# Tabitha & Buddy



## Tabitha (Dec 30, 2006)

Meet Tabitha.

She was dropped off at our house 2 nights ago. She was foundput out at the curb of the road with the trash cans. 

She was in an all wire cage that smelled horrible. 

I have never considered getting a rabbit as a pet but after 2 days of being with Tabitha, she has really grown on me.

She is a absolute sweetheart, loves people and dogs, loves to cuddleand be held, snuggles under your neck, has a great appetite and justloves any attention she can get.

I have no idea what kind of rabbit she is. I have beenresearching the internet non-stop for two days trying to learn as muchas possible about caring for rabbits as i am a complete novice tokeeping rabbits. I THINK she is female, so i named herTabitha.

I have already got her a nice new cage with all the supplies andtoys. I made her a screened playpen for the yard today so shehas a safe area on the lawn to play during theday. 

She seems to be quite happy here with me even though i really don't have a clue what i am doing.

I would be extremely greatful to any help possible. 

I would also like to figure out what kind of rabbit she is.

She is mostly grey with a white wash and light tan areasthroughout. She has a short coat but dense fur standing awayfrom the body, exceptionally silky soft. She is about 12inches from nose to tail. BIG brown eyes and roundish dollface. Her ears and shortish and stand perfectly straight upand very close together.

She is by far the nicest bunny i have ever met and so smart.She runs to the side of the cage when she sees someone and puts herhead down so you can scratch it. If her food dish is empty,she picks it up and carries it over to the door of the cage and turnsit upside down.

Check out her pictures and let me know what you think about her.


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## Pipp (Dec 30, 2006)

What a sweet little bunny! How could anybody do something like that. :cry4:

I didn't want a pet, certainly not a rabbit, until I took one in offthe street. I had no idea they were so sweet,smartand awesome! i'm sitting here with eight atthe moment. :lookaround

She looks like a little dwarf, but I'm not a breed expert.Her ears look a we bit long, which could mean she's still young and isgrowing into them, or she's just really skinny. 

How much does she weigh? 

Most important thing is to try and not change her diet, but who knowswhat she was getting before. Safest with a LOT of hay andsome plain alfalfa pellets with just a tiny bit ofveggiesslowly introduced over time. No sugar or carbs atall, except for a teeny tiny bit of fruit -- very teeny for now,anyway. 

Make sure she has a lot to drink and keep a very close eye on herpoops, That's usually the first sign of trouble -- if theyget smaller or stop or if she has diarrhea or whatever. 

She looks like she's molting, so she'll be ingesting more hair thanusual. If you can wet your hands and run it over her fur toget as much out as possible, it will help. You also may wantto slowly introduce her to a little canned pumpkin, it's a good sourceof wet fibre for molting bunnies. 

Any questions, just ask, lots of good, knowledgeable people here. 

And congrats on adopting such a sweetheart! 

sas  and the gang :bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:


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## Haley (Dec 30, 2006)

:wave: Hi there and welcome! :hello

Tabitha is adorable. I cant believe someone would turn her out like that. It just makes me sick to think about. 

Shes very lucky you found her. It looks like youre doing a great jobwith her! I can tell shes spoiled already (as all bunnies should be) .

Just one question: is she housed outdoors? Its not that thats bad, itsjust that Im a bit concerned about the cage if shes housed outdoors.Those can be a bit flimsy for outdoor housing. I would be afraid of adog or other predator coming in to the yard. But, if its fenced off orsomething than Im sure its fine.

Be sure to check out our resource center for more info on care, health, behavior and all kinds of random bunny info. 

Again, welcome to you and beautiful Tabitha! :hug2:

-Haley, Basil :rabbithop, Max :dutch, Mr. Tumnus :bunny19 and Lucy :brown-bunny


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## MyBoyHarper (Dec 30, 2006)

What a beautiful bunny, with big gorgeous eyes.She looks like she's somewhat of a mixed breed, but I'm not sure.Beautiful coloration though!


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## Tabitha (Dec 31, 2006)

Thank you. 

Hubby and i were trying to figure out what kind of rabbit she is buthaven't had any luck. She actually looks more like the wildrabbits we have running through our backyard.

From the state of the cage that she was found in, it looks as thoughshe was a outdoor bunny probably her whole life. The cage igot her is an indoor cage and we roll it into the garage at night (it'sa 2 car garage with a double wide window, so it has a lot of light andairflow). During the day i roll the cage out onto the frontporch and she goes into her rabbit run i built her yesterday to frolicaround in the yard.

We live the city limits of Orlando, but on a agricultural area so wehave a lot of woods and wildlife (wild rabbits, raccoons, bears, largeowls, hawls, eagles, snakes, giant rats, ect). That was mybiggest concern about housing Tabitha. I wanted her to besafe at night. We unfortunately can not bring her into thehouse as my stepdaughter is allergic to rabbits. She breaksout into a red rash all over her body and her eyes swell up.She still loves the bunny but just can't touch it or get really closeto it.

I am already drawing up plans to design and built a "Rabbitville" forTabitha. We have a lot of land and i would really like tomake a 50 foot long by 10 foot wide rabbit run with a nice weatherproofand easy to clean 2 story rabbit mansion.

Just from watching Tabitha for the past few days, she just loves toinvestigate and jump and climb. She utilizes all the space igive her. I hate confining animals to a limited space. All mybirds have oversized cages and elborate playstands and a birdroom withtv all to themselves. My dogs have 1.25 acres to run on andfree range of the house, so it's only fair that Tabitha have her ownlittle estate.

Once i learn a lot more about caring for bunnies, i am sure we will goand adopt another bunny to keep Tabitha company.She is such a social bunny i really think she would get terribly lonelyby herself. Buti have a lot more to learn aboutrabbits before that happens and i would have to rack all your brainsabout the best way to introduce a new rabbit to her so that it is asuccessful match.

I am already falling in love with Tabitha. I woke up thismorning and went out to see her. There she was sitting uppretty waiting for me. As soon as i put my hand in the cageshe ran over and snuggled her head into my hand and then dragged herempty food dish over to me as if to say " Goodmorning Mum, what's forbreakfast?"

Anyway, i am sure you are going to be hear way too much about Tabithain the future and i am sure there will be lots of cute pictures too.


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## Haley (Dec 31, 2006)

Thats great! Sounds like you are mastering this whole bunny slave thing 

Its wonderful that youre going above and beyond to give Tabitha such agreat home. She is one very lucky bunny! I think you guys are making upfor the horrible neglect of her past owner..Isnt it wonderful how theycan still love us even after theyve been treated like crap by humans?

Dont feel bad about housing her outside, many bunnies can livewonderful and happy lives housed outdoors, assuming they get just asmuch attention, which I can see she is. 

And I think getting her a friend down the road would be great! You'llprobably want to have her spayed first, but many rabbit rescues willallow you to bring her in to meet potential partners. Its a great wayto avoid all that difficult bonding!

Keep those pics and stories coming! I love hearing about this special little girl.


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## Tabitha (Dec 31, 2006)

:laugh:

BUNNY SLAVE!

You got that right!

Tabitha already runs the show in this house.

I think she figured out i didn't have a clue how to take care ofrabbits so she figured she better take charge and tell me what shewants.

She does very good at communicating with me.

:sunshine:


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## cookie2006 (Dec 31, 2006)

Tabitha is beautiful! I would say thatshe may be some kind of netherland dwarf cross of somesort.She looks very much like my Cookie did, just a slightly differentcolour. Here is a pic of him:






He also wasn't a pure netherland dwarf and looked more like our wildrabbits around here. We got him from a shelter, so he mayhave been part wild for all I knew. 

It sounds like Tabitha is very lucky that you found her and are takingsuch good care of her. I am sure she will make a wonderfuland loyal pet.


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## LuvaBun (Dec 31, 2006)

Tabitha is a really pretty girl, and it does look like she has some Netherland Dwarf in her. She has a lovely colouring.

Sounds like she is going to have a fantastic place to live, and I'msure she will give you lots of enjoyment watching her personality shinethrough. She is one lucky girl to survive what she has been through andend up with you 

Jan


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## maherwoman (Dec 31, 2006)

What a beautiful girl Tabitha is!Hehe..of course, I'm a bit biased, because she looks just like myMaisie girl. 

Sounds like you're really getting the hang of being a bunnymum!! That's wonderful! She sounds really happy,too! Wonderful...

What a happy little girl she must be to have such a great home!


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## Tabitha (Dec 31, 2006)

You know, i am really starting to think Tabithamay be part wild too. She is too much like the wild rabbitswe have here in our back yard. She is the same size, ears,coat, color, features and even the little black and white tail that ihave only seen on wild rabbits.

It is highly possible someone caught her as a baby and kept her as a pet. 

I have rescued baby possums, snakes and raccoons from our back yardthat have fled or been orphans due to housing developments demolishingthe woods.


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## naturestee (Jan 1, 2007)

What a beautiful bun! She really came to the right place.

She looks like a Netherland dwarf cross to me, maybe some BritanniaPetite? Wild crosses are not possible in the US because theyaren't the same species. Domestic rabbits are descended fromEuropean wild rabbits and can still mate with them, but US cottontailsare actually very different genetically. 

Have you checked out Bunny 101? There's lots of great info,including about cages/hutches. I've found that the Brits arereally good with outdoor housing and you can find some good plans outthere. Here's the main thread:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11792&amp;forum_id=17

Here's a website with good info and some building plans.
http://www.therabbithouse.com/

And some examples of really nice outdoor homes.
http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/hutch.asp

If you're looking big, you could look at using a small shed instead ofa hutch. You can attach the run to it through a cat door orsomething similar. There's some examples in that secondwebsite.

Have fun!


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## Tabitha (Jan 1, 2007)

Cool! Thank you.

I like the shed idea. I was also thinking about a outdoor dog house too.

I'm not so worried about the cold weather her in Florida as we only get3 or 4 nights that drop below 32 degrees F. I amworried about the heat here. I need to be able to protect herfrom heat stroke.

I don't want a BBQ bunny!:yuck


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## Hollie (Jan 2, 2007)

What a gorgeous bun! She's very luck to have found you  Welcome to slavedom!


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## HoneyPot (Jan 2, 2007)

*naturestee wrote: *


> She looks like a Netherland dwarf cross to me, maybe some Britannia Petite?


I was also going to say Britannia Petite - she looks JUST like Misty who I think is a BP.

She's gorgeous! Welcome to BSA (Bunny Slaves Anonymous)!

__________
Nadia


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## Tabitha (Jan 5, 2007)

I am starting on Tabitha'a Bunny Estatetomorrow. I will take before and after pictures so you canall see the transformation.:construction

After the attitude she gave me this morning, i figured i had better get a move on and make her bunny estate.

Yesterday, she had to stay in her cage all day because it was rainingall day. This morning when i went to feed her, she kicked meand then turned her back on me and grunted.:bunnybutt: Shewas mad at me because i hadn't let her out in the yard to playyesterday. I knelt down and asked her if she wanted to comeout and she ran over to me and stretched up on her hind legs like shewanted to be picked up.

As soon as i put her in her pen today, she was all happyagain. She is so use to running around in her pen everyday inthe yard that she expects it now.:runningrabbit:


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## Haley (Jan 5, 2007)

Hurray! Cant wait to see it!


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## Starina (Jan 5, 2007)

*Tabitha wrote: *


> Cool! Thank you.
> 
> I like the shed idea. I was also thinking about a outdoor dog house too.
> 
> ...


Take some soda bottles filled with water and stick them in the freezer.Gice her one to lay next to when it gets hot. It works great. 



She is a real cutie. It is great that she found someone like you tolove her and give her the protection that she needs. Idon't know how people can be so cruel to animals. It makes me so angry.



Congrats on you new pretty lady!

~Star~

~Star~


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## Tabitha (Jan 5, 2007)

*You know that is a really good idea withfreezing the soda bottles. I do something similar for myLabs. For them i take the big ice tubs fill them with waterand freeze them. It makes giant ice blocks that they sit andlick on on the porch. They usually end up sliding it aroundand making a game of it.*

*Starina wrote: *


> *Tabitha wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Cool! Thank you.
> ...


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## Haley (Jan 6, 2007)

Another great thing is to by tiles (like clayones) and put them in the freezer, then set a few out for her to lay onwhen it gets hot. And, of course lots of shade and water!


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## Tabitha (Jan 22, 2007)

OK guys! Here we go!

I know it has taken awhile and i haven't been on chatting with youlately but what can i say "Life gets the better of me sometimes and ijust can't keep up!"



Well i finally set up Tabitha's Bunny Estate. Now it isn'twhat i said it was going to be as the area of yard we were originallygoing to put her in never seemed to get any shade.

So instead, we got her a 10 foot square by 6 foot high dog kennel andput a tarp on over the top for a roof. She has a cute cottagestyle dog house full of straw to sleep in with a paver frontporch and a PVC pipe to run through.Ihave to come up with a few more ideas for things that she can climb onand hide under but forto begin with, she is loving what shehas.

















There is lots of room to add more stuff for her and i would really lovetoadd a fewtallpotted plantsforextra shade.


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## SOOOSKA (Jan 22, 2007)

It looks good, the only thing I would worryabout isan animal climbing in from the top. Isthere any way you can cover the top with some kind of wire fencing.

Also why don't you put her cage in her Bunny Estate so she can go intoit to chill out. We have the same cage for Daisy Mae and webuilt her a ramp so she can run up and down when she wantsto. We also bought her a little wooden "hideaway" for her togo into.

Susan
:bunnydance:


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## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2007)

Here is a close up of Tabitha taken today. She is a chubby little girl now.


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## LuvaBun (Jan 24, 2007)

Great set up. And Tabitha is looking really well - such a cute girl

Jan


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## Tabitha (Mar 17, 2007)

Hi All! I know it has been a reallyreally long time since i have posted but life got a little overwhelmingfor me. 

Well i wanted to post some updated pictures of Tabitha and let you allknow that Tabitha has a new friend finally that she absolutelyloves. He has no name yet. He is black and white,twice the size of Tabitha and has short floppy ears. I will set up aBlog for him soon.


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## Tabitha (Mar 17, 2007)

We have also been very busy on building Tabithaa new enclosure. You saw pictures of her Bunny estate thatwas 10' x 10'. Well now we are building her a 22' x 16'x12'highRabbit Ranch. We are also done but she won't bein it for another two weeks as i have to landscape it and decorate itbefore she can go into it. I will post pictures ofit. It is going to be so wonderful. Now that shehas a new friend to share it with, Tabitha should really enjoy it.


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## JadeIcing (Mar 17, 2007)

So they are bonded? If so you can keep it one east to find blog and I could change the title.


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## Tabitha (Mar 17, 2007)

Yes, they bonded instantly. He woddledover to Tabitha and started grooming her. She melted and layon the floor next to him while he groomed her. I was in shockas they had only just met each otherfor 10 minutes.Love at first sight!


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## JadeIcing (Mar 17, 2007)

Have a name for the blog or do you want to start a new one?


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## Haley (Mar 18, 2007)

Hey, I was just thinking of you guys! Glad to have an update!

Tabitha looks so happy to have a buddy. That is just wonderful. She issuch a lucky little girl. She must feel like Cinderella, she went frombeing put out to the garbage to having a lovely home and a new friend.What a blessed little girl.

You are so wonderful for giving her a new life. Cant wait to see picsof her new home. I better not let my boys hear about this, they will bevery jealous


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## LuvaBun (Mar 18, 2007)

Welcome back .

OMG, is that a Dutch lop??? :shock:. How absolutely adorable!I am so pleased that Tabitha has got a friend, and that it was instantlove. More pics, please 

Jan


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## maherwoman (Mar 18, 2007)

How wonderful!! And what an adorable pair!! 

:inlove:


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## Tabitha (Mar 18, 2007)

I am thinking he is an older rabbit.The guy got him in Los Angles and then after a couple of years hisbrother took him for 2 and a half years and then when the guy moved toflorida he got the rabbit back. 

Soi am guessing about 5-6 years old if not a littlemore. Poor thing has been kept in a tiny cage all thistime. He has sores on his feet and belly from the wire cagefloor.

Now he isn't in a cage at all and never will be. He loves to lay on a straw bed.


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## AngelnSnuffy (Mar 18, 2007)

How lucky that they instantly bonded:shock:. That's awesome. They are beautiful.:inlove:


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## Haley (Mar 18, 2007)

*Tabitha wrote: *

Now he isn't in a cage at all and never will be. He loves to lay on a straw bed.

I wish I could hug you. These two are so lucky you came into their lives!


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## Tabitha (Mar 19, 2007)

*JadeIcing wrote: *


> Have a name for the blog or do you want to start a new one?




I would love to keep the same blog and just change the title to "Tabitha &amp; Buddy".

Yes the new bunny finally has a name "Buddy". He is Tabitha'sbest buddy. She grooms him and cuddles up to him all day long.


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## maherwoman (Mar 19, 2007)

Awww ...Buddy is such a cute name, and very suitable for your new guy! 

Cute!!


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## Tabitha (Mar 19, 2007)

*LuvaBun wrote: *


> Welcome back .
> 
> OMG, is that a Dutch lop??? :shock:. How absolutely adorable!I am so pleased that Tabitha has got a friend, and that it was instantlove. More pics, please
> 
> Jan




I don' t know what kind of rabbit he is.....i think maybe a Chubby Lop Eared Rabbit!


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## jordiwes (Mar 19, 2007)

I am in love with Buddy and he might shoot to the top of my bunny napping list! 

Please we need more pics of him (and Tabitha)!

:bunnyheart


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## Tabitha (Mar 19, 2007)

*jordiwes wrote: *


> I am in love with Buddy and he might shoot to the top of my bunny napping list!
> 
> Please we need more pics of him (and Tabitha)!
> 
> :bunnyheart




I must warn you.....the Rabbit Ranch is monitored by a camera security system!:brownbunny

Any Bunny Napping will be recorded and turned over to the authorities!:brat:

Seriously, it is monitored! That is what my husband does fora living...camera systems, alarms, home theater systems. Wehave the whole property set up with cameras so we can sit infront ofthe tv and see any area of our property without leaving thecouch. It's great to turn on the tv and see the bunnies intheir Rabbit Ranch in the back yard.

I take some more pictures tomorrow. I want to try and get some of them cuddling.


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## aurora369 (Mar 20, 2007)

I changed the name for you, I hope it's right.

I love Buddy, it's awesome that he's so laid back and loves Tabitha somuch. Reminds me of Baxter, who hasn't fought with either ofhis buddies at all and just laps up the attention from anyone.

--Dawn


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## jordiwes (Mar 21, 2007)

:waiting:

Pictures?


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