New Additions - Rabbits - I need HELP!!!

[ccheek]

Saturday we were given a very unexpected gift of two rabbits by a friend. We have raised pretty much everything under the sun.... except rabbits. They are both bucks, which we were told have been together for a while and get along good. They are set up in an old chicken coop right now, but we are planning to build them their own little hutch with separate "rooms" so they can have their space. These were also a gift to the lady that gave them to us so we don't know anything about them. They are as sweet as they can be, but definitely a little stressed from all the moving. Breed (probably a barnyard mix, but maybe at least a little something to go on)? Age? Can anyone help? P.S. My daughter has been begging for rabbits for some time now and is definitely going to take full advantage of these little guys. So.... if we're gonna do it, we might as well do it right (or as right as possible) from the start. Any advice would be appreciated. I also joined BYH this morning so hopefully I'll get pointed in the right direction.

Little bunny is Brownie, and big bunny is Thumper (yep, Jaci picked the names). They definitely didn't like my idea for a food bowl, so it has since been replaced with a hanging chicken feeder temporarily. They'll have their own little bunny feeder soon.

More pictures of Thumper

Another picture of Brownie

 

[Nyboy]

Nothing better for your garden soil, then rabbit manure. I got Harvey for that reason, but have become very attached to him/her. I can tell the moment he spots me,He greets me. I think rabbits are very easy, my biggest issues was wasted hay. A member suggested hay cubes, that seems to be less wasteful

 

[ccheek]

I read through your thread about Harvey earlier before posting mine. I'm glad you found a bunny friend! I've been told I need hay pretty quick since it's already in the 80's here, so I will try the cubes. I don't really keep hay around for our chickens, since I mainly use shavings. Thank you!

 

[Nyboy]

Rabbits can handle cold much better then heat. Not sure what I am going to do summer days here can reach high 90s.

 

[ccheek]

Lol, it amazes me how subjective weather can be, just depending on where you live. Summer's here we're lucky to see 90's. We go weeks without anything under triple digits. But, anything under 50 is uninhabitable for this girl!

 

[thistlebloom]

This summer when it's hot, freeze water in 2 liter bottles, and give one to your rabbits every day to lay against and cool down.

 

[ccheek]

Thanks thistle. We'll start saving bottles. Would milk jugs work or is that too big? We don't really get 2 liters, but I could ask around if jugs won't work.

 

[thistlebloom]

Milk jugs should work fine. The idea is to give them something cool to lay against. Have fun with your new buns!

 

[baymule]

Or you can freeze water in plastic bowls and pop the ice out for them. They will chew the bottles and they will leak if you try to refreeze them.

Get 1/2"x1" rabbit wire for the bottom of the cage, don't use hardware cloth. The rabbit wire is smooth, the hardware cloth has a bump at every wire intersection and will give them sore hocks. The best cages are hanging wire cages, in a cool shed or covered area. The wood frame hutches collect poop in the corners and you have to clean them all the time. Look on craigslist for wire cages or in the free classified papers.

 

[journey11]

You can get the wire and clamps and pliers, etc. at Tractor Supply to build your own wire cages to whatever size you need them.

Oh yeah, definitely gonna want to separate them. We were given two free lion-head bucks from some people who where in such a hurry to get rid of them they even gave us the hutch and a dog crate and some other things free with them. Turns out that although they are very fond of each other and get along fine, they have a tendency to pee on each other sick The kids don't even want to pick them up!) And they back up and squirt pee all over anything within a 2' radius of their hutch. They are very gentle and sweet bunnies, or else I'd be looking to pass them on too.