The life of an animal obsessed, homesteading, hot mess wife & mama.
“Will my other pet(s) get along with my bunny?”They may be able to get along but that doesn't mean that they necessarily will or that they should. When living in a multispecies home (or wanting too) I can't stress how important it is to be prepared and fully accepting of the fact that you may have to keep your pets separated full time. This isn't said to discourage you and your family but when taking our pets quality of life into account, we want to provide them with the very best life possible, right? Cats & BunniesYou will need to provide your bunny with a completely enclosed, safe living space that the cat isn't able to get into. This may be an XX-Large metal dog crate (size 48 or 52"), a custom made C&C grid pen with a top, or if you'd prefer to use an X-Pen style cage, you can start with keeping your bunny in a closed off room the cat doesn't have access too. Cat's are very curious animals by nature and will most likely want to investigate the new family member. Amongst my own bunny-cat introductions (in the beginning) my cats were infatuated with the bunnies. They could be found sleeping next to or on top of the bunny cage, sitting near the cage and watching the bunny, and I even had a kitten who would reach her paws through the sides of the cage trying to paw the bunny (but not to worry, that barrier between bunny and cat gave the bunny the option of how close they did or did not want to be near the kitten reaching through and my kitten quickly out grew this). Because bunnies and cats don't communicate with the same body language or vocalizations, it's imperative that you keep a very close eye on both of them while introductions occur - to get a read on how they're feeling and intervening sooner than later if needed. When living with cats and bunnies, you truly do have predator and prey within the same household. While some cats can "keep the peace" or may even just ignore the bunny, that will not always be the case and you should never rely on that. The relationship your cat and bunny maintain will come down to your cats prey drive. Dogs & BunniesYou should apply all of the recommendations listed above, to this same scenario. So you will need to provide your bunny with a completely enclosed, safe living space that the dog isn't able to get into or even keep your bunny in a room your dog doesn't have access to in the beginning. Depending on the breed of your dog, they are likely going to be much larger than your bunny, and for a prey animal (like bunnies are) that can be really scary! It's important that all introductions between bunny and dog are done slowly and calmly. *It's really important to note that some dogs are naturally more prey driven or very high energy due to their breed (ie: Terriers, Herding or Hunting Dogs - this is not to say that every dog who falls under these breed categories, will react the same) and sometimes it's just NOT possible for bunnies and dogs to interact safely. Remember, just because you saw a cute bunny and dog picture/video on social media, doesn't mean it will work for everyone. When introducing them for the first time, I have found it safest to have someone holding your dog (leashed preferred) and allowing the dog to meet the bunny through their cage/enclosure. That way the bunny is still safe behind a barrier AND you have control of your dog, should something happen. Do short introductions like this for several days and base any future interactions off your dogs behavior shown here. Does your dog show intense interest? Is it hard to get your dogs attention away from the bunny? Does your dog perk up or lunge towards the bunny when it moves quickly? If you answered yes to any of those questions, it will likely be best to not allow any interactions between your dog and bunny without a barrier and leash. If your dog shows little to no interest in the bunny, can acknowledge you / have their attention drawn away from the bunny and isn't very reactive to the bunnies movements, allowing the bunny to explore around your dog without a barrier (but the dog is still leashed) is a great 'next step'. *Please note: some dogs may genuinely LOVE your bunny and try to play with them - yes, this is adorable! However, dogs play with their paws and mouths, neither of which will suit a bunny very well. It's important to be prepared for anything even during positive interactions, where your dog could potentially and accidentally harm your bunny. Because bunnies and dogs don't communicate with the same body language or vocalizations, it's imperative that you keep a very close eye on both of them while introductions occur - to get a read on how they're feeling and always intervening sooner than later if needed. Other Small Animals & BunniesAs a Bunny mom who also has Guinea Pigs and a Mouse, I completely understand how cute all of these small furry babies are and the temptation to take pictures of them together can be challenging - however, please never allow your bunny to come too close in proximity to other small animals and certainly, never allow them to live together.
I have seen many individuals housing their bunnies and Guinea Pigs together over the years and this is incredibly dangerous for the Guinea Pig especially. Most Rabbits are asymptomatic carriers of Bordetella. Meaning that Bordetella can be naturally found in a Rabbits respiratory tract and while it may not affect their health, they can shed Bordetella into their environment, putting other animals at risk. According to former Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians president Dr. Dan H. Johnson, Diplomate ABVP – Exotic Companion Mammals, from Avian and Exotic Animal Care in Raleigh, North Carolina, “In both Rabbits and Guinea Pigs, Bordetella can cause upper respiratory infection with sneezing and ocular/nasal discharge; however, while Rabbits only have mild symptoms or none at all, Guinea Pigs are susceptible to overwhelming respiratory infection resulting in lethargy, difficulty breathing, loss of appetite, and sudden death.” Now aside from transmissible diseases, Rabbits and other small animals aren’t capable of communicating with one another as they don’t share the same body language or vocalizations. When it comes to smaller animals such as Guinea Pigs, Rabbits can cause quite a bit of physical harm or even death, from just one kick. The risks of keeping a Bunny with another small animal, certainly outweigh the few minutes of “awe, so cute!”. It’s important that we all keep our animals best interest in mind, even when the temptation is high, don’t you agree?
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If you currently have Guinea Pigs or have ever looked into getting Guinea Pigs, you may be feeling overwhelmed about meeting their dietary needs. How much Vitamin C does a Guinea Pig need each day and why is it so important? Do they really need this much hay? How do we pick which pellets to feed? What veggies can be fed daily? What should never be fed? And how much is too much? Trust me, I’ve been there too! So to put your mind at ease, I’ve put together a detailed list of what must be fed, what’s safe to feed and what should always be avoided. And In an attempt to make your life just a little easier, I’ve also put together a printable veggie menu for your pigs! Vitamin C and Guinea PigsVitamin C is the most important part of a Guinea Pigs diet, as they aren’t able to make their own (like humans). When Guinea Pigs don’t have enough Vitamin C in their diets, they can become very ill with scurvy. Most Guinea Pigs typically need 10–20 mg of Vitamin C per day. Pregnant, nursing, young, and ill guinea pigs will need more. If you feed a good selection of vegetables high in Vitamin C along with a premium quality Guinea Pig pellet, you will likely meet the Vitamin C needs of an average piggy. Signs of a Vitamin C deficiency + Scurvy.
How to supplement extra Vitamin COxbow makes a Vitamin C tablet that is great for maintaining a healthy Vitamin C intake when accompanied by a complete diet. However, in the event that a Guinea Pig is deficient, chewable flavored C tables are available in 100mg sizes which can be quartered into 25mg pieces and be fed directly to your piggies. Many people have also had success with liquid Vitamin C (such as the brand “Child’s Life”) which can be found online and in health food stores. Avoid multi-vitamin supplements and do not add Vitamin C to the water. A Guinea Pigs daily diet is made up of 80% hay, 10% Pellets and 10% Fresh Veggies.Because hay makes up 80% of a Guinea Pigs daily diet, feeding it is nonnegotiable! I often see individuals in online groups or forums, displeased with the smell and mess that comes with hay; therefore deciding they no longer want to feed it. If either the smell or mess of hay could become problematic for you or your family, Guinea Pigs would not be suitable pets. Hay is vital to a Guinea Pigs digestive health and as herbivores, they need plant material constantly moving through their digestive tract to avoid serious health issues. Your Guinea Pigs need to have unlimited access to high quality grass hay 24 hours a day. Continuous access to hay will not only aid their digestion and limit the growth of their teeth, but it can reduce boredom as well. A Guinea Pig should consume a pile of hay the size of their own body, everyday. Hay should be fed loosely and easily. Incorporating hay in enrichment toy items is a great boredom buster, but a Guinea Pig should never have to work for their daily hay intake. I personally do not recommend hay racks and most all hay bags. When the hay is contained in such a way, it makes it more difficult for a Guinea Pig to “graze” the way they naturally would. Instead, they can only pull bits and pieces out and are at risk of getting stuck in said hay rack or bag. My personal favorite and recommended hay feeding method is simply, large mounds of hay throughout the cage. This allows our pigs to not only freely and comfortably browse through the hay, but they can burrow in it as well (and they LOVE to do that!). To help keep the overall hay mess maintained (because let’s be real, it IS messy) I have great success using these low entry “large” dog litter boxes from Petco, found here. Not all Hay is created equal...The best hay for Guinea Pigs is grass hay. Timothy, Orchard or a blend of the two, is most ideal! Alfalfa hay is another commonly found hay but should only be fed to pregnant/nursing sows or Guinea Pigs under 4 months of age due to its high calcium content. When it comes to purchasing hay, the most cost efficient option is purchasing a bale from a local Feed Store or Farm. On average, the bales will weigh 50-75lbs and cost only $10-$25! While this is the most cost efficient option, I know it’s not possible or practical for everyone. Luckily, Timothy and Orchard grass hay can be purchased in smaller quantities, both in store and online! It’s important that your Guinea Pigs hay, regardless of where / how it’s purchased, is green, fragrant and dust free. Hay that is discolored, smells foul (perhaps like mold) and/or is dusty, should never be offered to your pigs. Choosing what kind of pellets to feed your Guinea Pig can be a daunting task.There are many different Guinea Pig pellets on the market but despite what labels say, not all of them are safe for our piggies! To start, you’ll need to find a Guinea Pig pellet that is Timothy Hay based (please note: pregnant/nursing sows and Guinea Pigs under 4 months of age could benefit from an Alfalfa based pellet). The pellets should be green in color (similar to hay), smell fresh, with little to no dust particles, be high in Vitamin C and free of any fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds, corn, oats and any other items that aren’t the pellets themselves (these items are not only unnecessary for our piggies but they can also be a choking hazard). Even though pellets make up only 10% of their diet, it’s still crucial that they aren’t containing any unnecessary fillers that could add too much sugar or fat to their diet. Most healthy adult Guinea Pigs only need 1/8th cup of pellets each day. Below is a list of high quality Guinea Pig pellets readily available in store or online: - Oxbow Essentials (there is a “baby” formula as well) - Oxbow Garden Select - Oxbow Organic Bounty - Small Pet Select - Science Selective - Sherwood Pet Health (there is a “baby” formula as well) Now for the fun part: feeding fresh produce to our piggies!Guinea Pigs benefit greatly from fresh veggies being included in their diet as it not only gives them access to a variety of different nutrients, but it especially increases their daily Vitamin C intake! 1 adult piggy should receive approximately 1 cup of fresh veg daily. Safe to feed daily:
Safe to feed weekly:
Safe fruits:Please note: all fruits should be fed sparingly, at no more than 1 or 2, 1 inch size pieces a week due to their high sugar content.
Foods that should never be fed:
Hi friends, my name is Dallas.I’m 24. A daughter. A partner to my high school sweetheart of 9 years. A mother. A friend. An animal enthusiast. And more often than not, a hot mess. Though I do need to clarify: I’m not the ‘super cute and put together, but I’m wearing a messy bun and an over sized T-shirt today’ kind of hot mess. Oh no. I’m the: - ‘sometimes I wear pjs while doing barn chores’ - ‘let’s start 12 different tasks today but not complete a single one’ - ‘*pulls from bra* WHERE did this hay come from??’ and - ‘looks like it’s time to reheat that same ONE cup of coffee in the microwave (even though I forget it’s in there again before it dings)’ kind of hot mess. But truthfully, it’s all light hearted and in good fun. The reality (at least, my reality) is that this is my life. It can be crazy, messy, overwhelming, scattered and sometimes down right comical, but at the end of every day, without fail, everyone (humans and animals alike) has been fed, loved on and can sleep safely at night. In todays fast and uncertain world, there’s nothing more I could ask for. My earliest memories all have one common denominator.You guessed it. Animals. (Or maybe you didn’t, but that’s okay too). They never ceased to amaze me. There was not an Animal Planet show I didn’t watch. Perhaps even twice. Every Veterinarian Show. Every Nature or Zoo Documentary. And all of the rescue stories and ASPCA/Animal Cops series in between. I was fixated as a child. Truthfully, I am still fixated (ironically, ‘The Zoo: San Diego’ on Discovery+ is playing in the background as I write this). It was one of those things that I really had no explanation for; there was no point in time I can recall “that’s when my love for animals began”. Nothing. It’s as if it was simply hardwired into my brain and once I was old enough to acknowledge it’s presence, it’s quite literally been my life since. March of 2012My family made a move, that forever changed our lives. We left the town and surrounding cities I’d grown up in, as well as everyone we knew and found ourselves on 8 acres in a little western themed town known as Sisters Oregon. My love, appreciation and interest in animals only escalated with our new home. We quickly secured existing fencing and built chicken coops and rabbit hutches to start. I think I may have lived on Craigslist and YouTube for a short time… bouncing back and fourth between viewing local animals for sale and researching everything I needed to know about their care. It wasn’t long until I’d found my niche and was living a life I truly felt called to. It was just a few years after we settled here, that my maternal grandparents sold their house and built onto the Sweet Cloverdale home to relish their retirement with family. Since the birth of our daughter in 2017, we have been living as a village, with a total of four generations of family on the property. As of 2022I am a full time farm mama, homemaking, homeschooling and homesteading. I oversee all of the animals and breeding programs, single handedly process any of the animals raised to nourish our family, can the food we grow and actively gather and forage any herbs or plants that can be used to make teas, salves and more - all with a tiny human by my side! I am so happy you’re here and can’t wait to share more of my life with you!
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AuthorDallas took an interest in animals and farm living at a very young age. Now, she lives with four generations of her family, alongside her high school sweetheart and young daughter, on an 8 aces homestead in Sisters Oregon. She ethically raises a variety of animals for Companionship, Show and to nourish her families bodies. Dallas writes about being a farm mom, an animal caretaker/educator & trying to live a sustainable lifestyle.
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