# The Stormhaven Blog



## Runestonez (Apr 20, 2010)

Well...I started one of these a while ago...:whistling
ButI fell behind! WAY behind!

So here goes again! Since I am a mod now I think I should do a better job at staying current! lol

And besides Soooska keeps giving me heck for no updated photos or garden pics!:biggrin:

So...
I am a 37 year old bunny slave!
We have 10 bunns right now and 5 cats...but our cats pretty much ignore us! lol
Unless we are feeding them or making the bed and distrubing them...they couldn't care lessif we existed!:biggrin:

I am a little OCD when it comes to destroying things...I cannot be happy without pulling things apart or ripping the guts out of our house! I don't always manage to put things back the way I found them...but I start out well intentioned!
My hubby Tony is VERY understanding...but he really can't put the things back together either so he needs me! :biggrin:

Wegot our first bunn in 2005...for all the wrong reasons...I saw a bunn I was lonely and she kicked Tony so hard in the face she almost put him on his butt in the middle of the petstore! She only just barely fit in the palm of my hand! She HAD to be ours! We did our research (after the fact) but we still lost her at about a year and half. She was a wonderful bunn! It was because of her we began to take in rescues and abandoned bunns!

Our setup forour bunns has changed and evolved over the years...we keep looking for better ways to house, feed, groom, clean litter...anything to keep one step ahead of the rabbit rabble!:biggrin2:

This is our front rabbit room setup (also known asour livingroom!):biggrin:







Our bunns used to have a 4 level condo each...but they stopped coming out for regular exercise and spent all their time in their hutches...:shame

Our two young bucks are on the bottom...Darwin on the left and Guffy on the right...
Our oldest male is on the top left, Daphne and our little loppy female Zoe is on the top right!
The top bunns have a ramp that we put up for them when it is their"out" time...we are trying to bond Daphne and Zoe...and they groom each other through the NIC's...but it usually degrades into a headbutting match!lol
Guffy and Darwin are desperate to play together again...but after their last tussle and the resulting vet bills and abscess...I have been stalling! I admit it! I know they love being together...but they make me crazy...so I have been avoiding their "together" time!

Here is another pic of the setup.






And one with their ramp set up!






We built the hutches on a peice of 3/4" plywood for stability...being in the front of the house and the livingroom in particular we need to be able to move the hutch setup to vacuum and clean around and under it...so it rolls on 6 sets of wheels for easy cleanup.

We setup two 2 x 2 NIC hutches on the bottom...placed another piece of 3/8 ply on top of those hutches and used 1 1/2" deck screws to hold it in place. We drilled them through the NIC clips...and they were just long enough to hold the ply in place without popping out on the bunns side!

We then covered that shelf in sticky tiles and put a layer of carpet on top of that! Weadded a nice little strip of chair rail around the outside to keep the top NIC's from sliding or moving out of place...all in all it is a VERY sturdy setup! It cannot tip and it has very little play to it! :biggrin: When I build stuff it stays built!:biggrin2:

We added a wooden shelf across the top to store treats and their bag of hay...with an NIC shelf to the side for their winter towels and pellets!

Our bunnya's from top left to bottom right!
DaphneButt-he is NOT a fan of photos...he used to be but they have worn pretty thin by now!





A little better pic of the angry *Daphne*!





Our *Zoe* baby...otherwise known as..."the football", "tonka chunk", "chewbie", chew-chew" and finally "Zoots"!





Our youngest boy *Darwin*...he is a Holland Lop but is almost 5 pounds at 7 months old! Our vet thinks he may have been crossed with a giraffe! Even when he was taking Baytril for his foot he was still gaining weight! He is always hungry and is always under the impression we are starving him!





Here is our *Guffy*! I interrupted him in the middle of a particularly yummy foot chew for this photo! lol He always has that half amused look on his face as though he knows something particularly funny he isn't going to tell!:biggrin2:





We also have a room in the back of the house...formerly known as the "guest"room...
This is the area where we put our more aggressive adoptable babies...oronesthat need more watching or attention! They are right 'round the corner from my side of the bed...I am a light sleeper so any unusual noises bring me running on the double!!

We just finished re-doing this bunn-room in October! It took us a while to get things setup the way we wanted! We have 6 bunns back here and with all the hutches on the ground no one had any room to play! And I can't let them have the run of the back of the house since a few have serious territory issues and cat issues to work out!:biggrin:






So we built a table onto the wall it is 32" front to back and just over 9 feet long...
It is made of 3/4" plywood and covered in sticky tiles...we also put cloroplast frames under the hutches since the top ones are all attached and any "accidents" would be a nightmare to cleanup! We put a peice of baseboard across the front to pretty it up some and it is supported in the front by 3 peices of 2 x 3 pine protected from bunny teeth inside sono tubes! A cardboard backsplash was added since bunny butts don't always stay in their litterboxes while peeing! lol So all in all it is an excellent setup for us! Uber easy to keep clean and tidy!






I vacuum once everyday andscoop litter every third day! So lots of one on one bunn time!:biggrin2:

Just like the kids in the front room the top bunns have a ramp they use to exit their hutch and head to the floor for playtime!





Since our bunns are all over the house...I used to bring them each to the diningroom table to groom them...but if any ever got brave and decided to jump they would be in a world of hurt when whichever bunn was having their"outtime" got a hold of them! So I made us a grooming table! It holds all our brushes and tidbits for torturing our bunns...with room for the first aid kit on the bottom! It has four wheels for easy rolling...I just roll it up to whatever particular bun is due for their grooming and voila...angry bunny! :biggrin2:





Overall a good design...learned quickly that doors across the front would be an even better idea since I regularly have to pull bunns off the bottom shelf as well...it's on my list of "stuff" to do! :biggrin2:

Our backroom bunns from top left to bottom right!

*Oliver*--he was left at our vet to be euthanized because his breeder was moving and had run out of time to find him a home...he is in his terrible teens and driving us nuts right now! He made the mistake of biting hubby a while ago and hasn't been fully forgiven yet! lol:biggrin2: We are in the process of bonding him to Gypsy!





*Gypsy*--Olivers "possible" mate...if she ever stops whupping his butt! She is half his size and a bossy little devil! She loves him as long as he is on the other side of a set of NIC's...but kicks his butt everywhere when they are together! lol A one pound terror!:biggrin:





Gypsy built the most beautiful nest this morning...she always puts all her toys in them! They look so comfy and warm!(she is spayed)





*Peppers*--Our little terror! In mix up between her and Gypsy...I really don't know who would win...but she and Gypsy try constantly to get at one another whenever they can...so now they are housed side by side...(there is a method to my madness!) Peppy is also the bunn who blacked our petsitters eyes...both of them! She is a very sad and angry little bunn...and even after 5 years can still only be handled by me. She makes me so sad...as I know she is very unhappy. She lost her two bonded mates and refuses to bond again...but is so unhappy single! 





*Tucker and Portia*--If any of you read my posts...you may have heard of the aggressive little bugger who tried to bite off my finger...THAT would be the angelic little Tucker!:rofl: He was a holy terror when he came home...we got suckered into bringing his sister with us as well! They were supposed to be new bonded mates for Peppy...but she decided she hated them...so we finally gave up! Tucker is absolutely paranoid about someone stealing his "girl"...he spends his entire day "protecting her...and in the process driving her nuts!





This is the long suffering Portia! She is our travel bunn...we take her to venues for OREO and to schools to meet and teach children...she is VERY patient and VERY friendly...basically the antithesis of Tucker!





And last but not least is our Leo! He definately does NOT approve of the camera...but he is learning to grin and bear it! lol He is such a funny little guy! He is so very quiet and unassuming! His mate Sophie had to be pts last January and he has refused to use his litterbox for his poops since then...but poops are poops and the pees always end up in the right spot...so we mostly just call it a draw!:biggrin2:




And that is our updated bunn blog!:biggrin2:

Besides the fact that the weather has everyone in and out of moults every two seconds...and my vacuum is having a nervous breakdown...things are good! No illnesses...Darwin is keeping his feet out of Guffys mouth...and the constant barrage of fur is keeping all our relatives at bay!:biggrin2:

Life is good!:biggrin2:

Danielle


----------



## SOOOSKA (Apr 20, 2010)

YEAH!!!! You finally started a blog. Now you must keep adding entries with pictues ver frequently.

Susan 

ps

Beautiful Bunnies :inlove:


----------



## Amy27 (Apr 20, 2010)

OMG I think your buns have more toys then mine and I didn't think that was possible. 

All your buns are adorable. I love that Gypsy builds a nest and puts her toys in it. That is so adorable. Tucker and Portia look so much like my Little Bunny. She is a mean little thing too. I am not great on rabbit breeds but because they look like they could be twins I am guessing yours are lionheads. My vet once told me most lionheads don't think they are rabbits, they think they are lions. lol Can't wait to see more pictures. 

Oh and please share where you have gotten all those wonderful toys. I know I see ones in there I have not yet purchased lol


----------



## hartleybun (Apr 20, 2010)

cuteness overload! how on earth do you keep all those personalities happy!


----------



## Runestonez (Apr 20, 2010)

*Amy*-Most of the toys you see...if they are plastic or stuffed we bought them...most likely at the Dollarstore...if they are wooden they were made by me!

*HartleyBunn*-all our kids have different personalities! It isn't hard to keep them happy though...I am a horrible person when it comes to treats! LOL:biggrin2:I pretty much give them treats whenever I happen to walk by...and treats go a long way to making everybody happy! ...Fat ...but happy!

*Soooska*-Stop bugging me!:stikpokelol
I will have pics of the gardens soon...everything is still a little bare right now!
I love Winstons colouring!


----------



## Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears (Apr 22, 2010)

All you bunnies are so adorable
I think it's time for another update


----------



## Runestonez (Apr 22, 2010)

Are you related to Soooska at all? LOL:biggrin2::stikpoke

I will update tomorrow! Right now I am in bunny doo-doo for DARING to pick up the trail of poops Tucker laid down to let everybody know he was on the rampage! LOL

I'm persona non grata in the bunn room right now!:biggrin2:

Danielle


----------



## Mrs. PBJ (Apr 22, 2010)

I am so glad you started a blog. I need one more litter box dang i cant make the NIC grid.


----------



## Wabbitdad12 (Apr 25, 2010)

I love your setup, I am pellet green with envy.


----------



## Runestonez (Apr 25, 2010)

Exactly what shade of green is pellet green?
It doesn't sound positive! LOL:biggrin2:

Danielle


----------



## jcottonl02 (Apr 25, 2010)

AWWWWWW Gypsy and Oliver are TOOOOOO CUTE!!!!!

Jen


----------



## Runestonez (Apr 25, 2010)

I have been called the crazy rabbit lady by our vet, by our neighbours...pretty much by anyone who knows me! lol

Today hubby took me to dinner theater for lunch...it was nice!
We don't get out too often because we haveour bunns ona very strict schedule!
Mom and Dads one day off!:biggrin2:
It was at the racetrack...we haven't been there before and it was really pretty! The food was nice and we had fun! I won $30 at the slots! (I have no idea how people can sit there plunking at those things all day!)

So about 10 miutes into dinner...the one lady starts to talk about how her daughter wants to be a vet. And she is thinking about being an exotics vet...yup...there goes Dani! Caution...foot in mouth!

I spent the whole dinner hour answering the others questions about rabbits and rabbit care...I finally got to eat when the one woman noticed I hadn't eaten more than a mouthful...so whileit was nice food...it was a tad cold! lol I handed out a whole whack of business cards and I am pretty much hoarse now! LOL:biggrin2:

Even on a day off I still manage to rabbit Tony to the point of distraction! :biggrin:

Danielle

Oh yeah...the point of the blog...they decided to call me the Rabbit Lady from now on!<sigh> I think I see a trend developing...Hubby found me a T-shirt that says crazy rabbit lady...I may just buy it! lol


----------



## jcottonl02 (Apr 25, 2010)

Aw that dinner sounded lovely 

An estate agents here in London now refers to me as 'Crazy Rabbit Lady' :grumpy
I was only looking for a new flat, and explained that if they didn't allow bunnies free-roaming, I wouldn't take it, no matter how nice/cheap/good value it was, because my buns are with me for life.

And I walked in there after speaking to someone on the phone, and then viewing a flat, and said my name, and she said 'AHH YOU'RE the crazy rabbit lady- I'll go and get Dave'.

And I was left standing there a little surprised lol!!!
I guess it's not a bad nick-name to have! But non-bunny lovers will interpret it strangely.

I want that t-shirt lol!!! Hehehe!
Jen


----------



## Runestonez (Apr 25, 2010)

lol:rofl:


----------



## Mrs. PBJ (Apr 26, 2010)

You need to post pictures of all your toys in your blog that you make they are great.


----------



## Runestonez (Apr 26, 2010)

I guess now would be the time!
Ihave a show this weekend in Milton...so I have to make up more toys for the rabbit peoples!

I am horrible at taking pics! I take 'em and lose 'em! LOL

I'll give it a shot! :biggrin2:


----------



## SOOOSKA (Apr 26, 2010)

Where's the updated pictures Dani?

So what toys are you making now?:whistling

Give all the babies a kiss from me.:big kiss:

Susan:bunny18


----------



## Runestonez (Apr 26, 2010)

Hey!:grumpy
Stop smooching on my bunnies lady! :biggrin2:

I make lots of toys! You saw most of them at the All About Pets Show! LOL
Bribing people with bunn toys...
That's how I sucker people into helping me! :weee:

So what are you doing this Sunday? hmm? he he he! :coolness:

Dani


----------



## Mrs. PBJ (Apr 26, 2010)

Runestonez wrote:


> Hey!:grumpy
> Stop smooching on my bunnies lady! :biggrin2:
> 
> I make lots of toys!Â  You saw most of them at the All About Pets Show!Â  LOL
> ...



Hey don't forget to mail my toys!!!!:whistling


Anyway don't put pictures tell I get mine I want to be surprised.


----------



## Runestonez (Apr 27, 2010)

lol:rofl:

OK...any toys but yours!:biggrin:


----------



## Wabbitdad12 (May 2, 2010)

If you have to be crazy in this world, why not about rabbits?, sounds to me like a badge of honor.


----------



## Runestonez (May 3, 2010)

As promised here are some pics of the toys I make for our kids!

All these toys are made from a mix of hard and soft wood for bunny chewing fun.
The dyes used are from Vita Critter and are pet safe...we use 70% alcohol for applying our dyes since it drastically reduces the drying time. And some people feel it disinfects the wooden blocks...I have no opinion on this...but advise anyone using alcohol with their dyes to open several windows and DON'T use alcohol anywhere near your rabbits!:twitch:

Tony took pics of me being industrious and dying the different parts for assembly!
Yes...that is me in my PJ's...he never takes any nice pictures! lol
Like me being dressed nicely for instance!:shock:






Please excuse the disaster my diningroom is...when I bring my rabbit toy parts and bits upstairs...I tend to take over the room I am in and several around it too! :biggrin2:





















Tony trying to get "artistic" with the camera!:rofl:





*Here are the toys I have pics for:*

*Small Sisal Toss and Chews*-I also make larger ones...just not right at this moment!





*Sisal Ball Toss and Chews*-about 5-6" long strung with hard wood blocks.





*Sisal Carrots*-made with soft pine and dyed sisal tops.





*Mini Barbells*-about 2" long.





*Medium Barbells*-about 4" long, made from hard and soft wood.





*Large Barbells*-perfect for larger bunns...these are 6-7" long, made with thicker wood.





*Small Bunny Bumbles*-Square or Round.





*Large Bunny Bumbles*-with or without clacker rings.





*Hanging Applestick Toys*-a HUGE fav! We also add Bunny Biscuits(we drill a hole in a 3" cookie)and dried apple rings for an extra added treat!





*Applestick Toss and Chews*-a fav even without the coloured blocks!





*Applestick Bundles*-tied with edible rafia, these can be tossed in bunns cage as is or ziptied to the cage bars!





*Hanging Bunny Bagel Toy*-I drill a hole ina bunny bagel and add chewy wooden bits...I usually add a bell to the bottom to finish it off!





*Toys/snacks I don't have pics for:*

*Bunny Bombs*- these are paper lunch bags with holes(usually shaped like butterflys or hearts at our house!)punched in the sides...then it is stuffed with lots of hay and a selection of the following: dried basil, dried lovage, dried apple bits, dried banana bits, apple pommace chunks(available for horses), dried currants, craisins, raisins, dried raspberry leaves, oat groats, rolled oats, hay cubes, apple sticks, apple buds, dried sage and homemade bunny biscuits!
We call them "bunny bombs" because Tony likes to stand in the doorway and lob them into the bunny playrooms like hand grenades!

*Homemade Bunny Biscuits*-these are awesome treats because they are less likely to upset bunn tummies because the base for these biscuits is the pellets the bunn already eats!!
We use either the fines from the bottom of the bag of pellets or grind some pellets up into a fine flour. Then we add rolled oats and dried basil and grind it again. To this we add pumpkin pureed with craisins, pureed apple(not sauce), and currants. We mix these together into a sticky paste that can be rolled out with a rolling pin, and we use small cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes. Then they are baked up in the oven till they are hard and crunchy! They are a HUGE hit with our kids!

I havea few more toys I am working on right now...hanging rabbit ladders and wooden teething rings. Ialways have a few ideas rolling around! :biggrin:
So I'll post them when I haveworked out how to assemble them andkeep the cost at a decent level! 

Oh...BTW...if your blocks don't stick together properly...instead of using glue...NOT good for bunnies...try using cornstarch and water mixture instead!

Danielle


----------



## Runestonez (May 3, 2010)

This Sunday just past was the Milton Mutt Strutt for the Oakvile/Milton Humane Society.
Tony and I took the smaller OREO setup to the event!

We were going to take Portia and Darwin(who is in his teens and driving me berzerk)but the Weather Network was forcasting possible thunderstorms...so the kids had to stay home!

It was pretty rainy when we got there..but we got the tent up in record time...it amazing what you can do when you don't want to get wet! lol

I was doing face painting yesterday as well...when we go to smaller venues for OREO...I do face painting for the kids and donate our proceeds to the event coordinators. At $3-$5a kid it isn't much money...but the event coordinators seemed happy!

I was offered a job going to Hamilton to do face painting at a day care...I'll have to think about THAT for awhile:shock:...Tony and I don't have kids...don't plan to have kids...so far I haven't poked any with my paint brushes on purpose...yet...:whistling
Well, that and it is an unwritten rule...not to do face paintson children under the age of 3. No horrible reason...just no real need and painting a moving target gets harder for each year you go down in age! LOL

Each time I do face painting there is always one kid...usually older...who tries to stump me...or make me cry...I can't decide which!:scared: Since I only face paint one or maybe twice a year...I don't have a thick hide yet, so to speak.Every face painter worries/fears that they will paint a kids face for them and the kid will take one look at it and burst into tears...yup...
Honestly...hasn'thappened to me...YET.:cry2

So, bless her dear heart<sarcasm>, this girlasked mewhat I couldpaint...I told her she could have whatever she wanted<dumb answer-Mistake #1>
So she looked at me with this unholy smile and said..."So there isn'tANYTHING you can't paint?"
Now at this point...I KNOW I am in trouble...but kids are like wild animals...if you show fear you're done...so I just smiled and told her I could paint anything. <I have issues with beinga littlecompetative> HA! Bring it kid!:coolness:

She stood for 20 minutes and thought...then sat down when it was her turn...looked at me smiled and asked for a Platypus with a blue top hat.:twitch:

Unfortunately for her...I know what Platypusses look like...I am rather fond of them...





Not my best work...buther look of disappointment was awesome!:biggrin2:
She really thought she had me!:shame
We have another event for the same group in October...and she is coming back...:cry2
So she has 5 months to find an animal I don't know how to draw...or have never heard of...
I am joining a face painting club this week.:grumpy

Danielle


----------



## Wabbitdad12 (May 6, 2010)

Where do you find the materials you use to make your bunny toys? I've always wanted to do that for my herd, but I don't know where to get them.


----------



## Runestonez (May 7, 2010)

Hmmm...
I get the bits and pieces a few places...
You can order them online from the craft supplies stores...such as BearWoods or from places that sell bits for parrot toys...the parrot people usually use soft woods for their toys...whereas the craft supply stores have hard woods. If you buy from the parrot places the wood willsometimes come already dyed...so it saves a bit of time and money!

The sisal carrots I buya 6 foot peice of white pine from Home depot and then cut it down to the size and shape I want, sand it, drill a hole and dye it!

Sometimes you can't find the wooden blocks with the right size hole already drilled...so you have to re-drill them! Hubby got me a 10" drill press and drill press vice for Christmas! 

It is a lot of work...but fun! Our kids get new toys at Easter (which we use for everyones birthday) and Christmas...we used to give them new toys all the time but they got jaded!  Spoiled little beggars! 

Danielle


----------



## cheryl (May 7, 2010)

Oh wow..what awesome toys!


----------



## Tofu (May 18, 2010)

awesome work! 
i'm soo inspired 
running to home depot now to see what i can get!!


----------



## Runestonez (Jun 22, 2010)

I finally downloadedour cottontail photos!
These little guys were brought to me by my sister at the end of May. She works at a long-term care facility. One of their patients was out walking with her parents and they let her destroy a cottontail nest...they thought it was cute.:grumpy
So she managed to snag 2...one for each hand...

They brought them inside the facility...where a well meaning nurse thought it would be a good idea to put them in the cage with the 7 pound male domestic rabbit so he could raise them.:twitch:

My sister happened to come through around this time and confiscated the babies...she and another nurse walked the grounds but couldn't find the nest or even the general area...so I ended up with them. She is not a rabbit person! lol
She was quite panicked by the time she tracked me down!

We were working on the assumption that they were under 12 days old...their eyes were open but their ears were still down. They were a little less than 3 inches long and the one (we were calling her the female because it seemed right) was pretty much catatonic when I got her. I was pretty sure she would die just from the stress she had been through! I picked her up in my hand and though her eyes were open she would just roll like a little log...I was afraid the girl might have squeezed her while carrying her.

So we put them in one of our rabbit carrriers, put it in the garage and covered them with a blanket and left them alone. 

We didn't take any pics until their ears had popped and they weren't stressed out anymore!

Here is a pic of Popcorn at about 14 days old.





And poor Pottsi(14 days old)..she was stressed for a while...but in the end she adjusted well and regained her health! She just needed peace and quiet!





This is where things start to get fun.:rollseyes
It is illegal to raise, keep or release cottontails unless you are a registered wildlife rehabber! Okey Dokey...gottcha! I understand totally.

My sister dropped the bunns off Sunday afternoon.
I spent 4 hours on the phone on the Monday trying to find a wildlife rehabber.
One wouldn't answer her phone and lived 2 hours away, one was on sabbatical until September, our Humane Society euthanizes because they are too hard to look after when they are this young...the lady at the Ministry of Natural Resources was very nice and helpful...but didn't have alot of options for me.

So I started to call cottontail rescues for help or guidance. Perhaps they knew of a rescue closer to us...nope the best advise I got was to not feed them. I finally broke down and made up rabbit formula...I was plenty aggravated and frustrated at this point...I have an easy out...I can just take them to the HS to be euthanized...which after evaluating them would have been a shame since they were both healthy and capapble of being released. And having accepted them...they were now our responsibility.

I couldn't release them, euthanize them or give the darned things away!:grumpy:
I was so *FRUSTRATED*! I wasn't panicked...I just wanted to do what I have been preaching to people about for years! 
***DO NOT RESCUE COTTONTAILS...THEY ARE WILD...IF YOU HAVESOME,PUT THEM BACK WHERE YOU FOUND THEM,GET THEM TO A REHBBER! ON AVERAGE 90% WILL DIE WITHOUT PROPER CARE...SELF MUTILATION, FAILURE TO THRIVE, MALNUTRITION...AND THAT IS *IF* YOU MANGE TO GET THEM TO EAT AT ALL!!!***
I promise with all my heart to listen and be a better rabbit educator in the future...no more brow beating or berating people for not turning them in to a rehab ASAP! Sheesh!:grumpy:

So now, according to the MNR guidelines, I am a criminal! 

On the Monday night, I mixed up formula, ran out to buy a kitten bottle...andI began feeding twice a day...in between feeding they were in the carrier with hay, covered and left alone. We didn't want them to get used to us.

Pottsi with milk face!





Hubby named them ( I refused to name them because they weren't staying and I didn't want to get attached) the "female" with issues was called Pottsi because she came in a flower pot and the "male" was called Popcorn because he was so small he couldn't hop properly and kept "popping" and falling over. He was a little tuffy!





I found plenty of info on why you shouldn't keep cottontails but nothing on how to wean and prepare them for release! So THAT was a whole other adventure.

At approximately three weeks I began weaning.No problem, right?
Nope, I couldn't get the wee buggers to wean:grumpy...so I removed the heavy cream from the formula...no dice...they still attacked it at feeding time. So I removed the goats milk...still no change! I started to water down the KMR until it was almost 8 parts water!:shock: They were still all over it! By this time we had introduced them to greens and there was really no reason for them to still be on the bottle...so next feeding was straight water! LMAO :biggrin: Yup that did it! :biggrin: They looked so disgusted with me!

Here they are eating their greens and pretty much ready to move to their outdoor habitat!





We were trying to keep them to a "wild" diet...so each day we would walk the fields picking all the different bunny safe greens we could find...and a selection of wild grasses...at this point hubby became less enthusiastic about wild bunnies...finally:rollseyes. Especially when we were picking greens twice a day and it was raining the whole week everyday!:biggrin2:

We built a big NIC cage outside for them...once they weren't being bottle fed they needed to build muscle so they could be released...so I put up a 5 foot X 10 foot exercise area. They had areas to shelter under and room to run.











The first day we put them in the pen...Popcorn hopped out of the carrier and walked right through the NICs. No pause, no wiggling...like a greased pig he just oozed right through.:rollseyes:grumpy:
Thank goodness they were still small enough we rounded him up in a few minutes and had to re-think the whole pen idea...so another 24 hours, 50 feet of chicken wireand 500 zipties later we were able to put them outside. 
I decided that the Saturday morning would be best...since it was supposed to be a decent day and it would give them a chance to explore and find a sheltered area...nope...they farted around and ate grass all day.
So that night there was an unscheduled thunderstorm of epic proportions!
And even though I swore I wouldn't do it...<sigh>...I was outside, with a golfumbrella in hand, beside the metal pen, under a 30 foot birch tree in a whomping great storm...with two soaking wet rabbits. (Hubby had at this point completely lost his love of wild rabbits and was in the bedroomlaughing at me from the window).:grumpy:
I finally gave up after 20 minutes or so and went inside soaked to the gills.

The next night was a bit better...the neighbourhood raccoons decided to come out to play, which brought me complete with bedhead andtripping on mypj bottoms running across the deck swinging a broom overhead howling (hubby had decided to follow me this time since it wasn't raining anymore).
After that I was fine. Really i was. Honest!
Sanity prevailed!
When I build a hutch it stays together...and it can thwart even the most determined raccoons! I used 1/2" chicken wire so they couldn't reach in to grab/tear the bunns...so finally I could sleep at night knowing they were safe!

We scouted during the week for a place that was close to where they were found but far enough away from any housing that they wouldn't cause a problem. We finally found a biking path that went way off to h*ll and gone, and one of the switchbacks led to an area that was perfect!

So at the age of approximately 38 days and being 5 inches long...they were released. 
It was kind of sad...Popcorn hopped out of his carrier and into the brush and started to nibble and eat his way further and further from us...Pottsi ran off about 10 feet away and then came back and sat at Tonys feet and just sat there looking at him! He hadn't had anything to do with them other than picking greens, since we figured exposure to one human was bad enough! She finally hopped after Popcorn and started to nibble her way further and further and further into the brush...and then we turned and walked away.

I haven't gone back since. I desperately wanted to...just to see.
Somethings are better imagined...I know the stats on rabbits in the wild, I know the lifespan, basically I just know better! In my head though they live forever, hopping and happy...and that is enough!


----------



## SOOOSKA (Jun 22, 2010)

Dani, they are so cute:inlove:. You did a great job raising the two little ones.

I don't know how you gave them up, you are alot stronger then I am. I have a Mommie rabbit and one Baby bunny in my back yard (actually they go between my yard and my 2 neighbours yards). I give them carrots and apples, they eat my weeds (YEAH) my pansies and my parsley that I am growing. I keep an eye out for them daily. 

That's a great pen you made for them. I think i will hire/borrow you when I move. Still not sure where that will be though.

Susan:lookaround:weee::clapping::wave:


----------



## SOOOSKA (Jul 4, 2010)

Hey Dani,

How's all you crew doing? Any more bonded pairs or trios.....?

I need some Bunny pictures SOOOOOOOOOOOOON.........

Susan:biggrin:


----------



## Runestonez (Jul 11, 2010)

Hey Soooska!
How about squirrel pics instead?:biggrin2:
We had a nice size super cell thunderstorm today and my neighbour just showed up with four soaking wet ice cold baby squirrels about 1 and a half to 2 weeks old. 3 males and a female.

They fell about 40 feet out of a tree top in her front yard...the nest the mother made was beautifully made and the males made it to the ground just fine...the female was on the gound a few feet away. She has a few bumps but seems OK otherwise.

They were soaked and icy cold...so we put them on a hot water bottle and put them back out by the downed nest for 4 hours...we buggered off about 2 front yards away to keep watch...but the mother didn't put in an appearance...so we brought them inside for tonight and will be moving them back out to the nest site in the morning again.
I am hoping she will be back once she has a new nest put together. SHe looks young though...it might be her first batch of young. I guess time will tell...we have about three days before it is official and the mom has abandoned them. I hope she comes back because they are going to be a handful when their eyes open! :shock:

Here is the female...you can see the wee bump on her head.





Here is one male he has a webbed foot one one of his back paws.





Here is the second male.





I don't have a pic of the fourth yet...my neighbour wanted to help feed them...apparently picking fleas off of them isn't quite as much fun...because she left THAT part for me!:rollseyes

Here's fingers crossed the mom comes back looking for them tomorrow!ray:

Danielle


----------



## SOOOSKA (Jul 11, 2010)

OMG Dani, these things only happen to you. The Gods must be telling all the animals out there where exactly to go to be well taken care of.

I sure hope the Mommie comes back for them.

Susan:biggrin:


----------



## Runestonez (Jul 11, 2010)

<snort>:rollseyes

My neighbours have started calling me Marlon Perkins (Mutual of Omaha?)
Anyway...if anything is found they drag it to my door...I really think it is time to look into that wildlife rehab course.
I had zero luck tracking one down for the cottontails...so I seriously doubt I will find one to take squirrels!:grumpy

Oh this should be fun.:rollseyes
They are a handful now! They are a little stressed so they were squeaking like the dickens...I have every cat and rabbit in the house treating me like I am a horrible criminal! They must think I am torturing the little guys!

Hopefully, the mom will be back for them tomorrow!
They are so very small...tip of nose to base of tail they are barely 3 inches.
I have to run out in the morning to stock up on Esibilac--again.
And more nipples--again! Just in case!

Who am I kidding...I love taking care of anything small and fuzzy...I just really hate that I have no support or backup! It would be nice to be able to consult with someone!

Well...I guess if they are still here tomorrow night I will have more pics! 

Danielle

I get Karma points for this right?


----------



## Runestonez (Jul 24, 2010)

So obviously...the mother squirrel didn't come back for her young!

So here is the update on our furry house guests...also known as squirrels or tree bunnies!

I have the utmost respect for rehabbers...when do they find the time to sleep!?:bed:

It seems I no sooner feed the little boogers than I have to get up and feed them again! 

They actually have fur now...they looked a little alien before...they have black peach fuzz all over and both Gordy and Webster have finally broken their bottom teeth!
So since Gordy was the first to get his teeth and is the most developed out of the four...that puts them at about 20 days oldtoday!

They are all doing well...Gordy tips the scales at about 70grams and Clive is the smallest at 62grams.
Clive is a sucky, Webster is a mama's boy, Malli is the diva and Gordy is the biggest and thinks he owns everybody and everything! He is also the most vocal and when he gets mad he knuck-nucks at me and gives me 'tude! LOL:biggrin2:

Here is the baby of the group...Clive was getting his bath and nodded off to sleep in my hand! 





Here is one of the babies getting fed their dinner...I can't tell them apaprt anymore so I had to colour their toenails on one foot to distiguish between them. Even now though I go to feed one of them...check the colour of the toes...and by the time I reach in to grab them...I pick up a different one and don't know until I double check after feeding when I go to weight them! They have wicked nails now and are getting strong enough to hold on like velcro!!!





Here is a pic of all the babies after their dinner already getting ready to sleep it off!
Most times they are wrapped up together in knots...it doesn't look comfortable but seems to make them happy!





A close up of a sleepy baby squirrel!





I didn't notice how big they were getting...Tony has been taking pics off and on every few days for me...I see the babies 6-8 times a day...so other than the fact that they were getting darker and their ears were becoming better defined I didn't really notice!

In another two weeks they will have their top teeth and their eyes will be open or opening...sheesh...how I will catch them to feed them I have no idea. Thats when this whole thing becomes a sport!:rollseyes

I can hardly wait...I'll only be feeding 4 times a day by then! 
I get all dewy eyed when I manage to get 6 hours of continuous sleep as it is! 

Tony wants to train them to steal precious stones and gold...something about Conan the Barbarian and some ferrets??:?

Yeah...he won't be looking after the squirrels anytime soon! lol
He is pretty grossed out by them right now...he likes furries...and they really aren't yet...in another week or two when they finish getting their fur in he might feel differently about them! Right now if he has to touch them he looks vaguely nauseous! LMAO:biggrin:

Well I'll try to update again when I get a bit more time!
Sleep first...then blog updates! <yes Soooska this means you!>

Danielle


----------



## cheryl (Jul 24, 2010)

Oh wow..i have never seen baby squirrel pictures before...i know not getting your proper sleep must be hard but in the end it must be such a rewarding feeling..


----------



## Myia09 (Jul 24, 2010)

What adorable babies! Are you planning on releasing them or keeping them?


----------



## Runestonez (Jul 25, 2010)

It's illegal to keep wild animals as pets in Canada...
And they really don't do well in captivity.
Even now they are twitchy and zippy and they can barely move...yet!

So once they have matured, grown fur, cheek teeth and are able to survive on their own...I have to double check...but that would put us around mid-October:shock:, we'll be releasing them!

It is really rewarding. They tend to bond to whomever raises them...so they have begun to recognize me! lol I forget their tiny little claws...I was smooching on Malli tonight and she reached up and grabbed ahold of my face and started to climb me...which wasn't too bad until she stuck her fingers up my nose and dug in! I had tears in my eyes for quite a few minutes! :biggrin2:

I have to admit I always wanted a squirrel...but they really are better suited to outdoors! I will miss the heck out of them! But if I see them once in a while it would be OK!


----------



## SOOOSKA (Jul 28, 2010)

Oh Dani, they are so cute. :inlove:

I can hardly wait to see them on Saturday. BTW where are you keeping them? 

Geez I helped my friend feed a baby kitten who's mother abanded it. I was like you with the syringe feeding this kitten. I think it was about 3 weeks old.

Get some sleep before Saturday.:biggrin:

Susan


----------



## Runestonez (Jul 28, 2010)

SLEEP
What is this sleep thing you speak of??!!:?

I have the little boogers in a basket in our china cabinet!
Weird yes, but effective.
Their eyes are still closed, they can't walk, though they crawl like mad!
So they are in their wee basket, with arctic fleece blankies and mosquito netting over the top to keep out any buggies and if they do get to the point they try to make an escape the netting keeps them in and safe!

When they get a bit bigger they will have to go into the rabbit carrier...and then from there to a wire habitat with a nesting box in the garage and then out to the backyard and finally in mid-October...freedom! 

They are all sick right now though...I am waititng for the rehabber to call me in the morning. They all have soft poops or diarreha. I have done everything I know how...so we have to decide if it is because they are etething or if they have a parasite or perhaps a bacterial imbalance.

They are still eating and they are active as all heck get out...so I am hoping it is nothing serious.


----------



## Runestonez (Aug 2, 2010)

Well...it finally happened!:biggrin2:
Webster and Gordy have finally opened their eyes...we are still waititng for Malli and Clive...but their eyes should open in the next day or two...I have noticed them blinking more lately!

I haven't taken open eye pics yet...seems kind of mean to blind them right away! I will wait for a few days and see if I can sneak a pic or two!

Here is the latest pic of the Knuck-Nuks! They were just fed and are happily sleeping it off in their make shift nest! All except Websster, on the left yawning, who woke up to see if there were seconds! lol






Their upper incisors have just barely broken through and they are getting better and better at getting around! Gordy has even tried to jump once or twice! He can't but it looks adorable!

We had the Summer Bunny Party Saturday...and since then they have gotten so big they have now out grown their original nest and I had to find a bigger basket for them!

Wow are they going to be a hanful when their eyes are open AND they can get around!

Dani


----------



## SOOOSKA (Aug 14, 2010)

We need updates Dani.

Susan:biggrin::rollseyes:lookaroundinkelepht:inkbouce::weee::laughsmiley::wiggle:boxing:bunnydance:


----------



## Flash Gordon (Nov 2, 2010)

you have got to be the kewlest person...well next to me..hehe..i absofreakinlutely love everything in ur blog..im taking notes as we speak so i can pillage and steal all ur crafty stuff....ill be visiting ur blog often....i cant wait to show my boyfriend ur bunny setup ...i am just like u .i .i am looking for the perfect setup and i will tear everything apart to make it.,..hehe...i rebuild bunny cages on a regular basis..when i get a wild hair and i think something will make cleaning up and having bunny time easier..my boyfriend just rolls his eyes..i have bought stock in the ziptie co...i swear i am a ziptie pro..hehe..but one thing i gotta ask..HOW IN THE HECK DO U DO ANYTHING WILL SISAL..?..that stuff doesnt work for me ...doesnt tie...doesnt knot...doesnt do anything that a rope should do...please tell me ur sisal secret..cuz i got a poopload of it.....,,
and your trouble buns can come to live with me anytime.....i love bunnies with tudes ...i have quite a few animals that other would never have...i just feel like if u adopt them ,they are urs for life...wether they are a pain in the butt or not..i just work around their issues...i have 3 dogs ..that fight .....so i rotate dogs all day so everybody gets exercise time and love time....then i rotate 10 bunnies cuz they need exercise time and love time...i have alot of fenced off area in my backyard and my house is full of gates ...i can hurdle gates like an olympic pro... ok ive wiped out a couple times..but nobody saw me do it ..except the buns...i swear i heard some chuckling out of them too...i did....anyways ..love ur buns ,love ur setup ..love ur crafts...love the blog...ill be back../..so ill need new pics please...hehe..


----------



## Flash Gordon (Nov 2, 2010)

holy schmoly...i just looked at the baby pics above ..and about had a heartattack when i saw the long tail....thats not a bunny ...wow that tripped me out..i hadnt gotten this far in ur blog yet..so i assumed i was looking at baby bunnies....


----------



## Runestonez (Nov 2, 2010)

lol 
I am taking my Wildflife Rehabilitators Exam this Sunday coming up...
so I have been branching out a bit.

We had a bout of myco poisoning last week (squirrels)...we suspect aflatoxin...fast onset, vomiting, seizures and death within 12 hours...we lost our Clivey...but managed to pull Webster through...we think it was their food blocks.

So we only have the three squirrels now...we also lost our release window for them and now have to over-winter them till spring. At least the other three pulled through...it was a horrible long week for us. Heartbreaking.
I had over estimated their age...in the beginning of the blog I said 1-2 weeks...it was more like 4 days.

If you can't get sisal to work...try jute...it's just as effective and edible as well!

I have updated pics...I have been so busy with my course I haven't had time to post them...and now I just don't have the heart to go through the saved pics yet...
maybe in a week or so when it doesn't hurt so much! 

Clivey was so horribly sick...and when he passed away in my arms my heart broke...but before I could cry for him...Webby started to vomit and crash...so I had to put everything aside and focus on the rest of the furkids.
It was 4 days before I was able to sleep and to cry for Clivey.
I know I shouldn't have favorites...but he was the runt of the group...we worked so hard to keep him healthy and to bring him up to the level of the other squirrels...then to lose him so fast. 

I'll update everything soon...
Maybe after the weekend!


----------



## Flash Gordon (Nov 2, 2010)

im so sorry...damm.


----------



## Runestonez (Nov 2, 2010)

It's ok now...I'm just still a bit sad! 
Blogs are great...but sometimes they capture the less than happy moments too.


----------



## NorthernAutumn (Nov 13, 2010)

I'm sorry, Dani & Tony . He was a spirited little guy. Glad I got to meet him.
ink iris:Clive ink iris:


----------



## Momto3boys (Nov 14, 2010)

I'm sitting here bawling my eyes out that you lost Clive :bawl: How sad.....he knew so much love though before passing.

WOOP WOOP I'm sure you will do great on your exam and I can't wait to see the new pics of the babies


----------

