peter our rabbit angora/ lapine

Question
QUESTION: i got peter from rspca. negeted half shaved. under feed he eats like a horse now. my question is his head goes from side to the middle. we took him back to the rspca, but he didnt do it there. what is the matter with him

ANSWER: Dear Pam,

If you mean he appears to be "scanning" from side to side, this could just be a congenital thing.  Many albino rabbits do this, but some others do, too.  It may be genetic, but it's not really a major problem.  A bunny is more likely to scan while fully relaxed, and so when he's at the RSPCA he may be anxious and too scared to relax and let his head do its natural side-to-side movement.

I would not worry about it if all else is normal.

Hope this helps.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for the answer. should we treat him differnt from the other rabbit,he eats like a horse. i cant nurse him for long he wants to dig in the towel, he wont sit still

ANSWER: Dear Pam,

He doesn't need to be treated any differently than your other rabbit unless he starts to show clear signs of a health problem.  Scanning is not such a problem.  He sounds perfectly healthy, from your description.  I would not worry.

Take care,

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: peter fur getting long, does he need a  hair cut, what toys do need to get for him to keep him busy. he doesnt get along with the female, rabbit, she likes him, how can we, get them both to get along. we have to excercise them both seperatly.

Answer
Dear Pam,

If your bunny is an angora, he may need a fur trim to keep his eyes clear of fur, and to prevent mats.  But if his fur is well combed and tidy, then it may not be necessary.  I can't see him to judge this, but if you get him to a good rabbit vet, s/he can tell you.

DO NOT take your bunny to a groomer who is not familiar with rabbits!!!  I have heard horror stories about groomers accidentally killing a rabbit because she didn't realize that rabbit skin is incredibly thin and delicate.  I won't give you the gruesome details, but if you are planning to trim your bunny, be sure someone does it who knows what they are doing!

For ideas about toys, please read:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/toys.html

http://www.rabbit.org/care/box-toy.html

and for help with bonding your bunnies, first be sure both are spayed/neutered and then use the tips in the excellent articles here:

http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-a=00062824-sp00000000&sp-q=bonding

and

http://www.longislandrabbitrescue.org/bonding.htm

Hope that helps!

Dana