Category Archives: Bunny Products

Rabbit Fever DVD Giveaway

If you follow Bella’s Bunnies Rabbitry on Facebook you are aware that we were raffling off a copy of the Rabbit Fever DVD! Congrats to our winner Jamie! I hope you enjoy it!

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On another note the show season has started off well with the Pennsylvania State Rabbits Breeders Association show. This show is 2nd only to the National Convention with its size and number of entries so it was awesome to be there! My next show will probably be a local show in March or (fingers-crossed) the Lop Nationals in Ohio! Click on the picture below to buy your own copy of the DVD if you haven’t seen it.

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Pretty Pedigrees

Been alittle since our last post but if you’ve been keeping up with us on Facebook then you know that Tiger kindled 6 babies on the 25th. She had 5 chestnut’s and 1 orange! I included a pic below of the little guys. She is a great mom and everyone is doing well so far even despite some colder temperatures. I will be saving a doe for myself from this litter.  This litter is going to be named after people born on the same date (or within a day) as it seems September is a popular birthday month. I already have 3 names picked out!!! Make sure to leave a comment below of the first name of anyone you know that was born on September 25th and they might get a baby named after them!

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On another note, I ‘sprang’ for some professionally done pedigrees. Ellyn from The Nature Trail so expertly (and quickly) designed up the pedigree below. I had to fill out a simple form and within a week she had this tweaked and designed to just my liking. I highly recommend her services for your webpage, facebook page or other designs such as business cards or your very own unique pedigree! Click on the graphic below to see more examples! Very reasonably priced!

Bella’s Bunnies very own unique pedigree:

Pinterest Updates

Have you checked out the Bella’s Bunnies board on Pinterest lately? I pin some of my posts and many other useful things I find on the internet related to rabbits. Pins include bunny decor, rabbit treat recipes, cages, crafts to make for you rabbit and bunny inspired attire. Click the picture below to be brought to our board.

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April Updates

Pokerface had a litter of 7 on Sunday and lost them all by Monday. Sad day. I will rebreed her tomorrow to Lincoln again for one last chance at a litter before the hot summer really hits. A litter of velvets should be coming this Monday on the 7th hopefully. On a happier note only a week until the drawing of the DVD!

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Enter Our 1st Anniversary Contest

In celebration of our 1st anniversary we are giving away the DVD ‘The Relaxed Rabbit: Massage Techniques for Your Rabbit Companion‘ by Chandra Moria Beal!

Those who ‘like’ or subscribe to Bella’s Bunnies website are eligible and if you are already a follower then you are automatically entered! Only 1 entry per person. Only 1 DVD will be given away. The prize drawing will be 5/9/12 at 6pm and will be randomly generated. Bella’s Bunnies will contact the winner for shipping information. Shipping cost is included with the prize.

You can find out more about this DVD at http://rabbits.chandrabeal.com/dvd.htm.

Happy Easter

I know Easter isn’t about candy and bunnies but I don’t mind finding a reason to spoil the buns a bit on their ‘holiday’. The lemon balm in the backyard is growing like a weed now so everyone got a snippet of that to enjoy this morning. I’m still working on how to get a contest up and running on either wordpress or facebook (without having to pay lots of money). Seems like most of these apps go for $20-$50!!!

Some bad news to deliver on this beautiful Easter day. Collins lost her litter last night, or more she decided to rampage the nest. The REW was the only one I could ‘bring back from the dead’ but even then he only lasted for another 15 minutes before I lost him again. Sigh. She was rebred to Che today and is due on 5/7/12 (Mr. Pink Ears’ birthday!). You can visit the litterbox page for further information. On a happier note I brought Che and Pokerface’s litter into the office on Friday and everyone enjoyed spending time with them. They stopped quite a bit of foot traffic as I had their cages right by our big window. Hard to resist all those cute ears!

* No Easter bunnies were harmed in the making of this post (although the one above looks like he needs a carrot).

2 Reasons to Celebrate

20120404-105143.jpgRight on schedule Collins had her babies. There are 5, 3 black, 1 broken and 1 REW (ruby-eyed white)! I’m guessing its a REW and not a BEW (blue-eyed white) and I’m pretty certain that’s a whole other bag of genetics. Wasn’t expecting the REW (black is usually very dominant especially if both parents have it) and I will have to have my more knowledgeable rabbit friends about the color genetics behind that guy popping up. REW’s are great to have in your breeding program though as they bring out great colors in the other parent’s background. I thought maybe it was a Charlie (term for a minimally marked broken rabbit) but you only see those with 2 broken rabbits as parents so I knew that wasn’t possible.

Anyway, so it seems the velvets like to have their babies at about 9-9:30am. I went out to feed and I saw hair pulled (insert squeal here). I immediately saw 2 blacks and the REW and then off to the (cold) corner were another black and the broken. They were still wriggling slightly when I touched them which gave me relief. They were very wet still and I brought them inside, washed them off and warmed a towel that they could lay in while they dried. I also gave them a small feeding of a sugar/salt solution to help with any possible electrolyte loss going through a stressful birth. They were squirming happily in no time. I reformed Collins nest, cleaned out the afterbirth and everyone seems to be doing fine. Collins doesn’t seem overly stressed but she has this ‘what the…?’ look on her face and seems tired. She got a nice slice of apple (and so did everyone else) for being such a good girl.

The second reason to celebrate is the rabbitry is officially a year old! To celebrate I’m going to raffle off the bunny massage video I’ve mentioned before to one lucky winner! More details later as I figure out how to set up the raffle and drawing :-)

16 Bunnies That Won’t Poop In Your Easter Basket

This is the time of the year where I’m especially careful of who comes calling wanting a new baby bunny. It is not that I don’t trust people want to be inherently good bunny parents but sometimes holiday hype surrounding an animal can cause us to buy before we think things through. Movies tend to spur this kind of behavior. We see an increase in the number of guinea pigs sold as pets after the movie G-Force came out or kids wanting a spotted puppy after watching 101 Dalmatians. It’s not to say these aren’t good choices as long as the family decides beforehand they are a good fit for their lifestyle. Personally I recommend people waiting until a child is at least 7 years old before getting a rabbit. You can read my reasons for this here.

I do have 2 confessions to make. When I was very young (4-5?) we had 2 big New Zealand bunnies that lived in an outdoor pen with a giant doghouse as a home. I do remember them always running around in the backyard but besides a few pictures of them I have little memory. My parents were the ones who cared for them as my brother and I were both to young. So while I do stress that parents wait to give rabbits to their children obviously its a different story if it is the adult’s pet. My other confession involves one Easter morning when my brothers and I were busy examining the contents of our baskets when I look up to see a bunny hopping towards me. This was the start of it all, a small Californian type rabbit named Floppy as one ear didn’t quite stand up straight. It was a great Easter and it was the start of a long (and fun) 4-H hobby for me.

I’m sure there are many parents who will be surprising their children with a rabbit this year as well. Sadly, many rabbits will become unwanted pets. Just think twice before you bring a cute baby rabbit home. They grow up fast and sometimes typical rabbit behavior takes many new owners by surprise! It pains me to see animals given up because of lack of knowledge of animal behavior, divorce,  moving or just lost of interest. My favorite is when people give up an animal only to get another of a different breed. Animals are not things you just throw away.

Any rabbit I breed always has a home here with me if the new owners are unable to care for it anymore. Even if I haven’t bred a rabbit and you know of a bunny that needs a home (especially if it is an emergency) I can always find room temporarily and work to find it a new owner. If we all take a little more responsibility than maybe those who work in shelters will find their rescues a little more empty. On the lighter side of things there are plenty of fun paraphernalia to fill our Easter baskets with a ‘bunny’!

#1) I absolutely love this…seems more like a great prank gift to me than anything else. ‘Christmas Story’ meets Easter!

#2) Stroke them like you’re Dr. Evil and practice your maniacal laugh.

#3) Remember these? I think I had at least 2 of these banks growing up!

#4) How cute are these?!!

#5) Ummm, adult size please?! This makes me want to fly so I can use it, with how annoying it is to airline travel this is impressive (the baby is pretty cute too)!

#6) Love this (and the fact that Velveteens really are real now!).

#7) I’ve seen this (English Lop) hat quite abit on Pinterest, adorable!

#8) He will follow your little one everywhere…I promise!

#9) Bunnies right at your fingertips.

 #10) Truffles, treats and chocolate bunnies! Oh my! Cero’s is a great local chocolate shop in Wichita. 

#11) For the kid who wants a not so cuddly critter (or a Monty Python fan).

#12) Classic.

#13) Add the ever popular Velveteen Rabbit book for the full package.

#14) So life-like! The only thing bad about this gift is it actually looks like a real rabbit in your basket…which may cause some excessive excitement followed by some disappointment.

#15) Cute family movie.

#16) Webkinz!

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How to Travel with Rabbits Across the Country

A rabbit is bound to experience at least a car-ride or two in their lifetimes whether it be going to a new home, the vet or a show. In the case of my rabbits, most of them have a few trips to the East Coast and back. You’re going to think I’m crazy but its only to show you these things can be done. Rabbits are well-known to become easily stressed. This differs breed to breed. If I had a barn full of Polish, Belgian Hares or Tans I probably would think twice about traveling with the rabbits so much. 

Luckily, and I may be partial here, I picked some of the 2 best ‘chill’ breeds on the planet which have afforded me the luxury to pack them in the car and go home for an extended Christmas holiday to Upstate NY. As a side note my Velveteen stock did come from Pennsylvania and had already made the 1,400 mile trip once. My original stock of English I brought with me when I moved out here and made the trip just fine as well. (On a side note, you may be a crazy animal lover when your car-buying choices are narrowed down by the ease of transporting multiple animals. I have a Jeep Patriot that has given me the luxury of providing me just enough space to transport some of my things, 2 cats, 2 dogs and 8 rabbits. Now that I think of it this post could have a spin-off of how to pack light or provide Jeep with a new demographic to market).

In this post I will give you some suggestions (and this goes for airline flight as well) on how to make any trip more comfortable and less scary for your buns whether you are visiting family & friends, going to a far-away show, shipping rabbits to others or are considering going on a personal journey with Mr. Whiskers.

 Basic Travel Tips

  • First things first…make sure your vehicle is in great condition to travel. No one wants to be broken down with animals in the care. Have your car properly serviced before any travel with animals over 3 hours.
  • Make a list of all the things you will need for your trip: food, water, dishes, hay, shavings, etc. Also think about you will arrange your carriers in the car and how everything will fit. You will want to easily access the rabbits so you can give them water and vegetable treats on breaks. I typically put my rabbits all the way in the back so when I lift my back hatch they are all easily reachable.
  • Make an emergency card with care instructions and the name and phone number of someone who can be identified to take care of the rabbits if there is an accident on the road. Having a basic ‘rabbit’ emergency kit is helpful as well. This should contain gauze, bandages, tongue depressor for splint, antibiotics, electrolytes, etc. If your rabbits aren’t tattooed I would use a permanent marker to at least put some form of identification in case they get loose.
  • Rabbits will not drink while they are moving so make sure to offer liquids every time you stop. Each time you are at a rest stop or gas station take time to give each rabbit a vegetable high in water content (such as celery) and some fruit for some added electrolytes. I like to give my rabbits bananas, oranges, carrots and celery while on the road as they travel well and you can find them for sale in gas stations often. To also give your rabbit an extra boost you can buy a bottle of Gatorade and mix it 1:3 parts to help hydrate them.
  • If you have to stop for a night or two try to find a pet-friendly hotel. Since rabbits are quiet though you can usually get away with ‘sneaking’ them in. I recommend trying to find a park or open, safe area when you stop for the night where you can set up a collapsible pen (if you brought one) or let them walk on a leash to give the rabbits some exercise. If their carriers are large enough and the weather is below 50 degrees then I would leave the rabbits in the car for the night and not bring them in as it reduces the number of new environments they have to meet. If the weather is warm bring them inside to avoid over heating.
  • Your car will be quite toasty as it is depending on the number of animals you are traveling with and you most likely will have to run cold air/air conditioning the entire time to keep it comfortable for everyone.
  • When you arrive at your destination your first task should be to settle the rabbits in so they can rest and relax. My parents had cages ready and waiting for me when I arrived so I just had to unpack the rabbits and give them hay, feed and water. Make sure to look for signs of dehydration like ‘tenting of the skin‘ (which should release and go back down once you let go if they are okay), pale gums and overall signs of listlessness. If you rabbit does show dehydration signs try to get them to drink the Gatorade/water concoction and force-feed if necessary. Keep checking on them often and they should come around in a few hours after they have ingested some water.
  • The more secure a rabbit feels during transportation the better. I prefer carriers with wire-bottoms as this prevents the rabbit sitting in its droppings for long hours. I bed down the carrier with lots of hay so the rabbit has something soft to lay and to munch on! The carriers should be large enough for the rabbit to turn around in. I like top-loading carriers especially for larger breeds and splurging for the plastic coating helps avoid any sharp edges and reduce pressure on hocks. Make sure to have bungee cords or other straps to securely fasten the carriers to one another and the car. Preventing excessive sliding or movement in case of sudden braking, an accident or other unpredictable driving incident is key. Buy carriers with handles for easier transportation or buy a fold-down cart for transportation to and from your car.
  •  I recommend the 2 suppliers below for finding great carriers, carts, food dishes and waterers suited for traveling.

Airline Travel

Airline travel is confusing, time-consuming and expensive for humans. Expect no less when trying to fly with a pet. Many others have done the research on this and I have done the dirty work to find the best links for you to reference for all your questions. Bella’s Bunnies prefers not to ship rabbits by airlines unless many rabbits are being shipped at a time and there are no other options. Flying bunnies cargo is not recommended by Bella’s Bunnies as it is increasingly stressful with lack of climate control and high noise. It is best if you can fly a rabbit with you as a carry-on so you can accommodate its needs and help reduce any unneeded stress.

Pet-Friendly Travel  This site is extensive and lists all airlines and their pet policies. As well as other resources about flying animals. Also has links to airline incident reports which show the number of deaths and injuries to pets flying.

Top 10 Pet-Friendly Airlines 2011 I recommend Frontier if able. I recommend a long drive to a reputable airline if needed rather than settling for one that is nearby. Pet Airways currently does not accept rabbits but I’m working on corresponding with them and hopefully someday they will include them as it would be a more positive experience for the animals.

Airline Advice from ARBA

Airline Options from ARBA

I would love to hear from you guys about your pet travel stories and any further tips you may have!

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