New bun owner of a too young bunny?

[Moxie]

Hello everyone!

  I am a new bun owner and could use some advice, please. We recently bought our sweet Penelope (pictured as my avatar, more photos to come!) a tortoise colored Holland lop and found out that she was only about six weeks old when she was sold to us! We bought her at a local privately owned pet shop (yikes! I know better now!) and were told at the time that she was approximately 10 weeks old and fully weaned from her mothers milk. The owner stated that she had been exclusively eating Kaytee fortified rabbit pellets and Kaytee timothy hay for two weeks at the time that we got her. To prove his point, Penelope was happily munching on some timothy hay as we spoke to the shop owner .

  We took her a veterinarian for exotic animals that was recommended by our local chapter HRA (EARS) a couple of days later for a check up. This was mainly just to ensure that she was indeed healthy as she seemed, she wasn’t exhibiting any strange behavior (besides being a little standoffish, which I believe any prey animal would be in new surroundings.) or signs of illness. This is where we learned that she was by the vets best guess to be approximately 6 1\2 weeks of age! The vet went on to do a full examination of Penelope and said that she was healthy as could be and seemed to have suffered no ill effects from being separated from her mother at such an early age. We took her home and she has continued to happily eat her timothy hay and pellets with no problems. 

  This brings me to the advice portion of this post (finally haha!). Since I am new to bun ownership/slavedom  I was wondering if any experienced bun owners could advise me on caring for such a young one? Tips, tricks, anything. I am researching info daily on her care, communicating with her and natural habitats, needs, habits, but I think some first hand knowledge from other owners could be helpful.

Thank you so much!

 

  

[bunnluff]

I got Pippin when she was around the same age, although I think she may have been much younger as she fit into the palm of my hand (and she’s not a dwarf). She was so itsy bitsy but I got her out of a sketchy situation (roommate bought her off the street in the black market district of LA) and was told she was a boy dwarf. A later vet visit determined she’s a girl and not a dwarf, in fact a healthy 7 or so pounds full grown.
I was completely new to the whole bunny thing and did extensive research on house bunny raising. But when I was still new at it, Pippin lived outside in a hutch and since we live somewhere where wild animals are a backyard threat, she quickly got moved indoors.
When Pippin was a baby, she was the only rabbit I had so she always got my undivided attention. I think that could potentially be why we bonded so well. I added Bella to the mix months later. At first I didn’t know about greens and just fed Pippin grass cuttings and carrots but after some reading I’d go to the store and buy about $10 worth of greens every week (yes she was spoiled, and still is). I got her spayed after a vet visit which indicated that she was old enough to get it. You’ll want to do this early on as it will help with behavior and possible cancers. A lot of the help I got was through sites like this and I am still learning to this day as situations arise that I haven’t had to deal with previously.
You are already such a great bunny mom, wanting to do the best for your bun! I wish you all the best in bonding with your new fur baby!

[Moxie]

Thank you! Penelope will definitely be spayed as soon as the vet gives us the ok. I read that female buns can develop ovarian cancer otherwise and wouldn’t want to take a chance with her health! Also I would hate for her to become overly territorial and anti social, which is what I have read can happen with unsprayed females.

[Eepster]

She looks more like 10 weeks than 6 to me. Her ears are already fully lopped, that rarely happens by 6 weeks. If she was only 6 weeks I would still expect her to have helicopter ears.

[Moxie]

Actually she is 7/12 weeks old (?) now as we have had her for a little over a week. Also her ears don’t always flop and weren’t flopped at all until two days ago? I am still learning so I am unsure what that means. Do you think that the vet could have made a mistake? I mean that would make me feel better about the whole situation.  

[Moxie]

Posted By Eepster on 11/11/2013 03:39 PM

She looks more like 10 weeks than 6 to me. Her ears are already fully lopped, that rarely happens by 6 weeks. If she was only 6 weeks I would still expect her to have helicopter ears.

Sorry I meant to quote you for the above comment  haha. I am obviously such a noob!

[Stickerbunny]

I am unsure of age, but she’s quite cute.

The main difference in having a very young bun vs an adult is when they hit the puberty stage, they can go nuts on you. Stickers came to me at 4 months, just at that whole teenage starting stage and she’s just now calming at about 3 years old. So, be prepared for some destruction and bad behaviors before she’s adult (often they can start displaying hormonal behavior before being old enough to spay and some of the teenage behavior may not go away with a spay, if it isn’t hormonal and is just young animal). Otherwise, bonding is much the same – take it slow at her pace and let her come to you, don’t expect a cuddle monster (even if she is now, adults often stop wanting to be held) and when you begin introducing veggies at about 12 weeks, take it slow and introduce one at a time and be sure it doesn’t give her an upset tummy before you feed in larger amounts or add in another one.

The babies are so cute and so much fun, even with their annoying growing phases, so enjoy your new girl.

[CheriB603]

My boys were 5 weeks. Very tiny and had only been away from mom for 2 days, but they ate like champs and may have actually been a little more snuggly due to the fact they were still looking for momma to snuggle with. They are happy, healthy and growing like weeds! 11 weeks old and 6 lbs now! (They’re Flemish Giants, so right on schedule!). Have fun!!

[Beka27]

It’s really just a best guess either way. Her ears could have lopped early, or she might be a bit older. It’s not really going to change anything you’re doing with her. 6 weeks is young, but not as young as some buns get separated from their mom (I’ve heard as young as 3 weeks!) You seem to be really in tune with her needs so far, so just keep doing what you’re doing. 🙂

[Moxie]

Posted By Beka27 on 11/11/2013 04:33 PM

It’s really just a best guess either way. Her ears could have lopped early, or she might be a bit older. It’s not really going to change anything you’re doing with her. 6 weeks is young, but not as young as some buns get separated from their mom (I’ve heard as young as 3 weeks!) You seem to be really in tune with her needs so far, so just keep doing what you’re doing. 🙂

          I definitely will  

          I guess my main concern in not knowing her real age would be, knowing when to introduce fruits and veg into her diet. Are there some behaviors that bunnies display when they are ready that I could be on the look out for? Or maybe some sort of change in her eating patterns or general disposition that would clue me in that it was time? I have read a lot about their digestive health and wouldn’t want to harm her by introducing them too early or make her unhealthy by introducing them too late and robbing her of the proper nutrients that she needs.

      

      

[Moxie]

Posted By CheriB603 on 11/11/2013 04:31 PM

My boys were 5 weeks. Very tiny and had only been away from mom for 2 days, but they ate like champs and may have actually been a little more snuggly due to the fact they were still looking for momma to snuggle with. They are happy, healthy and growing like weeds! 11 weeks old and 6 lbs now! (They’re Flemish Giants, so right on schedule!). Have fun!!

I bet they were adorable that young! The age thing makes me wonder if young bunnies can suffer from separation anxiety like some puppies do if they are removed from their mothers too young. Hmm I will have to look into that. Thanks for the well wishes, we are having a great time with our little one  You enjoy those big boys of yours!  

[CheriB603]

. Just been snuggling on the couch with my dog on my right and bunny on my left! Glad I have two petting hands!

[Beka27]

Veggies can be introduced at any time. You don’t have to wait until 12 weeks. The key is small amounts, very small amounts, and only introduce one type at a time. You might want to start with something simple like Romaine and give half of one leaf per day. Do this daily for a week or two. If no ill effects, then start giving a whole leaf for a week or two.

[Moxie]

Posted By Beka27 on 11/11/2013 08:28 PM

Veggies can be introduced at any time. You don’t have to wait until 12 weeks. The key is small amounts, very small amounts, and only introduce one type at a time. You might want to start with something simple like Romaine and give half of one leaf per day. Do this daily for a week or two. If no ill effects, then start giving a whole leaf for a week or two.

           Thanks for the info! Here I was thinking that she couldn’t have them yet, there is so much misinformation out there!  I will go out tomorrow and buy her some romaine, we only keep iceberg and spinach in the house usually.

[Beka27]

It’s not misinformation per se. Some people do choose to wait and there’s nothing wrong with that either. It really is personal preference. Like I said though, you just have to keep it simple and small at first, regardless of whether you start at 8 weeks or 12.

(Ideally, baby bunnies start nibbling their mother’s veggies at a few weeks old. This is of course assuming that the mother bun GETS DAILY VEGGIES. This is why it is OK to start younger than 12 weeks, with proper caution.)

[Stickerbunny]

Posted By Beka27 on 11/11/2013 08:28 PM

Veggies can be introduced at any time. You don’t have to wait until 12 weeks. The key is small amounts, very small amounts, and only introduce one type at a time. You might want to start with something simple like Romaine and give half of one leaf per day. Do this daily for a week or two. If no ill effects, then start giving a whole leaf for a week or two.

Hm. Really? I was going off the HRS guidelines, which recommends 12 weeks and/or at least 2 weeks of eating grass hay to get the gut flora able to process new foods more easily, to lower the risk of it giving a bun an upset tummy. So, a 8 week old fresh off milk can eat veggies? o.O

[Beka27]

Absolutely. Tiny, tiny amounts.

[Moxie]

So far so good with the romaine. She still seems a bit hesitant, but she is snuffling it a lot Baby steps right!

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