# Curious...



## Hyatt101 (Oct 14, 2012)

So, I want to breed my dutch rabbit and my agouti. What would the babies look like?  Just a little curious.
Here is the mom:











And here is the dad:




That was the only pic i had of him on photobucket, and he's with Lily in that pic, so its not the lionhead, its the dutch who would be the father.
Obviously, as it gets cold in Maine, the babies would be born inside. I'm not sure if I can, but if I were to breed them, what do you think the babies would look like?


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## agnesthelion (Oct 14, 2012)

I'm not good with babies, but can I ask why you want to breed them? It might be something to think through since you don't have the financial means to take taz to the vet, maybe bringing more babies into your home may not be the best idea, even if it is only for a few weeks. What if something would happen to mom or one of the babies that needed vet care? Not trying to be rude, just giving you something to think about.


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 14, 2012)

You do make a very good point. I don't think we'll breed. I only wanted to breed as pets, as we had a successful litter before, but we'll hold off; something terrible happened. Pepper, my sweet girl, died of a heart attack. I don't know what happened, and I can't believe I lost 2 bunnies in one week. Call me a terrible owner if you must, but I am just so wildly heartbroken and depressed. Taz is okay, and she is moving into the NIC today. Since it was built for 2 rabbits, we will eventually adopt another one, but not till everything with Taz is settled and life has moved on. I think I jsut wanted to breed Pockets because i missed Lily and Pepper soo much! When I do get another rabbit, I think i will adopt one that is spayed/nuetered already, but I would want baby, so who knows where that will go? I feel like the worst person ever!! WHO HAS 2 BUNNIES DIE IN A WEEK!!??


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## agnesthelion (Oct 14, 2012)

No I don't think you are a bad bunny owner at all but I wouldn't be getting any more rabbits if you don't have the financial means to care for the ones you have.

So sorry that you lost the two buns, by the way.


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## agnesthelion (Oct 14, 2012)

I did just have to post here that I just found out you were 12 years old. Obviously financial decisions for your household are being made by your parents  I thought you were an adult so even during the other thread about Taz's leg!!


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 14, 2012)

Oh yes! I probably sounded like i made financial desicions


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## Pharfly (Oct 14, 2012)

There are so many rabbits out there it's kind of pointless to breed just pets.
Have them both fixed and then bond the pair, much less stress for all of you


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 14, 2012)

Not a bad suggestion  i don't think we're going to breed anyway


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## Blue eyes (Oct 14, 2012)

Just wanted to add that I agree with Lisa and Susan. Vet costs are certainly a consideration since one never knows when the unexpected will happen. No need to add more potential for vet visits.


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 14, 2012)

Agreed!  

So, I'm moving Taz into her new bunny home tonight, so she'll be at my mom's house (my parents are divorced so me and my little brother go from house to house). Since the NIC big condo isn't fully finished, we made a little cage for her to bring her home in and let her stay in for awhile. We also thought that since she has a broken leg, limited mobility in a small cage could help heal it. Is there anything else to make her more comfortable and adjust nicely? The little cage is nice and comfy, but only temporary, so it isn't the best. I have some hay in there, and towels, and a little tiny litterbox. She still has room to move around. Anything else to help my baby adjust to her new home ?


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## JBun (Oct 14, 2012)

Don't blame yourself about your bunnies dying. Sometimes these things just happen even though we wish they wouldn't. You obviously love your bunnies. You still have your little Taz, so just give her lots of love and attention. I'm glad you'll be able to have her inside and close to you now. That should be alot more fun for you too. I'm sorry things have been so rough for you lately, but I'm glad you have Taz and your other rabbits to give you lots of love.

The smaller cage sounds like it will be good for her as long as she doesn't have to hop up on anything. It will keep her from moving around too much. She'll probably be a little lonely now, not being with her mom, so you'll want to give her lots of extra attention and nose rubs


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 14, 2012)

Yes, I thought so too! One thing: her leg!! I just want to cry whenever i look at it! If someone could get a hold of Geoff, the rabbit vet who is a member on RO, that would be great. Her leg is totally elevated and tucked, and she doesn't use it at all. It's almost like it isn't there. Her hip looks weird though, because of how she's holding her leg up. I will give her all the love and attention in the world, but i want to know: is she going to somewhat recover? Will she always be in pain? Will she be her happy self ever again?
Thank you for the kind words JBun. I was worried people would judge and be harsh, but no one has.


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 14, 2012)

Oh my word, as I was typing this, I heard a squeaking, and i thought it was Taz, so i jumped up, but it wasn't! *Phew!* I got really scared for a second there!


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 14, 2012)

I'll give a little update: Taz seems to be adjusting well, but she seemed bored. I can't really describe it other than "bored". She perked up a little when I had a little paper cup that I was using to scoop poop into the litter box and she head butted it and sort of played. My little dog seems very interested in her, and unfortuanately, he's used to getting all the attention from me, so he'll have to learn to share 
She's eating and chewing her hay, so I think she's good. I'm keeping her in a quiet room where the dog won't bug her and she can get used to her surroundings, but i will still go in and see her very often throughout the day, (at least, once i get home from school!!) is there anything else I can do for her to keep her relaxed and happy? And, if you look a few posts up, please answer my questions and try to get a hold of Geoff


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## JBun (Oct 15, 2012)

I don't think Geoff has been on here the last few days, but if you sent him a message I'm sure he'll respond when he sees it. I know you might be wanting her with you, but maybe with her being bored and with her leg the way it is, you could maybe put her back with her mom, at least until her leg is healed. If you can't put her back with her mom and if Taz isn't afraid of your dog, then is there somewhere in your house you could put her cage that is safe from your dog, but is also in a room where there are more people around so she won't get so lonely?

I'm not sure what you should do about her leg. I'm sorry that it makes you sad. I'm sure it's hard not knowing how you can help her. The best thing of course would be to take her to the vet, but it's hard to know whether or not they would be able to help her, and I know it's not up to you but your parents. If they'll let you take her to the vet then that's what you should do, but if you can't then just do the best that you can for Taz.

This would be hard for you, but if you could bear to give up Taz, and you could find a rescue that will take her in and get her the help she needs, then maybe that's something that would work.


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 15, 2012)

I got a reply from Geoff! He said most breaks will heal on their own, and its hard to splint a rabbit! So thats good news! 
i would love to put her back with her mother, but unfortunately, her mother passed away not too long ago. 
One problem with Taz now: she seems a little lonely, and she's sleeping in the litterbox! How do I fix these problems?


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## JBun (Oct 15, 2012)

I'm sure that was good to hear about her leg  With her sleeping in the litter box, I would just keep it really clean. If you haven't already, lay a towel or fleece down in the other part of her cage and maybe she'll lay on that. Just make sure there are no strings hanging off the towel that she could chew on.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize Lily was her mom. Could you move her cage somewhere else in the house where she'll be around your family more so she won't get so lonely? With her broken leg, you really don't want her playing around too much right now anyways. She probably sleeps during the day when you're at school. So just make sure you spend time with her in the morning and in the evening after school, and she should be ok.

Do you already know about things that are safe for rabbits? Like using a rabbit safe litter (no kitty litter), and after she's 12 weeks old, which veggies and treats are ok to give her? And not letting her chew on carpet and strings?


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 15, 2012)

I'm using kitty litter, I didn't see a certain type of rabbit litter! I know about chew-safe things. How do I litter box train her better? she poops A LOT so I've been showing her the poop, and putting it all in the litter box. I also gave her a little 'grass cave'--maybe you've heard of them, and she loves it! She's more perky today, so I'm glad


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## JBun (Oct 15, 2012)

If you're using clumping cat litter, dump it out immediately. If a rabbit eats it, it can actually kill them. If it's regular cat litter, they are too dusty for bunnies. The only cat litters that are rabbit safe are Feline pine pellets (non clumping kind), and Yesterday's News pellets. Some other good ones are other brands of pine pellets for animals (if you get the wood burning stove ones then you have to make sure there aren't any accelerants added to them), aspen shavings, Carefresh bedding, shreaded paper, Kaytee granule small animal bedding, you can even use hay. You may be able to find some of these at Walmart in their small animal section or the feline pine and yesterdays news in the cat section, or also at petstores, or you can also order them online. Just remember no other kitty litters except the two I mentioned above, and absolutely no clumping litter. You'll also see cedar shavings and pine shavings advertised for rabbits, but you shouldn't use them. They both have oils in them that are bad for rabbits. A lot of people on here like the pine pellets cause you can buy a big bag for pretty cheap if you get the kind for horse bedding or the wood stove pellets. The Carefresh can be kind of expensive. If you use shredded paper you just want to make sure she's not eating it or you'll have to use a different kind of litter. 

She's still a baby so it might take her a while to get really good at using a litter box. Is she peeing in there? It might be harder for her to use the litter box right now because of her hurt leg. You'll probably just have to clean up alot until her leg gets better. As long as she's peeing in her litter box she's doing good. Rabbits just usually leave their poop everywhere, but she may get better at it. If you get her spayed when she's older, then that sometimes helps.

I'm really glad she seems happier today  She's probably just getting used to being in a new place. That can sometimes take a little while. The grass cave sounds good. It's a good chew toy for her too.

A few things about rabbits that are important are being really careful about giving sugary things because in some rabbits it can get them sick. Learn what good rabbit poop looks like because if your rabbit ever has tummy problems, you'll be able to tell first by their poop changing. There are two kinds of good rabbit poop, the normal round ones and their cecotropes. If it's soft, runny, too big and too small, or irregular shaped, or if a rabbit stops pooping and eating, then it means there's something wrong with their tummy. So when you clean Taz's cage, it's always good to just look at her poop and make sure it looks normal and that will mean she's not having any tummy problems.

Here's a good website that will tell you stuff about having a house rabbit.
http://www.rabbit.org/

What kind of hay are you feeding her and are you just buying small bags of it or do you get big horse hay bales?


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 15, 2012)

Oh goodness! We'll get rid of the cat litter. Has anyone else heard of cat litter being bad? She's not peeing in the litterbox either, but I'll just keep putting droppings in there and changing the cage until she gets used to it. I'll go to a pet store right away and ask for RABBIT LITTER specifically. Thank you for telling me this!!


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## Blue eyes (Oct 15, 2012)

Yes, I've also heard about the dangers of clumping cat litter. Yesterday's News litter is a very good litter, though. (it is for cats, but is safe) That was my brand of choice for years. If you get it in the cat section (not in the small animal section) you can get bigger bags and it will be cheaper. 
I would add, though, that you should be sure to get the "unscented."

I used Yesterday's News until this past Spring when I switched to the wood stove pellets. They are more economical but work equally as well.


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## JBun (Oct 15, 2012)

Make sure not to get the cedar or pine shaving either. Those will be in the rabbit section but they aren't good for rabbits, plus they are really annoying cause the shavings stick to their feet, and with Taz being part lionhead, it will get in her fur too. Pine pellets, yesterdeays news, or the kaytee granules will probably work best for you.

Is there a specific spot that Taz is peeing in? If so, try moving her litter box to that corner and it might help her be better at using the litter box.

I actually read a guys blog here on RO, about his rabbit dying because he was using clumping cat litter, and he didn't know it was bad for rabbits.


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 15, 2012)

Ok, we will switch the cat litter. No, she's not really peeing in one spot.


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## Imbrium (Oct 15, 2012)

yup, any kind of clay cat litter (clumping or non), pine shavings and cedar shavings are all bad for them. anything made with paper/paper pulp or hard wood (like aspen) is acceptable; pine is ok as pellets only (the harmful chemicals are removed during the process that turns it into pellets)


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 15, 2012)

I bought new stuff made from recycled paper. It's supposed to be really good.
I'm still concerend about Taz; she just seems bored and depressed. I try to play with her, and she'll perk up a little, but when she was with Pepper, she would jump up at the cage when she saw someone. Now she just kinda sits and gets up to eat/drink/bathroom, and thats pretty much it. What happened to my sweet, fun baby?!

Oddly, whenever my little dog goes near her cage, she'll actually hop over to him and touch noses through the cage!


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 15, 2012)

Is Taz still just adjusting? Will she perk up some more? Maybe once her leg heals more and she's moved into the NIC cage, she will have more room and will play more.


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 15, 2012)

Any word from Kylie?


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## JBun (Oct 15, 2012)

Give Taz some time. She probably just missees her mommy and Pepper. It's actually good that she's staying calmer right now and not running around too much. It will be better for her leg. When her leg is better and she's in her new cage, I'm sure she'll be running all over the place 

That litter sounds like the right stuff. It's the unscented stuff right? Once her leg is better she'll probably be much better at using the litter box. It's probably just hard for her to jump in there everytime she has to pee.


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 16, 2012)

Yeah, its the unscented kind. I'm just hoping she'll adjust ASAP, because my mom gets frustrated if it starts smelling!


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## NorthernAutumn (Oct 16, 2012)

Any animal with leg damage should not be jumping up any levels or ramps in an NIC until it is fully healed. TO be safe, you should be waiting a few months for the leg to strengthen before introduction into an NIC.


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 16, 2012)

Oh okay. Thank you!


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 17, 2012)

Update: Taz is doing much better! She's getting around pretty good on 3 legs, still a little wobbly. She just keeps her other leg tucked and elevated. She nose bonks me happily when i go to feed/pet her, and I took her out of the cage for a little bit yesterday and she really loved it!
She loves her little woven grass cave-thing, and she goes crazy for hay! Which is weird, because she always has it, but she loves it more than the other rabbits. She's also hopping in her litter box, so hopefully she'll be trained soon. She and the dog get along okay, though he's only licked her through the cage. She'll give him little nose bonk too!


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## JBun (Oct 17, 2012)

That's so great that Taz is feeling happier. I love nose bonks


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## Hyatt101 (Oct 17, 2012)

I do too, and she gives 'em to the dog too, and he gives her kisses


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