Petfinder.com forums :: View topic - 2/21 -2/27 Rabbit Adoption and Care!! [ ]

Last edited by Petadmin on Tue Feb 22, 2011 11:07 pm; edited 4 times in total

Ever wonder what goes into caring for an adopted rabbit? The best way to introduce one rabbit to another? Or just what your rabbit's behavior means? Well bring those rabbit questions! This week we will be joined by experts Mary Lempert of The Rabbit Advocate and the Founders of Hug-A-Bunny Rabbit Rescue! A bit about our experts:

Mary is the founder and manager of The Rabbit Advocate. She is a long time rabbit owner, foster parent, Licensed Educator for the House Rabbit Society, and formerly an adoption counselor & hotline volunteer for the House Rabbit Network and rabbit behavior consultant to the Boston MSPCA. More recently, she volunteers with the Almost Home Humane Society in Lafayette, Indiana as a rabbit care and behavior consultant and surgical assistant at the shelter's clinic. She lives in West Lafayette, IN, with her rabbits Graysie and Willoughby and any number of foster bunnies.

Hug-a-Bunny Rabbit Rescue is a 501(c)(3) organization in northern New Jersey that rescues, rehabilitates, and re-homes rabbits in need. We rescue rabbits from shelters in our area, as well as from personal surrenders and occasionally right off the streets! We get all of our rescued rabbits the medical care they need and have them all spayed and neutered before they find their permanent, loving homes. ALL of our rabbits are adopted to indoor homes only and are all litterbox trained. Please check out our blog (hugabunnyrabbitrescue.blogspot.com) for more information about us- and about rabbit care in general! Please visit our website to read about our rescue and see our adoptable rabbits! http://hugabunny.petfinder.com

Welcome!!

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 4:44 pm Post subject:

I have a 3 year old spay female rabbit who has recently started nibbling on my rugs. I like to let her have free roam and don’t want to have to confining her, but I’m not sure how to correct this. Any suggestions?

Mary's Answer:

Hi bunbun,
Thanks for writing in! Problem chewing is a common issue with rabbits, which is not surprising considering their constantly growing teeth and universal love of nibbling. Carpet chewing is especially popular among rabbits because they tend to like chewing objects that are secured (don't move easily when chewed). The best way to curb this bad behavior is to make sure to provide many safe alternatives. Some options include cardboard, wood chew toys, or calcium/mineral chews available from petstores; you can secure these items to the cage or exercise pen wall to make them more attractive. Some rabbits really enjoy the soft texture of the carpet, so if this seems to be the case, you can provide similar objects-- such as towels, blankets, or even carpet squares. However, if you decide to provide these items, you must make sure she isn't ingesting any of the fibers, as this could cause gastrointestinal complications.
Besides providing safe alternatives, you can also try correcting the behavior by physically moving her head away or clapping, which will require consistent supervision and temporary confinement during the training period, or by distracting her with a fun game or snuggle session when she is misbehaving.
Keep in mind that oftentimes rabbits chew or dig incessantly because they are bored or seeking attention, so make sure she is recieving plenty of mental stimulation through interaction, toys, environment, and exercise. You can even think of adopting a bondmate for her to keep her company while you're away. Lastly, note that behaviors like this tend to decrease with age, so keep up with the positive reinforcement and distractions and you should see a decrease in chewing behaviors. Good luck!
--
Mary
The Rabbit Advocate

Hug-A-Bunny's Answer:

Hi Bunbun! Thanks for emailing in your question! People constantly ask us why their rabbits are always chewing! As Mary mentioned, rabbits have teeth that are always growing. In order to satisfy the need to keep their teeth perfectly trim, rabbits will chew constantly. Of course you can’t stop a rabbit from chewing altogether, but you can provide wonderful alternatives to the chewing of your carpet!

First, providing rabbits with an unlimited source of timothy hay to chew on is not only good for their gastrointestinal tract, but also satisfies their need to chew! This may become a great distraction from your carpet while also keeping your rabbit very healthy. We give all of our rescued rabbits unlimited access to soft timothy hay (our favorite is Oxbow’s Western Timothy hay, but everyone has their favorite). We also give them dark, leafy greens to chew on daily!

As Mary stated, rabbits are very intelligent and are easily trained. If you redirect your rabbit, this can often stop the unwanted behavior. However, we know you’re not home with your rabbit to supervise 24 hours a day, and therefore aren’t there to constantly redirect her! It’s been our experience that rabbits may fixate on a certain area or corner- if this is the case, you can cover up the area she’s really interested in with a piece of cardboard, a litterbox, or even a sea grass or grass mat! http://store.busybunny.com/double-weave-sea-grass-mats---large-kp-1-p1113.aspx
http://store.busybunny.com/grass-mats---large-bb-74-p767.aspx

The best thing we’ve found to keep our rabbits happy and busy have been toys and treats to distract them from the unwanted behavior. It doesn’t eliminate chewing, but makes it more acceptable! For example, providing rabbits with cardboard boxes as houses, old toilet paper rolls (stuffed with timothy hay as an added bonus), or wooden toys can all keep your rabbit busy and still satisfy their need to chew. Above all, we’ve found that untreated willow tents, tunnels, balls, and rings have been voted the best by our foster rabbits and adopted rabbits! Our favorites are from BusyBunny.com- the unpeeled tent is definitely a favorite- and they’re having a sale right now!

Busy Bunny’s Willow Rings
http://store.busybunny.com/bunny-chew-ring-bb-6-p56.aspx

Busy Bunny’s Jumbo Willow Ball
http://store.busybunny.com/jumbo-willow-ball-bb-31-p166.aspx

Busy Bunny’s Tent Tunnel
http://store.busybunny.com/tent-tunnel-bb-18-p286.aspx

Our rabbits can chew on these to their heart’s content, satisfy their need to pull and chew, and (hopefully) stay away from your carpets! Good luck- thanks for writing in!

Jamie & Frannie
Co-Directors, Hug-a-Bunny Rabbit Rescue, Inc.

Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:55 pm Post subject:

I had been considering adopting a second bunny for sometime and after finding what seems to be a good match for my 2 year old male, I adopted my second bun. They get along very well but recently it seems like my first rabbit doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do?

Mary's Answer:

Hi Casey219,

Thanks for writing in with this excellent question! First off: don’t worry. It is perfectly normal, and even expected, that things may change when you introduce a new character into a relationship. Let’s face it—your first rabbit has just found his bunny soul mate and he is eagerly loving every moment they spend together. This is fantastic news, and you should consider yourself lucky! Many bunny bonding sessions do not go this smoothly (it can even take months to convince two adamant rabbits that they like each other). So, overall, it is not unusual that your first bunny is a bit distracted right now.

In order to assuage this love-triangle situation, you may need to put a little extra effort into your relationship with both buns. Whereas in the past, your first rabbit may have run up to you for snuggles or play time, you may now have to initiate such interactions from here on out. I’d recommend getting down on the floor with the two of them and giving them simultaneous back rubs, head pats, etc. Give them a few treats while you’re there. Talk to them. Spend some time with them. Build a relationship with your newly adopted rabbit. Establish your place in the love-triangle. Hopefully, they’ll realize that while nothing can replace bunny love, a rabbit friend can’t quite give the same quality ear scratches as a human friend and other bunnies don’t come with an endless supply of raisins. This should validate your position as both of their companions. And while it’s normal to feel a little jealous of your rabbit’s newfound love, try thinking of how happy they are together when you’re gone during the day or think of the cuddles they can make all night! And recognize that this slight shift in your relationship’s dynamic is a small sacrifice for saving another homeless animal’s life!

--Mary
The Rabbit Advocate

Hug-a-Bunny's Answer:

Hi Casey 219!

This is a great question, and actually is probably more common than you think! Like Mary mentioned, bonding two rabbits can actually be quite a difficult task, sometimes taking months to bond a pair of rabbits. Once bonded, a true bonded pair of rabbits become a single unit and come to depend on one another for their happiness and security. They groom each other, lay together, and eat together! I’ve seldom seen anything cuter than a bonded pair snuggling together. What you’ve got going on with your bunnies is hard to achieve and is wonderful! You achieved your goal of finding him a friend- nice work! I’m sure many people stuck in the bonding process are pretty jealous of your new pair!

It’s no surprise that your rabbit may be approaching you less, given that he has a new rabbit companion to fulfill many of the needs he once needed you for. Bonded pairs naturally need humans less, but that doesn’t mean they love you any less! Make special time to hang out around your bunnies, give them both your love and attention, and maybe even a few treats too! This will not only fulfill your need to be around him, but will make sure he remembers how much you love him! Even though he may not be approaching you as much to initiate, I’m sure he will love to spend some bonding time with you (and his new mate) as often as you can.

Don’t feel upset by your rabbit’s decrease in attention towards you and please don’t take it personally. He’s so happy to have a lagomorph companion and is just a bit distracted right now! Enjoy your new bonded pair- two rabbits are definitely better than one- and you saved another life!

Good luck!

Jamie & Frannie
Hug-a-Bunny Rabbit Rescue

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 9:13 am Post subject:

Hello and thanks for being here to answer our questions. I have been interested in have a rabbit for awhile, but I currently have a 6 y.o. cat. Can these two types of pets ever share a house together? If they could, how do you go about seeing if they would get along?

Mary's Answer:

Hi LisaF,

Thanks for another great question! You may be surprised to hear that most rabbits get along great with cats (and dogs!) and can even develop strong bonds to each other. Bonded cat/rabbit pairs will engage in play behaviors and even make snuggles together on the couch. In fact, many interspecies families report that it is their rabbits who establish themselves at the top of the social hierarchy, and, when in the mood, may start bossing around the family dog or cat!

While it is important to remember that each animal is an individual, it may be helpful to consider that in general, larger breeds of rabbits tend to be calmer and more easy-going than the dwarf varieties. We tend to recommend this laid-back personality style for adopters with dogs, cats, and even young children (yes, they all get placed in the same category!). Dogs and cats usually give more respect to larger rabbits, making it easier for them to recognize the new bunny as friend, not food. Of course, as with any interspecies interactions, constant supervision is extremely important. Both animals should be spayed or neutered prior to introduction and their nails should be trimmed frequently to prevent accidental injuries. If your rabbit will be free-range, you may need to either switch the type of litter you use in your cat's box to a non-clumping, dust-free kind, or move your cat's litterbox to a place only accessible by your cat, as most cat litters can cause respiratory or digestive problems in rabbits.

As for the best way to find a long-eared friend for you and your cat, I’d recommend getting in touch with a rabbit rescue in your area. Rescues have the added benefit of having the foster parents’ candid insights into the individual rabbits' personalities. Many foster homes may already include a cat or dog, and therefore could provide an accurate idea of what to expect.

I hope it all works out—nothing beats those interspecies snuggles! Good luck!
--
Mary Lempert
The Rabbit Advocate

(Above: Bunbun, adopted from the MSPCA in Massachusetts, and her feline friend Mouse, adopted from the Humane Society of Waupaca in Wisconsin, are best buds. They live in Boston, MA, with their human friends, Kelly and Eric.)

Hug-a-Bunny's Answer:

Hi LisaF,

What a great question! It’s so nice that you are thinking ahead before adopting a rabbit! I have to say, many people are surprised to find out that rabbits and cats can actually make wonderful companions. More docile cats, who do not have an intense prey drive (meaning they chase every dust particle that floats), have been known to be great companions with rabbits. We’ve had quite a few rabbits adopted peacefully into homes with one or more cats!

As Mary stated, the most important thing is knowing that you will always be there to supervise the interactions between the two. If there is ever any chasing or predator-type behaviors from your cat (please remember, cats are natural hunters), you’ll have to be right there to intervene. Rabbits are prey animals and can get scared easily, especially if they feel cornered. This I’m sure is something you assumed already- but is something we always tell people.

The funniest part of this question is that in our experience, we’ve found that cats typically have been unsure of rabbits and why they have such long ears! I have two cats of my own who are actually afraid of my rabbits! When Bumper, my large male French lop is running around the house, both of my cats make sure they are safely on top of a bed or chair where he can’t sniff them! Occasionally they’ll be brave enough to sniff his nose, but that’s the extent of it! This may not be typical (I may have two “scardy-cats,” no pun intended) but in my experience it takes time for the cats to even realize rabbits aren’t just funny looking cats!

You may want to see if your local rescues keep their rabbits in foster care. Our rescue in northern, NJ keeps ALL of our rabbits in foster homes in our general area, we have no shelter. Due to this, our rabbits are able to be exposed to all different living situations. Many of our foster parents have cats, while others have dogs and children. Some even have all three! This is a huge benefit to us, since we’re able to see how our rabbits do in different situations. You might want to look for a rabbit who has already been exposed to cats to some degree, and who doesn’t seem scared by it. We’ve actually had people like you (one recently actually) who were specifically looking for a rabbit who is used to being around cats. We’ve known many wonderful rabbits who have gone on to live in wonderful homes with cats! We just adopted out our special needs rabbit, Leo, to a wonderful and very observant home with several cats. He lives in a room alone with an FeLV+ cat named Pinchita. Feel free to read this blog about Leo’s story!

http://anniemiz.typepad.com/thesecondhalf/2011/01/rabbit-blogging-show-me-the-bunny.html#tp

Jamie & Frannie
Hug-a-Bunny Rabbit Rescue

Posted: Fri Feb 25, 2011 10:57 pm Post subject:

My four month old rabbit is going to the bathroom all over my house! I want to be able to keep him out but he seems to go everywhere but the litter box. help!

Mary's Answer:

Hi arkham,

Thanks for writing in with this frequently asked question! From your description of his age and habits, I am going to guess that your rabbit isn’t neutered. Believe it or not, learning litterbox habits is extremely difficult for intact males and females. Your four month old male is just entering his adolescent phase and his hormones are raging (just think—in the wild, their survival strategy is to produce as many offspring as possible, hence popular comparisons such as “multiplying like rabbits.” It is no wonder then that bunny hormones get especially enraged!). Your rabbit’s hormones are not only telling him to reproduce, but also instructing him to mark as much territory as he can. And as you have noticed, this is exactly what he's doing. You may have even seen him spraying his urine in order to further maximize his territory. What a mess! The moral of the story is that in order to have a manageable rabbit, spaying and neutering is necessary. (Read more about the benefits of spaying and neutering—from combating behavioral issues to avoiding serious health problems—here. Once your rabbit is neutered, it will take about a month for the hormones to filter out of his body, at which point he will no longer be ruled by his hormones and thus capable of making intelligent decisions. Then, simply providing a litterbox in the corner of his cage where he goes most often is all that it takes to establish litterbox use.

You’ll want to make sure the litterbox is spacious and inviting. Place a large handful of hay inside the box, on top of a thick layer of rabbit-safe litter; the hay encourages litterbox habits since nibbling hay and going to the bathroom are interrelated rabbit activities.

Some rabbits do not immediately take to the litterbox, and require some extra encouragement. The two main strategies here are temporarily limiting space and freedom, and providing several litterboxes. While you are in the process of litterbox training, you’ll have to restrict your rabbit’s space by keeping him contained in a large cage until he shows consistent litterbox use. You may even have to place two litterboxes inside his cage. Once he has mastered his litterbox habits in the cage, use an exercise pen to slowly increase his space. Giving him too much room too fast can lead to him forgetting his litterbox even exists. Make sure you provide a litterbox in the space outside his cage too. As he becomes better with using his litterbox, you can decrease the number of boxes back to one or two. Eventually, you’ll be able to allow free-roam in an entire room or several rooms of the house without any accidents.

Chances are your bunny will adapt perfectly to his litterbox once he’s been neutered, so don’t stress out. And if he doesn’t, a week or two of restricting space and providing extra litterboxes usually does the trick. Best of luck to you two!

--
Mary Lempert
The Rabbit Advocate

Hug-a-Bunny's Answer:

Hey Arkham!

You definitely have an issue on your hands! J I hope the advice Mary and I can give you will be helpful and will allow you and your rabbit to live in perfect harmony!

First thing’s first- is your rabbit neutered? At four months, I’ll have to assume he’s not. Most people will have this routine procedure done for male rabbits anywhere from 4-6 months of age. It’s best to do it as soon as your vet feels it is appropriate for many reasons. One of these reasons is that it will help calm down his hormones. We’ve also noticed that rabbits who are neutered are much easier to litterbox train (in part, due to the decrease in hormones) and are less likely to spray urine. One you have tackled this step, give it a few weeks to see if the problem clears itself up (it has for many of our rescued rabbits).

We’ve rescued rabbits from all sorts of horrible situations- abandoned farms, meat farms, outdoor “hutch rabbits,” abuse cases, rabbits who lived in their own waste for long periods of time, and many other bad situations. Each of these rabbits has become litterbox trained very quickly once we use certain products and are consistent with the litterbox training.

First, we always start our rabbits in a small area. Even if we intend for them to one day be “free roam,” as you’re hoping for, the smaller the area- the more consistency. Hug-a-Bunny has our own way of litterbox training- and we know everyone does it differently! I’ll share with you how we do it, and maybe that will help you and your rabbit!

We typically use a square hi-bac litterbox, or a medium-sized cat litterbox will work too. The product we prefer to use is Carefresh bedding, which is a grey recycled paper product. We put about an inch (or less) of Carefresh in the litterbox and a bit of hay in one of the front corners, since rabbits love to eat and go to the bathroom at the same time. If the rabbit we’re training pees outside of the box, we soak it up with the Carefresh and put it in one of the corners of the litterbox. We throw any stray poops (which are dry and odorless) back in the litterbox as well. While we’re training, we let the litterbox get a little dirty (meaning we don’t clean it every day) while the rabbit gains consistency with using the box. Rabbits typically urinate in one of the back corners- so that’s where you’ll be looking for it! Even our hardest-to-train rescued rabbits have gotten the hang of this pretty quickly! Rabbits are very smart and clean, and once they understand what you’re asking for, they will typically follow suit.

Limit your rabbit’s space until his skills are better- exercise pen is a wonderful way to give your rabbit lots of room, while still keeping your house “unmarked” at the same time! As he perfects his skills, you can open up access to more rooms in the house. With good litterbox skills, he will get rewarded! When he does have more access to the house again, you may need to put a litterbox in every room in your house to keep him consistent (I actually put one in every room of my house) and to stop him from picking the nearest corner.

Good luck with your litterbox re-training! A combination of neutering and some adjustments with litterboxes should be the trick!

Good luck!

Jamie & Frannie
Hug-a-Bunny Rabbit Rescue

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