Common Q & A's

Q: Will my only bunny be lonely by itsself?

A: No bunnies can be very territorial, most prefer not to share their space with another rabbit. Look at it this way, when you see a wild bunny outside how many do you normally see.....1 (unless its a momma with babies or its mating)

Q: I know my bunny shouldn't be lonely by itself but it makes me feel better to get 2.  What 2 should I get?

A: Do Not Put Two Unfixed Male Rabbits Together. First, do not house two unfixed males together as they will often try to kill each other. I had two males that weren't neutered actually chew through the wooden walls of a multiple hutch so they could get at each other to fight. Unfixed males should always be kept in their own cage or hutch.

What About Two Unfixed Female Rabbits? Two unfixed females may be okay, especially if they are put together when they are very young. If they are older, you will have to take steps to see how they get along as one will sometimes try to dominate the other to show who's boss. Female rabbits that aren't spayed can also be very territorial and quite aggressive towards any other rabbit that enters her cage, even her own offspring once they have grown up and "moved" out. It is best to use the "neutral zone" method listed below when introducing two unfixed females.

Do Not Keep an Unfixed Male and an Unfixed Female in the Same Cage. If you intend to breed your rabbits, only keep the male and female together for a short time to breed. It is best to not put them together in the female rabbit's cage since she will feel territorial and may be aggressive toward the male, seeing him as a threat instead of a mate. You can place the female in the male's cage to mate and then return the female to her own cage or the female won't have a moment of peace.

Do Not House a Rabbit that Has Babies with Any Other Rabbit! The first reason is because the mother rabbit will see any other rabbit as a threat to her babies and will often attack the other rabbit to protect them. The second reason, as sad as it is true, is that other rabbits will often kill the baby bunnies, especially a male rabbit because he wants the female to go into heat again so they can breed, which won't happen while she's nursing babies. I know it seems twisted, the male kills the baby bunnies so he can make more baby bunnies, but not everything in the animal world makes sense.

Q: Why is my female rabbit mounting my other female does this mean its a boy?

A: No. There is a possiblity it could have been missexed but 2 females rabbits will mount each other for dominance. Have your rabbits resexed, if both are girls just monitor it and make sure noone gets hurt it in the act.

Q: I want a rabbit but should I get 2 to play together and keep each other company?

A: Rabbits do great by themself, provide they get lots of attention from you and free time to run and stretch outside of their cage. However if you do decide to get 2 you do want sperate cages for both of them. 2 Males will fight til death and 2 females will get territorial around breeding age (6 months). Some females will get along but to me its never worth the chance. Also you can get a male and a female but they will breed unless you get the male (he's cheaper) fixed at 4 months of age.

Q:My rabbit is running around the house like crazy, Is there something wrong?

A:This is normal happy rabbit behavior. Usually trying to tell you something...at bedtime or get up time or when they want something. Be concerned if your rabbit doesn't do this...may be too fat or ill.

Q: My rabbits fur is changing color? Is something wrong?

A: Nothing to be concerned about its caused by the sun. Rabbits like/need to sit in the sun for short period every day for their vitamin D. Older rabbits seem to love sunbathing. Make sure they have shade if they want it. But the UV rays changes the color of the fur....its called sunburn for a rabbit.

 

Q:Why does my rabbit rub his chin on everything?

A: chinning is a way of marking property. Rabbits have scent glands on their chins which exude a clear liquid. Bucks have this much more than does because bucks need to mark their females. Domestic rabbits do this to claim objects as their own.

 

Q: My rabbit was running around the house and all of a sudden just fell over? What happened?

A: A rabbit suddenly falling over onto the floor. Then possibly rolling around. Feet up in the air. Normal happy rabbit behavior though it is a little startling.

Q: My rabbit is loosing fur? What do I do?

A: Rabbits shed or molt, their coat two to three times the first year and then typically once a year after that.  The first molt may be at three months of age when you'll see a little fur fly when you pet them.  The six month molt is the big one where folks are certain their rabbit has something wrong because their hair is falling out in great handfuls.  The new fur that comes in after the six month molt will be their adult color and texture. Long haired rabbits fur from this point on will be slightly coarser and easier to maintain with less matting. The Rex coat will be silkier and more velvety feeling.  They may shed again at nine months, but not always.  Then at a year they will shed again. After that, unless there is a dramatic change in weather, they will only molt once a year (around their birthday).

Q: Why is my rabbit eating his poop at night?

A: All rabbits do it. If the do not eat them they will become very sick.....it's not actual poop, it's cecals. Rabbits have a large cecum, which is a blind pouch located at the junction of the small intestine and the large intestine, where the digestible portions of the intestinal contents enter and are broken down by bacteria. Some nutrients are absorbed through the wall of the cecum, but most nutrients are locked up in the bacteria. The rabbit then produces bacteria-rich droppings called ecotropes, which are softer, stickier, greener and have a stronger odor than the regular waste droppings. These cecotropes are eaten directly from the anus as soon as they are produced. The cecotropes are then passed through the digestive tract of the rabbit and nutrients such as vitamins,amino acids and fatty acids are released from the bacteria and absorbed into the rabbit's body. In this way, rabbits are very efficient at producing their own vitamin, protein and fat supply from food that for some animals, such as ourselves, would be totally useless. This is why Rabbit manure is the only manure you can use direct form the animal without composting it first, and it wont hurt your plants by burning them with too much nitrogen.