Dana comes back from a long hiatus with a short podcast. She talks about how 2 of her bunnies try to participate in yoga with her. Do your bunnies try to incorporate themselves into your human routines? Email Dana your stories.

Got feedback? Questions? A topic suggestion? Email me!

Amparo blogged about the BunnyBlab podcasts as an example of the fact that podcasts do best when they’re targetted to very specific niche audiences.

Paul sounds a little like he’s sitting in a tin can, but other than that, this one’s a keeper. We’ve started to segment the Blabs, so the show notes from now on will be broken into sections.

P&D blab
Ear mites were pretty gross. And sad for Pea…If you want to learn more about them, read Fur and Ear mites. Treatment is to clean out the ears with warm water on Q-tips, then a trip to the vet’s to get either a series of shots of ivermectin or a squirt of insecticide in each ear of each bunny in your warren. If you wanna see a pic, check out this one (they’re not that big, don’t worry!).

Paul’s fire coral story is true. He was a mess for a day. BTW, “the current was very strong” — we asked the dive instructors how “very strong” it was that morning and he said on a scale of 1-5, that morning’s was a 2 (soft current). Maybe Paul needs to go scuba diving some more! Here’s Google’s fire coral pix page.

Littertraining bunnies
Two methods — slip a box in whatever corner they choose to use or tell/show/teach them that litter and a box (wherever it is) means “that’s where to go.” First is easier; second requires more time and dedication and a closer watch on our part, as you’re actually putting them in the box every time you see them start to back into a corner.

I’ve done both methods. If you have questions about littertraining your bunny, let me know and I’ll try to help you out.

BlabBag
BJ’s Flemmie, Phil, seems to be a lover not a fighter. She’s trying to bond Loki, Baldr and Phil as a group, but maybe she’ll wait to stick them together until Loki gets neutered. She said they all can’t wait for that day! I can just picture randy little Loki chasing anything that moves. Very cute, but it gets old quickly.

Richard from Wisconsin wrote in to welcome Paul and me to home ownership. Thanks, Richard! It’s still up for debate how much of the house our bunnies will rule and how often. We’ll figure it out, don’t worry! Richard also told us that Hershey has head tilt, but it’s getting better thanks so some human loving and some loving by Chloe, Hershey’s bonded bun. If you’d like to read about head tilt, take a look at Head Tilt: Causes and Treatment or Dana Krempels’ (one of the most prolific writers about bunny medical issues out there; she REALLY knows her stuff) Treating Head Tilt (Torticollis). Keep us updated, Richard, please!

Got feedback? Questions? A topic suggestion? Email me!

Next episode: How did you fall in love with bunnies? Send in your story today!

The non-episode of BunnyBlab explains why there’s no ep9 out yet and that you can expect one the week of the 17th. Topic is still littertraining your bunny. Who knew?! Bunny ppl did…

Learn more about ear mites here and here. I’ll tell you about treatment in ep9.

Thanks, HopperHome.com’s Connie, for your mention of BunnyBlab on HopperHome! Your blog is very bunderful!

As mentioned in episode 2, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to keep your bunny entertained. Episode 8 of BunnyBlab will detail the different ways bunnies play and what toys you can give them to help you. (Hint: One of those toys is you.)

I mentioned Christmas Tree Shops is a good place for cheap toys (including tissue paper). If you are fortunate to live near a location of the chain (it’s a New England-area chain), check it out for some bunny toys.

Don’t keep first editions on your bottom shelves!

Pea in her basket — shhhh! She’s sleeping!

Wood toys in Pea’s cage

“Binkies” and “pod bunnies”?! What other funny words to bunny people have for the objects of our adoration? Find out on The PetBunny Dictionary.

Check out some pix of Flemish Giants — they’re the biggies!

A perspective shot of a Flemish Giant

What I recommended BJ has on hand for Day One of her baby Flemmie’s first day:

• Gas-X tablets
• Lots of hole-free towels for nesting
• Lots of fresh alfalfa hay
• An area to play in, free of hazards, but full of safe things to check out

More to come from BJ and her new Flemmie baby in the next episode of BunnyBlab!

Got feedback? Questions? A topic suggestion? Email me!

Next episode: How to littertrain your bunny.

Bunnies were perfectly designed for life in underground warrens — they chew and dig like champions. But when you bring them inside, how do you prevent them from making a warren out of your house? Paul and Dana will give you some pointers on how to bunnyproof your house when you bring a bunny home with you in episode 7 of BunnyBlab.

Here is a channel I was talking about. They cost a lot if you get more than one package, which is like 8-10 feet, but they stick to the wall and are good for a cord or two.

But, see, they blend in…

Got feedback? Questions? A topic suggestion? Email me!

Episode 8 coming next week. Find out how to play with your bunny!

Episode 6 of BunnyBlab continues the discussion of what bunnies eat. Paul and I talk about pelleted food and one of a bunny’s favorite topics: treats!

Here is the HRS chart for pellet allotment. And don’t forget to check out the grid for the recommended analysis of food for your bunny. Is the food you’re serving good for your lagamorph?

As promised, a pic of Pea hunting for carrots at the bottom of her salad:

Send in your photos of bunnies chowing down!

Got feedback? Questions? A topic suggestion? Email me!

Episode 7 coming next week. Learn how to bunnyproof your home.

Bunnies are no one-trick wonder when it comes to food. Variation in their diet is key to good nutrition. What do the little guys eat, after all? Episode 5 of BunnyBlab will talk about varieties of hay and fresh veggies.

Paul and I talked about going geocaching (straight up a mountain). Check it out!

We talked about Oxbow Hay, which is mail order and also in select pet supply stores. Let Oxbow Hay educate you on hay varieties.

Here’s HRS’ salad list, so check it out and try out the veggies with your bunny one at a time, so you can see if they like it or not.

My list of the usual salady suspects:

• red leaf lettuce
• green leaf lettuce
• romaine lettuce
• chickory (aka endive or curly endive)
• escarole
• dandelion greens
• broccoli rabe (mostly leaves and stems)
• carrot tops

Garnishes:

• dill
• parsley
• radish greens
• bok choy (aka Chinese cabbage)
• collard greens

Every other week(ish) (Vit A veggies):

• kale
• spinach

No Zantac.

Does your bunny have a favorite veggie? Email me!

Episode 6 coming next week. The second part of the “What should I feed my bunny?” series will talk about pellets and treats.

Paul and I talk about what supplies you need right off the bat, how much contact you should have with the bunny, and where you should let the bunny sleep those first few nights.

pic of bottle setup

Do you have a bottle setup that works? Send me your pix and tell me where you got the water bottle or bottle stopper from!

Here’s a list of things you need on Day 1 when you bring your bunny home:

General supplies

• cage/condo/enclosure — no wire floors, as they hurt a bunny’s feet
• food dish
• water dish/bottle
• salad dish (if bunny is older than 12 weeks)
• litter box
• towels to lie in, dig in

Consumables

• food (kibble/pellets)
• hay
• salad (if bunny is older than 12 weeks)

Cleaning supplies

• paper towels
• spray bottle of vinegar
• spray bottle of water
• dustpan and small broom for cleaning up after your bunny

Feedback? Email me!

Episode 5 coming next week. Episode 5 is the first of a two-part series on what bunnies eat.

In this episode, “So you’ve decided you want a bunny…” we’ll talk about the factors involved in deciding how many bunnies to get, where to get them, and how to decide on the right bunny for you and your family.

Here are a few pix of each of my bunnies, past and present:

Amber giving ‘tude

The most money shot I have of Amber

We cuddled for hours every day

Kayla’s kinda screwy when she wants to be

My teeny tiny girl all stretched out (and still small)

A good side-by-side of the twins; it often takes people years

to tell them apart, and I always wonder why

This pic won Ariel a spot in a bunny calendar a few years back —

she is a beauty

He was irresistable from the beginning and has always

kept that adorable “bunnyality”

I knew he was my cuddlebunny

No cuddling session is complete without a

several-minute kissing session from my boy

Pea was always gorgeous, even when she was a cutie as a baby;

she nearly fit in this food dish when I got her, as you can see

This was taken on Pea’s first day home

As a comparison shot, this was taken once Pea was full-grown

I think she has aspirations to be a model.

House Rabbit Society’s page of chapters can help you locate a place to look for a bunny. HRS does not run shelters, but foster homes instead. The philosophy is that the best way to get a bunny used to living in a home is — surprise! — having them live in a home. It has worked out for thousands of house rabbits since 1988.

Send me any stories you have about choosing your bunnies and where you got them! I always love your stories.

Feedback? Email me or comment on this blog post. Episode 4 coming next week. The topic of that BunnyBlab is bringing a bunny home.

SHOW NOTES
One of the most important factors in getting a pet is figuring out how much they cost ahead of time. Episode 2 of BunnyBlab will get into some of the cost factors so that you can decide if a bunny fits your budget.

A few little somethings I mentioned in the Blab:

• The Massachusetts House Rabbit Society — I know I’m biased now, but my twins are seriously good-looking bunnies. The MA HRS had a postcard section a few years back and had my girls up there for about 2 years after I adopted them. If you ask me, it’s because they’re so picturesque. One of the gems of the site now is the reader-submitted tips. Although you can spend some time taking the surveys on the homepage, too.

• In my discussion of bunny cages, I cited Leith Petwerks, the “makers of the Bunny Abode House Rabbit Condo and purveyor of house rabbit accessories.” They do have a wicked good condo selection — sturdy, roomy, multi-levelled. So if you’d rather buy than make — and who could blame you?! — I’d suggest Leith.
• Paul made me promise to post a pic of the condo I made, so here’s a good one:

  

  The rare Pea-in-the-condo shot

  And here’s Pea’s cage, which, at one time, each of my 5 kids could call their own:

  

• Just a reminder to email me your stories about toys you’ve made yourself for your pets (doesn’t have to be only bunnies).

Email me or comment on this blog post for this ep and tell me what you think of BunnyBlab! Episode 3 coming next week… The topic of that episode will be: So you’ve decided you want a bunny…now what?!

DOWNLOAD OR LISTEN TO EPISODE 1

Hopline.com’s Bunny, it’s cold outside — Why you should never keep a domesticated bunny outside

Email me or comment on this post to tell me what you think of BunnyBlab! Episode 2 coming next week…