We’ve recently added a couple new articles to our collection.

The first one describes the potentially deadly condition, GI stasis, and discusses causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.  If you’re a bunny owner and unfamiliar with this condition, it’s an important read.

GI Stasis in Rabbits: A Deadly Condition

One very serious, fairly common health issue pet rabbits face is gastrointestinal stasis. GI (or gut) stasis is a potentially deadly condition in which the digestive system slows down or stops completely. [Read more]

The second article serves as a beginner’s guide to growing your rabbit’s food yourself. It will depend where in the world you are if the timing is right to start gardening – for me in New England, the gardening season will probably wind down in a month or so.  But, for those who are new to gardening who want to give it a try, the article will provide an introduction, giving examples of vegetables that are fairly easy to grow.  And when the time is right, you will be able to get started on your very own bunny garden.

Bunny Gardening for Beginners

One of the great things about owning a pet rabbit is that you can grow a lot of their food yourself in a backyard garden. In fact, you don’t have to be a master gardener or own a huge plot of land to grow a few of your bunny’s favorites. [Read more]

When we switched from store-bought timothy hay to a locally-grown timothy hay-orchard grass mix from a farm, we realized there was one disadvantage.  The hay was more tangled together than the store-bought kind, and Cos, being very greedy/possessive of her food, started running away with large clumps of hay in her mouth. The hay got all over the carpet, and it was a big pain having to constantly clean it up.

Enter the Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet.  We recently acquired this durable (but lightweight) hay feeder from Wabbit Works.  It’s actually large enough to hold a substantial amount of hay, unlike the hay feeders available at the pet store.  This feeder caters to a rabbit with a proper hay-based diet.   It keeps the hay contained (so no dragging large clumps out of the litterbox anymore), and it fits next to a litterbox.  (We actually have three small litterboxes surrounding it because our rabbits seem to like having options.)  There is less waste because the hay stays more or less in the feeder rather than being sat on in the litterbox.

Cosette eating out of the Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet.

Coco takes his turn.

Cos gets jealous…

and joins him.

I get a lot of emails describing the same scenario:  Bunnikins has taken to hopping on the sofa and peeing on it. It’s a frustrating situation and one that has happened in our household as well. I remember after the third time it happened with Cosette a few years back, I had picked her up and put her in her cage.  (She still had a cage back then although it was always open.)  I closed the cage door and closed the kitchen door where the cage was located.  But even in the other room I could hear her thrashing around in the cage trying to break free.  For a rabbit who detests being picked up and despises even more being cooped up in a cage, this was the greatest insult.  I felt bad locking her in – and I did let her out  again after an hour -  but after that time, she never peed on the sofa again.

I later came across an incredibly useful article on the House Rabbit Society website which helps shed light on this behavior and suggests ways to train your rabbit.  The article is called “FAQ: Training,” and under the heading “Behavior motivated by social structure,” it delves specifically into the peeing on the couch problem.

Anyone who is experiencing this issue should read the article.  The entire article is actually very enlightening as well- covering various issues that most bunny owners will come across at some point.

Cosette with co-editor P.A. Smith  in 2006.

We decided to build another 4×4 raised bed devoted just to lettuces and other bunny greens. They really do consume a lot.  So yesterday I planted three different kinds of green leaf lettuce, more cilantro, and some basil plants.

In the fall, we’ll do another round of romaine lettuce, plus we’re going to try growing some bok choy as well.

In our new raised bed, we planted three different kinds of looseleaf lettuce, basil, and cilantro. In the background, we have a pot of mint, more lettuce, and carrots growing in the raised beds behind.

The cilantro I planted a few weeks ago in one of our other beds germinated.  So Cosette will be happy in a little while when it’s big enough to eat.

We’ve expanded upon our experiment from last year to grow some of Coco and Cosette’s food.  This season, we have four raised beds of fruits and veggies – both for the bunnies and ourselves.

For the bunnies, we have growing: Lettuce (pictured above), carrots, basil, broccoli leaves, dandelions, and apples (our trees have fruit this year!).

I might try growing cilantro next spring because it’s Cos’s favorite, but I’ve heard it can be difficult to grow.

***

UPDATE: Bought some cilantro seeds.  I read that I still had time to plant them. So we’ll see how that goes.  Also bought a mint plant that we’ll keep in a separate pot because apparently they spread quickly.

We’ve had a very scary last few days here. Cosette had to go to the emergency vet over the weekend because she had stopped eating and pooping and looked quite hunched. After an x-ray, the vet found that her stomach was extremely distended and she had two large gas bubbles. The diagnosis was GI stasis, and her prognosis was guarded.

A dental exam showed that her molars were unevenly worn, which most likely led to her digestive issues. They filed her teeth that night, and during her stay at the vet’s, she received motility medication, pain medication, IV fluids, and force feeding of Critical Care.

Sunday morning, her condition had worsened, and the vet was not optimistic about her chances of survival. With dull, droopy eyes, a hunched, tense posture, and a visibly bloated stomach, Cosette looked like she was experiencing a lot of pain.

Sunday evening, she started perking up a little, and she managed to eat a little on her own and finally excreted some soft stool. We brought in more greens and she ate some cilantro with encouragement by us. This morning, she excreted formed stools and had more of an appetite, so she was allowed to come home this evening. Coco was very excited his friend was finally back.

We will continue her motility medication for the next few days, and if necessary, we may need to continue syringe feeding Critical Care to supplement her diet as well. She is not quite back to her old self at this point. She doesn’t have quite the appetite, and her stools are quite small. But I was pleasantly surprised that her litterbox habits appeared to remain in tact, despite having quite a stressful weekend. (And of course, that she was actually going to the bathroom again, and her digestive system was active again.)

I wanted to share this story so that other people could learn from our scary experience. For example, it’s so important for your bunny to get regular checkups, including a dental examination. Even rabbits with a hay-based diet, who show no signs of pain, can have molar spurs. And this condition can lead to potentially deadly conditions like GI stasis. For more information about GI stasis, see Dana Krempel’s article, GI Stasis: The Silent Killer.

In our earlier post, we mentioned that February is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month. For those of you inspired to add a bunny to your family, here are a few basic tips before you bring your new furry friend home.

• Finances: Be prepared to spend money up front on the adoption fee, as well as housing/food/bunny proofing supplies. Be sure you’ll be able to afford ongoing costs for your bunny on food, litter, and vet bills (including spay/neuter fees if your bunny didn’t get the surgery while at the shelter/rescue). So often I receive heartbreaking emails from people whose rabbit needs veterinary attention, but they cannot afford it. Please don’t let that happen to your bunny. Check out Petfinder’s chart of estimated yearly costs of pet ownership to give you an idea.
• Bunny Housing: Rabbits are social animals. The location of your rabbit’s housing area (which can take the form of a cage, puppy pen, bunny condo, or just an area with the food, litter boxes, and cardboard castles if your bunny is free reign) is an extremely important consideration. Make sure your rabbit has a place to relax by himself, but make sure that he’s not completely secluded from your family. Rabbits need social interaction, plenty of exercise, and a lot of enrichment activities. Take a look at our Housing article to learn more.
• Bunny Proofing: If your bunny will have free reign in your house/apartment/room, you will absolutely need to bunny proof the area. Even if you keep your bunny in a cage, condo, or puppy pen, you still will need to safeguard your home when you let your rabbit out for supervised exercise. Rabbits are very curious and persistent creatures. They will find a way into your computer cables, wires, molding, couch piping, slightly frayed rug, etc. They will eat your most important documents. Check out our Bunny Proofing article for tips on protecting your bunny and your things.
• Enrichment: Rabbits will get into trouble if they’re bored. They’ll make their own fun chewing your possessions if you don’t provide alternate forms of entertainment. A great diversion for rabbits is a cardboard castle filled with empty toilet paper rolls, old phone books, and other paper products you find around the house.
• Litterbox Training: Most rabbit rescues will start the process of litter training the bunnies they take in. So your bunny should have the basics down, but sometimes rabbits forget their good habits once they move into their new home. This is natural because the drastic change in environment can be very stressful. Litter training can be frustrating at times, but the key is persistence and consistent reinforcement of good habits. Read our article about litter training to learn more.
• Nutrition: It’s important to have a good understanding of your rabbit’s nutritional needs throughout his/her life. Proper nutrition (and in the correct amounts) is vital for your rabbit’s well-being. The staple of a rabbit’s diet is fiber. But for a more detailed explanation, see our article, What to Feed Your House Rabbit. Another great link is the House Rabbit Society’s article about diet, which discusses the appropriate amounts as well as types of food to give your rabbit from youth to old age.
• Bonding with Your Bunny: Give your rabbit time to adjust to his/her new setting before expecting him/her to be your new best friend. Check out our article about building a relationship so you get off on the right foot. Rabbits can be quite affectionate animals, but personalities definitely vary from individual to individual. Most rabbits don’t particularly like being held/picked up, and some bunnies are more aloof than others. Talk with a volunteer at a local rabbit rescue to learn more about which rabbit (or pair of rabbits) has a personality that will be a good fit for you and your family.

Bottom line: Do your research first! Check out our articles under the Rabbit Care, Rabbit Behavior, Health, and General sections to learn more. There are also many other websites devoted to rabbit care education. Go to our Resources page to find other useful websites.

During the holiday season, it’s easy to get caught up in all the festivities. But make sure your bunny is safe and comfortable during these bustling times.

Here are a few helpful links to peruse:

• Your Bunny and the Holidays: A comprehensive article by the House Rabbit Society about keeping your bunny safe in the midst of holiday plants, Christmas trees (and lights), and holiday guests.
• Bunny Sitter Guide: This checklist put out by Binky Bunny will ensure that your bunny sitter has all the necessary information to keep your rabbit happy and healthy while you are away visiting family or on a holiday vacation.
• Flying with your Bunny: If you plan to travel with your rabbit, our blog post from this past June lists airlines that allow rabbits to travel in the cabin. There is also a petition going around to persuade Southwest Airlines to permit rabbits in cabin as well.

Re-Nest has a how-to on creating your own litter box garden. The idea is that the litter box will be filled with potting soil and your bunny’s litter will compost. The compost will be used to feed herbs planted in the soil.

It sounds like a promising idea, but I can see some potential problems for it. Our two bunnies would fill up the litter box well before any of the waste begins to compost. We’d end up scooping out most of the poop and some of the dirt before it starts working. Plus, our hungry little bunnies would eat those herbs down to nothing the first chance they got.

But that’s just our buns. It’s a nice looking project, if not practical for our bunnies.

For instructions, visit Re-Nest.com.

Rabbit Rescue Inc. of Ontario held BunFest on Sunday, August 23rd. The event brought bunny owners from all over for a day of education and pampering. Owners were able to chat with vets and rescue staff about health, diet, care, and a variety of other issues. Bunnies could get pampered with spa treatments. There was even a bunny cafe where the bunnies could have a snack and take a rest.

There was an adoption area where visitors could meet rabbits in search of forever homes. Rabbit Rescue, Inc. took in more than 600 rabbits last year. Each year since being established in 2001 the rescue has taken in an increasing number of rabbits.

Check out a related article from Mississauga.com and the BunFest website for more details.