# How can I make my albino rabbit's life the best it can be?



## Cleopatra73 (May 27, 2012)

Hello Does anyone have any tips on how I can make life as enjoyable as possible for my shy little albino doe? I adopted her as a new girlfriend for my neutered lopXlionhead buck when his previous girlfriend died suddenly earlier this year. She (Lucy) is now nearly 12 months old and I am worried as to just how much her eyesight is compromised by being albino. I also wonder if her hearing is adversely affected too, as it usually is with white blue-eyed dogs and cats?. She is really easily startled (I think only when she catches sight of movement outside her home rather than by noises) and won't ever come out of their hutch even thought her boyfriend (Floyd) comes out a couple times a day and has the run of my enclosed yard. He is the most laidback bun ever and they spend most of their time sprawled out draped over one another. He has no qualms about my touching him at all. They live in a decent-sized 5x3x3 foot double storey hutch that I built myself but, because my previous rabbits have all so enjoyed time out in my yard together, I wonder if she is as fulfilled as she could be. Lucy seems to like chewing on the willow branches I cut for them and sometimes on cardboard tubes too. She bolts and sits looking (in my opinion) terrified if I try to scoop her out of her home though. I wonder if hanging toys in her home would just frighten her if they moved.... Please does anyone have any thoughts on how I could enrich her life?


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

Hi Cleopatra

I would treat her like any other rabbit, spend some time sitting reading quietly with them and reward them with treats when they come to you. She will soon learn your a good thing not a bad thing

Rabbits need a run permanently attached to their hutches so they can run and jump and play with each other freely. a run should be at least 6ft but preferably 8ft. If you look at the 5 freedoms for animal care one of them is freedom to express normal behavior - sufficient space


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

I would just keep as you are doing and spend some time with her, and as Emzy said, if you could attatch a run that she could come out into at any time, she may feel safer doing so  As it is, she may be a bit spooked by you letting them out and so chooses to stay inside 

*Heidi*


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## JordanRose (Mar 10, 2012)

I agree with the others- just treat her as a normal rabbit.

I work at a rescue centre and there's loads of Albino bunnies (they're 'not popular' )- some clearly have eyesight problems and others get on alright. I find you do need to be a bit more cautious movement wise- move quite slowly around them, and make sure you're quiet; I have definitely noticed that a couple at the rescue seem to have more acute hearing, as you say. 

Like any other rabbit, it's all about trust-building. Her life shouldn't be any less fulfilled than any non-albino rabbit, as long as she gets the care and love she needs, as you are clearly going to


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## Cleopatra73 (May 27, 2012)

Thankyou for your replies. I'd overlooked the fact that Lucy may be made cautious by seeing me before the hutch door is opened- I suppose that would lead her to be wary of emerging. I wish she would just follow Floyd's lead and hop out after him, though maybe she will in time. There is a secure unplanted area of soil next to their hutch which my previous does have enjoyed digging in- I will now look at fencing it off completely with a roof also and providing a permanent access from the hutch into it giving the run that has has been suggested.

The Rescue place where Lucy was born (her mother was pregnant when rescued) explained to me that albinoes do "scanning" in order to bring the world into focus and that I shouldn't worry about her doing it. Apparantly their depth perception isn't as precise as in non-albinoes, especially when they're looking through the wire of a hutch. So Lucy sits and sways her head slightly as though she were listening to her own soundtrack!! 

Thankyou again for your suggestions and your positive comments!! Any more would be gratefully received.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

We would love to see some pics! I have seen quite a few albinos scanning but never seen it in coloured rabbits. There sence of smell and hearing are pretty good. My 2 know there names and come when called u could try this with her start with treats. my 2 go mad anytime I'm near them just on the off chance I've got food. I think most buns behave like that if there fed a 90% hay diet with veg and an egg cup of pellets. How long have u had her for?


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## Cleopatra73 (May 27, 2012)

Thanks for your message Emzybabe. I adopted Lucy when she was around 6 months old and she'll be 1 on 1st June. Floyd was 3 on 3rd March. My brother is a photographer so I'll ask him about doing a couple of shots to put on here (I have no idea of how to post photos....) Yes they have constant free access to lots of fresh hay along with Chudleys Rabbit Royale and green veg, grass and dandelion leaves everyday. I have a allotment and luckily for the rabbits( but not so for me), my most successful crop seems to be dandelions....  They have a couple of carrot ends only once or twice a week because I learned that there is too much sugar in carrots for them to be given every day but they LOVE the green bushy carrot tops!! I'm looking into getting some rigid wire grids (like I put on the front of their hutch) so I can make a safe enclosed area for them to exercise in, hopefully together.


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## bracken lodge (Apr 16, 2012)

There is a great article in the RWA s RabbitingOn magazine entitled Living with blind rabbits (summer 2012 edition just out).


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Glad you are looking into adding on a permanent run  That hopefully will help her with her nervousness and get her moving around. 
My Kimba I think has very poor sight and very poor hearing, but she is such a friendly and dopey rabbit lol so she is OK with me being there and the other rabbits help her out  Other than putting the food right under her nose, she doesnt get treated any differently.

*Heidi*


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## Cleopatra73 (May 27, 2012)

Hello again. Run is half built and I'm hoping to finish it tonight!! Bought myself a power drill/screwdriver for that very purpose. Lucy and Floyd do have quite a big double storey hutch so she does have room to move about a lot- like I mentioned previously I constructed it myself starting from a big duck coop that had been left in my sister's back garden by the people she bought the house from. I've put ramps and a "hut" in the run for them too- I'm enjoying building them a fun place!! And they can't dig out of the bottom because there's hardstanding about 2ft under the soil  Thanks to everyone who has given me suggestions with this- much appreciated- its nice to talk to fellow rabbit owners and get your advice and experience.


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Cleopatra73 said:


> Hello again. Run is half built and I'm hoping to finish it tonight!! Bought myself a power drill/screwdriver for that very purpose. Lucy and Floyd do have quite a big double storey hutch so she does have room to move about a lot- like I mentioned previously I constructed it myself starting from a big duck coop that had been left in my sister's back garden by the people she bought the house from. I've put ramps and a "hut" in the run for them too- I'm enjoying building them a fun place!! And they can't dig out of the bottom because there's hardstanding about 2ft under the soil  Thanks to everyone who has given me suggestions with this- much appreciated- its nice to talk to fellow rabbit owners and get your advice and experience.


Sounds good 
I love making things for the rabbits.

I would just check that the 2 foot down to the hardstanding is covered around the sides with some mesh or something  They could potentially dig down and then sideways to get out, if they really wanted to  I guess it depends on how much yours dig!

*Heidi*


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## Cleopatra73 (May 27, 2012)

Hi Heidi The area I'm making into a run (not finished yet because I couldn't find anywhere open on Bank Holidays to get the last bits of wood I need....  And also its been POURING with rain here  ) is up in the top corner of my yard and is a kind of quarter-circle shape. One side is against the house, one side is against the wall between me and nextdoor and the curved side is where I've been building a strong 3ft high mesh fence. It was intended to be a low flower border when I first made it years ago, before I had the rest of my yard paved, so has a low wall around the bottom. The flower border idea went right out the window when I adopted my first doe and found she loved to dig in it!! She used to come straight out of her hutch and over to that area to dig so I got rid of the plants in there and left her to it!! But Lucy won't come out of the hutch to find the area which is why I've shifted their hutch up by the house, cut a permanent (though closeable) access in the side of the hutch facing the run and I'm hoping to make it as interesting and fun as possible so she'll follow Floyd out into it.


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