# New rabbit owner



## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Hi,
I have just purchased two rabbits and looking for a bit of information. I bought a pair of mixed sex mini lops 2 days ago, the previous owner told me they are around 3 months old, i asked if any vacinations had been give but they did 
not know. I don't even think the rabbits had been named so i'm guessing they had not had them long. The rabbits came with a hutch but in a very poor state, straw, hay and food.

Anyway the rabbits looked in good health and very lively so i went ahead and bought them. As soon as i got home i them ordered a new hutch, 2 floors with a ground section so they can get to the grass. I put them in today and they love it. I also started to build a run that i am going to be joining on to the hutch around 7 x 4 foot when finished with a removable roof so my daughter can go in to get close to them.

Anyway since putting them in the new hutch the male has become very frisky and is constantly mounting the female. Is this normal behaviour at such a young age or is there a possibility these are older than the previous owners stated?

I don't think they have been handled very much either as i got a little nip today whilst trying to pick the boy up. Whilst they will come over to me and sniff, nudge with their noses etc, they draw the line at being picked up. Maybe that is just a mix of being rehomed so i will give them time to get used to me.

I am going to take the rabbits to the vet to get an initial check up, inquire about vacinations and also discuss neutering although my daughter would love baby bunnies later on i hear it can be dangerous.

I'll get some pics up of the pair and new home when i finish it over the next few days.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

you need to seperate them now if the male hasnt been neutered, they are old enough to make a litter, both the male and female need to be neutered. assuming from your post that the run will be 7ft x 4ft that the hutch is 4ft wide sadly that isnt big enough, you need either a 6ft x 2ft single level hutch OR a 5ft x 2ft double hutch

unless you know the complete genetic background of these rabbits including their medical/dental background you should not even consider breeding them.
in the UK alone there are over 15,000 rabbits sat in rescue at any one time, breeding will only add to these numbers and can create more problems like this

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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

My mistake, the new hutch is 2 floors and 5 feet wide, i did read up before spending on a new home for them.

Appointment booked to have them checked up and have them neutered. Although the previous owners told me they came from a breeder there is no proof of this.

All i want are two healthy rabbits that the whole family can enjoy. Once the run is built it will enable everyone to interact with the rabbits and get them a little less on edge with us.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

ah 5 x 2 double is absolutley fine, the male should be fine to be neutered around now, so long as he is over 1kg and his furry teabags have descended, however te female is still a bit young, its generally advised to wait till around 6 months to spay a doe, this means you will have to seperate them for now, as although you can get your boy snipped straight away, he will still be able to impregnante your doe for up to 6-8 weeks after.
unless your vet is rabbit savy and feels confident spaying your girl and shes big enough already to allow him to, in which case i would recomend getting her an emergency spay, which will eliminate the possibility of her already being pregnant, afterall, do you know if these rabbits are related or not? and not all breeders are good breeders, the rabbit pictured above came from a breeder, a breeder who was going to put the entire litter to sleep to clean up her mess


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

oh split them asap until they are neutered! they can breed from this age so it's important to keep them apart until they are neutered. Or at least the boy is & had a recovery period. You can still let them see each other to maintain the bond, but humping can only lead to one thing lol!
it sounds they have found a great home with you


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

Lil Miss said:


> ah 5 x 2 double is absolutley fine, the male should be fine to be neutered around now, so long as he is over 1kg and his furry teabags have descended, however te female is still a bit young, its generally advised to wait till around 6 months to spay a doe, this means you will have to seperate them for now, as although you can get your boy snipped straight away, he will still be able to impregnante your doe for up to 6-8 weeks after.
> unless your vet is rabbit savy and feels confident spaying your girl and shes big enough already to allow him to, in which case i would recomend getting her an emergency spay, which will eliminate the possibility of her already being pregnant, afterall, do you know if these rabbits are related or not? and not all breeders are good breeders, the rabbit pictured above came from a breeder, a breeder who was going to put the entire litter to sleep to clean up her mess


Regarding neutering bunny-does he needs to be over 1kg because of his age?
My Baby Roo was neutered when he was 5 months old-he is still under 1kg!!!
He has been done in referral practice and Iain wasn't concerned about his weight as I have asked why he is still so small:confused5:


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

1kg is the guideline safeweight for a bun to undergo a GA, although some of the smaller nethies struggle to make this weight, in which case i would wait till the 6 month mark


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Well i just wanted to update this...first of all thank you to everyone for your input, much appreciated.

Okay so Lucky and Thumper had their first trip to the vets today for their yearly innoculations. I am very happy to hear that they are both very healthy. They are booked in for the end of September (when they will be 4 months old) to be neutered. Vet was very helpful and i got lots of good advise.

Their new home is finally finshed giving them a 5 foot wide, two floor hutch with access to a 5x7.5 foot run. The run has a 4 section folding roof which means it has easy access for cleaning and feeding, also means the children can get in with them too. Very happy with my work and the rabbits seem to be very happy too now they are out of the old shabby hutch.

Both rabbits have become very used to us and entertain us all for hours.

I know i set this up for them to be outside 24/7, would it be silly to buy another hutch to place in my adjoining outbuilding so i can bring them in at night when the colder weather comes? There is no heating in there but it protects from the cold winds. Obviously i would be putting them back in the run every morning...just want whats best for them so any comments would be appreciated.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

pandp said:


> Well i just wanted to update this...first of all thank you to everyone for your input, much appreciated.
> 
> Okay so Lucky and Thumper had their first trip to the vets today for their yearly innoculations. I am very happy to hear that they are both very healthy. They are booked in for the end of September (when they will be 4 months old) to be neutered. Vet was very helpful and i got lots of good advise.
> 
> ...


Providing you have the right weatherproofing, you won't need usually to bring your buns in at night in winter. What they need more than anything is space.

We have nethies, kept in groups, outside all year round.

Some in hutch/run combos,some in enclosures.

We have drop down see through plastic covers to front of hutches, that can be draped partially over, or clipped in place, and we drop tarpaulins down on 3 sides of the runs in the worst of the winter weather.

On the aviary type, walk in enclosures, we again drop down see through pastic covers on the double hutches in the worst of the weather, and we have solar/silver backed beach mats that can drop down/clip up as needed on the open front of the enclosure (all other sides are solid). They work really well to keep it warm.

All you need to do is pile in the hay for warmth, add a box or two if you want, put in a fleecy blanket to snuggle on, and they are fine.

We do have a collection of Snugglesafes that you can heat in miscorwave, and stay warm for several hours. some buns love them and will sit on them, others avoid them completely. But even in the worst of last year's winter, we hardly needed to use them.

Nice size accommodation! It sounds like your buns have arrived in the right home!


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Thank you for that summersky :001_smile:

I'll start looking around for a few bits to help when the cold weather hits. I would love to do a much bigger enclosure for them as i have a Huge garden but don't want them out of site. Atleast where they are i can see them from indoors.

Today Thumper decided to have a dig, i have sank mesh into the ground so hopefully he doesn't go too deep down. Although the garden is secure it's that big i would probably struggle to find them.

I got them for the children but as i am a huge animal lover i find i am spending more time with them than they are. When i went to see them this morning with the bags of hay and straw they were both trying to climb up my legs. So nice when you see an animal go from subdued to full of life just by giving them what they really deserve :001_smile:


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

I bought a clear plastic tarpaulin with eyelets off eBay. You can tie it to the hutch and run with cable ties and it keeps the worst of the weather off. Lots of straw in the bed area (better insulating properties than hay) and like Summersky said snugglesafes are great, except my horrors have chewed holes in the covers. They cope with cold temp really well.


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Thank you, i'm certain i have one with eyelets, i will check later.

Here is my setup, very uneven garden so sections of timber used to level it up which still need treating.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Do keep an eye on the chicken wire! Many a rabbit will chew through, and foxes will get in in a flash, if you have any around.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

as summer sky said chicken wire isnt best for a bun run, rabbits can easily chomp their way through it, also sadly your hutch isnt suitable, a hutch needs to be 6ft x 2ft single or 5ft x 2ft double on both levels, these levels also need to be enclosed, as that hutch stands it is a very small single level hutch with an enclosed under run


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

All comments were taken onboard, thank you.

Lucky and Thumper's new home gets started this weekend. The new home will be a converted 6x4 shed that i have just stripped out. I am going to add lino to the floor and then start to build housing and shelves in there for them. I will also be adding a 9x6 run attached to the shed so plenty of room to run around. The run i am making in sections and adding a door. The height of the run will be just short of 2 meters so enough room to get in and maintain the inside.I now have 30 meters of the proper mesh so this will be nice and safe once built.

I will update my progress but i hope to get all of this done over the next week or two.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

that sounds brilliant, im sure they will be so much happier when its finished.
cant wait to see them all happy in it


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## tallmama (Sep 8, 2013)

Oh I think you are going to lots of fun making a home for your bunnies, Its good they will have lots of room.


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

I'm looking forward to starting it 

I was going to use the hutch i had just bought and place it in the shed but decided against it, 1 - because of the room in the sleeping area and 2 - it would take up half the floor space in the shed.

Obviously i want to add a sleeping area, sort of a hideaway for them but what would be a suitable size? I am going to be adding ramps and shelves to utilise the space and not just have the floor space.

Also if i make them a hideaway should this still have a front to it? My idea was to make some sort of boxed area raised off the floor (only 12" or so)with a ramp to it. If i put a front on i need to look at how easy it is to clean, it would have to have to have a door, maybe even a pull out tray section....

Sorry just trying to get ideas and the sleeping area is something i want to be sure on before i start.


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Problem solved, have a great idea where i can use the hutch but modified....i'll let you guys wait until i have done it :wink5:


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## tallmama (Sep 8, 2013)

lol so many things you could do. I only have an indoor bunny so there is only so much I can do before the family start complaining that they would like to have some space as well lol . Good Luck


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

I have quite a few animals tallmama but i don't have any complaints....yet lol.

Okay well i got the day off work and started to get this project under way. I dismantled the hutch and adapted it to include two full floors....by the way, my rabbits are not happy that they are back in the old hutch whilst i do this.

I decided to give the rabbits the full 6x4 shed so just meshed the door area so we dont get any escapes. I have included a litter tray as i want to try to learn them not to poo and pee in their bed....it stinks when they do even though i clean it out regular.

Well this is it so far....got more to add and also the entrance to the outside to do as well as building the run....not bad for a few hours work.


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## tallmama (Sep 8, 2013)

My, you have been busy :thumbup1: they will love it.


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

They love it already. I couldn't leave them in the old hutch over night so i finished the inside and secured the old run to the side of the shed. The old run is temporary until i start tomorrow but it gives them what they are used to, being able to go outside.

Thumper showed his gratitude by throwing himself into the air and spinning, so amusing to watch.

More updates tomorrow although it is supposed to rain but oh well, need to get it done.


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## jaxb05 (Apr 12, 2009)

Looks great!!


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Looks fab!:thumbup1:


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

Wow you have done your bunnies proud, well done.


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Cheers guys 

Been at it since 8 this morning. Made the panels and these are screwed together rather than nailed


Added the mesh

7 panels in total (door will be made seperate tomorrow)

Then i did the roof panels

Fastened the first three together and that's me for the day. I had to level the ground too which was a nightmare due to a huge dip. I have left the old run attached for now as they love to come out. I will remove it tomorrow so they will be confined to the shed for a few hours. Going to be quite big when done.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

It's all taking shape very nicely!


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Thank you summersky 

Well another busy day. It is nearly complete, i just need to build the door which i am doing once off here. I am only doing a 3/4 door, that way they can't escape once the door is open. They certainly approve of their new run...


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Love it!!  I like the way you have protected the entrance to the shed too.


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Simply brilliant. Did you do anything to stop them digging out?


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

@summersky, that's their little porch so they can still go out if it's raining lol.

Finally done...door on, very happy and so are the rabbits 

Do you think i went a bit OTT with the size? LOL

All around the run has been dug down and mesh sank into the ground. The mesh has then been stapled to the frame.


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

@summersky, i thought i would give them somewhere to sit when it's raining lol.

Anyway the mansion is complete and i have also fitted a window as they seemed to both push for the best position at the door.




I have a problem....i have tried my best to litter train them but it doesn't seem to be working. Although they do wee and poo in the tray, they also do it everywhere else too. The sleeping area has a pull out tray with a metal base which is fine but i just wish they didn't wee and poo in there as it does get smelly. They also poo all over the floor, when i go in in the morning to clean and feed it's like a mine field trying to dodge the little droppings.

Are there any tips on how to get these two litter trained as they just seem to do it where ever they want at the moment. I can honestly say....apart from the wee and poo business, these tow have settled in so well, quite amazed how excited they get when i am in there in the morning, they just don't leave me alone.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

It's looking really grand!! Lucky rabbits.

As regards the toilet training, it could be part of claiming/marking the territory as theirs.

Ours all wee in their litter trays now (just as well - half of them are house buns!), and do most of their poo in there too - some are far cleaner than others, the occasional one drops pellets in random places.

Rabbits poo when they eat, so do make sure you have plenty of hay in or above the litter trays. Perhaps increase the size of the trays (we use underbed storage boxes). Also position the trays where they wee. Try putting the poo into the trays, and hopefully they will begin to get the message.

If they are weeing in random places too, you can neutralise the smell with a water/white vinegar solution. again, you can rub a tissue in the wee first, then put it in the litter tray.

Looking at one of your litter trays, it has shavings in it - try using some newspaper and a mound of hay in there instead and see if that helps - our rabbits will wee in one corner, then munch the hay at the other end. (shavings are sold as OK for rabbits but they can actually trigger or aggravate respiratory issues)


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## happysaz133 (Jun 5, 2008)

That looks fab!  Lovely bunnies too 

How refreshing it is to see a new bunny owner take comments on board and do something to their setup, quite often people get very defensive about things like that.

As for litter training, have their been neutered/spayed yet? They are usually easier to litter train once done, although saying that, my neutered males won't litter train at all!


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Sorry guys, i wasn't ignoring your posts, i have been bogged down with work and home.

The litter training is ongoing and i have done away with all sawdust and the tray is lined with paper, as is the pull out section in the hutch :smile5: They are using the tray but also still using the bed area. Every day when i clean out i also clean out the tray, floor area and any other areas of poo and pee. I don't clean out the hutch every day as i would constantly be throwing straw...how often do other people do this?

The bunnies are also neutered now, i took them back yesterday for a check up and they are doing well. Lucky was on a pain killer for a few days which i had to give via syringe but she was more than happy to take it. Both have bounced back perfectly well, i have had teeth and claws checked too which are fine so i think the only only thing to do is worming (as they have had the yearly jab too) which the vet mentioned when i asked if there was anything else.

As for comments made when i first started on here. To be honest i was gutted to read what was said. Not because it wasn't what i wanted to hear but just because i had got it so wrong. I was not offended in any way and i appreciate all the comments i have had. If no one tells you you will never know. My bunnies would have been like so many that are kept in a hutch undersized, thanks to the kick up the backside my bunnies have moved out of their flat into a mansion. They are so settled and although originally bought for the children, these two bunnies follow me all over the run, such loving little things....on that note, thank you for all the comments and i'm sure if someone hears of me doing something wrong, they will let me know :001_tongue::wink:


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

your set up looks fab  and i'm sure the training will settle down once they are settled. They like peeing on hay I think so if you have loads of hay in the bed then its probably too tempting. What I did with one of mine was put a large tiller tray in the bed, line with paper then piled the hay on top, then all I had to do was tip it out. I line all the rest of the space with vinyl flooring and just keep hay in the trays. I find if they drag hay over the floor they invariably pee on it :blush:


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

pandp said:


> Sorry guys, i wasn't ignoring your posts, i have been bogged down with work and home.
> 
> The litter training is ongoing and i have done away with all sawdust and the tray is lined with paper, as is the pull out section in the hutch :smile5: They are using the tray but also still using the bed area. Every day when i clean out i also clean out the tray, floor area and any other areas of poo and pee. I don't clean out the hutch every day as i would constantly be throwing straw...how often do other people do this?
> 
> ...


Glad it is going so well. 

If only all bunnies could live like this!


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

It's not all good, i keep getting people offering me their rabbits due to the size of my setup. As much as i'm a sucker for pets i wont take any in, more rabbits= less living space for my rabbits.

The litter training has proven to be hard work, they do it in the tray when they feel like it but mostly in the bed. I am in there every day spot cleaning but every few days i pull out the tray (that is the base for the bed) and give that a good clean. I was going to get some fleecy blankets for the cold weather but i think if i put them in the bed area they will wee and poo on them. They are still lovely and greet me every morning getting excited over a bowl of food.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

pandp said:


> It's not all good, *i keep getting people offering me their rabbits due to the size of my setup*. As much as i'm a sucker for pets i wont take any in, more rabbits= less living space for my rabbits.
> 
> *Yes, it happens. But let's just hope you inspire a few to create their own bunny paradise. *
> 
> The litter training has proven to be hard work, *they do it in the tray when they feel like it but mostly in the bed.* I am in there every day spot cleaning but every few days i pull out the tray (that is the base for the bed) and give that a good clean. I was going to get some fleecy blankets for the cold weather but i think if i put them in the bed area they will wee and poo on them. They are still lovely and greet me every morning getting excited over a bowl of food.


*Yes, it happens. Bunnies will normally poo when they eat, so you could try just putting hay in or above the litter trays, and piling straw bedding (which they don't eat) into the bed area. as for weeing, they are clean animals and don't usually wee everywhere. They choose a corner or two and stick to those. Try putting the trays where they wee if you can. Once they establish weeing in the tray, you might be able to move the tray.

Some buns do just poo as they go though.
*


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

I have now put the tray in the bed area to see if that helps. Reading another thread on here it would appear that my pair could do with a better diet. Quite a few clusters left around the shed every morning so going to look at what other pellets are available out there....only really a pets at home but i'm sure they will have some sort of scientific healthy food in there


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

I don't think pets at home has good pellets.
You can order selective science online -we have paid with delivery £17 instead of 25 for 10kg bag.
You may try Allen and page I think they better-one of my bunnies is not doing great on selective science and he was fine on excell. Now he is on diet and protexin pellets only.


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

I managed to get a bag of supreme science selective pellets from pets at home, not sure if anyone has used this before?

Okay back to my litter training. I recently moved the litter tray to the what i call the sleeping area of the hutch, the tray is lined with paper and straw placed on top. So far so good as they have been using it for a toilet. This does however leave me with a problem. The litter tray takes up half the sleeping area, if i put straw in the other half then they will start to wee and poo on the straw making the entire level a toilet. So far i have not put anything else in there apart from the tray. I have placed a blanket on the floor of the shed and they seem to be using that to lay on. It just means there is no bed area made from hay/straw for them....is this wrong not to supply this?

I have a hay rack that is mounted on the side as i do a carrot holder so they can still nibble. It just seems a waste of a hutch level but if i do fill with straw then within a day or so it's full of poo and getting smelly.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

I'd sat let them get used to the toilet of a while. Put some hay in or above, as well as straw, to encourage eating/pooing. Once they accept this as their toilet, they should keep to that.

Then, once the litter tray is established, on the other level, try piling in straw inot one of the areas (they don't eat straw). with luck, they will use that as a bed/cosy pace, rather than toilet.

You may be able to move the tray once they accept it as their toilet, but this could take a while.

You could also add another litter tray on the other level, if they wee on both levels.


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

pandp said:


> I managed to get a bag of supreme science selective pellets from pets at home, not sure if anyone has used this before?
> 
> Okay back to my litter training. I recently moved the litter tray to the what i call the sleeping area of the hutch, the tray is lined with paper and straw placed on top. So far so good as they have been using it for a toilet. This does however leave me with a problem. The litter tray takes up half the sleeping area, if i put straw in the other half then they will start to wee and poo on the straw making the entire level a toilet. So far i have not put anything else in there apart from the tray. I have placed a blanket on the floor of the shed and they seem to be using that to lay on. It just means there is no bed area made from hay/straw for them....is this wrong not to supply this?
> 
> I have a hay rack that is mounted on the side as i do a carrot holder so they can still nibble. It just seems a waste of a hutch level but if i do fill with straw then within a day or so it's full of poo and getting smelly.


I have noticed [email protected] do Science Selective too.

Litter training, I empty their trays (2) every day but I don't disinfect them I simply put fresh woodshaving in and top up with hay. At the weekend I thoroughly clean the trays and disinfect them.

Distilled clear vinegar will get rid of wee stains and get rid of odour too.

Personally I would use a wicker pet bed with a soft blanket in so they are raised slightly off the cold floor. My two are kept in hutches outside not in a shed ,  I'm working on it though.

Provided they have ample of fresh hay to eat that's fine.


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Well i am happy to report that after our bad storm that demolished 50% of our fencing and left us without electricity for 3 days, my bunny run is still standing.

I have been litter training my two and they now use the litter tray which is great news. I decided to go and buy them a nice cosy bed so i bought a plastic medium sized dog/cat bed. I also bought a nice thick cushion for the size of the bed and then placed a fleecy blanket over the top, that should keep them nice and warm for the coming winter months....but that is not the case....Although still using the litter tray, mine have decided to wee and poo all over the nice new bed...they are now back to square one with no bed as i have had to remove the cushions. I left the bed in there with no cushion but again this morning it's covered in wee and poo. I have now given up putting fleecy blankets/ cushions in there now as they are just destroyed over night.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

The joy of owning rabbits eh? Worse than children 

I am glad that they are using the litter tray. That's good progress

Glad the accommodation stood the storm too. It was wicked here and we brought our outside buns in. Too many tall trees nearby. Their housing was ok too. 

And yes , whilst many bunnies love a fleece to snuggle in, some will wee on them 

A dog bed is a good idea. I'd layer it with newspaper and Straw. They don't eat straw so there should be less poo. But wipe out with vinegar solution to remove smell of wee. Have a feeling yours are going to be persistent and will still wee there for a while though. 

Try experimenting. Wash the fleece to remove smell of wee. Try folding it up and putting it in hutch but not in tray or plastic bed. What do they do then? Is the fleece or the bed the trigger? 

And pile in plenty of hay both to eat and snuggle in. Hay and straw keep them cosy but you need a lot. Buying by the farmers bale is best


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Yes i have a feeling my two are going to be quite a pain. I tried a few variations, totally removed the bed and put a large pile of hay on the floor for them to snggle up in, day after it was full off poo and the floor resembled a mini pool. The same happens if i put straw in the dog bed. It's not like i have hay there, that is at the other end of the shed in a hay rack so it's not like they are eating from the bed. They are still using the tray as that requires emptying every day. I never realised how much two rabbits could part with in 24 hours.
It seems like the only option i have is to keep making a bed and cleaning it out each day but it's not great when i am trying to just keep them warm.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Over time, most buns will choose preferred corners to wee in.

We use large underbed storage trays, with newpaper and piles of hay. The rabbits normally wee in one corner, then sit at the other end, and snuggle in the hay.

I can't remember now, but were yours neutered/spayed?


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Yes summersky, mine were neutered/spayed a month or so ago. 

I have been using a large cat litter tray lined with newspaper and hay on top. My two seem to associate any piles of hay for a toilet. The tray sits within the hutch in the shed. I placed it in the hutch as this was the main place they did their business. Before that they used to do it in the hutch but it was far too messy for them to use as a toilet and sleep in. 

I did try to move the litter tray outside of the hutch and give them back their sleeping area but it just went back to being used as a toilet even though they still used the tray :mad2:


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

I had started to clean up then i thought i would picture what it's like every morning. Above the water bottle, behind the panel is where the litter tray is which they use no problem. As you can see they also like to use the bed too.


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## HelgaDano (Nov 11, 2013)

Hello!
I bought a dwarf lop at friday, and it's has diohera. Just 5% of her pooh, but i'm a bit affraid. But i think it's just because the new pleace. All the other pooh is fine and normal. She is 10 weeks old. Very shy. I think she is deaf because when i make noise she do notthing. I don't want to take her back it's not a big problem. But she absolutly eat well, looks well. 
What you think? 
Thank you!


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

Are you sure they are my cecotropes? They are normal -bunnies should
Eat them So you shouldn't see many of them.
If is diarrhoea you need to take your bunny to vets immediately.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

As she is so young, may have a gut problem, and isn't responding to you the way she should, I would take her to a good rabbit savvy vet TODAY for a check. 

Take some of the poo. The vet will know whether it is the normal caecotrophs or something more serious. He cna give her a good check over, and test hearing too.

Make sure that you are feeding the rabbit the same as it was fed before it came to you (they should have given you a supply of food). And do not feed gassy greens or sugary carrot.

In fact, bun would be best fed on lots of fresh hay, and some dry mix for now.

Without wanting to worry you, young rabbits are particualry vulnerable to gut problems and can succumb very quickly.


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Well i'm still here and Lucky and Thumper are doing great. Thumper is such a character and loves to get my attention. The mansion hutch is currently undergoing yet another conversion which will give them a snuggle room above the housing section, a long ramp running around the shed will lead to this. Inside the room will be their thick padded cushion and fleece blankets....sort of a warm room as there will not be any drafts up there.

I am looking for some sort of heat pad. I know pets at home do the heat pads but £22, really? Does anyone know of any other heat pad or even another way of keeping the bunnies warm through the cold months?


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## Funky (Dec 8, 2012)

pandp said:


> Well i'm still here and Lucky and Thumper are doing great. Thumper is such a character and loves to get my attention. The mansion hutch is currently undergoing yet another conversion which will give them a snuggle room above the housing section, a long ramp running around the shed will lead to this. Inside the room will be their thick padded cushion and fleece blankets....sort of a warm room as there will not be any drafts up there.
> 
> I am looking for some sort of heat pad. I know pets at home do the heat pads but £22, really? Does anyone know of any other heat pad or even another way of keeping the bunnies warm through the cold months?


Amazon had promo before Xmas £14 each.

SnuggleSafe Pet Heat Pad with Cover on Sale | Free UK Delivery | PetPlanet.co.uk

Not sure how much is delivery.

Shop around -I thought £22 is a lot.

Great to hear they both doing well and their hutch/shed sounds great.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Great to have an update - I remember your bunny mansion! They are lucky buns.

Like Funky said, from time to time, Amazon have Snugglesafes on an offer for a few days - I got some last year for less than £9 each. Bargain.

However, for healthy adult buns in such lovely accommodation, they won't really need the Snugglesafes, unless you live in the arctic! Just pile in the straw and hay. Buns tend to cope far better with the cold than the hot weather.


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## pandp (Aug 28, 2013)

Thank you Funky and Summersky 

My little buns just poo and wee where ever i put straw and hay, this being the reason i am only putting a cushion and blanket in the top box i have built...here it is anyway, it's not perfect but it's solid and stable and it is all fastened into the shed. I have utilised all the space possible in the shed....just waiting for the nicer weather as i have a few plans for the run too :wink:


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

sheds are great, and creating lots of different levels makes it even more interesting for the buns, and gives them more space too.


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