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Professional massage therapist Chandra Moira Beal, the author of The Relaxed Rabbit has created a companion DVD. The DVD explains the benefits of massage for rabbits, including reducing stress and enhancing health, and show how to properly massage your rabbt.

The DVD teaches anatomy and physiology of rabbits to better help their owners understand rabbits and work with them safely. No prior massage experience is necessary as Beal teaches a full range of techniques.

You can watch a preview clip or order the DVD from Beal’s website: http://rabbits.chandrabeal.com/dvd.htm

By applying three stickers to these plastic bags, Japanese company MAQ, Inc. has made these normally disposable items into something cuter. In turn, people may be a bit more inclined to keep reusing them.

For more info: http://inventorspot.com/articles/cute_rabbit_trash_bag_its_white_go_green_17397

Warner Bros. will be releasing a deluxe DVD offering of Watership Down in November of this year to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the film’s release. Watership Down is a great story for anyone, not just a bunny fan. If you’ve never read the book, this summer would be a great time to get around to it.

Big Buck Bunny is a recently released film about a large bunny and his run in with some pesky forest creatures. What is interesting about this film is that it was released online in addition to DVD under a Creative Commons License, making it free to distribute. So go and watch it. If you like it you can purchase the DVD.

More info.

Well, even though rabbits are the third most popular pet, and there’s certainly a strong rabbit owner community that has developed, I guess the world isn’t ready for bunnies on buses.

I came across this entertaining article from the UK’s The Independent which describes the author’s experience while riding the bus.

“I was sitting on a bus yesterday when a woman came down the stairs clutching a rabbit on a lead. The woman was delicate-looking and rather beautiful, and on the spectrum of eccentricities, I’d say she was in the zone of colourful characters rather than rum coves. Nevertheless, the rabbit was wearing a pink lead and a pink bow in its fur, and as she staggered down the steps with it, all the other passengers sized her up, decided she was probably a dangerous oddball, and did what British people do in such a scenario – they pretended she wasn’t there. I watched with interest because, apart from the fact that the rabbit wasn’t a dog, there was nothing odd in her behaviour at all. I found myself admiring the self-confidence of someone who was prepared to be branded “weird” and damn well wasn’t going to apologise for it.”

I can’t say I would ever bring Coco or Cosette on a bus with me just on a leash. I think I’d spend the whole time trying frantically to keep Cosette from bolting out of my arms and attempting to wriggle free of the harness. And she’d probably pee on my seat out of spite. (She’s used that tactic before.)

We’ve just added two new articles to My House Rabbit concerning rabbit diseases. They were written by two practicing vets from the UK who also run an online pet meds site called Vetstoria.co.uk. The articles include both photos and videos to highlight symptoms of the diseases and demonstrate treatment procedures.

While some of the footage is a little unpleasant to watch, it is important to be aware of these diseases so you can ensure your own bunny’s clean bill of health.

You can read the articles here:

Conjunctivitis in Young Rabbits
Myxomatosis: Vaccination (for UK bunny owners- vaccine not readily available in the US)

Recently I came across this interview with Denver veterinarian Terry Campbell. http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_8414920

He talks about diagnosing and treating sick rabbits. Most of what he said seems like pretty sound advice.

But one thing that caught my attention was that he said petting and hugging are more human needs, and pets could do without them. I’d agree with the hugging part. I haven’t come across any animal that actually likes to be hugged. But as for petting, my Coco and Cosette love being petted. Cosette will sit for a long time being stroked as long as I don’t tickle her ears by accident. (And if that happens, then she’ll have to spend a long time scratching and grooming her ears before she settles in again for more petting.) Both rabbits also love being groomed by the other. So it seems to me that this is a rabbit need as well.

Does anyone have any other thoughts on the matter?