrating trying to give him the proper care and let him run around outside his cage for exercise but not be able to interact with him or pet him. And it was even more challenging getting him into his cage. I also spent months and months figuring out what litterbox would be right for him, his taste preferences, his litter habits, his coat shedding stuff and what’s “normal” behavior so I could tell what abnormal behavior is. I think if I was to start all over I would adopt. Seeing as how rabbit shelters know the rabbits personality and they could’ve also saved me a ton of time AND money figuring out what was best for my rabbit.

                    C) I spend about $7 a week or so on veggies for Bunjamin. But I would at least estimate $5 into your budget.

                    E) I personally found out my veggies last longest if I don’t wash them until right before serving them and I store them in the bag from the grocery store in the veggie tray thing.

                    F) Everyone covered this. Basically not unless they are covered in poop.

                    G) I personally am deathly afraid of even trying this for two reasons. One is I read a thread on here about a girl who tried putting a harness on her bun and he panicked and almost broke his neck running around screaming the worst scream I can imagine hearing. Two, my bun once got a plastic bag stuck on his head while playing (no bags are left on the ground anymore) and he panicked and ran around and I thought he was going to die and it was terrifying. So my bun will fly solo if he ever goes outside. I don’t have an untreated lawn so he can’t eat the grass so I don’t see a point to taking him outside. ((Although he loves when I bring a tub of snow inside for play!))

                    H) Bunjamin travels almost every other week to my parents (an hour drive) in his ironically pink carrier and although he does not like it, he doesn’t get dizzy or sick. Just grumpy

                    I) Boys can be neutered as soon as the testicles descend and females they like to wait until 6 months. Here’s a great link about the fixing process that I discussed with my vet today http://www.rabbit.org/health/spay.html

                    J) I think all have different personalities but I’m glad bunjamin ended up being a boy (when you get them as a baby you won’t know until testicles descend or not. Bunjamin’s didn’t drop until he was over 4 months old) mainly for the fact that the surgery is less expensive.

                    K) I think this all depends on the rabbit and their owner. Bunjamin needs a heavier litter because he likes to pull the newspaper out if its too light like carefresh. But he also has sensitive hocks so I use yesterday’s news unscented pellet litter (cheapest i found was at meijer for big bag) and then top it with carefresh. I think litter box is also equally important. There’s a pinned thread in the habitat section that describes different litterbox setups but you’ll figure out it’s usually trial and error.

                    Sounds like you’re being a responsible pet owner and doing your research first!


                  • Kokaneeandkahlua
                    Participant
                    12067 posts Send Private Message

                      Welcome! I think you’ve had your questions answered! I would definitely agree with the others that a shelter bun would be best first-bunny teenagers are the worse. And waiting to hear that everything went fine on the day of spay/neuter is scary-it’s great to not have to go through that. Also a lot of shelter bunnies are litter trained. I would also suggest finding everything you need first-find where you can buy hay, and good pellets like oxbow pellets. Find a good vet. These things can become urgent quickly so best to deal with them before hand Welcome and keep us updated on your new bunny status!


                    • Elrohwen
                      Participant
                      7318 posts Send Private Message

                        Welcome! Lots of great answers. I just wanted to share that I’ve had a baby (from a breeder) and an older bun (not from a shelter, but from an owner who was giving her away) who was already 3 years old and spayed. Honestly, I might have a better bond with the older bun. She is just much more in tune to people and loves attention. My boy that I got as a baby had the best care and I handled him a lot, but his personality is just more aloof and I can’t change that. I love him to death and he’s a good little guy (super well behaved) but I don’t think that getting a bunny vs adult will mean you bond with them better. In my experience, the bonding is more about the bunny’s personality and how interested they are in bonding with you – some are just more people oriented and some are more aloof.

                        I also think it’s important to reiterate that personality isn’t particularly breed dependent in rabbits. Dogs are bred to do certain jobs and have certain personalities, so within a breed you find a lot of similarities. Rabbits are bred for looks, pretty much, and while breeders only want to keep rabbits with decent temperaments, there’s not a focus on which ones make the best pets, just which ones don’t bite. For this reason baby bunnies are a shot in the dark and can really grow up with a variety of temperaments, like my boy, Otto. You just have to be prepared to love them however they turn out. With adult bunnies, you can gauge temperament much better, so I’d go with an adult of any breed if a close bond with your bunny is really important to you (of course, you can still focus on lionheads if you like them – there are plenty in shelters)


                      • kamdynandsunshinesmom
                        Participant
                        910 posts Send Private Message

                          As for the buying veggies i always look for the great deals. A local grocery store of mine every week will have veggies on sale like a head of red leaf lettuce for $.50 or $.75 and sometimes they will have 5 massive bunches of parsley for $1.00. So i try to visit this grocery store a couple of times a week to save on money. I keep my veggies fresh I buy green bags I actually buy the generic brand at my Dollar Tree you get 8-10 bags for $1.00 and you can reuse them a few times.


                        • KytKattin
                          Participant
                          1195 posts Send Private Message

                            Costco is a good place to get bulk leaf lettuce. I get 8 smaller heads for less than $5, and I just give her a head a night. They can’t be the only place you shop though. They don’t have much variety. So if you don’t already shop there, it isn’t worth it just for a bunny. lol. I also go to farmer’s markets, but I do most of my shopping at Save Mart. I am pretty limited because I don’t like to drive to far, and I often have class on Sundays when the farmer’s market is being held. A farmers market is always the best place though. They have the most variety, it is often organic, but if it is not organic it is the cheapest you can get!

                        Viewing 10 reply threads
                        • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                        Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A ALOT of questions: I am getting my first bunny