Make it Chocolate. . .

It's time for my annual post on the joys (and realities) of owning a rabbit. Easter sees a huge bump in rabbit-buying by well-meaning but ignorant parents. The weeks just after Easter see a huge bump in the number of rabbits abandoned at shelters. You do the math.

Rabbits are wonderful animals to have around the house: they are highly intelligent, relatively neat (yes, they can easily be litter-trained), and very quiet. They don't bark at strangers, yowl for food, or need to be walked. They can be sweet daily companions: they love pats from their human, lick the ones they adore, and anyone who's ever seen a rabbit do a binky knows what rabbit joy looks lie.

But, rabbits are advanced pet-ownership.

Some quick facts:

-Rabbits' teeth are always growing. Always. They must chew on things to keep them filed down, and they will not just chew toys you provide for them. Rabbits will chew anything with an interesting texture, including: wires, books, plastic bags, shoes, the legs of tables and chairs, cardboard boxes, mail left lying about, even clothing. If you leave it near the ground where a rabbit can get it, expect it to be chewed. Every wire in my house is taped to the wall, out of harm's way. A house with a rabbit must be bunny-proofed.

-Rabbits need fresh greens and timothy hay to keep their bodies happy and healthy. A steady diet of pellets is fattening and not good for them. Fresh greens can get expensive, but they are the best, healthiest way to feed them.

-Rabbits have complex and often delicate digestion systems, and when they begin to go wrong they go wrong very fast. If a rabbit stops pooping, even for a few hours, and seems listless or lies hunched up in a corner, get them to the vet immediately. A rabbit with GI stasis, a common rabbit ailment where the intestinal tract stops, can die within hours. Exotic vets are not cheap, and a rabbit owner can look forward to spending thousands of dollars on their rabbit during its lifetime.

-Rabbits do not live happily in hutches or cages. They are quick-thinking and inquisitive and need a lot of stimulation, and unhappy, bored bunnies are destructive and moody. The happiest rabbits have the run of the house, like a cat or dog.

-A rabbit will live eight to ten years. Some live even longer. That means that buying a rabbit for yourself or your children is making a commitment for a decade of care, feeding, and love. This is not something that will be amusing for a year or two, and then disposable.

Please, please, please: if you are looking at that cute little bunny in the pet-store window, on sale in time for Easter Sunday, and your child is begging you to buy it, think twice. A real living, breathing rabbit is a creature with complex needs and feelings. Not a toy. Not something to be discarded when the novelty wears off. More rabbits die in shelters every year around this time, and many are simply abandoned outdoors on the erroneous belief that they will be fine in the park or on the streets. You would never buy a dog on a whim, so don't think a rabbit is an impulse-buy. Unless you're ready for the committment, pass that pet-store window and take your child to get a stuffed rabbit, or a chocolate one instead.

If you are ready to be become a rabbit-parent, consider getting your new companion at a shelter:

House Rabbit Society has links to shelters all over the country, and a lot of very good information on raising a happy rabbit. For those in the Chicago-area, think about adopting your bunny from Red Door Shelter.

I will never regret my decision to become a rabbit-mom twelve years ago. Alfalfa, Sebastian, and Viola have so enriched my life, and I hope many of you can find that kind of joy. But, only if you know what you're getting into.

Miss Kitty Fantastico

I'm almost positive she belongs to someone in my neighborhood, but this kitty has taken to following me home and meowing plaintively for attention (which, of course, I give). She's very well-groomed and not skinny, so I know she's no stray, but she seems to have adopted me a bit. Every time she sees me now, she mews and runs over for love, following me along the fences leading up to my building, and into my yard.

Sigh. I wonder if Viola would tolerate a cat companion better than a rabbit? I dunno. But, I'm starting to think she's getting a little neurotic on her own, and needs someone else besides me to keep her company. We'll see. . .

The Stress Monster Returns . . .

Arthur P. Monster here, live from the West Coast. After a brief hiatus, stress-levels have been ramping up in advance of the end of the month. It seems employment situations are different than previously believed. For the word on the street, we talk to Viola, rabbit about town.

"It's not so bad. I mean, there's always fresh greens, isn't there?" Viola reports, munching on a hay stalk.

"What is Ginger's mood like? Can you tell us if she's sleeping at night? Is she still doing that alarming humming-to-herself thing?"

"Humming?" Munch, munch, munch. "No. Can't say as I've noticed. But, if you think she's sleeping too much, I can fix that. I've got this combination chewing/scratching thing that I do at 3am--"

"No, no. Thank you. That'll do."

As you can see, so far it seems Ginger is dealing well with the stress. Of course, we'll keep you informed as the end of the month approaches. This is Arthur P. Monster, the Stress-Monster, reporting in.

My Little Buddy. . .

My Sebastian passed away last night. It was very fast; I came home from work and he was dying. I rushed him to the Emergency Vet, but there was nothing they could do. I drove all the way there with him on my lap, talking to him, knowing he wasn't going to m,ake it and dtermined that if he died before we reached the vet, at least I was holding him, petting him. He knew I loved him.

I know mothers aren't supposed to have favorites, but he slept on my bed. He laid on my chest while I watched movies and petted him. He was my fuzzy faced boy. I miss him so much already. I know Viola is going to miss him too; she doesn't know it yet. They were finally, at long last, together. Bonded.

He's gone, and my heart is broken.

Make Mine Chocolate!

My Viola and Sebastian were adopted from Red Door Animal Shelter. Viola was found outside, and Sebastian was surrendered.

Every year, pet stores around the country are flooded with rabbits in the Spring, hoping to capitalize on the scores of parents who think it's a good idea to get their kids real bunnies for Easter. They hop and flop and look fuzzy and cute, and parents and kids oooh and ahhh through the cages at them, plunking down $30 to bring home a piece of the holiday.

But, rabbits are not toys, and these are not stuffed animals.

After Easter, shelters are flooded with these "gifts", surrendered by parents who thought they could stick the animals in a cage in the corner and forget about them. Many of these rabbits are traumatized and eventually euthanized, shelters overcrowded and rabbits usually not as popular and adoptable as puppies and kittens. And, those are the lucky ones; many are simply released into the wild, under the false assumnption that an animal raised in captivity can somehow "take care of itself". These rabbits die of exposure, are killed by predators, or are struck by cars when they run terrified onto busy streets.

 A rabbit is an 8-10 year commitment, and they are just as much work as a dog. They require special vets that can care for exotic animals and need constant maintenance of teeth and claws and digestive tract. If kept in a pen it needs to be cleaned regularly, and they crave interaction and stimulation with their human and animal companions. They are lively and boistrous, but can also be nervous and excitable and startle easily. They chew everything, including power cables, and must be kept on a good diet of Timothy Hay and fresh greens to stay healthy. They have personalities, likes and dislikes, quirks, and they can be the most intelligent and loving of pets. But, they are not disposable.

My Alfalfa was from a pet store. I got her at Easter, but she was one of the lucky ones. I kept her long after the holiday.

This year, before thinking of buying that cute ball of fluff in the pet store window, think about spending the next 8 years with him or her as your bunny companion, and then head over to your nearest shelter and adopt a bunny waiting for a home from there. Rabbit-parents will tell you: it is totally worth it. But, if all you want is something cute and furry for your kids to play with, get a stuffed animal to put in the basket.

Some rabbit rescue foundations and shelters:

Red Door Animal Shelter

Make Mine Chocolate

The House Rabbit Society

ASPCA

The Bonding Chronicles 5: Caught in the Act!

Yes, you are seeing this. I know I said I caught her licking his head the other day, and here is the proof.

She's licking his head.

The Bonding Chronicles 4: This Time It's Personal

No humans were harmed by the disapproval in this picture.

So, after nearly two months of worrying, fretting, pulled hair, and nearly-ripped out throats (and that is just from the people involved), the bonding process had a little triumpth this morning.

She was licking his head.

SHE WAS LICKING HIS FRIGGING HEAD.

I know I sound like a lunatic, but this is a very big deal. Yes, it was separated by bars, and yes, grooming is a form of dominance, but it is not aggressive as, say, charging and growling is. Believe me, I was growing very discouraged about whether or not they would ever get along, so this is a monster-sized deal.

I woke up this morning to the usual sounds of Sebastian running around his cage, ready for greens and pets and ready for mommy to get up. It got rather quiet, and I opened my eyes and looked towards the cage to see Viola in front of it; not an unusual site. She usually comes to see him in the morning, does her morning pee next to the bars, and then follows me out to the kitchen for her own breakfast. Except this morning I saw her doing something at the bars, so I grabbed my glasses to get a better look.

They have a habit of sniffing each other through the bars; in the beginning, she would only tolerate this for a few moments before growling at him, and he would hop away. Lately, they have been sitting together more often, sniffing each other through the bars, and she has not growled. This morning, I saw her head moving, and he had his head down to her, and I realized: she's licking his head. She would lick for a few seconds, stop and look at me, then lick a few seconds more. She did this until I got out of bed and went to tell my sister (I was too excited/astonished to keep quiet). When I came back in she was lying against the bars, which she has been doing a lot more lately.

Is it possible she has finally realized he is a permanent fixture, and kinda nice to have around? Believe me, this is not an overnight thing; there is still a lot of danger in their being together without bars. I will put them together this evening in their neutral space and she will probably still be fairly aggressive towards him. But, I am very encouraged by this sign. Maybe by the end of the summer, I can actually let him out of his cage when I'm home and can supervise. I'm not holding my breath for miracles, but maybe there's hope!

After all, she was licking his head.

The Bonding Chronicles 3: Bond Harder

(Dramatic music. VO: famous trailer guy Don Lafontaine)
In a world where two rabbits need to learn how to coexist peacefully . . . you have: Bond Harder! (cue: large background explosion with two bunnies hopping away from it in the foreground. You just know these bunnies are about to start some shit.)

Yes, the bonding continues.

I have finally gotten them to the point where there is no fighting or ripping out of fur; Viola is now willing to sit within two feet of Sebastian, as long as I am petting both with my protective gloves on. Sebastian is actually more alert in her presence now than the reverse; he is waiting for her to charge at him, and is a little afraid of her right now. I'm hoping that a few more days like this will begin to relax him around her.

She also seems willing to sniff him and be sniffed by him through the bars of his cage, though she still grunts at him from time to time when he lingers a little too long. I also saw her nosing the stuffed surrogate the other day, and sniffing it repeatedly without showing any nervousness or aggression.

Yes, these are admittedly very small steps, but I am willing to go as slowly as I need to in order to get them together. Rabbits are very smart and have very long memories; all it takes is one bad experience to sour them against something or someone for a very long time. I intend to continue to go gradually and keep the experience as positive as possible, and hopefully in a few weeks they will be to the point where I can let him free in the apartment without worrying that they will fight.

Next up: forced intimacy. While they are both together and fairly relaxed, I will put Sebastian down right next to Viola, and see if they will stay this way without getting freaked or growling and snapping.

Stay tuned!

Bonding Chronicles: Part Deux . . .

My new bunny has officially taken over my bedroom.

If you'll recall, originally, Sebastian had been living in a medium-sized cage, with plenty of room to hop in, but still rather confined and a little frustrating for him. I had massive guilt about this, but as long as Viola still wants to fight with him, in the cage he stays for both their protection.

Yesterday I had to stop at Petco to pick up more Timothy Hay, as Sebastian is like a little Hoover for bunny food , and I decided to look at the metal grating you usually see used for dog kennels and runs. Red Door uses them to do bunny introductions, and it is much more open than the cage. So, I found the tallest one they had and coughed up the extra money for it, then went home and set it up.

It's like he's moved to the Bunny Ritz-Carlton; this thing is bigger than my living space at the old apartment! He wasted no time exploring it and peeing on the fresh newspaper I put down; he is a very messy boy. I hope she can teach him some tidier litter habits, eventually. Maybe he can teach her to chew on the chew toys; he started using the toys I bought him righ away, whereas she disdains them in favor of an obliging table leg;)

As for the bonding process . . . well, not much new to report. She is possibly getting more used to his presence, but she's still not happy about it at all, very threatened and afraid. She charges at him and chases him, and while I always separate them and calm them down immediately, it does not seem to be getting better. I am not sending him back; we have all fallen in love with him now. I will just have to keep working at it until one day she accepts him. In the meantime, he lives in my room, and regularly decides that 4am is the time I should be getting up in the morning . . . .

Bonding Chronicles: New bunny in the house . . .

That's right: there's a new bunny in da house;)

Saturday we took Viola on another bunny date at Red Door; she had just been there two weeks earlier too meet Thumper, a black, fuzzy boy bunny who seemed very mellow and rather charmed by her. This time around, they met, they sniffed, and he came home with us.

Thus begins the Bonding Chronicles. Anyone who has ever tried bonding two rabbits can probably attest to this: rabbits do not usually fall in love at first sight. They can fight and scratch and charge and growl until finally the home bunny accepts the visitor. Ultimately, bonded rabbits are healthier, mentally and physically; rabbits are social creatures, and they do better in pairs and groups. You just have to get them there;)

Viola, usually pretty mild and nervous, has become a little warrior rabbit, charging at him, growling and stamping, territorial and pissy. Thumper, however, who we have renamed Sebastian (after Viola's brother in Twelfth Night), is mellow and easy-going, and hopefully his gentleness will eventually persuade her to like him. Until then, the gloves stay on, and he has to live in a cage for a bit.

I'll keep you all posted on the progress . . .

Favorite Site Tuesdays!

I know I have talked about these guys before, but I wanted to take the time to write a feature post on them, so they're my favorite site for the week!

Most of you know that I found my rabbit, Viola, through Red Door; after losing Alfalfa, the little white fluff-ball I had had in my life for eight years, I was devastated, and unsure whether or not I could handle adopting another rabbit. But, after a few months, I remembered the flyers and posters my vet, Chicago Exotics, always had posted around the office advertising the animals for adoption over at Red Door. So I found them online and filled out a form, and after a few phone calls I headed over to meet the bunnies.

Toni Greetis and all the devoted folks over at Red Door are truly fabulous at what they do; I have rarely met a more dedicated group of individuals. Red Door houses abandoned, abused and homeless rabbits, cats, dogs, and even occasionally ducks and other animals who find themselves in need. They exist completely on donations and thrive on people who care enough to give of themselves to the animals, whether it be as a foster, a new parent, or simply with gifts of money, food, blankets, empty pet carriers, etc. They are one of the only truly no-kill animal shelters in the city; they will routinely get calls from places like the Anti-Cruelty Society (which is a great shelter, but is not no-kill), to see if they have room to take their over-flow of bunnies and save the animals from euthanization due to over-crowding.

If you are considering adding a new member to your family, please stop by and visit the animals so in need of loving forever-homes. Also, consider fostering animals who might need a little extra help, whether because they are recovering from an illness, need some socialization, or just need a change of scenery. You can also be a buddy, and sponsor an animal at the shelter.

And, if you're up for a little fun in the sun, stop by the 2009 Gimme Shelter Walk on June 7th; there will be food, games, and lots of other fun stuff, as well as a walk to raise funds to benefit Red Door. If you like, you can click here to donate to my page for the Walk. Also, read their blog to keep up-to-date on the goings-on Behind the Red Door.

Enjoy the video of my bunny below: Viola just being, well, Viola;)

Binkies . . .

People think I'm making it up when I try to describe binkies to them: this is it.

It is real, people.
Binkies will take over the world.

Tab's new Faire ensemble . . .

Saturday morning I got to work on Tabitha's new outfit for Faire this season. You may have seen pics of her fabulousness last year:

Well, I've had this nifty striped fabric hanging around for a few years, just waiting to be made into something (thank you, Stacy!), and last month Tab says, "How about a new skirt this year?" Well, I say, how about a new skirt, new sleeves, and some hand-made buttons? Because I'm just that crazy.

The skirt is done, the buttons are covered, and as soon as the chevron-striped sleeves are finished, I'll dress her up and snap a few pics to post.

Viola got in on the action, of course. She's such a help to her mommy.

An Easter-time request . . .

As Easter gets closer, lots of people are going top go into pet shops and see the cutest little bundles of fluff they've ever seen. They will be laying in groups, running and jumping about, grooming each other and making pieces of hay and lettuce disappear between incredibly precious little mouths. Parents will feel their children tug on their arms, crying, "Mommy! Mommy, look! It's the Easter bunny!" "Mommy, it's just like my stuffed bunny at home, except for real!" The parents will relent when they see the low prices of these tiny creatures, many taken from breeding mills when far too young and barely weaned, sold for as low as $10 or $15 each. They will take them home, and expect to have a cute little toy whose nose twitches.

Imagine the shock when they suddenly realize:

a) This creature is not a doll

b) It chews everything it can reach in order to file its teeth and process information about the object, ie: taste, texture, smell, etc.

c) It can be very anxious and high strung, especially around loud noises, new stimulus, being picked up and handled roughly, etc.

d) It poops and pees a lot (as a healthy rabbit should), and will not always have the tidiest litter habits if not trained properly.

These bunnies, brought home on a whim by people expecting a sedate, cute bundle of fur or a toy for their children, face a dreadful fate each year after the Easter novelty has worn off: if lucky, they are abandoned at shelters in droves, and if unlucky, they are simply released into the wild to a terror-filled existence.

People, if you find yourself gazing adoringly at that cute little bunny in the pet shop window, please be smart and get informed before you consider actually adding a rabbit to your family:

Binky Bunny Info

The House Rabbit Society

Rabbits are wonderful, loving animals, but they are not as easy and low-maintenance as owning a cat. They are not stuffed animals, and I recommend you educate yourself before bringing one home to you, your children, or your other pets.

If you do decide you want a rabbit, I highly recommend you get a bunny who needs a home, from a shelter.

List of some shelters, by state

Red Door Animal Shelter in Chicago, where I got my Viola

Read Birdchick's blog on the subject

I will always be glad I made the decision to get a rabbit in 2000; Alfalfa was my little sweetheart, in spite of the fact that she chewed and pooped on my world;) She left a hole in my heart when she passed away last year, and I went to Red Door a few months later and found Viola. I cannot live without rabbits in my life now: they are Advanced Pet-Ownership, but they are worth it!

Viola, in one of her more sedate moments

Isn't this mine? Alfalfa, near the end of her life, still chewing on everything;)