fezzikgiant-blog

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He'd rather chew the tunnel even though he knows we don't want him to. Look what he did to the opening! 

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Happy New Year! This is Fezzik's very first photo of the year. He seemed very content once he had his first 2015 banana treat. He was especially relaxed once the fireworks stopped assaulting his ears.

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Bunny see. Bunny chew.

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Hey! I need some advice, I have a little Dwarf Lop, he is about 3 months old and I am trying to Litter train him. I have read up all about it, but at the moment he doesn't seem to be going in the one place, he poops and pees everywhere in his cage. I have a litter box and have tried different types of litter and in different spots in the cage but it doesn't seem to change. I have also tried putting all his poops in there. The strange thing is, when I let him out he poops in my cats litter! help!

I’m not an expert by any means. Fezzik is the first rabbit we’ve ever had. If he’s pooping and peeing all over his cage, I’ve read that it’s possible his cage is too small. You might want a larger area for him to run around in when he’s locked up, and that might encourage him to choose just one corner. When we got Fezzik, he would poop everywhere, but he chose like… three corners of our house to pee in. We bought multiple litter boxes and put them in those corners with his poops and with paper that had his pee on it. Eventually, we found his most consistent spot, and he started using it enough that we were able to remove the other litter boxes until he only used one exclusively. It also helps a lot if you put a bunch of hay into the litter box(es) because rabbits like to eat while they do their business. Putting it in the far corner of the litter box also encourages them to hop inside the box to eat it, and hopefully they'll do their thing while they eat.

I recommend finding a way to block off the cat’s litter box from the rabbit even if it’s only while he’s running around. If you’re using normal cat litter, the dust can be extremely harmful to your bunny’s lungs, so do your best to keep him out of there.

Another option could be to put the bunny’s litter box where the cat’s box is while the bunny is running around outside of his cage. Then, when you put him away, you put the litter box back into his cage with him (preferably in a corner because most bunnies have this weird thing where they prefer corners). It could encourage him to better understand that he needs to just do his thing in that one box. I don’t know how long you’d have to do it or if it would even work, but I think it’s something I’d personally try if I had a similar circumstance.

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My sister's babysitting her friend's rabbit for a month bc they're on holiday and I've already fallen in love with her too much and it's only the second day she's been here

hahah It's soooo easy to fall in love! I remember when we first got Fezzik, my boyfriend said that he could stay as long as he didn't destroy the house. He was fully prepared to choose the house over our bunny, but a few days in, I knew it wouldn't hold. We now have teeth marks in the wooden moulding of pretty much every room, and there's a hole he chewed in the carpet next to the wall of another room. This rabbit is here to stay.

I have some options for you:

1. Schmooze your sister's friend so that said friend becomes your bestie. Then you can visit her all the time to play with the bunny, and no one would think anything different.

2. Ask to move in with your sister's friend so you can keep playing with that bunny.

3. Get a rabbit that looks just like your sister's friend's and pull a little switcheroo before the friend gets home from holiday. You keep the one you love, and they get the changeling.

4. If all else fails, ask your sister's friend for their bunny budget. Seeing how much they pay every week/month to take care of the fluffball can be sobering.

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Periscope

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I HAVE A 4 MONTH OLD MALE FLEMISH GIANT HE WILL WAIT UNTIL I LEAVE MY BEDROOM JUMP ON MY BED AND PEE, IF I SHUT HIM OUT OF MY ROOM HE THROWS A FIT AND EITHER DESTROYS SOMETHING OR PEES ON SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S FABRIC EVEN THOUGH I WASH MY COMFORTER IN HOT WATER, AND I'VE TRIED LAUNDRY SOAP, VINEGAR, ALL KINDS OF NEUTRALIZERS I'VE BOUGHT HE WILL GO BACK TO SAME SPOT....HELP PLEASE!!! I WANT TO KEEP HIM BUT I CAN'T DEAL, MY BED IS THE BIGGEST THING, I COULD LIVE WITH JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE ELSE....

Whoa there, capslock! hahahMy suggestion is that you need to get him a cage, something big enough for him to be able to hop and run around and stretch out in. I use an exercise pen for Fezzik. Keeping your bunny contained when you're not around to watch him will prevent him from being able to destroy your stuff or anything else that isn't approved by you for destruction. It'll also protect him from accidentally eating something like a piece of fabric that could hurt him.I don't know if your bunny is already litter box trained or not, but rabbits tend to go for the same spots over and over which makes them relatively easy to litter box train. You can use newspaper or wood pellets and hay. You can place some of his poo pellets into the box along with a piece of paper or tissue with his pee on it. Placing one or more litter boxes into corners will encourage him. You could also place a litter box over the place where he's shown you he keeps going back to pee.I'm also opening this up for other people to answer, too. Maybe there are people who are better researched on this sort of behavior and/or people who have had experience with this because Fezzik does some bad stuff every once in a while, but he's never done that.

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Fezzik likes to play around the table.

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An extensive list of rabbit-safe greens and veggies.

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I have personal experience with this! We got Fezzik when he was nine weeks old, and after a few weeks, he was really happy and playful. However, after a few months, he began to get really aggressive. He'd nip us whenever we were anywhere he didn't want us (which was essentially everywhere). At one point, he nipped me hard enough to leave a bruise. We got him neutered around four or five months. 

It took him a few weeks to heal and to adjust, but he got a lot sweeter after that. It did take him a little time to get back into snuggling us and letting us pet him, but he was fine. He even started doing his Bunny 500's and binkies pretty regularly again. However, when the seasons began to change from summer to autumn, he stopped playing as much. He'd go back into his enclosure of his own volition after only playing a little. Once winter hit, despite our attempts to frequently let him out and play, it became a challenge to get him to come out at all. We took him to the vet, and it turns out that it's just a seasonal thing. I don't know if all bunnies are like this, but many rabbits became lazier and sleepier when winter comes around. We weren't one hundred percent sure this was the case until spring came again and he went CRAZY. At that point, it became a challenge to get him to go back into his cage. Seriously. We have no fears about it any more. Now that autumn is coming, Fezzik is transitioning back into his lazy-days stage, so we anticipate another sleepy winter for him followed by crazy-springtime-bun.  I don't think you have much to worry about with your bun. Like funny-looking-rabbit said, as long as he's eating and defecating like normal, just give him time to adjust. Don't let his current state make you feel like you can't at least try to socialize with him regularly. Eventually, he'll warm right back up to you.

Quick question. Did you notice any change in behavior/personality for your rabbit after he was neutered? Before my bunny was neutered he was really playful, cuddly, raced around and binky'd a lot but it's been about a month and he's just a lot more anti-social and lazy rather than playful. I'm a little worried he is going to be overweight because it's hard to get him to exercise sometimes. I didn't know if that was normal. He's healed and perfectly healthy. Any advice or insight?

Hey! Thanks for writing in! :D

Unfortunately, I can’t help with a personal experience, because I adopted Theodore after he’d already been neutered. Strangely enough, when I adopted him he was quite mellow and although sweet, he was a bit distant. After some time with us here, he’s finally really coming out of his shell and has become more energetic and happier — a binky machine! (I have a feeling this has a lot to do with his comfort level and the amount of space he has, but also his diet, which is better than it was before.)

On the BinkyBunny forums, someone is experiencing the exact same thing as you, and a couple of members have suggested that it is in fact more due to the aging of the bunny rather than just the neutering. After about 20 months of age, bunnies begin to really calm down, especially the males after neutering. 

But, if you ask me, I think it would make sense that the bunny’s body and mind is still adjusting to the sudden lack of hormone production that he was used to before. Think about it — one moment he’s pumped full of hormones, and the next, he’s not! That’s got to have some major physical and psychological effects on a bun… or anyone, really.

That said, I wouldn’t worry too much about this. So long as he’s continuing to eat, defecate and urinate normally and isn’t showing major lethargy or any other signs of pain or sickness, then he should eventually get used to this new way of being and begin to come out of his shell again. This may take some time, though. Even though it’s been a month, he’s just been through quite an ordeal, and he may need time to make himself comfortable again at home.

As for the exercise, have you tried taking one of his favorite healthy things (greens are a good option in this case) and tempting him around the room with it? I find it’s a good way to get in a bit of extra exercise. Just show him you have something he wants, then walk to one side of the room, give it to him, then walk to the other, give him another piece, and so on and so forth.

Do you have more experience with this issue or something to add about this topic? Write in!

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Oh man... Fezzik LOATHED his antibiotics so much he used to destroy the syringes. We went through five syringes in the course of two weeks after he was neutered, and he ended up biting Jonathan so badly we thought he might need stitches when he mistook his finger for the syringe. I wish he'd liked his antibiotics better, but alas. Good thing Theodore loves it! I'm sure it makes it much easier to administer the medicine, even if he does try to steal the syringe. hahah

My rabbit Theodore loves the taste of his antibiotics so much that he tried to steal the syringe from me.

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I have a couple of things to add to this.  First, the reason why putting rabbits into a trance is bad isn't just because it causes unnecessary stress. It's horrible because it's a top tier fear-stage for the rabbit. It's what predators do right before eating them. They can become so terrified that they give themselves heart attacks. Second, my vet actually introduced us to the type of "nail" clippers we use now. We were surprised to see that she wasn't using the typical clippers they sell at pet supply stores. Instead, she was using wire cutters. She said she'd been using them for three to five years (I can't remember which), and they had never dulled. Not only that, but they are also much sharper so they give a quicker, cleaner cut. Fezzik is less stressed out by them than by the pet nail clippers we'd initially bought. Finally, we utilize the gentle restraint in a slightly different way. Because he's so big, it requires two people to clip his nails. We place him on the counter because it's tall enough that he won't jump off it and he's more on our level making it easier to see his nail. I'll gently lift his upper body so that his hind feet are still planted, and his back is gently pressed into my back. My boyfriend will then proceed to clip his nails. With this method, he tends to stay very still despite the fact that it's pretty clear he's unhappy. It's usually not until the very last nail that he'll twist himself out of my grip. It's been far more effective than us getting down onto his level and clipping that way.  I might try clipping some spaghetti near him while he's eating to get him used to the sound, but he tends to ignore food when he's unhappy. He's not at all easily distracted by it, no matter how tasty the treat might be. Even banana won't make him more willing to get his nails clipped.

FLR tales: My first nail clipping + nail clipping techniques

Whew.

Today was my first nail clipping with Theodore, which I was very anxious about doing. I didn’t want to mess it up and thereby hurt him, or scare him, or agitate him to the point where I got bitten (it’s happened to the adopter, see below). 

I’ve watched countless videos on how to do this procedure. I was also taught by the adopter and another volunteer at this particular shelter a couple different techniques on clipping rabbit’s nails.

I’m going to post the most common, effective, and above all safe methods of clipping nails, and then I will tell you which technique worked for me. But first, some basic stuff:

Why do I need to clip my rabbit’s nails? If rabbits are wandering around on a hard surface some or all of the time, their nails are at a greater risk for breaking and thus more susceptible to bacterial infection. If they’re wandering on carpet or even towel, their nail can get caught in the threads. 

What if I just absolutely, positively, cannot clip my own rabbit’s nails? If you’ve gave it your best shot and decided that it’s just impossible for you to clip your rabbit’s nails, you can visit your local rabbit-savvy vet and have them do it for you there. The cost of this usually ranges between $15-$20. However, it is important to note that it is much less stressful for the rabbit if you can do it yourself at home, where the rabbit feels comfortable in a familiar environment.

What are the techniques for clipping rabbit’s nails?

The first technique is the Bunny Trance Technique. This is probably the most common technique. (I also generally hugely recommend Teeny’s Tips videos for rabbit care. She’s great.) Still, some people don’t like this technique because they believe that bunny trances can be unnecessary sources of stress for a rabbit.

The second technique is the Gentle Restraint Technique. This technique is used by Mary Cotter, who demos it in this video. It should be noted that this rabbit in this video is extremely compliant. I’d guess most rabbits wouldn’t be so easy-going with this.

The third technique is the one I was taught by the adopter. This is a less extreme version of the Gentle Restraint technique. There is no video of this that I could find, so I’m going to do my best to describe it.

Firstly, much like the Gentle Restraint, you place the rabbit on a towel to give the comfort of traction. Use your forearm to gently restrain the rabbit against your chest, much like the above video shows. Lean over the rabbit and stay close to it to provide a sense of security and safety. Gently lift each paw and clip each nail. This technique differs in that you do not lift the rabbit’s top half up.

After attempting all of the above techniques, finally, this is the technique that I implemented today. I call the Conditioning Technique. I’ve found it to be by FAR the easiest technique to use, but it may not work for all rabbits. Also, because Theodore is such a mellow bunny who is easily distracted by food, I did not need to condition him to the sound and presence of the nail clippers as the person in this video does with her rabbit. In fact, I can simply set a small bowl of pellets (not too much!) in front of him and allow him to gnash on that while I circle around him and gently clip the ends of each claw. Even the dew claw is not difficult to reach when his paw is flat on the ground as he’s eating. I just have to gently reach a little bit underneath him.

TIPS TO REMEMBER:

If the rabbit seems distressed at all during any of these techniques, let it get away. Reward calm behavior with small healthy treats such as pellets or leafy greens, and ignore stressed behavior by allowing the rabbit to get away and trying again in a few minutes, hours, or even days depending on the rabbit’s response.

Many people recommend using guillotine clippers or round clippers (commonly used for birds and cats) as opposed to regular nail clippers, because they are more suited to the shape of the claw/nail.

You don’t necessarily have to do every single nail in one session. If the rabbit is getting stressed after you’ve done a few nails, stop for the day and continue later on.

And that’s it! My last word of advice for any new bunny owners who have not yet attempted this is remain calm. It’ll be totally fine. Just pay attention to your rabbit and take it slow. It’s not so scary.

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Fezzik went to the vet today. Over Memorial weekend, we saw what looked like a scab on the heel of his left, hind paw. We were worried he'd somehow gotten a sore hock. It turns out it was just a callous, and the fur rubbed off which is supposedly perfectly normal and nothing about which to worry. We're really glad. He was really good while they looked at his feet. Well, he was as good as could be expected considering the fact that he loathes having his feet touched. He didn't nip the vet's assistant while she held him, either, which is much better than the last time she had to hold him gently-but-firmly in place. Everyone who works there loves him. They always say how beautiful he is, and "those ears!" The vet's assistant (wtf is the title for that, btw? It's basically the equivalent of a nurse who assists the doctor.) even asked if she could get a picture of him, and Dr. Harris was in the photo for a size comparison. He weighs a little over 15 lbs., btw. I made sure to ask this time. A couple of things I thought were interesting... First, I've always read about how rabbits won't eat or drink anything while they're traveling, and that seemed to hold true for Fezzik, but this time, he ate some hay during the car ride there and on the car ride back. Second, he was so relaxed while we were in the waiting room - despite two strangers walking around with a noisy parrot - that he lay down and even kicked his feet out to the side.  The whole thing wore him out quite a bit. As soon as we got home, he went into the box next to his enclosure and lay down. He let me pet him and get some pictures, but after about five or ten minutes, he decided he'd had enough socialization and went into his enclosure away from us. It was actually a couple of hours before he wanted out again which is rare for him. All he wanted to do when we let him out the second time was snuggle my boyfriend. It was really cute and really sweet. I'm just glad that he's still perfectly healthy and happy.

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The fireplace will probably always be his favorite.

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Fezzik goes from "Do you mind? I'd like some privacy." to "Okay. You may pet me to sleep." in three seconds flat.

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Chew all the things!

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I didn't know rabbits still grew after one year, that's interesting. Would you say Fezzik is the size of a medium size dog right now? I wonder if he was trying to tell you that it's time to clean the litter box by flipping it over... lol. Rabbits are so bossy sometimes. Yes, I think you'll really enjoy editing your photos. The exposure feature is my favorite for particularly dark photos. I also agree with you, it is much easier to take candid photos with the clicker sound off.

I didn’t, either, but his birthday was in February, so while he’s definitely not growing a lot, he’s grown a bit since then. I think it’s safe to say that he is probably the size of a large cat and/or a medium dog. It’s weird to think of it that way because his compact bunny body makes him seem smaller than a dog, but he’s like… twice the size of our neighbor’s tiny dog, and he is super sturdy feeling when you pet him. I pet a cat that was so fluffy it looked only a little smaller than him, but when my hands stroked along its spine it practically felt malnourished compared to Fezzik despite being perfectly healthy. hahahConsidering the fact that his little box had been cleaned maybe twelve hours before he flipped it, I think the real culprit was boredom. I was on the phone, doing something, and he wanted out, but I couldn't watch him while I was doing the thing (he’s a carpet chewer, so we have to be vigilant while he’s out), so… yeah. Maybe a mixture of boredom and rebellion? He does like to have things his way all the time. We just gently reassert our dominance as top rabbits of the household - though I think he respects the boyfriend’s top-rabbit status more than mine. hehehI’m working on getting him used to the sounds the DSLR makes, but it’ll take some time. Phone pictures are still quicker and more convenient.