# Finally getting my first rabbits, a few questions?



## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

Hiya, I'm finally allowed to get rabbits! Will be going to the shelters around my birthday later on this month to pick up one or two... Questions about keeping two rabbits though, is two the best? I know guinea pigs etc. need company of their own kind, is it the same with rabbits? Should I look for a bonded pair of neutered male+female? Or would I be better with just one? I can't spend 24/7 with them, although I will be able to give them lots of free range (supervised) time and lots of company throughout the day, I will probably only be gone for a couple of hours at any one time. I wouldn't want one to get lonely.
Cage size: I plan on making my own cage using those cube grids and some corrugated plastic, was thinking a two level cage of 56" long, 28" wide, with each level having a height of 21". Would that be suitable for two rabbits or should I try to make it bigger?
Is Burgess Excel a good rabbit food or are there better ones? The fibre/protein/calcium levels etc. look good to me?
What about bedding? I know sawdust is bad for their respiratory systems, i'm finding it really hard to find anything suitable for them. I've heard that aspen bedding is okay? Or kiln dried pine shavings? Is that true? Or am I better with newspapers and straw? 
What about litter? what do I use in the litter tray?
Sorry for all the questions I just want to give them the best home possible and there seems to be a lot of conflicting info out there, like bad breeders with websites condoning hanging wire bottom cages etc....
Do I have everything covered?

Cage, food, timothy hay, veggies etc., bedding, water bottles, chew/play toys, bowl, litter tray, litter..

Thanks in advance!


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

Firstly, congrats. You will love bunnies. I have 8 

Take a look at this thread that the lovely Kammie made. Its full of information. There are also other "sticky" threads at the top of the rabbit section 

http://www.petforums.co.uk/rabbits/53839-important-information-new-rabbit-owners.html

Generally, the bigger housing, the better. So go as big as you possibly can

Burgess food is one of the best ones 

As for hay.. I tend to use meadow hay for bedding and they also eat it. I give them "fancy" hay, such as timothy hay and i get hay with stuff in like dandelions and camomile. There are dozens and dozens of different hays out there 

In the litter tray, you can use cat litter. The wood or paper based ones. They usually say on the bag that they are suitable for rabbits

Another thing i do, is grow grass in trays for them. Give them it for 10-15 mins a day. If i leave it any longer, they get mud everywhere as they love digging 

They are best in at least pairs. I find that neutered male and females work best together. Although.. i have 2 females and 8 males, so its not always the case. Rescue centres have bonded rabbits to choose from. Or they will help with bonding, if needed too.

They need jabs too.. Myxi every 6 months and VHD every year. There is more info on that on kammie's thread. The vaccines are £11 each at my vets, but a lot of people on here tell me thats cheap. Expect to pay upto about £20 each vaccine

If you need anymore advice then feel free to ask


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## ChatterPuss (Sep 4, 2010)

I currently have 13 bunnies. 
If you are home most of the time, one would be OK and if young could be trained as a house bunny. I used to have a French lop who was litter trained and used an enclosed cat litter tray and was alloud to roam around the house (under supervision) and was very loving. We now also have some hutch rabbits in pairs, a 3 and a 4. If they are to be left then I would advise a pair. 
I used easydown or beddown which I believe is four horses and is a courser chipping mix one being mixed with hay. 
I use Catolet for the litter trays as it seems to be the only one suitable for rabbits that also gets rid of the odour and soaks up the wet fully. 

Good luck !


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

2 is deffinatly best, rabbits are social animals and crave attention from other bunnies

the minimum size cage recomended for a pair is 6ft x 2ft x 2ft, however the cage size you plan will be fine if it is just used as a base, and they are allowed lots of free range time

good foods are science select, wagg optimum, burgess, allan and page (all pellets, muslies are bad for buns)

for bedding i find megazorb best, it is so absorbent, you can use fleace or vet bed to line the cage if your bun is litter trained and just use the bedding in the litter tray.

i am currently owned by 16 buns


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

Sorry I took so long to reply.. Megazorb looks good actually, is it comfortable for bedding all over the cage? I won't know if the rabbits are litter trained I don't think, although I will work with them on it if not, but until they are litter trained would it be good? Is £11.41 a good price for 85 litres?
I'm rethinking the cage size a bit now, I think I want to make it bigger but the cubes cost loads... Would a wood frame with chicken wire work? (Chicken wire on the inside so they can't chew through the wood) - same type of tray, corrugated plastic. That way I could have a cage 5'5" long, by 2'6" wide, by 4' -4'6" tall (two levels)

If I use a wood frame, what kind of wood should I be looking at do you know?
B&Q is extortionate but there is a timber merchant round the corner from me that would hopefully be cheaper!

Does anyone know any good books on rabbits I could read?

Thanks everyone  xx


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## SEVEN_PETS (Aug 11, 2009)

Megazorb is a great litter, I highly recommend it. I use it in litter trays and over the floor of the hutch also with hay on top because one of my rabbits has sore hocks. I pay £7.86 per 85l bag from the hay experts. They do have high postage rates though, if you buy a bag of megazorb, the P+P is usually £7.99. I buy two bags in one go to make the postage worth paying.

https://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/Litter.11/Megazorb.174.html?osCsid=jhoqoaae0u3t3koncgqf8c0do7


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

The price I said was including £4.99 standard delivery from Farmway - The UK's leading retailer of Pet, Equine & Rural products !! Hope that helps you out too


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

megazorb is fine for all over use and is comfy too, i use it in all my cages

as for the cage, i wouldnt use chicken wire as its only twisted and the rabbits could esily break the bonds by chewing it, you could use 1" x 1" gauge galvanised mesh

when i made my rabbit run i used this wood
Sawn Treated - Sawn Treated Timber - Timber -Building Materials - Wickes
it worked really well


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

Yeah the galvanised mesh is what I meant. Thanks for the link to the wood


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

Right so just bought a 10m roll of 1" galvanised mesh, 0.9m wide. That should be enough for a two level cage 1.6m x 0.8m. Is a 40cm x 40cm door big enough yeah? What would you suggest for cleaning? Just lift the top off basically? Or could I actually use more wood and put hinges on it, so i can lift the whole front up? Hmmmm...
Just trying to sort out how I can get 8foot wood home... The wood is cheap, but delivery is £35! It's ridiculous.... eeek!


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## Guest (Jan 6, 2011)

i love rabbits:thumbup::lol:


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

borderer said:


> i love rabbits:thumbup::lol:


:lol: Sure...

In a stew pot


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

car with roof racks, thats what we did 

a full lift up front would be easier for access in general, easier to rearange toys and such and even to catch a stroppy bun, so i think i would go with that to be honest


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## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

my 2 are a bonded pair (male & female) they are 100% free range and never get locked in a cage.

there cage is only used as a base and i just have some lino in the bottom of the cage as they are litter trained so dont poo/wee anywhere but the litter tray.

i use the wood pellets in the litter tray, the stuff i buy is actually cat litter but works very well and doesnt smell at all.

hope that helps


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## Shrap (Nov 22, 2010)

I would love to have that daisy boo but we have a mental kitten so it wouldn't really be a possibility.. Add that to the fact I'm not sure if they will be toilet trained.. I will toilet train them and will end up using fleecey blankets but just need to prepare for untrained bunnies who have been in rescue. They'll be out their cage most of the day anyway, they'll only be in there when I'm at uni. 2 x 1 hr lectures 9-11. And half the time my boyfriend will be over to give them attention + supervision anyway! I can't wait to make this cage. It's gonna be awesome. I'm hoping Indy won't know what to do with them, although he does have a thing for pouncing on things as large as bin bags. Normally only little things though. Our old cat used to bring in rabbits though... Will just need to be extra extra careful!! I will let you all know when I'm building the cage and perhaps post photos mid construction for anyone else who comes on here wanting to build one. I'm sure I'll also have lots of last minute panic questions before I get some rabbits! Thanks for everyones help x


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