Easter Bunny

It's that time when bunny themed items hit the store shelves and almost time for youngsters to search for all those brightly colored eggs. Unfortunately it's also a bad time for bunnies, chicks and ducks. So many of these animals are bought as Easter presents and the majority of the time they are bought for children. This usually doesn't end well for those animals. So many bunnies are bought as presents and once the child or the family loses interest, the bunny is set "free" in the world.

"Mommy, the bunny doesn't do anything. She just sits in her cage. She's boring!" This is something that is said after a bunny is bought for a child. Of course an animal will be boring if they are kept confined all the time! Bunnies need room to run, play and binky! Leaving a bunny in a cage isn't good for the bunny.

"Pee-ewww, that bunny stinks!" Bunnies are super clean animals! They don't like to sit in their filth and it is most certainly not healthy for them! Bunnies are so easy to litter train once they've been spayed or neutered.

"Since you've lost interest in this bunny, we're going to set him free. It's much kinder to let him roam in the wild than being kept in this cage all the time." While it's not good for buns to be kept in cages all the time, it REALLY is NOT a good idea at all to set them "free". Just because there are actual wild bunnies in nature doesn't mean that a domestic bunny has those same instincts. While our pet bunnies do share some of the instincts of their wild cousins, they are NOT equipped to fend for themselves in the wild. And it's not a good idea to post "Free to a good home" online or advertise that in any matter. That is an open invitation to people with very bad intentions. A lot of people will use them as snake food, dog bait and other horrible, horrible things when you advertise a small pet, like a bunny, for free. Ask for a small re-homing fee or take them to a local rabbit rescue or your local Humane Society where they will be put up for adoption and have a good chance at finding a loving home.

Bunnies are very delicate animals and are so easily hurt. A child will generally be rough with a bunny and that's just going to cause health issues for the bun bun. Starter pets is not a phrase to describe bunnies at all. They require a lot of care and they are one of the most expensive pets to have.

I would also like to add that sometimes someone likes to get a pet for their significant other. This, too, is not a good idea, even if the bunny is adopted. Even if someone has experience with bunnies and even currently has a bunny it's still a bad idea and here's why. A person needs to meet the pet. They need to see what the chemistry is between the two of them. They need to know if the bunny is a good fit for them. And if that person already has a bun bun, then that means they would probably at some point want to introduce the new bun to their current bun. It is best that the current bunny picks out his/her new companion to see if they are compatible. I do understand that certain bunnies don't do well in situations outside their home. I couldn't take Gizmo to pick out his new friend when I adopted Ebony because I was afraid he would go into Stasis.

I will leave you with the #notjust4easter photos of my Gizmo and Ebony and this one last thing: 95% of bunnies bought for Easter don't live to see their first birthdays.

A Choking Bunny

One thing I fear, as well as most bunny owners, is a choking incident. I will say that when I first adopted Ebony she would inhale her food like she wouldn't eat again. She's still a fast nommer but not as bad as she was at first. During her first few months here she almost choked on three separate occasions! The first time it happened with some banana, next it occurred with a raspberry and the third time it happened while she was eating a seedless grape, which had been cut in half! Luckily she didn't completely choke but I still worry about choking incidents.

There is something you can do to help your bun bun in that dreaded situation. The Bunny Heimlich has saved the lives of many bunnies. Our friend Suzie over at The Bossy Bunny had a choking experience recently. Her mom remembered what she had read on the Bunny Heimlich and was able to save sweet Suzie's life. There have been other bunnies, who, unfortunately, were not as lucky and crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

Please study the information here to know how to save your bunny if they suddenly start choking. The information in the link also advises on what to look for to know that your bunny is choking. Keep in mind that bunnies are great at hiding when something is wrong so you do need to be very observant when they exhibit clues that something just isn't right. Remember that bunnies are super fragile, so be sure to support them properly when performing this method. And always take your bun bun to the vet after a choking occurrence. They can quickly develop pneumonia or have another issue from the horrific experience.

I do my best to tear up Gizmo & Ebony's veggies when I make their salads and I cut their fruits into small pieces to reduce the risk of choking. But they can still choke on pellets or other foods. As much as I reduce the chances, it doesn't mean it can't happen. Sometimes we can do everything right and bad things still happen. It's best to prepared for the worst case scenario.

** This information is for educational purposes and is not meant to replace exotic veterinary care. This information is intended only as information. We are not responsible for anything that may happen to your bunny. Bunnies are misunderstood animals and their care gets neglected due to lack of information. We want to break that chain and inform others of the proper needs and care of bunnies.

Bunny Christmas List

We have gotten so behind in posting and we sincerely apologize! Since it tis the season, we're posting some of the awesome toys you can buy for your bun bun for the holidays! We hope you enjoy!

Bunnies, along with other animals, are all different. They each have their own personalities so they do have their own likes and dislikes. I have Gizmo & Ebony and they both don't necessarily like the same things. But the items I'm going to talk about here are things that we own and Gizmo and/or Ebony use.

I'm sure you have possibly seen the cute little beds a lot of bunnies have been photographed with on their Facebook pages or from some other source. The Ikea bed was originally designed for dolls but somewhere along the way the beds became a popular item for smaller/average sized bunnies. Gizmo uses the one we have here at times. Ebony, on the other hand, only likes to the pull the little blanket off it. So many bun buns enjoy this little bed.

Gizmo enjoying the Ikea bed.

You can buy a bed by clicking the link below. 

Another fun thing that most bunnies seem to enjoy is the Cottontail Cottage. It's three stories with ramps between the floors. The roof provides a great lounge area! Gizmo & Ebony use their cottage on a regular basis. We place tunnels near it so they can have extra fun. The cottage is made of cardboard, so a bunny will nibble on it, so don't expect it to look pretty the whole time you own it! Just make sure your bunny isn't eating the cardboard. Want to learn more about the cottage? Check it out on Cats and Rabbits and More. 

Ebony on the roof of the cottage.

Something that I have been using a lot more lately for Gizmo & Ebony is their treat balls. I feel as though they both think every day is lazy Sunday Bunday. So their treats go in the balls now in order to get them moving around. You can find these cute little carrot decorated treat balls at Bunny Approved. Here is a photo of my babies enjoying their treat balls.

Treat Time!

Ebony recently celebrated her second Gotcha Day on November 29. As a present, I ordered the Teach N Treat. She made quick work of figuring out how to get the treats. Gizmo, on the other hand, became aggressive, flipping the whole thing over to get the yummies. He's silly like that! But it really is a neat toy that offers three different "puzzles" for your bun to solve in order to get those delicious goodies. I've only used two of the three puzzles so far for Giz and Ebs. I do love it, though. If you're interested in this toy for your sweet little cotton bottomed baby, you can buy one by clicking the image below.

Now the next items I would like to talk about haven't been given to Gizmo and Ebony just yet. These items are their Christmas presents, so I can't really discuss them yet in full detail. One item ordered was the Hopper Hideaway which is like two small little houses connected by a tunnel. Everything is made from cardboard and it looks so cute! We currently have a similar, homemade setup but it is getting old and in need of an upgrade. So we can tell you more about that item after Christmas but I am very excited to see them playing in the Hopper Hideaway! Order one here from Binky Bunny! 

Another thing I bought the buns for Christmas is the Tunnel Haven, which is a Binky Bunny exclusive item. My boyfriend also bought them one so they will have two of these amazing tunnels! My boyfriend actually let Gizmo and Ebony play with the tunnel he bought them for about an hour and then took it away, telling them they could have it on Christmas. I told him it wasn't nice to tease them because they really did seem to enjoy it! The Tunnel Haven is an absolutely amazing toy for bunnies. It is completely made of cardboard and is flexible. The tunnel can be stretched out to four or five feet. I seriously can't wait to see them running through TWO of those tunnels! They are going to have so much fun! Can you just imagine the Tunnel Havens connecting to the Hopper Hideaway and their Cottontail Cottage?! Oh my bun, what fun!! 

Potty Over Here, Potty Over There

Today's topic will be litterbox training. Yes, bunnies can and WILL use a litterbox! Training will go so much easier if your bun has been spayed or neutered. It generally takes anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks for hormones to level off after a spay/neuter, though. Until then, there will be accidents so don't get discouraged.

When Gizmo was a little guy he would spray me almost every time he sat in my lap. He was doing pretty well with his litterbox training but there still was the occasional accident - or spraying. This, however, is actually flattering when a bun sprays you or pees on you. It may not sound that way to us but they are just marking us as their territory when they do such things. They're saying "You are mine!" But once Gizmo was neutered he became - as I called it - "potty perfect". That is until we adopted Ebony. Oh, goodness, did Gizmo go on a territorial marking spree! He was letting the new bun know who this home belonged to! Ebony had been spayed about a week or so when I adopted her so she still had some of those raging hormones. At first it seemed as though she would not understand what the litterbox was for but she quickly got the hang of it. Now Ebony is "potty perfect".

I know you're most likely wondering how to get them trained to use a litterbox. It's actually quite easy, to be honest. Your bunny will let you know where they prefer to use the bathroom. They will always find one spot they like to use. Once they've shown you their favorite elimination spot, you can put a litterbox there. Always keep hay around the litterbox because bunnies absolutely love to eat while they do their business. So when they see hay around their litterbox, they'll automatically want to use the bathroom as they eat.

I do want to stress that you should never ever rub a bunny's nose in a spot where they have urinated. Being aggressive like that will not work with a bun bun. They are prey animals and will only fear you when you do something like that. Plus, it's just mean! If your bunny does pee outside of the litterbox, the best course of action is to just pick them up (if yor bun will allow that) and place them gently in the litterbox. Also a good way to do it is to soak up the spot where they have used the bathroom on the floor and place the paper towel in their litterbox. This will also help them to know where they should eliminate themselves. Just keep an eye on your bunny and make sure they don't chew on that paper towel. And make sure you cover the towel with litter so they don't get urine on their paws or bottoms. That can lead to urine scald. If your bun is leaving stray poo pellets then that's a territorial thing. Just pick those fecal droppings up and place them in the litterbox. If your bun bun leaves you a lovely pile of poos then that means they need more litterbox training. Even if a bunny is litterbox trained they will still leave a few stray poos around the house for you. Bunnies can produce 200 to 300 fecal pellet droppings per day so there's bound to be a few that don't make it in the litterbox!

When you are choosing a litterbox, you do have choices. You can go with a regular cat litterbox, a high-back litterbox made just for bunnies and other small animals or you can get creative and use the bottom plastic pan of an old cage. Just don't ever use clay or any other type of litter like you would use for a cat. There are several reasons for this, such as too much dust for a bunny's delicate respiratory system and the clay litter getting on bunny's fur and then they can possibly ingest that during cleaning which can quickly lead to gastrointestinal trouble for the complex bunny digestive system. The best bet for litter is to use paper bedding. Wood shavings of any kind can cause respiratory issues and certain kinds can be toxic. A lot of people like to use horse pellets in bunny litterboxes. It's cheap, absorbant and you can always place a thin layer of paper bedding on top because most buns like their feet on something soft. If you do choose paper bedding, please stay away from the scented varities and make sure they contain absolutely no baking soda.

When you're in the early stages of litterbox training a bunny, you can clean their litterbox, but don't clean it too well. Bunnies need to be able to smell their scent on that litterbox when they're still learning. But it does need to be clean so the scent doesn't overwhelm your bunny's respiratory system. If you can smell it then the scent is much more powerful to them, so that's never good. But once your bun has been using the litterbox for a while, I recommend cleaning the litterbox with a little white vinegar and hot water. The vinegar really does a great job cleaning. Just be sure you rinse all that vinegar scent out so your bunny isn't overwhelmed by the odor. We all know strong the smell of vinegar can be!

Hopefully you have found these litterbox training tips useful and can quickly get your bun to be "potty perfect". Good luck!

To Chew or Not to Chew

Having items to chew is great for a bun's teeth as well as for their enjoyment. If a bunny has the proper items to chew then he/she will be able to keep their teeth trim (along with good quality hay) and it will keep them from getting bored. A bored bun is a destructive bun! Always keep wires out of reach because they WILL be chewed! Your bunny thinks wires are "vines" that are covering their home so they chew them to clear the way. Of course, a bunny has no idea how dangerous those particular "vines" can be so it's up to you to make sure they're safe. It will take some trial and error. You will think you have certain areas blocked off from bunny but they will most certainly let you know if there is a weakness in your barricade. Once a bunny is allowed to enter a certain area and are suddenly unable to enter, they will do everything in their bunny power to get back in there! They're persistent that way! So when you first create a barricade to prevent your bun from getting to wires, or say, behind the sofa, your bunny will try, try, try to get through. Just watch your furry friend carefully and see if there is a weakness anywhere. This way you can quickly stop your bun from entering once a weakness is found and you can quickly address the issue by fixing the weakness. You can always buy tubing to cover wires to keep your buns safe. Here, we just block off specific areas because they contain way too many wires to cover.

Now, for the stuff your bun can chew! It's always a great idea to look around at different bunny stores online to find a wide variety of things your bun can chew. I have found that Gizmo & Ebony love apple sticks. It's a bit difficult sometimes to find something they both like to chew. Buying hay balls is another good option, too. I just received one today that I ordered online. It's a ball of Meadow hay and both seem to enjoy it quite a bit! If you have trees in your yard and would like to use some parts of that, just make sure that type of tree is safe for bunnies, while also making sure the tree has not been treated with chemicals of any kind.

Cardboard is another great option! Buns love to "bunstruct" and cardboard will give them the option to do so. Most bunnies won't eat the cardboard, they just like to tear it and throw the pieces down. But it's always a good idea to keep an eye on your bun for a while just to make sure they aren't eating any of it.

Toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls free of glue also make great chew toys for buns. So when you use all the paper, don't throw out the roll! Check it for any glue residue and if it's safe, then let bunny have it as a toy. They can toss them around and chew them! Stuffing some hay inside a toilet paper roll is a great way to get your bun interested in playing with this new toy.

Especially make sure your bunny has something safe to chew at night, while you're sleeping or during the day while you're at work. If you keep your bunny in any enclosed area, whether it's a pen or a cage, they are more susceptible to getting bored. How would you like it if someone locked you in a room and said "You stay here for six hours but you can't do anything but sleep and eat"? You would be bored out of your mind! And if your bunny is a free roaming bunny who has access to most areas of your home, then a bored bunny without anything to chew on will start "bunstruction" work on your furniture and all aspects of your home. They can dig into your sofa, removing the stuffing inside, which would pose a danger to them if ingested. They will also strip away any wallpaper or chew on the drywall. This behavior is related to their wild cousins. Buns in the great outdoors will use their teeth to remove bark from trees so your wall will become a tree to them if they aren't occupied properly. Now sometimes, buns will just be buns and be mischievous. They may decide one day they want to tear into your sofa just because it's fun. Or they can be like Gizmo and tear a chunk of drywall out! Sometimes they just like to do what they're not supposed to do. But, hey! Have you ALWAYS followed the rules?  ;)

Just keep all this in mind and if at any point you think your bun may have chewed a wire and gotten shocked or burned, please check him/her over thoroughly. I know it's almost impossible to check the inside of a bunny's mouth, but in this case you will have to watch for clues. Any decrease in eating when your bunny clearly wants to eat, could be a sign they have a burn on the inside of their mouth. If this is the case or you can clearly see something doesn't look normal during an overall inspection, then please get your bun to a bunny savvy vet immediately. Bunnies that don't eat or who are in pain can quickly go into Stasis, which can be deadly. The same goes for the sofa, wallpaper, drywall or anything that's not safe for your bunny. If you think your bunny may have ingested anything harmful, please get them to a bunny savvy vet as quickly as possible. With such delicate digestive systems, buns can take a turn for the worse when the normal balance of their gut is disrupted.

To keep your bun happy and entertained while keeping them healthy and safe at the same time is a big responsibility for a bunny parent. You have to think like a bunny and determine what dangers they would see as fun, while deciding what a bun would find fun that is safe for them.









**DISCLAIMER** This is for informational purposes only. We do not claim to be experts nor are we responsible for any actions that may harm your bun(s). We always recommend a trip to a bunny savvy vet if anything is wrong with your bunny. This blog is to provide you with some helpful tips as a new bunny owner and is not a complete guide to being a new bunny parent. Always research and speak to a bunny savvy vet. 

What's Up, Doc?

Today we'll be talking about bunny medical care. Not every vet is qualified to care for our little hippity hoppers. Why does it matter, you say? Well, bunnies are quite complex in their digestive systems. Bunnies, also, in general are very fragile beings. So in order for them to live their lives to the fullest, the proper vet needs to be selected. And before you even get a bunny is the time to find that vet. Emergencies can happen in the blink of an eye.

Let's talk about when Gizmo first came into my life. He had only been with me for a week, maybe not even that long, but he got stopped pooping. And when a bunny stops dropping their fecal pellets, that's a serious problem. BUT he was still eating and drinking, so I kept an eye on him just in case it was just something temporary. Unfortunately, Gizmo still didn't use the bathroom. It was time to get him to the vet. I had just moved to this city and was not comfortable driving here, but my baby needed immediate attention. Since I was too nervous to drive much here, I took Giz to a vet location that was easier to get to and had less traffic. Once I got there, the vet saw Gizmo, prescribed some Metacam (for pain), in pill form, and some liquid Reglan (gut motility) as well as some Critical Care in case he stopped eating. That vet also informed me that Gizmo was a lady bun.

Feeling better, I took my boy home, gave him his meds, which was difficult since one was a pill. The next day Gizmo had not gotten better, but I knew he wouldn't miraculously recover in an instant. But the day after that, he was worse.  I could hear him loudly grinding his teeth all the way across the room. He stayed in a hunched up position and barely moved. At this point, he had stopped eating and stopped drinking. In a panic, I called the vet and was told that he would need to be hospitalized. Being a new bunny mom, I had done a lot of bunny research and I knew that Gizmo was in Stasis and knew it could be treated. My doubts set in about the first vet.

So I went to the House Rabbit Society's website and found a vet qualified to give care to bunnies. I immediately called them and told them my baby was knocking on Death's door. They said they would see him as soon as I got him there. The vet carefully looked Gizmo over, gave me liquid form of Metacam and also gave him some Sub-Q fluids. They also took the time to show me how to do the "bunny burrito" so I could give him the Critical Care. I was informed I would need to bring him back the following day for another shot of Sub-Q fluids. And guess what?! My baby boy got better, and better, and better! It took a while for him to get back to himself, but he did finally get there.

This instance goes to show that you should have a bunny vet selected ahead of time and be ready for emergencies. To find a qualified bunny vet you can go here to the House Rabbit Society to find a great bunny savvy vet near you. Being a first time bun parent, it's easy to make a mistake, but I want to warn everyone with the scary incident with Gizmo so maybe a bun's life can be saved with this information. If I would have taken Gizmo to the proper vet in the first place, his recovery wouldn't have taken as long and he most likely would not have been in so much pain. He was still eating and drinking when I took him to the first vet, but if I would have taken him to a bunny savvy vet the first time, he would have gotten treatment before he got worse. I still feel absolutely horrible to this day because he had to experience that.

And, of course, the first vet got his weight and his gender wrong! So, beware of vets say they will see bunnies in their offices. It doesn't mean they know what they're doing!

Cotton Bottom Shop

Gizmo & Ebony now have their own store! Before we get into the details, we do have to say that all the money made from the products goes to help other animals in need. We will be adding more items as we go along, too. We so often see animals in desperate need of donations, or a rescue that needs to raise a certain amount of money to help get some of the furry residents spayed, neutered or to buy food. And we rarely can donate and we surely can't donate to them all. So we would like to help out even if it is in some small way.

The store is located on Zazzle but we have found out, thanks to some experimentation by our lovely overseas friends, that one link for the store does not work for every region. For us here in the United States, the link is www.zazzle.com/bunny_emporium so just remember to change the .com extension to your region's URL extension. Our helpful overseas friends also informed us that sometimes clicking on the .com link will re-direct to the correct website and sometimes it doesn't.

Here's just a few of the links for other regions:

Canada: www.zazzle.ca/bunny_emporium

UK: www.zazzle.co.uk/bunny_emporium

Germany:  www.zazzle.de/bunny_emporium


We love that anywhere in the world with a Zazzle shop can order from the store and not have to pay for hefty overseas shipping!

We really "hop" to see you stopping by the shop!!