I need some help please! I have inherited a rabbit from my brother that I really have no idea how to take care of. I\'ve had hime for about 9 mos already and I think he\'s doing okay. Than I found this site and I\'m wondering if I\'m doing things right. He\'s a Dutch bunny according to an uncle of mine. He\'s outside in a hutch. I have straw bales on 2 sides to give him more protection from the weather. I have taken him in when it gets too cold. But my biggest concern is I\'m not feeding him right. I\'ve just been buying the bag of mix from Walmart (Nature Harvest or something like that it\'s called). I\'ve also bought the little squares of hay/something, but he won\'t eat them. I do give him baby carrots and lettuce,but not on a regular basis. My other concern is his hair. Just in the last week I\'ve noticed the black hair on his hips on both sides has turned a dark shade of brown. Is this normal? The rest of his hair has not changed. If anyone can give me a little insight into the whole bunny world it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!
I\'ve fed that stuff from Walmart to my rabbits before and they seemed fine with it. I also have one Dutch and right when it started to get cold he also got some brown patches of fur. I think it\'s their winter coat? It sounds to me that you are doing a terrific job in taking care of him and making sure he is okay! Also, he might not be eating the hay cubes because he just doesn\'t like them.
Hi Kristilynn
It\'s important to feed loose Timothy Hay as his main diet (hay cubes aren\'t as appealing), along with a small amount of pellets, a small amount of fresh greens like cilantro and parsley, and of course fresh water daily. A slice of carrot, apple, or romaine lettuce can be given 1-2 times a week as a treat. You can read alot of Rabbit Care articles from the House Rabbit Society websites if you need more information.
Your rabbit is just shedding. Since it seems that you are living in a cold climate, bringing the bunny inside at night isn\'t something to worry about. Also, I have found that giving rabbits too many fresh veggies, tends to lead to diahreah.
My rabbit (El Diablo), is two years old, and he molts twice a year. The hair color changes a bit between summer and winter, but there is alot of hair flying around.
My only advice would be to check for fleas. My El Diablo was shedding, but had scabs on his skin. A trip to the vet found that he had fleas, and was alergic to them. Advantage, or other products available, do the trick.
Good luck!