BUYING REW Lion head cross. Advice needed.

[Silly Sungura]

          

Hi, all. I learned – albeit, not enough!!! – about this CUTE fella on Facebook.  DH and I have arranged with his breeder to pick him up in the early summer. Guys, I fully intend to get him, regardless, because already I love him, and DH and I have named him and we will not leave him where he’s at, but I wish I felt less uneasy about the care he’s getting NOW. Honestly, I am not against breeders as long as they are REPUTABLE. Initially, I thought the breeder was but am now having grave doubts. The breeder’s integrity aside, if Rubani survives till we can pick him up, I’d like some thoughts on how having a second rabbit might work out considering Hodari’s past health issues with E. cuniculi.

 

1. We are going to keep Rubani separate, altogether, as in: he and Hodari will be housed in separate rooms with little chance of   contact. How likely is it that another rabbit in the house will cause her enough stress to cause the e.c. to return? Just a guess, please. I know it’s impossible to know for sure. What can I do to ensure her health during the time when we go get the new fellow and get him set up here?

 

2. I’ve never been away from Hodari. She takes a while to warm up to others but will have to have a sitter while we pick up Rubani. He’s eight hrs away (in southern PA.) I am worried to death about her getting sick, refusing food while we’re gone. She’ll be here for basically two full days because we aren’t up to making the trip in one full day. Then of course when we get back, there will be the strange bun in the house. Will she be aware of it? Good grief, I am just afraid of stressing her to the max. How will I know if I have a good sitter?

 

3. Rubani will be a house bunny for the first time ever. He’s 6-8 mos. old, the breeder says, so ready to neuter right away. Anything I should know about dealing temporarily with an un-neutered buck who’s in a house for the first time? He’ll be in our living room with the two cats and, during the day, the dog. (Dog is out at night.)

 

4. What do I do with Rubani on the long car ride? What kind of cage should he be in & how big? Should I sit in the back seat with him? What refreshments for him should I take? What about keeping him dry in his crate? LOL. Give me travel advice. Everything you have!

 

Thank you.

 

[RabbitPam]

First, he is absolutely gorgeous so I understand why you are in love with him. He will be getting a loving home, so it’s a nice move for him.

Regarding the exposure to, and reoccurance of, the e. cunniculi in Hodari, I would ask for a meeting with my vet to discuss it in detail. Your vet is the one most familiar with Hodari’s situation and risks, and if there is either preventative care for the new guy, or stress reducing measures for Hodari, your vet is the one to give you that hands on help. I just think that medical expertise with knowledge of your specific needs is your best bet for advice.

I wouldn’t worry about Hodari being left with a sitter. Staying in familiar home, and having the same basic routine, is the least stressful. Write up detailed instructions of what you regularly do for food, and at what times of the day and night so that will be easily repeated. Limited out time is fine. Even confining Hodari to the habitat for 2 days won’t hurt at all, if you are worried that the sitter can’t handle play time. Just have an emergency contact list of vet and friends or family that can help prepared, and be available yourself by phone. That’s just in case, though. I doubt you’ll have a problem on Hodari’s end.

But H. will definitely smell Rubani on you and in the house. Is there any chance of taking Rubani directly to a vet for a neuter before you take him home? My thinking is that he can have the procedure done, go home with you and recover quietly in a new habitat in your house. His hormones won’t settle down for a month, but the whole stress of travel, change and neuter will get overwith and be behind him once he’s in his new home. You will be safe to begin bonding them in 4 weeks. He’ll be much easier to handle then.

He will need to adjust to you and your home first, with just an initial awareness of Hodari. I think you should give H. a surrogate bunny to snuggle for the next few weeks, so H’s scent gets on it. You can ask the breeder to give R. a surrogate stuffy animal as well. You can then exchange them once he’s in your house so each of them can smell the other on the stuffed toy. It will make the smell gradually familiar and assist the bonding process. (And take on any hostilities from either, instead of the real thing.)

Travel – a travel carrier is OK. A small starter cage can fit on a back seat pretty well and a litter pan can be inside it, with hay to munch. Keep bottled water handy and provide a drink in a small cup during breaks. A water bottle could be hung, but often drips in a car ride, so if you use it, hang it over the litter pan. No bedding, but a blankie (or the stuffed toy) to snuggle can provide comfort and traction in a moving vehicle. Wet greens to eat can provide the water if it’s too sloshy to have straight water on the move. I drove with my bunny for 3 days from MA to FL and he was fine in a small cage. Have a towel handy in case his feet get wet, or he’ll get sore hocks.

I think you have a lot to look forward to. Good luck!

[Silly Sungura]

Hi, RabbitPam. Thank you for all the advice and thought you put into your reply. I will check with Hodari’s vet for sure regarding the E. cuniculi. I was thinking the same thing about having Rubani’s neuter and check-up scheduled for our return trip, or at the very least within a few days after he comes home. At this point, I doubt I will attempt bonding them but will seek the vet’s advice about that, as it would be nice if they could be buddies. Rubani’s breeder is very young and seems to doubt that rabbits should be anything but caged outdoor pets, if they’re to be pets at all. To my knowledge her rabbits get minimal to zero vet care. For all I know he may well have some health issues of his own when we get him, so the vet consult is tops on my list for the little guy. Thanks again for the good advice and reassurances.

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