Rabbit Dental Care

Although our sick buck doesn't have elongated, or even misaligned teeth, he does have a damaged tooth, which, although unpreventable(in this case), could have been found more quickly and removed, improving his quality of life. Therefore, I would like to take today to help others prevent this problem and others, by giving tips on preventative rabbit dental care. I believe in the case of our buck, it was simply improper utilization of calcium, as his claws are also weak, that has created this mess, possibly caused by his advanced age. He is a five year old Silver Fox rabbit, and I am told it is rare for them to live beyond the age of three.

1. Greens, greens, greens! They contain fiber which is vital for a rabbit's health and "chew" which is vital for keeping their teeth filed down. Be sure, if your rabbit has not eaten greens recently or you don't know what they have eaten in the past, to introduce them SLOWLY so their bodies can adjust to the new food. Rabbits need time to develop the proper enzymes for digesting a certain food. Introduce any and all new foods one at a time and watch closely for allergic reactions. Allergies to new foods can be as fatal in rabbits as people. As always, always be absolutely certain of what you are giving as well. Make SURE you know what it is and if it's safe for rabbits. If you know for sure, check again. I have a neighbor who gives his rabbits what he claims to be one thing and I know for a fact it is not. I looked it up. Do not rely on what you knew when you were growing up. The people who introduced you to an item could be erring. Get your knowledge from an expert at all times.
2. Apple branches-help file down teeth, the wider the better. Watch them, though, because your rabbit WILL chew off the bark and leave the rest. That is when it is time for a new branch!
3. Carrot tops and other high-calcium snacks-should be used in moderation unless you know for a fact your rabbit is lacking in calcium. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing, especially with rabbits!
4. Watch your rabbit - a change in eating habits, including chewing objects that aren't usually on his menu may indicate discomfort. Especially if he suddenly decides to chew smaller, softer food items.
5. Have your rabbit examined regularly-if we hadn't examined this buck, he would have surely died of starvation. We didn't know what was going on. Luckily, I decided to check his mouth. It is my personal opinion a split tooth is cause to visit the veterinarian immediately. My associate disagrees. Personally, I do believe a great number of ailments can be treated naturally at home without surgery, but I don't believe this is one of them.

I hope, using these tips, that you never have the problems I am and that your rabbit never suffers. If you do, however, please do not hesitate to take your rabbit to the veterinarian if at all possible. Your rabbit need not suffer nor does it need to be killed. Tooth extractions are fairly commonplace and rabbits often go on to live long, healthy lives afterword. I don't recommend BREEDING a rabbit with a lot of dental problems, but they can be have wonderful lives as somebody's pets.

Our injured buck isn't injured in the way we thought he was. It turns out, after a careful examination of his mouth, he has a split tooth. His teeth aren't overgrown or any such thing, but he split one of his front teeth to the gum anyway, so now he can't properly chew. This usually only happens when a rabbit has overgrown teeth, something we watch for with this rabbit constantly. We don't have the problem with the other rabbits, the greens seem to file most of their teeth nicely. There seems to be nothing wrong with his back and he is now gaining strength and walking, as we are getting him to gain some weight, but it will still take time. As he is my associate's rabbit, I have urged her to take him to the veterinarian to have the offending tooth removed, but she has, of yet, refused. There is still time. We are getting him to eat and he is gaining weight and strength daily, so he is in no immediate danger. We are currently giving him a special "mash" (recipe below) to encourage him to eat more, but it will be a long, difficult journey. He still has some pain on his back, but we believe it is from some scar tissue from the mites and will heal on its own.

Split tooth Mash:

1/4 c rabbit food fines(or 1/2c rabbit food, soaked in just enough hot water to soften)

1/8c applesauce

water sufficient to dissolve rabbit food, if water has not already been added. 

Instructions:
Add all ingredients together in an open bowl. Mix thoroughly. Give to your rabbit along with plenty of clean, fresh water IN A BOWL at all times. The reason we do not use water bottles for our rabbits with injured teeth is simple. Bottles will hurt their teeth and discourage the rabbit from drinking. These rabbits need as much water as they will drink.

We seem to have a rather small problem lately. Actually, a rather large one with a very small creator. Some of our rabbits have contracted fur mites. We are treating them and have them separated from the rest of the herd, but it is still a setback to any rabbitry. I suspect the mites were hiding in the hay which was fed to our rabbits.

The three rabbits who are affected are in separate hutches from the rest and are each receiving individual attention for it. We are using almond oil with thyme essential oil added(approximately four drops/ounce) rubbed into the rabbits' fur and combing apple cider vinegar into their fur as well. One of them has had this problem previously. I believe he became reinfested from eggs the previous infestation laid on his skin, so we are being even more aggressive this time. We want no eggs left behind. Should the more natural remedies not work, which we have no reason to believe they won't as they have in the past, we will have no recourse but to take the rabbits to the veterinarian for a chemical treatment. Rabbits are delicate, so we would rather avoid chemicals if at all possible.

One of the infested rabbits is also injured. It is, I believe, his back. He seems to be recovering, however. If he were not, the only humane thing to do would be to have him euthanized. Obviously, we are saving this as a last resort, but we don't intend to breed him again. He just seems to have too many problems. We are currently looking for a Silver Fox buck to breed with our does, approximately six months to eight months of age to replace him. Our current buck will be retired from this point on. He will not be eaten.

I thought I would post an entry today about the ten things I like best about breeding and eating rabbits. It doesn't matter whether or not you agree, rabbit meat is here to stay!

 

10. They are cute and fuzzy.

 9.Small enough to feed a family without having to worry too much about waste or long-term storage 

 8.Easy to pasture should you ever encounter and emergency. Not that I believe the food supply will disintegrate any time soon, but you never know what tomorrow will bring, especially in isolated areas.

  7.Sustainable-rabbits use fewer resources than larger livestock and have a larger return per pound.

  6. Tasty and nutritious, rabbit has many health benefits, it's very lean and the flavor has been compared to chicken or beef. It can be used in nearly every recipe that calls for either.

  5.Easy to process-There are many videos on YouTube and instructions online on processing a rabbit. A person can often, with a sharp knife or scissors, process a rabbit within fifteen minutes or less.

 4.Low odor-their waste, when handled properly, has little odor.

3.Waste does not cause root burn for plants, which means it can be added directly to our garden or compost. It is also great for vermiculture.

2.They're quiet. They don't make much noise, which means they can be kept, again managed properly, in an apartment or area where animals are not allowed and nobody will ever know. Management is key for this, though!

 1. They are full of personality and are a constant source of joy for me and my family. 

I hope you enjoyed reading my reasons for breeding rabbits. Not everybody will agree with them, but, then, not everybody is suited to rabbit raising.

I've been answering questions for a full week. I've enjoyed this and I hope you have, too! If I have helped even one person to live a safer, happier life with their rabbit, I will have achieved my goal!

Question 7: OOOPS! I thought I had two bucks/does! Now what?

Answer: Unless you've had your rabbit sexed by an experienced professional, always keep rabbits separated and NEVER put two bucks together when they're more than four months old! They will likely fight, resulting in injuries, especially to the ears. In this scenario, however, there is an even BIGGER problem, possibly eight or nine bigger problems that need to be dealt with as soon as possible! Really, the answer is that you need to wait eight weeks until they're weaned and find them homes of their own of some kind. Avoid sending them to the shelter, they have enough! Perhaps you can give them to a neighbor or a friend. Rabbit is also excellent meat, as I'm sure you know from reading my blog and, possibly, trying it for yourself. Don't feel too bad, everybody who's ever sexed a rabbit has missexed at least one! The important thing now is to find a home for the bunnies.

Question 6: My rabbit is acting aggressive/bit me! What is going on and how do I stop this?!

Answer:   Often aggression is hormonal. If you're not planning to breed your rabbit, you need to have him or her neutered or spayed immediately! Even with that, it still may take weeks or months for bunny to calm down. There's also the possibility that it's behavioral. Always speak gently around your rabbit, they hate loud noises, move slowly, and pet them gently. Never hit your rabbit or any other animal! Not only doesn't it work, but it can make the aggression worse, with good reason! Never pet them on the nose first because they cannot see your hand and that will frighten them. Remember we are dealing with a prey animal and they are designed to do anything they can to survive. When petting your rabbit, place your hand on the ears first, making sure he/she can see your hands, as his eyes are on the side of his/her face. If there is any sign of aggression, slowly remove your hand unless it is in immediate danger. Your safety comes first!
You rabbit could be frightened because there is a lot of activity in the area. First and foremost, you need to think like a rabbit! Activity can mean danger in a rabbit's mind. That's how they survive! Never chase your rabbit or allow children to chase it! Always find your rabbit when it is still and pet it slowly and gently. Chasing a rabbit will create a timid or aggressive rabbit!

It's been five days since I started answering your questions. I hope I have helped you to know a little more about rabbits. I admit I am not infallible. I make mistakes. If you find I have made a mistake and have proof, please let me know!


Question 3: I just saw my rabbit eating his poop! How do I stop this?

Answer:   A rabbit has a very specialized digestive system. The "poop" pellets you see are called cecotropes. They are partially digested matter which appears hours after your rabbit eats. They are full of healthy bacteria and are essential to your rabbit's very survival. They are also rarely seen, as they usually appear once a day, and then, only at night. If you were to stop your rabbit from eating them, it would soon die.

Question 4: Why do rabbits chew?

Answer: Rabbits need to chew because they need to file down their teeth or they will soon have teeth that will be so long they can no longer eat. Rabbits chew because, in nature, that is the only way for them to eat! Their natural diet consists of mostly roughage, which files their teeth, so they must constantly grow. Be sure, if you keep your rabbit inside, to wrap all wires and keep them out of reach. You're better off keeping the wires and cables well out of rabbit reach!
House plants can be dangerous to a rabbit. Treat them like your wires, as far away from bunny as possible, unless you're sure it's something bunny can eat. Remember, your rabbit will chew anything it can, so always watch it if it is out of it's cage. We recommend always having a cage for your rabbit when you cannot watch it. This is not cruel. If it doesn't have a cage, it will likely burrow and try to find a "safe" place, which might not be as safe as bunny thinks, and may chew something which will cause a fire or the death of your rabbit.

Day three of answering your rabbit questions. If you have a question you want answered here, please submit it in the comments section. All comments are anonymous.


Question 3: Will my cat/dog kill my rabbit?

Answer: That depends on the size of your cat or dog compared to the size of your rabbit, the aggressiveness of your cat or dog and their individual personality. At our rabbitry, we have several cats who never bother the rabbits, except to play with them. This is not always the case, however, and interaction should always be monitored between pets. If your cat, dog, or even your rabbit, show any signs of aggression, they should be immediately separated. It is always best to assume your cat or dog will attack your rabbit until you are certain they will not, particularly if they have never before encountered a prey animal.

I'm trying to answer a question a day on this blog, so please submit your questions! They can be submitted anonymously, without even an email address or name, so there really is no catch! Hope to read your questions soon!


Question 2: Can I feed my rabbit lettuce?

Answer: Although there is little risk in feeding lettuce, there is a risk. It is much like feeding your dog chocolate. Some rabbits die within hours, others live their entire lives without a symptom. Either way, it is not healthy for them and should be avoided at all costs, regardless of the type.

It's been a month and a half since I've been here, I know and I do apologize! It's been a difficult and busy month for me, as Pennsylvania has been, basically, frozen solid for weeks. I've been spending a lot of time giving rabbits water and making sure the don't freeze, especially the mini-lops, who are prone to having their ears become coated with ice. It's been crazy here! I also have had a difficult time, physically, as I have chronic pain in my back that is often debilitating.

I hope everyone has been warm! It's certainly cold here! If you have livestock, I'm certain you've been racing around, thawing water and protecting limbs and ears, while everybody else is staying nice and warm and even sleeping past sunrise! I hear you!

I've been researching rabbit feed, thinking of my meat rabbits. I plan to start feeding them the homemade feed first. If that works, I will start to feed the same thing to the purebreds. I want to stop using the pellets altogether.You wouldn't believe the rabbit questions I found! I hope to answer those questions and more in the next few days. It may even save your rabbit's life!

Question 1: Should you use a wire cage for a Flemish Giant rabbit?

Answer: Absolutely! Wire cages are the preferred cage for rabbits of all types! Just be sure they have a resting mat, such as a grass mat, on which to rest their feet as they are a very large breed rabbit (often 20+lbs!). Rabbits of other breeds will also appreciate a resting mat and it will prevent a condition known as "sore hocks," a sore or a wound that develops when a rabbit spends too much time on wire and is either too heavy or has too little padding on his feet.

I would like to address some myths about rabbit and rice. It seems there is a lot of misinformation online about the subject, so I thought I would talk about it here:

Myth #1: Rice will expand in a rabbit's stomach: this stems from a myth about birds when rice is thrown at a wedding. This myth became so common that throwing rice was outlawed in some areas because of it. It is a very believable one, I will admit. It is based upon the fact that, during cooking, rice expands to double or even triple it's size. However, much more heat than a bird or a rabbit produce is needed for that effect.

Myth #2: Rice is good for rabbits: wholegrain, cooked rice could be very good for rabbits, as it is full of fiber and protein. However, most people would likely give processed rice to their bunnies and that is NOT healthy. In fact it's downright....fattening! Yes, processed rice is simply a starch without much nutrition. It's simple energy without reason, much like giving candy to a child. It may cause them to race around for a bit, but after a time, your rabbit will start to become pudgy and not be able to be active.

Myth #3: Rice is poisonous to rabbits: yes, I've heard both! Processed rice is no more poisonous than it is nutritious.

I hope this entry helps you to make a decision on what to feed your rabbit. Rather than rice, my suggestion would be rolled oats. They are nutritious and rabbits love them. Don't worry, however, if your rabbit gobbles up some of the rice you had for lunch and spilled. Unless Thumper is sensitive to rice, it likely won't hurt it

In any case, watch for rice sensitivity. It is rare, but it does happen.

I would like to discuss, today, a very serious problem that has just come to my attention. Research, or, I should say, a lack of research. Too many breeders are doing what they've always done simply because that's what they've always done. It's as though they could never improve upon their methods, and that makes us all look bad.

One example of this is the "serious" breeder who uses cedar shavings as bedding. Most individuals who own pet rabbits will tell you that cedar is highly toxic to rabbits. There are other examples, as well, but my point is that this breeder hasn't done her research and is risking the health of her very lively hood because it's "the way it's always been done."

I also know of a breeder who, despite being trained in the medical field, continues to smoke cigarettes around her rabbits. Much information has been released about the relation of smoking and animals' health, if people would only take the time to read it!

Pet bedding, which also contains toxins, antibiotics for non-bacterial infections, gripping the rabbits solely by the ears and/or back skin, we've all done something that we found out later was detrimental to our rabbits, but if you wish to be in this business, you need to continue to improve. Stagnant thinking will only lead to stagnant results. Please don't sacrifice your herd to the past. If we are to succeed, we must push on to the future.

It's been some time since I was able to post. Unfortunately, I've been busy! In fact, as of this moment, I'm on my way to the doctor's office(don't worry, I'm not driving!) With Thanksgiving approaching(tomorrow) I've had so much more on my plate than just rabbits! As have every one of you, I'm sure. It's also a very busy time in regards to rabbits. We are trying to get all of our breeding does into hutches, but at the same time, out of the winter weather.

Have you visited the store lately? We now have a large selection of gifts for the rabbit lover in your life! Be sure to see our selection of fine jewelery, toys and many other rabbit themed gifts. Got your interest? Find us here;

http://astore.amazon.com/rabbito2-20

How do you wash out those clear plastic water bottles and get them clean? If your bottles are the wide necked variety, it's not difficult at all!
What you need is a long-handled bottle brush, the kind with a handle that's narrow enough to fit into your bottle, and also a wide-bristled bottle brush(the two brushes can be the same brush, but make sure it will reach EVERY PART of the bottle!). It also helps to use bleach(or vinegar, if you want a more natural route) and, of course water!
What to do: pour about an ounce of bleach(or 4 ounces of vinegar-less if you can find undiluted!) to a bottle. Swish around bleach(or vinegar solution) add about a cup of water and let the bottle sit for several minutes.
When the bottles have sat long enough, take the long brush and start scrubbing the bottom of the inside. Then take the wider brush and brush the top of the inside, the neck and the outside. Rinse well. If desired, soak lid in same solution, or clean with pipe-cleaner. We personally soak ours. Also be sure to rinse the lids well! With the narrow-necked bottles, there's not much more you can do than to fill them with the solution and let them soak, shake and rinse and HOPE you got everything! Another reason to use wide-necked bottles. Sanitation. The solution can be used again and again, but make sure it stays pretty clean or it won't do the job. Change it when necessary. There's no right or wrong way to clean bottles, as long as they stay sanitary and a safe vessel from which to drink.
I would love to hear what YOU do to clean water bottles. Please leave your descriptions in the comment section!

I was curious what I would find if I did a search for the term "rabbit for rent." This was one of the results:

http://dulwichdivorcee.blogspot.com/2008/05/rent-rabbit.html

I was more curious than anything. I read it and started laughing. This woman wants to rent out her destructive pet rabbit to parents of children who want a pet!
There are numerous ways she can solve her problem without pimping Dill out. She could put him in a real cage with a wire bottom and a door that actually keeps him in. She could put him outside in said cage or a hutch. She could supervise him when he's outside of the cage. Or she could put him in the stewpot, which is what I think I woud have done had he been my pet! I hope you got as much enjoyment from this as I did!

I wonder if anyone would want to rent one of my rabbits. Hmmm.....

OUR STORE is back and better than ever! Newly added, a section just for organic rabbit food! Try it now and tell us what you think!
Find us here at:
B.B.'s Rabbit Supply

it seems we no longer have a store...temporarily

it seems that amazon is having issues. we may need to build a whole new store. we will let you know when it is completed. sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

Sorry, everyone. I haven't been on for a while. I'm having a difficult time getting into my account, so I'm sending this post via email. I understand, as I've been told, that the store link is temporarily down. That is a temporary situation, which will be fixed as soon as possible. I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.

________________________________________
PeoplePC Online
A better way to Internet
http://www.peoplepc.com

I sexed Cinders's bunnies today. You're not gonna believe it. I know I don't! Every one of them was a Doe! All seven! What are the chances!

Sapphire's litter will probably be sold. At least some of them might.  They are good-sized and will be sold as meat rabbits. They will be about ten dollars this time, to cover the cost of feed. We haven't figured out how to pasture them, yet. The price may go down significantly when we do because our costs will be down, although they still will probably receive pellets until they are separated from their mothers.

By the way, all of our new litters are half Silver Fox rabbit. They are good for meat and breeding, despite the problems with Ophilia's litter. In a first litter, it's common for a lot (or all) of them to die. I'm confident she'll do better next time.

If you're interested in buying a rabbit from us and breeding it, please feel free to ask for advice. We'll be happy to help!