Thailand. My New Thai Family Settling in Just Fine.

My new Thai family is settling in well. I have made a small house for them to live in and plan to build them a small condo with about 4 levels. I read that rabbits love to climb and apparently it keeps them really entertained.

I am going to go looking for the materials to build it hopefully on Sunday morning. It will probably cost me 2,000 baht all up ($65 Australian). The current set up is finer for them as they aren’t just cooped in a small cage. They have an area of a metre plus square that they can run around in.

In the cage they have a small burrow that I made from a cardboard box, it has a small entrance and they can go in there to get away from whatever they like. It has a cardboard floor and is filled with shredded paper so they can make a sleeping area if they like. They also run in there if they feel threatened; a loud noise and they go scooting into the burrow for a few seconds and then come out to check things out again.

They have some basic toys at the moment and I am looking for some more suitable toys for them but just have to find them. They love paper as they shred it with their teeth. They love the cardboard to claw their nails on it trying and dig through it. They best and easiest toy is the inside of a toilet roll which they pick up and throw around and then pounce on it and do it again.

They are feed well with pellets and fresh vegetables. They get small pieces of corn (they really love this), I introduced carrot to them this week and this is also a favourite. The vegetable they really like to munch on is Bok Choy. This is on top of their list of eating, I would like to get them some hay but I just have to find where I can buy it from as I have read how good it is for them and also their teeth.

I am going to see about having them neutered as I have read at the 8 weeks plus mark they can start getting a little testy with each other when they start trying to stamp their authority. I also read that marking their territory is also a favourite and I don’t want this. So tomorrow I am off to the vets to see about getting it done and how long it will take for them to recover and so forth.

They are way smarter than I gave them credit for. They hadn’t ever seen a litter tray before as when my friend had them they would just go in a certain area of their hutch. I introduced a litter tray the second day they moved in and I read on a good rabbit site about putting the food tray in the litter tray until they are used to it as they tend to go to the toilet as they eat (this is true). I did this for a week and now I have moved the food tray out into the living area and they always go into the litter tray to do their business. There are a few droppings in the living area but I think this is from being stuck to their fur and then they fall off.

They haven’t urinated once outside on the tiled area, they did a few times in the cage the first few nights but now it is always in the litter tray. They get the run of the house for about an hour or so every night. I open up the fenced area and they can get anywhere in the living room area but not into the bedrooms or kitchen. They will run around and jump and leap into the air which at times is very funny. They are really inquisitive and will sniff everything and also try and eat everything, so that means watching them carefully.

They get their living area cleaned 3 or 4 times a day. They get plenty of attention and being in the living room area and they have plenty of interaction with people and noise. When I first took the rabbits on I was a little reluctant but now I am happy I did so as they are a really nice animal. They don’t take too much time to look after, it is a little planning and 10 minutes a day of cleaning and all is sweet.

I haven’t forgotten my 5 fish tanks and 35-40 fish (some just gave birth) and tonight cleaned 2 of the tanks and did a water change and vacuumed the gravel in the tanks to get rid of all the waste. These are Noot’s pets but I am the caretaker you could say. Noot is happy to feed them and admire them and I am the guy who does all the dirty work. I am happy as if this keeps Noot happy I always say. “If she’s happy then I am happy” and that means there are smiles all around.

Oh and most importantly I haven’t forgot our adopted lane dog Mew who gets feed every night and looked after well too.

I love Thailand.

Brunty