Category Archives: General Care

The rabbit digestive system is a very delicate and sensitive one. As a rabbit owner, I ensure that I am in tuned and be very sensitive with the slightest change in my rabbits’ eating habits. I also ensure that my rabbits drink enough water and produce the right amount of waste (just observation and no actual weighing that is).

So as sensitive as I may be with their condition, I am also always on the look out for news around the internet for rabbit feeds that causes problems in other rabbitries. I will avoid these feeds at all cost because it is just too easy to send the delicate stomachs into havoc. I feel that given the warnings, if one still embarks on using these feeds, then he/she is really looking for trouble. It also clearly shows how much his/her rabbits is worth to him/her.

I am just so excited and cannot wait to get Oxbow this Saturday. I also hope that more reputable brands such as Purina Rabbit Chow will come into Malaysia one day.

After waiting for so long, Oxbow Products has finally arrived. I hope all pet shops will stop carrying those crappy brands and start selling this great brand.

Oxbow pellets are highly recommended rabbit feed. It is the best Malaysian rabbits can get locally. If you care for your rabbit enough, feed Oxbow!!!

Due to the limited brands carried by our local pet shops, you can forget about all other brands.

It should be on the shelves of most major pet stores soon. I hope Pet Lover Center Malaysia will carry it soon.

On a few occasions, I have been complaining how difficult it is to obtain good quality pellets at reasonable prices. Even with reasonable prices, the quality of pellets are horrendous. Thanks to Dawn of Willow Run Rabbitry for giving me a nudge to start doing research on natural diet. I do feed my adult rabbits fresh vegetables on a daily basis. I have also started limiting their pellets to 1/4 cup (250ml) per 6 lbs body weight. Two common vegetables that I normally give are Bok Choy and Celery chopped into small pieces. Based on Suggested Vegetables (House Rabbit Society), I should also include Mustard Greens for Vitamin A. That would be 3 types of vegetables per day as suggested as well. Why only these 3? Because they can be easily obtained at the grocery stores and supermarket. Most of the suggested vegetables are unavailable and uncommon here.

For those who are unfamiliar with how these vegetables look like, here are some photos:

Mustard Green

Bok Choy

Celery

Note: I am no rabbit diet expert so follow these at your own risk and discretion. DO NOT FEED fresh vegetables to rabbits BELOW 6 MONTHS of age.

There is this Japanese brand of rabbit cages that not only looks cool but it is specially built for rabbits! It comes with great plastic bottom mesh and also one cool bottom tray. The best thing about it is that, no more spills. All waste can be trapped by the bottom tray.

I saw a few in PLC Ikano and I was so tempted to get 2 of it. My wife would kill me if I do. It cost a whoopin’ 400++ bugs!!! I cannot remember the exact price but I could remember it was close to 500 bugs!

That would be one of the items on my wish list for Christmas! But the only size they have is W620xD505xH510. Maybe I could get this size for individuals and order the W810xD505xH550 for kindling does.

There would be hope if I win the lottery tomorrow.

BTW, it looks like this:

I let the bunnies out for a little run at the backyard last evening. The girls were reluctant to run much. I realized later they do have good reason. Although the sun was setting and it was not that warm, they felt the heat especially BlueBerry. She was perspiring quite a bit around her nose and mouth. She also lies around a lot. I quickly sent them all back into their cages.

As hours passed, I got a little worried about her and searched online for some emergency aid that I could administer in case of something bad happening. I found a very good page regarding heat related problems over at Three Little Ladies Rabbitry. So I went ahead using ice cube on BlueBerry’s ears. Right after that and to my great delight, she started digging into the bowl of chopped vegetables.

I notice that they have not been eating much of their pellets this morning. Skor would not usually take so long to finish all his pellets. I am not certain if it is because the pellets are not fresh, the weather is a little warm or could it be what I fear the most, GI.

I hope it is not GI. That is why I make it a point to give them chopped vegetables everyday so that they get enough moist and also greens in their tummy. Praying hard that I am doing the right thing.

I know that most HL breeders in US have a barn equipped with very effective watering and feed systems. But I have not seen those personally and it makes me wonder how they are built. Another thing that I am very curious about is how they manage the tons of “pellets” produced by so many bunnies. As it is, I have a big bag full of newspapers and “pellets” after every daily cleaning session. I cannot help but to wonder what is the best way we rabbit lovers can manage the litter produced by our beloved pets.

I hope someone could shed some lights on this matter as far as small scale rabbitry is concerned. I know on a larger scale, breeder used a bottom tray that is slightly sloped so that all pellets and urine will flow into the drainage, and then into the collection bucket. Is this method smell-proof as well? I believe there will be urine residue stuck on the drainage pipes and that would cause smell build up.

I am currently using Woody Pet litter for the bottom trays of the cages and also their individual litter trays. For me those wooden pellets are quite effective in absorbing a great amount of pee thus keeping the place dry and almost odorless. And as most would know, we are heading towards a worst global warming situation and producing more waste may worsen the current situation. I was wondering if I could do something with ideas which are most environment friendly and also cost effective.

Good waste management to share anyone? For rabbits kept indoors that is…

Thanks SB for reminding me to take pictures of the litter trays. On top of that I also took pictures of the gang in their respective cages. I find this setup quite effective.

Just got 2 new corner litter trays for the gals from Pet Lover Centre, Pyramid. Although they were a little small, the 2 gals could fit. I hope they use it well. Shall take more pictures later.