Comments for The House Rabbit Website http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk Care for house rabbits and pet rabbits Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:05:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Comment on Outdoor Rabbits by Susie Stone http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/outdoor.html#comment-6045 Susie Stone Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:05:28 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-6045 Hi Richard, Thank you for your last reply it was very helpful. As I said before we are new rabbit owners and our baby lop Tipsy is 9 weeks old and she seems to eat all the time! We are feeding her in the morning but by lunch time she has nothing left, we are also giving her hay to eat as well as fresh water each day – is this nornal, we were told to fill her bowl (normal rabbit bowl) half full with the food the breeder give us which seems to be a mixture of pellets and muesli ( we could only get nuggets from Pets at home, what would you recommend?) We have been letting her out every day for half and hour to an hour for exercise, do you recommend this my daughter is afraid she will get wild as she loves this and does not want to go back into her hutch, she is jumping and having appears to be having great fun. We have also noticed she seems to be eating her hay. I am cleaning her cage out every 2nd day and using compressed wood shavings on the bottom and then staw and hay. The breeder we bought her from only used hay, could this be the reason she appears to be eating the straw. Thank you for your help, we are really enjoying our new rabbit but it is a bit daunting we just want to make sure we are doing this best for her and dont have anyone to ask Susie Reply Leave a Reply Hi Richard, Thank you for your last reply it was very helpful. As I said before we are new rabbit owners and our baby lop Tipsy is 9 weeks old and she seems to eat all the time! We are feeding her in the morning but by lunch time she has nothing left, we are also giving her hay to eat as well as fresh water each day – is this nornal, we were told to fill her bowl (normal rabbit bowl) half full with the food the breeder give us which seems to be a mixture of pellets and muesli ( we could only get nuggets from Pets at home, what would you recommend?) We have been letting her out every day for half and hour to an hour for exercise, do you recommend this my daughter is afraid she will get wild as she loves this and does not want to go back into her hutch, she is jumping and having appears to be having great fun. We have also noticed she seems to be eating her hay. I am cleaning her cage out every 2nd day and using compressed wood shavings on the bottom and then staw and hay. The breeder we bought her from only used hay, could this be the reason she appears to be eating the straw. Thank you for your help, we are really enjoying our new rabbit but it is a bit daunting we just want to make sure we are doing this best for her and dont have anyone to ask Susie

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]]> Comment on Keeping Rabbits Together by Richard Lord http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/keeping-rabbits-together.html#comment-6036 Richard Lord Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:38:13 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-6036 Hi Bob Yes it sounds like you are on the right track. Introducing rabbits to each other at a young age is often easier than when they are older. One thing to be careful of as they start to get towards maturity is making sure that they really are both female. It is very difficult to tell the correct sex of a baby rabbit, it gets easier when they are a little older. You don't want to find out that you have a boy and a girl when it's too late and they have babies...! When you are introducing your rabbits to each other, use some of the tips given on this page, and keep a close eye on them at first to make sure that they don't fight. Expect a bit of nosing at each other and maybe chasing each other at first as they establish their relationship with each other. Good luck with the introduction! Richard Hi Bob
Yes it sounds like you are on the right track. Introducing rabbits to each other at a young age is often easier than when they are older. One thing to be careful of as they start to get towards maturity is making sure that they really are both female. It is very difficult to tell the correct sex of a baby rabbit, it gets easier when they are a little older. You don’t want to find out that you have a boy and a girl when it’s too late and they have babies…!
When you are introducing your rabbits to each other, use some of the tips given on this page, and keep a close eye on them at first to make sure that they don’t fight. Expect a bit of nosing at each other and maybe chasing each other at first as they establish their relationship with each other. Good luck with the introduction!
Richard

]]> Comment on Feeding Rabbits by Susie Stone http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/food.html#comment-5967 Susie Stone Sat, 12 Nov 2011 11:45:33 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5967 Hi Richard, Thank you for your last reply it was very helpful. As I said before we are new rabbit owners and our baby lop Tipsy is 9 weeks old and she seems to eat all the time! We are feeding her in the morning but by lunch time she has nothing left, we are also giving her hay to eat as well as fresh water each day - is this nornal, we were told to fill her bowl (normal rabbit bowl) half full with the food the breeder give us which seems to be a mixture of pellets and muesli ( we could only get nuggets from Pets at home, what would you recommend?) We have been letting her out every day for half and hour to an hour for exercise, do you recommend this my daughter is afraid she will get wild as she loves this and does not want to go back into her hutch, she is jumping and having appears to be having great fun. We have also noticed she seems to be eating her hay. I am cleaning her cage out every 2nd day and using compressed wood shavings on the bottom and then staw and hay. The breeder we bought her from only used hay, could this be the reason she appears to be eating the straw. Thank you for your help, we are really enjoying our new rabbit but it is a bit daunting we just want to make sure we are doing this best for her and dont have anyone to ask Susie Hi Richard, Thank you for your last reply it was very helpful. As I said before we are new rabbit owners and our baby lop Tipsy is 9 weeks old and she seems to eat all the time! We are feeding her in the morning but by lunch time she has nothing left, we are also giving her hay to eat as well as fresh water each day – is this nornal, we were told to fill her bowl (normal rabbit bowl) half full with the food the breeder give us which seems to be a mixture of pellets and muesli ( we could only get nuggets from Pets at home, what would you recommend?) We have been letting her out every day for half and hour to an hour for exercise, do you recommend this my daughter is afraid she will get wild as she loves this and does not want to go back into her hutch, she is jumping and having appears to be having great fun. We have also noticed she seems to be eating her hay. I am cleaning her cage out every 2nd day and using compressed wood shavings on the bottom and then staw and hay. The breeder we bought her from only used hay, could this be the reason she appears to be eating the straw. Thank you for your help, we are really enjoying our new rabbit but it is a bit daunting we just want to make sure we are doing this best for her and dont have anyone to ask Susie

]]> Comment on Keeping Rabbits Together by Bob http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/keeping-rabbits-together.html#comment-5953 Bob Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:05:25 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5953 Hello Richard . Reading your posts has brought up a few questions concerning young rabbits . I recently got a dutch doe , I wanted to get a pair of them but the pet store only got one in . So I purchased her and was to have another doe the following week It has been just 2 days and they got in some more and I am picking one more up tomorrow . Now Tasha the one I have already , I was told that she was between 3 and 4 weeks old . The next one is maybe a week older . Now after reading about the young rabbits diets I am going to have to mind what they eat for a while . But Tasha seems a bit large for 3 weeks old . She seems to eat and drink just fine . I am going to get them both spayed when they are 6 months old . I have already confered with my vet and they would like to do them both at the same time . which I had a feeling that was how the would want to do it . Now do you think there would be much problem in introducing them at this age ? I know the hutch is big enough for them , it is L shaped and is 8 feet by 6 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet . They will be let out to run in the house when they are a little older . I also just recently lost my American Sable Thumper of 6 years due to cancer . So I know now the importance of haveing them spayed . Any other advice you could give me I would be greatful for . Does it sound likeI am on the right track here > Thank you very much . Bob . Hello Richard .
Reading your posts has brought up a few questions concerning young rabbits . I recently got a dutch doe , I wanted to get a pair of them but the pet store only got one in . So I purchased her and was to have another doe the following week It has been just 2 days and they got in some more and I am picking one more up tomorrow . Now Tasha the one I have already , I was told that she was between 3 and 4 weeks old . The next one is maybe a week older . Now after reading about the young rabbits diets I am going to have to mind what they eat for a while . But Tasha seems a bit large for 3 weeks old . She seems to eat and drink just fine . I am going to get them both spayed when they are 6 months old . I have already confered with my vet and they would like to do them both at the same time . which I had a feeling that was how the would want to do it . Now do you think there would be much problem in introducing them at this age ? I know the hutch is big enough for them , it is L shaped and is 8 feet by 6 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet . They will be let out to run in the house when they are a little older . I also just recently lost my American Sable Thumper of 6 years due to cancer . So I know now the importance of haveing them spayed . Any other advice you could give me I would be greatful for . Does it sound likeI am on the right track here >
Thank you very much .
Bob .

]]> Comment on Keeping Rabbits Together by Paige http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/keeping-rabbits-together.html#comment-5934 Paige Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:06:22 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5934 does anyone know information about chinchillas too? does anyone know information about chinchillas too?

]]> Comment on Keeping Rabbits Together by Richard Lord http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/keeping-rabbits-together.html#comment-5932 Richard Lord Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:17:14 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5932 Hi Nix I think you need to use your judgement about the effect that this has on the little rabbit. If she seems to be scared of the big rabbit, or there is a serious risk of injury, it would probably be best to separate them. If not, then keeping them together should be fine. If you do separate them, you may need to spend more time with the rabbit that you keep to make sure that she does not become lonely and depressed. Richard Hi Nix
I think you need to use your judgement about the effect that this has on the little rabbit. If she seems to be scared of the big rabbit, or there is a serious risk of injury, it would probably be best to separate them. If not, then keeping them together should be fine. If you do separate them, you may need to spend more time with the rabbit that you keep to make sure that she does not become lonely and depressed.
Richard

]]> Comment on Keeping Rabbits Together by Richard Lord http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/keeping-rabbits-together.html#comment-5931 Richard Lord Fri, 11 Nov 2011 19:10:45 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5931 Hi Paige Unneutered male and female rabbits <strong>will</strong> mate with each other, so the only way to prevent this is to neuter either the female or the males, or to keep them separate. Richard Hi Paige
Unneutered male and female rabbits will mate with each other, so the only way to prevent this is to neuter either the female or the males, or to keep them separate.
Richard

]]> Comment on Keeping Rabbits Together by Nix http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/keeping-rabbits-together.html#comment-5869 Nix Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:35:08 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5869 I currently have two rabbits. One female who is 2.5yrs and one male who is about 8months now. I took the male rabbit to get the snip recently as he started showing more dominent behaviour but the vet said that he is a she. Can I still keep the two together? The older female is double the size of the little one (she's an unknown lop-cross) She is also very moody (that's a nice way of describing her) She can be very nice, but she has to initiate the play. she growls and grunts alot, plus boxes (tho never bites) She does get quite physical with the little one. (always has) She is neutered. I am worried that the big girl will cause some serious damage to the little one, would it be best to re-home the little one sooner rather than later? It took an awefully long time for the big girl to like the little one. But if i seperate them now would the big girl get 'rabbit depression'? I currently have two rabbits. One female who is 2.5yrs and one male who is about 8months now. I took the male rabbit to get the snip recently as he started showing more dominent behaviour but the vet said that he is a she. Can I still keep the two together?

The older female is double the size of the little one (she’s an unknown lop-cross) She is also very moody (that’s a nice way of describing her) She can be very nice, but she has to initiate the play. she growls and grunts alot, plus boxes (tho never bites) She does get quite physical with the little one. (always has) She is neutered.

I am worried that the big girl will cause some serious damage to the little one, would it be best to re-home the little one sooner rather than later? It took an awefully long time for the big girl to like the little one. But if i seperate them now would the big girl get ‘rabbit depression’?

]]> Comment on Keeping Rabbits Together by Paige http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/keeping-rabbits-together.html#comment-5868 Paige Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:08:47 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5868 Is there any way to keep 2 males from trying to mate with a female when you cant neuter them? Is there any way to keep 2 males from trying to mate with a female when you cant neuter them?

]]> Comment on Keeping Rabbits Together by Richard Lord http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/care/keeping-rabbits-together.html#comment-5826 Richard Lord Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:41:51 +0000 http://www.barneyandjemima.co.uk/.html#comment-5826 Hi Nicola Rabbits with young in a nest can become protective and aggressive towards other rabbits. As you have 2 nests, it is likely that both your female rabbits have had litters. They may still get on well together, or they may become aggressive towards each other. If there is plenty of space for them to keep out of each other's way, you might avoid fighting. If they appear to be happy living together still, there is no reason to change that, but monitor them very carefully for any signs of aggression towards each other. When the babies start to grow, you will soon find you are running out of space, so it would probably be a good idea to prepare for this by getting more places to keep the rabbits as soon as you can. I would also suggest having your rabbits neutered as soon as possible (leave the new mothers for a short while) to prevent unwanted babies again. Richard Hi Nicola
Rabbits with young in a nest can become protective and aggressive towards other rabbits. As you have 2 nests, it is likely that both your female rabbits have had litters. They may still get on well together, or they may become aggressive towards each other. If there is plenty of space for them to keep out of each other’s way, you might avoid fighting. If they appear to be happy living together still, there is no reason to change that, but monitor them very carefully for any signs of aggression towards each other. When the babies start to grow, you will soon find you are running out of space, so it would probably be a good idea to prepare for this by getting more places to keep the rabbits as soon as you can.
I would also suggest having your rabbits neutered as soon as possible (leave the new mothers for a short while) to prevent unwanted babies again.
Richard

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