Going to see a beige mini lop buck on wednesday :)

You know what that means..... MY PARENTS SAID YES!! Hopefully the lady who breeds them doesn't go into labour until thursday, haha. I'm so excited, I can't wait to get one reserved so I can go on a rabbit based spending spree

I will try and take some pictures & will keep you all updated

To give this thread more point, below is the list I've made of things I need to buy, could you check over it and see if there's anything else you think I need
Crate
C&C
Mat/vet bed
Litter box
Bowl
Water bottle
Hay rack
Toys
Food- pellets
Hay
Spot on
Brush
Nail Clippers
Hut
Ice Pack
Carrier - would I be better off with a cat carrier?

Would this be ok to line the crate?
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/molly-red-comforter-by-pets-at-home-81573

& would a small plastic dog bed be a good choice for a litter tray?

Can i suggest you change the water bottle for a heavy water bowl? most buns prefer them as they are easier to drink from, and for you easier to clean

I suggest a corner litter box. They take up less floor area and the high back and sides help prevent spill over. They make them in many sizes. I couldn't believe my 10 lb(4.5 K) Thumper could fit in the corner litter box my husband brought home, but he did and he seems to really like it. Bunnies are really flexible! I guess I really shouldn't be surprised. When we first tried to litter train Lady she wouldn't use the litter box, but would center herself atop a three inch diameter treat bowl. She got every last poo in the bowl too! It took her awhile to get the hang of using the larger box. She was never one to sit in it though as she was too fastidious. She would actually look embarrassed if she missed the box. The only exception was her cecotropes which she neatly had outside her box. I miss my girl so much!

We have those fleeces from Pets at Home we use them for Helen and Baby Saint to sit on in their pen. They wash nice but I find the hay sticks to the wool side and you have to pull it off which takes for ages.

Brilliant news about your parents saying yes! A bun is about to become very happy :-)

We use a plastic dog basket as a hay basket as it helps with mess.

there is no reason to think you will need spot on unless you have a bad breeder, your bun should not have fleas. If he does, you should get flea treatment from your vet as some can be dangerous.

Have you thought about adopting a bunny?

Each year around 55,000 bunnies are taken into rescue all abandoned, neglected or left behind as a result of overbreeding and poor care.

Watching these buns thrive in their second chance in life is more rewarding than I can tell you. These buns are also vaccinated and neutered already, and are in need of love.

While some breeders are reputable, others use buns purely of a way of making money, does are used as breeding machines, discarded when they are no longer of any use. They are kept in horrible conditions that would break your heart.

Just a suggestion worth looking at Hun.

Whatever you decide looking forward to hearing all about your new little chap x

OK I will get an extra food bowl (ceramic)

Unfortunately my local rescues will only rehome buns in pairs or to somewhere they will have a friend, and I only want one rabbit. My intention is to get a second (rescue) rabbit in a couple of years when I have my own house

I am going to see the rabbit so I'll soon know if they are kept in bad conditions, I want the spot on as a precaution, we have dogs (who are flea treated every month) so I'd rather do it than not.

Litter box:
http://www.kennelgate.co.uk/item/Harrisons/Small-Animal-Corner-Litter-Tray-35cm/AE3
?

Ah I see - I would deffo ask a vet though, the shop bought ones can be quite dangerous.

You must be very excited ........

Ok will do, I'll pick some up when I take him for jabs etc

Cant wait to see pics of him :-)

Hopefully I will be able to get some snaps of him on wednesday I am super excited

Some of the hay racks prove dangerous as well. Also they tend to be small - remember hay should be the majority of the diet.My pair just hay the hay in their litter tray. Bun tend to eat and poo so it is a good idea to have the tray and the hay close.

You don't need a hut - your bun will find his own places to hide.

Nail clippers - the scissor ones are ideal but opt for the larger heavier duty cat ones not the small fiddly weak ones they sell for buns.

Yes a cat carrier is best for buns. There is one out there called the catit cabrio which is both a front and top opener and so is ideal for buns. I have one and I know Sparky has one as do a few others. The front door can be completely removed so can become part of the rabbit's indoor set up. And you can put them in through the front door but can then lift them back out via the top. This is much easier than wrestling to get you bun back out of the front door.

And just a bit of advice. If you are getting a baby buck get him neutered as soon as you can. He can be done as soon as his testicles drop. By getting this done early you will hopefully avoid all of the nasty buck behaviour such as spraying and trying to mate with your feet.

I have just had a new bun too love so I know how excited you are. Please keep us posted and I am so pleased for you.

Hugs

JO xx

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:Some of the hay racks prove dangerous as well. Also they tend to be small - remember hay should be the majority of the diet.My pair just hay the hay in their litter tray. Bun tend to eat and poo so it is a good idea to have the tray and the hay close.

You don't need a hut - your bun will find his own places to hide.

Nail clippers - the scissor ones are ideal but opt for the larger heavier duty cat ones not the small fiddly weak ones they sell for buns.

Yes a cat carrier is best for buns. There is one out there called the catit cabrio which is both a front and top opener and so is ideal for buns. I have one and I know Sparky has one as do a few others. The front door can be completely removed so can become part of the rabbit's indoor set up. And you can put them in through the front door but can then lift them back out via the top. This is much easier than wrestling to get you bun back out of the front door.

And just a bit of advice. If you are getting a baby buck get him neutered as soon as you can. He can be done as soon as his testicles drop. By getting this done early you will hopefully avoid all of the nasty buck behaviour such as spraying and trying to mate with your feet.

How's this:

?

Yes don't worry he will be neutered ASAP, I'm 100% for neutering/spaying for all animals! Would nail clippers for dogs be ok?

jolovesbunnies wrote:I have just had a new bun too love so I know how excited you are. Please keep us posted and I am so pleased for you.

Hugs

JO xx

Thanks Jo, I can't wait to see pictures of your new bunny

Here is the catit cabrio (with flo in it)

[img][/img]

As you can see it all the top opens up making handling easy. And it has the advantage of a plastic door giving the bun more insulation from other animals at the vets. And it has a removable built in food bowl for those times when you have to have them in there for longer periods. You can get them for a good price on Amazon and ebay.

These are the clippers I meant. They are ideal

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:These are the clippers I meant. They are ideal

We have them Cheryl they are brilliant

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:Here is the catit cabrio (with flo in it)

[img][/img]

As you can see it all the top opens up making handling easy. And it has the advantage of a plastic door giving the bun more insulation from other animals at the vets. And it has a removable built in food bowl for those times when you have to have them in there for longer periods. You can get them for a good price on Amazon and ebay.

She models it like a pro, haha, I've found it on ebay so I'll add that to the list, would something like an ice cream tub like this:


Be ok to put hay in? Rather than the rack

I would say that with hay it is worth getting your bun and then finding out what they will use. as I said my pair like theirs in their litter tray - here is Bruce showing you a little of the bun room and his pile of hay in the litter tray.

[img][/img]

They also like to eat it stuffed in things like cardboard tubes or boxes especially if they are closed up so they have to work to get it out. Or in paper bags...


Christmas hats work as well.



But they will not eat from hay racks or hay that is up off the floor. Other buns are completely the opposite. It is worth finding cheap things to put hay in and try them out to see what your bun likes.

I love the buns-in-a-bag and the Christmas hat which has obviously *really* impressed Flo

We won't eat hay out of hay-racks either, only out of our litter trays

I love the cardboard poked through the cage! Thats a good idea. I did something similar to stop hay coming out of a bonding pen, it didnt work, the buns had great fun chewing it off!!

We use this for hay



- it keeps it so tidy as he can hop in - eat and hop out again and on the whole it stays in the basket. Charlie and Annie have hay racks but prefer it out of a plastic tub like the one you showed - buns! No two are the same!

We have the Cattit caribo too and it's good. I take the door off it and put a blankey in it and they use it as a hut - along with their cardboard box which they love.

I do think it's important they have something they can hide in.

I agree with Katie that is is important to have a hiding place but if you buy one they will not use it! A box or a bit of tube or behind the sofa is so much more appealing.

Ok I will play the hay situation by ear. I'll start hoarding boxes and the like just in case, the hut thing I've found is only about £6 so if he doesn't use it, it won't be the end of the world

The breeder has gone into labour! What a bummer, should be seeing him on sunday