I'm thinking of getting a bunny. anything I should know?
>>1989676
1. Always get at least two. They are very social animals.
2. They need a good bunch of space 24/7, keeping them in a cage while letting them run around 2 hours a day doesn't cut it. You should aim for a 4sqm pen for two
3. Don't buy any of the food stores sell. It's cheap, unhealthy trash that leads to a lot of issues in the long term. They need hay available all the time, and then give them two times a day veggies/fruit/weeds/herbs. Their diet should be like 80% hay/weeds, 15% veggies, 5% fruit
>>1989678
I hear they chew on wires. I have a lot of live wires laying around not to mention a shitload of expensive electronics. I suppose I'm going to have to get rid of them all?
>>1989682
They chew on everything. Wooden doors, tables, furniture, the walls(!) whatever they have access to.
>>1989683
So bunny-proof anything that I hold dear
>>1989685
And everything that can harm them. That is if you want to keep them free roaming. Or you could use playpens for playtimes.
>>1989682
You don't really have to let them free roam as long as they have a spacious pen. Pic related is a perfect one for instance.
Otherwise you have to secure the cables.
>>1989694
yeah I might be able to work up something. that is really elaborate though
>>1989705
You can use stuff like unprinted cardboard boxes with cut out doors as cheaper decoration than real wood tunnels.
How to cook them.
>>1989709
how big of an area are we talking about here. id like to just let them run around desu after bunny proofing ofc
>>1989676
>my rabbit came in a cage
>first an last time it was on a cage
never had my rabbit in a cage, it lives in the house like a cat
(sitting under my chair right now)
>>1989716
You eat them raw duuh
>>1989719
As I already mentioned above, I would really advise you to have a four square meter pen for two so they have enough space to move around when you're away.
Or bunny proof every room they can access if you're keeping them freely in the house.
>>1989694
I'm really jealous of that set-up, anon.
My bunnies have a whole room to themselves (used to be a guest room), but it's not quite as pretty as that
>>1989694
Man, I remember my rabbit was a jumper, no matter what sort of fencing and area I setup he would jump over it if given the chance. Then I put in a full fence and he would just jump into the fence once in a while and make a racket.
>>1989746
holy shit that rabbit looks stoned
we've had three bunnies all die within the span of 6 months. mind you, the first bunny had e cunniculi. The others died from other complication. Bloat, fever, stroke.
>>1989824
how many of you had rabbits live past 7 years without scares, problems or thousands in vet bills?
>>1989678
Can you grow your own food? I have a rabbit living in my yard and I always give him carrots and flowers from my garden. He also eats the creeping bell flower.
I was over my friends house and his bunny escaped outside, and he couldn't catch it. it was heading into the neighbors yard. I panicked and didn't know what to do so I threw a brick at it
...it hit
>>1989682
You wrap the wires in cord protectors. Most bunnies don't jump onto anything taller than a chair (they can get up, but don't like jumping back down) so anything on a desk is usually safe.
I have two. They both like wires, but neither chews on wood or drywall. One does chew holes in her blankets and sheets, which I don't really mind. We keep them in 4'x2' pens but let them out several hours per day (basically when we're home). Normally they have a whole room to themselves 24/7 but they've been fighting lately.
>>1989840
They should have a cup or two of veggies per day and you can grow that during part of the year, but they go through a ton of timothy hay (the majority of their diet) and you're probably going to buy that. It's cheaper from horse feed stores.
>>1989826
We've had GI stasis scares, an amputated toe due to a cancerous tumor, and an eye infection. Not quite thousands of dollars, but close. She's about 7 (the gray lop).
>>1989676
They can be easily litter trained but will never be terribly careful about where they poo. They're dry, odorless pellets so it's not a big deal, but can be annoying. Their hay gets everywhere too. But they're fun. Some have more personality (which often means 'spite') than others.
>>1989877
Thanks, based Anon. There's a horse store not too far from my house. Will check it out when I get my own rabbit.
>>1989826
Mine lived 12 years ( but with thousands of vet bills :) )
still worth it.
>>1989676
I really like my bunnies but one thing I have to say is, that they can be incredibly stupid. Even my fish didn't act this dumb sometimes.
How much/often do bunnies shit
>>1990154
All the time. They usually eat bits of hay several times per hour.
>>1989678
2 hours is too little, it is recommended to have them out at least for 4 hours each day.
>>1989682
They chew on wires and everything actually, so make sure you have your home secured and buy a lots of chewing/ tossing around toy, that can sometimes help a lot. often they chew because they are bored.
you need to make sure you have a toilet for them too, they can be potty trained like a cat, they prefer it, and i can promise you, you will love it too.
>>1989694
i love your way of keeping your bunny!
bune
>>1989877
>Most bunnies don't jump onto anything taller than a chair (they can get up, but don't like jumping back down) so anything on a desk is usually safe
that is not true?
i have four bunnies, three of them have cages on tables, (they free roam, so cage is always open) And they have no problems what so ever getting up and down, they just jump, one of them can even jump over fences, in my former apartment she loved the window so much i had to place a pillow so she could jump up from the floor.
I really think it depends on the bunny!
>>1989694
>tfw that's the size of like half of my apartment
Could I let them live on the balcony, or would they get harassed by birds? I know they can live outside the whole year, but I live pretty far up north, so the winters can get cold as fuck.
>>1989721
Does it have a special place to do its business, or does it poop and pee everywhere?
>>1989694
What.
The,
Fuck.
>rabbit poster on wall
Wow.
>>1989778
It's a hare, m8.
>>1989676
I had a rex rabbit, one of those huge motherfuckers who was the size of a small dog.
We kept him in a hutch enclosure outside, it took about a 1-2 weeks for my dad to build and had all the basic necessities. We let him freeroam whenever we would go outside and he didn't ever try to escape through our fences that enclosed the backyard. He would even jump on our backs and liked to get piggy back rides around the yard :3
If you decide to let them freeroam however make sure you watch them carefully. One morning i took my eye away for just a few seconds and a hawk straight decapitated him. I miss Billy
>>1990281
I shouldn't be surprised =]. That sounds like fun.
What kind of flooring do you have?
>>1990566
They don't deal well with the temperature swings of the outdoors, much less rain. In the wild they burrow underground where it doesn't get as cold or hot - probably hovers around 55 degrees F (13 C).
>>1990569
Not that anon, but usually you put a couple of litterboxes down and the rabbit will either use them or find a different corner that he prefers. You can try to retrain him, or just move the litterboxes. It's normal to get them to pee only in the litterbox (except when mad) but many aren't very careful about pooping there.
>>1990571
naw, it's a rabbit
she's a New Zealand rabbit
http://9gag.com/gag/anB0N3E
Hey rabbit anons, I have a few questions.
I want to raise meat rabbits. I have been researching the subject for a while. I want to raise my rabbits on pasture. The breeding rabbits will overwinter in a specially built building (we have deep snow six months a year, and bears and other predators). I want my rabbits to have good lives.
How do I keep them entertained?
Should I house them in same sex pairs?
Should I put windows in at bunny height (in my rabbit house) so they can see outside?
I've learned a lot from meat rabbit forums, but they don't often talk about bunny welfare (not that they aren't concerned with their rabbits well being).
>>1990784
(i own four bunnies, none of them is for meat, but i guess you want to keep them as house rabbits till you slaughter them, so i'll try to give you my best advice)
>How do I keep them entertained? toys, homemade or store bought. mine have teddies and snack balls, then i make toilet paper rolls with hay, but this only works if you have that toilet paper that can't be flushed when you have used it all, and remember to have stuff they can chew in, i use tree, sticks i buy for bunnies or sometimes i find sticks, but it have to be from specific trees, or else it can be poison
>Should I house them in same sex pairs?
WELL this really really depends, they breed, like really really really much, i would recommend only putting a male with a female if you want kids, or if one or both is netured. i though don't think you should let two bunnies live in the same cage, unless it's a big one. Really big, female rabbits are very territorial so i personally have four cages to each bunny, then they free roam so they have their own private area when they don't want company from the other three
>Should I put windows in at bunny height (in my rabbit house) so they can see outside?
Well i would say yes, but that is only because i know how much my oldest bun loves to watch out the window
>>1990886
>i guess you want to keep them as house rabbits till you slaughter them
No, they won't be in the house. They will not be regarded as pets. The rabbits will be kept in mobile pasture pens in the summer and a rabbit building in the winter. Most of the breeding will be done in the spring/summer so I can raise the kits on pasture.
>>1991012
well that's depressive..
Well you will still need space for your bunnies even if they have to be outside, i would make like two fenced areas, one for female and one for male, and still make sure there's good space, so they don't get fat, but muscular and don't fight with each other, and maybe you should have areas for each female, with a closed box so when she have her babies, she won't be stressed by the other bunnies
>>1991147
>well that's depressive..
Look, I know this is a pet bunny thread; but let's keep the conversation polite. I live in a rural mountain town. My food supply is not gurenteed. I live in a heavy snowfall area, it isn't uncommon to get several feet of snow overnight. I need my own meat animals. At least I care deeply about their wellbeing. You can't say that about grocery store meat.
>Well you will still need space for your bunnies
I plan on giving each rabbit 12 sqft
>you should have areas for each female, with a closed box so when she have her babies, she won't be stressed by the other bunnies
Yes, I know about nest boxes.
My main concern is the psychological well being of my bunnies. They will be indoors in cages half the year, I want to make sure they aren't bored, stressed or unhappy
>>1989676
Make absolutely sure that as soon as they start scratching their ears that you apply ear mite medication asap. Bunnies can die from ear mites, am serious as a hearth attack, had a floppy earrd rabbit die that way, felt terrible it was sooo cute use to try and hump my cat, asked guy I got it from what happened and that is when I found out bout ear mites.
>>1991166
Here is a pic of the rabbit pens I plan on using.
>>1991428
Keep the lower slats as flat as possible.
>>1991428
I'd lay something on top of that wooden grid on the ground. Looks really uncomfortable to walk around on.
they fucking shit everywhere, they make terrible indoor pets
>>1991166
sorry if i offended you, i'm not saying you shouldn't because i see the smart thing in having meat bunnies, and i'm not saying you do something wrong, i'm not disgusted or anything, it just makes me sad when animals are killed, you could tell you smashed a spider and i would find that depressive as well,i don't accuse you of wanting to hold your animals bad at all. Sorry if i came across that way.
But i understand that you want to make sure they don't feel stressed, and you do that by making sure they have private space away from other bunnies, have enough space so they can run and jump, and have some chewing / tossing toys so they have stuff to play with.
and make sure to have salt, minerals and calcium stones laying around for them to chew on, give them lots of veggies and unlimited amounts of fresh hay
they will make each other happy so make sure they don't go around alone all the time.
>>1991604
>>1991446
>>1991443
The point of the slats is so the pen can be picked up and moved once or twice a day. The idea is to allow them access to greens and grass.
>>1991443
>>1991446
>>1991604
The pen also has a hide box with a solid floor. The pens themselves are in a pasture surrounded by electric net fencing.
>>1991603
No problem, I just didn't want the discussion to turn ugly. You know that happens pretty easily here.
You can get creative with your wiring, OP, so they can't access wires to chew on. Don't leave any exposed if you can help it. My big bunny could bite through a large wire in one chomp. Don't leave clothes on the floor either.
Bunnies don't have much depth perception at all since their eyes are on the sides of their heads, so I wouldn't house them on a porch. They could jump off without realizing how far the ground is. Keeping them inside is better. All the rabbits we kept in hutches when I was young died at or before 6 yrs. Our house rabbits lived 10+ years.
Be careful taking them outside, wild rabbits can carry disease. Also almost lost my rabbit when a hunting dog came out of nowhere once. You can't trust other people to have their animals on leashes.
Lots of older rabbits will be costly, yeah. Teeth issues and GI stasis are expensive. Feeding them well from the getgo will help a little.
They are a prey species and may not show evidence of illness until they are very sick. I will always regret not taking my bunny to the vet at the first sign of illness, figured I could take her after I got out of work. It was too late by then. She was the best pet I ever had. Make sure you have a vet who knows about rabbits before you get one, too.
Keep your garbage covered if your rabbit is free range in the house!
also rabbit.org - not sure how this website is now but when I had a bunny years ago it was my bible.
I was given 2 rabbits by 2 different people that no longer wanted them. They were raised in small cages.
One is a Velveteen and the other is a long hair floppy ear.
I just let them loose in my chain link yard.
I have a large igloo dog house with hay in it for them to get out the weather if they need to. I feed them rabbit food in the morning and they eat grass the rest of the day.
Other than that I let them do their thing.
>>1992130
>also rabbit.org - not sure how this website is now but when I had a bunny years ago it was my bible.
Yeah, same here. I've come across some broken links, though.
The book Rabbits for Dummies is good too.
>>1991640
I get that, it just seems really uncomfortable for their feet.
>>1992836
You don't have to have any bottom to it. You can just slide it across the grass. The rabbit will move.
>>1992852
domestic rabbits are bred from european rabbits that dig warrens, not having a floor of some kind is asking for trouble
>>1989826
One I had lived about 7-8 years, only vet bills were spaying and shots every so often. Had a big area to run around in rather than just a hutch which I think helped a lot
>>1993500
i have had mine the oldest for two years now, (she is three) so far she haven't been sick at anytime, she is a house rabbit a freeroamer and well she is expensive yes, about 500 dollars each bunny, a month but that is only because i don't feed them store bought bunny food, i give them a million veggies and lots of hay
>>1989826
Mine lived for 7 years. when she was about 4 or 5 she got an abscess somewhere in her cheek, so she had an operation that was a bit pricey but other than that she was totally fine.
>>1989676
People who own rabbits are weird and can barely interact with other people without sounding vaguely autistic. Plan your life accordingly.
>>1993695
>about 500 dollars each bunny, a month but that is only because i don't feed them store bought bunny food, i give them a million veggies and lots of hay
I hope you're hilariously bad with numbers because otherwise you're getting badly ripped off and some farmer is laughing all the way to the bank. You could keep multiple horses in hay for the cost of keeping one bunny wabbit's tummy full.
>>1993816
it's not that i get ripped off it's that i keep my bunnies very active and make sure they never need a thing, they need a lot of toys, and the toys need to be shifted, they need separate play rooms and private space, then they need space for play time together, keep in mind they chew in everything so i mostly buy stuff of tree, which means i have to replace their stuff regularly.
i'm just treating my bunnies like king and queens, they are my babies, my bf calls me a crazy bunny lady
>>1993825
If it's actually because you buy them tons of toys and other luxuries, that's another story, but you did literally say that it's only because you don't feed them store bought food, you give them veggies and hay. And that's pretty misleading for anyone browsing the thread, you can keep a bunny on unlimited quality hay and leafy greens for a fraction of that cost.
>>1993825
Sounds like you're spoiling your rabbits, they're going to grow up to get loads of tattoos and piercings and have sex with hares
>>1994045
Was only having a giggle m8, it's good that you're treating them well
>>1994048
They deserve it! i choose to keep rabbits, so i need to do everything in my world to keep them healthy and happy, so far no one has needed a vet and i prevented a rescue i got from getting operated for his teeth, he was almost unable to chew in stuff because of too long teeth, so i said to myself if i haven't fixed this in a week i'll take him to the vet, so i started cutting veggies so he could chew them, but also bough those veggies that make them chew sideways so their teeth grinds, first he couldn't eat snacks and hard chewing candy, but after a week and a half there was no problems, and now 6 months after he has gain weight and i actually had to put him on a diet, because he grew so fond of food.
god i love bunnies! <3
they are like cat's but just more independent, like the most amazing animal in the world! <3
Recommendations for rabbit pellets?
I can't afford an all veggie diet so they get pellets for dinner. Right now I'm using Zupreem because it has a high fiber content but are there any others that might be better?
They get a cup of veggies each every morning and unlimited hay all day in addition to their night time pellets. (2/3s a cup each)
Pic related these are my kids
I'm also thinking about getting a bunny, I've had some cats and dogs before but never a rabbit. Since I moved into this apartment I've been missing a pet. My only concerns are that I work in the evenings and I know they need to socialize. But my roommate will be there and friends pop in and out all the time so I think it will be okay as long as I get a nice sized play pen. My roommate is a little concerned about the smell though. I don't know if this is a good idea or if randomly going to the pet store was a bad idea
>>1995154
You should get two to start off. They need that socialization.
The smell isnt really a big issue, at least not for me. My two live in my bedroom and i only notice it when i dont change their litterboxes often enough.
Getting your rabbit(s) fixed will also help with the smell, unaltered bucks have some stinky pee. And they spray.
>>1994045
I do think you're slightly bonkers, but in the best possible way. Your rabbits sound like they have a wonderful life and I'm glad they're making you happy in return- you really do get what you put into them, they're very funny, curious little pets when they're happy and healthy and comfortable around their owner.
>>1995176
they are amazing, when my first bunny got babies she fed then in front of me, and often wanted me to cuddle and company her while she was feeding her babies.
I love them so much, i must admit i'm probably a bit crazy, but that's how you get when you suffer from anxiety and your bf allows you to bond to animals, i'm a very lucky girl and i'm just greatfull i'm allowed to be a part of some animals life and is capable of making their life luxus!
who doesn't wish they were born into a rich and good family?
oh man my aunt just got in her shop three of the most adorable dutch rejects I've ever seen.
and I've love to take home all three of them, but I don't a hutch or the space or anything,
it sucks
>>1989676
I have a buck, good to get them desexed. They chew everything. Mine lives in my room in a 2x2 foot cage that is cleaned and given fresh hay daily. I let him run around my room and play with empty toilet rolls filled with treats to keep him entertained. You don't need more than 1 bun, as long as you spend time with it daily. Males love affection, females tend to be a bit more nasty. Other than keeping things you want to not be chewed out of reach, bunnies are funny, affectionate and adorable pets. Just make sure you get it something to chew on like a rabbit wood block :)
>>1997347
>You don't need more than 1 bun, as long as you spend time with it daily.
No, humans can never be a proper substitute for all the social behavior bunnies have among each other.
