Happy Easter 2009

Bello's Easter Photo shoot by the window

By Bello Bunny
This story is dedicated to my Mackenzie

It was such a beautiful day and

I wanted to be by the window to enjoy it

I just had to soak up the sunshine

Oh No, what was that?
HA HA HA...just Mom's flash
Thank goodness, that scared me for a second
I thought it was going to storm

Well I want to investigated...
...so I made a compromise with Mom.
"You can take all the pictures you want, as long as I can be a bunny"
I like to through things, turn them over
to see what is underneath.
Could be a treat...I know I smell a carrot somewhere

Maybe the smell is coming from here.
It is such a beautiful day I have to get a closer look.
I think I see a dog outside

I know I get distracted easily, but there is so much to do and see

Ok back to this Easter basket investigation.
What is the excitement all about.
Hmmm, what a cool bow.
It moves and tickels my nose.

Going to get another look at a smaller basket.
Maybe I can pick it up and a carrot will fall out.

Something smells awful good in this one.
Ahha!!! that is where that delightful smell is coming from
There is a carrot in here for me!!!
Yippee!!!!

Ok I am done with my snack.
I am feeling playful and proud because I found my carrot.
Lets see if I can fit in the basket.

..mmmm...nope.

Too big!!!

Well I am tired.

That was alot of investigating for the day.

I have found that the bright colors of Easter are fun
and the baskets hold tons of treats.

oh and these fun round objects roll around alot like my toys.
I can easily push them with my nose
I think I see my brother coming to see me
....maybe he will play with me

Toby seems to like the bright sunshine too.
I know he would like to get out and play with the other dogs outside.
But he looks eager to play with some of these rolly things too.

He can't have the carrot though.
They are his favorite too,
had to eat mine fast so he wouldn't get it.

Who ever heard of a dog liking carrots?

He probably hasn't seen any Peter Rabbit or Bugs Bunny showes.
Bunnys are always eating carrots...not doggys

Oh good, he did come to visit and play with me.
Toby always gives me tons of kisses

We are such great friends.
Toby is very gentle with me and I think he
understands that I am much smaller than him.

Feels so good to cuddle. Hi brother!

What can I say.
There is no better way to spend a beautiful sunny day
than to be currled up with family by the window

Ok, I have had enough rest.
Toby, wake up it is time to play!

My Biggest Fan Comes to Visit

This post is dedicated to my biggest fan

who came to visit me last week.

Mackenzie I loved all your pets and kisses.

It was so much fun. Thank you for coming to visit me

Sorry I was so shy at first

Didn't take us long to find out

what great friends we would be

I loved your giggles and gentle pets

I know we will be friends for life

Hope you come visit me soon
I miss you already.

Can't wait to run an hop with you again.

(Mackenzie what does the bunny do? Hop Hop!)

Love and kisses, Bello Bunny

How do rabbits communicate?

From a rabbits point a view:
An interview with Bello Bunny.

How do I tell my owner I am are out of water:
Bello Bunny: Personally I hit the water bottle to make noise. If that doesn’t get their attention keep drink from empty bottle till she gets the message that it is empty…this will make your owner feel pathetic that you are dying of thirst. No follow that up with hitting the water bottle some more to make noise as they approach to refill the water bottle. Guaranteed for some good head rubs and some extra treats.

I have ran out of food and my owner is not in the same room…what now? How do I get their attention?
Bello Bunny: Well there is only one choice, make noise and throw your food dish around as loud as you can hit everything possible in your living space. Make sure it is followed up by a couple of angry stomps. Then, repeat by throwing the dish around some more. When your owner comes in to see what the commotion is, stand up and greet them so they know you are acknowledging them and then nudge your dish. They will immediately respond in filling your dish. If all else fails. Make enough noise to irritate the dog…it will whine and get owner to bring your empty dish to their attention.

I do not like that you scolded me and told me I could not chew on the cord:
Bello Bunny: This is my favorite. I love to back talk and get sassy back to my owner after they have corrected me. Best way to let them know you are rebelling is to run away quickly twitching your back tail from side to side. They will get the message that you understand you have been caught and don’t approve of their scolding.

How to join in the family fun and let them know you are happy:
Bello Bunny: This is easy. Simply do a helicopter. This will get their attention. It is a quick pop in the air followed by a 360 degree turn in mid air. Then hop off in a gentle almost poetic dance…followed by a little ballerina kick on back two legs. This gets them every time…you will have them “oooing” and “ahhhing.”

How to tell your owner that you need your litter cleaned:
Bello Bunny: I hate when my owner does that. Who wants to be in a dirty litter pan. I take great effort in keeping myself clean only to have to step in that dirty thing. Easy. Dump the litter pan. Pick it up from the back corner and start nudging it and grab it with your teeth and try to flip it. Toss out as much litter as you can and then dig in it. They will feel pathetic that they drove you to such distress. They will be most apologetic and promise to do better next time around. Always works.

I want to be pet and cuddled…how do I let me owner know?
Bello Bunny: Best way is to hop up to them when they are feeding you and put your head down near their hand. Don’t nudge just gently wait. When they see you are not jumping in our normal fashion at the food and asking for pets first they will see you really need some tender loving care and attention. Gets them every time

EEEKKK…I see a spider. How do I alert my owner that there is an intruder in the house?
Bello Bunny: One big Thump….pause. Another big Thump….pause. Followed by another big Thump. By the third one they should be up looking around to find out what it is that you are telling them is danger. Thumping is what we do in the wild to tell other rabbits when we sense danger. Owners know this it comes in their manuals…lol. I will also do this when I am scared. I usually throughout thumps during storms when it thunders. Once my owner scared me by turning on the cell phone for light in the middle of the night….didn’t know it at the time it looked like a glowing light floating across the room. So I thumped…scared my owner and they flipped on the light to see the problem. I saw it was just the phone in their hand and was ok.

My owner is in my living quarters cleaning my cage when I don’t want it touched.
Bello Bunny: My suggestion is to dart at them. Run from the other end of cage or room and stop quickly almost hitting their hand or cleaning brush. Next keep lunging forward with ears pointed back. If they still don’t get the message. Grab a hold of brush or paper towel they are cleaning with and toss it in the air or try eating it. This gets their attention quickly. Next follow that up with sitting on the litter pan or area they are trying to clean. Follow that up with playing tug-a-war with the dust pan. If all else fails dig on the dust pan and through it. Oh did I mention bite a whole in the bag they are using to cleaning your cage with. This will send them a way for sure then you can get back what they have stolen from you while they go to clean up your mess.

I have been in a shelter now for 3 months and quarters are cramped. I am lonely. I have been picked up and held a few times this month and no one wants to take me home. How can I help my chance getting adopted?
Bello Bunny: Well this worked for me. Be your loving self. Hop around them sniff and hop some more. Next notice who else is around. Usually the person comes with a driver or companion. It is that person you hop up to and investigate. Raise up on your hind legs so there is no missing the fact that you are looking at them. Then return to the interested party that is dying to hold you. Allow yourself to be held and cuddled. Next allow them to flip you over to admire your adorable tummy and huge feet. This gets them good. It is what they do to their own human children so it is close to their hearts. Next when you are put down return to the companion that is with them and check them out again. This is the keep to let the companion to feel connected. Most likely they are the decision makers. I have seen a lot of sad faces that did not take me home due to the fact that I did not bond with the companion.

I love being help by my owner. But they hold me too long and I don’t know how to tell them I need to use the litter pan.
Bello Bunny: Personally I use the litter pan as soon as I feel them getting closer to pick me up to be held. You can usually feel this coming. This will allow you more time with your owner and will prevent mistakes. If you are feeling the urge to use the litter pan simply dig on their leg or nip at their sleeve. Be gentle do not grab skin just tug at clothing. This will let them know you are not comfortable and what to get out down.

Help, my owner has been sleeping quite long. Not sure if they are sick. They are usually not home at this time of day. But they are still on the couch.
Bello Bunny: This calls for drastic measures you must make sure they are ok. Run and take a huge jump landing on their chest facing their mouth. See if they are breathing. Usually this will awaken them and they will know you care. You will find out what is
wrong…they will usually tell you.

Man my owner put up this baby gate so I could not go in the other room. Trying to find away out. Any suggestions:
Bello Bunny: Ah perfect baby gates. This is an easy solution. Most owners make the mistake of buying a small short baby gate that for a mini to normal size rabbit is easy to clear with a good running hop. If it happens to be too tall investigate. You might be able to fit through the vertical rails. If you are lucky to escape be sure to return when you hear them coming home. This will ensure more adventure time the next time they leave. But while you are out. Be sure not to leave behind droppings or chew on anything. These are dead give away to your escape and further measures will be taken to make sure you do not escape.

I am not feeling well. I think my owner has not been giving me the proper diet or it might be that carpet I ate earlier. How do I tell my owner I am sick.
Bello Bunny: Simply stretch out in a corner and lie still. Make Sure eye are half way closed. Fold your ears back. Stay still and every now an then switch positions to a rabbit hunch position which is looks more like you are a bunny slipper. Then switch back to being stretched out. It is important to look uncomfortable and let them see no matter how you sit you are not feeling well. When they come over to investigate grind your teeth. But do this in a different matter from the g rind you do when you are pleased and petting you. There is a difference and they will pick up on it. If you can, get them to read the stomach blockage section on this site. It does me wonders when my tummy is upset.

How do I let my owner know I love my cheeks and head being pet?
Bello Bunny: Simply relax. The relaxation will show in your face. Allow your ears to fall back and your feet and legs to be week. Fall into a deep bunny trance and ever so softly grind your teeth in a chattering motion when they hit your favorite spots.

I want to show my owner how much I love them
Bello Bunny: Greet them when they walk into the room. Stand on your back legs to look at them or simply approach them with your head down to be petted or held. When you choose them is the times they know they really are loved by you. Humans need to be needed.

Bunnies are Comedians

Bello often has me laughing till my sides hurt. This photo was taken Bello's first day home. He was getting acquainted with his surroundings when he heard our dog Toby bark. Bello’s immediate instinct was to hide. The only thing close by was a rug. So Bello quickly dove out of sight to hide. Well at least he considered himself hidden.

Rabbits are quite funny when it comes to hiding. They really think they are secure as long as their eyes are covered. Little do they realize their whole back end is still exposed.

My bunny Baxter was also famous for this. She loved to run behind the curtains of the patio window. She would duck in between the window and the curtain to hide. Only problem was they were vertical blinds. So when she stopped moving the last panel of the blind would fall behind her but. She still believed she was hidden. Meanwhile her white and grey spotted backside stuck out like a sore thumb. Baxter would eventually come out to see what I was laughing at, but never really understood what was happening.

Laughter also has a way of bringing out the comedic personalities of my rabbits. All of them would react to my laughter the same way. They would take a quick leap followed by a sharp pop in the air. Next to follow would be a 360 jump that I like to refer to as the helicopter. That usually excites them and they hop away twitching their tail from side to side.

I have come to learn the twitching of tail means they have done something they are proud of. I have also found it to be an impish thing they do when they are playfully talking back. They have quite the attitude.
All this jumping, hopping and popping they do reminds me of a well choreographed ballet dance.

So laugh with your bunny. After all, laughter is contagious even to a rabbit.

Bello's 8 month baby picture (first day home)

You can tell by his ears how little he is.

Unusual Friends

Can a dog and rabbit be friends? As unusual as it sounds, yes, it is possible.
Take Bello and Toby for example.

Bello was just 8 months old when we adopted him from a local Humane Society. His owner had to move and claimed they could not take him to their new home. Sadly Bello is not the only one. Rabbits are rapidly becoming one of the most abandon animals in our shelters today.

Personally I could not imagine life without the love of a rabbit. My husband saw how bad I was hurting after the loss of our third rabbit, Marcell. Although he knew no one could ever take the place of Marcell, he wanted to see me smile again, and suggested we try to adopt another bunny when I was ready. It took me several weeks. But I had noticed that our dog Toby would whine and look at Marcell’s bed much like he did when my first rabbit, Baxter, passed away. After losing Baxter, Toby searched the house frantically looking for her. It broke my heart to watch.

I had no idea Toby had even bonded with either of my rabbits. My female Baxter wanted nothing to do with Toby. In fact if I would let her near Toby she would box his nose.

By the way, Toby is our 7 year old lab Sheppard mix, that was rescued from a kennel that was choosing to shoot their puppies in the head instead of euthanizing them. Toby is a very sweet natured dog who is very protective of his family members.

I knew Toby was curious about Marcell. Toby and Marcel would often touch noses on their own. They were never out together, partly due to the fact that I was nervous from my past experience with Baxter and Toby.

Toby is a very sensitive dog and picks up on emotions and situations easily. If I am down or sick he is right there. Believe it or not he will wake me up at night if I am having an asthma attack. He is an amazing dog. I do think he understood that Marcell was very sick before he passed away. Marcell had developed a tumor in his right front paw. In his last days we would sleep in the same room with Marcell and Toby because Marcell would fall over at night and not be able to reach food or water.

The remarkable part was if Marcell fell over and I did not wake up, Toby would whine to alarm me that something was wrong. Like I said he is a very intuitive dog. I had no idea he was so in tune to the rabbits and what was happening with them till Marcell had gotten so sick.

So when we adopted Bello, I made sure Toby would finally get to be friends with his new brother. I totally knew he would be gentle. He definitely proved that. Bello had the perfect docile personality for this unusual friendship. He is a huge cuddly red rabbit that really does not have a care in the world as long as he can interact with you. He took well to Toby.

I started by just holding Bello while Toby was next to me. Then every time I would take Bello out for a run I would let Toby smell and lick him. Bello took this well. He just shuts his eyes and stays really still. He is usually pretty soaked after Toby gets done giving his brother kisses. That is really all Toby wants, to great Bello and then go on with his own doggy business.

I started letting both of them be out in the same space and they did really well. Toby still does not understand Bello’s excited jumps, pops and helicopters. All that action seems to be a little alarming to Toby. But he will patiently lie down and wait in one spot till Bello hops up to him.

Toby doesn’t quite understand that he can’t roll over on top of the bunny to play. Toby’s first instinct when he is in a playful mood is to turn over on his back and kick his legs in the air. I think this is his way of being on Bello’s level…plus it could be a submissive sign to Bello that he means no harm and wants to play. Toby does the same thing to me if I am lying on the floor trying to do sit ups. It is really a funny site to see.

So for Christmas this year, I decided to really push the limits of the new friendship between Toby and Bello. I normally do Christmas cards of the bunnies each year. As a designer I love to take photos and make my own cards for Christmas. It has become a tradition for me. Baxter, Toby and Marcell have been my subjects for many years. So this year, I decided Bello and Toby both had to be in it together. Only problem was if Bello was on the floor he would not sit still he would tear off hopping and jumping. So I opted to put them in Toby’s bed. I don’t think Toby was too fond of that. But he tolerated it. I definitely have one special dog and a rabbit that is not intimidated by size.

Think these too will be buddies for a long time.

Diet Recommendations for Your Bunny

What are the basics of a good house rabbit diet?

A rabbit's diet should be made up of good quality timothy hay pellets, fresh timothy hay, water and fresh vegetables. Water should be changed daily. Anything beyond the listed above is a "treat" and should be given with caution and in low quanities, keep in mind it could also be hazardous to the rabbit

What makes a good pellet?

Pellets should be fresh, Timothy hay pellets is what I personally use and recommend. Do not purchase more than 6 weeks worth of feed at a time, as it will become spoiled. Pellets should make up less of a rabbit's diet as he or she grows older, and hay should be available 24 hours a day. Veggies should be a good portion of a rabbits diet.

Rabbit droppings why do they eat them?

Night droppings contain important nutrients for a rabbit. You will notice them by two or three droppings together that look moist. This is different than diarrhea.

What kinds of veggies should I feed my rabbit?

Select at least three kinds of vegetables daily. A variety is necessary in order to obtain the necessary nutrients, with one each day that contains Vitamin A, indicated by an *. Add one vegetable to the diet at a time. Eliminate if it causes soft stools or diarrhea.

• Bok choy
• Broccoli (mostly leaves/stems)*
• Brussels sprouts
• Carrot & carrot tops*
• CeleryCollard greens*
• Endive*
• Kale (!)*
• Mustard greens*
• Parsley*
• Pea pods (the flat edible kind)*
• Romaine lettuce (no iceberg or light colored leaf)*
• Spinach (!)

*(!)=Use sparingly. High in either oxalates or goitrogens and may be toxic in accumulated quantities over a period of time

****Some of the above information is from the House Rabbit Society Website

Litter Training Your Rabbit

Having trouble litter training your Rabbit?

Here is a trick that may work for you. Add newspaper to the bottom of the litter pan and add hay. Rabbits love to eat while they go to the bathroom. It also associates it with a pleasurable thing…EATING!!!

Start with small area that the rabbit is confined to. Not too small. Doesn’t need to be a cage. Can be a fenced off area.

Something else that might help is repetitiveness. It helps to repeat the same routine over and over. Every time you take your bunny out for a run around the house, put them in the litter pan first.

I recommend Yesterday’s News. It’s safe and best odor control litter I have used.

Stomach blockages

How to avoid:

Feed a good mixture of Greens and hay regularly and keep the rabbit’s cage cleaned regularly. Be sure to keep things like towels, toys, rugs, and carpet away from your rabbit when unattended. Most commonly a blockage can be from hair. However I have had young rabbits that love to chew on everything. So even though I wanted to make the bed area of the cage soft with a towel or carpet sample, those fibers when eaten can be deadly and cause a stomach blockage. Mats made of hay are a much better option. Make sure your rabbit’s cage is free from anything they might chew on that is not editable.

What to look for:

If you find your rabbit is curled up in the corner like a ball and is sluggish, non responsive to food, and it’s pressing its tummy to the floor, (looks like a cat arching its back only in reverse) Act quickly. When rabbit’s tummy’s become blocked they stop eating.

Try to lean your rabbit’s disposition, moods, and eating habits. If your rabbit normally devours a carrot or veggies you offer them, but this time they refuse or do not move toward the veggies, it very possibly is having tummy troubles.

What to do:

First choice is to get them to a vet. Second choice is a home remedy you can do you yourself. Just need a blender and the right mix of veggies.

I had the most amazing vet that shared the following mixture with me that I force fed to my rabbit via a feeding syringe. If I caught the blockage early and fed the right mixture of greens to my rabbit, I could almost immediately reverse the blockage and snap my poor bunny out of her discomfort. Sometimes it would take an hour or two for her to react depending on how many hours had gone by before I noticed my bunny was having problems. Of course there are no guarantees. But it is definitely worth a try if you cannot get to a vet.
What you will need:

Collard GreensMustard GreensKaleEndiveBok ChoyLeekparsleyGreen beansCarrot with the Greens left onAppleBlenderFeeding Syringe (can find in pet stores look near the formula for young puppies, or near the bird section, these are also used to hand feed baby birds)

Next set aside equal amounts of the greens :

• Collard Greens (approximately two leaves)
• Mustard Greens (approximately two leaves)
• Kale (approximately two leaves)
• Endive (approximately two leaves)
• Bok Choy (approximately two leaves)
• Leek (approximately two leaves)
• parsley (approximately five to seven strands) (be careful not to feed too many of these it will cause a very loose stool in rabbits)

Next set aside the following:

• Green beans (5)
• Carrot with the Greens left on (put in whole green leaf section of the carrot, and half of the carrot itself)
• Apple (Use and 8 section apple cutter or cut the apple into eight parts. Use only one section of that eight and remove the skin) Apples contain sugar, it is important not to feed these on a regular basis to your rabbit. However they are great enticers if your rabbit is not eating. They might refuse greens or a carrot but they rarely refuse a sweet apple.

Next put everything you have set aside in a blender. Add a half cup of water. Blend slowly. Mix as well as you can. Add more water if needed. You will get a lot of moisture from the veggies themselves. Be sure not to dilute mixture with too much water.

Final step is to fill the syringe and get your bunny, and have a towel ready.
I have found the best way to syringe feed my bunny is to hold them securely with one hand around the jaw area while they are on my lap and pressed or cradled against my chest. The more secure they feel the better.
I place the syringe by the back of the mouth or side of the mouth and gently squeeze mixture in their mouth. My rabbits immediately start to lick and swallow when they feel it in their mouth. I try to get a good syringe in them and then give them a break. I wait for about 15-30 min. and then try again with another syringe. I don’t recommend trying to force feed more than 2 syringe full. You will usually see a difference after the second feeding.

While the bunny is relaxing between feedings I make sure that the above mixture is available near them, especially one small section of apple. This way if they feel like eating on their own they can. Most times before or after the second syringe they end up perking up and eating on their own. I think they realize they need to eat or I will keep forcing them to eat. Usually what happens is you will notice them balling up some…sort of looks like us when we have gas pains. Then they will finally have a bowel movement and produce a pellet or two. This usually causes a chain reaction which says to them that is now ok to start eating.

Please be sure to follow up with your vet in case there happens to be something else happening with your bunny.

Learn how to avoid Stomach blockages in Rabbits, and what you can do to avoid them. In a serious emergency when you cannot get to a vet, this home remedy is very helpful and may work on your bunny. Be sure to check it out it was given to me by my vet and has worked remarkably well. My bunnies have all lived to be 12yrs old. It does the trick.