Let-tuce eat!

Noms!! Most bunnies love to eat...and eat...and eat!! And that's a good thing, because if your bunny isn't eating there is a serious problem! So in this post we will be discussing all the yum yums for bunny tum tums!!

First let's discuss the DO NOT's when it comes to food for your bunny. Please skip all the brightly colored foods in the pet stores. Most have seeds, nuts and other things that bunnies just shouldn't have.  If you're buying pellets, just make sure they are pellets and ONLY pellets with 18% minimum fiber. Treats are also sold to be "catchy" to the human eye. Those colors that pop are for our visual pleasure alone and have no nutritional value for buns. Yogurt drops are a big no no. Bunnies shouldn't have any dairy products at all. When looking for treats in the pet store, Oxbow is the best bet. Just remember that treats are just that - treats, and should only be given in minimal amounts. And also remember that just because something is sold in a store, doesn't mean it's good for bunnies.

Now we can move on to the good stuff!! GREENS!! Gizmo & Ebony love salad time, Ebony more so than Gizmo but she's just "food crazy"! There are lots of greens you can feed to a bunny and there are some that just are absolutely no good. Pennyroyal mint for example is toxic, so please avoid that. I'm not sure how popular that type of mint is to be sold in stores, but just keep that in mind. Mint such as Peppermint and Spearmint is fine to feed to your bun. If you are buying greens and fruits from a store, organic is always best. If you decide to grow your own, just be sure you use no chemicals.

Instead of going over each and every little thing you can feed to a bunny, I'm going to direct you here to the House Rabbit Society so you can read a bit more about a bunny's diet and which greens are best. Some greens are higher in acid so feed those less often. Remember to introduce your bun to new food slowly so their digestive system doesn't get upset.

Now with fruit, I feed Gizmo and Ebony a bit of fruit daily, but I put it at the bottom of their salad so they have dessert with their food. Banana is usually the favorite of most bunnies (some absolutely hate it) and Gizmo & Ebony are no exception. They love banana. I cut a small slice and chop it up. I always remove the peel first because the peeling can contain things you don't want your bun to have. Everyone is different, but personally, I prefer not to give them any portion of the peeling. Keep in mind that fruit is full of natural sugar so feed very little to your cotton bottomed baby!

Here is a video I made today of preparing Gizmo & Ebony's salads. I always rinse the veggies thoroughly when making the salads. I don't do it ahead of time. And you may notice how I cut up the banana slices and tear most of the veggies into smaller pieces. That is only for Ebony's sake. When I first adopted her she would eat so fast that she almost choked on more than one occasion. She does seem to be eating slower now but she still eats pretty fast so I still choose to feed her smaller bites, just to be on the safe side. And I do the same for Gizmo, just in case Ebony steals some of his noms!! ;)
I did speed this video up to save some viewing time, so enjoy and have a bunderful day!! <3

Apologies!

Skipping blog entries is not something we had planned to do. The goal was to do at least one entry per week. But circumstances prevented us from doing so. There had been so many of Gizmo & Ebony's bunny friends passing away during a span of a week or two and it was just absolutely heartbreaking. Then I got sick, so so sick and had no concentration at all to write on the blog. But we are ready to get back to all the bunny info!! We will have a new "full" entry up soon so please stay tuned!! And again, we sincerely apologize for our absence!

Remembering Ocean

On Facebook, we meet so many new friends that become a part of our lives. One bunny in particular stole the hearts of people around the world. She had captivating blue eyes, resembling the sea with a wave on the right side of her face. Her name? Ocean. Almost everyone knew that name. Ocean had so many adventures from walking in on her mom and dad in the "hoomin litter box" or finding one of them in the bath, which made her shiver, to trying to help her friends hide from Monday. There are so many things Ocean did and said that left a lasting impression. But on Tuesday, June 7th the world lost a shining star. Sweet Ocean suddenly passed away, which left her parents and the bunny community absolutely devastated. Instead of mouring her loss, we SHOULD be celebrating her life, but it's hard to find a smile when such an amazing, beautiful life was taken far too soon.

Without Ocean, quite a few Facebook pages wouldn't exist, especially the pages of my bunnies. I loved her antics and how she did so much good through her page. Ocean was stuck in a rescue for quite some time until Sue & Rob came along in 2013. With them, she found a fur-ever home full of love that she could never have imagined existed. And because of that she always helped raise money for the rescue she came from, The Littlest Rescue. She and her mom did such amazing work helping other preloved bunnies.





Facebook is not the same without this precious girl who had a heart of gold and the true attitude of a bunny. Ocean touched so many hearts during her short time on Earth. She will always be remembered by those who knew and loved her. She brought so much joy to everyone through her page.We'll miss her threats on Mr. Sofa, gathering her army, the way she threatened her parents with "retwainings",  the way Ocean would help her daddy with his "dees eyes whys" and the sweet way she always made sure to tell her friends goodnight each and every single night. And who could forget her hate for Star Wars, her feud with Baggins and all her "redecorating". Whatever she was doing, she always did it in true Ocean fashion.

Always being the kindhearted soul, Ocean made sure to give her Rainbow Bridge friends a final salute on Bunny Butt Friday. It was a sweet way to remember her friends who had left this world during the week. When Friday, June 10th approached, it was time for a salute no one thought would happen anytime soon. It was time to give Ocean her final salute.







It's difficult to describe Ocean to those who didn't know her because she was such a one of a kind bunny. She had a unique spirit that really translated well on her page. And even though she lived in the UK, she was an international celebrity. She appeared in Bunnyzine magazine (Vol. 1 Issue 5), was in a local newspaper and even appeared on television. She really took Facebook by storm and became a true celebrity.




Ocean, in every sense of the word, was a star. And as she shone here on Earth, she will shine brightly as an angel at the Rainbow Bridge. So, binky free, sweet girl. The world will absolutely not be the same without you.



Please,  if you are able to do so, donate to your favorite rescue or to Ocean's rescue, The Littlest Rescue, here through PayPal in her honor. (You will have to choose your amount in British pounds for the Littlest Rescue.) Put "In Memory of Ocean" in the Notes section if you can. Ocean's rescue also has an Amazon Wish List.

Hay, You!

Hay isn't just for horses! Bun buns are all about the hay! Well, most are but some need a little help getting the taste for it. Usually it's because of possible dental issues or maybe their past, but some bunnies just don't seem to want hay. In this post we'll be focusing on those who do love the stuff!!

Bunnies need hay and lots of it. As I mentioned briefly in a previous post (Want a Bunny? Here's What You Need to Know), hay is crucial for their digestive health and keeps their continuously growing teeth trim and healthy. Hay should be available in unlimited amounts, but if you can't do that the general rule of thumb is that a bunny should eat a ball of hay as big as he/she is daily. For Gizmo & Ebony we buy a 60 lb. box of timothy hay every few months, sometimes 2.5 months. They ALWAYS have hay available to them.

Timothy hay should be the main type of hay but there are other hays that you can mix in with it such as orchard grass, oat and Bermuda grass. Just be sure to introduce any type of new food (hay included) to your bun slowly. Their digestive systems need time to adjust to something new. Stay away from alfalfa hay UNLESS your bun is young or has a medical condition (diagnosed by your bunny savvy vet, of course). If you have a bunny younger than 6 months and doesn't need his/her mother for nutrition anymore, then feeding alfalfa hay is fine. Once your bun has reached 6 months of age then it will be time to transition him/her to timothy hay. Start mixing the two hays, just make sure you do this slowly so you don't upset bunny's digestive system. If you think your bunny may be too difficult when it comes to switching from alfalfa to timothy, then it is safe to feed young bunnies timothy instead of alfalfa, just make sure they have alfalfa based pellets.

Why shouldn't adult bunnies (6 months or older) have alfalfa? Well the answer is simple. Alfalfa is high in calcium and protein, which can lead to bladder issues as well as obesity in adult buns. Alfalfa is also lower in fiber, which is not suited for adult buns.

Always choose good quality hay. Make sure the hay is nice and green and has a good aroma. Don't choose brown hay or moldy hay.

Not only is hay good for bunnies for many reasons, but it also helps them with their litter box training. Bunnies LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to eat hay while they use the bathroom. So if you have hay near or in the litter boxes that really helps them learn where they are supposed to use the bathroom. Gizmo & Ebony have a rack of hay on each side of their corner litter boxes in the living room.

The picture above is of Gizmo's space, but Ebony always likes to hop in and share Giz's hay! But as you can see, there's a hay rack in the front and back for them. Ebony's area is set up exactly the same way. The green portion you see is the top of the litter box. Of course, neither of them are in the litter box in the above picture! They're just having a snack, not doing their business!! ;)

And the other litter box, placed in their play room, is a large pan from the bottom of an old cage. I always line the entire bottom with the litter (paper bedding) and then place hay in the front and leave the backside uncovered with hay. I'm paranoid about them eliminating themselves on the hay and then eating it, so I only do the giant litter box with half and half.

You may have noticed lots of hay in the floor in the pictures. It's impossible to keep the floor vacuumed with bunnies running around that CONSTANTLY eat hay!! But I wouldn't have it any other way! I love them so much!

I hope this post about hay has been helpful!! We're still getting the hang of things here in Blogville and hope we can post more soon!! Thanks for visiting!!

Bun Fun

Binky binky binky!! I know most people associate that word with a pacifier, but in the bunny community it's a bunny's "happy dance". A bunny will jump into the air and twist his/her body. Most of the time when you see this cute dance it follows some running but sometimes they will do a binky from a still position. My sweet girl, Ebony, demonstrates her binky ability all the time. It's almost like she's the binky princess!! An example of a binky from a still position comes from this YouTube video of my Ebony.



Gizmo isn't much of a binky bun, but he does like to do them early in the morning sometimes. He is more known for his head shakes. He loves to shake his head when he THINKS he's being defiant. Gizmo will hop onto the sofa and he'll sit there and stare at my boyfriend until he gets his attention. Playfully, my boyfriend will say "You better get down!" while pointing to the floor. At this point, Giz gets excited and starts hopping a bit while shaking his head. I think that translates to "I'll do what I want"! But Gizmo loves that little game.

Bunnies love treats! And if you can make treat time a workout too then that's even BETTER!! Now I will have to admit that Gizmo & Ebony don't always play with their treat balls but they do sometimes. Ebony will more than Gizmo because she will do just about anything for some noms! Gizmo is a bit more spoiled and doesn't want to work for his food. Silly bunnies!

Want a Bunny? Here's What You Need to Know

If you want to become a first time bunny parent or just brought a bunny into your home then this is for you. Bunnies are such complex animals and any information you know about them is great to have on hand, even if it may seem trivial now.

Rabbits, contrary to what most people think, are NOT rodents. A rabbit is actually a lagomorph, which is a Greek word meaning "hare-shaped". The difference between a rodent and a lagomorph is in their diet and their teeth. With that said, let's make teeth our next topic.

Bunnies have 28 teeth that never stop growing, which is why they constantly need to chew. This is one reason why hay is so important in a rabbit's diet. It keeps their teeth trim and healthy. Issues with teeth can develop depending on genetics, age and a bunny's previous care. Early detection of any dental issues can make it easier to treat before the problem gets out of control.

Another reason hay is essential in a bunny's diet is for their digestive health. Like cats, rabbits do get hairballs, the difference being that bunnies cannot vomit, so they can't cough up the hairballs like a cat. Hay keeps the bunny digestive system in working order. They should always have unlimited hay available to them. Always give them hay and never ever feed them food with seeds or nuts. Pet stores do sell those items, but that doesn't make them healthy. You can walk into a grocery store and buy a box of doughnuts, but that doesn't mean they're healthy for you. Nuts and seeds are something that a bun just can't handle in their gut.The digestive system of a rabbit is quite complex and they can develop gut issues very quickly and if not treated by the proper veterinarian, it can be fatal. Having some dye-free infant gas drops in your bun's medicine cabinet can be extremely helpful for tummy issues. Depending on the area where you're located, will determine what these drops are called. In the United States we call it Simethicone, while in other parts of the world, it's referred to as Infacol. Please do NOT think gas drops will be a cure for whatever is making your bunny's tummy uncomfortable. The drops can ease the discomfort of built up gas and ONLY that. To know for sure what the issue is, you will need to consult with a rabbit savvy veterinarian. When I say rabbit savvy, I mean an exotics veterinarian. Many veterinarians will tell you they can treat bunnies in their office, but rabbits are nothing like cats and dogs when it comes to their medical treatment. To ensure your sweet bunny gets the proper medical care, please do some research to find an exotics vet closest to you.

Bunnies are prey animals. They have this instinct which makes them fearful of almost everything. Even though they're safe inside your home that doesn't stop them from thinking a predator is just around the corner. Being prey animals means they try to hide any sickness or injury they may develop. In the wild bunnies are vulnerable to any carnivorous animal, but a sick bunny in the wild is even easier prey, so they try to conceal any health issues, even from you. If you suspect your bunny is sick or injured, listen for extremely loud grinding of the teeth (soft grinding is okay as that is equivalent to a cat's purr), look for decreased water intake, decreased appetite or no appetite at all, any change in the shape, consistency and amount of fecal pellets, and sitting in a hunched position for extended periods of time or if your bunny doesn't move much. All are signs that your bunny needs to be seen by a rabbit savvy vet immediately. So always make sure you have a pet carrier to transport your bunny because you never know when an emergency will happen. Bunnies are so fragile. They can be healthy one minute and knocking on death's door the next.

Rabbits love to be clean so they will bathe themselves like a cat. There may be times when your bunny will need some assistance in keeping clean. If your bun has a messy bottom then ONLY that area should be cleaned. Bunnies should NEVER be given a bath where they are completely submersed in water. I will say now that you will hear varying opinions on this topic but I advise you to never give your bun a complete bath. It's not worth risking your bunny's life. If they get a messy bottom just give them a butt bath. Even a butt bath can carry risks if you don't know what you're doing.

Please choose adoption when you're thinking of bringing a bunny into your home. There are many moral reasons as to why you should adopt but I will not get into those just now. If you adopt, you will be getting a bun who is already spayed or neutered. More than likely they will have already had a thorough veterinary examination and if not, some adoption centers will allow you to adopt and take the bunny to the vet yourself  but they will cover the cost of the vet visit.

I would like to add one more piece of info before I finish this post. Bunnies need 3-4 hours of run time each day. That means 3-4 hours outside of their cage or pen, if you're not letting them run free in your home. Younger bunnies will need more run time, of course. Just be sure the area they're running around in has been bunnyproofed. I'll go into more detail on this, as well as other bits of info provided here, in later posts.

Bunnies are not the low maintenance pet most believe them to be. I do hope with all this information you now have a better understanding of these majestic animals. I think I've more than likely overwhelmed you with this particular post so I'll give your brains and my hands a rest for now! ;)

As always feel free to email me with any questions you'd like covered in a post at cottonbottomtales@gmail.com


**** DISCLAIMER: The information provided here is just that...information. I am not a rabbit savvy veterinarian, but I do have years of experience with bunny care. This is only information to help you with your new bunny. This information is not intended to diagnose or treat any illnesses or injuries. Always consult your bunny's vet for medical issues. ****

My Introduction

Hello to all!! This is my first blog post so I thought it would only be natural to introduce myself before we get down to business. I am the mom to 2 gorgeous bunnies. They are spoiled beyond belief and have me wrapped around their cute, furry paws. Gizmo is my male Chinchilla bun who is very laid back but by no means lacks bunnitude!

Visit Gizmo on Facebook and Instagram

Ebony is my feisty, female Mini Rex who is the complete opposite of Gizmo. She loves to run Bunny 500's and do her binkies! 

Visit Ebony on Facebook and YouTube

With bunnies being the third most popular pet, I want to get all the information I can out there about their care. Spoiler alert....they're not as low maintenance as people think they are!! Here you will find educational bunny posts, as well as lighthearted bunny posts, along with a few tales about Gizmo & Ebony's cotton bottoms! So welcome to Cotton Bottom Tales!!