Rabbit Web Discussion Board

Hi. I\'m Lima, and I just got an 8 week old mini rex rabbit for my birthday. I used to have a sweet little girl bunny named Jenny, but she died in April of a burst secum(like an appendix, i think).

Anyway, because I got my other rabbit when she was already a year old and fully trained, I know nothing about young rabbits. So here are my questions:

1) I was looking on the house rabbits website, and they said that I should get a resting boarb because my cage has a wire bottom. How big should it be? Does it just cover part of the cage? Where in the cage do I put it?

2) What kind of pellets should I feed my bunny? What\'s the best?

3) Can I teach my bunny that the cage is for pooping, not the house?

Since my bunny is so little, should i put something (a stuffed animal, a towel) in his cage to keep him company at night? He\'s used to being with his brothers and sisters, but my mom won\'t let me have two bunnies.

5) oh yeah, and timothy or alfalfa hay for the little guy? Different places have told me different things. I know adults get timothy, but maybe its different with little bunnies?

thanks.

Congratulations on your new bunny! My rabbits were older when I got them, so I can\'t answer most of your questions.

Most rabbits do fine with wire bottom cages, but if you would like a resting board, you could try \"E-Z mats. I got mine from (http://www.rabway.com). One of rabbits is a Rex, and he has problems with his feet when the weather is hot, so I use the mats.

Hi Lima.

Congrats on the new bunny! I like to feed a basic 16% protein pellet - no fancy stuff with nuts, seeds, or fruit in it. It is best to limit feed the pellets - about 1/4 cup per 5 lbs of bunny weight. You can feed fresh greens and fruit, but limit it to no more than what the rabbit can consume in 10 minutes. A pinch of old fashioned oatmeal is appreciated and hay (a good orchard grass or Timothy hay) can be offered free choice.

The E-Z Mat that harplady suggested is good. It is important that the resting board be of a non-porous material that is easy to clean.

I really don\'t recommend putting anything in the cage with the bunny. Rabbits like to chew and you risk causing an impaction if inedible material is swallowed. Once your bunny is neutered, he will respond to litter training very well. Put a litter box in the cage in the corner where your bunny likes to \"go\". Over time you can increase your rabbit\'s territory, but he will tend to go back to the box to urinate. Bunny \"marbles\" might get left about, but these really aren\'t an issue to clean up.

Good luck.

Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com