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Bunny Blog Archives

October/November 2006

 

November 29th - 7:10 p.m. Ten New Zealands from Catskills to Michigan - The folks at the Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary took in 511 rabbits from the Great Reno Rabbit Rescue last summer.  Last month they added 10 more rabbits.  GLRS came to the rescue of 10 big white rabbits from a family owned zoo that was shutting its doors and auctioning off over 1,000 animals including the rabbits.  All the rabbits are in their own section at the sanctuary and adjusting well to their new surroundings.  Read their story at Catskill Rabbit Rescue Story  With all those rabbits to care for you might take a peek at their holiday cards and 2007 calendar to support their efforts. See website link above.

 

Bun Warmer - as only Will Bullas sees it.  I love this San Francisco's artist's sense of humor and watercolors of animals.  One of his newest prints now available is the "Bun Warmer."

Take a look at Will Bullas Prints.  Be sure to scroll down the whole page since he has another print "The Carrot Club" depicting three rabbits at a bar with their carrot juice drinks. "Hare"larious! 

 

November 28th - 5:30 p.m. -

Are you Dreaming of a White Bunny? Meet one like Thumper pictured on the right at the North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary HOLIDAY OPEN  HOUSE. The open house will be held on December 3^rd from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 1013 Lesa Lane in Garland, Texas.  They will have Holiday Carrot Stockings full of bunny toys and treats, hay, playpens, Cottontail Cottages, Busy Bunny toys and grooming accessories for sale.  Plus, they will have great things for humans, too. Visit www.ntrs.org for more details. By the way, Thumper is about two years old and part New Zealand white. He was found in someone's back yard roaming around on his own.  They say he is really sweet plus housetrained and neutered already. He is a social guy and trying really hard to make friends with his bunny neighbors.

 

Hop Over to www.24CarrotLane.com Tania has created Bunny’s Magic Dream Cottage. As you can see from the picture it has has a front doorway and a window on each side for your little friend to keep an eye on the world outside! Artwork includes everything a bunny can dream of: a carrot garden, dandelion patch, blueberry bush, beautiful flowers, birds and more! Just in time for Christmas, too! Tania has an adorable lop, Haiku, who is the Chief Product Inspector.

 

Rabbit Latte - Every so often I receive a photo from someone who knows I lived on a coffee farm in Kona and in latte land (Seattle).  Here is a lagomorph latte I wanted to share with everyone (sent to me anonymously) ... a rabbit with glasses no less.  That's some bunderful coffee artistry!

 

November 27th - 7:35 p.m. Hopchoo - Allergic to Rabbits!  Well, hay it can happen.  And, sometimes it is the hay or something else in the environment other your rabbit.  According to researchers at OSU there is a "major glycoprotein allergen" that can occur in your bunny's fur.  Plus,  some minor allergens have been found in rabbit saliva and urine. I'm already allergic somewhat to cats and with two of them in the house plus 5 or more rabbits at anyone time, I have to work to keep the air clean.  The rabbits' main living quarters are cleaned daily and I vacuum as often.  This time of year when all the doors and windows are kept closed, it can get "stuffy" without all this hoppy housecleaning. For two online articles with practical suggestions to help with allergies to rabbits see: HRS Allergies Article and Your Bunny & Your Allergies

 

November 26th - Noon - Bunny Blog is Back on after moving the warren.  It always takes longer to move the whole herd than planned. With setting up new service providers, etc., it put the Bunny Blog out for longer than anticipated.  I will be updating regularly now at least 4 times a week. The rabbits have more room and a view of the woods with raccoons, hawks, eagles, squirrels, deer and coyotes out the windows. You bet Hopperhome's bunnies will be house rabbits with all that wildlife outside!

 

Knitty – Little Purls of Wisdom sometimes I find rabbit lovers in the most interesting places like the editor of an online knitting website/magazine who includes a story about her own rabbits Boeing and Squeeze pictured on the left.  Plus, she also has a story about an Angora Rabbit, Benzo, whose human was an editor for Parents Magazine.  This story is more about bunny love rather than spinning something to knit from rabbit hair. In fact, I think the big furry bun keeps all his hair these days except for grooming.

Filler Up (the Bunny) I encourage everyone to donate to the House Rabbit Society to finish filling up the bunny.  They need to raise $5,000 by the end of 2006 in order to catch up on unexpected bills and costs associated with this year's emergency care issues. The first $1,500 they raised was matched by a generous donor, the Sequin Corporation, a NYC jewelry design company, and the next $1,000 in donations were matched by Busy Bunny, maker of amazing rabbit toys. The final $2500 in donations will be matched by Rabbitcentral.com, who sells terrific rabbit supplies. (We know where to buy our bunny supplies now.) When you donate via their website (donate here) you can watch the bunny fill up as their goals are met!  It's only the "ears" to go so please give generously!

Flatbread for Buns - If you live in Massachusetts, you can benefit bunnies this Tuesday, November 28th, from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Join other rabbit lovers for dinner at Flatbread in Bedford MA. Flatbread will donate $3.50 for every large flatbread purchased and $1.75 for every small one. There will be a Chinese auction with great prizes!  Click on the link below for more information.  Proceeds will benefit the House Rabbit Network

 

Keep your kids busy as bunnies during holiday vacations with Rabbit Crafts for Kids at DLTK’s website on animals in the rabbit section. Also, see a Rabbit Mask  to make out of paper plates with complete instructions.

 

 

Bunny Slippers - Dean Koontz (Author) said this about slippers shaped like rabbits:  "Bunny slippers remind me of who I am. You can't get a swelled head if you wear bunny slippers. You can't lose your sense of perspective and start acting like a star or a rich lady if you keep on wearing bunny slippers. Besides, bunny slippers give me confidence because they're so jaunty. They make a statement; they say, 'Nothing the world does to me can ever get me so far down that I can't be silly and frivolous.' If I died and found myself in Hell, I could endure the place if I had bunny slippers." A funny website where you can buy the classic slippers like the ones above and see photos of slipper sightings is at Runaway Rabbit Bunny Slipper Sightings

 

Rabbit Towns - I think it would be "hare"larious to live on a street named "Rabbit Street" or "Hare Place" or something to do with lagomorphs.  Here is a short list of towns who have rabbit related names: 

RabbitTown, Alabama
Rabbit Town in both Kentucky & Maryland
Rabbit Bay, Michigan
Rabbit Corner, North Carolina
Rabbit Hash, Kentucky (not my first choice!)
Rabbit Hill in both Georgia & West Virginia
Rabbit Ridge in both Arkansas & Kentucky
Rabbit Run in both Virginia & Maryland
Rabbit Yard, Alabama
Rabbitville in both Missouri & Indiana
Hare in both Texas & North Carolina
Hare Town, Arkansas
Hare Valley, Virginia
Harewood in both West Virginia & Maryland
 

November November 5th - 9:00 p.m. - "Bunny Buddies Lives Up to Its Name" - the Houston Chronicle published a fantastic article this past week on this volunteer organization that educates the public about rabbits.  The article specifically addressed the problem of abandoned rabbits and the joys of adopting house rabbit pets. 

Bunny Buddies of Houston, TX are celebrating their 10th anniversary of rescuing rabbits.  Congratulations!  The newspaper also told the story of a New Orleans House Rabbit, Marie, who was reunited with her human family as an example of Bunny Buddies' dedicated volunteers.  The family was forced to leave behind their rabbit in a cage on the second story of their house in the flooding. They could only hope Marie would be rescued as they left their home. Four days later the National Guard rescued the rabbit and with the help of shelters in Baton Rouge and Bunny Buddies it was a hoppy ending!  Pictured above are Bunny Buddies' own Doodles and Sprinkles.

Bid on this Beautiful Hand-made Bunny Quilt online. The quilt was made for Orlando Rabbit Care and Adoptions  to offer on as an auction item.  It measures 39 1/2" X 48." The quilt will be sold to the highest bidder through ORCA's Silent Auction. Bidding ends at 6:00p.m. on December 15, 2006.  To bid and for details visit the link above. All proceeds will help the rabbits of Orlando Rabbit Care and Adoptions, Inc.

 

Thumpqua is the word for rabbit in the Spokane Indian Language and it is also the name of a rabbit sanctuary in Spokane, Washington.  It is part of the River's Wish Animal Sanctuary and Thumpqua has it's own rabbit barn and "corral."  They took in 50 of the Reno rabbits rescued this past summer. Visit their website at Thumpqua to see pictures of their barn and some of the beautiful rabbits like Thistle pictured above.

Hopperhome Moving to Bigger Warren - It's been a hectic couple of weeks around here and the packing has just begun.  You may see the Bunny Blog off for a few days here and there in the next couple of weeks while I move. Once things settle down the Bunny Blog will be updated more often.

Pygmy Rabbits Get Big Help from Washington State and Federal officials who signed a landmark agreement to create a "safe Harbor" for the reintroduction of the species.  The Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit has been listed as endangered since 2001.  According to news websites their impending return is a concern to farmers.  However, one landowner bought 900 acres in attempt to save them ten years ago.  According to Peter Lancaster (the landowner), "All they need is sagebrush and deep soil to tunnel into.  If they can't have that, what else is going to survive there? They're an indicator species about this shrub-steppe habitat and I think it's really important to save them."  Apparently, these little 1 pound rabbits have a champion and hopefully others will follow his lead!

The Sad Bunny The bunny pictured on the right has a new home so the story has a great ending.  This rabbit's plight is the same as so many others waiting in shelters to be adopted and left as "strays" to fend for themselves. The story is at the link above from the Rabbit Haven a rescue organization. They are a member of the Bay Area Shelter network in California.  By the way, the rabbit's name is "Sunny" and it probably suits him very well in his new home.

YouTube Makes Some Bunnies Video Stars  - This video sharing website has a lot of silly stuff on their website.  The rabbit videos are no exception to this.  There are a lot of 30 second videos of rabbits starring at video cameras with ears forward wondering what is going on with the amateur lighting and zooming camera lenses.  However, there are a few that are fun to watch, if for nothing else, to see all rabbits act the same around the world.  Here are three videos on YouTube featuring rabbit stars:

Rabbits Rabbits Rabbits

Butter Likes Things Open

Hidie & Hubble Ham it Up 

 

From Japan these are sweets, Usagi, which means rabbit in Japanese. In Asian legend there is a myth about a rabbit living on the moon who pounds a mochi (rice cake). The face that is seen on the moon is a rabbit instead of a "man in the moon."

 

October 21st - 2:00 p.m. - Yes, rabbits at Halloween.  Linda from Milwaukie, WI emailed me about the First Stage Children's Theater in her city staging the play based on the children's story Bunnicula. From the synopsis of the play they say, "It is a dark and stormy night, and Harold and Chester, the dog and cat of the Monroe household, come face to face with the newest family pet—a fluffy bunny. But Chester feels that something is not right about this rabbit: he sleeps all day and only awakes at night, he manages to slip out of his cage without opening it...and why are the vegetables turning white? The fearless feline realizes that it is up to him and his best pal, Harold, to save the family from this long-eared, fluffy-tailed monster!"  It's just in time for Halloween and if you don't live in Wisconsin, the Bunnicula book series is available at Amazon and most book stores. There is also a blog from the Bunny himself about the play at  First Stage Bunnicula Blog

On the Wild Side: The University of New Hampshire is inviting Cottontails to  Campus" - According to WCSH Channel 6 in Portland, Maine, the "University has set aside about 24 acres at its Foss Farm to provide habitat for the New England cottontail rabbits (pictured on the right).  This cottontail is in danger of extinction and in Maine there are only about 350 of the rabbits left according to wildlife biologists.  Even though the New England Cottontail is a prolific breeder protecting the rabbit will mean protecting habitat.  A UNH professor of wildlife ecology told the New York Times a while back in an article, "Hem and haw for another decade, and will be talking about very large declines."  24 acres is a start!

Pika Who?  Speaking of wild rabbits... Every once in a while I tell someone that rabbits are "lagomorphs" like hares and pikas.  Everyone seems a little puzzled about the "pikas" since no one knows if they have ever seen one.  But if they have done any hiking in the Rocky Mountains, they may have heard one.  The pika is a tiny little mountain dweller and makes a home far down in the boulders and rocks near the timberline.  They are active year around and put their "hay stacks" in neat piles to use in the winter.  If you click on the photo to see a a larger version, you will see the resemblance to a rabbit.  Hear the sound a pika makes:  Pika Call When I played this short sound wav at home, the rabbits cocked their ears and took notice.  For more information on Pikas see:  Trek of the Pika

Miss Sage Recovering from "Head Tilt" - A few weeks ago I wrote about Miss Sage who is my sister's seven year old Netherland Dwarf.  Sage was suffering from a severe head tilt.  I am very happy to report that Sage is on the mend.  It took several tests and waiting to discover the root cause of the head tilt.  It turned out to be an abscess in her head and it became apparent when her "down eye" started to bulge.  Up until this point Bonnie was hand feeding Sage four times a day to keep the bunny's weight up  and alive until a diagnosis could be confirmed. (Sage never lost even an ounce of her weight.) Sage laid quietly next to her bonded partner, Mr. Basil, unable to drink or eat on her own.  She rolled every time she tried to stand.  After our experience with an inoperable head abscess with Mr. Hops and Bonnie's discussion with her vet, a regimen of Bicillin shots was started immediately.  Within a week Sage showed a marked improvement.  Now, a few weeks later she is running, eating, drinking and enjoying herself.  The head tilt is over 75% improved and there is no bulging or swelling around her affected eye. Sure she is still a little "sideways," but thanks to Dr. Vandersoll of Alpine Veterinary Clinic, and Bonnie's amazing care, Sage has a good quality of life back. I love hoppy endings.

Rabbit "Super Models" During the Holidays - You may want to put your rabbit in a Christmas card photo or get a pets/people portrait taken for the holidays.  Here are a couple of tips:  Have the shot all set up with all the props, etc. before the rabbit goes into the picture.  Give the rabbit several minutes to get used to the area.  No tight clothing props on the animal.  Make sure the floor isn't slick so the rabbit has some footing if the bunny won't be posed in your lap.  No hot lights until it is necessary.  Go to an experienced pet photographer.  Better yet take the photo at home with a timer.  Have a treat on hand for afterwards. For more information go to Bunny was Supermodel for a Day by Mallory Mohring at the House Rabbit Network.

Archie the Rabbit Takes the Long Way Home - a lucky rabbit named Archie in Ipswich (UK) made it home after a long romp outside his garden "across a busy road, a construction site and 40 miles to Essex."  The Evening Star reported that Archie's family "had given up hope when they saw an article showing one year old Archie alive and well."  The folks who found him already had 13 rabbits, but were prepared to take Archie in if his family didn't claim him.   It seems to be time to patch up some holes in the fence and supervise Archie's playtime in the yard!  Rabbits are legend for fitting through small spaces and digging under fences. 

October 14th - 7:30 p.m."30 bunnies dumped on the side of the road ... 17 rescued"  This was the headline for the news story by Angie Larsen of the ABC news affiliate station in Utah.  The good news is 15 rabbits survived, several news stations picked up on the story and a great video on this story was circulated on major news stations nationally.  Watch Video   According to the Salt Lake County Animal Services, "We've got Albinos, French Lops, and we've got one that looks like an Angora, and some various other breeds and clearly none of them are equipped to deal with life on their own." See Adoptable Rabbits of the Week on how to contact them to adopt. The bad news is that these rabbits were dumped to fend for themselves.  Animal Services said "this is at least the third case that in our collective memory here at Salt Lake County Animal Services, of picking up bunnies from the canyon. So this is either the same person who keeps making the same mistake or different people that find this a convenient place to dump them."  The point was made in the news story that this is a crime. Anyone with information about who might have abandoned these rabbits can call 801 269-7499.

Neat Ideas for Neat Idea Cubes - Once in awhile someone will send me a picture of a rabbit in a NIC home.  Last week I received the photo below which is has no doors with several levels.  I like this "idea."  There are many more creative ways to use these cubes to build a rabbit habitat.  See the links below for inspiration. To buy the cubes simply search the web since there are several retail outlets that sell them both online and even office supply retail stores carry them. Rabbit Network – Building a NIC Rabbit Condo, Neat Idea Cube Ideas, Divot & Chloe’s NIC Home

 

Rabbit Museum is Best of LA - The LA Weekly this past week ) wrote an article, The Rise of the House Bunny, about the Bunny Museum.  The museum was created by Steve and Candace in Pasadena, CA beginning with a simple plush bunny Valentine's gift.  According to the LA Weekly Steve and Candace have the best rabbit paraphernalia which includes 22,000 rabbit themed toys, figurines, etc.  They do have 7 live house rabbits.  The Bunny Museum 1933 Jefferson Dr., Pasadena, (626) 798-8848

 

Rabbit Whisperer - Ingrid Tarrant has a successful career as a journalist, and rabbit champion. She works to help rabbits with The Rabbit Welfare Fund in the UK. She wrote a book a year or so ago that clearly shows her extensive knowledge and love of rabbits.  Plus, it has a lot of common sense information for new rabbit fans. It is available on Amazon's UK website and the Rabbit Welfare Fund site (click on their logo to visit their website).  Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK. 

 

"Who threw out pet rabbit - still in its hutch?"  When I think I have heard it all, I read the story about a brown and white Lionhead Rabbit found abandoned in it's hutch in Houghton Regis (UK)  The RSPCA there wants to press animal cruelty charges if they can find who abandoned this rabbit.  It was found with food and water with the hutch doors left open. The bunny had an abscess under its chin and is being treated by a local vet.  The little lionhead bunny will be adopted out when rehabilitated.  This adorable rabbit was very fortunate it stayed in it's hutch until someone found it.

Black Cat, White Rabbit fundraiser and holiday party. The Bunny Bunch in Chino, CA are having a special celebration to honor black cats and white rabbits since they "are the ones left behind in shelters and foster homes."  To bring awareness of this problem, the are planning to have a pot luck, silent auction, photo contest, raffle, and lots of fun! 
This is also our volunteer holiday party to recognize all the hard work done all year. It will all happen Saturday evening, December 2nd. Go to their website for more information.  The cute bunny pictured above is just one of many beautiful rabbits for adoption through the Bunny Bunch.

Clicker Training - Diane wrote to tell me she has had some fun clicker training her bunnies. See this week's Link of the Week Fuzzy Termites to go to her rabbit's website. There is an explanation for the name of her website, plus great profiles of her rabbits on the website.  That is "Thatcher" pictured on the left. Diane also recommends this website on clicker training http://www.clickerbunny.com/

 

Painterly Rabbits - You may have seen Richard Murray's rabbit paintings as posters in stores.  I first saw the one of the Californian rabbits pictured on the right a few years ago and was taken with the artistry of this painter.  Murray is from Utah.  He has dogs and several exotic birds as pets.  His formal bio quotes him as saying, "I want to portray the basic essence of the animals not the stereotypes men impose on them."  His lovely paintings speak for themselves.  
 

October 1st, 2:30 p.m. - Animal Rescue Show Features Bunny Bunch -  It was bunderful to see the Bunny Bunch (out of Chino, CA)  featured on the ABC Animal Rescue TV show this morning.  The point was made that parents need to be the primary caretaker of the rabbit. The segment also noted that rabbits can play, have a long lifespan as house rabbits, etc.  Congratulations to the folks at the Bunny Bunch who made this happen.  It was great publicity for the rabbits and for all the good work Bunny Bunch is doing in rabbit rescue! By the way, the Bunny Bunch will have their Bunny Expo 2006 on Saturday, October 7th in Chino, California.  See their link above for more information. Misty, the sweet little female pictured above, is one of the rabbits Bunny Bunch has to adopt out.  Call the Bunny Bunch at 909-591-7200, or email Caroline about Misty.

2007 Men with Buns Calendar The Vancouver Rabbit Rescue & Advocacy is at it again.  Last year's calendar was fantastic and the 2007 calendar is now available.  It celebrates men and their pet rabbits with 12 black and white photos  by Yukiko Onley. The calendar is a fund raiser and raises awareness of rabbits as pets for everyone including men!  See link above for more information.

Speaking of Canadian Men of Who Love Rabbits ...
Bruce Atchison  has written a book called, When a Man Loves a Rabbit: Learning and Living With Bunnies.  The book details Bruce's experiences living with house rabbits and is educational at the same time.  It also chronicles his view of rabbits as it changes over time. Contact: 604 731-6026 or e-mail: shop@vrra.org about the book.

Bytes for Bunnies - BunnyBase Software This is a new software by a bunny slave, Moe, also a Canadian.  It is a user friendly software program for managing images, histories, medical info and notes about your pet rabbits.  It also includes a contact module.  See Moe's rabbits at Hopperhome's Link of the Week on the right (The Trolls -aka the Bunnies).  Proceeds from the sales of the BunnyBase software benefit Calgary Humane Society bunnies!  That is Moe's own rabbit Mogwai pictured above leaping with joy!

 

Rabbits for Rent! I saw this online this week and couldn't believe it: "We 'rent' rabbits to schools (usually by the month) for $30.00/mo. We normally have babies available from early April through October in Alberta, Canada."  Teachers please do your homework before considering (or renting!) a rabbit for your classroom.  See the HRS FAQ on Classroom Rabbits

 

Hoppy Holidays Already - Lisa and her friends with the  Small Animal Rescue Society of BC are knitting like busy bunnies.  They are making these Bunny Santa Hats to sell to help with their medical fund. That's her bunny Harvey modeling one of their holiday rabbit fashions. The hats are reasonable priced for the handmade quality.  For info: 604-438-4366 or info@smallanimalrescue.org.  Normally, I don't "dress up" my rabbits, but last year I put my lop rabbit, Mr. Bumble, in a Santa Hat for a Christmas photo.