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  1. robeyw

    Reasonable bonding expectations

    In thought about that since he is very active but with 2 identical marks, I thought it unlikely, but in any case there has been no repition and it seems to have had no effect on the relationship though I sometimes find a tuft of his fir on the floor in the eating area. The doe has been making...
  2. robeyw

    Reasonable bonding expectations

    I am not experienced with rabbits but am giving it more time, and found 2 wounds on the buck I call Peanut on his forehead that may be bites. They are oval hairless patches about 4mm wide and 15 mm long with a read spot near the center (1 shown in the photo, the other behind the vertical line...
  3. robeyw

    Reasonable bonding expectations

    Just what togetherness, grooming etc is reasonable to expect. I gave a description of what I have seen which falls short of what I expected. Should I just give it more time or is it a bad paring of rabbits?
  4. robeyw

    Reasonable bonding expectations

    I read about how much happier bonded rabbits are, but is that typical? What is reasonable to expect? I have a spayed doe about 3 years old that had a companion 2 years ago. I got her when the companion died. I tried getting a companion from a shelter but it was a bad choice. The companion lives...
  5. robeyw

    Identifying first symptom of heat stress

    My conclusion from summer and fall observations is that the first symptom is increased respiration rate, still shallow. It is not a reason for immediate concern but an early indication of discomfort.
  6. robeyw

    Do you use compressed hay?

    Actually, the Standlee hay cubes are not recommended for rabbits. I assume it has to do with the clay filler. Every rabbit I have ever fed liked Kaytee timothy blend cubes because they like the feel of chewing them. The fiber length seems long enough to replace hay but they don't eat that much...
  7. robeyw

    Do you use compressed hay?

    I bought a bag of Standlee timothy pellets but my rabbits which love the much more expensive and much greener Viking Farmer timothy pellets would only eat tiny amounts when very hungry. How does the compressed bale compare with the "pellets" (actually extrusion)?
  8. robeyw

    Hay Racks - what’s the point?

    I think it varies a lot with the individual rabbit and the hay. Journey pulls it from wherever it is but only to eat it (but she rejects some for reasons not known to me and it ends up on the floor) but eats more from a box on the floor and the rejects stay in the box. Midnight won't eat from a...
  9. robeyw

    Identifying first symptom of heat stress

    My aluminum plate 1/4" thick does not make any noise but the slickness in interesting. First I had a rug that she wadded up to sit on the slick vinyl floor. Then I got a ground rubber mat for both rabbits to use. They show no preference over the slick floor. (I was also concerned about the...
  10. robeyw

    Identifying first symptom of heat stress

    What is the first symptom to look for to be concerned that a rabbit is too hot? I was looking at respiration rate but I have a caged rabbit that is in a temperature of about 78 degrees F that started breathing about 3X faster but still shallow and tried a couple things: I gave her a large...
  11. robeyw

    Its too hot

    Fans cool dry surfaces by mooing the heated air away and exposing the surface to cool air. Improvements in heat transfer can exceed 3X but when I have given my 2 rabbits a mild breeze from a fan when they were only mildly over their desired temperature, they moved away from it.
  12. robeyw

    How much water should I expect them to drink?

    I had water and food in stainless boles in the original cage and she drank enough water for several months. She established her pee spot infront of the water and occasionally contaminated the water which I would change when I noticed it but she continued to drink water. Eventually I noticed that...
  13. robeyw

    Anyone make there own hay?

    There is a big difference between making cheap hay for horses and good hay for rabbits! I am making small quantities as I find good quality grass but have a question about storage. I often see a curing period mentioned but once it is dry, what more is to be done other than keeping it dry? I dry...
  14. robeyw

    rabbits wasting hay

    According to the Standlee web site, the cubes are not recommended for rabbits. My guess is because they are afraid that a clump of bentonite (used as binder) could choke the rabbit. Standlee does have 1/4" Timothy extrusions (they call pellets) without binder and reconnended for rabbits but the...
  15. robeyw

    rabbits wasting hay

    Journey eats fresh grass with delight when it is available. At the end of the season, when there was more brown than green, she would eat every spec of green but she has not adapted well to hay. She eats the first 28% without hesitation then nibbles on the rest, leaving 42% for times of famine...
  16. robeyw

    Feeding proper amount of Calcium

    There is a lot of discussion of excess calcium causing bladder sludge. Some of this indicates that this is a pasty material settling in the bladder which interferes with urination while other discussion seems to refer to a white particulate suspended in the urine. How can I tell if I am feeding...
  17. robeyw

    The facts about giving does calcium and common mistakes!

    Some alfalfa based formulas have added calcium, other where alfalfa is the first ingredient have much less. For example the first 2 ingredients in kmshayloft are alfalfa and orchard grass and the calcium is .41% to .54%. Are there other reasons for an adult rabbit, not pregnant or nursing, to...
  18. robeyw

    Rabbit HATES Dieting

    I think the key to the rabbit not wanting too many pellets is to find other good food that he likes. My rabbit ( 5 lb) hates timothy hay and in the winter eats orchard grass hay plus various greens and is fairly satisfied with 30 grams pellet but in prime grass growing season (spring and fall)...
  19. robeyw

    A Study on Feeding Mulberry Leaves to Rabbits.

    I started adding mulberry leaves free choice to Journey’s (18 months old) diet as soon as full size leaves became available this spring. Hay and fresh grass are also provided free choice. I would not make mulberry leaves the only free choice food. She is free range and lets me know when she is...
  20. robeyw

    Marking behavior?

    The behavior stopped as suddenly as it started. The only thing I have changed is giving her much more dandelion and clover while changing to a lower calcium manufactured formula about 2 weeks before then. It may have nothing to do with the behavior change but she was getting tired of grass and...
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