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Bunny Blog Archives

June/July 2006

 

July 30th - 8:30 p.m. - "Bunny Doesn't Match the Furniture" - It's that time of year when people abandon "Easter" rabbits at shelters or worse, outdoors.  I read an article in Newsday this past week about the "lame excuses" people use to give up their animals. I know there are perfectly legitimate reasons, but the article highlights a few of the stranger reasons.  It's not just rabbits that are "given up" for something like not matching the decor. A few examples from the article are:

 "An Akita was surrendered because the family decided to do away with their current 'Japanese landscaping' and go with a southwestern theme."
"My fetus," the mother-to-be proclaimed, "is allergic to the dog."

"He doesn't photograph well in our family portrait."

Or the one I heard once while volunteering at a shelter: "The rabbit hops too much."  That is a little like saying "the dog barks or the cat meows" which were also mentioned in the article.  

The art above is "Bunny Dressing" by Michael Sowa who is one of my favorite artists.

 

VW Introduces the Rabbit car after several years hiatus with a new commercial.  It shows two vehicles, one black and one white going into a tunnel and coming out out with more cars in grey colors and then several turns later more of the cars are in a large traffic jam.  I'm not sure whether they are for breeding rabbit cars or not.  See it for yourself at:  VWRabbit is Back

Coming up with a Baby Shower Gift from a rabbit fanatic like myself isn't too difficult.  I found the Bunny Blanket Buddy online. They are 23 inches long and feature a soft fuzzy bunny head and arms, a soft fleece blanket bottom. Baby's name and/or birth date can be embroidered above the binding near the bottom of the blanket. $20.00 Each, embroidery included. You can get online at the link above.

 

 

"Hop at this chance to get a pet rabbit" was the headline in several California Bay Area newspapers this past weekend. They featured Clarence in the article photo by staff photographer Jeff Birnbaum.  Clarence is a nine month old rabbit at the Oakland Animal Shelter. The Oakland Animal Shelter is looking for people to adopt rabbits especially this time of year.  They have twice the number of rabbits than they normally do due to the "Easter" rabbits being brought to them.  Some are left in boxes outside the shelter at night. 

July 26th - 9:30 p.m. - "My Bunny is Bonkers!"  Most likely the new rabbit just hit puberty.  Here are some of my best recommendations for online articles you can refer folks to if they are new to teenage bunny behavior:

Age Related Behavior

Tools of the Trade

Rebel with Paws

Seven Common Behavior Problems

 

Relax & Help Rabbits - Lavender Fanatic has a page of aromatic lavender products with bunny themes.  They donate a portion of their sales to the House Rabbit Society.  You can do something good for rabbits and yourself! Go to their link above.

 

It Was No Picnic for Two Rabbits - Vets in Hertford, UK were upset over pet rabbits being abandoned at a local picnic site last week according to their local newspaper.  The rabbits were cared for and taken to a shelter for adoption. The rabbits had been terrified by dogs who spent an hour trying to catch them. Some dog walkers called to get help for the pet rabbits.  It seems the abandoned bunnies didn't use the many rabbit holes in the area to escape. The local vet said "there was no excuse. There are so many rescue centers to take rabbits to these days." 

 

July 23rd - 10:00 a.m. Lucky Rabbit - A rabbit who was kept in a shed just a few yards from a church in Sparta Township, Indiana was very lucky last week.  According to the Journal Press in Aurora, Indiana, "the pet was rescued by a Moores Hill-Sparta Township firefighter and an emergency medical technician. “They got the bunny out and I don’t know how it lived,” according to the fire chief. "The rabbit’s water bottle had melted due to the blaze... It was pretty well cooking when we got there,” he said. But when he called and checked the day after the fire, the bunny was fine."  Thanks again to a compassionate and capable firefighter and emergency medical Technican!

(The bunny fire chief pictured above is from Royal Doulton Bunnykins collection.)

 

Summer Heat Wave Fatal - KCCI of DES MOINES, Iowa reported that the summer heat wave was tragically fatal for several rabbits in Dallas County.  The Perry Police found 62 rabbits in the back of a pick-up truck with temperatures outside hitting 90 degrees.  Unfortunately, 22 died, but 40 did survive and are under the care of the Animal Rescue League in Iowa. The woman who left the rabbits in the truck in fatal temperatures was charged with neglect. 

See Reece who is the Adoptable Rabbit of the Week and just one of many wonderful rabbits for adoption in Iowa with the Animal Rescue League.  "Lucky" pictured above is another adorable rabbit available for adoption with the Animal Rescue League  These rabbits were not in the truck neglect rescue group.  I am sure the ARL in Iowa is actively trying to adopt out the 40 rabbits who survived the ordeal in the truck.

 

Rabbits Don't Sweat It - Ears are the rabbit's natural air conditioner.  Rabbits don't sweat like us. The large blood vessels in the ears dilate as cool air goes by them and then in turn cools down the blood and thus, cools the rest of the body.  Some people spritz their rabbits' ears with a mist of water (don't soak them) or even an ice pack or bag of frozen peas wrapped in a wet hand towel on the ears (don't freeze their ears). A big soda bottle full of frozen water with a wet cotton sock over it is cooling for a rabbit to lay next to if it gets too hot.  If heavy panting or breathing difficulty is obvious, the rabbit needs medical care by a vet.  Mr. Hops poses with his cold buddy above.  He rolls it over to the edge of his large puppy pen and then hugs up to it. (The sock already had a hole in it so it went into cold buddy use.)

 

New Mexico Newspaper Features HRS Administrator - Margo DeMello was featured in the Albuquerque Tribune online this past week.  Margo is the administrative director of the House Rabbit Society.  Margo has about the "45 rabbits taking permanent residence in her home."  Her most recent adoptees were five rabbits that had been part of Best Friends Great Bunny Rescue of 2006 in Reno, NV.  The article includes an educational sidebar with information on communicating with rabbits.  See the full text for the article with photos at: Placitas Woman Hops to Rabbits' Defense

 

Large Magic Rabbit - A Bunny Blog visitor sent me this

photo of a big bunny outside a magic store in Vienna.  By the way, this is not the correct way to lift a rabbit. See An Uplifting Experience at the House Rabbit Society website.

 

 

Permanent Solution to Feral Rabbits - There have been a flurry of articles on the feral rabbits in British Columbia I blogged about earlier in the week. The Langley Times in British Columbia article demonstrates that the Richmond Councilor is thinking ahead on the "problem of pet rabbits being released and breeding in the wild ...."  The Councilor said “The whole Lower Mainland is going to have to look at what we allow to be sold in pet stores."  He added, “If rabbits are sold in pet stores they should be spayed or neutered.”  It is not going to solve Richmond's current feral rabbit problem, but it is a start toward prevention in the future.

 

July 16th - 10:00 a.m. - Time to Paws & Say Thanks! to the "bunderful" people at Panasonic.  A couple of months ago Panasonic launched their Oxyride battery with a "Neuter Your Bunny Campaign."  It made Time magazine and all of the major media.  Plus, Panasonic gave a large donation to the House Rabbit Society.  See the info on the campaign http://www.neuteryourbunny.com/  We all need to write Panasonic to let them know we appreciate their effort!  They may be selling more oxyride batteries (which are great for digital cameras), but also the importance of neutering and spaying rabbits became front page news!  Write them today on their Panasonic Contact Page

 

Walk on the Wild Side - Because I have rabbits, it must mean I am an expert on cottontails, right?  Not really.  They are only cousins to domesticated rabbits with a different social structure, diseases, etc.  If your friends or neighbors ask you about a wild baby bunny found in their yard, here are the best resources for them: One is the Wildlife Rehabilitator  online directory with rehabbers in every state.  Also, the House Rabbit Society has one of the best web pages on caring for an orphaned wild rabbit: HRS Orphaned Rabbits

 

Rare Find - A rare copy of Beatrix Potter's first illustrated book, A Happy Pair, with pictures of her own pet rabbit, Benjamin Bouncer, fetched £18, 000 at Sotheby's. It was published in 1890.

 

Rabbit lover, writer, actress and comedian Amy Sedaris lives in New York, sells cupcakes out of her apartment and has a house rabbit, Dusty. She also supports rabbit adoptions in her spare time.  Sedaris, just came out with a new movie, Strangers with Candy.  She plays Jerri Blank, a former junkie, prostitute and convict who returns home at 46 to drop back into high school.  It sounds wacky and hilarious.  Anyone who has a house rabbit must have a sense of humor.  Sedaris has a built-in rabbit habitat with two levels just for Dusty in her New York apartment.

 

Bunny Whiz -  Someone who has had her bunny for 4 years saw red urine for the first time and wrote me an email in a panic.  Turns out her bunny sitter was feeding her rabbit a lot of carrots while she was on vacation.  Red urine in rabbits can be caused by many different things from antibiotics, dehydration, and eating veggies containing beta carotene like carrots. By the way, once the carrots were cut back in the rabbit's diet, his urine turned back to its normal color. My rabbits who have identical diets all have different colored urine from dark red to orange to yellow. Two of the best articles I have seen online are: Blood or Plant Pigment and Red Urine in Rabbits  (The Red Rabbit label above is an antique citrus grower label.  Funny!  Rabbits don't eat oranges, limes, etc.)

 

July 12th - 9:30 p.m. - Best Friends Great Bunny Rescue of 2006 Update - According to their website (on July 4th) stats for this rescue “1424 spay/neuter operations with 42 left to go. 110 rabbits have left the rescue ranch [in Reno, NV] for new homes. There are now less than 1300 rabbits looking to adopt a companion or companion family!”  The neuter/spays are an amazing accomplishment so far!  Now the adoptions are next.  Go to the link above for more information.  Also, they have kept a touching web log of happenings during the rescue operation.  I especially enjoyed the story about a rabbit, Starlight, (shown above) who became a comfort to baby bunnies.  Also, the story called Vet Tech Brings Rabbit Back to Life is just one example of the volunteers’ dedication. 

Exercising Your Buns - Leith Petwerks BunFun Newsletter The makers of the Bunny Abode Condos put out their newsletter this week and it contained a link to a website that was pretty amusing.  Who needs cat calisthenics when you can watch a flash site of Bunny Yoga. Go to the link above to subscribe to their newsletter.

Feral Rabbit Explosion - According to the CBC News a “ Richmond city councilor says farmers in his community south of Vancouver should be allowed to shoot thousands of rabbits eating their way through fields and destroying crops.”  He goes on to say “there is no season for these rabbits because they are domestic bunnies, which "don't do much else except eat and sometimes bite."  The feral domesticated rabbit population has exploded from 1,000 last year to about 5,000 as reported by the CBC.  I am amazed that no one seemed to do the math before it got to 5,000 unaltered feral pet rabbits.

FlirtBunnies from the Making Toys Blog on typepad - it is all about makers of electronic toys.  This entry shows the process of making these flirtatious rabbit ears.  I'm not sure this experiment in flirty rabbit ears will catch on.

A Vision of Bunny Beauty - Supermodel Gisele poses with an equally beautiful white bunny to launch an advertising campaign for Vogue sunglasses.  The campaign touts "Gisele plays with Vogue."  I think the ad should read "Rabbits are in vogue as pets, adopt one today!  Purchase sunglasses separately." However, Vogue did show off the pet rabbit no matter what the ad says and that's great.

 

July 9th - 8:00 p.m. Colby The Rabbit Saves Family -  According to WOOD-TV, MI, "A Marquette County woman says her pet rabbit saved her family in a house fire."  The rabbit, Colby," alerted the family to the fire with erratic behavior and woke them up!  By the time the firefighters arrived the family had put out the fire.  No one was hurt and there was only minor damage to the home.  I think Colby and his family are very lucky.  Somebody get that rabbit a treat!

 

Just Say Hay - another source for a variety of hays online is Sweet Meadow Farms who carry timothy, alfalfa, oat and grass hays. The photo below shows hay baling on their farm. As important as hay is to a rabbit's digestive system and health, it's nice to know more farmers are growing and marketing their hays directly to pet owners.

If you live in the Seattle area, Cedarwind Farms has several types of hay available by the bale at their location near Interstate 90 and Hwy 18.  Call ahead at 425-888-4961.  Get your rabbit friends together and share a bale! My sister and I share a bale with our vet and we bring it home in plastic garbage bags in the car! 

If you have a source for hay in your local area, email it to me and I will start a web page on suppliers of hay.

 

Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary has Volunteer Orientations at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays. For details, e-mail rabbitbloom@yahoo.com They also have abused, neglected and abandoned rabbits are available for adoption from a sanctuary in Whitaker.  Take a look at Ivana who needs a forever home.  She was found neglected in a garage and is very friendly despite her previous circumstances.  What a striking Californian rabbit! 

 

Bunny Tune-Up Class in Colorado - NW Colorado House Rabbit Society Manager, Sandy Roberts, will be giving a free bunny tune-up class in Grand Junction in mid-September. For further info you can contact 970-245-3960 (leave message).

 

Sand Castle Rabbit - Now that's what I call a beach bunny!  A blog visitor emailed this photo to me to show what can be done with sand, water and a lot of  imagination.  So at your next sand castle competition this summer, try a making a beach bunny!
 

 

July 5th - 8:00 p.m. Too Much Bunny Love - In Gary Bogue’s column in the Contra Costa Times this past week, he answered a letter from a woman who said “Flopsy follows me everywhere …The problem is Flopsy is much too in love with my arms and legs.”  It seems Flopsy is chasing and circling her plus biting or nipping at her arms and legs. The reply recommended neutering Flopsy and I definitely  agree!  Mr. Hops would dance and circle my sister and myself before he was neutered.  His nipping became bites. Some rabbits even make a honking sound to show their enthusiasm. All that circling and nipping is courting behavior. I have heard from people who enjoy the attention so much they are afraid the rabbit will stop the circling after being altered.  That’s not a reason to hold off on neutering!  In fact, Mr. Hops will still circle in elaborate figure eights especially when it is time for his treat. He's in love with food now.

 

Bunny Whiskers - I received an email today from a young woman who had trimmed her rabbit’s whiskers.  Afterwards she thought she had perhaps hurt her rabbit.  Okay, that’s going a little overboard on the grooming.  Whiskers don’t need to be trimmed.  They fall out and re-grow on their own naturally.  Whiskers grow on the mouth area, nose, over the eyes and on the cheeks.  They are as long as the body is wide.  The sensory nerves on the end of each whisker can detect the width of passages in the dark and help with orientation.  (Helpful in underground warrens!)  Luckily, rabbits aren’t like squirrels who can’t maintain their balance without their whiskers. Rabbits are graceful even if they loose a few whiskers or have them trimmed by mistake.

 

Rabbit Photo Essay on BlogSpot Patricia sent me a link to her photo blog today. I wanted to share it because the pictures are fantastic and the models are pretty adorable.  (See pic on the right).  Go to the link above.  As blogging becomes more and more popular including photo blogs, I hope we see more talented photographers like Patricia sharing their rabbit images on the web.

 

Bessie Bunny's Bed & Breakfast "Bunny Sitting for Your Special Rabbit Companion" The folks in San Diego are very lucky because there is a bunny sitting service there - see link above.  That is Bessie on the left doing a little gardening.  The website is not only about the bunny sitting services, but also there are several photos of the B&B rabbits as well.  Bessie's human B&B helpers are members of the San Diego House Rabbit Society. 

If you are reading this Bunny Blog you aren't alone. Hopperhome receives web stats every week from WebTrends. The entire Hopperhome website now receives over 1,500 visitors a day (half are new visitors and the Bunny Blog receives a big share) and up to 1 1/2 million hits a month.  Visitors are staying for about 6 minutes per visit - that's considered a long time on the internet. Nice to have all of you here! 
 

July 2nd - 10:00 p.m. - Hoppy Fourth of July - Remember to keep your rabbits away from the loud noises and as calm as possible!  I cover my big rabbit pens until the commotion is over.  Plus, in some places in the country it will be hot so get out the "cold buddies" (not beer).  It's a liter soda bottle filled with water, frozen and then covered with a wet cotton sock.  Rabbits will snuggle next to it to keep cool.  The Bunny Blog visitor who sent me the photo above didn't give me a name, but the rabbit is adorable and the flag offers a little shade.

 

Bunny Bloggers - I featured the Bunny Blab Blog as the Link of the week.  Also, visit The Heartland Bunny Blog This blog is created by the people at the Heartland Rabbit Rescue in Blanchard, OK.  It gives you a glimpse of life with bunnies.

 

Neon Rabbit - This 20 inch long blue neon rabbit is available at www.neonstreet.com for $190.00. That can buy a lot of rabbit food, but it is pretty!

Or if you are in the mood for something really whimsical, see the handmade glass jars from Denmark.  Click on the photo to get a larger view.  The Bunny Blog visitor who sent me the photo didn't have a source.  Sorry!

 

Rabbit Torturer Convicted in Sydney, Australia - This case was hard to read over the last few months as it was reported in the news from Australia.  A financier from Sydney used a company credit card to buy rabbits and a guinea pig to torture and mutilate them.  Fortunately, he will be jailed for a year and it was the right message  "to all the community that animal cruelty is not to be tolerated within NSW ... and no excuse will be accepted." (reported from the Sydney newspaper) The man had offered drug use as his defense. 

Searching for news on pet rabbits on the internet can sometimes be very disturbing and I read many headlines of animal abuse while searching for stories for the Bunny Blog. Many times I just pass them over or the Bunny Blog would be more like a Bunny Slog... slogging through all the stores of mayhem and abuse against bunnies.  At least this one had consequences for a man who committed crimes against these helpless creatures.
 

Bunny Bounce Game New game on www.comcast.net.  As they say, "the bunnies are gathering at Bunny Bounce Valley for their annual reunion - and you're invited! Bounce the bunnies into matching groups of three or more and they'll hop away happy. Race against the clock or take your time in three game modes."  I downloaded the free sample and it was very cute.  Now, who brought the carrot cake?

 

 

June 28th, 9:30 p.m. - Knee Surgery for a Rabbit - I want to share part of an email I received this week about a rabbit named Rain who had knee surgery and is now fully recovered.

Kelly adopted a rabbit from a shelter where she had worked and one day found the bunny couldn’t hop during a play session.  So Kelly took Rain to an emergency veterinary hospital. As Kelly, tells it, “after some x-rays, and some looking at, they declared a soft tissue injury. However, three weeks and bunny rest later, the limp was still there. After a consult with an orthopedist, we found his knee cap had slipped out of place!”  Rain would need surgery.  Rain rabbit became “depressed and shy.” Kelly decided she couldn’t “let him limp and be sad at age 2…” Rain “finally went under the knife, got his lil knee wired into place, and had a month of meds, strict cage rest, and love. Now, months later, he's a new bun :)”  It came at a pretty big price tag for Kelly, but she gave Rain back his good life. If anyone else has had experience with rabbit knee surgery, email me and I will put you in contact with Kelly.

 

Online Disabled Rabbit Group Amy from Cats & Rabbits & More in San Diego wrote me about an online group for people with disabled rabbits. Amy started the group when her own rabbit, Bijou, became disabled.  Now there are over 250 people on the list.  Anyone who has a disabled rabbit or a geriatric rabbit should join to share knowledge and help others.  Go to this link to join the group:

Disabled Rabbit Group at Yahoo  Also, see Hopperhome's web page on Disabled Rabbits  By the way, that is Electra above featured on Cats & Rabbits & More's website as bunny of the week.  This sweet bunny has been at the shelter for a long time and would love to finally have a forever home. For more information about Electra or their other rabbits , please contact hrs@sandiegorabbits.org

 
North Georgia House Rabbit Society Seeking Volunteers for Summer - They need help cleaning at their main Foster Center in Conyers.  If you can help out on any of these days, please email:  northgeorgiahrs@yahoo.com  - Saturday - July 1, Sunday - July 9, Sunday - July 16, Saturday - July 22, or Saturday - July 29  Volunteers arrive around noon and it takes two to three hours to clean out all of the cages.   Hard work, but well worth it!  The photo above is the North Georgia HRS rabbit of the month, Bouncer and what a beautiful boy with those Harlequin markings.  He spent several months in a small cage and then was almost euthanized.  He is litter box trained and very curious.  If you live in northern Georgia email sjbeard@aol.com for more information.

Mona Lapin - With all the photos of the Mona Lisa circulating because of the movie The Da Vinci Code, I thought it would be fun to including this rabbit-Mona by Sylvia Long (1993) that appears in a greeting card published by Peaceable Kingdom Press of Berkeley California.  She seems to capture the serene dignity of a rabbit doe. Now that is art!  Click on the photo for larger view.

 

June 25th - 3:30 p.m. - Blog Back On - It was harey to come back from a long weekend and find the internet provider not providing. Hoppy to be back!

 

Summer Homes for Teacher's Pets - What happens to all those rabbits kept in classrooms when summer vacation comes around?  This was addressed in an article in the Baltimore Sun last week about a bunny named Molly who didn't automatically find a home for the summer at first.  One of the first emails I received on Hopperhome was from a teacher who "inherited" the classroom rabbit.  She didn't want to take responsibility for the bunny after school was out and no one thought to make arrangements ahead of time.  She wanted me to solve the "problem" for her. Fortunately, her animal loving friend took the rabbit home permanently.  I don't recommend any animal spend the school year in a classroom.  With allergies and other issues for the kids, it doesn't work for the animals or the children.  Three informative articles online include: What are They Really Teaching Kids?  Rabbits in the Classroom and Classroom Rabbits 

Class Project Multiplies - BCN South San Francisco reported this:  "80 Rabbits Removed From South SF Home."  Apparently, a South San Francisco man who obtained two rabbits about two years ago for his son's school project didn't know what to do when the rabbits kept multiplying so he just tried to take care of them."  No cruelty charges were filed. The owner "didn't know the animals could be spayed or neutered." The bunnies will be put up for adoption.  See some of the bunnies at www.phs-spca.org.  That's Cherie pictured above (who may not be from this specific herd)  She is one of many rabbits The Peninsula Humane Society & Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have for adoption on their website. 

Feral Rabbit Round-up - The Seattle Times reported that the feral rabbits located in a large city park in Seattle will be relocated by their parks department in the fall.  The first attempt was halted due to housing the rabbits temporarily in a facility also used by the DEA for drug bust drills "creating too much stress on the rabbits."  So the Parks Department decided to wait because of "warm spring weather.  It's best to capture rabbits in colder months when they mate less."  Somehow I think they missed the point.  In my opinion, leaving rabbits on the loose for even one more day is highly detrimental to rabbits who get parasites and succumb to all types of predators.  And, they breed and keep on breeding until they are rounded up.  See my page on Feral Rabbit Colonies 

 

Belize Bunny -  This rabbit incident mentioned in the Deseret Morning News caught my eye.  The travel writer was staying in a Belize oceanfront cabana when this happened:  "We dared not mention Zoey, the pet rabbit who decided to stake his territory one morning by peeing on my yoga mat. (I had been unaware of Zoey's approach, lost in the serenity of yoga while watching a pelican dive for his breakfast.)" Sounds like Zoey has a posh life among the tourists at the resort and has staked out her Beach Bunny territory! 

By the way, if you have toddlers, they will love this small brightly illustrated book pictured above. By looking through the holes and turning the pages they can help bunny and her friends build a sandcastle.  Amazon has it for under $5.00.

 

June 13th - 8:30 p.m. - Walk on the Wild Side - I don’t take my rabbits out for walks on a leash, but I have used one when traveling with a rabbit. Accidents happen too easily and when a predator who appears from seemingly nowhere it can terrify a rabbit. New sounds or the sight of a predator could make the rabbit bolt. This is why a neck leash should never be used. (It is nothing like walking a dog.) When I put the harness on Mr. Hops to get him used to it indoors, he chewed it to bits and left it on the carpet. It depends upon the rabbit and starting when the rabbit is younger makes training much easier. Some rabbits are very good on a leash. See this article at eHow Choosing a Leash for Your Rabbit for some tips. PetSmart carries the Comfort Harness from Super Pets pictured above at their online store. (Price is $6.49)

 

Lop on the Lam Rescued by Cops - Police officers in North Aurora, IL “are hoping that someone will be able to identify a suspect they picked up” according the North Aurora News online. “Obviously, we find a lot of dogs, some cats, but usually not a rabbit.” Apparently, the “rabbit didn’t resist apprehension…which led officers to believe the animal was raised in a home.” The article noted that Officers said “It seems well-behaved and well-groomed, so we figure it must have got out of a cage somewhere.”
This time of year so many rabbits are starting to be released outdoors since they are no longer wanted from Easter. Most of these rabbits found outdoors are not "escapees." I’m sure this sweet lop would love a new home if his owners don’t claim him. If you are interested and live near North Aurora in Illinois contact Police at 630-897-9705.
 

June 11th - 2:00 p.m.  - LA Hops to it - CBS KCAL in Los Angeles reported that the "city leaders want to curtail rabbits and are raising the adoption fees from $15 to $50 at the city's six shelters."  This fee will include mandatory neutering and spaying.  They are hoping it will reduce the number of rabbits euthanized, returned to their shelters or dumped in the city.  The city's new Animal Services Director, Ed Boks, wants to implement a "no-kill" policy within five years at the city's shelters.  The bunny pictured above is Titus who is just one example of many wonderful rabbits available from Bunny Luv, a rabbit rescue group in the Los Angeles area.  Contact: bunnyluv@bunnyluv.org

 

Bunny Cam in Brooklyn - if you haven't visited Brooklyn Bunny, then visit their website after you finish reading the Bunny Blog.  Kevin Dresser and his partner Katie Johnson of Dresser Johnson Design have a very well designed (and fun) website with a webcam of their rabbit, Roebling.  Kevin was recently interviewed at "The Gothamist" online about Brooklyn Bunny and Roebling. The white Dwarf Hotot, Roebling is their pet  bunnycam star.  I love it that this couple in Brooklyn spoils their rabbit and Roebling's bunny space is well designed, too.  Check it out by clicking on their logo above.  I think Kevin is right ... the Brooklyn Bridge does look like bunny ears.

 

Rabbit Transit -  You may know by now that Volkswagen plans to reintroduce their bunny, the VW Rabbit, in 2007.  But did you know there is such a thing as "Rabbit Transit."  The York Dispatch in York, PA reported that a new service plans to be just a hop away for commuters.  They have unveiled their website and have a new bus route with the rabbit express logo on the side of the buses. 

 

June 9th - "Wining" About Rabbits - A couple of weeks ago my sister Bonnie and I went to a wine tasting event in Woodinville, WA.  We walked into the tasting room and the first thing we heard out of the tasting room server was "this merlot pairs well with RABBIT ...."  I didn't hear much after that.  After she finished pouring and the others walked away, I took our server aside to explain that "pairing a merlot with a rabbit" is offensive to a pet rabbit fan.  I told her rabbits are a popular pet and hearing this would be the same as hearing "cabernet goes well with cat" to a cat owner or a "pinot noir pairs well with poodles."  I don't hesitate to speak up on this subject anymore.  It is just one more opportunity to tell people about how wonderful rabbits are as pets.  The rabbit pictured above is "Miss Sage," my sister's 6 year old Netherland Dwarf who loves salad and is never going to be served with one!

Soccer Rabbit Rooney suffered a broken paw and according to the BBC online news, "Rooney's owners - who happen to be soccer fans - think he may have broken his paw during a game of football [soccer in the US] with his pal Buttons" the bunny. Rooney is getting vet care and making a good recovery.  Apparently, Rooney runs in his garden with his friend Buttons and pushes around a soccer ball.  It seems the lop got too rowdy and was injured. Rooney's plans for the World Cup of Lagomorphs are over this season. The BBC reported Rooney's owners said "He's really missing his daily game of football and he's fed up of sitting on the side-line watching Buttons dribbling the ball past his hutch!"

June 6th - 8:00 p.m. - Panasonic Presents Donation to HRS in the Big Apple - Neuter Your Bunny Day will be held on Wednesday, June 14th in New York City (See May 29th Bunny Blog) Some lucky lagomorphs will be neutered free courtesy of Panasonic. This event is part of their Oxyride batteries campaign which promotes the Neuter Your Bunny effort. Panasonic is also going to present their donation of $10,000 to the House Rabbit Society in support of the cause.   Juliette (English Spot)  pictured above is a pretty ambassador of the Big Apple.  She is available for adoption with the New York City House Rabbit Society.

Love of Buns Event will be held at the Berkshire Humane Society  on Saturday June 10th from 11am until 3pm at their shelter in Pittsfield, MA. They are doing this in conjunction with 3 Bunnies Rabbit Rescue.  Educational speakers such as Pam Hood manager of Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue in Foster, RI will be there as well and will speak at 1:30 p.m.
 

Nabaztag, (that's Armenian for rabbit) is a cute plastic rabbit with amazing wifi powers and it's all the rage for some techies.  After all, 50,000 of these gadget bunnies have been sold in Europe.  (If we could only adopt out that many live rabbit pets in a year!) An article in Ohmynews International says this about Nabaztag's fans:  "A survey on the Nabaztag French blog profiles users and their motives for adopting a wi-fi rabbit.... what hooked her to her tech-pet: 'Nabaztag makes me feel superior. I am the only one who understands what my rabbit is telling me.'  I think a real rabbit could do this, too.   

June 3rd - 2:00 p.m. - Animated Bunny - Before the “Ice Age” there was Blue Sky Studios' short film "Bunny." An advanced computer rendering technique duplicated natural light in this seven-minute piece.  “When asked why a rabbit? Wedge [the creator] answered, "I was always doodling rabbits, I think because I was fascinated by the character of Uncle Wiggly and the animation in those old illustrations from the 1930's. That was definitely an influence."  Also, the lead animators researched real rabbits and stylized them.  The Bunny character is an old woman rabbit, but rabbit aficionados will recognize the subtle movements of a rabbit especially the ears!  Watch the Video on Yahoo  Blue Sky Short Film: “Bunny” Website

Sources of Rabbit Medical Advice – from the House Rabbit Society.  Yes, there is help.  The link above goes to a web page that includes a quick list of “nationally known rabbit veterinarians who will consult with another vet, such as the one who is currently treating your rabbit, for free or for a fee.”   It seems I hear from someone who can't find a veterinarian with rabbit experience in their community a few times every week.  This House Rabbit Society resource is invaluable. Getting "rabbit expert" medical advice from vet to vet has saved a couple of my rabbits so don't hesitate to tell your vet about it. 

Rabies & Rabbits - Last week I read that tests confirmed a skunk in Huron County Canada was infected with rabies.  The skunk got into an altercation with a pet rabbit and was killed by the rabbit’s owners.  The result was that all the animals on the farm that might have had contact with the skunk were quarantined and everyone living on the farm received rabies shots.
Rabies is rarely reported in rabbits. However, there have been cases like the one above and of domesticated rabbits infected with a raccoon strain of rabies virus. The NYC Dept. of Health reported this in 2001 when 3 domesticated rabbits were infected.  The rabbits were caged outdoors and were apparently bit through the cage wiring." The raccoon strain of rabies virus occurs on the US Eastern Seaboard from Maine to Florida.  Fortunately, for pet rabbit owners, especially those with house rabbits, it would be unlikely contact with raccoons or skunks would ever occur.  In the United States human rabies cases have been associated with bats recently.  If a bat is found in a home, it should be safely collected and tested for rabies. Dogs, cats, and ferrets can be vaccinated against rabies. See  Rabies Information or Rabies & Animals

Rabelope?  Everyone who has driven through through small western towns has seen the rabbit with deer antlers on postcards.  The Jackalope originated in Douglas, Wyoming as a taxidermy hoax.  Now software like Adobe Photoshop seems to have brought out new and unusual combinations like the antelope and snowshoe hare shown on the right.  For a larger version of the photo just click on the picture.