Rabbits are the third most abandoned pet in the United States
According to the ASPCA, Every year, approximately 6.3 million companion animals arrive at one of the community animal shelters nationwide.
Spaying and neutering your animals prevent unnecessary litters and prevent shelters from becoming overpopulated. The sad reality is that most animals big and small are being euthanized at alarmingly high rates due to overbreeding.
what you need
and what to expect
Bunny Basics
House rabbits have become an increasingly popular choice as companion animals. Which has delightedly increased their lifespan due to the major improvements in the understanding of a rabbit’s dietary and health needs.
An "average" sized rabbit can live up to 12 years, though some live longer. My rabbit Hyzenthaly lived to be 15.
Dwarf & giant breeds unfortunately do not have the same life expectancy as "average" sized rabbits. However, once again, there are always anomalies.
Understanding Your Rabbit
Rabbits are prey animals which makes them instinctually cautious.
Some rabbits don’t mind being picked up, but most don’t. Try getting down on their level to bond. Let them approach you and avoid grabbing at them if they aren’t interested in interacting. They have similar personalities to cats. They will approach you on their own time.
My rabbit bit me! Some rabbits express themselves a little louder than others. It could be something as simple as just being startled, or territorial, or perhaps they just want to be left alone. Give them a chance to ease into their new surroundings.
Bunny-Proofing Your Home
Rabbits can be quite destructive. Their teeth are constantly growing, so they love chewing just about anything. Unfortunately, their favorite things to chew are walls, cords, rugs/carpets, and houseplants.
A bored bunny is a destructive bunny.
To mitigate this:
-Make sure your rabbit has plenty of things to chew on.
-Protect your electronics with heavy-duty cord protectors.
-Keep your houseplants high and avoid keeping poisonous plants in your rabbit’s living area.
ADB is a permanent home for rabbits who haven’t had any luck getting adopted from shelters.
The long-time residents, red-listed, shelter returns, and “angry” bunnies. (those with negative remarks on their shelter history, such as biting or being deemed “unfriendly.”)
Angry bunnies are often just misunderstood and happen to be my favorite type. :-)
Most of the support comes from generous people across the globe donating rabbit supplies. Thank you!
aypal
mazon Wishlist
AngryDutchBunny@gmail.com
How To Have A Happy Bunny:
Rabbits need a lot of space! You will not see your rabbit’s true personality if they are kept in a small cage/hutch.
“X-Pens” / Exercise playpens (usually marketed for dogs) are great because their portability makes cleaning much easier and gives your rabbit space to run and play.
A rabbit’s diet should be comprised of unlimited water and unlimited grass hays (timothy, orchard hay, oat grass, and bromegrass)
Alfalfa can be offered in moderation.
Sometimes I offer alfalfa to young, growing rabbits, and seniors that struggle with weight consistency.
2-4 cups of fresh leafy greens should be offered daily
Pellet feed should be about 5% of a rabbit diet
Treats should only be offered sparingly and in small quantities.
Bunny Lady has an excellent page that explains what fruits and vegetables are safe for rabbits.
Rabbits have extremely sensitive stomachs that become easily upset.
Gas, constipation, and bloating are something you want to quickly detect and treat- because left untreated can lead to death within a quick 24 hours.
Checking your rabbits' appetite daily can help you gauge
whether or not your rabbit is feeling any discomfort. If they don't eagerly accept a treat, there may be something wrong.
At this point, clean your rabbit's living quarters/bunny box and stay diligent at this time monitoring any new, or lack of fecal droppings.
If there is no improvement within 9-12 hours, please consult with your veterinarian.
The above symptoms paired with :
lethargy, refusal of foodstuffs/water, teeth grinding, and bloated stomach should be brought to the vet ASAP.
Please do not wait to act!
You can offer a pea-sized amount of Benebac to your rabbit on occasion to promote healthy gut flora.
Diet
Rabbits are clean animals and constantly groom themselves throughout the day (Similar to cats, rabbits can ingest too much hair which can lead to intestinal blockage (read more below) However, unlike cats, rabbits cannot vomit.
If the only way of expelling waste is compromised by hairballs (and built-up foodstuffs) this could go from something minor to fatal within 24 hours.
By grooming your bunny regularly you can help narrow down the chances of G.I stasis caused by intestinal blockage.
*It's best to brush gently because rabbits have fragile, delicate skin that tears easily.
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Meet The Bunnies
Meet The Bunnies
The original Angry Dutch Bunny, Cersei.
Cersei and her brother were adopted as spontaneous Christmas gifts. Unfortunately, their previous owners weren’t expecting back-to-back litters. She came to us with her brother, Jamie, and 5 kittens (4 out of the five had splay leg syndrome.)
Ventura, is a sweet little girl who was dumped by irresponsible pet owners at Ventura beach. She is incredibly sweet and loves being groomed by Cersei and Tansy.
Can you help sponsor my spay surgery?
Tansy is a spunky lady who goes where she pleases. She has friends in ever “group” and it’s always a guess where you’ll find her hanging out. She also loves lounging in the windowsill.
Can you help sponsor my spay surgery?
Charlotte, the child slayer was returned to the shelter after “biting” a kid. Rabbits’ with negative comments on their shelter record makes it extremely difficult trying to rehome them.
She hasn’t shown any aggressive behavior with us and is ironically the friendliest bunny we have.
Meet Gus and Nina! A bonded shelter pair that we couldn’t let be separated.
Sometimes rabbits’ are adopted without their bonded partner. This can lead to depression and other health issues. Rabbits are very social creatures.
Pearl was left behind while her (bonded) sister was adopted.
Sadly the adopters said
that they would return for her, but never did.
She became reclusive and didn’t move around in her cage after this....
So, we obviously brought her home and gave her a whole warren of friends!
Cali is the reason I began my rabbit sanctuary in 2019.
When I first saw her, she was in a small wired cage in the corner of a petting zoo setup at a pumpkin patch.
She had no food or water and was in obvious distress.
I asked about her and the owner stated that one of the petting zoo staff chased her too much and she tried to escape through the chicken wire-lined fence.
She struggled enough to cause a compound fracture and they said they were just going to have her euthanized the next day... So, I asked if I could just have her... and after I got the O.K; along we went to our exotic veterinarian.
With the support from people all around the world- we were able to raise enough money for her amputation and recovery care. She’s an amazing, thriving little bunny and it’s thanks to everyone who came together and rallied behind her.
This is Peabody (formerly known as Browny at East Valley Shelter.)
We don‘t know what this little guy went through- but it certainly didn‘t affect his sweet demeanor. We are currently working on removing the stains and will keep everyone updated on his progress!
Cinnamon (Bunroe) & Bella Bunny had been some of the longest shelter residents. Bunroe was brought to the shelter by herself and Bella was an owner surrender.
They are both bonded with Gus, Nina, Tansy, Cersei, and Ventura.
Cairo is a huge blue boy who escaped the fate of being a meat rabbit.
He says he was always meant for the house bunny life. :)
where not to adopt in los angeles
On Oct. 13, Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB 485 :
Which bans the sale of commercially bred puppies, kittens, and rabbits in pet stores in the state of California.
Unfortunately, since Covid restrictions have eased, illegal animal sales have once again become rampant amongst the streets of Downtown LA.
The issue with adopting a rabbit from vendors is that these rabbits come from abusive, disease-riddled backyard animal mills. Most of the rabbits you see being sold are being portrayed as "full-grown miniature rabbits. This is far from the truth. Most of the bunnies being sold are only days old & will more than likely not survive without their mother. At this age, their immune systems are not fully developed, and without their mother's milk, they will not be able to fight off the diseases that most already carry from their poor living conditions.
Please always adopt from local animal shelters
and rescue groups in your area!
"Santee Alley Babies"