Sick Day

I'm home from work today with a fun cold. I lost my voice and I work with the elderly and the last thing I want to do is repeat myself! I've been enjoying the silence with the kids asleep and my wife at work. Is that a bad thing? I been cleaning and surfing the web when I pulled out my camera and caught Chester doing one of his most favorite activities!!

He has got one of the best stretches I've seen, especially if he adds a flop-over!!!

Just chillaxin



Really??? You dont think I can take care of my mess!!!!!!

 I work 50 miles away and commute 2 hours each time I work, but nothing says I'm home like my bun's! When I get home I open their cage and leave it open until I'm done with my chores which usually takes 3 to 4 hours between cooking and cleaning. I let them run around and do their own thing. But you know what's funny, sometimes they will leave pellets behind. Which I know is normal but When I go to scoop the pellets to put back in the litterbox Chester will lunged at me! I feel like he thinks I'm invading his space. What do you think???

Cleaning House

I decided to rearrange my bunnies abode. I used to have them in a different area of the living room with a snake tank on top of their cage. I hated it, it was very hard to keep clean. their cage was kind of in a dark spot especially with Medusa on top of them!! Now by the window they have more light and I turned their cage around and used the other door of the cage so it opens up into the living room.


AAAAHHHH Bunny under the coffee table!!!



I love to leave the door of the cage open while I'm just doing my thing they can do theirs too!! I really would like to see and read about other people's bunny living spaces.











I love when Chester just spreads out in total contentment

yes it's pretty now but how long til they make it their own???





Changes

It's been way to long since my last post! There has been quite a few changes on the bunny front. I no longer have Manny-quinn, he just wasn't fitting in with Chester. I gave him to a family who was looking for just one rabbit. from what I heard he's doing very well!! I now have Annabelle Lee, named after Edgar Allen Poe's Poem, Annabelle Lee. The poem was also quoted in one of my favorite movies, Play Misty For Me starring Clint Eastwood. one of the earliest stalker films I highly recommend it! Two thumbs up. So that got me thinking, of course without telling my wife who would have gave me a flat out NO!!! The next day at work I decided if she was still there I would buy her and she was so I did.
I met her at the same pet store where I got Chester, The WildSide Tropical Fish & Exotic Pets in Tacoma off of 112th and Canyon Road. Anywho I saw her there while buying crickets with my wife for her Bearded Dragon, but that is a whole different subject. I asked about her and was told she was a spayed female who came in with I think another rabbit.

Annabelle Lee stretching out

Having a snack together

I introduced her to Chester and I'll tell you what if he could have spoke to me he would have said "Thanks Dad" love at first sight! I had to make their home bigger so I just combined two cages so that they would have plenty of room for stretching out and such. Their courtship was very quick they took to each other right away. She's still a little timid but she's coming around very well. I would love to hear from others with their bunny bonding stories, like how they did it, what sort of things did they do to make the bonding go easy.

What to say? what to say?

I started this blog because of my affection for rabbits. I'm not really a dog person, although I have had dogs. Cats are cool because they for the most part do their own thing. What I really like is to see how others go about caring for their buns. I love imaginative habitat idea's. And of course I love love bunny acrobatic exercises. Another cool thing is sleep time, the way they just decide to call it quits. I would love to hear from other bunny owners, about their buns, such as pictures or stories!! So please feel free to leave me your comments and let me know about you and your bunny friends.

Hot Town Summer In The City.

Happy 4TH to everyone. Today here in Puyallup it's sunny and about 76 degrees. That means fireworks and hot weather, which to our bunny friends thats not a good combo!! When it gets hot out you must take measures to keep your bun cool. Keep the cage out of the sun, and of course always have lots of water on hand. Be sure to keep a close eye on their water bottle!! I always have water bottles in the freezer so that I can throw a couple in the cage for cooling. You can also keep grapes and cherries, or strawberries in the freezer for a bunny popcicle!

And of course on this day in which we celebrate our In dependence, Its very important to be aware to not just bunnies but all of our animal friends. Its a very stressful time most rabbit's would be afraid of fireworks. Not just the loud sounds but also the flashing colors would alarm them.
Even if your rabbit is calm she may still get alarmed or frightened when she hears/sees the fireworks. Try to move your pet to a room that doesn't have windows or is quieter. you can also provide background noise like a fan. Well I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4TH, and take good care of your pet I'm sure they will appreciate it!!!!

Tyler Perry??

I wanted to watch, Why did I get married 2. Chester watched the whole thing with me. He sat on my lap and let me rub his ears and just hold him through out the whole thing, which I say, "cool movie buddy" And who knew Chester liked Tyler Perry??? I say next week Madea??

 He was cool until I brought out the camera, then he wanted to pose!!

Inside/Outside??

 I've been wrestling with idea of building an outside enclosure for my boys. I realize that like us they probably wouldn't mind being outside. Of course  bunnies face many problem's outdoors too! There are poisonous plants, dogs, maybe cats? And of course you saw our racoon friend! You can learn the additional danger's on the web.

 I've been thinking in my head for sometime the way I wanted to do it. Down the street from me somebody has a rabbit, and I saw they had a nice outdoor habitat for the bunny. My wife had 2 flower beds she built but hadn't used them for awhile. I asked her if I could use them of course she had to think about it, wasn't sure what was in them. I remember squash and pumpkins.

I covered the beds with the timothy grass, as you see Chester moved it all to the end!

 I had alot of fencing from back when my wife and I thought we would have chicken's. Got to love farm fresh eggs! So I took the fencing and used horseshoe shaped nail's and went all the way around the wood, I like the fact they can dig without being able to go under the fence. I took a rake and went through the beds to make sure it was just dirt left. I didn't want anything they could dig up and get sick on.

I ran fencing down the middle for seperate space. Each bunny gets a section of grass and a dirt box. I took totes and made little house for hiding, and put tablecloths over the top for sun protection. I wanted little doors so I could step in and get the bunnies to bring back in the house. I used big heavy frying pans for water, and heavy bowls for food. I would love to hear from people about their bunnies habitats and living areas, so feel free to respond to me. I look forward to comments.

And Now For Something A Little Different.

 I know there are alot of people out there who don't like racoons, I happen to be one of the ones who do! Anyway's my daughter called me to come look on the deck and there she was. We think maybe she had babies because you could see her teats, if thats the correct word. Also it's daytime I really didn't think they came out till dark? She seemed hungry so we fed her cat food and left over cake. I've heard they kill cats and other animals, but my cats just kept walking by. Well anyways I know that wasn't rabbit related but it's not like I would send Chester and Manny-Quinn out on a playdate with the racoon!



Keeping My Bunnys Happy :)

In keeping my buns happy there are thing's you must do. Of course keeping their nails trimmed is very important, if your not comfortable doing this you can always go to your veterinarian for this. I don't mind doing it but I always have Kwik Stop on hand. Because nothing says sorry like a bleeding bunny. I read you can use cornstarch or flour for a substitution??

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                                     I have two kinds of brushes that I use, but I love the glove brush. I will take Chester down on the grass and glove brush away his troubles while he nibbles on grass. He can be rather hairy at times!!! Manny has a real soft coat and doesn't shed a great deal, which is nice. I say one furball in enough!!!

 I bought bitter lime for chewing purposes, but I have pretty much everything bunny proofed! I'd like to know if other people use this product?

 About every two weeks or more if needed I love to clean their cages thoroughly, so I'll get out the old jug of vinegar, and my scrubbing stuff and go to town. I take a bottle brush and clean their bottles and wash their dishes and toys. Hopefully they appreciate a clean home:)

 I buy my shavings at my local feed store which is Del's in Puyallup I love the fact I can get this big ole bag for under $8.00 and it will last a long time. I'm sure we have all heard about the dangers of cedar shavings and the whole respiratory thing so I just use simple white shavings. I also like good mews or yesterdays paper litter sometimes it's cheap at Safeway.

 When I get down on the floor with my guys I always do an all over body check. I check their ears, and their eyes for any discharge. I check under their feet for any sores, and of course nails. I love a good bunny yawn I'll try my best too look at their teeth. So to wrap it up there is alot to do but at the end of the day when you see your bunny all stretched out and looking content I think it's totally worth it :) :) :)

Cribs: House Rabbit edition

I love a good bunny habitat. With Manny everything you see in the picture came for free with him. I think it has all the comforts of home. He likes his little hiding box, which is where he spends alot of time. Your bunny's home should include the following: Food Bowl, Water Bowl, Hay, Litter Box, Toys, something for them to hide/rest in like a bunny tent or cardboard box. Although with Chester he doesn't seem like he wants to hide.

Manny's man cave

•  

The general rule of thumb is that the length of
the cage should be 4-5 times the size of the full grown rabbit
when he is stretched out and the height should allow enough room
for him to sit up comfortably. I have both of my cages out of drafty areas and major sun.

view from the top



Chester's humble abode

Bunny salad and other delights

I love making bunny salads for my rabbits. I usually start out with a basket and fill it with leafy green's, I'll add sliced veggies and a little bit of fruit. Of course you can't forget bunny croutons which to me is a little handful of Cheerios. Of course my buddy Chester's favorite thing is a little box of raisins, he can rip through a little box faster than a kid with a candy bar.

Chester digging in!!

Of course Chester and Manny always have unlimited amounts of fresh hay and water, I use timothy hay because it is lower in calories and calcium than alfalfa. What kind of the vegetables is good for your rabbit? - Broccoli - Carrots - Carrot tops - Spinach - Kale - Endive - Turnip greens - Romaine lettuce - Mustard greens - Collard greens - Dandelion leaves. I will also give fruit such as apple slices and banana. It's fun to watch Chester eat cherries he always leaves the pit's, which is a good thing. Anyways to wrap it up there is such a wealth of information on the web that if I have any doubts I just turn to my computer. I would love to hear from other bunny owners out there and tell me what you feed your rabbits because they always say it's good to know!!

2 bunny salads to go please

Hopefully becoming friends?

I decided since Manny-Quinn isn't neutered yet they will have supervised visits with each other. I give them about a half an hour at a time, it turns into tussle fest 2011. I feel that I don't need to bore you with all the facts about bonding bunnies. I'm sure like me you have looked at different sites, and read all the books. Again to me that's where I want to try trial and error.



I think I'm smart enough to know the signs and behavior of my rabbits. I don't mean to come off sounding too smart aleck because I'm not??? I love to watch Chester and Manny interact with each other, but of course I don't leave their area when out together. It's funny after I put one of them away the other goes and lays next to the others cage. But trust me after I get Manny-quinn nuetered. I will go back over all the web-site's blog's and books for Reassurance and guidance.

AAAHHHHH Bunny nap

I think sleep caught him!!

Hopefully dreaming about leafy greens?

So comfy!

guard dog!

To me there is no greater entertainment than watching chester slip into nap mode. Sometimes he will fall over, other times he stretches out and just chill's. I'm looking forward to getting Manny-quinn fixed, then maybe he can join Chester for a nap. Although I notice that they will each stretch out by each other's cages when out seperately. It really help's their dispostion when you spay and neuter your bun. Chester was always pretty mellow before the neuter that's not to say that the cat's were safe from his advance's, luckily the cat's held their own!!

Toys for the bunny's

Chester enjoying the view from the mushroom stool

It's funny when I go to the chain pet stores and look at the rabbit toy's I laugh at the price of most of the item's. I like to go to Thrift Stores for all my bunny's play things. I usually check out the untreated baskets for munching. I also look at the toy section for baby toys that rattle and roll and wooden blocks all untreated of course. I stay away from plastic things that they could break up and swallow. For cheap fun I like to take a box and fill it with crumpled paper, rabbits really love to rummage through it. I brought home cardboard boxes from work and made critter caves, I made hole's in both ends and Chester had a blast until the cat found out how much fun he was having!! Of course one of the cheapest fun things is cardboard tubes from paper towel's and toliet paper. You can stuff those thing's with treats,  timothy hay, and alway's more shredded paper. So for me instead of buying from the chain store's I say be creative and use your imagination!

Good Book!!

When I got Chester one of the first things I wanted was the book House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live with an Urban Rabbit. by Marinell Harriman. I've had the book before and lost it somewhere over the years. I scoured Thrift Stores and Half Price Books to no avail. Finally one day I happened to stop by Value Village, which by the way is not one of my favorite Thrift Stores. I found my copy of the book for only $1.99.

I love hermann on the cover.

The book contains all the  information about rabbit care in a home setting. Care, feeding, grooming, attending to health needs, . There are also suggestions about rabbit-proofing a home and the pros and cons of allowing rabbits to roam freely around the house. You can not go wrong in purchasing this book. I tell you I learned a lot about this book!

Being Helpful.

Chester enjoying his raisin's

Before I got Manny-quinn I was going to try and go through the Humane Society to find Chester a mate. I looked at their Website at the adoptables, I loved the fact that for $65.00 you could get a fixed bunny. My wife and I went to the shelter to check it out. We met the woman who takes care of the rabbits, very nice lady and very knowledgeable! Actually so much so she made me feel very un-knowledgeable!! Now I'm 43 and have had rabbits off and on since I was 20. I get the jist on how to care for a bun, I have read books, and websites, and other blogs on caring for my rabbit. I mean I understand it her duty to make sure we as the general public are ready to take care of our bunny friend's. After the visit to the shelter I told my wife I want to do it my way, on my term's. So my question to you is do you think I read to much into it? Have other rabbit friendly people ever made you feel that way? I would love to hear your comment's on this!!!

Chester enjoying his Bunny salad

And of course stretching out in the sun!

I never get tired of watching my rabbits and the stuff they do! Why it might even be better than cable??

Chester and Manny-quinn

I have always enjoyed rabbits. I got Chester in February for $20.00 at a local petstore, he is a big ole lop, it was love at first sight for me. Of course I had to sneak him in the house. I later told my wife he was my Valentine present from her to me. I got him nuetered right afterward. He is such a cool rabbit nothing seems to phase him I can vacuum around him and he will just lay there. Now 4 months later I decided that I wanted a friend for him. So I searched on Craigslist and found Manny-quinn. He was free and right down the street. Of course the first thing I had to do was change his name because they called him Grizzly!! I think he might be a bit of a lop too. He's smallish maybe about 3lbs and still a little shy. I have both of them in nice cages in the living room I let them out seperately to smell each other and also let them out together closely supervised until I can get Manny fixed. I would love to hear from other Bunny eunthastic people, such as stories and such.