Reminder!

Everyone please brush your bunnies! You need to do this on a frequent basis because of the how often rabbits clean themselves- they can't throw up (like cats) so instead the fur gets stuck in their digestive tract. This can lead to GI stasis, which is often fatal.

If your rabbit doesn't like to be held gently wrap him/her up in a towel and do a little bit at a time. Also when choosing a brush DO NOT choose one without plastic tips, the other kinds are much too pointy and hurt their skin.

Just for perspective I just brushed this much fluff from Joshua and I have been brushing him every day:

Edit (12/9/12): As mentioned in the comments, rubber brushes are also perfectly fine. I'm sorry for the omission.

Spread the Word!

As you might be able to tell from reading this blog, The Bunniverse is a pet rabbit blog. In other words we don't discuss meat rabbits, breeding, etc. But I'd like to think that this blog doesn't feel judgmental because if you're a breeder or a rabbit farmer you still own rabbits and a rabbit is a rabbit is a rabbit. Just because you don't view them as pets doesn't mean they're any different from my bunnies or the bunnies sitting in shelters. I talked to one man (he worked at my shelter!) who tried to justify meat rabbits by saying,"We didn't think of them as pets."

So where am I going with this? RWAF (Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund) in Europe has redone their informational pamphlets. This is what they'll look like: http://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/RWAbrochuremaster.pdf They cost €1 and I'd strongly suggest buying some, which you can do at http://www.bunnybazaar.com/RBLBKLT/Books-and-Free-Leaflets/Hop-To-It--A-comprehensive-guide-to-rabbit-care

If you live anywhere else in the world The House Rabbit Society (http://www.rabbit.org/index.html) is a very good resource. You can order pamphlets from them and the site itself has a lot of good info.

So what does this all have to do with the first paragraph? My point is that you don't have to have house rabbits to read these pamphlets. Every rabbit needs social interaction, proper food, and shelter. These sort of things are non-negotiable, I can think of no reason why they shouldn't have these those basic fundamentals.

If you know someone who is keeping a rabbit in a less then habitable situation, I'd suggest giving them a booklet or pointing them to a good website. Most cases of rabbits in neglect stem from lack of information, not cruelty. And if you're feeling inspired how about buying some of those booklets and writing a company that tests on rabbits? There is a lot you can do with these pamphlets- take advantage of it.

And once you're done find a good book, your bunny, and curl up on the nearest comfy surface!

International Day of the Rabbit

Today is the International Day of the Rabbit :) Make sure to spend some quality time with your bunny and/or consider donating to a rabbit rescue.

Community Service

Earlier this week I took Toshi and Paige to a local assisted living facility for people suffering from dementia. Unfortunately Toshi was rather nervous about the new environment and hid behind a chair for most of the time. Paige however was thrilled at all the attention, petting, and cooing.

Both of them made everyone so happy and it was a joy to see their faces light up as they petted Paige. As we left one of the men said to me,"You make sure your pets never change." and one of the women urged me to bring my rabbits back soon.

I think that if your rabbit is gentle enough, then you should consider looking into doing community service with them. It can be great for everyone involved: the rabbits get more attention and can become less afraid of car rides, you can do a good deed, and the people on the receiving end will be delighted.

However before you start taking your rabbit/s places, you should consider some important details.

1. Does your rabbit like to be held?
If your rabbit doesn't like to be held I wouldn't recommend then for service.

2. Has your rabbit ever bit anyone? Under what circumstances?
Well this is not a major breaking point, it is something to think about. My rabbits have all nipped me, but do it so infrequently (and only under circumstances not present in a nursing home) that it isn't a problem.

3. How does your rabbit react to sudden noises or movement?
If your rabbit leaps out of your arms, kicks, or bites when scared I'd ask the people at your potential place of service about how noisy it is there.

4. Is your rabbit litter-box trained?
You don't have to bring a litter box, but if your rabbit marks his/her territory with pee when they don't have a litter box I'd recommend bringing one. My rabbits often don't go the bathroom in places they don't know so I don't worry about this as much.

4a. If yes, does your rabbit dig its litter?
The last thing you want is your rabbit digging feces and litter all over a nice clean room. If your rabbit is a digger, they sell covered litter boxes to prevent that.

5. How big is your bunny?
Well all sizes of rabbits are wonderful, you have to consider sone important factors. If you have the rabbit loose in the room, then you don't want it to be so tiny you loose track of it. But if you have a large rabbit loose in the room you don't want it to accidentally break something or hurt someone by jumping on things.

6. Does your rabbit wear a harness?
If your rabbit will wear a harness, then it makes service much easier. You can stop the rabbit from running under things and have better control. However if you opt to use a harness, I'd practice with your rabbit inside your own house to see how the rabbit will react. Toshi has managed to worm his way out of harnesses and some rabbits freak out when you try to put it on them.

Best of luck!

Bonding

The first time I tried to bond Toshi and Paige it didn't go so well. Though in Toshi's defense at the time he already had a bond-mate and didn't really want another one. Unfortunately Snowy passed on and Toshi was alone. I had thought about bonding him and Paige, but I didn't really have time because of school. Once summer began I decided I was going to make another attempt; this time using the 24 hour method.

The 24 hour method involves keeping the bunnies involved together for 24 hours. The theory behind this, is that after the first couple hours of fighting they'll realize that they're stuck together.

In order to give them an inclosed, neutral space I set Joshua's x-pen up in my living room and put them in it. In the beginning I was nervous, the last time we had them together it did not end well. Thankfully this time began better with minimal fighting.

For the first couple hours I'd put one of them in a carrier in the pen if the fighting was escalating. Then at 5 pm (I started 2 pm) I stopped using the carrier and instead broke up the fights with a spray bottle. I slept three hours that night and by the morning they seemed to be doing fine. I continued to keep them together and broke up any fights.

And now they're happily bonded! Toshi even grooms Paige every once in a while :)

Neutering Rabbits

I just wanted to remind everyone why it's a good idea to neuter your rabbits. Besides the obvious benefits of not being able to reproduce, there is also 1. Decrease in aggressive behavior 2. Increase in willingness to be held 3. Health benefits 4. Longer life expectancy And others...

Joshua Aiden

Hey all! I have been rather bad at posting regularly lately- my apologies. I've been rather busy with adopting Joshua Aiden and attempting to find a bond-mate for Toshi (to be discussed in a later post). Joshua Aiden was brought to the shelter when his previous owner went away to college and her mother didn't want him anymore.  At the shelter he was territorial and aggressive. The shelter staff were scared to show him to people because of his unpredictability. For some reason though he was none of that around me, in fact he did nothing, but cuddle and sit in my lap!  We knew he wasn't going to be adopted at the shelter (he had been sitting there for eight months) so last week we made the choice to adopt him and we brought him home yesterday. It was the best choice I've ever made: all the tension he showed at the shelter was gone and his binks are truly beautiful. I can't wait to see how he continues to blossom and change. But enough of the chatter, here are some pics: