# Getting a new bunny



## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

Hi all
My first time here so go easy on me.
We're getting a rabbit ( 16 weeks old) for my daughter tomorrow.
How much should we feed him? i don't want to over feed him to make him obese etc, but at the same time i don't want him going without, especially with the onset of winter.
Any tips on what to/what not to feed would be helpful too.I keep getting so many conflicting answers.
thanks


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

Is sticky notes you can find some useful information for first time owner and what food is ok and what is dangerous food for bunnies.
When you pick up your bunny check what diet he/she is on as you need to carry on with the same food-bunnies diet can be changed but slowly. check if you bunny already had veggies introduced in his diet. -when they are small their very fragile so some owners introduce greens bit later in their life-we have baby bunny (6 months now) am he just recently receiving some veg. We have bunnies who are not tolerating vegetables -they have runny poops, stop eating etc so watch you bunny carefully and see how e reacts to veg.
Bunnies diet mostly is good quality hay and this is what he needs to have at all time plus fresh water. We are feeding our bunnies pelleta twice a day - you should have measurements how much on the packet-I have been told egg cup of pellets daily is plenty.
Good luck and if you have any question ask-i think few more people will come with some good advise shortly as well.


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## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

Thank you for taking the time to reply Funky


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## lisa0307 (Aug 25, 2009)

Welcome hun...you've come to a great place for help and advice but while you're waiting for more also ask on here Rabbits United Forum
Hope this helps and please post some pics when he arrives.  x


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

Geezer said:


> Thank you for taking the time to reply Funky


You are welcome.
Take pictures of bunny and post it here 
Any questions keep asking-when we got our Funky we got a rabbit book as well and I was studied it as I had no idea about this forum hahahahha
I am very paranoid with bunnies but I think they are great creatures.
You mentioned you are getting bunny for your daughter-how old is she? Bunnies are not very good for young children as they don't like cuddles -they just do whatever they want! I love to watch them.
Are you going to keep this bunny indoor or outdoor? Bunnies like to live in group/pair-they are very sociable. If you daughter is going to spend lots of time with bunny -he should be happy but if not or bunny will be staying outside -it would be good idea to get him friend when he is neutered.
My Funky bonded with me as he is house rabbit and he spends lots of time with me (even sleeping in our bedroom) but I have bonded him with our other bunny we have had (we got him almost the same time we got Funky) and they loved each other-he didnt need my attention so much (which was quite sad as I used to be his best friend) but watching them together was great.
Definitely upload pictures of your bunny. When you bring your bunny home-let him to used to noises, people, new housing-just let him gets on with it, don't disturb him too much-with new bunnies at home we usually put them first in quietest place and slowly introduce house noises otherwise they can be really stressed.
Fingers crossed your bunny accommodate quickly. Good luck and keep us updated.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Geezer said:


> Hi all
> My first time here so go easy on me.
> We're getting a rabbit ( 16 weeks old) for my daughter tomorrow.
> How much should we feed him? i don't want to over feed him to make him obese etc, but at the same time i don't want him going without, especially with the onset of winter.
> ...


Hello and welcome.

So much to say! Do re all the stickies.

Whether you get your bunny from a breeder or a pet shop, they should advise you re food, and they should give you a starter pack of food. It is important that baby bun is fed exactly the same food/amount to begin with, as rabbit tummies are very sensitive, and the move to your home will be stressful enough. Any adjustments can be made later.

They will also need a generous amount of fresh hay every day. This is very important. It can be expensive, but it is much cheaper if you buy it by the bale. And it helps avoid teeth overgrowing, which cna be very expensive.

Do let baby bun settle in, and don't overfuss or handle. Talk quietly to win its trust. It will pay off in the end.

As you are buying for a child, please be aware that rabbits are a prey species, and can be very resistant to being picked up and handled. They often come to love a nose rub though.

Also, rabbits can live into double figures, so your rabbit should be around for a long time. brace yourslef for a lot of cleaning out. Children very quickly lose interest.

They are also very sociable, so it is far better to have two.

Your rabbit/s will need an annual vaccination and neutering/spaying. The latter keeps them sweet temperred, avoids babies, and avoids uterine cancer in the does.

Hutches of the past were far too small, and even now, many hutches in pet shops are unsuitable. Nowadays, the Rabbit Welfare Assocation asks for a 6ft by 2ft hutch, attached 24/7 to a large run. Inside, they need a base where they can stretch out and sleep, and a generous area to run. Many people nowadays create a bunny room for indoor bunnies.

Oh, and do consider pet insurance. Vet treatment can be excruciatingly expensive.


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## Louiseandfriends (Aug 21, 2011)

Just remember that children get bored of pets after a while... Rabbits can live to about 8-10 + years! 

85% of their diet should be hay! 
About 10% non-gasey greens. 
and 5% good quality pellets, about an egg cup size. (Science Selective or Allan and Page are the best- they have the most fibre.)

Rabbits are sociable and are always much happier in pairs! They can become depressed by themselves. Human company is never as good as company of their own kind.

Make sure they have enough space! They need a minimum of a 6x2x2 foot hutch and a 6x4x2 run attached 24/7. Sheds are a good idea. They are most active at dawn and dusk. They need to be able to have the freedom to stretch and exercise when they want. 

Rabbits are lovely- but they are not cheap pets. Good luck! Feel free to ask for any advice.  xx


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## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

Well we have had bunny a week now and all seems ok. 
He is eating well and comes to us when we go near the run.
We even seem to have him trained where to poop as well.
The only thing is, my daughter keeps fretting, will he be fed enough, is he drinking enough etc.
As the temperature here in the Midlands has dropped considerably today she is fretting he won't be warm enough.
So how do we know if he has enough hay in his hutch to keep him warm tonight, and as the weather gets colder?.
thanks


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## metame (Sep 25, 2009)

I'm in the midlands and my rabbit lives outside, he just has the bedding section of his hutch filled hay - completely filled with hay.

As it gets colder I will put straw in Under the hay and put straw in his run as well and cover the hutch with a tarpauline at night


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Geezer said:


> Well we have had bunny a week now and all seems ok.
> He is eating well and comes to us when we go near the run.
> We even seem to have him trained where to poop as well.
> The only thing is, my daughter keeps fretting, will he be fed enough, is he drinking enough etc.
> ...


Glad things are going well.

It is good that she is concerned.

Your bunny will need a good mound of fresh hay every day - plus some to bed down in. The breeder should have given you advice re how much to feed him at the moment. While he settles in and his guts mature, I would stick to that.

High quality hay is the most important part of his diet anyway. You can never put too much in.

Was your rabbit bred outside or in a shed, do you know? Is it used to outside temperatures?

It is turning colder, and he will still have a baby coat, so the hutch needs to be well weatherproofed, to keep damp and draughts out. We drape tarpaulin (from B&Q) over top, sides and back, to help keep dry. we also have clear plastic fronts that we can drop down overnight when it is chillier, or drape over when it is raining.

You cna buy something called a Snugglesafe, that you microwave for a few minutes, then it stays warm for hours. You could also put in a cosy fleecy blanket.

Ideally, your baby bun needs a friend to snugggle up to - then they would keep each other warm, and they would be much happier - but obviously you would need to go donw the route of spaying/neutering..

When it gets colder you will need to check that the water does not freeze.


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## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

Thanks everyone for all your replies.
I got the bunny from a well known high street pet store ( for legal reasons i won't name them) and to be honest the information given to me was sparse to say the least.
They said he was 15 to 16 weeks, yet when their vet gave him the once over, she said he was at least 18 weeks.
She clipped his nails, said don't give him lettuce and maybe put him indoors over winter.
No mention anywhere of whether he an outdoor / indoor raised bunny
Hence i'm here asking what seems like basic questions, but to me the welfare of the rabbit comes first.
Apart from the cold, my biggest concern is under / over feeding him.


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## metame (Sep 25, 2009)

you can never feed too much hay and the recomended amount of pellets is about an egg cup full i think


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

As metame says - you can never give too much hay. It should be the main part of the diet. They will either eat it, or snuggle in t - but they do need more fresh every day.

There is no need to feed fresh food, and carrots are very sugary and should be avoided. Cabbage will be too gassy for a baby - this can badly upset a baby bunny tum.

Re pellets, for an average adult bunny, an eggcup full of pellets a day is enough. Too many, and they don't eat enough hay.

A baby bun can be fed more - a handful say, but still no need to give a bowl full.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with asking questions - shows you are thinking about it, which is good. And lots of us angst about the cold weather.

The chances are that your rabbit was bred in a shed, so I would pile in the hay for it to snuggle in. It will still have its baby coat and will need protecting. (if you can buy it by the farmer's bale, it is much cheaper)


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## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

He certainly likes his hay this one. 
Does a rabbit slow down with their eating in the winter, like some animals do with a slow metabolism?


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Not as far as I'm aware, in fact it's important they eat plenty to keep fit and warm.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Geezer said:


> He certainly likes his hay this one.
> Does a rabbit slow down with their eating in the winter, like some animals do with a slow metabolism?


No. They are still active, and they need to eat to keep healthy.

Ours eat more hay, and if the weather is particularly bad, we sometimes add some oats (dry oats/breakfast aisle in supermarket) to the pellets. Don't overfeed pellets.


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## metame (Sep 25, 2009)

Summersky said:


> No. They are still active, and they need to eat to keep healthy.
> 
> Ours eat more hay, and if the weather is particularly bad, we sometimes add some oats (dry oats/breakfast aisle in supermarket) to the pellets. Don't overfeed pellets.


I'd never thought about adding oats. Can they have just normal oats?


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## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

Thank you all for your very helpful replies. 
He has 6 pellets a day and thats it.
He goes for his myxo vaccination tomorrow morning and i'll be asking about neutering.
Considering he's a present for my 11 year old, i think the whole family have a soft spot for him.Even i'm talking to him when i go in the garden. Just hope the lads down the pub don't find out:frown2:


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

metame said:


> I'd never thought about adding oats. Can they have just normal oats?


Yep. Just what we'd eat - although i must admit that we eat Tesco value, while the rabbits get the Tesco organic or Finest.  Not the flavoured microwave type though.

They eat them dry, but some people feed it in a bowl with some cooled boiled water.


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## metame (Sep 25, 2009)

Summersky said:


> Yep. Just what we'd eat - although i must admit that we eat Tesco value, while the rabbits get the Tesco organic or Finest.  Not the flavoured microwave type though.
> 
> They eat them dry, but some people feed it in a bowl with some cooled boiled water.


ok cool, i shall try that for him, thanks


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

Summersky said:


> Yep. Just what we'd eat - although i must admit that we eat Tesco value, while the rabbits get the Tesco organic or Finest.  Not the flavoured microwave type though.
> 
> They eat them dry, but some people feed it in a bowl with some cooled boiled water.


I can see you like us-bunnies eating organic vegetables when we are eating standard Or everyday essentials hahahahha


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## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

So what do all you bunnies lovers do with your pets when the weather is like this.
My daughter reckons that we can't put bunny out till the grass dries as wet/damp grass is bad for him. I don't like the idea of him being cooped up for days.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Geezer said:


> So what do all you bunnies lovers do with your pets when the weather is like this.
> My daughter reckons that we can't put bunny out till the grass dries as wet/damp grass is bad for him. I don't like the idea of him being cooped up for days.


Rabbits really need 24/7 access to a large area to run when they want to.

Our outside bunnies have varying accommodation.

One pair has a large aviary style mesh fornted walk in enclosure, with double hutches to snuggle in. That is set on concrete.

one pair has a 6ft double hutch that links ot a large square run by a runaround tube. That is on the patio.

Another set has a long hutch/run combo, set on paving slabs.

We have created a large area on the grass, with tall puppy pen panels, for them to occasionally run out on the lawn when we are there to supervise. And no, they own't be out in this, becasue we are inside ourselves.


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## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

We have a 6ft x 4ft run for him which is on the lawn ( there is no patio and the path is small ).As long as a few wet paws aren't bad for him i'll stick him out. It's stopped raining here and i can watch him anyhow.


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

We have had extremely heavy rainfall here, my poor bunnies were almost swimming in their run.

I had to sweep the water away. Hubby has put some drainage in which is helping a lot.

I thought the hutch covers and covers for the top of their run would be enough, it has been in the past.









Problem is their run is quite open as it is so big, because of the amount of rain we have had it really did become a paddling pool.

As a temporary measure this is what we have done, it isn't pretty but it has kept them dry and sheltered them from the strong winds.









At the weekend we are going to fit/fix the plastic sheeting right round their run, just leaving the front door opening clear so I can open it for them to have access to the garden.


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## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

UPDATE
Firstly, thank you to everyone who has replied, your answers have been a great help.
So it's 3 weeks tomorrow since we aquired said bunny.
He is still alive so we must be doing something right.
He's even potty trained and it was easier training him than it was the kids :laugh::laugh:
He had his myxo jab last week and the vet gave him the once over and said he's doing good.
He has stopped eating his fibre sticks though. The pellets that he has about 6 a day ( we don't give him many as i've heard they should only be given sparsely / as treats etc ), He eats the greens / hay we give him, but for some reason has gone off the sticks.
We put him in a 6x4 run during the day with a box at the end to go in if startled / scared etc. He has started to bite / chew the wooden ramp to this and was wondering why.
Are we doing something wrong? my daughter is getting a little upset thinking he may be poorly.I keep telling her it's probably something and nothing but i think she's putting the loss of appetite on the sticks and the gnawing as a sickness.
Any help / reassurance for her would be greatly appreciated.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Geezer said:


> UPDATE
> Firstly, thank you to everyone who has replied, your answers have been a great help.
> So it's 3 weeks tomorrow since we aquired said bunny.
> He is still alive so we must be doing something right.
> ...


It is good for bunny to chew, but not so good for the ramp. 

Have you got an apple tree? Bunnies love to chew apple branches - good for fibre and wears the teeth down. If not, you can buy sticks to chew at the pet shop.

They like willow too - but make sure the trees haven't been sprayed.

Don't know why he's stopped eating the fibre sticks (FibaFirst?). some buns like them, some don't. perhaps he is having more fresh food, so can pick and choose.

You could monitor his weight, just to check he is steadily gaining.

Is there any way you could link hutch to run, so he can have 24/7 access to spcae to run? It makes for much happier bunnies.


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## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

Thanks Summersky
An apple tree huh ?
I don't have one but a neighbour does, time to go have a chat with him and obtain a few branches me thinks.
My daughter will be relieved it's nothing serious.
thanks again:001_smile:


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## Geezer (Oct 1, 2013)

I know i'm here again.
This time, the kids have bought a pumpkin for halloween :devil:
Anyhow, the daughter who owns the rabbit is wondering if it is ok or not ok to feed the bits they cut off to the rabbit.
Anybody have any thoughts on this


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## kate_7590 (Feb 28, 2009)

my rabbits have eaten pumpkin in the past, some didnt like it, some did


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

We don't feed it to ours, but rabbits can eat flesh, skin and seeds. 

The flesh is sugary, which, like carrot, isn't great for rabbits, so only offer a very tiny amount. Make some pumpkin pie for yourself instead!


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