Some of my extended family lives out in the sticks and had someone drop off a bunch of domestic bunnies on their road, so far they have found 9 alive. I’m looking for information to pass along to them about how to care for so many rabbits.
by Like17Badgers
9 Comments
Seperate the boys and girls quickly or soon you will have many more than 9 bunnies. They can reproduce every month. A fence in-between isn’t enough. If your family wants to keep all nine, they can build an enclosure, but it needs to be predator proof. A good-sized shed with a window ac unit is a viable option. I have had up to 6 living in doors with litter boxes, but most of mine are fixed. The alternative is to find a local rescue. Thanks to your family members for taking these bunnies in!
Post on r/Rabbits, more people might help you there
Hoo boy. They’re about to have over forty. If they can, separate the males from females; that will help a lot. Hopefully, the females aren’t already pregnant, but this is going to get exponential really fast. If there are low cost or free spaying services in their area, they should check into that. The county may have resources for situations like this and be able to help them trap any remaining bunnies and/ or get them fixed. Good luck with these cuties.
they do know to seperate the sexes, and they do have a chicken coops that are covered and fenced in areas in order to keep predators out, I’m more looking for specific care instructions for bunnies cause my friends who own them always talk about how sensitive they are and whatnot.
Start by getting them onto just straight hay. Timothy hay is the best. I buy oxbow, but with the number they have a bale of 2nd cut Timothy would be a good economical choice. Give them a few days on just hay and monitor their bathroom habits ie poop quality, and very slowly add pellets and veggies. Tiny amounts of 1 thing at a time. Personally my rabbit has a steel stomach and can eat anything others don’t and will go into stasis if the wind blows in the wrong direction. If possible to get them to a vet that would be ideal. Also keep a lookout for fights.
You actually need to separate them all.. rabbits will fight once they hit puberty and not bonded. Plus it’s very hard to tell sex of young rabbits
I was a first time bunny person after rescuing five dumped by me.
One thing that has helped is food wise
Hay lots and lots of hay I personally don’t use Timothy as I am extremely allergic to it so I get mine orchard grass and have less issues but still allergic. They need hay all day and night so I refill mine at least three times a day.
I did give my buns greens right away only because they had some remnants of vegetables in their tote they were dumped in. It also helped them eat right away to avoid stasis. I also had to give a few critical care To help get them eating again. The greens i only offer once a day I know a friend of mine does twice a day. Also Google things they should eat when you do veges a lot of things aren’t really recommended for them like iceberg lettuce and a few other things. Introduce one thing at a time too.
I offer mine pellets once a day some people give them pellets more but I do the recommended amount per bun. I do that at lunch and goes by weight. I weigh my buns once a month they were underweight when I got them.
I do give them occasional treats too but always healthy treats or a fruit but never both same day.
Keep an eye on the eating too I monitor my buns with cameras to make sure they don’t go into stasis.
A nail of Timothy grass and pellets with greens. Places to hide and toys.
The Houserabbitsociety.com, or rabbit.org, has all the info you should need on these little ones. Thankyou to you and your family for trying your best for these cuties!
Vitamin A rich diet is good, as rabbits don’t produce vitamin A, feed plenty of good hay, onions and related foods are poisonous, never fully bathe a rabbit or get them too wet – they can die from stress, go on their level to make better friends with them – they are prey animals. Oh and eventually they may love getting petted. And they will probably need grooming when shedding, unlike cats, they can’t cough up hair balls. Rabbits need to eat at least every 3 to 4 hours, or can go into GI stasis.. Check their claws every 6 weeks to see if they need a trim, but be careful not to get the quick – the blood vessel. This is the basics. I wish your family luck 💕