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tokidoki posted:Thumping is a rabbit's way of warning other rabbits of danger. Something must have changed in your household to stress/threaten him, otherwise he wouldn't have started thumping. I'm pretty sure they do it out of frustration at times, or to get your attention. I know mine will occasionally do it in the morning when he wants me to get out of bed and feed him. It's better than when he used to jump on my head though... I don't really have any new pictures of my rabbit, Sprout. He's shedding like crazy right now though and I hope that ends soon. I need to find a brush or something...but he's iffy on being brushed. Melicious posted:She also chewed through a couple of lamp cords that I would have thought would kill her, but apparantly she is indestructable Yeah, I don't really understand it. They almost always find a way to chew on cords and they almost always show no ill effects from it. In fact, about the only time I've heard of one dying from it was when the bunny swallowed some of the cord insulation, which created a blockage in its digestive system. Anyways, I really want to try trancing my bunny, but to be honest I'm kind of scared to try. He can get pretty feisty when picked up and if freaked out, will nip if necessary. Is there anything that seems to indicate whether or not it works on certain rabbits? Does it work more often on mild mannered rabbits?
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Jul 23, 2007 15:02
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Out of curiosity, do other people here have completely free range rabbits? Mine hated cages from the beginning, so at this point, he gets run of the place. I've done this for years and he's been pretty good and hasn't destroyed much. He has his spots he likes and it means he gets to run whenever he wants (usually in the morning when he wants food).
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Aug 1, 2007 13:49
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Yeah, Sprout was a rabbit I rescued from the streets, so I don't know how he was originally brought up. He's just always hated cages, so I eventually did away with it. Maybe he would have been more receptive to a big, plush cage, but I couldn't ever afford one at first and then the free range thing worked out. He seems to have picked several spots as his favorite "den" spots, so hey 
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Aug 1, 2007 14:41
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That really sucks, and it's not fair that you just the bunny and she's sick  Such a cute rabbit too, I hope things turn out ok somehow
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Aug 2, 2007 17:07
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Deceptor101 posted:it's quite cute, but some part of me wants to worry, I don't know why =/ Worried about how she lies on the ground? Looks fairly normal to me at least... Anyways, does anyone have experience with acquainting a kitten and a rabbit? This is more idle thoughts than anything, at the moment, but if my girlfriend and I move in together at some point in the near or distant future, she really wants to get a kitten. I'm not entirely sure how well that works with already having a rabbit, sooo, any advice? It seems that rabbits and cats can get along fine, but I know kittens can be rambunctious and like to play rough, which would worry me a bit. Then again, my rabbit might kick its rear end...he can be pretty ornery.
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Aug 30, 2007 18:16
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Looking for some advice on introducing a cat and rabbit. The rabbit is mine and I've had him for years. He's completely free range (doesn't like cages and I don't have any problems with him doing his thing) and he's set up now in my apartment. My girlfriend recently moved out to go to school in Baltimore, and so now has her own apartment there and just got a cat. I went along with this because from what I know, cats and rabbits can get along quite well. So, the issue is that when I visit on weekends, I take my rabbit with me because I don't have anyone to feed and take care of him when I'm out of town for several days. So we have a situation where we need to introduce the two of them, but it's in a place that isn't really familiar to either rabbit or cat. The rabbit has gotten a little more used to the other apartment so far, but I'm somewhat worried about the situation being too stressful. The cat is young (4 months, I think?) and pretty low key for a cat that age. Is pretty sweet, and was picked largely because of that personality. So that's kind of the situation...right now, the cat can be put in the bathroom to make sure there are no problems, but in terms of introducing them...I don't really have a cage or pen that I can set up to facilitate them seeing and meeting each other, which seems to be a typical method used. I'm wondering if I should spring for an open pen to use in this way? Or has anyone socialized rabbits and cats using other methods? The trickiest part of this is that during the week, they'll be in separate apartments, and on weekends is when they would be in the same area. So I'm not sure if that will ultimately be enough time to socialize them very well. We might try leaving the rabbit at my girlfriends place for a week to help with that (and keep the cat separated from the rabbit except when supervised). Bringing the cat to my place (where the rabbit is more comfortable) isn't really feasible because my landlords are allergic to cats. This post is rather disjointed and all, but at any rate, does anyone have some tips and advice on this? We'll probably be moving back in together in 9 months, so if it's too hard to properly socialize them at the moment, we can probably deal with it until the time comes when we can get a new apartment and have them together more often.
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Sep 1, 2008 16:22
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Has anyone socialized a rabbit and cat? The main problem I'm having is with the cat, but I was wondering if anyone had pointers in general. they can coexist more or less fine in the same room most of the time, but it's usually the initial meeting that's a problem. The cat waits for the rabbit to turn and hop another direction, and she wants to chase him. This usually ends in the rabbit running to his safe spot and then turning around and charging her, and things get resolved more or less. At least until he goes hopping in some other direction and she decides that's a good time to go running after him again. Other times she'll just kind of come up to him like she's trying to figure out what he is, kind of raise her paw like she's going to pat him, and then he usually charges her at that point. But in general he doesn't seem too phased...just when he's being chased, obviously. I guess a good question would be how the hell do you discipline a cat in a way that would make them stop doing something like this? Spray bottle? I've been trying to lock her in the bathroom for 10 minutes or so when she does this but I'm not sure cats are smart enough to figure that out. And since it's my rabbit and my fiance's cat...I'm getting really pissed at the cat. I shouldn't really be but you know, protective of my pet. Doesn't help that the cat is young (about a year old) so it still wants to run around and play
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Jun 17, 2009 02:03
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DS at Night posted:I would tell you about my cousin's rabbit, who one day didn't notice the cat walking past him until the cat was very close, then promptly fell over dead from fright. The cat wasn't even doing anything. I've been "introducing" a cat and rabbit for a couple of months now and there hasn't been any rabbit falling over dead incidents. I don't know, it must just depend on the rabbit. Mine's older (probably 6-7 years) and kind of an ornery little bastard and for the most part he's content to ignore the cat unless she gets in his face. She's kind of young though and sometimes tries to stir up trouble by running at him. He usually just stands his ground and then charges her. The only big problem I guess we've had is that if she chases him from behind, then he runs, which prompts more chasing, etc. So we have to be careful to watch that...
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Jul 20, 2009 14:00
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Maybe a longshot, but is there anyone here from the Baltimore area and know of a good vet for rabbits? I recently moved to Baltimore from DC and I need to find a local vet...it's checkup time anyways There's nothing close on the list provided by rabbit.org
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Aug 14, 2009 15:42
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Thanks at least one of those is a relatively close drive to where I live
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Aug 14, 2009 16:18
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I know you said you tried a towel, but I'm not totally sure what you mean...try wrapping your bunny up in a towel tightly enough so it can't kick wildly, etc. Not too tight, of course, but that should help keep it from scratching you or something. I honestly can't see how you could get scratched up if you did it that way
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Aug 23, 2009 20:49
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I know jack poo poo about how spays are actually done, but they're pretty much essential for pet female rabbits and if the place sounds like they're warning you about it or trying to talk you out of it, I'd go somewhere else
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Aug 28, 2009 00:10
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I don't know if it's just the store near me, but I've found Oxbow hay and pellets at Petsmart lately
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Sep 7, 2009 16:05
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My bunny has gone on a serious couch licking rampage lately  Apparently he discovered he likes the feel of liking microfiber? I don't know. Leaving huge wet spots all over it
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Oct 3, 2009 00:28
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nope, he just goes to town for minutes on end and leaves big wet spots. not chewing
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Oct 3, 2009 02:37
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angelicism posted:Frith used to lick at my sheets. I'd be lying there and he'd be snuggling, and I'll roll over to a gigantic wet spot. That was hilariously awkward to explain the first time my roomie saw it. I think he just discovered the couch and realized he likes sitting up there, and that microfibre stuff is soft. I just got back from a walk and he was sitting up there, surrounded by wet spots ah well, I think it makes him happy
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Oct 4, 2009 00:10
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"Nah, I didn't have someone over, it was Frith, seriously!"
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I don't even think you can fly a rabbit on a plane. Last time I checked, airlines only allowed cats and dogs, and I think I remember hearing a story about someone who had to fly one and faked a note from their doctor about the rabbit being a "necessary medical companion" before the airline would allow them to take the fuzzball on board.
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Oct 13, 2009 21:52
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Bunway Airlines posted:It's like the whole kale debate, many people don't feed kale frequently because it has something in it that over time can lead to kidney problems (I think, can't remember exactly). I give mine kale because they go nuts over it and neither one has ever had bladder or urination issues. I've been told very different things by different reliable sources. In the end, I guess moderation in everything is best. I joined a CSA last spring and we got a shitload of kale over the summer, so I was giving my rabbit a lot of it, then remembered "oh poo poo, I should cut down on the ammount" so I went and got mustard greens instead, and then promptly found out that some people say mustard greens have the same kind of problems as kale  But yeah, the information wasn't consistent. Some places said mustard greens were fine, others said only in small amounts, etc. Kind of frustrating
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Oct 14, 2009 18:34
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maplecheese posted:In other news... aww that's so sad Bunnies can be huge pains in the asses, but they're such cute little fluffballs that just want to be petted.
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Oct 23, 2009 14:37
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luscious posted:he likes it when I gather his ears and basically give them a handjob. That's like, his 100% favourite way for me to pet him. The same motion. It's really weird but I love him so. Whenever I pet my bunnies ears, it makes him go crazy licking things...usually his paws, but whatever is in front of him, until he has to stand up and groom himself. I've always wondered if this is standard rabbit behavior
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Oct 29, 2009 20:47
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maybe try to pet him before giving him food, and if he lets you do it for a couple of seconds, then give him food? So it's more of a reward scenario than something he just puts up with while he's busy eating?
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Oct 30, 2009 12:53
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luscious posted:I now religiously give them papaya extract pills every day and their water gets echinacia drops. AHH What are those supposed to do?
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Nov 2, 2009 20:53
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I'm so glad my rabbit took right to litter training and is very good about it
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Nov 6, 2009 17:07
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Having both a cat and a rabbit at the moment, I'm honestly not sure that one is more of a pain in the rear end than the other. All pets are usually a big pain in the rear end, but we love them anyways (most of the time)
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Nov 10, 2009 15:46
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Maybe it's because mine has his own room that he stays in and has limited things to destroy (though he did decide to chew some holes in the duvet cover, which pissed my fiance off because it's hers), but even when I used to sleep in the same room as him it didn't bug me too much. Dunno. He destroys poo poo sometimes, but so does the cat. He's probably better with the litterbox than the cat, doesn't smell as much, hasn't cost a ton in vet bills...the worst thing is that hay gets all over the place and I sometimes have a mild allegic reaction when I feed him hay. Ah well, maybe we just have an annoying cat
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Nov 10, 2009 20:26
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They're not terribly smart, but you can train them using treats to do some simple stuff. I've heard of people training them to come by calling their name using a reward method, but it's not like they have any understanding that it's their name...they just know that when you make a certain noise, you might have food and so they run up to check it out. They're pretty curious creatures though and like to explore a lot once they get comfortable. How social they are seems to vary quite a bit...some (a fairly small percentage) don't mind being held, some will jump up in your lap or next to you to be petted a lot, some will be more standoffish, but all of them like to be petted. I don't think mine is that social, but he likes to come sit near me and be petted. They can live 8-12 years I'd say... Thoughts in general are just that they aren't cats or dogs, they're fairly fragile (can't manhandle them like cats and dogs really), but they're fun to watch when they're running around and they're pretty drat cute. They like to be petted a lot and will sit there pretty much indefinitely with you petting them. They WILL chew and destroy something of yours, and it will probably be something you wish that they didn't. However, I don't see this as too much different than a cat shredding your furniture or a dog chewing on something...pets destroy stuff At any rate, I like rabbits...but they're not as companionable as dogs or even some cats. So keep that in mind...you do get some rabbits who are super companionable and are completely comfortable with you doing whatever, but they're not common.
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Nov 11, 2009 15:39
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Diogines posted:I had never heard this before, rabbits have a lot of medical problems? I've only had one rabbit...it's best if you have two so they can be buddies (but it might introduce other problems like going through a torturous bonding period), but if you have one just make sure it gets social time with you when you're home. Mine sleeps most of the daylight hours, regardless of whether he's in a room by himself or out with other people/pets edit: they can have medical problems...just make sure you feed them a good diet (unlimited hay, lots of different kinds of greens, and check to make sure the greens are OK for them. Avoid sugary things, or at least only as occasional treats, etc. Most of their problems seems to be GI related, so if you feed them real well, you'll at least cut down on the chances of those occurring. People have also suggested giving them papaya pills to help with their digestion and avoid GI stasis, which I'd never heard about until now, but it's probably worth doing. Levitate fucked around with this message at 19:03 on Nov 11, 2009 |
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Nov 11, 2009 19:00
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Haha, oh yes, the fur. They majorly shed like every three months I believe it is, but generally only two of those are really noticeable. But goddamn, those times produce a ton of fur and can take weeks for it all to come out (I've heard this depends on the rabbit).
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Nov 11, 2009 19:07
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Kind of...when rabbits get sick, it can be life threatening, because they don't necessarily show signs of sickness until it's serious, and then that requires emergency vet bills, etc. I also think rabbit owners sometimes go a little overboard when it comes to warning people about getting a rabbit, but a lot of that comes from all the people who go buy a rabbit, thinking it's like a cat, and then end up dumping the bunny in the woods because they don't want to take care of it. So, just make sure you're ready to be in it for the long haul if you want to get a bunny. They're cool pets, especially if you can rabbit proof things and have a free range bunny
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Nov 11, 2009 20:57
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anyone have recommendations for litter that isn't really dusty? I've been using carefresh but it just seems so freaking dusty...I dumped some into the litterbox without putting a liner in because I wasn't paying attention, and when I dumped it back out there was a bunch of dirt in the bottom of the pan.
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Dec 26, 2009 00:27
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I've been having stronger reactions to timothy hay recently myself :\ I'm not sure if it's just some cheap and dusty hay that I'm trying to burn through before getting better stuff, or my allergies are just getting worse. it's annoying...and my rabbit doesn't like orchard grass nearly as much. So now my fiance has to fill up his hay at night so I don't spend the next hour sniffling and trying to breath while I'm going to sleep
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Jan 9, 2010 04:37
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I'm wondering if I should actively try to switch my rabbit over to orchard grass...it'd be much easier on my allergies, but he didn't seem to like it as much as timothy hay. He'd eat it but it didn't seem like as much as he would eat the hay. I'd worry that he wasn't eating enough fiber or something :\
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Jan 10, 2010 18:24
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DS at Night posted:My rabbit's a perfect angel who never pees anywhere. Mine too. But good god does he like to nip holes in blankets angelicism posted:Frith leaves another kind of wet spot: he keeps licking at the sheets until there is a large damp spot sometimes as big as he is. I have no idea why he does this. And this happens to me too, except my bunny likes to lick the couch. I have a short video of it somewhere... Levitate fucked around with this message at 17:27 on Jan 19, 2010 |
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Jan 19, 2010 17:11
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I have experience but it's not terribly good experience :\ If the kitten is still really young then hopefully it will get the idea that the bunny isn't something to play with and chase, especially if the rabbit charges it a couple of times. I just haven't had a lot of luck getting our cat to stop being a dick and finding ways to make the bunny run so that it can chase after. At this point I usually let them out separately, and if they're both out, I hang out on the floor so I can referee and spend most of my time petting the bunny It would probably also work better if the only time I could let them both out wasn't in the evening when the cat is hyper, or if we got off our asses and played with the cat more first to tire her out. Ah well...I think the key is introducing them young and just kind of do it slowly, but you'll probably need to eventually have a situation where the rabbit establishes some boundaries with the cat. My bunny is a tough little bastard and doesn't seem to have that "scared to death" thing to worry about, but you might want to go real slow to make sure yours doesn't get scared too fast edit: I used a water bottle too for awhile but it eventually stopped being very effective, so just keep that in mind.
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Jan 20, 2010 16:48
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Melicious posted:I suppose if a rabbit is acting fearful, it may spark the prey drive further in cats, but none of the cats we've had have ever shown much interest in Bowser as a plaything. This is what is annoying to me...our cat will actively try to stir up trouble even if the rabbit is doing nothing or isn't responsive to her stunts. When he's in his litter box eating hay, the cat can do pretty much whatever and the rabbit doesn't flinch, and it really throws the cat off. But ultimately I just can't find a reliable way to make her stop trying to cause trouble. The rabbit doesn't seem to care other than not being too happy when the cat tries to chase him, but it's still worrysome enough for me that I just have to keep a close eye on them while they're out. I'm seriously considering getting one of those "air cannon" things that makes a big puff of air, and using that to discourage the cat because that would probably break things up a lot better than a water bottle does these days
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Jan 20, 2010 19:54
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Just get a herding dog that will herd the rabbits around the house out of instinct instead of attacking them  An old g/f of mine had a rabbit when she lived with her parents, and they had an Australian Sheppard who loved that rabbit. Years after the rabbit died, you could go "Cassie, where's the bunny!" and she would start running around looking for it (which was kind of sad) (and I'm joking about the whole herding behavior thing, though it's probably a better idea than trying to introduce a bunny and a terrier type)
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Feb 15, 2010 19:27
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My rabbit has been racing around more lately and doing more binkies, it's awesome. He's getting pretty old so I figured the age thing was reducing his mobility, but it's nice to see him still running around.
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Feb 24, 2010 17:19
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I was just browsing on petfinder and saw this article: http://www.petfinder.com/pet-news/paralyzed-bunny-helps-children-overcome-their-own.html It's awesome that it's helping disabled kids but the idea of a paralyzed bunny having a brace that makes it able to live a full life is pretty great too
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Mar 29, 2010 21:45
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Yeah, as a general rule, don't leave anything (ANYTHING) that you don't want destroyed within reach of a bunny. Even for a few seconds while your back is turned. They may show no interest in chewing holes in something until that one minute that you're not paying attention and then bam they've ripped it apart. Mine especially loves to decimate blankets
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Mar 30, 2010 13:38
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her0n posted:Furminators rule so much. I got to use one last summer on a Pony that had problems shedding her coat, it was just awesome! I hope you took it down, policies about postings be dammed I'm tired of people thinking pets are disposable
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Apr 1, 2010 15:28
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