RIVERBEND RABBITRY
  • Home
  • Meet Riverbend's bunnies!
  • Adopt a bunny
    • Adoption application
    • Sales Policy
    • Breeder Form
    • Available bunnies
    • The nursery
  • Care & info
    • Rabbit Care guide
    • Our bunnies diet
    • Enrichment
    • Lionhead Manes
    • Bunny facts & FAQ
    • What you'll need
    • Blog
  • Contact
  • Riverbend Pet Supplies
  • Retired bunnies

The bunny blog

Key health BENEFITS of hay

6/30/2021

0 Comments

 
As the owner of a bunny, or any small herbivore pet, you know the importance of hay in their diet. If you have ever wondered WHY hay is so important I am going to go into further detail about how hay keeps your pet happy and healthy and its specific functions in your pets daily health.

Mental health

  • Hay encourages natural foraging behaviours in bunnies. It provides hours of mental stimulation a day
  • Access to a variety of grass hays provides different tastes and textures for your bunny, keeping them interested, active, and healthy. 
  • Place hay toys/racks/cubes in as many locations as possible throughout your bunnies enclosure/space to maximize mental enrichment. Even if you just hide toilet paper tubes or brown paper bags of hay, it will keep you bunny happy and out of trouble!

Digestive health

  • The fiber in hay facilitates the constant digestive movement that bunnies need to maintain gut health.
  • If they don't hay hay pushing everything through, even for a short time, it can lead to a number of potentially life threatening issues, such as bloat or G.I stasis.

Dental health

  • Bunnies require constant chewing of fibrous foods to provide proper, and necessary dental wear. Hay is the ideal material to serve this function.  
  • Bunny teeth never stop growing, making it critical to provide a proper diet centered around hay.
  • a diet lacking sufficient hay intake can lead to dental issues such as disease, tooth elongation and malocclusion.  

Tips on preventing G.I. stasis

Gastrointestinal stasis is a serious condition that occurs when the digestive system slows down or stops. As a bunny owner, there are key steps you can take to minimize the likelihood that your bunny experiences this condition.
  • Feeding a high fiber diet with lots of grass hay (at least 70% of their daily intake)
  • Annual vet checks with your exotics/rabbit savvy vet.
  •  Keep a watchful eye out for any underlying health issues such as visible pain, dental issues, infections etc.
  • Make sure your bunny has unlimited access to two sources fresh clean water
  • Make sure they get plenty of exercise.

Top 5 reasons to give your bunny more than one type of hay

  1. It keeps mealtime fun and enriching. Eating the same food all the time can become boring! Try adding an herb mix, a hay topper, mixing different hays, and providing multiple sources of hay to keep them excited and busy. 
  2. Hay supports nutritional needs. Every hay has different vitamins and minerals and cycling through different types of hay helps them to regularly get a variety of nutrients that keep your bunny and their digestive tract healthy.
  3. It can strengthen your bond with your bunny! Giving them a new meal is fun for them, but it also tells you a lot about your bunny, It's fun to watch them get excited about something, and figuring out what their preferences are tells you more about them. Try mixing different hays to figure out their favourites. 
  4. It helps prevent picky eating. Access to different hays helps expand their palate and helps them manage the natural variability that can occur between bags of hay.
  5. Encourages foraging. The ancestors of your bunny would forage in the wild, through different plant material. This helps them tap into those behaviors and stay busy.  
0 Comments

Should I adopt two bunnies or just one?

4/10/2020

0 Comments

 
There are many conflicting opinions on whether bunnies should have a friend or if a solo bunny will have an equally happy life on their own. I can't tell you what's best for your family and your bunny, but I can compare some of the pros and cons to each option, to help you make a more informed decision. I will also discuss the long term aspects to consider and how to provide the right companionship to a single house bunny. 
Picture

Adopting two bunnies 

Pros

  • Two littermates are already bonded.
  • The bunnies will comfort each other during their move into your home, making the transition easier. 
  • Bunnies speak the same language, and even though they enjoy human companionship, we will never be the same as another bunny.
  • bunnies groom each other which in turn, keeps them cleaner.
  • bunnies in groups are less likely to be depressed, bored or lonely if you aren't able to spend much time with them.
  • Less bored = less destructive bunny behaviour. 
  • Bunnies who are bonded tend to be more relaxed, which decreases the chance of stress related illness.
  • Watching two bunnies fall in love is a truly wonderful experience. Owning a bonded pair or group will allow you to see behaviours/sides to your bunny's personality you wouldn't get from a single bunny.  
  • Bonded bunnies tend to be fairly easy going with humans due to the confidence their partner brings them.


Cons

  • Some bunnies become unbonded and it can be difficult/impossible to rebond them. You would have to house two bunnies separately, at least until they became bonded again. 
  • Slightly more hay/litter/pellet costs.
  • The cost of an extra spay/neuter.
  • There is a chance at puberty bonded bunnies can start fighting and one or both of them could become injured.
  • Once your bunny has been bonded to another bunny, they do not take well to becoming a single bunny again. One day, one of your bunnies is going to pass away, and you will have to consider getting another bunny for them in order to help them grieve and to avoid the health issues that come with depression and loneliness. That means going through the bonding process again, which can be stressful. You need to ask yourself if you are ready to take on bonded bunnies ongoing in the foreseeable future. Some bunnies will take well to a new bunny, other will reject a new friend as they grieve. 
  • More work cleaning up after your bunnies and maintain
  • ing them.

Adopting a single bunny

Pros

  • Gives you the chance to learn about bunnies BEFORE getting yourself into more than you can handle (i.e costs, care, etc)
  • Single bunnies can sometimes bond more closely to their human if they are spending alot of time with them.
  • It gives you the chance to get your bunny fixed, and get to know them, before adding more into the mix.
  • Housing only one bunny.
  • Less costs (vet bills, food, litter, spay/neuter)

Cons

  • Basically, you're missing out on all the pros of having a bonded pair!
  • Possibly bored, more destructive bunny
  • No one is there to groom your bunnies hard to reach places
  • Can become depressed or ill due to loneliness if they feel isolated from you and your family.

To conclude, there is no right or wrong answer. All bunnies need companionship, and they can get that from you, another bunny, a cat, a dog, etc. If you are financially secure, patient, and want to experience multiple bunnies, then go for it! If you'd like a solo bunny to start and would rather learn about your bunny first, that's fine too. Do what works for you, and consider all your options. All bunnies can be happy and spoiled regardless. I hope this helped a bit.
Picture
0 Comments

How to build a bunny first aid kit

4/3/2020

0 Comments

 
   Every pet owner wants to keep their animals safe, and keep them healthy. It's a good idea to be aware of common injuries/illnesses that can occur and be prepared to treat them. It's also a good idea to have a bunny first aid/supplies kit to have on hand before anything happens. You never know, it's better to be safe, than be sorry. 

If you rabbit is not eating/drinking/pooping for 8+ hours please take your bunny to see a rabbit savvy veterinarian. This is an emergency. A first aid kit does not replace a Vet, but rather holds you over until you can see a vet. If you are treating something minor, you'll be glad you were prepared. 

What's wrong with my bunny? 

Some common bunny ailments include:
  • G.I stasis
  • Ear mites
  • Fur mites/fleas
  • Fatigue/low energy
  • Lack of appetite
  • Change in poop (amount/size/consistency)
  • Runny nose/eyes
  • Drooling
  • Head tilt
  • Poor hygiene
Below are some links explaining these ailments in more detail
Signs your bunny is sick 
 How to tell if your bunny is sick 
 
video on how to tell if a bunny is sick

Bunny first aid checklist

  • A pet carrier - to transport your bunny to the veterinarian 
  • Small syringes - to administer critical care, water, or medications (most pharmacies can provide these for free)
  •   Oxbow critical care - Used as a meal replacement/recovery food for bunnies who won't eat  or are recovering from surgery (found at your rabbit savvy vets and online)
  • Injury kit (cotton pads, gauze, adherent wraps, qtips)
  • thermometer- The body temp of a bunny can vary based on the time of day or just that bunny themselves. Because of this, you might want to write down your bunny's temp on a normal day. That being said, a 'normal' range for a rabbits body temp is between 100.5 and 103.5 degrees fahrenheit. 
  • Vaseline - to use as a lubricant for the thermometer. Yes, to take a bunny's temp it needs to be inserted in their bum. You will want to have a seperate thermometer for this, 
  • Baby gas drops (simethicone or mylicon) can be given orally. I give my bunnies 1cc (ml) every hour for the first three hours, and then I spread out doses by 6 hours. This will help prevent early symptoms of G.I stasis which can be lethal. It also helps with gas and other gut disturbances. 
  • Any previous prescriptions. When you get your bunny fixed you will be given pain medications/anti inflammatories . 
  • Heating pad
  • ice pack
0 Comments

How to pick up your bunny during QUARANTINE

4/1/2020

0 Comments

 
I decided to make a post for anyone interested in adopting from Riverbend in the near future. Normally we sit and discuss bunny care and let you hang out with your bunny and check them over, but with social distancing we need to follow the rules below to do our part and keep everyone safe. Thank you for your understanding.
1. Please do not come pick up your bunny if you are sick, showing any symptoms, have been travelling, or are NOT practicing social distancing.
2. Only one person is to come grab the bunny. Do not bring your whole family as we want to keep contact with others limited.
3. We encourage paying by e transfer for the same reason, the less contact the better.

We will bring your bunny out to the driveway and set the carrier down and have you come grab your bunny. This will either be in the soft carrier we provide, or we can transfer them to your own carrier. Afterwards I will disinfect my carrier and wash my hands. I am taking full precautions for everyone's safety.
🥕Stay safe through this trying time everybun 🐰
0 Comments

    Natalia

    A platform for me to share my experiences and thoughts.

    Archives

    June 2021
    April 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Meet Riverbend's bunnies!
  • Adopt a bunny
    • Adoption application
    • Sales Policy
    • Breeder Form
    • Available bunnies
    • The nursery
  • Care & info
    • Rabbit Care guide
    • Our bunnies diet
    • Enrichment
    • Lionhead Manes
    • Bunny facts & FAQ
    • What you'll need
    • Blog
  • Contact
  • Riverbend Pet Supplies
  • Retired bunnies