How Long to Quarantine?

ladysown · #1 07/27/08, 08:13 AM

Got three new buns yesterday. A bit smaller than what I was looking for but they came with some big enough ones for a dog meat person who is coming today, but I figure a month and they'll become dog food for a buyer I have.

Did up the big enough ones last night, but these three are on the small side and two of them look a bit rough. So query...I've put the three together and have them in a metal cage 30 feet from the rest of the buns. Is that far enough spacing or should I look at 100 ft away on the opposite side of the house? How long do I need to leave them in quarantine? AND can I risk running them on grass in a x-pen when I have other buns out there too? Should I just figure they should be cage rabbits for the next month?

MaggieJ · #2 07/27/08, 08:24 AM

To be safe, I wouldn't let them use the exercise pen. It's only a month and lots of rabbits live their whole lives in cages.

I can't comment on the distance. I doesn't sound, from your description, as though these rabbits are sick, just run-down and a bit neglected. My original rabbits were like that when Brian first brought them home. Given clean cages and introduced to plantain and dandelions, they soon perked up.

Beaniemom · #3 07/27/08, 11:12 AM

That should be fine, assuming you remember to clean your hands before touching other bunnies (or do them last)

I swear, I need to mount hand sanitizer on the front of my cages so I'll remember to do it! I seem to can't not touch the bunny when I feed, and duh, I go and forget and touch the next one in the next cage. I'm sure I have been my own worst enemy cross contaminating things!

Now, as to how long in quarintine, thats up to you. I have some who may spend their life out there at the rate I'm going! My quarintine is filled with new bunnies, bunnies who make me nervous, meat culls, etc. When a spot opens up (I have two openings now!) I decide who has "passed" quarintine and they get to come inside. If they make you nervous, leave them in quarintine til you're sure.

You could move the X pen to a different spot (assuming you have the movable kind) and spray it down afterwards?