The day after the washing line collapsed, the bunnies were stuck inside due to inclement weather. The following day, Nova found enjoyment climbing through the fallen shade cloth. She is into everything – all the time – and loves being involved.
Male and Female Bunnies
People often ask what is the difference between male and female bunnies…
Well, let me explain all the things I have learned.
Male Bunnies (Buck)
Male bunnies are cuddly, grumbly and hungry. They love being the centre of attention. They learn their name quickly and respond to it. They will eat when you eat. They will watch everything you do, and they respond well to routine. They have expectations, some of which we don’t understand, but by spending time with them you’ll learn pretty quickly that they will be things like “I’m hungry”, “I want pats”, or “I love you but I don’t want you to touch me”.
Bucks fall in love with you quickly, if you show them affection. Once you’re their “person” it’s hard to break that bond. Even if you go away for a couple of days and don’t say “goodbye” first, they will thump and be sad for a while. They will miss you.
You have to make sure they are the centre of your world at all times. When you realise that you are your buck’s entire world and you need their permission to live, breathe and exist your life will be easy.
Never force your buck to do something he doesn’t want to do. He will get fed up with you and move away, he will even make you feel bad for your behaviour by looking over his shoulder at you. While he is just making a point, he doesn’t mean anything bad from it. He’s a rabbit with rabbit thoughts. Male rabbits are emotional and show their feelings in a very obvious way.
Rule 1: Always talk to your buck.
Rule 2: Always have a pat ready.
Rule 3: Always do what your buck wants.
Female Bunnies (Doe)
Female bunnies are inquisitive, playful and into everything. They are active learners and jump to discovering new things. If given the chance and the right training, they won’t be scared of anything and they won’t run away. They love sniffing things, claiming things as their own by chinning items, and they will always have a “it is now mine” attitude when they find new things.
Does have opinions. They like some things; they don’t like other things. They will let you know if you do something bad with a disgusted look. They have moods and they wear their hearts on their sleeve. It is harder to become friends with a doe, but once you win them over they are your best friend for life.
Does are food motivated. They love food. All foods. All the time. But if you feed them too much of one thing they will let you know. Make sure you have different foods on hand just in case she likes something one day and hates it the next. Although salad (lettuce greens) and sugary sweets are always a favourite. Does are a sweet tooth and are prone to get diabetes. Make sure you keep a close eye on what they eat and how much of it they get.
Does love foraging. They will dig holes. Even though domestic rabbits have lost the understanding of why they dig, does still do so. You have to be careful not to break your ankle in a doe’s hole. Foraging for foods is a doe’s favourite pass time and they love working for their food. If you give them a food task they will try their best to win. I try to get foods that are dental, meaning it comes in a stick or brick form and it’s hard to pull parts off. Does love tearing and ripping foods. I also spread food on the ground and let Nova snuffle the grass to find the tasty morsels.
Rule 1: Always talk to your doe.
Rule 2: Always have food ready.
Rule 3: Always show your doe new things.