First Things to Know & Ponder

Our Lop Babies

Potty Trained

All babies are potty trained or close to it by the time they leave. All food is hung above their grated potty trays. They poop where they eat so they learn quickly that this is where they go. 

They also learn from their moms. Sometimes they choose the spot where they want to go, even after you have put a potty somewhere. Put the potty where they decide they want to wee—you can’t argue with them on this, trust me. They may also need time to adjust to their new set up. If you free roam them, make sure they are completely potty trained in their area or expanded area before you provide them with a bigger area to roam, or the entire house.  

Cuddly Bunnies?

Everyone wants a snuggle bug for a rabbit, but to be honest, this is not in their nature. Our buns are super adorable, sweet and friendly, although some have more boisterous personalities than others. We cannot guarantee all buns will be born with a “cuddly” personality, but we do our best to provided a SOCIALIZED bun. To to this, we groom and pet them often so they are used to people and being handled. No rabbit prefers to be picked up, but if you do it often, they will learn to tolerate it. (This is especially helpful when you have to take them to the vet so you’re not fighting with them to get in the carrier.) I recommend a long-tooth grooming/flea comb--they really enjoy being groomed and this relaxes them. Start at the head, comb gently down the spine, and down on the sides. Put them on your lap everyday and comb them for about 20 minutes (or until they pee on you) and work up to an hour or as long as they will endure. Also, give them a pinch of oats or some cilantro while you groom them. They will learn to associate you with food and pleasure and this is the fastest way to earn your bun’s trust. 

Food

We feed them unlimited hay and Oxbow Essentials Young (alfalfa-based) and Adult (Timothy-based) pellets. Rabbits enjoy a variety of hay. I provide them with Small Pet Select’s fresh Timothy, Orchard, and Oat hay daily. They get alfalfa hay 3x a week. On days they get alfalfa hay, they get adult pellets. To keep it simple, give them young rabbit pellets (already has alfalfa in it) and Timothy and Oat hay. It is difficult to wean them off alfalfa hay but they can enjoy it as a treat. Wean them off of alfalfa hay and/or pellets at around 8 months. If your bun is not eating its hay, cut back on pellets. It is crucial that they get enough hay every day for proper gut health as well as teeth grinding. Hay provides a different type of teeth grinding than other items to chew on. 

By the time they are about 4 weeks old, they begin to nibble on mom’s veggies. Mom gobbles most of them up very quickly, so they don’t get a lot. We put 1 cup of veggies on a box that mom jumps on top of, but once babies are old enough to jump up there with her, we no longer worry about trying to keep them from eating them. We have had no issues feeding veggies early, but I still recommend only giving them 1/4 to 1/2 cup to start with if you want to incorporate veggies into their diet right now. Slowly introduce new veggies and watch their poop for changes. See the Poop article on the Rabbication page! This information can save your rabbit's life. Poop is the only way they can tell you if they are sick. The general rule of thumb is 1 cup of veggies per 3 pounds of rabbit.

Provide LOTS of Water!

Our buns have a water bottle and chicken waterer in their set ups. Most of them (but not all) learn to drink from a water bottle. If they do not learn to drink from a bottle here, they can learn at your place~however, rabbits drink as much as a 40 lb dog and a bottle is a bit more difficult to get sufficient water from it. I recommend a primary bowl and a bottle for back up (I keep 64 oz. chicken waterers on hand if you want to purchase one). 

Chew Toys and Entertainment

They like to sleep, chew on activity logs, and hide out in hay huts and empty boxes with windows and doors. (See links on the Recommended Supply list page). When they are happy they will binky, flop, and sleep hard. (See the rabbit behaviors video on the Rabbication page.) Rabbits can get bored. Our buns get activity logs, a straw whisk broom, straw huts and straw mats to chew on. We’ve spent money on toys but none of them seem to be interested in them. They would rather forage hay from a cardboard box with holes in it. 

Should I get my bunny a buddy?

I recommend buying two so they can have a buddy while you are away at work. They groom and snuggle each other. They also feel safer with a buddy. Boy/Girl pairs are recommended first, then female pairs. Boy pairs can be successful but MUST absolutely be neutered or they will fight often or even kill each other. If you think you want to wait until later to get another rabbit, bonding could be difficult if the first rabbit is not fixed, or if it is a girl. Girls can be very territorial. It is best to bond them as early as possible. If you wait, you will need to use an x-pen to introduce them safely until they are sure to get along. See YouTube for bonding videos and education. 

Should I get a male or female?

This is totally up to you but it depends on what you are looking for, what your plans are for the rabbit, and who the bunny is for. If it's your first time having a rabbit or you plan to give it to a child, I recommend a boy. MOST of the time, boys are more social and adventurous, and less shy or scared. Additionally, boys do not NEED to be neutered unless they are having behavioral or territorial (spraying and leaving excessive poo balls) issues.

Girls, on the other hand, are 60% at risk for developing uterine cancer if they do not get spayed. (You can spay them for a significantly reduced price if you use the SPCA in Wake Forest Raleigh.) Girls are similarly sweet but at first, can seem to take longer to warm up to you. They are (usually)initially resistant to being your friend, but once they get to know and trust you, they are much better pets. Spaying call also help their hormonal attitudes they get about 3-4 months of age. This is when they start to develop their reproductive systems more fully. They can breed safely (recommended) around 6-7 months. Female rabbits do not have periods.