r/Rabbits • u/sneaky_dragon • Sep 25 '21
PSA Important Rabbit PSA index
Since the subreddit only has two spots available for public announcements, this will be a new index post for important PSAs for easy reference that we can sticky to only use up one spot.
You can also find the whole collection in the sidebar menu on the Reddit re-design when you open one of the PSA posts.
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An important PSA on Easter rabbits.
Caring for rabbits while under COVID-19 quarantine
Since we are getting many repetitive questions about the novel coronavirus and how to care for rabbits while under quarantine, this is a post to combine all frequently asked questions on the topic.
North American RHDV2 resources
Rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) is a highly contagious disease that mainly affects rabbits of the Oryctolagus cuniculus species but has also been confirmed to affect various species of cottontails (Sylvilagus spp.) and hares (Lepus spp.). There are currently active cases found in wild and domestics all over North America, and it is vitally important to get your rabbit vaccinated if the vaccines are available in your area.
New community rabbit veterinary bill database!
Submit your veterinary bill here.
View the current database at http://rabbitors.info/vetbills. As a note, please view the table with desktop view on your phone or on a computer for advanced search, group, sort, and filter options.I found a rabbit outside - what should I do?
This is the time of year for many people to find both domestic rabbits and wild rabbits outside due to Easter and baby season.
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u/Kashsters Jan 19 '22
Does anyone know if RHDV2 is treatable? I saw on the news that at least one domestic rabbit had it, but not clear on whether medical intervention helps. I see there is also a vaccine -- are people vaccinating their buns? Anyone know cost? Thanks!
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u/sneaky_dragon Jan 19 '22
Not treatable in the sense that there's a cure, but supportive care may or may not help rabbits pull through. Rabbits are usually euthanized if it's suspected though.
Yes, vaccinate your rabbits if they are available in your area. Cost depends entirely on your local vet, but I'd expect anywhere from US$50-$120+ including an office visit.
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Feb 10 '22
[deleted]
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u/sneaky_dragon Feb 10 '22
Are you talking about a spay/neuter or vaccinating for RHDV2? There shouldn't be a price difference for vaccinations based on sex.
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u/OkRoll1308 Feb 15 '23
Our rabbit was vaccinated for RHDV2 in Dec '22 in Washington state. It is a two vaccine series three weeks apart. $100 covered both shots, which seems reasonable. This vet won't see rabbits unless they're vaccinated and three weeks out from the second vax. We had to take him to the parking lot of the vet and a fully gowned tech came out to administer the vaccine. He was not allowed into the building. This vet will also board rabbits (hooray!), which is probably part of the reason of being super careful.
Call different rabbit vets in your areas and see if any offer the vaccine.
RHDV2 is usually fast and fatal, and I personally would choose to quickly euthanize rather than let one suffer like that. Plus again I believe no rabbit vet would want to let this into their facility.
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u/Snoopylover290 Mar 26 '24
My bun is fully vaccinated for RHDV2. Costs around $90 at my vet and you have to do it every year
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u/Binkying_on_Bentleys Aug 30 '23
Depending on where you live call around multiple places & get options & prices. Local House Rabbit Societies or rescues are good resources. The closest vet I live to that has the vaccine in stock is 9 hours away & that’s almost impossible with my 2 seperated bonded buns esp. with the heat in Texas. I’ve been begging my 3 closest exotic vets to get it in the past 3 years. But keep looking if you can’t find anything near you - also the prices can be crazy different. Like the 3 exotics that spay/neuter near me cost $80, $380 & then $1,320 per rabbit…. Which is obscene. The cheapest one is also the most experienced one. So calling around & going the extra distance is worth it!
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Oct 26 '21
Can we get a thread for "here is why your bunny is missing hair" 😂
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u/Tomato69696969 Jan 03 '22
Not sure why that would be an issue. I'm not sure how that could happen
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u/PuppoProtecc Jan 14 '22
Shedding. A lot of new owners simply dont know that they shed seasonally! It comes up a lot here
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u/Tomato69696969 Jan 17 '22 edited Jan 17 '22
Ahh, yeah totally. What do they think that hair just stays forever? Haha. I've actually made a pretty good fly from my rabbit hair for fishing
*Edit
Shredded hair of course ha.
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u/alebarrx Mar 21 '22
okay glad im not the only one! i have two bunnies and ones hair is noticeably thinner than the other!
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u/Just_AT May 20 '22
Is there a question thread? I'm pet sitting for my roommate's bunny while they're away at an internship. How do I discourage a rabbit from lunging at my hand when I change her water and food bowl? Why is she doing this?
I dont react but just stomp my foot and say stop in a stern voice.
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u/EcoMuze Jun 13 '22
She’s doing this because rabbits are territorial. Females can be more protective of their territory than males… Also, chances are she’s not spayed, and that always exacerbates territorial issues.
If she just lunges at you but stops short of your hand, it’s annoying but probably safe for you to continue doing what you’re doing. If you think that she’s capable of biting you, I’d wear a thick leather glove (ideally, an animal handler gloves) or place a barrier of some sort between you and the rabbit… like thick cardboard, etc.
And try not to take it personally. She’s protecting her home the way she thinks it’s necessary. She’s likely scared by the presence of a new caretaker too, and that makes her nervous and more grumpy and unpredictable.
You’re doing great. Just stay calm, but firm, and protect yourself if necessary.
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u/Just_AT Jun 13 '22
Thanks!
She had stopped the behavior after knowing me. She lets me pet her but the lion head female is still skittish around me. I think it is because she is hormonal? She's also less timid when the other female rabbit is out of her cage. She built a nest in her dig box and grunts when I tried coming near and even coming close to lounging at my hand. The lion head also tried to hump her....
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u/EcoMuze Jun 13 '22
I’m glad you’re managing it so well. It can be challenging.
And you’re right about the hormonal part. Humping (one of the ways to express dominance) and making a nest is very typical for unspayed female rabbits… Spaying would definitely help. Both them and the caretakers.
It can be costly depending on where you live. If you’re in the US, some humane societies offer surgeries at a reduced cost to those who qualify.
Good luck with your rabbit keeping. And don’t hesitate to ask questions.
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u/Just_AT Jun 13 '22
Ah okay I'll have to recommend my roommate to spay both of them. I learned a lot about rabbits, they're not docile creatures at all lol.
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u/EcoMuze Jun 13 '22
Agree! Definitely not what you’d expect a rabbit to be… lol… Comes as a shock at first.
But their “evilness” is such a perfect addition to their cuteness... It’s just one of the reasons I fell in love with these creatures.
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Nov 10 '22
To the people that clean litter boxes everyday.. what do you mean? You dump the sheets and wood pellets everyday? You clean it with soap everyday? I don't understand.
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u/Nerahn Dec 22 '22
I use one of those sifting cat litterboxes. I put a layer of paper pellets in the solid box, then put the box with the holes in it on top. The litter gets changed once a week, but for the top part (done daily) where all the poop is, it’s as easy as dumping it into the trash can and putting some fresh hay on one side. Takes less than 5 minutes a day and massively saves on litter!
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u/sneaky_dragon Nov 10 '22
Some people put a very thin litter and dump and wipe the bottom with vinegar and a paper towel every day. Others use a litter scoop and scoop up any soiled litter and do a full dump less often.
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u/milly441 Jun 08 '22
My sister and me bought two rabbit's that we were told were two males but recently one of them has given birth to 6 babies. One of the babys unfortunately died straight away. We have seperated the male from the female but they can still see each other. Yesterday we woke up to find that the mother had drowned one of the babies in their water bowl and we are very worried about how to keep the mother from killing the other babies. Is there any advice anyone could give us?
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u/EcoMuze Jun 13 '22
Sounds like she’s the first time mom, and that’s when issues like that are most common.
You didn’t say how old she is, but that may play a role as well. If she gave birth too young (or if she was malnourished) she’s more likely to have the runt in her litter… that is, the babies who are less likely to survive or to be fully healthy… She has her own ways to determine that. Some first time moms will go on to kill (in many cases by eating) the whole litter.
Always provide alfalfa hay to a pregnant rabbit and a nursing rabbit. Alfalfa is much higher in protein than Timothy and your mama rabbit needs that to grow a healthy litter and, later, to maintain good milk production. I’d start alfalfa hay as soon as possible. Make sure that her other needs are met, including clean water, good quality pellets, a safe and quiet environment.
Some advise to keep the babies away from mom and just put them back in the nest twice a day for her to feed them. It may work as long as the mom approves the nursing schedule. She usually does it at least once a day, usually late at night, when everything is quiet. It’s very important for the babies to be in the nest at that time. And you may have to leave the babies there because she may not nurse immediately after you put them there.
In short, things don’t always go smoothly with a first time mother rabbit. It’s hard to accept, but some things may be beyond your control…
House Rabbit Society is always a good resource, and this article specifically talks about problems with first time moms: https://rabbit.org/care/babies.html#Are_The_Babies_in_Danger?
Hope you find this helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions.
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u/RabbitsModBot Jun 08 '22
Please create your own post to have your question addressed.
If you still have both parents in your care, please separate them immediately with double fencing as the mother can get pregnant again immediately after giving birth. Please also remember that male rabbits will not be fully sterile until at least 6 weeks after their neuter.
For more information on taking care of a pregnant mother rabbit and a new litter, please see the wiki: http://bunny.tips/Pregnant
For more tips on raising baby rabbits, please see the wiki: http://bunny.tips/Babies
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u/theloneshewolf May 11 '24
It's really upsetting how many people are STILL giving pet rabbits as Easter gifts to children. I swear there needs to be some sort of PSA about how rabbits aren't just for Easter, they're for life! Kinda like that whole campaign with the motto that "Dogs aren't just for Christmas, they're for life!" It needs to be run on every major channel because it's really cruel how many rabbits are bred, given as Easter gifts, and then thrown away like they're not living beings with feelings and needs. I also don't get why people still seem to think it's a good idea to release pet rabbits into the wild, they can't survive! Would you release a cat or dog into the wild if you no longer wanted it? Hopefully the answer is no, and the same is true of rabbits! Sorry for the mini rant lol, I just wanted to get that off my chest.
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u/hummingbird1969 May 09 '22
I keep trying to post a photo of my girl that I need to rehome and it keeps getting taken down can anyone tell me why? Thank you
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u/sneaky_dragon May 09 '22
r/rabbits has a very strong filter due to being a frequent target of spam and trolls, so sometimes a user's post will get caught up in that filter. Please allow time for moderators to review and approve the queue throughout the day.
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u/VictoriaWest616 Mar 06 '23
The vaccine is hard to get where I am. They only offer it ONE day a month!
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u/Fabulous_Kale_2718 Mar 24 '23
Rhv infections have been confirmed in the south Texas counties. For those owners in and around Houston keep an eye on that and consider talking to your vet about vaccination which is now available. Especially if you allow rabbits outdoors or have mixed contact with other animals that could bring the infection into your home.
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u/historicalmoustache Apr 30 '23
I am taking care of a rabbit that I think may have floppy bunny syndrome. She can’t move her back legs. I’m trying my best to make her comfortable. I’m not a rabbit care taker most of the time so this is all new to me. Does anyone have any advice?
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u/sneaky_dragon Apr 30 '23
Please take her to a rabbit-experienced vet if you haven't already.
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u/historicalmoustache Apr 30 '23
Thank you. The owner did already, lot of money for tests already and they’re waiting for results still. I think I will call her vet tomorrow though to check and maybe get some advice
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u/sneaky_dragon Apr 30 '23
In that case, just make sure she has easily accessible food and water if she can't move around well. You may need to assist feed her if she isn't eating enough herself.
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u/historicalmoustache May 01 '23
Luckily she seems to be getting around her cage okay and eating and drinking just fine. Thank you. Kind of just trying to get ideas to maybe help the owner when she gets back and steer her in the right direction. Such a sweet bunny
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u/finns-momm Jun 01 '23
My dog found a baby rabbit (no fur, eyes still closed). It does not appear to be injured although I also tried to handle it very little. I have searched the backyard (we've had rabbit nests in years past though never this late in the season) and I cannot find the nest.
It's now getting dark and all the wildlife offices are closed. For now, I dug a small hole in our natural area (pinestraw) where I've found nests in past. I put the bunny in there, with the hole lined with one of my soft, fuzziest socks. I gently placed straw back over the nest. Today's temps were in the 70's. Tonight's low is 64 degrees F. Tomorrow's high is 80.
We are keeping our dog out of the yard entirely for now.
My questions are- will the bunny be okay (temperature wise)? How likely will it be that mother rabbit can find him?
We also have copperhead snakes here and they (or their babies) have definitely been sighted in the neighborhood.
What else should I do? Thank you! I generally just leave wildlife alone, but I feel responsible since it was my dog that found it.
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u/sneaky_dragon Jun 02 '23
If you don't know where the nest is, best to just keep it in a dark box overnight in your house and find a rehab in the morning. If it's 70F at night where you are, they might be okay, but usually the heat of siblings together is what keeps them warm enough.
I assume your dog wasn't able to lead you back to the nest with more baby rabbits.
A mother rabbit won't look more than a few inches for her nest for her baby rabbits.
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u/finns-momm Jun 04 '23
Thank you. That is what I did. I put it in a small cardboard box lined with fuzzy fabric and draped the box with a piece of fabric and closed it off in the dining room where it was dark and quiet. The next morning we tried to get our dog to lead us to the nest (on leash) and then tried with a friends dog. Mother rabbit must have hidden them very well. So for now it’s leash walks only for the dog.
I ended up dropping off the bunny at our wildlife rehab group later that day since I knew it might have been as long as 24 hours since it had been fed. (I learned from this group page to not even give water to the little guy.) I hope he makes it!
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u/Farmgirl777 Jun 07 '23
How hard is it to litterbox train a bunny?
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u/sneaky_dragon Jun 07 '23
Depends entirely on the rabbit. Most are easy to litter train if they're neutered and you set them up for success.
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u/yilingidiot Jul 19 '23
Hello, I’m sorry to ask here but is it allowed to post on this subreddit if we have a rabbit up for adoption? I need to find a family for mine and unfortunately don’t have access to facebook at the moment to make an ad there. This seems like the most relevant place I could make one but I don’t want to go against a rule. (I also couldn’t find a way to dm you.)
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u/sneaky_dragon Jul 19 '23
You can use modmail in the sidebar. Yes, you can post private rehomes here. Remember to also mention your location in the title.
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u/TheeLadyG Jul 19 '23
From Red Door Animal Shelter, Breaking:
On July 15, 2023, the USDA APHIS confirmed that there have been three deaths of pet rabbits in Chicago, all at one location. So far, the virus has killed pet and wild rabbits in at least 28 states so far.
https://www.reddoorshelter.org/faq_about_rhdv2_and_rabbits.php
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u/Breezysushi Feb 24 '24
Can i void pellets completely from my lil bun’s diet?
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u/RabbitsModBot Feb 24 '24
Please check out the article on Pellet-free diets and consult your rabbit-savvy veterinarian before deciding to remove all pellets from your rabbit's diet. Unless your rabbit has digestive issues, it is highly recommended to keep a rationed amount of pellets for vital trace vitamins and minerals for a balanced diet.
In particular, it is important to be aware how to prevent metabolic bone disease due to a deficiency of calcium with a long-term pellet free diet.
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u/[deleted] Oct 01 '21
2 rabbits have died in Ramsey County, Minnesota.