(Part 3) Best products from r/Rabbits

1. Is she spayed? This sounds like possibly hormonal behavior which happened when they reach puberty.... if she is not spayed you must get her spayed - so that is question #1.
   
   1. She sounds really hormonal now....
      
2. Bunnies are not like cats or dogs. The do NOT understand at all negative feedback, like yelling or say no or being locked up when they misbehave. That could just undermine the trust between you and the bunny. Instead they do understand positive reinforcement, thus to “discipline” it is best to build positive associations and redirect their behavior to thing that are allowed in a way that makes them want to do the good things, vs not want to do the bad things for fear of being punished..
   
   1. So saying no is not going to help. You need to figure out why she is doing it.
      
3. Now keep in mind also that bunnies are crepuscular - meaning most active at night and early mornings as prey animals, so they are quite active often when humans sleep...
   
   1. This means you need to provide things for her to do when you are asleep so she does not feel bored.
      
      1. To start with provide to her a stuffed animal toy to use as a cuddle buddy when you are asleep and away.
         
      2. Give her her own bed also - try a get a soft kitten bed or a hidy house like this.
         
      3. Provide to her a blanket or something you keep on your bed specifically for her - reinforce when she hops that that is his spot, she can dig that special blanket you give her just for her.
         
      4. Bunnies are smart and they need toys to entertain them and stay out of trouble. In the absence of good things to chew they will chew the other things - chewing and digging is their natural instinct, so the solution is not to spot them, but to provide alternatives specifically meant for them to chew and dig and to reinforce them using it. Bunnies are very food-motivated so you can use food to train them to do what you want them to do. :)
         
      5. I will mention some things to buy and make for toy for your bun below - don't think you need to get everything - start with some basic things and rotate toys to keep him interested. But the most important thing is reinforcing and redirecting. Bunnies unlike cats and dogs don't understand negative reinforcement or discipline at all, it scares them and actually leads to the opposite of desired results. But they do really understand positive reinforcement and build positive associations when you redirect bad behavior and reward good behavior. So you have to actively and diligently train the bunny overtime not to chew and dig the wrong things. Anytime you see digging or chewing, immediately try to offer a toy or some alternative instead and reward with a small treat when it works. This does need to be done very diligently each time you see him do things like that.
         
      6. ​
         
         So what to give as toys?
         
         
4. Bunnies like exporting type toys - tunnels, cardboard houses, willow and hay balls, chews, and treat puzzles . The two thread below have examples:
   
   
   1. https://www.reddit.com/r/Rabbits/comments/an8cut/rabbit_room_ideas/
      
   2. https://www.reddit.com/r/Rabbits/comments/ajf2vl/how_to_enrich_my_rabbits_life/
      
5. Also a couple suggestions below that are my personal favorites and all buns tend to enjoy:
   
   
   1. Treat/pellets ball - feed pellets in it vs a bowl
      
   2. Nesting cups - hide little treat bits between stacked cups, I have not met a bun who doesn't love these
      
   3. Plastic slinky - most buns love these
      
   4. Play house
      
   5. Dig box
      
6. Also try homemade things - the best I found was an empty egg carton stuffed wit favorite greens for him to figure out how to open. :)
   
   
   1. Or something like this https://www.reddit.com/r/Rabbits/comments/be338f/diy_pellet_dispenser/
      
   2. Or a homemade castle like this person did https://www.reddit.com/r/Rabbits/comments/bcl9p4/cardboard_castle/ - she has instructions on how to make one, send her a message.
      
7. Chew toys specifically - there are what you need to get to offer as alternatives to him chewing furniture!
   
   
   1. Willow and hay balls are great - good quality ones here https://shop.smallpetselect.com/collections/natural-toys-and-chews-for-rabbits
      
   2. They also have these logs where you can hide treats and pellets for fun - the bun would love to chew those I think and they last too. :)
      
   3. Great quality toys that are super fragrant and yummy to chew here https://www.farmerdavepetsupply.com/toys
      
   4. And thicker good chew sticks here https://www.farmerdavepetsupply.com/chew-sticks

Technically rabbits don't need pellets. Pellets are really just ground up hay with added supplements and fillers. The hay is what's more concerning to me.

What do her poops look like? Here's our photo guide to determining healthy rabbit poops. So long as her poops don't look small and/or stringy, she might be getting enough fiber from her veggies and I wouldn't overly worry about it.

How long have you had her?

I suggest leaving hay around and perhaps tossing some herbs - either dried or fresh - into the mix to encourage her to eat. Fresh dandelion (make sure they haven't been sprayed with pesticides) can also be very tempting. Some bunnies also really like hay blocks (basically pressed hay). I have no idea why this is different to them than non-pressed hay but they seem to treat them more like treats than the stuff in the litter box.

You might also want to add in some hay supplements to increase her fiber intake and if you're worried about her nutritional content. The oxbow ones are pretty good and my rabbits tend to think they're treats as well.

What kinds of hay have you tried? Some rabbits are picky eaters. If you've tried timothy, perhaps orchard or oat would be good options? Oat shouldn't be a "main" hay but might be a good starting point to introduce the concept.

I wouldn't recommend letting her get into the water. Rabbits rely on their undercoat staying dry in order to maintain their body temperature. Once the undercoat is wet, they lose that insulation and can easily die of pneumonia. Make sure to dry her off very thoroughly if she does end up getting wet.

Good luck!

Wow! Thank you so much for this guide! I will definitely keep referring back to it as I set them up.

I am not sure of their genders or reproductive status, so I will be asking the last owners. They literally just put the bunnies in this cage on their porch and said free rabbits to good home, so I have no idea. They definitely seem bonded.

I’m buying one of these for their hay, so they always have access to it. I’ll order some pellets while I’m at it.


Would one of these suffice for litter?

I’m so lucky to already have an exotic animal vet, one that does cater to rabbits, in my area. I’ve taken my snakes there before.

I just want to give these babies as good a home as I can, especially since I don’t think they were treated well at the last place. I gave them hay, fresh water, a small carrot, and some collard greens when I got home with them a couple of hours ago, and they have not stopped eating since. I’m not sure if this is just rabbit behavior or not. Either way, they’re much happier now!

Not sure what your budget is or what type of cage you have but I used these type of wire cubes to built a bigger home for my bun. For ideas on how to make a door/entrance take a look at this thread from a few weeks ago.


You can also try to put mats against the wires so he doesn't chew the wires and gets a snack instead. If he doesn't pay much attention to the mats you can try what I do at times, I get the treats (see link below) and rub it against the mats so it's more a more appetizing snack.

A few other suggestions when you move and have bigger space:

• Tunnels - Options 1 - for this one just keep an eye on the hanging ball - my bun chewed right through the string to get rid of the ball but otherwise loves the tunnel, Option 2, Option 3
  
  Treats (recommended by her vet)
  
  I also agree with a lot of the suggestions here, I have the Living World Teach treat toy and my bun just loves it, though doesn't care for other toys but lives for cardboard boxes. Hope this helps!

Teach And Treat is REALLY cool. I have 2 buns who are both really food motivated and this has 3 "levels" or variations of puzzle for them to solve. It's really interesting how our older boy who's a little 4 pounder "politely" removes each cup and puts it neatly to the side then eats the treats. Our 1 year old 8 pound girl picks the whole thing up with her teeth, "makes it rain," and then proceeds to bonk and toss the little cups.

Snack Ball is cool too. It's not available at that link, but it's the only good pic I can find of it. I got ours at a House Rabbit fundraiser. They REALLY get good at it - we have a wood floor so it's NICE AND LOUD. It's also a good way to feed pellets - makes them exercise for them.

Yes. I personally prefer this stuff because it is mostly dust-free and does a great job at absorbing and not stinking... I like the non-scented variety.

Edit to add: Carefresh is nice but this is comparable in a pinch.

I like to put the pellets in the bottom of the litter pan and then put some white fluffy stuff on top. It helps with the cost but I do it because the white fluff helps me to monitor bun's urine color and watch for sudden potential changes in wellness.

I trained Rocky the EXACT same way I trained my dog growing up, and he responded beautifully.

He used to do the normal rabbit habit (lol that's a rhyme) of chewing on cords and/or remote control buttons, but I did what I did with my dog growing up:

I put him on the couch with wires and remote controls in reach, and, every time he would make a move towards them, I'd say in a strict, sharp voice "NO!"

Then, as soon as he backed away from the remote/cord (or didn't attack it), I'd lavish him with praise and rubbies/pets.

Afte a while, he learned the routine, and now he no longer destroys stuff besides his toys.

If your rabbit is a big chewer, definitely keep a stock of Timothy Hay Cubes on hand (if you don't already!).

This "like a dog" training also helped me to teach Rocky to learn/know his name, come when called, etc...

Further, make sure to always push the "comfort zone" boundaries with your bun. I've constantly held and played and messed and rubbed and grabbed Rocky in every conceivable way every single day, to the point where he now knows that I can mess with him to no end and it'll never cause him harm, so I can do whatever I want to him.

He lets me do it all, even stuff most rabbits tend not to enjoy, like he loves when I hold and massage and rub his back feet/toes!

It sounds like you did a bunch of research and you're totally ready for this bun!

Just a couple of specific ideas to add on to what the other commenters have suggested. This stuff is great for covering wires. If you find that the carefresh doesn't absorb odor as well, you can try a pelleted litter (I use oxbow eco-straw since it's safe for them to eat)

Congrats on your new bun!

I buy new toys all the time, the trick is to make sure its different because they get bored easily. My 2 girls LOVE the tunnel so much I'm getting the tent to go with it, paper towl rolls work, they love to play. You just gotta mix it up some times. Random boxes work also! https://www.amazon.com/your-orders/pop?packageId=1&ref=ppx_yo2_mob_b_pop&orderId=111-9908315-6997003&lineItemId=kkrmkxnopnkvsny&shipmentId=DBjSSxJPL

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006JVPUUY?ref=ppx_pt2_mob_b_prod_image

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006JVPUWC?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Potty training for the bunnies: you may see their litter habits improve after a couple weeks of being home, and then see their litter box use decline greatly as they approach 4 months of age (yay, hormones). If you have males greater than 3 lbs, you should be able to neuter them at 4 months. For females and smaller rabbits, give it a couple more months. Litter habits should improve after surgery, but you may need to help them along. Collect all stray poops and and them in the litter box. Wipe up any out of litter box messes as quickly as you can. You can use white vinegar to deodorize the spot. Place the hay rack in the litter box, so they're poised to use the bathroom as they snack.

A water bowl will work fine. When you pick them up, ask if they've been drinking from a bowl or bottle. When they get home, make sure that they are drinking from the bowl. If they are accustomed to drinking from a bottle and are having difficulties making the switch to a bowl, you can put a bottle in until they've make the transition.

My rabbits love these woven balls. I'll pick up random wood chews whenever I go to the pet store. Sometimes I'll put their pellets in one of these treat balls to encourage foraging. Some cat jingle balls and some wooden parrot toys also wok well as rabbit toys. Hay stuffed toilet paper rolls make cheap DIY toys. You can fill a box with shredded paper and cut a hole in the box, so your bunnies can dig around in that.

Limit treats. Hold off on fruits and veggies until 3 months of age. Introduce new foods slowly and in small quantities to avoid an upset stomach.

If you weren't already planning for it, I'd recommend keeping your new young ones separated until they've both been neutered to avoid unwanted pregnancies and fighting.

Cover cords with this. Distract bunny with awesome toys like this.

Most chew toys are ignored by my rabbit, but he will chew twigs like these to smithereens. This definitely helps to distract him.

Thank you for giving your bunny the best home possible :) Domestic bunbuns really do best indoors. You can use wood pellets instead of shavings (super cheap at the hardware store - ask for those with low ash content and just avoid cedar pellets). Alternatively, you can use cat litter brands made of recycled paper (a little more expensive, but still way more affordable than the bedding marketed for rabbits).


Edit: cat litter

Rabbit Tunnel!

He runs through it and is constantly moving it around the room. It's pretty funny when he sticks his head out of the window in the middle.

And don't use cedar chips or cat littter.use carefresh and hay.

http://www.bunnyhugga.com/a-to-z/housing/rabbit-bedding.html

Carefresh Complete Pet Bedding, 60 L, Natural https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PBM6WHW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fIyyyb243J4YH

My rabbit’s favorite hard chew toys are:

bamboo chew sticks: BWOGUE 100g Pet Snacks Sweet Bamboo Chew Toy for Squirrel Rabbits Guinea Pigs Chinchilla Hamster (About 10-14 Sticks) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAQFWGE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kYtWCbJ05MBYY

Stick ball: Ware Manufacturing Willow Branch... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XV5E9U?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

And Timothy hay chew cubes: Kaytee Timothy Hay Blend Cubes 1... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DK8OI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

My rabbit eats blankets, so you might want to watch out for that with yours. On the litter tray - one made for a cat should work well (it should be small enough your bunny can hop in, and large enough for her to do a full turn around in AND have a wad of timothy hay). You might have to try a few different things for lining it - I usually use the pine pellets from Tractor Supply Company that are intended for horses (https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tractor-supply-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb?cm_vc=-10005) and shake hay-dust over the pellets, then put a big wad of hay at one end for my bunny to eat. I've had people mention that pine and rabbits can be iffy though (apparently they absorb something from it that makes it so their liver doesn't react well to certain medications), so you might want to try some kind of paper bedding in the litter box instead. I've used this before and it does seem to keep the pee odor down, but my rabbit likes to eat it (which is why I switched to the pine pellets): https://www.amazon.com/Carefresh-Complete-Pet-Bedding-Natural/dp/B00PBM6WHW

I also linked this to you as a cheaper alternative. Works great for most cords!

Get a bar of common Ivory Soap and drag it over the baseboards. Rabbits dislike its taste and if applied well it is essentially invisible and lasts for a long time. You might try this experimentally, at first, coating just some of the baseboards and leaving others unaltered to see if there is a difference.

For cords, I'd recommend something like:

D-Line Cable Tube | Cord Management sleeve | Ideal to hide cables, cords and wires from TVs, AV Equipment and Computer Equipment | 3' 7", 1⅓" diameter – Black

https://www.amazon.com/Yesterdays-News-Non-Clumping-Unscented-30-Pound/dp/B0002AQ0BQ

here ya go, this is the best stuff

No - just meant to say he was eating hard types of treats as well, which sometimes contain seeds. I just wanted to make clear that he is eating things that are hard (not just soft foods)

​

Treats that are like this:

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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NC3LY0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WW4EDTQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

https://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Natural-Timothy-Rabbits-Animals/dp/B0002DK8OI/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?keywords=hay+rabbit+traet&qid=1555517252&s=pet-supplies&sr=1-3-spell-spons&psc=1

Our rabbits have this thing. You just stuff the ball full of hay, hang it from the side of their cage or fence, and they get to pick hay out of it and spin it around. You can also remove the mounting bracket and let them roll the ball around the floor, but keep in mind it will leave bits of hay everywhere they roll it, so it means more floor cleaning for you.

Oreo and Donut seem to have a lot of fun with it, and packing it full of hay lasts about one full day between the two of them.

I use the yesterdays news litter in a breeze system litter box. It's the only thing that controls odor for me. All of the urine is soaked up in a puppy pad underneath the box, and then the litter disguises any excess smell whole also allowing urine to fall through the grate so my bun doesn't get yellow feet. I also put hay on top of this. Maybe you just need to try a different litter?? In the meantime, consider giving him so laxatone to allow passage for any foreign materials through his GI tract.

[yesterday's news litter ](Yesterday's News Cat Litter, Non-Clumping, Unscented, 30-Pound Bag, Pack of 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AQ0BQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UzHjyb9PKFD7B)

[breeze litter system ](Tidy Cats Cat Litter, Breeze, Litter Box Kit System, 1 Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001411SK0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PAHjybB6VN6HP)

[](Laxatone (2.5 oz) by Vetoquinol https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CQWEE2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_mCHjybR50SXG0)

It's those panels used to make storage cubes.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B007ELAS9G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's all assembled with zip ties, including the levels :) There's lots of tutorials online!

I have used and keep around oxbow hay stacks for such occasions. When I can't find the oxbow ones I'll get the kaytee hay cubes... buns prefer the oxbow. Most pet stores should carry one or both.