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Owner needs help

Fanch

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ok, I am looking after a friend of my moms bunny. He is a 6 month old, white dewarf. he lives in a 15" x 24" house, with a litter box, his food bowl, and his water bottle. Hes always chewing on the cage and the litter box, and before he came to stay with me a few days ago, he only got hay in the form of alfalfa cubes(as a treat). I know that I need to get the owner to give him large amounts of grass hay, and to get her to build him a larger cage. he also get 18% rabbit food. My questions are:
- How big should his cage be?
- What are some toys, house, fun things, etc I could give him to keep his mind busy?
Any other info that would help this owner would be great.
 

VoodooJoint

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A 2x3 with a shelf/second level (no ramp needed, most rabbits can easily make the jump) would be the minimum.

A 2x4 with shelf would be much better.

As far as toys, it depends on the rabbit. Here are some to choose from
- The extra tough cat balls with bells
-natural, unpainted/unvarnished wicker or bamboo baskets and/or balls. Big ones are good for chewing/hiding small are good for chewing/throwing
-toilet tubes stuffed with hay
-stuffed animals (no bean bag ones)
-old phone books and cardboard boxes(rabbits love shredding stuff)
-Teething toys (for human babies). Go for the all hard plastic ones and avoid the softer rubber ones. The kind that look like keys on the ring are really fun.
-Seagrass mats
-Old spools from thread. You can string several (or just 2) together with hemp or sisal rope.
-a large pan of peat moss for digging in. This is messy but rabbits enjoy digging. It cleans up fairly easily.

Some rabbits enjoy playing games. Usually the rabbit will let you know what kind of games it likes. I have had rabbits that would play follow the leader (sometimes leading sometimes following), tag, fetch, hide and seek, who can jump the highest (funny to watch as you jump in the air and then the rabbit does and keep repeating) and the favorite game of most rabbits "bad bunny" this is where they sneak up on you and nip you someplace sensitive to watch you jump and yell. Usually they are gone and watching you from a hiding spot before you can even turn around. I only had one rabbit years ago that actually enjoyed me playing the bad bunny part as well. It would usually ensue in a good game of chase until he tagged me.
 

Fanch

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thanks alot, I will give all that info to her, and start applying it myself. One other questions, is he chewing the cage out of boradom, or for some other reason?
 

VoodooJoint

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He's probably chewing from bordom, frustration, lack of exercize and stimulation and lack of roughage (hay).

The very best thing to do would be to see if the rabbit can be allowed to be a house rabbit. If he has free range of at least one entire room and, at the most, only enclosed in his cage at night he will become so much happier.

If he can't be allowed to be a house rabbit then it would be best to build the cage higher and give him more levels/shelves inside. That way he can bounce from one to another.
 

Fanch

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ok, I have another question. When they make a cage for the rabbit, can they use fleece for the bedding, or is fleece bad for rabbits?
 

VoodooJoint

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As long as the rabbit does not chew on it it's fine. If he does you will need to take it away and either bed him on something else or go with no bedding, just the litterpan and use an extra tough but soft cat bed of some sort if in case he wants something soft to lie on. Once again though if he tries to eat the cat bed (or the stuffed animal toys) you will have to take them away to avoid an intestinal blockage.
 

Jessica

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I have noticed a lot of people use lenolium for their cages if their bunny is litter box trained.

My rabbit LOVES his floor time, lately I have been bad and forgot I let him out and well he lately has had about 6-8 hours of floor time, but he loves it and as long as we leave the litterbox out he does quite well, but I have noticed this is the best toy, that and he loves my cat and she loves him, they seem to like to snuggle (weirdest thing, hehe).

I also wanted to point out that a 2X3 is good but my rabbit just always looks so miserable in his 2X3, I am in the process of getting more supplies to make a 2 level like Voodoojoint was talking about. He is pretty small too. I would recommend giving the bunny floor time, and socialize with him/ her a lot. Make sure you spend time with them every day too and it will keep them more social. Good luck! :cheerful:
 

Fanch

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ok thanks, but just to clear up something, he isent mine, I only have him till April the 29th, then he goes back to his owner, but I will tell her all about the cages, and start giving him lots of free run and applying everything ive heard. thank you both again!
 

Fanch

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Right now I am sitting at my computer with my feet up laughing at this bunny, Ive been letting him out for half hour runs(im trying to get longer, but ive been REALLY busy, I have a horse) But today hes going insane, hes running from one end of my room to the next, then back, then to the middle, im so happy ive been letting him out, hes just so alive now.
 

VoodooJoint

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Thank you for doing that for the rabbit.

Isn't it amazing the colorful personalities they have if they are simply given the chance? Rabbits are really much too active and curious to lie around in a cage all day. They can easily get depressed and go downhill in health quickly if that happens.

Give that silly rabbit a kiss on the nose for me.
 

Fanch

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I will, and I will do routine check ups on him after he leaves me in 2 days, Im gonna miss him.
 
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