Misc bunny questions

[rosieannie]

Hey all,
So I’ve not posted on here in a while, but I’ve been lurking and finding lots of great advice as I’ve needed it! However, I’ve got a couple of things I was hoping that some of you bunny gurus could advise me on.

So the back story: I adopted Fifi from a friend at 18 months old, just over a year ago, after she’d spent almost a year being ‘looked after’ by various people and kept in her too-small cage nearly at all times. I had next to no experience with bunnies, but from researching lots on here she settled in really well at mine and she’s a happy, bossy little madam now who has taken over my front room and is spoilt rotten – just as she should be .

So my questions are:

1. Claw trimming
Due to her going for a long time without being handled, she’s almost completely impossible to handle – she assumes she’s going to be murdered as soon as there’s a hint she’ll be picked up. I know it’s her prey animal instinct but still, she should know I won’t kill her ha. So this posed a problem with her claws – after some effort and trapping her in the kitchen where she can’t escape (she won’t walk on tiles) I can just about trim her front claws. These are still too long really because I’ve read that the quick needs to recede over a few fortnightly trims. I trim her front claws by kneeling behind her, and lifting her front gently with my left hand holding her paws and supporting her chest, then trimming with right. If she’s in the right mood, she’ll submit and wait until it’s done before flicking her back paws at me in disgust. However, I’ve absolutely no idea how to even attempt her back claws. Any attempt at a bunny burrito has failed miserably, and I darent put her up on a table as she’ll probably dive off it. She also freaked out at the vet handling her when I took her for a check up.

2. Bunny mess
I got her one of those little rosewood boredom breaker tents that attach to the tunnel, and she adores it – she spends pretty much her whole daytime in there snoozing. However, she also poos an insane amount in there. Honestly, it’s like a poonami every couple of days. She uses her litter tray to wee, but seems to poo all over the tent – where she sleeps! Is that normal? I thought they didn’t really poo where the slept – I thought it was mainly as they ate and in the tray. It could be cetatropes (spelling?) but I’ve not noticed them anywhere else and her diet is pretty good I think – lots and lots of hay and allen and page natural rabbit feed. She only gets small amounts of veggies as an occasional treat as she very sensitive to them.

3. I’m thinking of going on a weeks holiday with the family driving down to Devon – she’s been invited along too! But, I’m wondering if she would be happier staying at home for a week with only someone popping in to feed her, or if she’d be ok with the 6+ hour car journey and then the fuss and attention all week? I’m sure she’d love it once there, but I’m not sure how stressed she would be in the car – I’ve only ever taken her on very short journeys before.

Thanks for reading my excessively long post and I look forward to any advice

[Megabunny]

Hi Rosie,
Well, I’m not a guru by any means, and others will likely give more/better thoughts on this, but I’ll start…
1) I don’t know if this would work, but I can only think to suggest getting in front of her or turning her around, though that would involve handling her more like the “picking up” she doesn’t want. Maybe cover her head with a towel? Burrow her head into your, well, crotch, so she can only hop further into you, then pick up a back foot much like a horse, upside down and clip. You’re wise to use the minimal handling technique for her nails thus far. I’m impressed!

2) How long has she had the bunny tent? Does she poop in her litter box at all? Sounds like she’s marking her area and if you are able to clean it up daily, she may just stop in a few days…or do like JR and talk to her about it while putting the droppings in the litter box. She claims that’s the key…explaining it to them. Love the new bunny term…poonami. Good one!

3) I don’t think 6 hours sounds like a terrible amount of time, so I’m tempted to tell you to bring her. I bought one of those bunny bungalows, which they can hide in as well as chew on for long, scary trips. It was a waste of money for me because my guy didn’t come close to fitting in the biggest one. But something to consider

[rosieannie]

Hi @Megabunny thanks for the reply

Re claws: I’ll try that way thank you, she’s quite small and strong-willed so I’m not sure if it’ll work but I’ll definitely try! I wish she was like one of these incredibly cuddly, obedient bunnies, but she’s really quite the opposite. Although I do get bunny kisses now and then and she likes petting on her terms!

She’s actually on her second one now – I got her the first one a few months ago, I binned it eventually and got a fresh one. They’re only cheap so I don’t mind just replacing them, but it just doesn’t seem very hygienic to me that she’d be happy to sleep surrounded with poo ha. She poos a little bit in her tray. Not a great deal. She’s just a bit of a stinker ha. The talking to her sounds good in theory, but she’s deaf as a post But I might try making a big show of putting the poo in the tray so she sees me doing it.

OK great – I really wasn’t sure which option was best for her. I’ll make sure we stop frequently to give her a break – I’ve heard that they don’t eat or drink with the car motion and they tense up a lot, which is what was worrying me.

x

[Megabunny]

Yes, I’m skeptical about how well that will all work. I hope you have another set of hands to help, but honestly, I wouldn’t get too worried about the nails. Just weigh whether they really need it anyway vs the stress.

That annoys me too when they want to lay on poop. Ick!

You sound smart enough to bring veggies and treats…whatever her favorites are to try and get her to munch a bit along the way, and, of course, to have hay available in the pen. We did a 15 hour trip straight through with our bun, just stopping here and there. I don’t think he peed the whole time, though I brought a puppy pen and let him on grass at one point. But he did munch enough to get him through. Don’t expect her to eat while the car is in motion. And…my favorite…canned pumpkin. Awesome roughage, it’s wet and the greatest bunny food ever. Also a good thing for her to develop a taste for in case you do have problems later on. It’s often one of the few things they’ll eat. But I imagine greens would be easier to deal with, and again, with just six hours, it’ll probably be enough. I didn’t actually bring the pumpkin along. Just the other goodies.

Have a great trip. I think you’ll be much less stressed just bringing the little one with you as opposed to trying to explain all the details to a sitter.

[rosieannie]

Hello again! Just a little update – had another little clipping session, as soon as the kitchen door shut behind her she just went all submissive and pretty much stuck her front paws out for me when I lifted her up – she’s such a cutie.
I’m not having much luck with the back claws tho – I tried turning her round but cuz she’s a mini lop, when she stuck her head under my dress, I couldn’t get at her back paws cuz she’s tiny 😐
In the ‘usual’ chest lifted, me knelt behind her position, I managed to get her weight onto one side and her opposite back paw just came forward on its own, so this way I think I trimmed a grand total of 4 back claws.. However, I’ve spotted that her fourth claw on each back foot is bent sideways instead of curving downwards – she doesn’t seem at all bothered by it but it definitely needs sorting out.
So, I’m wondering whether to phone the vets and ask if one of the nurses would be better suited to handling her than the vet and getting a decent look at them, or any advice on how best to get at them if my mum came round to help me?
I feel terrible about it, although I do think it must be from before I had her and it’s been a bit of a lengthy process getting to this stage of handling her.
Oh – and she didn’t kick her back feet at me or run away afterwards this time – I think she’s starting to get used to this now
Sorry for being a nuisance and thanks so much for your help so far x

[Flopsie]

To answer your questions:

1. no feedback sorry. I have no luck with mine and it even seems like you get further than I have so good luck to you.

2. Is she spayed?

3. I would be wary to take her on a 6 hour trip and only stay a day or two. That seems to be too much stress for such a short period of time. However, if you are gone a week, I don’t think that it is too bad. I would be more worried about having someone pop in to feed her because they may not be responsible as you are. Also, if they aren’t used to dealing with rabbits, and if something were to come up, this could be an issue. Finally, a week seems a bit long time for them to be alone and get into mischief. I would opt to take them along, just my opinion

[Megabunny]

Sounds like you’re finding good ways to position her that work for the two of you. From what I’m hearing from you, I think I’d go ahead and try to trim those curvy nails the same as the others. If you got 4 out of 8 nails cut, that’s great! You do know there are only 4 on each foot, right? So that sounds good for starters! It might be nice if your mom could give you a hand, as you’ll want to do your best to support her back in case she kicks when you have her leaning sideways. There isn’t too much more to go anyway, and I’m not sure why you’re thinking of bringing her to the vet. I kinda think the vet would want to look at the nails if that’s what you’re concerned about, and the tech would be restraining bunny anyway. This probably isn’t making sense, but I’m losing a bit of the meaning on that part of your note. Sorry.

[JackRabbit]

Don’t forget the dew claws on the front!

[Megabunny]

Oops Right 4 of 10!! Leave it to the tax lady to add up the toes ha ha!!!

[rosieannie]

I guess I was just a bit shocked seeing her back claws properly for the first time – poor baby! As I alluded to originally, she’s not had the best of upbringings before I adopted her and I just want to do everything right for her. Trying to be a good bunny mum!

Her claws are a creamy colour too and I’m really struggling to see the quick, so I’m just taking the tips off in each session and using the pinch method – I’m assuming the quick is quite long with the claws and needs to recede with the trimming.
Yeh it wasn’t bad I suppose for a first attempt on the back feet – I’ve told her we’re having another look tonight and she didn’t complain ha.

She was very calm with last nights clipping session, which is huge progress for us!

@flopsie – yes she is, just a messy so and so!!
And looks like she’s going to have a holiday to Devon

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