Got my first rabbits today! A few questions.

[Brass]

Today was RABBIT DAY! Got a great Palomino Doe (that was bred yesterday), a Palomino Buck, and a NZW baby buck.

I realize I've got no experience in reading Rabbit body language. They were calm to transfer into their cages, started nibbling and drinking.

Mama Roses laid down stretched out. The young buck groomed himself and when he hops he sort of 'flicks' his back feet. Husband says he thinks that means he doesn't like the cage floor (?), and little baby "Hop Hop" (so named by my son) nibbled and hung out.

How on earth do I know if they are exhibiting signs of relaxation or stress? I just realized how much I Do Not Know.

 

[ek.blair]

from my minimal experience it sounds like they have settled in VERY nicely! Congratulations on the new Buns the mama stretching out is a good sign... prey animals won't lie down if they are nervous. and the baby kicking up his feet are "happy" antics :lol: some of the more experienced RT members will probaly know more

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Those sound like some laid back bunnies to me!

Of course, to give a more comprehensive assessment and evaluation, pictures would be a great deal of help. :mrgreen:

 

[Sagebrush]

:yeahthat:

 

[Brass]

Ok I'll have to figure out best way to do pictures on here! Any tips? I've got a few crappy cell pics but maybe after the kids are in bed I'll get the big camera out and try for some pics.

Just went and checked on them and they were all resting, ears back. Good thing, I think.

 

[arachyd]

If he bounces around and flicks his feet he's playing. The jump, foot flick is known as a binky. If he turns his back and walks away from you with a foot flick you have offended him in some way.

 

[WildWolf]

This should help: http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

 

[Brass]

They seem good today! All poop looks firm, they nibbled pellets and drank a bunch of water. Weather here is nice and cool 40s/50s at night and 60s during the day. Gave them a small handful of hay (timothy/grass mix with some clover and trefoil) and they all thought that was great! They had some chaff in dishes last night but weren't as interested in that as the long hay. Do I need to worry about giving too much hay?

They are adjusting to our dogs milling around and hopefully they adjust to the kids staring at them, being loud etc, LOL. This morning I found my son *inside* the 24x24 cage with one of the rabbits. Sigh.

Thanks for the link on rabbit behavior, it's been a great read so far.

Next question: How often should I handle these guys? I assume they don't like to be held so just petted? I want to do as much as I can to keep the Palominos friendly and keep socializing the NZW (who was just born at the end of Feb), but I don't want to STRESS them out unnecessarily. I don't really know for sure what they like in terms of petting/patting either.

Also, when do I clip their nails. AND HOW! I'll be looking for videos on Youtube on that, I guess!

Now for pictures!


This is "Mama Roses" (who came with the name "Mudge" but 3 year old son liked "Mama Roses"). Pic is from her breeder.






Here she is at home. She's laid flat like this since several times and seems pretty relaxed I think.




Here's the young buck, came to us with the name "Bob" but we're looking for a new one, even though his tattoo says "BOB." We have a family member called that and…. well… just need a new name. Hope these guys aren't going to be put off by that!



1 year old daughter loves them!!! NZW "Hop Hop" on the bottom, thats the cage DS was in this morning. Hop Hop seems none the worse for the wear.




The whole temporary setup in the new chicken coop. Waiting on bigger cages and finishing the rabbit barn. <br /><br /> __________ Sat May 24, 2014 11:43 am __________ <br /><br /> Well after reading "The Language of Lagnomorphs", it appears that I'm constantly offending my bunnies.

I'm not trying to hold them, just offering them pets on the forehead (apparently that's a good place?) and they aren't into that AT ALL and certainly won't take a shred of carrot or raisin from my hand. ONe will if I offer it from OUTSIDE the cage.

Any suggestions on how to get these guys to warm up to me? My husband says I should just 'leave them alone' but I'm wondering if too much 'leaving alone' is a bad thing and will result in not-tame bunnies?

Occasionally one will hop up to sniff my fingers and then it sort of twitches/shudders and hops backward.

 

[Zass]

Lovely bunnies! It's a shame you had to get those TSC cages. But, I suppose they will be useful for growing juniors.
I leave them alone for just one or two days to get used to their new surroundings. Then I start with the affection. They don't have to love me, but they do have to accept the petting and handling without becoming stressed. They need to take treats from my hands without biting me.
Basically, they all have to be "child safe."
Any rabbit that gets too stressed from what I consider "normal handling" goes into the stewpot.

Only two of the does seek me out for petting, the rest only love me for treats.

Have any dandelions? oats? boss? Some treats are more effective than others, and some rabbits are fussy about things they have never tasted before.

I bet you will be great friends in no time

 

[Brass]

Lovely bunnies! It's a shame you had to get those TSC cages. But, I suppose they will be useful for growing juniors.
I leave them alone for just one or two days to get used to their new surroundings. Then I start with the affection. They don't have to love me, but they do have to accept the petting and handling without becoming stressed. They need to take treats from my hands without biting me.
Basically, they all have to be "child safe."
Any rabbit that gets too stressed from what I consider "normal handling" goes into the stewpot.

Only two of the does seek me out for petting, the rest only love me for treats.

Have any dandelions? oats? boss? Some treats are more effective than others, and some rabbits are fussy about things they have never tasted before.

I bet you will be great friends in no time

Yes I ordered from Klubertanz but they haven't come yet! Hopefully soon, the TSC cages are so rickety. :-(

I gave dandelions and so far only the NZW has eaten them. I was told he was the most skittish but so far he's the one that takes from my hand and the others do not. Or else he's most food motivated!!! They all transferred into their cages without a struggle so I believe that when push comes to shove they are tame but I do not want to stress them.

And not understanding their body language stresses ME!!! I will try to give BOSS. They have all eaten raisins (2 each) and little carrot shreds from their feed pans so if they haven't had those they're getting used to them. But I don't want to give many so they don't get sick.

I can reach in and PET them all without them biting or anything but I don't get the feeling they're enjoying it.

 

[skip]

My rabbits all went from sort of aloof to "GET OVER HERE. NOW. OPEN CAGE. GOOD. TREATS. NOW. TREATS. NOW!!!!" as soon as I invested in a 50 lb bag of calf manna. I mix it 50/50 with BOSS and feed a hearty tablespoon a day to nursing does, growing kits, and pregnant does in their last two weeks. Bucks and does between litters get a tablespoon a week for good behavior. When I feed it to kits I stay with them while they eat it and rest my hand on each one. The kits who can't take that don't get as much, and the kits who are ok with it are rewarded for the behavior. My bucks all like petting, the grown does I just pet about once a week to get a sense of how they feel about our "relationship."

You gotta teach that son of yours how to repair cages, I've ended up inside 24x24 cages stapling down hardware cloth and installing feeders more than once, and I bet it'd be a lot easier if I was 3 feet tall :lol:

EDIT: PS: I LOVE YOUR BUCK. Oh my god. Look at that guy. He's gonna grow into a real handsome stud of a stud!

 

[Zass]

I run my hands over my rabbits daily or at least several times a week simply as a matter of habit. It allows me to feel their condition and it's just one more indicator I use to judge overall health.

Perhaps BOB could be his initials?

 

[Brass]

My rabbits all went from sort of aloof to "GET OVER HERE. NOW. OPEN CAGE. GOOD. TREATS. NOW. TREATS. NOW!!!!" as soon as I invested in a 50 lb bag of calf manna. I mix it 50/50 with BOSS and feed a hearty tablespoon a day to nursing does, growing kits, and pregnant does in their last two weeks. Bucks and does between litters get a tablespoon a week for good behavior. When I feed it to kits I stay with them while they eat it and rest my hand on each one. The kits who can't take that don't get as much, and the kits who are ok with it are rewarded for the behavior. My bucks all like petting, the grown does I just pet about once a week to get a sense of how they feel about our "relationship."

You gotta teach that son of yours how to repair cages, I've ended up inside 24x24 cages stapling down hardware cloth and installing feeders more than once, and I bet it'd be a lot easier if I was 3 feet tall :lol:

EDIT: PS: I LOVE YOUR BUCK. Oh my god. Look at that guy. He's gonna grow into a real handsome stud of a stud!

Ok I'll be trying the BOSS thing also! So my doe will get a TBSP a day in a couple weeks. I don't know if the NZW counts as a "growing kit" or not, but obviously "Bob the Buck" is no longer a kit. I don't know if these guys will let me leave their hand on them while they eat. Part of the issue I think is that opening the cage door (opens up and in) forces them away/back and that probably stresses them out from the get go. I just fed Mama a couple dandelions and she munched them up right away with me there. The boys were sleeping/flopped down with eyes half shut, one ear back one ear up. So while "The Language of Lagomorphs" site says that one ear up one ear back is an upset/angry posture, because they were laying/sleeping maybe it wasn't? IDK.

I love my buck too! I don't know much about how they're 'supposed' to look but he just looks lovely. He's got quite the curious personality too. Mama is laid back and baby buck is laid back curious but "Bob" is energetic curious and doesn't chill out as quickly as the other two, but he's the only one that comes to sniff my fingers/hand.

Good lord if I told my 3 year old he could 'fix' the cages that would be the end of everything. He's pretty sure that "nails" and "tape" fix ALL. Before the rabbits came he kept putting nails in their food dishes. And the other day I woke up to him 'fixing' my handmade desk by trying to pound nails into it with his little hammer. So giving him free rein… oh man.

__________ Sat May 24, 2014 2:37 pm __________

I run my hands over my rabbits daily or at least several times a week simply as a matter of habit. It allows me to feel their condition and it's just one more indicator I use to judge overall health.

Perhaps BOB could be his initials?

Do they move away from you when you do it, or just stand there like "oh this again?" So far mine move away then stop at the back of the cage and tolerate it. I'm trying to just spend quiet time with them in their area (without my overzealous kids).

And what would BOB stand for? My son liked the suggestion "Cedar" for him but it's just… not… sticking. Actually the only one that has "stuck" is the SUPER GENERIC "Hop Hop" which, btw, is pronounced "hop HOP" with the stress on the second "hop."

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

My rabbits all went from sort of aloof to "GET OVER HERE. NOW. OPEN CAGE. GOOD. TREATS. NOW. TREATS. NOW!!!!" as soon as I invested in a 50 lb bag of calf manna. I mix it 50/50 with BOSS and feed a hearty tablespoon a day to nursing does, growing kits, and pregnant does in their last two weeks. Bucks and does between litters get a tablespoon a week for good behavior. When I feed it to kits I stay with them while they eat it and rest my hand on each one. The kits who can't take that don't get as much, and the kits who are ok with it are rewarded for the behavior. My bucks all like petting, the grown does I just pet about once a week to get a sense of how they feel about our "relationship."

You gotta teach that son of yours how to repair cages, I've ended up inside 24x24 cages stapling down hardware cloth and installing feeders more than once, and I bet it'd be a lot easier if I was 3 feet tall :lol:

EDIT: PS: I LOVE YOUR BUCK. Oh my god. Look at that guy. He's gonna grow into a real handsome stud of a stud!

Ok I'll be trying the BOSS thing also! So my doe will get a TBSP a day in a couple weeks. I don't know if the NZW counts as a "growing kit" or not, but obviously "Bob the Buck" is no longer a kit. I don't know if these guys will let me leave their hand on them while they eat. Part of the issue I think is that opening the cage door (opens up and in) forces them away/back and that probably stresses them out from the get go. I just fed Mama a couple dandelions and she munched them up right away with me there. The boys were sleeping/flopped down with eyes half shut, one ear back one ear up. So while "The Language of Lagomorphs" site says that one ear up one ear back is an upset/angry posture, because they were laying/sleeping maybe it wasn't? IDK.

I love my buck too! I don't know much about how they're 'supposed' to look but he just looks lovely. He's got quite the curious personality too. Mama is laid back and baby buck is laid back curious but "Bob" is energetic curious and doesn't chill out as quickly as the other two, but he's the only one that comes to sniff my fingers/hand.

Good lord if I told my 3 year old he could 'fix' the cages that would be the end of everything. He's pretty sure that "nails" and "tape" fix ALL. Before the rabbits came he kept putting nails in their food dishes. And the other day I woke up to him 'fixing' my handmade desk by trying to pound nails into it with his little hammer. So giving him free rein… oh man.

__________ Sat May 24, 2014 2:37 pm __________

I run my hands over my rabbits daily or at least several times a week simply as a matter of habit. It allows me to feel their condition and it's just one more indicator I use to judge overall health.

Perhaps BOB could be his initials?

Do they move away from you when you do it, or just stand there like "oh this again?" So far mine move away then stop at the back of the cage and tolerate it. I'm trying to just spend quiet time with them in their area (without my overzealous kids).

And what would BOB stand for? My son liked the suggestion "Cedar" for him but it's just… not… sticking. Actually the only one that has "stuck" is the SUPER GENERIC "Hop Hop" which, btw, is pronounced "hop HOP" with the stress on the second "hop."

It will depend on each bun, honestly. I have a buck that I hand handled since the day he was born...he's one of my "pocket babies" who used to nap in my pocket while I did chores...and one day he decided he didn't like having his daily hands-on time and now moves away whenever I try to touch him. It's just his personality, he doesn't dislike me (he LOVES ME when I have treats or pellets for him!) but he doesn't want to be handled. It doesn't scare him or anything, just not his favorite thing. I have another rabbit, a doe, that will practically ooze into my hands when I open her cage door...she LOVES being handled and I've had to explain to a few friends now that no, does are usually NOT THIS CUDDLY, lol!!!! She is that buck's polar opposite!!! She loves to be petted, and held, and snuggled, and even hugged. She gets offended if you DON'T pet her, LOL!!!

All of the rest of my buns fall somewhere between those two, in regards to how they like (or DON'T like) being handled. In my own very limited and TOTALLY anecdotal experience, commercial-type breeds tend to be a little aloof about petting...whereas my Mini Rex are usually pretty affectionate. YMMV!!!!!!!!

It can also take a while. My older Dutch buck was VERY skittish when I got him, he was terrified of people and hated to be touched. For two solid MONTHS he acted like I was torturing him every time I'd touch him. Then one day he apparently decided we aren't a threat, and the next thing you know he's calm and taking treats from people's hands and sitting quietly for being petted/checked over. He doesn't LOVE being touched but he's okay with it. Took a while!!!!

Don't be upset if some of them never love being handled...each rabbit does have their own personality!!!! Sounds like you are doing everything right...be patient!!!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Nice rabbits!

Your daughter is adorable. Ahh, to have little ones again... enjoy them!

Good thing DS only went in the bottom cage. You might want to tell him that the whole thing can tip over if he tries to climb into one of the upper ones.

How often should I handle these guys? I assume they don't like to be held so just petted?

I would pet them when you do your morning and evening chores. While they are munching hay would be a good time.

And you are right- most rabbits don't like to be held, although some don't mind sitting on your lap and getting stroked. The thing that takes the most getting used to for them is being picked up.

To pick them up, I put my left hand over their ears and shoulder and press down gently then slide my other hand under their belly. I kind of push their shoulders toward the hand under the belly while lifting them and bring them quickly into my body. If you tuck their head under your arm so they can't see they are usually more calm.

When I first start working with a rabbit I make sure to pick them up and set them down several times in a session. Usually mine are getting weighed and then put on a grooming table. Once they are on the table I will pick up and set down several times, always making sure they are hanging relaxed before setting them down. If they kick or struggle, DO NOT set them down.

When returning them to their cage, always put them in rear end first so they don't try to leap back into their cage. Keep your hand on their ears/shoulders for a moment until they are calm before letting them go.

Also, when do I clip their nails. AND HOW!

When they need it.

Clipping their nails isn't hard, but there is a vein or "quick" in there. You will be able to see it easily on Hop Hop's nails. Notice that it is a little behind where the nail starts to widen. You just don't want to cut into that, but if you do it isn't the end of the world. You can stop the bleeding with styptic powder or even food grade diatomaceous earth. Sugar is also supposed to work, but I haven't ever had much luck with that.

I hold most of my rabbits like you would a baby sitting on your lap, but my Satins don't like that so I just have them on all fours on my lap and trim them that way.

With dark colored nails you can tell when you are getting close to the quick by looking at the center of the cut end of the nail. If you are still a distance away, it will appear chalky, and as you near the quick it becomes more fleshy and moist looking.

This is a bad photo, but notice the white "chalky" part:



Better photo showing the crescent of moist tissue:

 

[Brass]

Thanks MamaSheepDog,

As always very helpful posts.

Um, how do you tell if they need it? :? Otherwise it sounds a lot like doing a dog's nails. Do you use a dog clipper, human toenail clipper, what? I usually dremel my dog's nails, but I suppose the rabbits would be verrrrry displeased with THAT.

In good news, they all let me pet them and seemed to enjoy it a BIT tonight while they were munching their hay. I"m going to have my husband try to reconfigure the doors on the TSC cages so I don't start out EVERY encounter by irritating them by swinging the doors up and usually close to them. That should help, I hope.

So how do rabbits like to be pet? Forehead? Back? Ears?



And yes, I told my son NOT TO GO IN THE CAGES anymore! Hubs will also be securing them to the wall, just in case….

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Thanks MamaSheepDog,

As always very helpful posts.

You're welcome, and aww, shucks!

Um, how do you tell if they need it? :?

We-e-ell... they tend to get really sharp and pointy when they are too long. I like to trim my doe's nails the day they get bred and the week prior to kindling. Bucks I just do as needed. So about the longest one of my rabbits goes without a nail trim is 8 weeks depending on my breeding/weaning schedule.

I"m going to have my husband try to reconfigure the doors on the TSC cages so I don't start out EVERY encounter by irritating them by swinging the doors up and usually close to them. That should help, I hope.

All of the doors in my bunnybarn swing up and in. They get used to it. The nice thing about that door configuration is that if you forget to latch the door it is hard for the rabbits to escape. Although not impossible- I had one doe jump out and break her leg once.

So how do rabbits like to be pet? Forehead? Back? Ears?

I pet mine from the forehead, over the ears, and down the body. Some rabbits like to be gently stroked on the cheeks.

And yes, I told my son NOT TO GO IN THE CAGES anymore!

Yeah... good luck with that. :roll: If you were a kid, wouldn't you be in there?!? I know I would have been.

Hubs will also be securing them to the wall, just in case….

Good plan.