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Post by Mari-in-IN on Jan 2, 2020 21:34:29 GMT
I have been wondering who has been munching on my little Rose of Sharon volunteers as of late... Now I know...   I finally got to see it today - beautiful little thing! My husband saw it yesterday and was able to bend down and pet it. Crazy... Sooooo, I would just love to know what type it is and figured some of you folks that kept rabbits would know. ~Mari |
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Post by Maura on Jan 3, 2020 0:38:16 GMT
Beautiful Bunny. I will call him Sterling. The neighbor at my ex husband's place has a bunny. They let him out in the yard, just like you would with a dog. I wonder if Sterling is an escapee.
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Jan 3, 2020 1:27:46 GMT
Beautiful Bunny. I will call him Sterling. The neighbor at my ex husband's place has a bunny. They let him out in the yard, just like you would with a dog. I wonder if Sterling is an escapee. Thank you so much for replying to my thread Maura ... Oh me oh my, in the meantime - I had spent some major time out there trying to "round him/her up". One of our cats was stalking it and that - along with the coyotes that have been running rampant in the area after nightfall - I figured it didn't have a chance. I managed to trap it in one of my homemade tomato cages. Then, I got one of the dog crates ready - and was able to transfer it to that. So, my new little sweetie - "Sterling" is in the garage in a dog crate on some pine shavings, with a few bits of cabbage and some hay chaff - oh - and a low plastic container with water. Do rabbits drink out of a container I wonder?? Guess I will be making a run to one of the farm stores in our area after doing some research as far as what that little darling needs... ~Mari |
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Jan 3, 2020 1:49:25 GMT
Beautiful Bunny. I will call him Sterling. The neighbor at my ex husband's place has a bunny. They let him out in the yard, just like you would with a dog. I wonder if Sterling is an escapee.My husband and I have been wondering about that as well. But, as he said tonight, the little darling is more than a bit slow in regards to moving and he is just wondering if it was "dumped"? You get a lot of that out here. The nearest "settlement" to us is probably closing in on a mile as the crow flies.... I would just love to know where that little dear came from -- or perhaps -- upon further thought - perhaps not. Well, anywhoo, I plan on giving that little bundle of joy a most awesome home until I can figure out what to do with it. I have a feeling we are in it for the long haul. Shhhhhhhh - don't tell my dear husband!  ~Mari |
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Post by Use Less on Jan 3, 2020 3:11:10 GMT
Years ago, I walked out behind my house in the country, and saw an all-black rabbit. Not very large. When I got a little closer, the poor thing hopped over and sat on my feet. So I brought him in and kept him in a nice hutch in the basement for some years. Surely a drop-off.  |
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Jan 3, 2020 3:16:30 GMT
Years ago, I walked out behind my house in the country, and saw an all-black rabbit. Not very large. When I got a little closer, the poor thing hopped over and sat on my feet. So I brought him in and kept him in a nice hutch in the basement for some years. Surely a drop-off. Yeah... Isn't that crazy when you first experienced that? Oh, how sweet! Sounds to me I am going to be traveling that same road... Take care! ~Mari |
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Post by LauraD on Jan 3, 2020 13:34:42 GMT
That is one adorable rabbit. Looks like you just got yourself a new pet.  |
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Post by Maura on Jan 3, 2020 18:16:28 GMT
Best to get him to a vet soon. Vet might even recognize Sterling. I don't know what diseases rabbits get, but he may have fleas or tapeworm.
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Post by mogal on Jan 3, 2020 20:05:34 GMT
In addition to what Maura said re: the vet, I'd ask the vet to tell you if it's a male or female. I doubt you could tell if a female were spayed, but the vet could sure tell if it were a neutered male. My Angora males used to manage to spray urine a lot like a tom cat can do but as they were in a barn, it didn't make much difference. I did tack some feed sacks on the walls to protect them. A neutered bunny might not have the drive to spray.
One thing is sure: rabbit pellets* are about the best manure you can get for your garden. If you read long enough about rabbits, you should find articles about keeping composting worms in the bunny berries under the cage. Vermicomposting rabbit manure just makes it more valuable.
*rabbit pellets as in poop.
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Post by mogal on Jan 3, 2020 20:38:56 GMT
I don't know if rabies would be an issue but it might not hurt to ask. Any mammal can get it and if he's been living as a wild animal... The only other disease I can think of that rabbits get is tularemia--don't know if it's only in wild rabbits and only when you butcher an affected rabbit. Could easily be others that don't come to mind right now. I'm too lazy to look it up for you  |
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Jan 4, 2020 0:41:05 GMT
That is one adorable rabbit. Looks like you just got yourself a new pet. Isn't it? Yep - that's all we need around here - a new pet! ~Mari |
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Jan 4, 2020 0:44:12 GMT
Best to get him to a vet soon. Vet might even recognize Sterling. I don't know what diseases rabbits get, but he may have fleas or tapeworm. We'll see how it goes for a little while - and then will probably take it in. I'm pretty sure our Veterinarian does rabbits. I'm not too terribly concerned right now since we have it in a crate in one of the empty coops versus the house. ~Mari |
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Jan 4, 2020 0:48:05 GMT
And thanks mogal for all of your advice. So far, I'm not seeing any evidence of spraying. But, we've only had Sterling for a little over 24 hours now. ~Mari |
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Post by AD in WNC on Jan 4, 2020 10:51:59 GMT
Looks like an American Chinchilla rabbit to me. They are a heritage breed and come in three sizes 6#, 9# and 16#. Probably a drop off. Rabbits do drink out of a dish. They will eat leaves and hay in addition to pellets. Below is a link that will give you an overview. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinchilla_rabbit |
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Post by Tim Horton on Jan 4, 2020 19:35:58 GMT
Looks like an American Chinchilla rabbit to me.
>>>>>>>
Yes.. Looks very much like the two does Sweetie has now. She also had a Flemish Giant that looked very similar. Both varieties are very good meat rabbit producers.
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Post by Bear Foot Farm on Jan 4, 2020 23:16:12 GMT
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Post by AD in WNC on Jan 5, 2020 0:51:57 GMT
I used to have Champagne d'Argents. Great rabbits, but didn't breed very well for me. I think that the Champagnes have much narrower faces than Sterling.
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Jan 5, 2020 16:51:33 GMT
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Post by Woodpecker on Jan 5, 2020 17:36:09 GMT
Whatever Sterling is, he’s found a loving home with you two! ❤️🐇
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Post by dodgesmammaw on Jan 15, 2020 20:39:28 GMT
That is a beautiful rabbit! They make wonderful pets.
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Jan 15, 2020 21:57:25 GMT
Thanks for your kind words Woodpecker and dodgesmammaw, I'm really looking forward to learning what rabbits are "all about" in the days to come. I get such a big kick just watching Sterling chew! ~Mari |
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Post by LauraD on Feb 28, 2020 13:52:50 GMT
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Feb 28, 2020 14:51:45 GMT
Sterling is doing well - thanks for asking. And I must say that I am way more comfortable having a rabbit now. I had done a lot of online "research" and a lovely member here has really helped me along the way as well. We had subsequently moved the crate into a spare bedroom as I had read that they are social and best to not be left "alone". And no, I haven't gotten Sterling to the vet - yet.  So that is why I sometimes refer to Sterling as "it". I will be glad when the weather finally straightens up - it's pretty much all back roads to the vet. It was a tender moment when I held Sterling for the first time. I'd never handled a rabbit and had heard that they can scratch and even bite. I think perhaps Sterling had been handled before - it was easy peasy! After a while it got squinty eyed and tucked it's head into the crook of my arm. I got a little teary-eyed - it was indeed a special little moment for me. I'm such a big softy as far as animals are concerned.   It used it's litter box for pooing early on. But it was sometimes weeing on it's towels. A couple of weeks ago I took the towels out to wash and discovered that they still smelled fresh from the laundry! So now Sterling is doing both "businesses" in the litter box - how cool is that? I think it's pretty cool since in the very beginning - I didn't know that this would even be an option. I did a lot of research on pellets and chose these: www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/oxbow-animal-health-simple-harvest-20-lb-adult-rabbit-diet-10799?solr=1&cm_vc=-10005&st=oxbowSterling also gets free choice hay that I get off of our farmer friend along with little treats of apple, celery greens, etc. Oh, and twigs from the apple and cottonwood tree. So, yeah, we are hanging in there! ~Mari |
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Post by mogal on Feb 28, 2020 18:38:11 GMT
Oh, yeah. That snuggling the head under the holder's arm is a cozy feeling and shows he's comfortable with you too. I used to love it when my rabbits did it. I had a big New Zealand White when I was a kid and the Angoras after I started spinning.
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Post by Maura on Feb 28, 2020 19:09:17 GMT
I am glad that Sterling Rose or Kermit Sterling is getting on well.
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Post by LauraD on Feb 28, 2020 20:37:15 GMT
I've heard that rabbits do best in pairs - just like cats. Jut saying...  |
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Feb 28, 2020 21:06:33 GMT
I've heard that rabbits do best in pairs - just like cats. Jut saying... You are probably right... |
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Post by dodgesmammaw on Feb 29, 2020 3:49:18 GMT
So glad to hear Sterling is doing well. Rabbits are so easy to love.
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Feb 29, 2020 4:00:32 GMT
So glad to hear Sterling is doing well. Rabbits are so easy to love. Thanks! Yeah - I've really found that out in a very surprisingly sort of way I must say. It is sooo cute - I go into it's room multiple times a day and every time I do Sterling hops over and even stands up to see what I may have as far as a treat, etc. Sweet little darlin'. |
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Post by Mari-in-IN on Feb 29, 2020 4:02:45 GMT
Oh! And thank the good Lord above rabbits don't make noise! Unlike some of our durn cats during the night. |
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So that is why I sometimes refer to Sterling as "it". I will be glad when the weather finally straightens up - it's pretty much all back roads to the vet.