So, I've had bunnies since 2003. I've been through various illnesses, heartbreak, and joy.
Right now, I've got a six-year-old dwarf-rex cross. She is free-range. Technically there is a 'pen' in the room but it's completely opened up. Over the course of the day, you may find her under a side table in the living room, under the kitchen table, or by the front door.
In theory, she's litterbox trained.
However, she's got E-cunniculi which is a chronic illness that is kind of like an immune disorder in that it will wear her down. She will likely go through bouts of head-tilt, loss of mobility, etc.
We've been down this road with 4 of our other bunnies. Bunny 1 had an abscess that ended up causing issues in her brain (she lived to be about 18 months). Bunny # 2 had E-cunniculi (and other issues) but didn't live long (2 years max). Bunny # 3 needed a dental operation and passed away during the process. And the rest lived to be 7+ years [one might have been 12+]
In Naveen's case, her symptoms are a bit of a loss of litterbox habits - this has improved so much since getting her on meds. But yes, you will find bunny poop in various places in our house. And some bits of hay.
She's also got some chronic sneezing thing, but it's not bad this week.
A typical day:
- husband gets up, feeds her pellets/hay/water
- She sleeps
- I get up, give two meds
- She sleeps
- At dinner time, she begs at the table for food the birds drop
- She sleeps
- At 8 PM, she begs for her veggies
- At 9:30 PM, she begs for her pellets
- At 11 PM, she begs for her meds
Now that she's a 'single' bunny, I do make more effort to spend time with her. When we are rodent-free, this means sitting on the floor. She's not allowed on the couch because she was peeing on it.
She may or may not have couch time once my husband goes to bed. We haven't had any pee incidents. But shhh. No bunnies on the couch. Ever.
When he's around...Naveen will sit on the floor getting attention longer than I'm willing to sit with her. She rewards me with kisses.
In the less fun stuff, there is litterbox cleaning, meds, brushing, etc.
And the highlight of today was cleaning poop off her butt. (this is relatively common in older bunnies, particularly with E-Cunniculi)
So, it's not all sunshine and rainbows.
Pictures in the next post.
Right now, I've got a six-year-old dwarf-rex cross. She is free-range. Technically there is a 'pen' in the room but it's completely opened up. Over the course of the day, you may find her under a side table in the living room, under the kitchen table, or by the front door.
In theory, she's litterbox trained.
However, she's got E-cunniculi which is a chronic illness that is kind of like an immune disorder in that it will wear her down. She will likely go through bouts of head-tilt, loss of mobility, etc.
We've been down this road with 4 of our other bunnies. Bunny 1 had an abscess that ended up causing issues in her brain (she lived to be about 18 months). Bunny # 2 had E-cunniculi (and other issues) but didn't live long (2 years max). Bunny # 3 needed a dental operation and passed away during the process. And the rest lived to be 7+ years [one might have been 12+]
In Naveen's case, her symptoms are a bit of a loss of litterbox habits - this has improved so much since getting her on meds. But yes, you will find bunny poop in various places in our house. And some bits of hay.
She's also got some chronic sneezing thing, but it's not bad this week.
A typical day:
- husband gets up, feeds her pellets/hay/water
- She sleeps
- I get up, give two meds
- She sleeps
- At dinner time, she begs at the table for food the birds drop
- She sleeps
- At 8 PM, she begs for her veggies
- At 9:30 PM, she begs for her pellets
- At 11 PM, she begs for her meds
Now that she's a 'single' bunny, I do make more effort to spend time with her. When we are rodent-free, this means sitting on the floor. She's not allowed on the couch because she was peeing on it.
She may or may not have couch time once my husband goes to bed. We haven't had any pee incidents. But shhh. No bunnies on the couch. Ever.
When he's around...Naveen will sit on the floor getting attention longer than I'm willing to sit with her. She rewards me with kisses.
In the less fun stuff, there is litterbox cleaning, meds, brushing, etc.
And the highlight of today was cleaning poop off her butt. (this is relatively common in older bunnies, particularly with E-Cunniculi)
So, it's not all sunshine and rainbows.
Pictures in the next post.