The Rabbit Thread
- Thread starter RabbitLuvr
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AeryFairy
Anachronism
Lord Snot
Parsley Provider
Oh yay, somewhere to post about bunny all the time 
I miss him. I feel so bad going off to work and leaving him. I have discovered the key to stop him throwing tantrums is to wait until he voluntarily goes into his hutch. Then if I lock him in he doesn't mind. It's just if I herd him in and then shut it he gets very angry, like Chryssie said it's a tactic with children - make them think they made the choice.
I know he will be sleeping now and he will only be awake about half an hour before I get home. But I hope he isn't lonely and bored.
I miss him.
I feel so bad going off to work and leaving him. I have discovered the key to stop him throwing tantrums is to wait until he voluntarily goes into his hutch. Then if I lock him in he doesn't mind. It's just if I herd him in and then shut it he gets very angry, like Chryssie said it's a tactic with children - make them think they made the choice.I know he will be sleeping now and he will only be awake about half an hour before I get home. But I hope he isn't lonely and bored.
OP
OP
OP
OP
Oh yay, somewhere to post about bunny all the time
I miss him.
I know he will be sleeping now and he will only be awake about half an hour before I get home. But I hope he isn't lonely and bored.
Awww, poor Bunny!
I have mine trained to go back in their pens at the end of playtime by saying "bedtime" or "treat." When they go in, they can have their bedtime treat. Everyone gets a treat right before I go to bed, if they've been out for playtime or not. Since that's usually around the same time each night, some of them will just go back in before I tell them. Amelia, on the other hand, will grab her treat and then run off to hide somewhere before I get her pen closed up.
Lord Snot
Parsley Provider
I always say "bedtime, bunny" when I lock him in at night, and in the day I say "be good, bunny". I made a mistake at first, I got him when I was off so I was staying up late and waking up late. The only routine I gave him was pellets at 7am and veggies at 7pm. Now he is understandably confused when he's being locked in at different times, it's my fault. When Mr Snot is back we will agree on a routine and then stick to it so he won't feel so frustrated when he's locked up.
Amelia sounds very naughty and very smart
Amelia sounds very naughty and very smart
OP
OP
He will get used to a new routine, then there will be fewer tantrums. Bunnies love routine!
Amelia is very naughty and smart! I do think she is the smartest of all my bunnies. She is quite a character.
Amelia is very naughty and smart! I do think she is the smartest of all my bunnies. She is quite a character.
Lord Snot
Parsley Provider
I think we need more pictures of your bunnies.
I really want to get a pic of Harry yawning, and a video of him binkying. But it's all over so fast
I really want to get a pic of Harry yawning, and a video of him binkying. But it's all over so fast
OP
OP
I will post some when I'm at my computer! I think I have a video of Nick and Amelia running laps in the living room. If I can ever figure out how to turn it right side up, I also have a video of Nick washing his face. I loved that little guy so much.
Lord Snot
Parsley Provider
D'awww
I would like to hear of inventive ways rabbit keepers have of feeding their friends. I like to make Harry work for his veg, just to stimulate him and also to prolong it. I managed to stretch it out to just over 41 minutes yesterday with the use of a tight cardboard box with holes poked in it. I want to try stuffing it with hay in a paper bag, but paper bags are not at all common over here so I'll have to wait until I get one.
I would like to hear of inventive ways rabbit keepers have of feeding their friends. I like to make Harry work for his veg, just to stimulate him and also to prolong it. I managed to stretch it out to just over 41 minutes yesterday with the use of a tight cardboard box with holes poked in it. I want to try stuffing it with hay in a paper bag, but paper bags are not at all common over here so I'll have to wait until I get one.
Lord Snot
Parsley Provider
Somebun enjoys trashing our bedroom. But I don't mind, he obviously has a lot of fun tearing up newspaper and he loves his apple sticks
This is titled "Gemma talks like a moron to Harry Flopper"
OP
OP
This is Opal and Benjamin! She's actually much smaller than him, but they always hunch up when they're together, so it's hard to tell their size.
Opal, after destroying a phone book:
Benjamin, hiding in his house:
Poor Opal is feeling a bit under the weather today. She grooms Benjamin's long, thick fur so much, and ends up swallowing a lot of it. She's had several bouts of tummy trouble because of it. She did eat a bit of her salad this morning (not much, though), and a few bites of hay. I gave her a big dose of simethicone this morning in case she has some gas, and will give her some pumpkin this evening. Hopefully that will take care of it.
Opal, after destroying a phone book:
Benjamin, hiding in his house:
Poor Opal is feeling a bit under the weather today. She grooms Benjamin's long, thick fur so much, and ends up swallowing a lot of it. She's had several bouts of tummy trouble because of it. She did eat a bit of her salad this morning (not much, though), and a few bites of hay. I gave her a big dose of simethicone this morning in case she has some gas, and will give her some pumpkin this evening. Hopefully that will take care of it.
Lord Snot
Parsley Provider
Oh my goodness, they are adorable! I love Benjamin's floppy ears and he DOES have gorgeous fur, I can understand why Opal likes to groom him. I love her eye markings, she's so cool she wears sunglasses all the time.
Although, Benjamin is not very good at hiding, I could tell right away where he was
Does pumpkin help with tummy trouble?
Although, Benjamin is not very good at hiding, I could tell right away where he was
Does pumpkin help with tummy trouble?
AeryFairy
Anachronism
OP
OP
It's too bad you can't really get canned pumpkin in the UK. (At least not as easily?) I always have some on hand for the bunnies. It's nice for them because it has a lot of fiber, and it's pretty wet, so it helps their digestion to move along and gives them a bit of fluid if they haven't been drinking water. It also has no sugar or other additives, so it's quite healthy for them.
I give it to everyone occasionally as a treat, so they are more likely to eat it if they're feeling a bit poorly.
Lord Snot
Parsley Provider
I've seen it, I will look for it next time I go shopping and keep some in the cupboard
OP
OP
The story of Opal and Benjamin:
Benjamin was in a local shelter for several weeks. The shelter manager called our rescue a couple days before he was scheduled to be euthanized. There were no foster spots available, so the rescue manager sent out an email begging someone to take him. Husband and I didn't have space, and weren't allowed another animal in our apartment, but we were in the process of closing on our house so we decided to take him. We agreed to try him with Tobi, and if they didn't get along we would trade him out for a different bunny. (We already had three bunnies at that point.)
He was very depressed when we got him, and barely touched his food for several days. All he did was sulk around and hide from us. It took him about two weeks before he was eating again, and a couple weeks more before he even tried eating salad. I don't think he had ever had veggies before. (He was already about 2 years old at that time.)
He didn't work out with Tobi, but Husband declared "we can't trade him, he is a rabbit, not a commodity!" So I built him a permanent pen and he stayed.
He has never liked being petted, but if I can start rubbing the base of his ears before he runs away, he will purr. He periscopes a lot, and he thumps at me when he is excited. Salad and treat times are very noisy! He is still quite timid, and doesn't like to come out of his pen for playtime. (He comes out more now, if Opal comes out, too.)
He seemed so sad and lonely we decided to adopt a friend for him. We took him to one of the rescue meetings, and there were three young bunnies (about three months old) that had just come in. They were siblings who had been left in a cardboard box by someone's mailbox. We tried Benjamin with both girls. I had never seen him so interested in anything! He liked them both, so I chose for him. Opal was smaller and looked a little different than her siblings. We took her home that day. (Her brother and sister were bonded together, and are now sanctuary bunnies with the rescue, as they are interested only in each other and they don't get a lot of interest from people looking to adopt.)
It took me a year to get them bonded, but part of that was waiting for Opal to be old enough to be spayed, and recovery time after. (Right before she was spayed, she built a nest! It was so cute.)
Bonding was easier after she was spayed, and Benjamin quit trying to hump her all the time. Now they live together happily and snuggle all the time.
Benjamin was in a local shelter for several weeks. The shelter manager called our rescue a couple days before he was scheduled to be euthanized. There were no foster spots available, so the rescue manager sent out an email begging someone to take him. Husband and I didn't have space, and weren't allowed another animal in our apartment, but we were in the process of closing on our house so we decided to take him. We agreed to try him with Tobi, and if they didn't get along we would trade him out for a different bunny. (We already had three bunnies at that point.)
He was very depressed when we got him, and barely touched his food for several days. All he did was sulk around and hide from us. It took him about two weeks before he was eating again, and a couple weeks more before he even tried eating salad. I don't think he had ever had veggies before.
(He was already about 2 years old at that time.)He didn't work out with Tobi, but Husband declared "we can't trade him, he is a rabbit, not a commodity!" So I built him a permanent pen and he stayed.
He has never liked being petted, but if I can start rubbing the base of his ears before he runs away, he will purr. He periscopes a lot, and he thumps at me when he is excited. Salad and treat times are very noisy! He is still quite timid, and doesn't like to come out of his pen for playtime. (He comes out more now, if Opal comes out, too.)
He seemed so sad and lonely we decided to adopt a friend for him. We took him to one of the rescue meetings, and there were three young bunnies (about three months old) that had just come in. They were siblings who had been left in a cardboard box by someone's mailbox. We tried Benjamin with both girls. I had never seen him so interested in anything! He liked them both, so I chose for him. Opal was smaller and looked a little different than her siblings. We took her home that day. (Her brother and sister were bonded together, and are now sanctuary bunnies with the rescue, as they are interested only in each other and they don't get a lot of interest from people looking to adopt.)
It took me a year to get them bonded, but part of that was waiting for Opal to be old enough to be spayed, and recovery time after. (Right before she was spayed, she built a nest! It was so cute.)
Bonding was easier after she was spayed, and Benjamin quit trying to hump her all the time. Now they live together happily and snuggle all the time.
OP
OP
I've seen it, I will look for it next time I go shopping and keep some in the cupboard
Just make sure it's plain, no added sugar or spices. A good, but more expensive, alternative is baby food squash.
In a pinch, you could cut and steam a squash, then let it cool and mash it a bit. It's just not as convenient as having a can in the cupboard.
I have even seen people give their bunnies whole pie pumpkins (the small ones) as a treat this time of year.
Lord Snot
Parsley Provider
Awww RL, that is such a cute story. I'm so glad Benjamin and Opal found each other, and you. It just shows how you care more about the bunnies than your own desires, I saw some people on forums say they weren't going to get their bunny bonded in case s/he lost interest in the human.
It just shows how you care more about the bunnies than your own desires, I saw some people on forums say they weren't going to get their bunny bonded in case s/he lost interest in the human.
AeryFairy
Anachronism
Awww RL, that is such a cute story. I'm so glad Benjamin and Opal found each other, and you.
Not about bunnies, but my kitty was adopted out of the shelter and then returned after a week because she wasn't paying enough attention to people/being interesting enough.
Funnily enough, after a few weeks with me, she wouldn't leave me alone
stupid people.
