If you use a heater be sure you check
the cord carefully for bite marks from the year before. Not only does keeping the cord out
of reach keep those teeth off of it but spraying hairspray on the cord will also keep your
bunnies from chewing should it fall near a cage before you get back out to the rabbitry.
Hairspray has a very bad taste,they can smell it and won't even attempt to mess with with
the cord. (This also works for cats and dogs if you have a problem with chewing and the
Christmas tree and presents. It won't hurt the wood furniture as I have used it on my wood
for years for when we have a favorite bunny running around.) Make sure you keep any
molting bunnies away from the heater, to much fur getting into it can start a fire. Check
the heated wires daily to be sure it is staying clean.
If you have outdoor bunnies, be sure to
get as many old blankets as you can. I keep a tarp over my hutches then over the top I
have an old blanket. Bricks and large stones keep those blankets from blowing off. Always
be sure to keep an opening near the ground on the South side to let out the urine smell or
you will have a sick rabbit before the winter is over. Be sure to keep the North wind
blocked off of the hutches as much as possible. 
When
the temperature drops, add a blanket. You would be surprised at the difference one more
blanket makes. You can tell how cold your bunnies are by how fast the water freezes. I
like to make sure the water gets through at least half of the day before freezing, but if
it can through almost half the day, they are okay. At night I put old wash cloths around
the bottles to keep them from freezing so fast when it is colder. Also I will put cat
litter boxes or tubs from Wall-Mart or even cardboard boxes and many other things that I
can find to put in the cages as long as it has at least a 3 inch or more lip on all four
sides to keep straw in. If there isn't a lip of some kind on all four sides, the straw
will come right out of the box as soon as the rabbit jumps in. I will put as much straw
that I can get into the tub and even punch my fist into it to make it tight and fit a
little more.
Remember, rabbits can handle the cold
weather better than the heat.
_______________________________________
Feeding
I mix different things together for
different breeds and for nursing does. I have a mix that I call the "English Lop
mix" and another mix that is the "Feed mix." I have found that instead of
mixing the feed little bits at a time or in their food dish, It is much easier to get some
of those large plastic tubs with lids (colored tubs only, never use clear tubs) and mix a
bunch at a time. You can leave these tubs outside. The rain can not find its way in, other
animals such as squirrels can't get into it. In the summer time it is fatal for any bugs
who find there way in because the sun heats it up inside very quickly and cooks them
immediately, they will be on top, you just throw them out. (Be sure to have your tub where
the mourning sun will get to it easily and stay on it for most of the day or at least half
of the day.) In the winter there aren't any bugs out to get into it.
--------------------
These are my bunny weights
English Lops: Senior bucks get to be
9 lb. and over / Senior does get to be 11 lb. and over
Holland Lops: Senior bucks and does
are up to 4 lb.
Netherland Dwarfs: Senior bucks and
does are up to 2 1/2 lb.
Harlequins: Senior bucks are up to 9
lb. / Senior does are up to 8 lb.
Keep in mind that these are normally
the weights of these breeds. If a bunny is over weight I do one of the 2 things:
1) The bunny goes on a diet, it is not
healthy at all for a bunny to be over weight.
2) If the bunny is genetically larger
than what this breed normally calls for, It is unhealthy to try to bring his weight down.
He will get a little more feed to match his weight.
----------------------
Here is a list of what is in the mixes and why
Manna Pro Double Duty: I have seen the best
results out of my herd using this rabbit feed over any other that I have tried. Some of my
furry people will even turn their noses up to any other feed. Because we have small
bunnies as well as the large ones it is good for me to use this brand because the protein
isn't as high as others. If you give to much protein to smaller bunnies they will get the
runs.
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds: The bunnies love this
treat. This is a great conditioner for the fur and skin.
Race Horse oats: This will help put on wait.
Calf Manna: Great for large breeds. This has lots
of protein. It helps keep those nursing does full of milk and it fills all the bunnies out
nicely. This is only for the large breeds.It is full of so much protein that if
you give this to small bunnies you will make them so sick or kill them. Always
serve with oatmeal and hay. If you see your bunny get runny stop the Calf Manna and
feed only oatmeal and hay for two days. After a week try lessening the amount of Calf
Manna. If this sets well, adventually you may want to try giving a little more. (Some
bunnies have to slowly get used to Calf Manna. Some can take large amounts right away.)
~~~~~~~Here are my mixes~~~~~~~
English Lop Mix
75 lb. of Manna Pro Double Duty Rabbit feed
10 lb. of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
20 lb. of Race Horse Oats
10 lb. of Calf Manna
(Don't forget a handful of Quaker oats oatmeal in each
dish and lots of hey to serve with the Calf Manna, VERY important!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feed mix
50 lb. of Manna Pro Double Duty Rabbit Feed
10 lb. of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Both of my mixes are mixed evenly by putting so much
in at a time then hand mixing it then adding more in.
~~What bunnies get what feed~~
English lop mix
All of my English Lops get this.
Nursing Harlequins get it until kits are coming out of
the nest box.
Nursing Holland lops get a 5th of a cup with their
Feed Mix until kits are coming out of the nest box.
~~~
Feed Mix
All my Harlequins that are not nursing with kits still
in the nest box.
All my Holland Lops
All of the Netherland Dwarfs, the nursing mothers get
3 pellets of Calf Manna a day until kits are coming out of the nest box.
~~~~~How much my bunnies are fed~~~~~
English Lops get all they can eat and more
Holland Lops get 1/2 a cup a day
Harlequins get a 1 1/2 to 2 cups a day
Netherland Dwarfs get 1/4 a cup a day
NOTE: When my does are due in 2 days I
begin to cut back on feed. They are not as willing to get the kits out of the sacks and
dispose of the sacks on a full belly. After kendeling, they get all they can eat until a
little while after the kits begin to eat on their own.(For the exeption of the English
Lops who always gets all she can eat.) This goes for all of the breeds.
Any of my bunnies who needs that extra bit of
conditioning will get wheat germ oil on the top of their feed. Some won't eat when this is
done so you have to keep a close eye on them and the waste underneath their cage. Many
however will love it.
Knowing when to give alfalfa and when to give hay is
important. Alfalfa will loosen your bunnies up when their stools are to dry and hay will
harden them up when stools are to loose and runny. Hay will also keep their tummies
working correctly. I have some that I dare not give alfalfa to and others that does very
well on it. Mostly it is the large buns that will get the Alfalfa because it is full of
protein. Each bunny is different and a good keeper will pay close attention to each bunny
and be sure that they get what is best for that individual.
Note: When hay is given it many times turns
the urine red or orange. Don't be alarmed, its okay. White vinegar will get this red out
of the carpet.
Some times, though not often, I will bring some fresh
greens out to the rabbitry. Only seniors and 6/8 bunnies will get them. Never feed fresh
greens to juniors, they will get the runs and that is not good. If I want a nursing doe to
have some but she has kits bouncing all over her hutch, I will simply take mom out on the
grooming table where she can have her treat in peace and her children are safe from it.
~~~~~~~Where I get my feed~~~~~~~
I get my rabbit pellets (Manna Pro Double Duty) from
Tractor Supply. That is, when they have it in stock. For some reason the Tractor Supply
store in my town won't order anything until the last bag is sold and that is with
anything. This is the only store in my area that sells it. When they don't have it in
stock I have to go out of town a little ways to buy a bag from a friend of mine. It is
hard on bunny tummies to switch brands all of the time because Tractor Supply can't stay
on top of things. Also I have some that won't eat unless it is what they are used to
getting. If any other store comes to our area and sells this brand of food and will keep
it in stock, they will get my business and all my customers who ask me where to go for
food. They also carry all of the other things that I use in my mixes.
~~~~ What mulch to use ~~~~
I and a lot of other breeders use wood
stove pellets. Make sure they don't have accelerates added into them. They are environment
friendly and helps keep the smell down. If you have out door cages that are covered in the
winter, putting this under your cages will help the buns not breath in so much of the
urine fumes. Its much cheaper than any other mulch. I get it at Tractor Supply when it is
in. I pay about $3. for a 40 pound bag.
Never use cedar chips. They sometimes carry
mites and have an oil in it that animals don't like to have on their fur so much
that they will stop cleaning themselves to keep from getting it in their mouths. That will
cause many problems. They also cause blockage and respiratory problems. Any shavings that
is dusty will also cause respertoy problems.
~~What if bunny stopped eating or drinking?~~
If your bunny isn't eating, first check the
water. Make sure the bottle is working properly. Thirsty bunnies won't eat. If there is
something wrong and you fix it, but bunny still won't drink, you have to show him there's
water. He isn't convinced that he has access to water now. Move the mouth piece and make
some water drip out so that he can see it and smell it. If bunny still isn't convinced,
hold your bunny down while forcing the mouth piece into the side of his mouth where there
isn't any teeth to hurt. He will naturally try to push it back out and in doing so he will
make the water run into his mouth. Hang it back up and he should start drinking now that
he knows there is something in it for him.
This also is a way of forcing fluids down a
sick bunny that refuses to drink. Also if a bunny doesn't know how to drink from a bottle,
this is how you show him how to get the water out. I have had to do this before, it works.
If the water bottle is working fine, Give
bunny some dry bread. That always brings back the appetite on my buns.
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