Tis The Season to be Careful!!!

Just like Halloween...Christmas and all its glitter and sparkle can be hazardous to your buns health...
More cords.
Poinsettias 
Package wrappings, and tinsil
Artificial trees

Use baby gates to protect the tree...to protect your bun.

The good news is that NATURAL Christmas trees are safe -- But be sure to ask before you buy a tree; a "natural" looking tree may still have been treated with pesticides, fire retardent, even paint! (Yes, some lots will spray their trees with a paint! So much for natural... )

Natural pinecones are safe as well; again, many sources of pinecones, however, will not be natural, if if they look it! Pinecones purchased at craft stores will usually be coated with a scent, some type of sealant, or other chemical process which makes them unsafe for bunny consumption.
We have pinecones in the backyard!! Free treats!!

Halloween Safety Tips for You and You Bun!!

You smart rabbit owners have probably already thought about all these things...
But a good reminder never hurts...right?

For a frightened furry friend is no fun.

Tip #1-Think about the noises created by the celebration of Halloween. Doorbells and squeals, hooting and hollering.  There are all sorts of crazy sound effects, both inside and outside your home.  Those furry ears will pick up all of it.  Keep your bun away from the door and in a quiet room.  You know he'll thank you for it later.

Tip #2- Did you know that your bun recognizes your shape before anything else. Your shape and your smell. Costumes are going to wig him out! If your costume changes your shape..like a boxy robot...and you talk with a new accent, your bun wont know who you are.  Which we can all imagine would be a scary experience for Floppy. Try putting your costume on in front of him.  That'll eliminate the surprises... Or at least lessen the uncertainty.Or better yet...put on your costume after he's gone to bed!!!

Tip#3-Candy. We know its not good for us. We are certain its even worse for rabbits. Be strong and say NO!!

Tip #4-Decorations. That cottoncandy looking spiderweb from Walmart may look appetizing...but its no good for the buns. Not on any level. Serious tummy problems are guaranteed if this stuff is ingested. Keep it out of reach!!

Tip #5-Candles. The same rules that apply to kids apply to bunnies and fire. That yummy smelling jack-0-lantern with a candle inside will be to hard to resist!! Curiosity will kill the bun and possibly set the house on fire!! Out of reach is best!

Tip#6-Pet Costumes.  Sticks in the mud dont recommend them for rabbits. But its almost impossiable to resist the tempation to use those ears and cute round body and cover them in adornments.  If you do, please remember to not use rubber bands and elastics. They will be too tight! Watch them like a hawk..for they will probably try to get it off...for they will feel silly, right!?  Dont let them get entangled.  And resist the temptation if you think this custom of dressing up will stress your little bun out or that'll heat them up too much either,  Have Peter the Rabbit dress as fast as a runway model, and then snap a few pics and then disrobe as fast as a model as well!!

Have fun Halloween fans!!
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"DO" The Worlds Oldest Rabbit

You want to know his secret!!!??

He never ate a vegetable in his live long life!!!

Interesting.

Isnt that what David Sherwood has been telling us all along!!!??

Sure we want to give the ones we love a treat...

But should we!!!?? 

Food for thought folks.

Go HERE for more about "DO" the Oldest rabbit.  

And go Here and Here to learn more about the diet Sherwood Forest Natural Rabbit Food suggests for your bun.

Beware of Overheating During Summer MonthsSummer is in full swing and we want to remind everyone that bunnies do NOT tolerate heat well. If they get overheated it can quickly become fatal. Imagine if you were wearing a fur coat in hot weather!

Please protect your bunny from becoming overheated by keeping them indoors and making sure the temperature does not exceed 78 degrees. Any time the air temperature gets to 80 or above, it quickly becomes dangerous, not to mention very uncomfortable. Another way to help keep your bunny cool is to provide a couple 12" x 12" squares of marble, granite or even just ceramic tile for them to stretch out on. These can be purchased for a couple to a few dollars each from a home improvement store. You can also fill a plastic water or soda bottle with water and freeze it, then put it on a mat or towel in their living area for them to stretch out next to if they are feeling too warm. Fans are good for circulating the air, but don't set them so they are blowing directly on your bunnies.And of course, never leave your bunny unattended in a vehicle even if you think you might be 'just a minute or two' with a quick stop at a store. It only takes a couple minutes for the inside air temperature of a vehicle to soar well beyond what bunnies can tolerate. 

Here is a link to an informative article by the House Rabbit Society .
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art by Erin Kravchenko

Patience  

Chocolate Easter bunny  

In a jelly bean nest,  

I'm saving you for very last  

Because I love you best.  

I'll only take a nibble  

From the tip of your ear  

And one bite from the other side  

So that you won't look queer.  

Yum, your'e so delicious!  

I didn't mean to eat  

Your chocolate tail till Tuesday.  

Ooops! There go your feet!  

I wonder how your back tastes  

With all that chocolate hair.  

I never thought your tummy  

Was only filled with air!  

Chocolate Easter bunny  

In a jelly bean nest,  

I'm saving you for very last  

Because I love you best.  

                                 Bobbie Katz

Rabbits love to play!!
You know its true!!
They run, they jump, they flip and play hide and seek.  They even toss things in the air.
And just like human kids, they love a good toy. A good toy helps them from getting bored. "MOM!!!...There's nothing to dooooooo...." (add a whining sound for realism)
And now you have a choice. You can go out and buy toys for your bun...or...unlike most children, rabbits appreciate homemade toys too.
Bunny toys should reflect  their natural behaviors, such as digging and tossing, tunneling and chewing.
 Here are a few fun, easy suggestions for you to try-

* Cardboard boxes or purchased cardboard castles made for rabbits with openings and ramps
* Large cardboard tubes made for rabbits or find form tubes (used for concrete) at a building supply just make sure they aren’t treated with any chemicals before purchase.
*Wood Bird toys – mobiles are okay especially the wood type and check at all materials in the construction of it.
* Large rubber or plastic balls for pushing. Stay away from foam or styrofoam materials that can cause choking or blockages.
*Baby rattles for throwing – be sure the plastic is strong enough to resist bunny teeth.
*Big Plastic Slinky – I like them, too . . . what is it about a slinky, anyway?
* Small stuffed animals with no removable chewable parts or hard eyes – more for snuggling than playing. If you have a single rabbit, they might enjoy a snuggle toy.
*Baked and cleaned pinecones for tossing.  Don't go for exotic "pinecones" that aren't your basic evergreen pinecone.
* Small cotton rag rug for arranging and tunneling inside. Make sure bunny won't eat it.
* Old phonebooks, although, these are becoming harder to find, rabbits love digging in them and chewing. *Core cardboard rolls from paper towels or toilet paper rolls – get the ones with the least amount of glue on the cardboard!
* Untreated willow baskets – without paint or varnish or other chemicals.
*Big plain paper bags from the grocery store for chewing and exploring

Does your bunny have favorite toys?
Please tell us about them!!

A Happy Bunny Makes for a Happy Home!!

art by:  Leontine Greenberg

You Positively GLOW!!

Pregnant rabbits require food with a more energy than normal pet food to be able to support their growing baby bunnies. This is especially important during the last two weeks of pregnancy. The type of food should be different than one that is made for pet rabbits. Most commercial rabbit feeds will work fine as a pregnant rabbit food but some brands are far better than others.

 After your rabbit gives birth to a new litter of baby bunnies it is best to switch her to a high-fat rabbit food. This is important to stimulate the milk production needed to support the health of growing bunnies (Fortun-Lamothe L. 1997). Research shows that you'll see major improvements in the health of growing baby bunnies and improved feed efficiency when using a high-fat rabbit food.

 Most commercial rabbit feeds have very little fat. Additionally, those that claim to have added fat for "show rabbits" are simply adding a little "natural" vegetable oil. Two things are wrong with this scenario. First, these types of rabbit foods still have less than 4% fat when growing rabbits should be getting at least twice that amount! Second, vegetable oil is refined and and lacks the natural vitamins needed. Plants that use oil to store energy in seeds also package vitamin E with it. Feeds that use cheep refined soybean oil will not have the same amount of vitamin E as feeds that use whole natural oil seeds like flax, canola (rape), and others as an oil source. This is important because when adding fat to any diet you should also add vitamin E.

 Following these dietary recommendations for feeding pregnant rabbits will improve their health. If you plan on breeding more rabbits then it is also important to learn how to rear Does before they become pregnant. The information found in the website below is guaranteed to improve your success and reduce the culling rates of nursing and pregnant rabbits and the mortality rates of their growing bunnies. It also details what you should feed your rabbits months before breeding them and how to find the best kind of pregnant rabbit food.


 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5479160

Where's The Litter Box?!

Rabbits need the right types and sizes of fiber in their food!

 You may already know that rabbits need a high fiber diet to prevent digestive problems, but did you know that they need the right types of fiber and, for optimal health, that they need them to be in certain sizes and ratios in their food? If they don't have the right types and sizes of fiber it could slow their digestion, cause diarrhea, stunt their growth, and reduce feed efficiency.

 How can you tell if your rabbit food has the right kind of fiber in the right sizes?

 Rabbits need two basic types of fiber: Indigestible, and digestible. The indigestible types need to be larger in size (approximately 1.7mm or larger) than the digestible types of fiber.

 This is because, at the end of the digestive tract, rabbits sort the unabsorbed portion of their food based on size. The smaller particles are channeled into the ceacum to be fermented by bacteria. If the ceacum contains mostly digestible fiber then good bacteria will ferment it to produce nutrients and vitamins for the rabbit. If the ceacum contains indigestible fiber or high amounts of grain or protein supplements then bad bacteria will grow causing digestive troubles like bloating and diarrhea for your rabbits.

 The best way to tell if your rabbit food will cause problems is to take a pellet in your hands and break it apart. If it is composed of mostly small particles then you'll know that all of it will likely end up in the ceacum and slow digestion as already discussed. If it has large particles then take a closer look at the large particles. If they are "woody" or stringy and tough fibrous plant materials then they'll probably do their job, but check the rabbit food label. If it has a lot of grain and grain by-products, or high concentrations of protein supplements like soybean meal then beware!

 The right kind of fiber in rabbit food provides another level of assurance that your rabbits will be healthy.

For more interesting tidbits about rabbit care, go HERE!
 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5479122

WHY PELLETS?!

Feeding your rabbit pellets is important to ensure they get the vitamins and minerals needed for long term health. This is especially true for baby rabbits. Many websites recommend feeding mostly hay and only a small amount of pellets. I use to think the same way until I realized that this caused nutritional deficiencies! This occurs because most rabbit pellets are designed to provide just the right amount of the needed micronutrients as if the pellets were the only thing the rabbit ate. Supplementing rabbit pellets with hay, grain, or other feeds will alter the needed balance of these nutrients and will dilute the vitamin and minerals that are needed.

 However most rabbit pellets are formulated with too much protein and grain. This leads to bloating and causes your rabbits urine to smell like ammonia. The best rabbit food is soy free and uses very little or no grain. Adding minerals in an organic chelated form is also better than inorganic mineral salts like zinc oxide or copper sulfate. Research clearly shows that a balanced diet greatly improves the health and playfulness of your rabbit and you'll see a difference in the quality of the fur coat.

 In nature, rabbits will nibble on many different food items throughout the changing seasons. Although wild rabbits survive on this type of a diet they would greatly benefit if they could add specific vitamins and minerals to their food. Because of this it is best to feed domesticated rabbits a balanced diet of pellets. To clarify, imagine using miniature blocks to build a rabbit. Some of these are needed in large amounts while others are needed in very small amounts. The food given to a rabbit contains a mixture of these blocks and most of them need to be eaten on a daily basis. If some of the blocks were in a limited supply or if there was way too much of some of them then the health of the rabbit will suffer.

 This is why rabbit pellets that are designed for "rabbits of all ages" is likely to cause nutritional problems for "rabbits of all ages." Instead, rabbits should be fed pellets designed according to their age or life-stage. For example, baby rabbits need extra minerals like phosphorous and vitamins like choline. They also need a high energy diet that is high in fat and fiber but low in starch. Adult rabbits need less energy and protein in their diet but need specific chelated minerals to maintain long-term health.

 One other important fact you should know about rabbit pellets is that they need to be of the proper size. This is because pellets that ate too small and are made of fine ground ingredients will cause digestive problems. Pellets that are too big increase waste because the rabbit can't fit the whole thing in its mouth. The ideal pellet size is a diameter of 1/8 inch and a length of around ¼ inch. Searching for the right rabbit pellet is worth the effort!

 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7150032

What's That Noise?

People are curious..do you wonder what sounds rabbits make?
The answer is...YES!!

Here are a few sounds you can listen for and try to understand what they mean.

Tooth-purring- here we have a soft, rhythmic tooth-grinding.  You can imagine the sound.. especially if you have been the recipient of a loving scratch behind the ears.  The sound indicates pleasure and contentment.

then there's Tooth-grinding- here is a louder, crunchy like chewing ice kind of sound. This sound usually indicates pain or discomfort.

Bunnies can Honk/or Grunt as well....its one and the same.  Here is a low, bass sounding noise. It usually indicates excitement, interest, and happiness.

Then how about the Growl/bark- which is a loud, sharp noise. Watch out! This usually means your bunny is angry and or fearful. These sounds can also be accompanied with a lunging forward and "boxing" of their front arms..so beware of a possible nip.

And here's hoping you never have to experience a bunny screaming. (it'll raise the hairs on the back of your neck) Screaming happens when the bunny fears death and is experiencing great pain. Lets vow to do our best to NEVER hear this sound!!

How about the squeak/snort- a nasal sound that usually occurs when your rabbit is extremely happy;possibly when your rabbit is eating, grooming or mating.


We'll finish with the thumping- a sound that has nothing to do with  Disney's Thumper. Folks stamp their feet when frustrated or when they want attention.  When your rabbit does it, its usually a warning of danger, or another sign of frustration or anger.  He'll also do it when he's scared  or trying to scare something away.

Have you heard your bunny snoring?  You've heard the stories of rabbits snoring...especially those that like to sleep on their backs!!

Happy Deciphering!!

Resist!!

.Why Not to Buy a Baby Bunny  
Many people buy baby bunnies when in a pet store - their heart is touched by how cute and adorable this little ball of fluff is or they're concerned about the poor, crowded conditions the poor animal is living in. Whatever the reason, PLEASE do not buy baby bunnies from pet stores or street vendors. Too often children accidentally injure or kill the bunny with rough handling and/or the family hasn't educated themselves on how to care for it and many are not prepared for the 10+ year commitment to proper care, diet, housing and vet bills. The unfortunate result is the unwanted bunnies get dumped in parks and neighborhoods to fend for themselves or turned in at shelters which are overcrowded.

Key Reasons Why:
1) The bunnies are much too young to be taken from their mother and may not survive.
2) Pet store employees may be uninformed or may lie and say they know what sex the bunny is but in truth that cannot be determined until the bunny is quite a bit older.
3) They will say it is a dwarf rabbit when the animal is really just  a tiny baby bunny and it will grow and some will become quite large.
4) Bunnies sold in pet stores are too young to have been spayed or neutered yet. As the bunny grows and puberty sets in the bad behavior begins - spraying, biting, easily frightened, excessive chewing, digging, hyperactivity and so on. Spay or neuter is the solution to these problems but must be done when the bunny is old enough.
5) If you buy a rabbit that only encourages the pet store to get more rabbits from breeders to sell and make more money off these poor creatures, all while thousands of bunnies are waiting in shelters for homes, many of whom are euthanized due to overcrowding.
6) Spay and neuter surgeries can be expensive and many people don't want to spend the money. However, when you adopt from a rescue or shelter the bunnies have already been spayed or neutered.
7) An older rabbit is easier to litter box train. Baby bunnies are often messy and it takes time for a baby bun to mature and develop good litter box habits.

source

Potty Training is Simple!

Taking care of a bunny rabbit in your home is simple if you set up a few things before you bring them home. Taking care of a bunny indoors is simple if you start by keeping them in a cage or small enclosure. The purpose is to help them become familiar with the location of their food and water and let them choose a corner that they will use as a bathroom. If you keep them in this location for at least a week they will become comfortable with their living arrangement. Then, under supervision, you can let them out of their cage to roam in the same room where their cage is. They need to be able to remember how to get back to their cage so they can use their chosen corner to go the bathroom or you'll have a mess to clean up. After another couple of weeks you can start letting them roam through a couple of rooms in your home and most bunnies will naturally remember to go back to their potty corner to go to the bathroom.
 Bunnies are very social. They when you first let them out to roam they may want to just explore your home. Let them do it within the boundaries you have set and realize that after a short time they'll start to follow you around and nap where ever you are. Just be careful not to step on them!
 More Information on anything rabbit can be found here. 

 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7173025

Lionhead Rabbits

Lionhead rabbits are recent arrivals that came from another wool breed. They require less grooming to maintain because they have less fur than true wool breeds and make great companions. Lionhead rabbits make great pets and get use to human contact when handled properly. However, caring for them can be a little more difficult than other pet rabbits because they require regular grooming. If you don't groom your rabbit regularly then two things can happen. First, if it has fur around its vent area then poop can cake up on it and create a mess. Second, without regularly removing excess hair by combing your rabbit then your rabbit might consume too much fur while it grooms itself. This leads to a condition called wool block (digestive system blockage) and can be fatal. A high fiber diet for your rabbit helps prevent wool block by quickly moving food (and hair) through the digestive system. However, not all high fiber rabbit food is the same. Before feeding it to your rabbit break apart the pellets to see if they contain large fibrous particles. If it is made solely of finely ground particles then it will likely contribute to wool block. You can also supplement their diet with grass hay (like timothy hay).
To learn more about Lionhead rabbits or other breeds of rabbits that make good pets..go Here.


 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5533631

I know we're speaking to the choir here...about the love of bunnies.
But how often are we asked why bunnies make good pets?

We thought we'd share a few thoughts on the subject.
Rabbits arent  for novelty Easter "gifts" anymore...and never should be.  Easter should be about jelly beans and coloring eggs and thinking of the Savior.
Rabbits are living, breathing, feeling pets.

Never-the-less rabbits are indeed growing in popularity as house companions.  Did you know that there are now 5.3 million pet rabbits in the world!? Crazy!!
Do you wonder why the rise in popularity? Some folks attribute it to the internet.  It seems that more people are sharing their positive experiences with their pet bunnies. Rescues and rabbit organizations  are using the internet to get the word out as well.  It seems that when people talk on the internet, others listen.

So..you may just be a rabbit person...like some people are dog persons or cat persons or reptile people.
What is a rabbit person? What do they look like?
It may be that a rabbit person is a person that derives as much pleasure from watching their pets behavior as much as and if not more than handling your pet.  Observing your bunny's personalities is quite satisfying if you are truly a rabbit person. You may have a silly rabbit,or a frisky bunny, much the same way a kitten can be. And just as dogs are known for their loyalty...so can your sweet bunny be.  Rabbits are intelligent and are easily litter-box trained and they learn to respond to their name and can master some tricks. (I know a bunny that loves to go tubing with its human family on Lake Powell!!)
And though it appears to be a cheap pet...$20.00 or so...bunnies dont deserve to be second rate pets. Do your research to be sure you and a rabbit are a good match. And understand that a rabbit may not be the best pet for small children. Children love to snuggle and pick up and haul around the things they love. Rabbits dont necessarily LOVE being picked up and hauled around...they prefer the ground.  They arent darling stuffed animals to be mauled and squashed.
There are more than 48 recognized breed of domestic rabbits. There are so many to choose from-Giants and minis and dwarfs- long eared ones and short eared breeds-Some come with long fir and others are short-haired. Colors seem limitless and there's even a rabbit bred so that one ear sticks up and the other flops down...called a unicorn lop..or a helicop lop which has both ears sticking straight out to the side!!
There is indeed great joy,amusement and satisfaction  in owning a rabbit for a pet, if you've done your research and taken the time to learn what to expect from your rabbit too!!
So ears up friends, and be a wise and informed pet owner!!

Ball Bunny by ThalitaDol on Etsy