BUNNY CARE CORNER
Hello everyone, and Hoppy Wednesday! Welcome to the first BCC of 2021. I hope you are all staying nice and cozy on this cold winter morning. Maybe you're also daydreaming of warmer and brighter days ahead? If so, you're not the only one. Kathy Books-Schirripa wrote in to ask about summer vacation.
She says, "Hi Jasper! I was hoping you could address a question in the new year. As we are all hoping we can get away for a bit of a vacation this year finally, I’m wondering what advice you might have for leaving our cute, sensitive bun-buns at home. I get concerned about leaving them and having a friend or neighbor stop by to feed them. Bunnies are so sensitive and thrive on their routines. We came home from vaca once with a bunny in gi stasis and I’m paranoid!!"
Well, Kathy, I am just the bunn for the job, because as it so happens, my Ma is all too familiar with anxiety, especially when it comes to me. You should see her before she has to leave me. Let's just say I get even more spoiled than usual. So what Ma does - and what is a great option for anyone - is to leave me with someone very experienced in rabbit care. In my case, that's my honorary Auntie Kristin (you might know her as the VP of LNB!). All my belongings go with me, so that I still have a sense of familiarity, even in a different place. And because Aunt Kristin is awesome, she sends Ma pictures and videos of me every day. As you can see in this one she sent back in 2019 (you know, when you humans could actually safely leave your homes), I was having a jolly old time. It is an enormous relief and comfort to Ma, knowing I'm in such wonderful hands.
The same can be true for your bunns! Did you know that LNB offers bunnysitting services? Things are a bit different right now because of COVID, but a couple of our board members do boarding in their homes (Aunt Kristin and Aunt Liz, who is the president of LNB). There are also several other trusted and rabbit-savvy bunn sitters in the area, and some veterinary practices offer the option to board your rabbit while you're away. Radnor Veterinary is one of them.
Depending on how long your trip is, another possibility is to have someone stop by your home a couple times each day to check on your bunns, play with them, and feed them. But again, it is super important that this be a person who is rabbit-savvy. Like you said, bunnies can be very sensitive, and many are rabbits of habit. For some of us, it might be too tough to be in a different place, and so this is a way to alleviate that. But BECAUSE we are so sensitive and because we are also masters of disguising pain and sickness, it really is crucial that whoever comes to take care of your bunnies can recognize the signs of GI stasis and anything else that would indicate a bunny is feeling off. For some added peace of mind, you can even consider buying a bunny cam to check in your furry family members. And of course, no matter whether you are taking your bunny to a sitter or having someone come to your house, it's really important to write out instructions for your rabbit's routine and care, as well as contact info for your vet and emergency vet.
And then one other option is to take your bunnies with you. Again, this depends on how long you will be gone, along with where you're going and what kind of environment it would be for the bunny. You know your rabbit best, and it's important to do what's in the bunn's best interest. For example, I am frightened of car rides, even short ones, so Ma knows it's best for me to stay home, even though that means she misses me. But for other bunnies, they are happy and hoppy to go with you!
Okay, friends - tell me, where do your bunns go when you're away? Feel free to share any suggestions in the comments section.
Until next time ...
Nose boops and binkies,
Jasper Jellybean 🐰