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Bunny Blog Archives

April/May 2007

May 31, 2007, 9:30 p.m. - Hoppy Ending – Misty from the Portland, Oregon area adopted a rabbit pictured on the April 30^th Bunny Blog and named him Elvy. The rabbit was part of the Hillsboro Hoarding case and Elvy’s photo in April was taken while he was in the custody of the local Hillsboro Police Department. Misty adopted this little guy and she says “He is now happily bonded to his brother Jib and seems to double in size daily.” She attached a few photos to her email to show Elvy’s progress. This is just one of many success stories out of an unfortunate situation. Hop Hop Hurray!

Novel Bunny Problem – BBC News reported that a secondhand bookshop owner in Inverness claims to be having problems with wild rabbits burrowing under his city centre store. Instead of bookworms, the owner has become aware of rabbits moving about under the floor boards. The building is former a 18^th Century Gaelic Church. There are so many books the owner says he can’t take up the floor boards. A wild Inverness rabbit is pictured above.

Bunny Burrito - Roger from Los Angeles just got a new bunny asked about how to restrain his rabbit in a “bunny burrito” for nail clipping. (He said he put his cat in a “cat bag,” but didn’t want to try this with the rabbit.) The “bunny burrito” can come in very handy when syringe feeding a rabbit, clipping nails and in any situation where a rabbit needs to be safely restrained. See this Amusing Article on Rabbit Restraint and a very good demonstration of the technique in this Bunny Burrito Video.

May 29, 2007, 8:30 p.m. - Bunny Bunch Rescue Update - Bunnies rescued from a Garden Grove flood plain by The Bunny Bunch have been part of on-going adopt-a-thons at pet stores in southern California. According to the Orange County Register, The Bunny Bunch has trapped some 450 bunnies from the flood basin and as of May 25^th they were still at it. They are working with trappers brought in by Orange County to save the rest of the rabbits. The Bunny Bunch had about around nine weeks to trap the rabbits themselves. The dedicated folks at the Bunny Bunch have done a fantastic job. Read update at their website link above.

Keeping Rabbit Off the Menu - The Taipei Times reported that a group of Bunny Lovers held a press conference recently to criticize the Council of Agriculture's initiative promoting rabbit meat as an addition to the nation's diet. They appealed to the agency to stop promoting rabbit on the menu. The rabbit owners included members of Rabbit SOS, Taiwan's first rabbit rescue organization. One of the legislators said, “I have no rabbits myself. But they are my daughter's favorite animals. They are our friends, not something we take from the fridge to the oven." He will fight to amend the Protection Act to include rabbits as a pet that cannot be eaten, just like a cat or a dog.

Jeffery Chow (of Rabbit SOS) said “Rabbits are not a common food in Taiwan, while they are popular as pets because they are quiet, clean and affectionate.”

Bunderful Kite - Melinda of Seattle sent me this photo of a kite made in Japan from her travels there. It depicts the Japanese the myth of "Rabbit in the Moon." Click on it to see a larger version of the photo.

Hares in the ‘Hood - Last week I read about a woman who is trying to help feral rabbits who have called a neighborhood in Carson City, Nevada home for many months. Jennifer Greenwood lives in the same neighborhood and is feeding them every night to help. According to the Nevada Appeal “some of the rabbits used to be pets owned by another family in the neighborhood. Greenwood is concerned people who consider the abandoned pets as a nuisance are putting out poison for them. "Many of them used to be somebody's pet," she said. "Would you poison somebody's pet?"

Also, according to the article, City Animal Services would like to capture the animals, spay or neuter them, and put them up for adoption. The city will provide humane traps to people to help catch the rabbits as they come available.

Doggone Bunny Mom - A seven year old golden retriever named “Jessie” has adopted two wild baby bunnies. Up in Canada the dog went for a walk in the woods and started bringing the babies out. The irony is the dog was being trained to hunt rabbits. Jessie’s humans decided to care for the bunnies, but all they need to do is feed them since Jessie does the rest. Jessie keeps them warm and licks them when they are finished being fed formula. She spends her days caring for them.

May 14, 2007 - 9:30 p.m. - Bunny People - The Sentinel online in Carlisle, PA reported on the BunnyPeople this past weekend and Kathi DiDonato of South Middle Township who raises money for The Bungalow. The Bungalow is a shelter for neglected rabbits. In the article Kathi recounted stories of rescues and their efforts to help rabbits. Bella pictured on the right is one of the rabbits at the Bungalow that houses up to 25 rabbits at a time. “There is nothing better than little pink bunny kisses,” says DiDonato, adding it is not unusual to see Bella snuggle with Andy, the family dog.

Visit bunny people online at BunnyPeople from
Harrisburg, PA or contact at bunnypeople@mail.com Want to adopt? Call the Bungalow shelter at 469-0125.

Downsize Your Buns! It’s the next reality TV show in New Zealand. This follows the broadcast of a successful show called Downsize Me! (for humans) Now the producers have come up with “Downsize Your Pet!”

As they say “Be it a chubby dog, fat cat, or ballooning bunny, help is on hand for you and your pet. New Zealanders can try to get their pudgy pet on the show by entering to apply for the show.

Seriously, though, obesity can be a big problem for pet rabbits resulting in health problems – maybe feeding a good diet is the best reality program. See this online article: Weight Watching for Rabbits by Astrid Kruse

On the Wild Side: Baby Bunnies - Tonight on my patio a baby cottontail about the size of a tennis ball was eating the timothy hay dropped outside the hay storage area. He was so small and yet very capable of managing on his own. This time of year cottontail kits bring the most questions to my email. The most common comment I receive is about moving the kits since it’s easy to assume the mother has abandoned the nest if she isn’t around. She only arrives at night to feed the kits. I don't recommend anyone touch the babies since they are born without a scent. The human scent will transfer to them. Even though the mother rabbit may not reject the kits, a predator can then find them. Speaking of wild baby bunnies ….

This past weekend on the last show of Spring Watch USA, two little cottontails were released back into the wild. Keeper of the Wild rehab center is located in St. George, South Carolina. They were chosen by “Discovery Animal Planet” as one of their South Carolina locations to film segments including the rabbit release.

Fortune Telling Rabbits

In Istanbul this rabbit picks out your future from the selection.

It is common throughout Turkey on streets and roadsides.

If Mr. Hops told my future, it would involve

going to the kitchen and bringing him an apple treat very soon.

May 9, 2007 - 8:30 p.m. - Harebrain Answers - Today I received an email from a fellow who had posted a question on Yahoo Answers about rabbit treats. He was uneasy with the answers so he was emailing “pet rabbit” websites like Hopperhome to get more information. He sent me some of the answers that included “crackers,” “bits of chocolate,” “several raisins,” “oranges,” and “whip cream.” “Half an apple” was the healthiest answer and is way too much of a good thing.

If you want to help people with their new rabbits, just visit and register with an answer website like those listed below. You may find questions you can answer or refer people to online resources. You will be making a rabbit’s life better and helping someone care for their rabbit in the best way possible.

Yahoo! Answers - Home – just enter “pet rabbit” in Search for Questions text box

All Experts – Exotic Pets click on “rabbits”

Microsoft has a new Windows Live QnA service – enter “pet rabbit” in the search box at the top of page to see questions.

(Photo above from Leslie Page Levings Flickr Gallery - see entry below.)

Leslie Levings Rabbit Flickr Gallery - How great to discover an artistic bunny lover - Check it out. The gallery showcases photographs of rescued rabbits from BunnyLuv in Van Nuys, California. Also, visit her website and see her rabbit sculptures (see photo above) at Leslie Levings Cabinet of Curiosities.

Also, hop over to Pittpee’s Gallery at Flickr. This gallery is maintained by Thanida from Bangkok, Thailand. Pittpee is a beautiful lop. Speaking of rabbits from around the world . . .

Felix from Indonesia - I receive many emails from rabbit fans all over the world. Today Francisca emailed me about a white rabbit with red eyes she bought who was kept in a “very crowded cage with too many bunnies inside … next to pigeon’s cages.” The shopkeeper in Indonesia told her the bunny was an Angora rabbit. Hmmm ... definitely not an Angora, but Francisca isn't worried about the breed. She fell in love with her white rabbit and he is now a house rabbit. Her 86 year old landlady was happy to see Felix and “likes to see him “hopping and dancing around the living room.” Also, when Felix sees Francisca put her things in her bag to go to campus, he jumps back in his cage.

It Takes a Gray Hare – KIRO News in Seattle reported on a 78 year old woman who is heading an effort to rescue rabbits that were abandoned at a home near the town of Yelm (close to Olympia, WA). Wanda Bittner leads a group called Animal Rescue and Adoption. The group is now caring for the 45 rabbits at the property after the owner of the rabbits left. If you live in Western Washington, call Animal Rescue and Adoption at 360-458-3281 and ask for Wanda if you can give a bunny a loving home. See the news video at: Video: Rabbit Roundup In Thurston County

Bunny Ad – I guess bunnies in the Traveler’s Insurance Rabbit TV Ad have something to do with luck. I understand the rabbits' legs were dyed with a vegetable based dye and the humane society was on hand to make sure the bunnies were okay. You can see the ad at the link above. I don't know how the rabbits feel about having brightly colored paws or insurance, but they are stars.

Animal Precinct Saves Cookie - This television show is about the agents of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal's (ASPCA) Humane Law Enforcement Department (HLE). The ASPCA HLE is the only law enforcement group in New York City solely devoted to investigating crimes against New York's animal population. It can be a tough show to watch because of the cruelty cases. Last night I watched the show and they featured a pretty lop who wasn't looking too pretty at first. The agents were called to an apartment by concerned employees who found a rabbit in a trash compactor room. The ASPCA hospital staff helped the lop rabbit, named Cookie, back to health. Her happy ending was her adoption by one of the vet techs who had been caring for her. See a promo clip for the program which shows Cookie in the first part at Animal Precinct Episode Promo Clip

"Bunny Bonding Takes Patience" – ran this article in Newsday (New York) recently about how to bond bunnies in the Animal House column. Mary Cotter, Chapter Manager of NYC Rabbit Rescue & Rehab gave an excellent explanation of rabbit bonding techniques and the importance of neutering and spaying rabbits. To read more about bonding rabbits see these online articles: Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society - Bonding Basics, Bonding two rabbits - from Fuzzy-rabbit.com, HRS FAQ: Should I Get a Second Rabbit. By the way, the photo above is of Bumble and Mr. Hops who are now best friends.

Name the Baby Bunnies Contest - the Northeastern Satellite of Colorado House Rabbit Society has a new online contest. The “babies” aren’t real small, but they are very cute and they need names. That’s Baby 5 on the right. Visit their link above to enter the contest and get more information (deadline June 16th).

Rabbit Hoppenings:

Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary (near Ann Arbor) is celebrating a dozen years of rescuing rabbits and other animals at their Birthday Party Open House & Fundraiser on May 20th They say your family will have a thumping good time with kids games, bunny education, meet the 600 rabbits, silent auction and more! See the Bunny Bash Flyer

North Georgia House Rabbit Society BunnyFest – On Saturday, June 9th imagine a hundred rabbits of all colors and sizes (in exercise pens) plus 200 bunny parents and their friends and relatives having a blast – socializing, eating, hopping and playing games together. Go to the link above for more information.

Mark your Calendars! For the Southeastern Pennsylvania-Delaware House Rabbit Society Annual Open House on Saturday, June 2, 2007. Plus, there will be raffles and refreshments. Their LL Bun Store is stocked with great things for rabbits, too. Call 302-683-9009 for more information.

Columbus, Ohio House Rabbit Society is planning a Spring Picnic on Saturday, June 2nd. They have all kinds of fun in store … even Bunny Bingo! See their Flyer & Map

Brambley Hedge Rabbit Rescue of Phoenix has adoption events on the first, third and fifth Saturdays and the third Sunday of each month at the Petsmart at Tatum and Shea in Phoenix, Arizona from 10:00 a.m. till 3:00 p.m. Visit their link above to learn more about the events at Brambley Hedge Rabbit Rescue see link above or email at brambley2@bhrabbitrescue.org (Photo is of Lady Godiva at Brambley Hedge - isn't she regal!

Bunny Basics Class - If you live in the South Minneapolis suburbs near Savage, MN, the Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society you can attend this terrific class on rabbits on the evening of May 15th. If you are interested in getting a rabbit or maybe you already have a rabbit and would like to know more about their unique behavior and care, join the class. The class will cover diet, housing, basic health, and insight into common rabbit behaviors. See link for times and more info.

May 3, 2007 - 9:30 p.m. - Many Hoppy Returns – The Cumberland News in Western Maryland reported rabbits are bringing smiles to the faces of residents at a local senior living center. The residents "oohed" and "aahed" at the contents of a baby stroller being pushed down the hall one evening. It was a 10 pound black and white bunny named Fox. Most of the residents enjoy the monthly rabbit visitations according to staff. "It's therapeutic for them and also brings back memories of pets they had before." The rabbits are calm and even sit in laps. Rabbits are welcome in many programs as therapy animals such as the Delta Society. (By the way, pictured above is therapy bunny, Midnight.)

Rabbit Forum Shutdown - Rabbitcentral.com website has been bought out and merged with Doctors Foster & Smith Pet Supplies. Unfortunately, the large rabbit forum on the Rabbit Central website was suddenly offline. There is a new forum and it will involve re-registering. Such are the pitfalls of the web and mergers. A redirect message on the old site for a few days would have kept a lot of rabbit fans from scrambling to find out what happened. Thanks Amy for sending the notice!

Learning to Love Lops is an article at Delaware Online by Janet Nickerson. Janet is a copy editor with The News Journal and penned her story about how “marriage at 50 brings some wonderful rabbits” into a man’s life as part of his new family." Cutie Pie pictured above is one of those lovable lops. Read the article at the link above before it is archived.

Quote of the Week: A community officer in Britain “We were in the police car and we were talking about the film Roger Rabbit when my colleague looked out of the window and saw the rabbit …“We got out and then there were three of us chasing this rabbit down the road, under cars and across gardens. About half-an-hour later we caught it and put it in the back of the police car.” The fugitive rabbit was returned to its delighted owners after officers knocked on doors asking if someone had lost a bunny.

Miss Potter (the movie) did not screen theatrically in my neighborhood, but will be released on DVD on Tuesday, May 8th. I will be first in line to get a copy. More information about the film can be found at the Miss Potter website. A Bunny Blog reader sent this photo of the real Beatrice Potter with her rabbit, Peter, on his leash taking a quick hop outside her home.

May 1, 2007, 9:30 p.m. - Hopping Herbs – Thyme to start a garden for your rabbit. Linda from Santa Barbara, CA (where gardening is year around) sent this link to a Rabbit Topiary Form available online. A herb garden can be started on a deck of an apartment or as part of a front or backyard garden. Grow a few tasty herbs for your rabbit. Some safe herbs to try one at a time in small amounts include: basil, cilantro, mint, thyme, sage, rosemary, dill, tarragon and fennel. Try the varieties, too, like licorice or cinnamon basil. My rabbits enjoy sprigs of rosemary and eat the whole thing including the woody stems.

Bloated Bunny - Over the weekend I received an email about a rabbit who stopped eating, seemed to be in pain and his stomach felt "firm." I asked about the diet. Her rabbit had a steady diet of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower for vegetables. Since her vet was closed for the weekend and an emergency vet wasn't available except by phone, I recommended she ask him about children's simethicone to break-up a possible gas bubble. 24 hours later she wrote back to say the vet did not have rabbit experience, but agreed with my suggestion along with laying her rabbit on a heating pad (on low covered with a towel) and giving a few drops of mineral oil. In the morning the bunny was normal again. A follow-up vet visit on Monday confirmed a healthy rabbit. The diet was changed to exclude any potential bloat causing vegetables. Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are the most common culprits and not all rabbits react the same. See this article for a good explanation of a potentially life threatening condition: Bloat in Rabbits

Bunny Building- The stone bunny (one of two) gracing a theater in New York City was originally known as the Bunny Photoplays when it opened in 1913. It was named for John Bunny a silent film actor. In the 1980's it was renamed to the Nova Theatre. The movie house was closed and a retail store was opened in the building. The two stone rabbit faces still remain and so does an inscription of "Bunny" on the top of the building facing the street.

April 30, 2007, 9:00 p.m. - Bunny Blitz Success in Oregon - The last victims of Oregon’s high profile rabbit hoarding case in Hillsboro were adopted this past week. The Bunny Blitz II adopt-a-thon found the final 54 rabbits new homes. It only took about three hours and the Oregon Humane Society believes the extensive media coverage made the difference. There was a high awareness of this case over the past few months due to the twists and turns it took legally. The event was organized by the Hillsboro Police Dept. in conjunction with the Oregon Humane Society.

Ears the Answer - A ten year old boy, Shaun, emailed me about the longest ears on a rabbit. I found his answer on the Guinness World Records website – the rabbit is: Geronimo who has ears measuring 31.125 inches from the span of one ear tip to the other. He’s an English Lop from Bakersfield, California. Good Grief, I love lops, but it looks like Geronimo could trip on those ears!

In Memory of a Rabbit Rescuer Rainn MacPhail who was one of the original founders of the Indiana House Rabbit Society passed away in an auto accident recently. I knew about Rainn through a few emails we exchanged on a favorite subject . . .rabbits, of course. This dedicated volunteer and supporter of rabbits will be greatly missed. She was caring for many rabbits at the time of the accident and they will need homes. If you are interested in giving one of these rabbits a home, contact the Indiana House Rabbit Society at 1-317- 767-7636 or visit their website at the link above.

Bunny Carrot Kitchen Holder and why not? Click to see a larger version. They are only available from the UK.

Found in the Neighborhood – Pam from Medford, Oregon wrote an email a couple of days ago about an abandoned (Easter) rabbit she found in a parking lot behind her home. Her local humane society doesn’t take rabbits so she was looking for resources. She already has two rescued cats and a rescued dog in her home so she couldn't add a rabbit to the mix. But the good news is she located some people whose rabbit lost its companion last year and they want to try an introduction. She is also going to get this bunny altered and an exam. Thanks to the kindness of an animal lover one more rabbit will have a new home very soon! We need someone like Pam in every neighborhood!

April 25, 2007, 9:30 p.m. - Rabbits Hopping Up in New Neighborhoods – The Canmore Leader in Alberta Canada reported the feral rabbit population is mysteriously showing up in new neighborhoods far from their normal range in South Canmore. You might remember the Town of Canmore released a survey to residents in March on what, if anything, should be done about the large resident feral rabbit population including euthanasia. The article didn’t publish the results. However, some of the folks surveyed suggested the rabbits be moved to other parts of town and now suddenly the bunnies seem to have become mobile. They are invading new areas of town. To get to new neighborhoods the rabbits would have to dodge large predators like cougars in wild areas and swim a river (or hop across a bridge). The newspaper speculated: “For now, nobody knows if the rabbits are being trapped and moved to save them or to spread the annoyance felt by south Canmore residents.”

Good news from Biotechnology Researchers who create alternatives to animal testing. The Midday Express (European online news) cited a recent study jointly undertaken by DG Research and the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. They have produced four new testing methods for bacterial contamination detection. They say the tests “have the potential to reduce animal tests in Europe by 200,000 rabbits each year.” If you are scientifically minded, visit the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods to learn more.

Blythe is an adult female New Zealand rabbit from The Rabbit Habit in Pennsylvania. According to their website Blythe was bred through the Dept. of Agriculture and went on to a life as a lab rabbit. She then went to a vet tech school. Through all this her health was not jeopardized and now she is coming around. They say “she loves running free for the first time in her life and she is curious about everything.”

April 24, 2007, 8:30 p.m. - On the Wild Side: Several newspapers today ran articles on what to watch for this spring from a Humane Society of the United States list. Their advice: “walk your yard and look carefully for rabbit nests before mowing in the spring — the nests can be hard to see, since the mother rabbit digs a shallow hole in the grass and puts her babies in it where they stay for three weeks until weaned and self-sufficient.” It is amazing how many emails I receive every spring and summer about this problem. I’m not a wild rabbit expert, but I know enough to refer them to resources who can help them. See my web page on: Wild Baby Rabbits

Puzzling Rabbits - Visit the Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society and you will discover their web page of Online Bunny Jigsaw Puzzles. It includes lots of pictures of their rabbits in jigsaw pieces.

Petco Rabbit Sales I remember a few years ago when the MCRS partnered with their local Petco stores to adopt out rabbits instead of selling rabbits at the stores. It has been a successful and innovative program there. Other areas have tried the idea and it works, however, Petco stores in some areas insist on rabbit sales. According to the MCRS, even though Petco’s corporate office promotes “Think Adoption First,” 75 new stores have started selling baby bunnies. Read more at the link above and write to Petco about your concerns. My rabbit, Rosemary, was a Petco rabbit. Rosemary was a 4 month old unaltered female Harlequin rabbit sold to me as a six month old “Rex breed, neutered, male rabbit.” I'm fortunate I didn't pair my new "male" rabbit with my male rabbit at home until I spayed "him" or I would have contributed to rabbit overpopulation.

Sorry I Missed this - An Easter Campaign for the rabbits from the Orlando Rabbit Care and Adoptions. Click on the poster to read a larger version.

Tile Thumper - Roni emailed this photo of a tile rabbit at the Chinese Cultural Center in Vancouver, BC. She thinks it is too pretty to walk on so she hops around it.

April 23, 2007, 8:30 pm. - Bunny Backyard Rescue When the volunteers with The Rabbit Haven: Rabbit Rescue and Adoption were asked by animal control to evaluate rabbits in Corillitas, CA, they thought it would be simple review of the abandoned rabbits. It became a rescue. Sixteen of the 19 rabbits survived including one of two litters of 4 week old bunnies (on right). To read the entire story about the rescue and updates on the rabbits, see the link above. Rabbit Haven rescues injured and abandoned rabbits and accepts surrendered rabbits from the general public, from shelters and from other rescue organizations in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Benito and Monterey Counties in California.

Long Hares – Who doesn’t love those puff balls that are rabbits – the Angoras. Angora rabbits need daily grooming and there are four breeds. The English Angora is heavily furred and they are the smallest Angora. They are sometimes are mistaken for puppies. The French breed have faces without fur and the Satins have glossy coats. The largest is the German Angora which is white with very dense fur. Whatever breed or a mix , they need constant grooming. If you live in the San Diego area, the San Diego House Rabbit Society Chapter is planning an Angora Grooming class Saturday afternoon on April 28th. Contact HRS at 619-718-7777 or email hrs@sandiegorabbits.org for more information. Also, see article online: Caring for Angora Rabbits

Bunny Ice Sculpture Yep … you can create this lop rabbit ice sculpture yourself. It’s reusable and you only have to add water. Don’t stop there. Try juice or jello and next Easter there is always chocolate. They run about $20 online at the link above.

April 16, 2007 - 9:30 p.m. - Hillsboro Rabbit Adoption Event! This is the most sane news of the day. The Hillsboro Police Department (west of Portland, Oregon) will host a rabbit adoption event in hopes of finding homes for 141 rabbits that were seized as part of an animal neglect case. The rabbits will be up for adoption April 28th, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., at the police department.

Harebrain Day – Sometimes it's an odd day of news and emails. Here are some of the most recent:

Rabbit Custody Battle – In Penns Creek, PA it seems two ladies are in a custody battle over a pet rabbit. It resulted in a fight between the two women according to authorities. When one women attempted to take the rabbit with her when she moved out of the home she shared with another woman, it turned violent. The women actually scratched each other and caused minor injuries. The rabbit stayed in the home and harassment charges were filed against both women.

Hot “Hare” Balloon The Energizer Bunny is the largest hot air balloon in the world. (Who knew?) That’s one big bunny. The oversized rabbit had a recent stop at Florida’s Annual Sunrise Community Balloon Race.

Forget the Bowling Alley - Linda from Chicago bought this game for her children over Easter and emailed me because her whole family is enjoying Bowling Bunnies. So who needs special shoes and expensive bowling balls to enjoy the game. It’s the bunnies against the cabbages! Her pet bunny wants to chew the fabric cabbage so the game is stored in the closet when not in use. Schylling is the toy company that sells this vintage game for about $35 at Bowling Bunnies

Sweet Bunny Dreams - Ed sent me this photo of a “small animal bed” available online. He purchased one and his rabbit ignored it completely. He emailed me about two weeks ago to find out what type of bedding he should use. I suggested hay in a litter box for his Dwarf Rex rabbit. That did the trick. The “small animal bed” is now a cozy bed for his daughter’s dolls.

Lagomorph on a Leash - A street sign in Stockholm, Sweden was sent by George on vacation from New York. He was "pretty sure someone tampered with the sign." But, he added he thought his rabbit, Dancer, would approve. Dancer is a big white New Zealand bunny and trained on a leash. George and Dancer take frequent hops when the weather permits.

April 15, 2007 - 9:00 p.m. - Remember the Reno Rabbits - Ever wonder where some of the “smaller” rabbit groups from the Great Reno Rabbit Rescue were placed. Thumpqua took in 50 of the Reno rabbits. Thumpqua Rabbit Sanctuary in Spokane, Washington has a large “bunny barn” and normally houses 100 rabbits at a time. See photos of their bunny barn and bunny corral on their website at the link above. The barn is heated and also air conditioned. Thanks to the folks at Thumpqua for taking in these rabbits. Whether it was one rabbit or 500 rabbits so many individuals and groups like Thumpqua hopped up to help. Thistle pictured above is one of Thumpqua's rabbits available for adoption. (See Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary, a Michigan Rabbit Rescue - they took in 500 of the Reno rabbits.)

Hungary’s 5,000 Rabbits – When I first saw the headlines this morning, I thought it was describing a hungry herd of cottontails. Instead, it was an accident in Hungary. The busiest highway, between Budapest and Vienna, was shutdown after a truck carrying 5,000 rabbits crashed. The police managed to round up 4,400 and 100 rabbits were not captured. The remainder of the rabbits did not survive the collision. Unfortunately, the rabbits that were rounded up continued on to market. I disagree with the Highway police spokeswoman in Hungary who said, "There are thousands of them on the road, but they're not using their newfound freedom well; they're just sitting around, eating grass and enjoying the sun.” Most likely it was the only chance for these beautiful Californian rabbits to enjoy their time in the sun. The rabbit above is one of the 5,000 in Hungary.

Picture This in Japan - Flickr.com contains thousands of photos from rabbit lovers from all over the world. I discovered Fuku suke-pon’s Photo Gallery there. If you want to see over 141 photos of a rabbit at home and out at locations in Japan, visit the link above. Fukusuke-on is pictured lounging at home as well in many locations in Japan. The photo on the left shows Fukusuke-pon at Osaka Castle Park in Japan. By the way, the "sweater" is common in Japan. They are sold especially made for rabbits.

April 15, 2007, 8:30 p.m. Hillsboro Rabbit Hoarding Case – The Hillsboro, Oregon woman found hoarding over a 100 rabbits last year was sentenced to five years probation from owning any pets other than insects. This was a frustrating case since she tried to steal back several rabbits in February after 125 rabbits were seized from her home in October 2006. According to KGW TV in Portland, Oregon, Miriam Sakewitz was "ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation and to pay restitution.” See the original news story video at Rabbit Caper Solved. Sakewitz “has relinquished ownership of all animals. The Oregon Humane Society said they will begin offering the rabbits for adoption” soon.

According to a Tufts University website ( Tufts University – The Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium) “Without appropriate post-intervention treatment, recidivism approaches 100%.

Hoarding Again? This weekend, the local Hillsboro Argus newspaper explained that neighbors believe Sakewitz "may be hoarding animals again.” It hasn’t even been a week since her sentencing to five years probation. “Neighbors say Sakewitz has changed the locks on her shed and keeps window coverings closed most all of the time. Hillsboro police say Sakewitz is under constant surveillance.”

Going to the Dogs - This past weekend I went litter box shopping and discovered something for dogs that's perfect for my rabbits: Second Nature Dog Litter Pan by Ralston Purina . I purchased the size for Minature dogs of 6 – 15 lbs. It's a great fit for Mr. Hops and Mr. Bumble. It also fits perfectly in a Leith Petworks 48 in. Bunny Abode Apartment. Mr. Bumble who has a paralyzed front paw finds the lowered entrance easy to enter. My sister purchased the Toy dog size for her pair of dwarf rabbits. Her female Netherland Dwarf, Sage, has a slight head tilt and can negotiate the entrance better than a normal litter box (the pan pictured without the litter). PetSmart carries the litter boxes and you can find them at their store online. The photo shows the boxes with newspaper pelleted litter. I line my litter boxes with newspaper and then cover with fresh hay from the local grange. The new box is large enough for both of my big boy bunnies to lounge and graze on the hay comfortably.

Speaking of Poop – The Scoop on Poop! Is a traveling exhibit based on the book of the same title by writer Wayne Lynch. The exhibit displays information on creatures that have unusual habits and uses for their fecal matter. Rabbits and hares are featured as those animals who eat their feces (cecotrophes or "night feces") to “maximize digestive efficiency." The exhibit goes to Des Moines, Iowa for the summer at the Blank Park Zoo.

Spring Rabbits – Behind my sister’s and my home there is a greenbelt of woods and spring has sprung. We have seen opossum, squirrels and raccoons all winter. But this evening two beautiful deer appeared out of the woods and nonchalantly strolled by a few yards away. Then there are the cottontail rabbits who hop by just at twilight before the raccoons appear after dark. Here is a video I found on YouTube of Wild baby rabbits with mother. The first few seconds are of the doe rabbit eating a dandelion, but then the two baby bunnies appear. Enjoy a bit of spring.

Interesting Hare Color - Lydia from Toronto emailed this photo of a colorful store window display for Easter.

April 10, 2007, 10:00 p.m. - Golden Oldies - Several longtime rabbit lovers have emailed me about their “seniors” since my rabbit Rosemary passed away. We all want the best quality of life for our rabbits no matter what their age. It's important to know what problems to look for in a long lived rabbit. I have one rabbit almost 9 years old, Bumble and Mr. Hops is 6 years old. My sister, Bonnie, also has two 8 year old dwarf bunnies, Basil and Sage. Needless to say, our home is full of “gray hares.” Four informative online articles explaining issues older rabbits face are: Problems of the Geriatric Rabbit, How to Manage the Geratric Rabbit, Rabbits & Geratrics and Chronic Disease and Treasuring Your Older Bun. Plus, visit the Golden Bunnies UK Forum. Oliver pictured above is an 8 year old neutered male English spot lop from the Upstate New York HRS Oliver is looking for a forever home, where he has lots of room to run around, toys, and possibly a friendly female bunny. Contact: hazelbert@adelphia.net

Haress Paris Hilton – It’s a bad hare day when a celebrity buys real rabbits instead of chocolate bunnies for Easter. Several online celebrity watch websites report Hilton was in Los Angeles and bought a pair of cute Dutch bunnies from a pet store in the Beverly Center Mall recently. They say she was “showing off her bunnies over the weekend.” Access Hollywood reports she named them “Marilyn” and “Monroe.”

Rabbit Rescue at Sea – the Bunny Blog has reported on many bunnies rescued from house fires, but not a sinking vessel. Last weekend just off the Isle of Mull in Scotland lifeboat crews rescued seven people, and their pets from a sailing yacht. It was taking on water. People, a dog and one rabbit all survived the ordeal. Rabbits can be good swimmers, but are no match for the cold seas near Scotland!

Rabbit Wall Art: Artist Jözef Sumichrast created the vertical piece "Wall Rabbit" of cardboard to mimic an apparition he saw while working late at night. Okay, what was he thinking? And, yes the photo is turned the right direction.

April 9, 2007, 9:30 p.m. - Welcome, Every Bunnies in Texas – That’s the sign at the front door at the North Texas Rabbit Sanctuary. The Dallas Morning News featured an in depth article about the NTRS on Easter Sunday. They highlighted the NTRS’s successful efforts to rescue forgotten Easter pets. Barbara Yule started the NTRS 14 years ago and with the help of volunteers cares for abandoned pet rabbits. Yule houses about 50 rabbits in her climate-controlled garage. The NTRS is currently involved in a rescue of rabbits from a woman whose collection reached 60 rabbits. Her family asked for help and the NTRS has been taking them in a few at a time as space opens up. The bunny above is one of many rabbits available for adoption. Raven is an black beauty and is blind in one eye. This small, sweet rabbit is shy and looking for a gentle, patient home while he learns to trust humans. See link above for more info.

Rabbit Robbers - UPI in Santa Monica reported that Sugar Bunny, a friendly California rabbit who became the neighborhood's "community pet," has disappeared, leaving behind only her collar and name tag. The article noted that the bunny was in a fenced in lot and some people might have thought she was a stray. Local residents suspect a rabbit nabbing.

On the other side of the country in Elizabeth Township, PA a local pet store is offering a $100 reward after someone stole a bunny from its cage. While a woman distracted a clerk by asking about a fish the bunny was stolen. The surveillance tape shows a child reaching into the cage, pulling it out, and then walking away.

Law Works for Rabbits & More - An Easter bunny purchase won’t happen in Niagara County - it’s against the law. According to the Niagara Newspaper, the Rainbow Animal Shelter no longer receives traditional Easter pets. The shelter director credits the change to a section of the state’s Agricultural and Markets Law proposed by a Niagara County Assemblyman at the urging of the county’s SPCA. “The law states that no one can sell or give away baby chicks, ducklings or rabbits under two months old unless they are bought in groups of six. The creatures also can’t be sold or given away if they are dyed another color.” Puppy (pictured above), a big albino angora rabbit, lives at the sanctuary. He was dropped off at a local reptile store “with the instructions to either feed him to the reptiles or take him elsewhere.”

I appreciate all of the emails I received about Rosemary. She was a special rabbit and we're heartbroken about loosing her after all these years. My concern now is Rosemary's best buddy, Bumble. She was his caretaker especially since Bumble's cataracts have almost blinded him and he broke a front paw a year ago. Fortunately, Mr. Hops seems to want to jump in and befriend Bumble. Rosemary never allowed Hops to get close to her mate and Hops hasn't bonded with other rabbits. It's about time he did and the timing is perfect.

April 8, 2007 - 2:30 p.m. Bunny Blog Back Tuesday - My beautiful pet Harlequin rabbit of 8 years passed away - Rosemary Rabbit. She was almost 9 years old and devoted to her mate, Bumble. See Harley Girl for her story and Rosemary's Romance Rules.

April 5, 2007 - 8:30 p.m. - Bunny Visit Instead of Buying - The Animal Rescue League of Central Iowa (located in Des Moines) is discouraging bunny purchases by inviting the public to bring their kids to the shelter on Easter Sunday to visit their bunnies. The children will be able to enjoy the rabbits without bringing one home. The ARL receives up to 200 homeless rabbits every year. They are hoping the “bunny visit” day this Easter will help curb the abandoned rabbits in their area.

Garden Grove Rescue - CBS News Covered the Bunny Bunch rescue of the Garden Grove rabbits (video links below). The rescue is already at 300 rabbits. The first video below shows several of these rabbits and many are pictured on the Bunny Bunch website link above. If anyone would like to adopt a rabbit from this group, please call 909-591-7200 or email caroline@bunnybunch.org. Videos from news coverage: Garden Grove Bunnies – Bunny Bunch, Bunnies Overrun School and Bunnies Invade Garden Grove

Kids Can Hopalong to this website for cutout and drawing fun with a rabbit theme. Children's author and Illustrator, Jerri Landers has also published a book, Hopalong Jack & the Blue Bunnies. You can visit the book’s link to see a sample of her whimsical and wonderful paintings.

Rabbits near Lake Shinjiko in Japan

Coming and going

April 4, 2007 - 9:30 p.m. - Hare’s Good News – The CBC News in New Brunswick, Canada reports that local pets stores in Saint John are finding "the supply of rabbits is down this spring, and even with Easter approaching demand is low.” Village Pets in Saint John reports rabbit breeders aren’t calling this year. Another pet store, the Pet Corral, is experiencing the same trend and has received only a handful of requests for rabbits over the past year. As one pet store owner put it: "Once people find out what kind of care they need, it might be more than what they bargained for." Contact: heather@monctonspca.org

Wrascally Reasons for Wi-fi – Anyone who has had a rabbit chew up a mouse cord will appreciate Austrailian comedian Kent Valentine's comments on the advantages of wifi in TheAge.com He says: "Ahh, the joys of wireless. Sure it may be a little problematic on the road, but in the safety of your own flat/house/hovel/warren, where everything is within chewing distance of a black rabbit, it's a wire-free, download heaven.”

Hopping into Action in North Carolina - Star News Online in southeastern South Carolina featured Paula Watkins who is an educator with the House Rabbit Society. Like a lot of rabbit rescuers “she dreads Easter time . . . when thousands of live baby bunnies go on sale in stores around the country.” The article explained how Paula takes in rabbits left with animal shelters and finds good homes for them. She is the only House Rabbit Society volunteer in eastern North Carolina. See her website at Cape Fear House Rabbit Society. Pictured above is Garrett, a four and a half pound Dutch bunny who is looking for a home. He had a rough beginning since he spent the first part of his life in an outdoor hutch with very little attention. Then Garrett was turned loose outside. He is in a foster home now, but would love to have a permanent family! Go to the website above for more information.

April 3, 2007 - 9:00 p.m. - The Rabbit Advocates of Portland, Oregon have a great campaign for the Easter season. Click on the photo on the right to see the entire campaign poster from their website. Also, the public is invited to attend an Outreach Easter Sunday the Oregon Humane Society on April 7th & 8th from 12:00 - 4:00 pm. See link for more information: Easter at OHS. Plus, join the Rabbit Advocates on Easter Sunday to learn how to care for rabbit pets - click on photo for information.

Clicker Flickers - If you want a reason to smile, see Super Bunnies video at YouTube. The video shows a wonderful menagerie of rabbits hopping an obstacle course. (Thanks to Lisa for sending the link.) At the end of the 3 1/2 minute video viewers can read a brief story about each rabbit on the video. B.U.N.S. (Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter) of Santa Barbara offer clicker training workshops from time to time. The beautiful young male lop, Kuniky, pictured above snuggles up for pets and is available for adoption though BUNS. He is neutered and uses his litter box. Contact buns@silcom.com for more information.

Movie Bunnification – Julie (bunny mom to Tyrone the rabbit) reminded me to revisit the 30 Second Bunny Theater. The creators of these funny bunnies are going to release a rendition of Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 2 very soon. Upcoming titles for the rest of the year include: March of the Penguins, Die Hard, Spiderman 3 and lots more. If you haven’t seen the bunny movie parodies, visit at the link above. They are “hare”larious!

April 2, 2007 - 9:30 p.m. -"Bunny Buyer Beware” – The Kitsap Sun published a terrific article on Rabbit Haven, a rabbit rescue facility in Gig Harbor, WA with more than 200 bunnies in residence right now. The feature article explained the pitfalls of impulse bunny purchases, the importance of Make Mine Chocolate and the dedication of many volunteers at Rabbit Haven. Sue Brennan “has made it her life’s work to take in abandoned or unwanted rabbits, house and feed them and try to find them new families. Over the past four years, the problem of unwanted and abandoned rabbits has grown. The need for a more permanent structure to house these bunnies led Brennan to build a barn on her 11 1/2 acres in order to keep up with the demand." See Sue and the rabbits at this link for a slide show of Rabbit Haven: If you live in Washington, there is also a need for more volunteers and donations - visit their link above for more information. Photo credit: Carolyn J. Yaschur

University Bunnies - A curious rabbit examines the camera pointed in his direction on the University of Victoria grounds yesterday. Times Colonist Photographer John McKay captured this nosey shot. According to the Victoria, BC Times Colonist the SPCA is warning parents to avoid buying a rabbit this Easter. The University and Victoria General Hospital are favorite dumping grounds for post Easter Bunnies. The university implored “Please don’t abandon any unwanted bunnies on campus where they are already a problem...a pet rabbit does not live a happy life up here.” They cited several animal that also live on or near campus as common predators of rabbits. These curious rabbits are obviously very tame.

Real Life Watership Down – four baby bunnies narrowly escaped their demise when a huge digger destroyed their warren in Berkshire, UK. The mother was away from her nest when the huge truck created havoc while digging up large stones for roadwork. The driver spotted the babies who were only a few days old in the rubble and rescued them. He fed them and then took them to an animal haven in nearby in Wiltshire where they are being rehabilitated. All are thriving now.

Bunny Bits: Online story for Children at Adventurous Bunny & Easter Island

Bean Bag Bunnies bunnies and characters from Wallace & Gromit

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