TOP LOP RABBITRY

So You are Buying A Rabbit

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There are things I find myself repeating to each rabbit owner and then some I forget to say before they drive off. Why not make a web page with the info then, right? Here it is!

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**Be Prepared Before Picking Up Your Bunny**

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1. SPACE. I am a huge advocate of rabbits having space. Hollands are small (relatively) compared to other rabbits/animals, but this does not mean they do not need space to run, climb and play. My rabbitry is evidence that I am a huge advocate of rabbits having room to move! I am adamantly against the rectangular "rabbit cages" in pet stores, kijiji, etc. where the rabbit can only sit and hop a couple hops in its cage. These are better hamster cages! A hutch is a better word to use. PLEASE don't confine them to such small spaces. At least have an area or run where your bunny can be let out to run, dig and play daily. 

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2. FEEDING. Know what rabbits eat. Top Lop rabbits are fed dandelions & grass, 16% pelleted Rabbit Ration + water in the summer (yes I pick 12 gallons+ of dandelion leaves every day for my rabbits) and a grass hay + pellets + snow/water in the winter. 

I don't give my rabbits a lot of "treats" (fruit/veggies). Bunnies under 4 months should not be given treats! Their bellies are very sensitive and their tummies could get upset or they could even die. You aren't loving your bunny by giving him an excess of treats just like your mom wouldn't be loving you by feeding you a chocolate bar for every meal. Give small amounts to older rabbits as treats only. Google what is good/not good for rabbits to eat, there is a lot of information on the internet.

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3. WATER. Top Lop rabbits will NOT know what a water bottle is. Please give them a bowl of water or a bowl of water WITH a water bottle if you plan to transition them to a water bottle alone. Once you see them drinking water from the bottle then you can take out the dish. 

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3. STRESS. Rabbits are easily stressed and this means HEAT stressed as well. I cannot repeat or say this enough. Rabbits do not sweat, their ears are the means to rid their bodies of excess heat and, as cute as you think it is, their little nose pumping up & down furiously means they are HOT! So PLEASE (this goes with my next point), do not overheat them by holding them close for extended periods, keeping them on your body (lap, held) on the car ride home, or ... ever when they show signs of heat stress. 

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4. QUIET TIME. PLEEEASE give your new bunny time ALONE. Your new addition that you are ecstatic about and have been waiting eagerly for....is not as eager to leave! He doesn't want to leave his mom and siblings or familiar surroundings. Everything new is terrifying and, as a prey animal, he has no idea what danger lurks in new places. Don't introduce him to all your friends and pets when you bring him home, give him a couple days to get settled and used to his new environment and surroundings. Have your eager people look at him through the cage. Leave him alone more than being with him for the first few days. This is important if you want a healthy rabbit. 

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5. YOUNG KIDS. Monitor young children with bunnies. I have seen a sweet bunny turn into an aggressive biter from being terrorized by small children. This isn't a "bad bunny", this is a bunny in defence mode. Pulling fur and ears, dropping, holding too long are not ok. 

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6. NO SCRUFFING. Do not scruff your rabbit. Scruffing a rabbit is the action of picking it up by the fur on it's neck (like a mother cat carrying a kitten). Many people do this - even at shows (!), but it wrecks the connective tissue and is not ok for rabbits. Their weight cannot be supported properly. Pick up your bunny under the tummy and support his bum with the other hand. Rabbits feel secure when their feet are on something, so don't hold him out in the air either. Common sense really (I think).

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7. MIXING RABBITS. I don't separate all my rabbits. I separate bucks and I separate does with babies. My does on their "off time" (without babies and not bred) are in a 20'x20'+ outdoor pen which also has a significant indoor barn area. 

I can give you a general rule of thumb if you want to keep rabbits together, but this doesn't mean it will work for every rabbit pair (they ARE individuals!). If I introduce rabbits, I try to introduce them on neutral ground, meaning it isn't in one rabbit's pen or the other rabbit's pen, it is a new space for both of them. Rabbits are territorial and this helps. I also give them plenty of space when introducing them with a few places to hide as well. 

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Bucks that are brothers I keep together until they don't get along anymore and then I separate them. 

 

A neutered buck and a doe or multiple does together I find are the best mixes. Two neutered bucks MAY get along (no guarantees), but would need to be monitored for awhile to determine.  Vet clinics neuter bucks at 6 months of age and they may not get along before that time. It is best to have individual pens for each rabbit in case they don't get along. 

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8. CHEWING & DIGGING. Rabbits love to chew and dig. If you don't want your beautiful wooden hutch chewed on then it's a good idea to provide your rabbits with a block or 2 of wood. Rabbits also love to dig. If you have a rabbit tractor, for example, that does not have a solid or wire bottom, you may find you have a hole and no rabbit if you are lucky to have a quick digger! Just a couple tips about that. 

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9. TRIM NAILS.  Rabbits nails keep growing, just like ours. THEY NEED TO BE TRIMMED! Contrary to what many people think, they need trimming otherwise they grow and turn the poor bunny's foot and resemble talons.  I have seen some bad ones (yes, even from breeders!). Please trim their nails! I check my rabbit's nails every time I handle them and trim when they need it (they will feel sharp,. that is a big clue); which is about once every month -1.5months.  You can YouTube how to trim if you have never done it before. 

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10. BATHS. Rabbits are clean animals and don't need baths. Don't bath your rabbit! I have heard of rabbits dying from being bathed. I never have so cannot offer tips either.

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11. MOULTING.  Rabbits moult which means they shed their old coat and grow in a beautiful new one. Do not be alarmed if there is sudden fur loss - and lots of it!  You will want to brush your rabbit if he loses too much hair because he can ingest that fur and have blockage issues. Make sure he is getting enough fibre as well (hay) so everything moves through easier! If you have more questions you can always google "moulting rabbits". 

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12. Vet Check-Ups and Vaccinations. Unless you suspect something is wrong with your rabbit or just want assurance that your rabbit is healthy, there really isn't any reason to take them for regular check-ups. Some veterinary clinics will not take rabbits (they are considered "exotics"), so check with the clinic before bringing in a rabbit. Rabbits do not need vaccines either (see, an easy pet!).  If your rabbit lives outdoors, particularly on soil/grass, you may want to deworm your rabbit in the spring and fall.

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13. Orange Pee. If your rabbit pees orange (not "blood red") please do not panic; your rabbit is just fine. There are various thoughts as to why some rabbits' urine is orange. Plant pigments can be a factor (i.e. beet pulp in rabbit pellets) or the way they metabolize proteins. I wonder if there is simply a genetic factor involved. All that to say that any rabbit of mine whose pee is orange is a healthy rabbit and it does not seem to phase anyone (except me if I have to clean a buck pen who sprays!). You could try changing pellets gradually (every ration contains different ingredients) to see if there is a change.

I have one buck who always pees orange. I thought his "toilet corner" was LESS orange in the summer when he eats mostly grass and dandelions, but truthfully, I don't pay super-close attention to minor changes. He is healthy and happy so I don't worry about it.

I have worked with a animal nutritionist on this matter and she looked into it (even as far as asking the Calgary Zoo who she formulates rations for) . She did not come up with anything obvious - yet. If there is breaking news regarding rabbits peeing orange, I will DEFINITELY update this section! 

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*UPDATE* - I read the following article (I will post part of it below) in the ARBA "Domestic Rabbits" magazine which reiterates that red/orange urine is not necessarily a concern:

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