Sunday, June 26, 2011

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!




Saturday, June 25, 2011

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 :) :) :)

Friday, June 24, 2011

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
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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


Thursday, June 23, 2011

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

Sunday, June 19, 2011

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.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

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!!

Friday, June 17, 2011

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!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

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!!!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

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.