Relocating Rabbit

Moving is stressful enough for the humans involved. When you have pets, it adds an extra layer of stress and logistics for you. Unfortunately for the pet involved, they can’t be told what is going on. You can’t try to get them excited about their new space, or comfort them by telling them that all their toys will be moving to. They don’t understand, but don’t think for a second that they don’t know something is happening.

With Moose, this process has been happening for months. It seems like every day he comes out something is missing, new or rearranged.

These boxes are new….I don’t think I like…new

As a result he has been acting out in little ways, which honestly was to be expected.  I did a little research on how to move a rabbit and most sites follow the same advice any pet site would. You want to make sure you pack their things up last and set them up first. With rabbits, it is good to leave them in their cages for a few days to acclimate them to the new environment, much like bringing them home for the first time. Then slowly introducing new areas of the house. Especially when it comes to potty training.

Moving comes with hazard for your furry little friend as well that you should keep in mind. Opening and closing doors all the time is one, even if you have a house bunny or cat or a really well trained dog, it is important to remember that this is stressful for them to. Keep them locked in a room while you move things in an out so they don’t dart outside. If you have hazards like exposed wires, paint, etc, make sure to keep your pet away from those areas. I know it sounds like a no brainer – but you would be surprised, you are in the middle of boxes and change of address forms, it is easy for them to wander into mischief

There was a couch here

Where did it go?

WHAT IS HAPPENING !?

The most important thing is to try to make the transition as painless as possible for your furry baby. Whether you are moving down the road or across the country.

Our new house doesn’t have wall-to-wall carpet like our old one did. We human’s like this, but poor Moose hates the hard floors. We set him up in his new room and kept him in his cage for a day just to get use to the new house. We opened his cage and he wouldn’t go any further than the little square bit of rug we had set out for him. 

In the following days as we unpacked we all tried to make him feel more comfortable, we tried picking him up and moving him to the floor, he would just freeze and not move, we tried putting treats on the floor, he wouldn’t go for them. I am hoping eventually he will get used to the floors and come out and play. For now, he seems content enough with his cage and his little patch of floor.

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Some sites that I found that helped ( and one hilarious one by a blogger named Allie – who had to move her two dogs).

http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/11/dogs-dont-understand-basic-concepts.html

Binkybunny 

Again – the important thing about any move – pets or no pets – just go with it. Things are going to go wrong, stuff is going to get thrown into a box that isn’t labeled.  Someone is going to get stung by a bee, or have a couch dropped on their hand. You will be sore, you will be tired, you will be hot/cold or wet. But, in the end, you will be set up in your new house, eating food you cooked in your new kitchen, and sleeping in your new bedroom. In those moments remember, it was all worth it.

 

 

I’m just a dandy moose

Did you know that rabbits like dandelions? It shouldn’t be much of a surprise, actually. Wild rabbits eat all sorts of things found in peoples gardens and lawns. I walked outside over the weekend to an explosion of dandelions in our backyard. I thought I remembered reading about house rabbits enjoying certain common weeds and which ones were safe. So, a quick Google search showed that dandelions were indeed a good weed for your little bunny.

See – loves them. I decided to look more into which common weeds are okay for rabbits and which to avoid. For your reference:

Pro-Bunny 

Dandelions

Clover

Thistle

Chickweed

Nettle

Con-Bunny… is actually a very long list. I would thoroughly search and make sure you are positive of the plant or weed you are feeding your little furry friend. Some of the more shocking toxic plants/weeds for rabbits were: Buttercup,Holly, rhubarb,sweet potato, tomato leaves, and many others. So again, a very through search online before feeding your bunny something new. I have listed some helpful sites below.

In cruelty free news – more Lush love.

So you all know by now that I love Lush products. Not only are the cruelty free, but they are Eco-conscious, socially responsible and work amazingly. Every product is sourced with the environment in mind, made using fair trade and fair wages practices, and never tests on animals. Their charity pot hand and body moisturizer gives 100% of its profits to charity. So it really is one the most feel good companies you can buy from. As I have mentioned, my husband loves their beard cream and I love their scrubs. Right now I am using a sugar scrub that comes unpacked so you aren’t contributing to more plastic waste. I am also using their African Paradise Body Cream which I got a free sample of last time I went.

It is amazing – after showering with the sugar scrub, I put a little of that on…you know everywhere…and went about my normal shower routine and then lightly rinsed off. My skin is still soft a  day later!

I have to throw in some ELF love too. I just tried their new Cushion Pigment eye shadow, and I will admit, at first I was bit skeptical. The eye shadow is a little pastier than normal eye shadow. However, because it has a little moisture in it, it glides on super smooth. You can apply with a brush or with your fingers.

 

For Reference: The Rabbit House 

House Rabbit Society 

 

That is all for today – keep hopping my friends.

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I don’t get paid to endorse any of the products in this blog. I just post about products I like and use. You should always consult your doctor, vet, or allergist before starting new products if you are unsure of them. 

Mousecapades

We have a mouse in the house. Actually, we have mice…lots and lots of mice. Nine as of the writing of this post. Nine. I refuse to be cruel to animals so, naturally, I got a humane mouse trap. May I recommend this one: you can get it for less than $15.00 on Amazon.

The mousetrap does an amazing job catching the mice, and then I go and release them in the woods a few miles from my house. Now, either we have a horrid mice infestation OR these guys are coming back and find this to be a little game. I actually hope they are coming back, and we don’t have a whole colony of mice living under our floor boards. However, I can’t imagine them hanging out in the woods thinking: “What! Kick me out! Who do you think you are? I’ll show you.” And then scurries back to teach me a lesson. Perhaps I should tag them. I find that my bleeding heart only goes so far. The first time I let one go I felt awful that I was taking it away from its family, that it would starve or die of thirst. I felt it would be lonely or scared.

After the NINTH one I am less sympathetic and less ceremonial about it. “Get out the cage. Go. Git. Scram.” I went from being a fairy godmother to Tom from Tom and Jerry 

The mice have gotten me thinking about what will one go through for their ethics? Now, mice carry diseases. Lots of them. The worst, of course, is the hantavirus which, according to the CDC is 38% fatal. I obviously would not want Cody to catch that, nor would I want my husband or me to catch it. So at what point do I say, “enough is enough”, and let my husband use poison? Exterminator are expensive…so what are our other options? The idea of using poison is stomach turning to me, but is it a small price to pay for the safety of my family? What about other “pests”? What about the ants that come into the house? Don’t they deserve life? Yet I have no problem, not one, setting out ant traps at the first sight of one. So where do you draw the line? Or is there no line? If I had a house full of diseased rabbits, would I use poison? Of course not! So why a mouse?

Obviously, I am the only lunatic to lose sleep over the well-being of a field mouse.

I just read an article on binkybunny and one of the users suggested peppermint essential oil – which I have…so I might try placing some around perimeter of the house. Fun fact, ants also don’t like it..so win-win.

Moose isn’t a fan of mice situation. Speaking of moose…

I haven’t had a chance to take him to the vet, so his nails are in dire need of a good pedicure. I plan on doing it during spring break. He is becoming a little more friendly with me, would probably be more so if I stopped trying to pick him up. I got to cuddle with him a little the other day. Sleepy bunny.

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Not a moose story, but a friend of mine told me a story about her rabbit and how her husband stepped off a ladder and well…the rabbit happened to be right where he stepped. 😮 Poor Pumpkin (that is the rabbits name). They rushed him to the vet, and thankfully he is okay. Probably will stay away from ladders now. I think her husband was more upset than Pumpkin was. But the moral of story is, rabbits are quiet, small and like to be underfoot. I am constantly tripping over Moose, I can’t imagine if he was any smaller. They are quick, so one second there is nothing in front of you and the next, boom! Bunny! So, as I always tell my ten-year old, be mindful of your surroundings when your fur friends are out and about.

In Cruelty free news – Lush 

I praised Lush over Christmas and got a lot of my friends various items. I tried a few more that I want to report on.

My husband is currently using their beard conditioner – Kalamazoo – and he loves it. He said it makes his beard nice, soft and shiny. No more hermit of the mountain look. I got a sample of their Ocean Salt face and body Scrub and now I am going to get more because it is amazing. I really feel like all the dirt, oil, and dead skin are being washed off. I will probably only use it once a week though.

We got the Bubblegum lip scrub, that I like…not sure that I would buy again, but it is nice. I follow it up with some chapstick and go to sleep so it works over night. What I am super crazy about though is the Ultrabalm – my sons lips looked so rotten. Chapped, red, peeling, just awful and painful looking. I started using this at night for him and his lips look fantastic. They are pink again which I honestly didn’t think would ever happen. Now, if I keep him from biting them ever again, hopefully they will stay this way.

So, there you have it, meeces, a rabbit with extra long (and painful on bare skin) claws, and some cruelty free items to try! Happy Hopping!

Little moose baby picture! Aww

 

 

It’s Lagomorpha to you

Someone made the mistake of calling my bunny a rodent. I quickly had to tell them a brief history on rabbit classification, which I will now share with you.

Rabbits were declassified as rodents in 1912 when the Lagomorpha order was recognized. The difference between a rabbit and a rodent is that rabbits have two sets of incisors where as rodents don’t. Other mammals in the Lagomorpha group are hares and pikas. Other animals in the rodent group are mice, rats, hamsters, porcupines, woodchucks, squirrels, chinchillas and beavers.

Rodent

Not rodent

Although regardless of classification – how adorable are these guinea pigs?

Moose is on a water strike – okay so rabbits can’t technically go on water strikes, but he seems to be drinking a lot less than he was before. So once again, a huge internet search was conducted. Old age, dental problems, change in water taste, bottle malfunctions were some of the most popular problems. So we made sure the bottle was working, provided a water dish for him to drink out of. We use bottled water and would never dream of using anything other than Poland Spring water for our preciously little snowflake rabbit.  Considering that he is eating, pooping, playing and acting normally we have decided to just keep an eye on him. I actually bought a water dish to go with his water bottle. At the very least it can’t be said he didn’t have access to water. Speaking of access.

He has gone through I can’t even tell you how many cords. Phone chargers, game chargers, computer chargers (he likes chargers), lamp cords. However he has never touched this cord. Not once. Even though it dangles ever so temptingly right in his reach. I find this very odd. Does this cord not taste nice? Is this cord special? I can’t fathom why he would refuse to eat this cord when all others are fair play.

There isn’t much else going on in his world. Here are some super adorable pictures for you.

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In cruelty free news – for my birthday I was given a lovely gift bag of Lush products and I instantly fell in love. Even the names and the descriptions are amazing. My sister and I went to a Lush store recently and the people working there were so friendly and so helpful. (shout out the girls working at the William Floyd Lush Store ) They have stuff for men and woman and at all ends of the price scale. If you get nothing else you should try their hand soap.

I came across a natural remedy to rid your house of ants, that I shall share with you. Now, I found it didn’t work as great as I would have liked. User error? Maybe…but I feel like it is something you should start before you even see the ants. First snow melt kind of thing. I think it is hard to use when they’ve already started dining on your marshmallow fluff.

In a spray bottle: fill with tap water and add a few drops of peppermint oil. Shake, Shake, Shake…spray around window, doors, baseboards, anywhere that ants can get it. I like this because with our bunny it is safer than the actual poisons that they sell. Also, obviously, not harmful to the ants just deters them away from your food stash.

Keep on hopping my friends.

*I do not get paid to endorse any products or companies. I just comment on what I like and what works for me. As always, one should ask a doctor or vet (depending on the product) if they have concerns. 

Hoppy Easter

Why the Easter Rabbit? That was a question Cody had asked recently. Well he had a lot of questions, why “Good Friday” if it is when Jesus died? Good questions kid. I should put a disclaimer here and mention that I am a Buddhist, and don’t believe in Christian beliefs, including Easter. When telling my son why they are called Good Friday and such, I make sure to tell him that it is what the Christians believe. It is important for me to make sure he knows that there are different beliefs in the world and someday he will choose what he believes. Moving along.

Why the Easter Bunny? And why does he bring eggs? Bunnies don’t lay eggs! I bring you to the history of the Easter Bunny. It actually comes from a Pagan belief, which actually is where Easter comes from to begin with. Easter was meant as a time to celebrate spring. It usually falls on or around the spring equinox. The bunny is meant to be a symbol for fertility and new life (we all know how bunnies reproduce!). The story of the Easter bunny and the egg date back to about the 1700’s from German immigrants. The fable of the egg laying hare called: “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” would leave  colored eggs for children who would build nest for them. Over the years, the nest became baskets. Check out this page for more!

Now on to my bunny. Which is what you three people are here for. Moose got a new bed. Remember me mentioning that rabbits don’t really like you messing with their habits? Well that stands true. Apparently when trying to make them more comfortable, clean or whatever, it just sends them into a spiral of bunny hate. At first, I thought he loved his strawberry! I mean who would right?!

I want to sleep there! Then, the magic wore off, the strawberry turned into a torture cave or something because I woke up to find him sitting like this:

Yes – that is my little bunny rabbit looking at me like “Girl I will cut you if you don’t bring my box back” My sister finally noticed what I failed to. My rabbit has resting bitch bunny face. My husband thinks that that is the bunnies content face, but I know better. This isn’t a content bunny. By the way – resting bitch bunny face is a thing. Check out this Instagram. 

In other news – my rabbit has started doing yoga with me. No seriously.

Makes doing yoga more fun and harder at the same time. There was actually a news article about a yoga class that brings in bunnies in order to raise money for abandoned bunnies. How cool is this? Check out the article.

And finally in cruelty free news: Although this isn’t a product, I feel I must sing its praises. Clove Essential oil It has many uses, but the one I use it for is tooth pain. Seriously better than anything (except you know dealing with the problem)…You dab a q-tip or cotton swab with clove oil and let it sit on the gum near the tooth that is bothering you. The clove oil is a natural analgesic and antibacterial. While the clove oil doesn’t relieve the pain right away, with continued use (once in the morning and once a night), within a few days the pain will be gone. Which is so much better than just masking the pain. At the first hint of pain, start using this.

Keep on hopping my friends!

* Bunnies can live up to 10 years, as cute and amazing as they are for pets, please consider carefully before getting one. If you do decide to get one, think adoption first, there are lots of bunnies in shelters that were surrendered after last Easter, when the novelty wore off. 

Hare today, gone tomorrow

There is something concerning and embarrassing about hair loss…especially if you are young proud hare. Moose lost a tuff of hair on his back.

Aw Bald Patch

Close up…

After some ensuing panic and a quick search on the internet we found out that there are a lot of places you can go to find out common rabbit diseases. We also found out that –  like human symptoms – if you have something, like a lost tuff of hair, you could be dying from about a hundred things. The first thing to pop up was mites.

This completely grossed me out when reading about it. Especially the images of rabbits with a huge mite infestation.(your welcome for sparing you) After a very close look we established that he doesn’t have mites. There were a few other causes, both physiological and physical but none of them seem to fit. For example, as far as we can tell, he doesn’t seem stressed out. His diet hasn’t changed…plus he is the same as ever, hippity hopping through the house.

You see nothing

The last thing we saw was that it could be a normal part of shedding. To keep an eye on him and see if he loses more, shows signs of mites or anything else. Which is what we have started doing. So far he seems to be fine, albeit a little less fluffy in one area. Interesting thing about Mites though, and something I think house bunny owners should be aware of. I thought, since it is spread from animal to animal, we wouldn’t have anything to worry about right? Wrong. Mites get into your house through hay. Gross. So make sure you buy good quality hay from a respected brand. I like Kaytee

 

While researching the hair loss issue I came across something else interesting. Bunny Years. Of course we know bunnies don’t live as long as humans, so they must age faster. I wondered if they were like dog years or different. They are much different. For example,  Moose, who will be 2 in May will be 27 in bunny years. Here is the whole chart! 

 

I also have to report a new obsession. You may remember that I was losing my mind trying to get pictures of him yawning. (Still do)

Dem Teeth

BUT my new obsession is: eating. Moose eating is the greatest thing ever…and if you think I am insane – you should check out “bunny eating” on Instagram. It is a thing trust me. In the meantime I share with you the following. 

NomNomNom

 

Adorable right?

In cruelty free product news, I am in love with a man named JĀSÖN. No really. Go check out JĀSÖN products. Right now I am using their body wash and not only does it not aggravate my skin, it actually feels clean and smooth when I step out of the shower. 

(I bought the shampoo and conditioner but haven’t tried it yet. )

 

On a closing note, adopting a bunny. When I look at animal shelter websites I see bunnies that have been there for ages. It seems to me that bunnies may not be a popular animal to adopt. Here are a few good reasons why you should adopt a bunny.

They are cuddly (sometimes)

Lounge Bunny

The relieve stress when you pet them (their fur is so soft!)

Buddies

They are hilarious when they get something in their head and start bouncing around the room

They are easily liter trained (little mess)

They require attention, love and play (and of course liter/cage cleaning) but are very easy to care for

.

Bunny kisses are the best (not slobbery like dog kisses and not all rough like kitty kisses)

They are a great pet for someone who might have allergies to other animals. (I have one to cats and am perfectly find with Moose)

This face…you should get  bunny for this face.

*Side note: I don’t get paid to endorse any of the products mentioned, I just like them.

* I am not a vet, so if you do see something concerning you should always check with yours.

*Adopting a bunny is rewarding and amazing, but like any other pet they do require love and care…make sure you are ready to be a bunny parent. 🙂

Things my bunny does

I saw this article the other day and thought to myself why not make a blog post about what my bunny does.

Bunny waits for his turn to go to the bathroom

And of course looks adorable when he gets to go.

No one cuddles like a bunny

Eats Kale like a boss…

Bunnies love working on the computer…

Bunny loves showing some leg

They sit on the couch chilling

They look mighty when they yawn

They have major attitude

They love waging war on dangerous items like tissues

Did we mention the Kale loving?

Bunny looks for a good book to read

 

…err…chew

Bunnies always have good hygiene

And love helping with homework! 😮

Yes bunnies are fun and amazing animals.

A friend of mine recently asked me about why a company wasn’t on the leaping bunny site as an approved company. Here is the little I was able to find out. Why a company isn’t on the leaping bunny site

The company in question was the Honest Company and their website does claim that they do not test on animals as seen here. Although the Honest Company isn’t listed with Leaping Bunny, they are listed with PETA…so there is that.

Basically if a company isn’t listed or doesn’t have the logo on their product I would do some research on their site….usually they will list whether they test on animals or not.

Still on the hunt for a decent toothpaste, sorry guys…and the deodorant update…Sorry to say that Toms of Maine did not pass the summer work out test. So we are back to square one with that as well. I will keep you posted on anything new that I find.

Hop on my friends!

 

You put the lime in the coconut…

…song has been  in my head since I started this project! (now it is probably in yours!)

It is that time of year again…end of school. It is a bittersweet time in my house, as I am sure it is in most households. I was trying to think of what to give the teachers and bus drivers as a little end of year gift when I decided on another sugar scrub. I wanted something summery and beachy…something that screamed vacation. I got it. I must introduce you to: Coconut Lime Sugar scrub. It smells as good as it sounds…like Margaritas on the beach. Or like this wonderful review: a fiesta in a shower. Check out the recipe below…

1 Cup of white sugar
¼ of a cup of coconut oil – Melted
6-10 drops of lime essential oil

Melt the coconut oil in a double boiler or microwave.
Mix the coconut oil with the sugar until completely blended
Add lime oil and mix well.

Sugar scrubs are so easy to make…you can honestly take the above recipe and add any essential oil you like depending on what you want to achieve. Lavender for relaxation for example. I found a neat way to make sugar scrub cubes…I think I will be testing those out for the holiday’s this year…stay tuned.

In giant bunny news we have celebrated a birthday. Moose is now a year old. What a fantastic year it has been too. Lately he has becoming more playful and adventurous with us. He actually let me hold him for a few minutes one day. We tried a new water bottle that is supposed to be the greatest thing since water bottles were invented but he wanted none of it…so he still using his other one. Still haven’t gotten a companion for him yet…it is more not really having the time to devote to training a new bunny and getting them used to each other than not wanting to. Perhaps this summer when I have some time off I will be able to dedicate more time…we haven’t given up on being a two bunny household. I also tried some new foods. According to House Rabbit Society , you can feed, in small quantities, grapes and raspberries to rabbits as little treats. Well apparently Moose is all Kale all the time. That and his yogies he loves so much. It is probably for the best that he doesn’t really go for the fruit as you really should limit their diet when it comes to those foods. He loves his leafy greens, so yet again..we lucked out.

I have another brand of cruelty free stuff to try! If you have a Trader Joe’s in your neighborhood – check them out…I found a bunch of products,

(like this awesome hand lotion) that are cruelty free and at a great price! Plus there is stuff is amazing. That is my product plug for the day.
And that is my giant update for the day. I leave you this video of a mama bunny kicking a snakes butt! (I do hope the babies are okay!!)

 Hop on my friends!

Descruction and discovery

Moose is acting out. When I did some research on this I found that a bored bunny is a destructive bunny. That is putting it mildly. We’ve gotten wise to his cord fetish, so all cords are out of reach, hidden, or buried. He has moved on from cords. They are no longer enough. Turns out, cords are the gateway to bigger things. We have two couches, both are pushed up against a wall. One of them has to be out a little because it has recliners. Because of this, Moose is able to fit behind there. He likes to go back there and be stubborn sometimes…like when we try and get him in his cage. Recently he must have noticed how awful the couch was. The couch must have pissed him off somehow, because he has waged war on it.

So when I researched just why a bunny would decide to destroy furniture in such a vindictive way, the most common answer was boredom. Not that we don’t try and entertain him. However, we are not bunnies. Which leads me to the only logical conclusion. We must get another bunny. So I have been looking. Husband really wants a dwarf rabbit. So I plan on talking to a bunny expert and finding the perfect match for Moose and our family. We will soon be a two bunny household.

Moose’s litter box (one of them) is in the bathroom. This is the one he prefers. I swear sometimes he sits there just to sit there. We have one bathroom so in the morning it is usually occupied for quite some time. This makes Moose impatient. I couldn’t get it on camera but he actually scratched on the door like a dog when wanted to get in. I found it hilarious. He refuses to use the other litter box when the one in the bathroom is available. He doesn’t have accidents either, which is amazing to me. He will hold it until he is able to go into the bathroom. Whether this is normal bunny behavior or not I do not know…

 

A while ago I mentioned that I was going cruelty free, and got responses even months later about how that was going. I have some new products to share as well as an update. On my previous post seen here, I had quoted PETA, and linked their site…I have taken that down. I have updated my facts with leapingbunny.org instead. While I don’t pretend to know what is going on at PETA because I don’t work there, nor know anyone who does, I also don’t like some of things I am hearing. One of my main missions in life is not intentionally harm animals or be responsible, through action or inaction in the torture or useless death of an animal. I am not sure that PETA can say the same thing, even if they try and justify it.

 

On to products that I found and love. Giovanni – for hair care and skin care. Currently  I am using their Triple Treat Tea Tree Oil Shampoo and Conditior. I am using their three step d-tox system for face. When the need calls for it I use their frizz serum. Love them.

I am using Toms of Maine deodorant.

So far, I love it. However, it hasn’t been above 40 here in months…so I will keep you posted on how it holds up in the summer. :0

Method products are amazing. I am using their dish soap, bath cleaners and counter top cleaners. I also use their air spray.

I am going back and forth with detergent. This one is a bit harder since it effects everyone. I started with Method, which I love, I tried seventh generation which was also good. Right now I am currently using Kirkland (Costco brand). They don’t test on animals, are environment and septic friendly and cheap. A huge container was only $14.00! They were also voted one of the top rated detergents in consumer reports so win-win. You can also get the pods if you like them more.  I didn’t see them when I bought my ginormous container, but will look next time.

I do still have some things that bought before going cruelity free, darn you bulk items. For example, window cleaner….or maybe I haven’t cleaned my windows in awhile…anyway, when I finally do run out I plan on buying Method.

Last by not least, cosmetics…I have found E.L.F. brand cosmetics. You can find them at Target for really good prices. I personally like the eye showdow, facial whip and powder.

 

I don’t use a lot of makeup but when I do it’s nice having something that wasn’t tested on animals to choose from. Especially something that doesn’t cost my whole paycheck.

I leave you with this hilarious photo and caption.

* I don’t get paid to endorse any of these products. I personally like them, and have found them to work.

 

Little kids, giant bunnies

 

 

I had a conversation with my son this morning about our bunny. It was an important conversation that I feel I should share with anyone on the verge of deciding whether or not to get a bunny who also happens to have small children.

My son is an excitable eight year old. He moves fast and hard and doesn’t really have a quiet button. He is also, in some ways, very skittish, a trait he shares with Moose. This morning, Cody jumped off the couch, right next where Moose was chilling, and Moose darted out at him. My son jumped on the couch, lost his mind, Moose hid under the table and licked his paw…he had defended his “den” and all was good. After the hysterics subsided I tried to break down a bunnies mentality for him. Here is the basics of our conversation:

First and foremost, bunnies make amazing  pets. If you decide to get one they will delight you daily, and bring you peace with any interaction you have them. That being said there are some things you should know about bunnies, and although some of these might seem obvious, they may not be too little ones.

Bunnies are prey animals. What this means is that they don’t hunt, they don’t have the skills to hunt, and are actually prime food for a lot of creatures. Instinctively they will hide, cower, freeze, and quickly dart out of harm’s way if frightened.

Bunnies run on instinct mostly. They don’t have complex thoughts.  They get hungry, they eat. They get thirsty, they drink. They get scared they run or in some cases charge and flee. They might even growl a little to show how displeased they are. That is not to say that bunnies are stupid…because they not. They are amazing.

Bunnies are early and late animals, not necessarily nocturnal. They just are usually more active in the early morning and late night. This can be difficult and good for families. Difficult, because your bunny may want to play when you are really trying to get ready for bed, but it some ways good because bunny will spend most the time you are working or at school sleeping (no guilt).

Bunnies do need to play. Don’t think that just because they can’t play fetch that they don’t want to play. A bored bunny is an unhappy bunny.

Bunnies have their own personalities just like humans. Some are sweet and cuddly, some don’t want to be cuddled. You have to know your bunny and be happy with what your bunny is comfortable with. Mine, for example, doesn’t like to be picked up. Don’t try and force your bunny to do something they don’t like. 

Bunnies are curious. The like to investigate, so letting them have as much room to roam as possible is great. Just remember to bunny proof all areas they have access to. Our bunny has access to the whole house, all cords have been moved or covered for example.

Happy bunnies in happy families will not purposely harm their humans. I can’t stress that enough. The size of their teeth and sharpness of their claws they could do serious damage. If they wanted to hurt you, they would. If they nip at you, or scratch you usually it’s an accident or a warning. Scratching for example, I have two very deep cuts (now lovely scars) from when I tried to hold my bunny, he hates being picked up, his back legs are extremely powerful and his back claws are sharp. My fault, not Moose’s. You can let them know when they have hurt you. When they scratch or nip make a high pitched squealing sound, this lets them know that you were hurt. You never hit a bunny, even gently. Ever. They will never forgive you. More to the point it is awful and cruel.

Some people have had luck training bunnies to come to them, I haven’t had any with mine, I am just happy he uses the litter box and for the most part goes into his cage when I ask him to. They aren’t dogs or cats. So don’t get one thinking they will act like them.

That all being said, bunnies are amazing. I can’t explain exactly why they just are. When you are petting a bunny, the look of absolute contentment on their faces his enough of a reason to want one. Watching them explore and play. Getting bunny kisses, or noses (they show affection by rubbing their noses on you). Bunnies make wonderful additions to the family but when you have small children, it is best that they know what they can and can’t do with the bunny. They can gently pet the bunny. They can’t chase the bunny. They can feed the bunny carrots, they can’t throw food at the bunny. They can act normal in the house, just be aware of the bunny and know that if they frighten the bunny the bunny might react and to be mindful of that.

I feel like, when you have a giant bunny, all that I mentioned is super sized. His back legs are stronger than a dwarf bunnies for example. Giant bunnies can be more intimidating even though they are just as docile. Although, honestly, how can you find this little guy intimidating?

 

*I am not now, nor have I ever been, a bunny expert or veterinarian. I am just a bunny lover we happen to have a giant happy bunny living with us. I love the following sites for more information if you are thinking of getting a bunny.

House Rabbit Society 

Binkybunny House Rabbit