Dealing With an Overweight Bunny

It is all too common for bunnies to become overweight. A long time ago people thought that a chubby bunny was a healthy bunny. We know now that this is wrong. However, many people still have chubby bunnies. And unfortunately this means a shorter lifespan for bunny, unnecessary health issues, and laziness.
It is very important that you keep bunny healthy if you want her to live a good, happy life. You can help keep bunny from getting overweight. If you have a chubby bunny you can use these steps to help bunny lose weight.

How to tell if bunny is overweight:
.Gently rub your hands over bunny. You should be able to feel her ribs without a thick layer of fat over them. 
.The dewlap should not interfere with bunny's grooming.
.If bunny seems lazy, having trouble sitting up, or has a hard time playing for long periods of time, then she may be overweight.

How to help keep bunny at a healthy weight:
.Take bunny out of her cage to play everyday for at least 1 hour 2-3x a day.
ALL bunnies need big cages (even dwarf rabbits). If bunny spends long periods of time in her cage she needs a larger space to play in and lots of fun toys, ramps, and things to play on! (HAVING A BIG CAGE DOES NOT MEAN YOU CAN'T TAKE BUNNY OUT TO PLAY OUTSIDE HER CAGE)!
.Feed bunny the proper amount of pellets. Pellets can very easily make bunny fat (even healthier brands).
.Give bunny hay and water 24/7
.Feed bunny healthy greens 1-2x a day.
.Don't give bunny a ton of treats.  Bunny should only get treats a few times a week and in small amounts. 
.Do not feed bunny any kind of non-rabbit food or any kind of "fiesta" style bunny chow you see at pet stores. These are often filled with bad food for bunny and are laden with sugar and chemicals. 
.You can talk to your vet to see what else you can do for bunny.

NEVER EVER TRY AND STARVE BUNNY TO FORCE HER TO LOSE WEIGHT! THIS IS VERY CRUEL AND COULD KILL HER.

A happy, healthy bunny. 

Remembering Snowberry

On July 14 2016 at around 11:30pm, 1 month before her 8th birthday, little Snowberry went to heaven in her mommy's loving arms.

An old little lady bunny. She was a happy and otherwise healthy girl other than her arthritis. She never had any dental disease, or other illnesses all her life.

A strong and terrible stroke which left her confused, in pain, and unable to stand. My mother and I rushed her to emergency vet care. It became clear that she would not survive the ordeal. We decided to end her pain by letting her be put to sleep in my arms. The same way I brought her home. Safe in my arms, I escorted her home to be with Jesus and my many other beloved pets who have moved on.
She is snuggled up in my baby blanket she chewed up after all these years, in a small white box, buried safely in the yard she so loved to play in. Under some growing flowers and some roses we put there.

8 years of habits to break. Filling the hay rack and water bottle. Cleaning the cage. Taking her out to play in the yard. Feeding her her most favorite food in the world- cilantro! Walking into the kitchen expecting to see a little white bunny in there.

If love could have saved her she would have lived forever.

I know that I'll see her again. It's goodbye for now. Not forever.

My wonderful, precious, little baby! Such a special gift from God! 8 happy, fun years. I'll miss her forever. My darling little Fuzz-Butt. You'll be in my heart always.

"Every good and perfect gift is from God." James 1:17

Mommy's baby girl. xoxo

SNOWBERRY

Outdoor Rabbit Safety

Safety is key for any rabbit, whether indoor or outdoor. Outdoor rabbit safety is highly important because of the exposure to the elements. Rain, wind, and extreme heat or cold can cause bunny to get sick or die if he is not properly protected while he is outside. He must also be protected from poisonous plants, and parasites and other wild animals like wild rabbits, raccoons etc.

OUTDOOR RABBIT CAGE/HUTCH SAFETY:
If bunny is a rabbit that will remain outdoors for the majority of his time then you need to make sure that he can access a safe, enclosed place to hide/play/rest in. Having a good, strong hutch is essential.
Make sure that his hutch is dry and cleaned daily, has no wire flooring, has a minimum of 3 levels, and a completely closed off hide away area. This will give him a safe place to hide should a raccoon or other animal come for a visit and begin to poke at bunny. Make sure that you can access his hiding spot in case you have to get him for whatever reason. Your hutch should also have good ventilation while keeping him safe from too much wind and rain. The cage should be placed in an area that gets at least 4-5 hours of sun a day. A good place to put the hutch may be on a shady patio, or back porch. It is not a good idea to put bunny on a non-enclosed front porch. A sun porch is OK though. A bunny pen is a fairly safe place to let bunny hop around in in your yard. Just because bunny is in a pen though doesn't mean she is 100% safe from wild animals. Watch her when she is playing outside her hutch. Put toys, a hiding spot and water/hay in the pen.

WEATHER SAFETY:
Having bunny outside in bad rain, freezing cold, high winds, or sweltering heat is not only dangerous for bunny, but quite silly on your part. If the temperature reaches over 80 degrees outside without a good breeze, and there is med-high humidity then bunny should be taken inside. If the temperature goes below 50 degrees, with med-high winds, and there is snow, then bunny should be taken inside. Bunny should also come inside during chilly, wet, or really rainy/stormy days. She should also be taken in if you leave the house or it's night time so have a temporary indoor hutch for bunny.

YARD SAFETY:
If you live in a highly wooded area with many deer, wild rabbits, raccoon's, etc. then take extra precaution to keep bunny in a safe bunny pen and hutch. Be aware to keep these critters away since their poop/saliva/pee that gets on the grass that bunny may nibble on can give her deadly illnesses that can be fatal in 24hrs if not treated ASAP. Keep garden greens, poisonous plants, etc away from bunny. Watch her closely and take care of bunny.

A Nice Brisk Walk

Unlike dogs, rabbits don't need to be walked. As fun as walking bunny sounds for you, it really isn't for bunny. There are too many risks in taking bunny for a walk than good things. Bunny will enjoy playing in a fun yard than walking outside.

Why it isn't always good to walk bunny:
1.If you live in a big city all the noise from people, barking dogs, trash, cars, planes, and construction work can all be very chaotic for bunny. Even a brave bunny can be spooked.
2.If bunny is being walked on the grass (or sidewalk) the poop and pee from birds and other animals as well as germs from peoples shoes can make bunny very sick.
3.Leashed dogs that see bunny may bark at her which will scare her and people who may want to touch bunny can be frightening for her.

While I don't really encourage the idea of bunny being taken on walks there are some bunnies who do just fine and like it. However, most bunnies don't like it and do better off in a more quiet suburbian setting. Not really in a city or forest preserve.

But there are some things to consider if you choose to take her out:

.Use a harness never a leash!

.Keep an eye out for dogs. If you see an over excited, loud dog then pick bunny up.

.Don't take her on grass covered with bird/animal poop or sharp objects or lots of trash.

.Take the heat into consideration. Don't take bun out if the temperature is over 80 or under 50. (Consider the "real feel" temperature and the humidity. Bunny also gets easily scared in stroms.)

.Don't use bunny as an exercise partner. This is not safe for her!

.People may want to touch bunny ( who wouldn't?). Don't take her our if she is afraid of people. You can let people touch and pet bunny, but not hold her.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Snowberry and I wish you all happy holidays.

Have safe travels to and from home.

Take care of yourself and bunny.

Be safe, thankful, healthy, and "hoppy".

AS WE GO INTO THE NEW YEAR DON'T FORGET ABOUT 

SOME NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS YOU CAN DO.

Some things you may want to do to take better care of bunny:

.Grooming and playtime

.Cleaning cage 7 days a week

.Feeding healthy food

Think of how you can better care for bunny.

TAKE CARE AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I love a white Christmas. So does my Fuzz-butt bunny.

Grooming

Every rabbit should be groomed. Grooming includes brushing, trimming nails, and possible bathing.

Grooming is one of those things that you need to make time for. Grooming can take awhile. It all depends on how long bunny's fur is and what needs doing.

THINGS THAT SHOULD BE DONE DAILY: (15-30min.)

Bunny has to be brushed a minimum of once a day. Really it should be twice a day. If you have a bunny breed with long hair then you may to do it more often.

Check her ears to see if there is gunk in there or ear mites. See your vet if there is anything in there.

THINGS THAT SHOULD BE DONE MONTHLY:(15min.)

Clipping bunny's nails are important. Clipping is hard but it is easy to find tutorials on YouTube. 

You can also have your vet clip them for you.

Please do not, I repeat, DO NOT EVER give bunny a bath or take into the shower or pool with you. Some bunnies can get shocked by it and end up sick or even die. The only case in which you should bathe bunny is when her bottom is covered in dried poop. Even then, never fully submerge her. Just get her tush and then dry her very well. Do not use human shampoo, conditioner, or soap. You can help keep her clean by cleaning her cage often, letting her play outside her cage, and grooming her. 

I'm Bunnysitting

This is one of those things that has to be discussed before you get a bunny. Whose going to take care of bunny while you're away from home?  Bunnies aren't like cats where you can have somebody come once a day to feed and that's that. If you have a bunny sitter then they'll have to clean out the cage everyday, feed them hay that'll last all day long, and give them some playtime. Bunnies don't have an easy time being on the road. Flying on a plane can be traumatic for bunny if she flies in a pet kennel that she could very easily get sick from other animals, and stress. Most airlines wont let you take bunny with you on board.  A trustworthy bunny sitter is the best option for bunny if you are going on vacation. You could board your bunny at a pet hotel, or hire a professional bunny sitter.

A bunny sitter should be a reliable person who reads instructions carefully. It should also be someone you now well (i.e family friend, cousin), or a professional bunny sitter who handles rabbits. The bunny sitter should know how to properly clean out the cage and supervise her while she plays. They will also have to come everyday. It is a good idea to invite your sitter over to your house so you can show him/her how to clean/feed/play/ take bunny out of the cage. If you have other pets like a dog or cat and they don't get along with bunny, then you'll have to tell the sitter to let bunny play in a separate room.

WHAT TO LEAVE WITH YOUR SITTER:

.Your vet's info and the vet clinic directions in case an emergency happens with bunny.

.Instructions on feeding amounts, playtime, and a page on emergency health problems. 

.Leave your cage cleaning supply where they can find it

.Leave food (and measuring amounts) out too.
.Any medicine that bunny needs and how to administer them.
.Do not let your bunny sitter take bunny on walks
.Do not allow bunny to hop freely around the house, if the bunny is only going to come once a day