My eco solution to rat problems

[Guest]

Hi there. I'm a bit new to all this. We got a 10 week old mini lop, Billy, yesterday, and he has taken to sleeping in the hay loft!! Is this quite normal? And now that he has started doing this, does this mean he'll do it forever? Has any one else had this problem? We were wondering if it was because there wasn't enough bedding, so I've given him a cuddly toy for company and loads of hay for him to make a little nest, maybe he needed to be snuggly? Has anyone got any ideas?

I was also wondering about how much grass to introduce and how quickly? We were trying to avoid an upset tummy! We managed to find a spot in the garden where there's mostly dried earth, and not much grass at all, and have put the eglu there. How much grass can I introduce to a 10 week old, and at what rate?

I would appreciate any feed back. Thanks.

[clare*]

NO GRASS. Yes I am shouting.

 

I put my new rabbits on grass 2 weeks ago when I got them. I had a poorly bunny for a week, it was very worrying. They are now on the patio so no grass allowed.

 

Clare T had said no grass for 6 months Just give them hay and rabbit food, I buy the one for babies and dwarf's.

 

If I take the water bottle out and put it on the run, one of mine Fudge, sits in the hay rack. I would not worry, Billy just likes it.

 

I have put boxes for them to run through in the run to keep them happy, they love them. They run through them like they on an assault course.

[spacedhopper]

Claire, why NO GRASS ? every time i visit the vets they are always telling me that rabbits need grass as part of their diet, its very important to have fresh grass, obviously rabbits eat grass in the wild from birth, they cant get hold of pellets, ive always found as long as dont mix the diet too much then they are generally ok. My rabbits have always eaten grass from a young age certainly younger than six months old and i have never experienced any problems.

[clare*]

Claret and the vets have told me no grass till that age. Their tummies can't take it apparently.

 

One of mine was so poorly after spending a day on the grass. the other seemed fine though.

 

I too thought rabbits, grass no problem but apparently not. Even cabbage leave and other such greens have to wait till they are older.

[The Dogmother]

Yup, no 'wet' food until their tummies are mature enough, or you might get a dead bunny they have very sensitive digestive systems.

 

Mone used to fight for a sleeping spot in the hay rack when they were little - I think they'd break it now! Try moving their hay out of the Rablu and into a hay rack in the run, they will eat more and it will help their tummies. Mine won't eat it fromt he rack inside for some reason

[spacedhopper]

Yup, no 'wet' food until their tummies are mature enough, or you might get a dead bunny they have very sensitive digestive systems.

 

Mone used to fight for a sleeping spot in the hay rack when they were little - I think they'd break it now! Try moving their hay out of the Rablu and into a hay rack in the run, they will eat more and it will help their tummies. Mine won't eat it fromt he rack inside for some reason

 

what do you call 'wet' food, the only food i have ever seen advised against feeding to rabbits is tomatoes and lettuce, wouldnt personally class all greens as wet food. What age do they advise to start feeding grass then? i have always fed my rabbits on the dried grass pellets and nothing else, font go with this bunnie mix stuff you can get from petshops, now that does destroy your rabbits insides, have you ever tried weening them off the stuff, cheap and not so cheerful that stuff.

[The Dogmother]

I understand that around 15 weeks is when their tummies are ready. Wet food is anything other than dried pelleted stuff or hay. You're right about tomatoes and lettuce though, add to that potatoes and fruit too though.

 

My girls have been offered a wide range of green stuff, and only seem to like a few things, so we stick to safe but boring which seems to suit them.

[Guest]

I understand that around 15 weeks is when their tummies are ready. Wet food is anything other than dried pelleted stuff or hay. You're right about tomatoes and lettuce though, add to that potatoes and fruit too though.

 

My girls have been offered a wide range of green stuff, and only seem to like a few things, so we stick to safe but boring which seems to suit them.

 

cheers claret, you live and learn dont you. yes it probably is about 15 weeks, that makes sense cause its nearly always around that age i take them to the vets, and they bang on about having a daily grass intake. I got it into my head everybody was saying about 6 months, and i was thinking blimey, my rabbits have been eating from a lot earlier than that, probably getting my threads mixed up.

[spacedhopper]

I understand that around 15 weeks is when their tummies are ready. Wet food is anything other than dried pelleted stuff or hay. You're right about tomatoes and lettuce though, add to that potatoes and fruit too though.

 

My girls have been offered a wide range of green stuff, and only seem to like a few things, so we stick to safe but boring which seems to suit them.

 

cheers claret, you live and learn dont you. yes it probably is about 15 weeks, that makes sense cause its nearly always around that age i take them to the vets, and they bang on about having a daily grass intake. I got it into my head everybody was saying about 6 months, and i was thinking blimey, my rabbits have been eating from a lot earlier than that, probably getting my threads mixed up. [/quot

 

sorry that was me, not on my computer, forgot to log on

[The Dogmother]

Hay is even more important for their gastric health as a lack of it will cause their digestion to grind to a halt (gastric stasis).

[lynda.chatfield]

Back onto the strange sleeping habits, I know everyone says to leave the door open all night so the bunny can come and go as he pleases, but Billy seems to be a completely different rabbit at night, really active, charging up and down the run, jumping in and out of boxes etc. My slight dissapointment is that my two little boys miss all that, and Billy seems to sleep all day, pretty much. I've taken the hay rack out of the eglu now (the guys from Omlet recommended that I did), and since then he's turned into mad rabbit at night. You don't think this is a sign that he's scared do you, now I've taken the satety net of his hay rack away? I've put loads of hay on top of the wood shavings so he can get all cosy, and he does use that now, but only during the day. Am I worrying unnecessarily? This is worse than having kids - looking after the kids pet!!

Lynda

[clare*]

Rabbits are most active in the morning and evening, snoozing in the afternoon.

 

My two just seem to have 40 winks here and there throughout the afternoon.

 

After tea time they are doing the rabbit Olympics around the run in and out of the house at speed really funny to watch.

 

I guess each rabbit is different. We have ours on our laps watching the telly in the evening for a bit.

[The Dogmother]

Ours eat your clothes if you do that - we have to put them on old towels or we get shredded

 

My girls usually sleep around lunchtime, then go mad in the evening like yours Clare*