Dealing With an Aggressive Rabbit

Do you have an aggressive bunny? I did. Fuzz-Butt (Snowberry's nick-name) was a pretty mean girl. When she wanted to be that is. (Just like her lovely mamma)! 'Twas such a nightmare! Everyday when I tried to feed her or clean up her cage it was the same: Open the cage, get bite, open the cage, get bit. Being a 9 year old rabbit owner to a 6 month old aggressive dwarf rabbit was not easy! So, since I understand how you feel let me share with you what I learned. Remember......
Be kind to a mean bunny. Don't be mean or cruel to her. This will only make it worse. Sometimes it has to do with you. Think for a moment. Do you ever speak sharply to bunny or make "aggressive" movements? Do you forget to feed bunny? Clean her cage?
If bunny bites you or scratches you then give her sharp NO and put her in her cage. Do not give her treats.

APPROACHING THE CAGE & DEALING WITH THE AGGRESSIVENESS:
Approach casually. Don't be nervous, bunny'll see that as weakness. Speak calmly, in a quiet voice, and a little firm. Place your hand above bunny's head and then take her out. If bunny bites, say, "NO!" very loudly and don't give her treats! Do not hit bunny. Seriously consider getting bunny fixed. Unfixed bunny's can be very territorial and aggressive. 90% of SnowB's aggression went away after we fixed her. Be considerate to bunny. Respect her. Talk to your vet about bunny and se if he has any ideas about what you can do to help bunny be nicer.

NOTE: Bunny bites can get easily infected. Please keep all scratches and bites clean. Never  lash out at bunny in anger.


So who is the boss? You or bunny?

my beautiful lil' devil

Walks, Swimming, and Baths

I'm sure that at one time or another you've seen a person walking their pet rabbit. Maybe a friend had a party with their bunny in a lil' kiddie pool. So, is walking bunny bad? Is it OK to let bunny have a dip in the pool or in the shower with you?

WALKING--  Walking bunnies has become a little more common in the past few years. However, it has also become even more hazardous. Why? Well, dogs for one thing, animal diseases, loud noises, and even people can sometimes be a bit of a hazard. Bunny can also very easily catch fleas, ticks, and other bugs. A dog could easily attack a bunny while you are walking her or if she is not being properly watched. Heatstroke, cold wind, rain, hail, or sudden thunderstorms can lead to a sudden panic attack. (VERY dangerous.) I personally don't recommend walks for bunny, but if you want to-with adult supervision-you may walk her. REMEMBER: Bunny should have all her shots and should be on a HARNES. NOT A LEASH. Always have bunny on a leash that is attached to a harness. Always. Take bunny out on nice days. Don't let young children walk her (6 years or younger). Don't let friends that are little walk her. Don't run with bunny. Hold her if you see a dog.

SWIMMING AND BATHS. No lie, bunnies can actually be pretty good swimmers! So does that mean that bunny should get a dip in your big/kiddie pool? How about sprinklers? NO. DO NOT EVER take bunny into the pool with you. Bunny will not like you for it. She could end up sick, or drown and then die. Bunnies are very susceptible to the cold and could get sick. She could also get water in her mouth and get germs from that.

"But she loves the pool", "But I'm having a pool party. Come on." Sorry, no. It is not a good or safe idea. It may be a good idea to avoid sprinklers too.

Heat Strokes

Bunnies can get very hot in the summer so it is not to rare to have bunny get heat stroke.

Heat Stroke: What is it?

Heat stroke (we'll just do HS for now OK?) is when bunny gets too hot and gets overheated. This can make bunny pass out and possibly die! 

Prevention:

Bunny should never be outside in over 85 degree weather. However, 80 is a better limit. Don't let her do heavy work outs in 82 degree weather.

If it is very hot inside fill up a plastic soda and/or water bottle, freeze it then put it in bunny's cage. 

NOTE: It is a good idea to not put bunny's cage  in direct sunlight. (Not in complete shade)

What would I see if bunny gets heat stroke:

.Rapid breathing

.Panting/gasping/raspy sounds

.Limp and/or unresponsive 

.Feeling oddly hot

.Laying flat (which bun may do to cool off. This does not always mean he has HS)

.Slow/No Heartbeat

.Fast heartbeat (bunnies do tend to have a faster heart rate then people)

First-Aid:

Get bunny into shade ASAP! Wrap a cool, damp- not wet!- cloth around bunnies ears, not her whole body. Keep bunny in an air conditioned room. Offer her cool water. If she is unresponsive for over 15min. take her to the vet.

Chilling out, Snowberry?

Bunny's Health:Cuts and Limping

I've never had to deal with a cut or with limping in Snowberry. With a cat yes.

The first thing you must remember is to stay calm!!!  Of course that is much easier said then done. When faced with a situation that is scary you need to breath deeply and focus on the issue. Your family should also be trained to know what to do. As should you bunny sitter.

REMEMBER:

To help bunny stay calm you must stay calm. Always have an First Aid Kit (more on that later).

Contact your vet ASAP!!! Only help bunny with her injury. Don't try to take a severe situation into your own hands.

BLEEDING:

A cut in bunny can be scary. It may be hard to keep infection away from bunny which is why you should see your vet afterward. Rabbit Proof your home to prevent it and don't let bunny near any sharp/heavy objects. Check bunny VERY CAREFULLY to see how deep the wound is and how much blood there is. In any cut always apply direct pressure. Use a damp cloth and hold against bunny. Call your vet and take bunny there depending on the severity of the cut. A cut from a torn nail (due to long nails) is VERY common. Keep bunnies cage floor and litter box clean. Bunny can lick her cut if she wants. 

LIMPING:

Limping can be from a cut foot or broken leg. Bunny should never be on high places that he may jump off of. If bunny is limping from a minor cut make sure that her cut is not infected. If it is a major cut then take bunny to the vet. If bunny cannot stand and/or has a funny lump sticking out (which could be a bone) then take her to the vet.

Zzzzzzzzzzz

Food 4 Thought

I'm sure that you've probably heard the "all bunnies eat are carrots and chocolate" myth.Well I'm here to tell you that that is not true. In fact its far from it.

Bunny can only eat certain foods and can have only certain amounts sugar. Bunnies need hay, veggies, and water. Shall take a look at what can and cannot eat? 

VEGGIES:(make sure that the food is unspoiled and not expired)

.Cilantro

.Red leaf lettuce

.Kale (small amount. 1-2x week only)

.Spinach (small amount. 1-2x week only)

.Romaine

.Green leaf lettuce

.Spring mix of greens

Good treats:(no more then 2x a week)

.Apple slices (no seeds. don't overload on a million slices!)

.Papaya  (no seeds)

.Carrot & Carrot tops 

Bad veggies:

.Iceberg lettuce 

.Celery stalks

.Broccoli

.Cabbage

.Cauliflower 

.Collard greens

Bad Treats:

.Nuts/seeds

.Chocolate

.Cookies/crackers

.Cereal/Granola

.Yogurt (and yogurt drops)

.Processed treats

."Rabbit Friendly" fiesta-style mixes

.Pasta/bread/rice

.Raisins/dried fruit (prunes etc.)

.Potatoes/tomatoes

.Apple seeds and papaya seeds

.Citrus fruits

.Honey bars

.Dog and cat food 

.Bird seeds

Food Reminders:

All bunnies need hay. Every time the hay rack goes empty refill it. Do not give a sick bunny (or a bunny with diarrhea) any spinach, or kale. Any food that is not listed you must check with a vet before you give it to bunny. Pellets are not essential to give to bunny. If bunny hasn't ever had pellets then don't give her them. Ask your vet if you should not (or stop) giving bunny pellets. If you stop giving bunny pellets then you must slowly wean her off them. Buy papaya FRESH at a supermarket. You can freeze cubes of papaya for later.

Food Amounts:

HAY~ Give an endless supply of hay.

PELLET~ Consult vet.

VEGGIES~ 2cups for every 5 pounds she weighs.

TREATS~ 2-3inch. long stick of apple, carrot, or papaya. 

Poop Issues

Yeah, I know it's rather gross. However, poop can tell how bunny's health is. So you know her poop health is you should daily check the litter box. I know you don't want to but it is your bunny. You need to take full responsibility.  Lets take a good look at some poop issues in bunny.

Small Poops:

My bunny because she is a dwarf rabbit has small poops anyway. However smaller then normal poop is bad. If this persists for more then 24 hr and/or that's all bunny is pooping then call your vet.

Diarrhea Poop:

Diarrhea is very serious. Bunny could have an issue in his stomach. This poop will be wet, and slimy. Give bunny more hay, no treats, and a little less veggies. Plenty of water and clean litter. If it continues for more then 24 hr and/or that's all bunny is pooping call your vet. 

Pearl Poops:
Pearl poops are poop strung together with fur. When bunny sheds the fur gets in her intestines and becomes entangled in her fur. This can cause a serious blockage and can make bunny stop pooping if left untreated . You can, however, treat this at home though! (If bunny is not pooping take her to the vet at once!) First, take bunny out and give her a good brushing (30min.). Then let her play for a good hour. If you have some papaya at home then good! If not not you can go to your local produce store and get one. Feed bunny one fresh cube of papaya two times a day until her poops get back to normal. NO SEEDS! THEY'RE TOXIC!!!!!
Its a good idea not to buy pet store papaya cubes because they sometimes have extra sugar added. Also the fresher the better and God made the fruit so its got just what bunny needs! ;) When you cut up the papaya you can put some in a plastic bag and freeze it for later use. (You can also give this to bunny when she has other poop troubles!

No Poops:
Obviously if you see no poop in bunny's litter box then you know somethings wrong. If bunny hasn't been pooping for more then 24 hours take her to the vet. 

The Perfect Bunny Home

All bunnies need a good secure cage to be in. This post will be about cage sizes, and safety.

CAGE SIZES:

A lot of people think that small bunnies need tiny cages. Wrong! All bunnies (no matter what size) need big cages. With at least 2 floor levels, and 3-5inch. of room above the head when bunny sits up. The cage needs to have plenty of room for bunny to move around in. This will help prevent sore hocks and chubbiness (more on health later). 

THINGS TO AVOID IN CAGES:

Bunny's cage must be safe for her to remain healthy and happy. Please avoid cages that are too small because bunny needs some good cage space. Wire flooring are bad for bunny because they can make bunny's feet bleed or very sore. Cages need to have a non-slippery floor and no sharp edges, mold, or broken wire.

Keeping bunny in a nice cage is a great thing! Bunny will enjoy life in a comfy, cozy, warm, dry cage.

My bunny LOVES her cage!