Need some advice on bunny

[Smart Red]

If one was to have 2 males that are approaching maturity in one cage, one of them will become a bloody mess if not dead.

I didn't know that, bobm! I was more concerned that I didn't have more rabbits when I put the two rabbits I was given into one cage.

That explains a lot! That, and the three furbunnies that popped their heads up one day a few weeks later. The sex ed teacher gave me my first bunny rescued from a flooded stream racing past his house, and a student gave me the second one. I insisted on a male so they wouldn't multiply. It would seem the sex ed teacher needed a lesson or two himself.

Didn't register with DH, though. He accused me of sneaking a few more lapins home.

 

[NwMtGardener]

Journey, at the animal clinic where i worked, we would put on our leather welding gloves (padded, huge and burly) and grasp struggling bunnies firmly around the ribs. Then we would hold them so their back was against our abdomen and their feet facing forward. That would allow another person to check out the underside of the bunny, but i'm not sure how it would work for you, guess it depends on what body parts need cleaned. We held them that way to support their back, i was told they can kick so hard flailing around that they can break their own back. I have no idea if that's true...seems strange but i dont know.

 

[bobm]

Well, I never used anything other than my 2 hands. One does NOT grasp firmly around the ribs , a recipe to break the rabbit's ribs ( their bones are fragile) ... one should place one's hands over the ears and grasp the skin on the rabbit's back, then rock the rabbit onto its behind on the cage bottom, table , etc. and then place one's other hand under the rabbit's behind to carry it elsewhere. ( to carry a rabbit for a distance, one can place it's head under one's armpit and hold the rabbits hind end in the palm of the other hand ) . To examine the rabbit's behind, while still holding the ears+ back skin run the other hand from the rabbit's bottom and slide it down the legs to the hocks and hold them firmly while stretching the body. Another way is to still hold the ears+ skin and rock it on a solid surface onto it's behind but be careful as the rabbit can kick out and scratch someone. Yes, the rabbit CAN break it's own back / neck / legs when flailing. It can also break it's leg (s) if they drop onto the ground/ floor cage/ etc. .

 

[so lucky]

Bob, could you pay Journey a visit and take your nippers with you? A nice Christmas gift--a neutered bunny.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I just saw this. I thought about what I would do if it happen to one of mine. I think I would rub dirt or straw over the fur to take some of the sticky off and then try to brush or comb a little each day. As for the kicking, I understand that. We built a pen for them, and try to take them out of the hutch and then later catch in the pen. Some of them run around the pen thumping their feet. The oldest female turned and lunged at me boxing and hissing like a cat or something. Took me a week before I was brave enough to put her back outside. Some of them come when called. I can take them out of the hutch and they come to us in the pen, but some of them hate to be taken out of the hutch. Oh, just thought about combing or brushing. I cannot brush mine with a brush or use a comb without a HUGE fight, so I just use my hands to get loose hair out and they like that and they are just in the hutch, not me picking them up.

 

[bobm]

Bob, could you pay Journey a visit and take your nippers with you? A nice Christmas gift--a neutered bunny.

No nippers nor anesthesia or even an assistant needed ... a simple and very easy procedure ... all one needs is a " V " board to hold the rabbit on it's back , a scalpel and about a minute to do the deed ! Put the rabbit back into it's cage and it goes about it's business as usual.

 

[Smart Red]

Put the rabbit back into its cage and it goes about its business as usual.

Er. . um. . t'would seem that would put an end to bunny business as usual.

 

[bobm]

Well, OK ... the aggressive behavior becomes less and less with time, then almost stop completely after the hormones get eliminated in about 3 weeks for the most aggressive / dominant types. Eating, sleeping, etc. stay the same but tend to become less mobile and put on more intestinal and sub q fat akin to a couch potato.

 

[journey11]

I raised hundreds of rabbits for a Veterinary Teaching Hospital at a University as well as for a private Laboratory Co.. If one was to have 2 males that are approaching maturity in one cage, one of them will become a bloody mess if not dead. So, I castrated about 99.9 % of the males ( kept a few intact for breeding) while very young and had them living 3 per cage for several years. Almost all of them were very docile and got along with their cage mates,while a few had some spats now and then. Some individual rabbits will stomp at , scratch or bite people no matter what sex or if castrated. Best to invite these types to dinner.

That's what I'm thinking, Bob. For what it will cost to neuter him, he better shape up.

He doesn't bite, just scratches when trying to get away. He was handled daily before this, so I'm hoping he'll go back to being nice. He doesn't have much of a life stuck in his cage right now. Waiting 'til January to take him to the vet. Christmas has my checkbook pretty tapped out right now.

 

[journey11]

Oops, somehow I missed the first few replies...now I get the end of bunny business joke.

NMtGardener -- that's what worries me, he totally freaks out trying to get away. My sister told me their skin can rip easily too. *shudder to think of it*

GwR -- what's funny is that he will still come up to me when called. And he's ok for the first few seconds after I pick him up...then goes bonkers.