Getting a bunny

[Princethepurplebetta]

HI guys. I'm going to get a bunny next summer from my friend, and I'm not sure what all I'll need for her. All my friend has said is to give her pellets, hay and water. Shes currently living in the All Living Things Rabbit cage, but I don't think its big enough for her. I'll have an entire room that I can use, how do I rabbit proof it? How do I protect my flooring from the urine? Any tips? Ill be researching as much as I can before I get her

 

[MusicalFishies]

HI guys. I'm going to get a bunny next summer from my friend, and I'm not sure what all I'll need for her. All my friend has said is to give her pellets, hay and water. Shes currently living in the All Living Things Rabbit cage, but I don't think its big enough for her. I'll have an entire room that I can use, how do I rabbit proof it? How do I protect my flooring from the urine? Any tips? Ill be researching as much as I can before I get her

You might research potty-training bunnies. I knew a girl who potty trained her bunny so she didn't have to worry about stains on the flooring.
You'll have to share some pics when you get her!

 

[GumYu]

rabbitsonline is a very good site, I was a member for the first few months when we got our rabbit. our rabbit has free reign of the house now.

there's also a lot of youtube videos on how to rabbit proof a house, potty training, etc.

neuter or spay will help with potty training and reduce marking of territory (males and females). it will also make them less aggressive.

potty training will involve getting them a few litter boxes. I put some equine pine pellets on the bottom (to absorb the urine and odor) then some timothy hay on top.

hay/grass particularly timothy grass should be the main staple diet. pellets should be fed minimally, for vitamins, minerals, etc. fresh leafy vegetables can be fed regularly. fruits for treats minimally.

they will chew up your wires/cords. remove if possible, if not wrap it up in the cord protectors. they will sometimes chew on wood furniture/cabinets/etc. you can give them cardboard boxes and toilet paper rolls to chew on. cardboard boxes with holes cut in for them to run in and play/hide.

 

[Princethepurplebetta]

Thank you for the info! Is there any toys that petsmart/petco has that I should Aviod? Is there a brand of litter that's better then others?

 

[GumYu]

not sure about toys from the store.

there are some pros and cons to the different types of litter. but most recommend the horse pine pellets. its also the cheapest.

You can see the light spots on the coffee table where she's chewed on it.

 

[SnowYanez]

Thank you for the info! Is there any toys that petsmart/petco has that I should Aviod? Is there a brand of litter that's better then others?

I try to make sure when buying toys for my bunny that it is something that is safe for her to chew on and if she eats it I don't have to worry anything I think she can eat easily. Personally lean more towards natural or cardboard things she loves the little plastic cat toys with bells in them haven't had a problem with her showing them and she loves to play with the little cardboard cat thing that looks like a squiggle for cats to lay on sorry I don't know the name lol and you can litter box train your bunny and let them free roam. I use pine as the bottom part of my buns litter box I just try to make sure whichever I happen to buy it is dust free (for bunny's respiratory system) and small soft pieces. I tried newspaper pieces and I hated it but some like to use newspaper and change it daily ‍♀ for a great youtuber I recommend Lennon the bunny it shows you everything even grooming your bunny. I use Plastic cord protectors and them metal square shelving things from Amazon and link them with zip ties along the base board and if you get a digger and I would recommend just tossing a cheap rug or a diy rug you don't care about on top of the spot and they normally leave it alone.

 

[Sheldon13]

HI guys. I'm going to get a bunny next summer from my friend, and I'm not sure what all I'll need for her. All my friend has said is to give her pellets, hay and water. Shes currently living in the All Living Things Rabbit cage, but I don't think its big enough for her. I'll have an entire room that I can use, how do I rabbit proof it? How do I protect my flooring from the urine? Any tips? Ill be researching as much as I can before I get her

Haven’t had bunnies in years but this is what I remember:

1) always have hay available. They like most any hay, but Timothy, orchard, and alfalfa are favorites.
2) they will eat their poop pellets after the first pass through their system. This is normal and necessary for digestion.
3) always have things around that you approve for chewing. Cardboard or wood sticks are good choices. I think the pet stores sell applewood sticks. Don’t let them near furniture you aren’t ok with being chewed on. This especially holds true for under the bed.
4) definitely neuter. Otherwise even with potty training there will be marking of territory.
5) have 2 water bottles available. Nothing worse that not realizing one of the ball bearings is stuck or the mechanism is broken and your bunny is suffering of thirst.

I’ll add more if I think of them.

 

[saltwater60]

Most fruit woods are poisonous to rabbits. Willow wood is safe. We have lots of rabbits and work with a rabbit rescue.
Put their hay into their litter box and that will encourage potty training. Spay or nueter is a great idea. Makes them more friendly, less smelly, and improves their health. No cancers. Hay should be Timothy hay only and a high quality pellet like oxbow. Water all the time. A few greens or some fruit here and there as a treat. Too much will give diarrhea and that can be deadly. Yes they eat their soft poop not firm ones.
We use dog crates to house them exercise pens are a great option. A room is good as long as it’s rabbit proofed no wires, stairs, things like that. Pairing rabbits up is a good idea as they are social but it can be difficult to find a good or suitable mate.
Here’s our newest one. He’s so cute and friendly. His name is Eeyore.
Our rescue face book page is western New York rabbit society. Lots of good info there.

 

[Kieren Munson-Burke]

Make sure to have a rug or something of the sort in areas to help them get traction. You need to cover all cords! Not only will it get expensive for you to replace things but they can also get electrocuted if it's plugged in.

They need fresh water in a bowl available at all times.

Note on the diet: introduce a new things one at a time and wait 3-4 days before you add anything else. During this time pay attention to their poop in particular to make sure they are digesting it okay. If their poop, pee or behavior changes stop giving the food and consult your vet.

Their diet should be 80% hay which means they should always have a good amount of hay easily available. Alfalfa hay should only be fed if they are under 6 months. Until they are 6 months old they should have access to unlimited alfalfa hay and pellets. It's also good to mix in other hays such as orchard, oat or meadow. They also need fresh greens. They should get about 1.5-2 cups per every 2 lbs of body weight daily. Avoid iceberg lettuce as it has no nutritional value. You should aim for about 3 different types of leafy greens. The ASPCA has a list. But some good ones are basil, cilantro, carrot tops, romaine, dandelion greens. Be careful not too feed too much spinach or other greens that are high in oxalic acids. They should get about 2 tablespoons of pellets per 2 pounds of body weight once they are over 6 months old, although you should confirm this with your vet as it varies some per breed. Feed them a high quality pellet. It's also good to give them limited amounts of vegetables such as carrots and peppers and fruits such as banana and apple for training purposes!

If you don't free roam them make sure they get 5+ hours on average outside of their enclosure.

 

[flyinGourami]

HI guys. I'm going to get a bunny next summer from my friend, and I'm not sure what all I'll need for her. All my friend has said is to give her pellets, hay and water. Shes currently living in the All Living Things Rabbit cage, but I don't think its big enough for her. I'll have an entire room that I can use, how do I rabbit proof it? How do I protect my flooring from the urine? Any tips? Ill be researching as much as I can before I get her

Rabbits need hay(please do not feed alfalfa once they are older than 6 months) and veggies, pellets are optional so don't feed too much. The cage is not big enough, having the rabbit in your room is better. As for rabbit proofing, I might forget a couple of things but no accessible wires, outlets.... Its like baby proofing a room. For urine you can litter box train your rabbit, they will still poop on the floor a little even if you do litter train them. Chews are really important, giving a place to hide is also important. If possible, i would get him or her a rabbit friend(spay or nueter your rabbit/s). Rabbits are social and would do best with another or other rabbits, the bonding process can be a bit tricky though.