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July 5, 2020
After spending a while settling in, we gave Midnight his makeover this afternoon. He is a gorgeous boy! He had some discharge built-up in the corners of his eyes, most likely from the irritation of loose fur blowing into them. We cleaned them carefully and removed the dried gunk so they look much better, although he is missing the fur in the corners now. It will grow back pretty quickly. His nails were quite overgrown, so we gave them a good trim and will check again in a few days to see if we can take them down a bit further. His coat is very thick so, during a molt, the fur near is tail tends to become trapped and form little tufts which need to be brushed out so he doesn't ingest them. He had developed some thick mats on the bottom of his hind feet,, so we trimmed them off and he looks (and hopefully feels) much better! His teeth are a bit longer than we would like them to be, but the addition of some first cutting timothy hay to his diet should resolve that fairly quickly. After working with Midnight and getting to understand how he thinks, he will definitely need a family who has bunny care experience and who isn't afraid to set loving but firm boundaries. He has a wonderful sense of curiosity and loves to explore and be adventurous. Midnight is intelligent! He learned very quickly that I wouldn't put up with any nonsense (I only had to do the head-to-the-floor technique once to establish that I was the alpha Bun in our relationship) and that everything I did was intended to help him feel better. He graciously conceded defeat and submitted to our ministrations of grooming and clipping without further complaint. Even though I was not his favorite person when I had to groom him, he was very forgiving and allowed me to give him kisses and pets afterwards. He does not seem to hold grudges against anyone and is wonderfully sociable. Midnight would do well in a home with a lot of interaction and enrichment opportunities. I have a feeling he could learn to do tricks very quickly and would delight in showing off his skills to anyone who would watch. If you would like to learn more about this handsome boy, please contact us through the New Bunny Questionnaire (if you are new to our rabbitry) or through our email link if you have worked with us/already submitted the NBQ. |
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July 3, 2020
TIMMY UPDATE!!!!
GREAT NEWS!!!!!
Thank you all for your prayers for TIMMY! Diane at Hook's Hollands emailed me a little while to let us know he made it through surgery and is able to come home tonight. We are so happy for them and are praising God for blessing Timmy with the opportunity for a longer life with his loved ones.
TIMMY UPDATE!!!!
GREAT NEWS!!!!!
Thank you all for your prayers for TIMMY! Diane at Hook's Hollands emailed me a little while to let us know he made it through surgery and is able to come home tonight. We are so happy for them and are praising God for blessing Timmy with the opportunity for a longer life with his loved ones.
July 3, 2020
It was a one-out. one-in day to day. We sent Hamilton home with his wonderful new Bun-mama and Bun grandparents earlier today. They were a perfect fit for him. Tears and laughter and joy all bubbled over when they were introduced to their new furry family member. We will miss his sweet, friendly presence in our home, but Hamilton has been so blessed!
A few hours later, we welcomed Midnight back to the rabbitry. He is going through a molt and does not like to be brushed or combed, so we will be gently working with him on enjoying a spa day so he can get the complete going over: teeth check, ear check and cleaning, manicure, pedicure, and a good brushing, with plenty of tiny treats to help distract him. Midnight has grown up to be a very big, handsome boy. We will try to do a big reveal in a couple of days, after his makeover. He is very friendly and curious, enjoys pets and head rubs, but he does not like to be picked up or restrained in any way. Midnight is a free-spirit and would do best in a home where he can happily be himself and free roam, but also learn to respect the fact that his family are the Alpha people and they sometimes need to do things for him/to him that he may not like. He will gladly hang out with people, but he wants the freedom to leave and explore when he so desires. Midnight will need a family who is experienced with handling independent bunnies and knows how to respond to their sweetly stubborn behavior.
It was a one-out. one-in day to day. We sent Hamilton home with his wonderful new Bun-mama and Bun grandparents earlier today. They were a perfect fit for him. Tears and laughter and joy all bubbled over when they were introduced to their new furry family member. We will miss his sweet, friendly presence in our home, but Hamilton has been so blessed!
A few hours later, we welcomed Midnight back to the rabbitry. He is going through a molt and does not like to be brushed or combed, so we will be gently working with him on enjoying a spa day so he can get the complete going over: teeth check, ear check and cleaning, manicure, pedicure, and a good brushing, with plenty of tiny treats to help distract him. Midnight has grown up to be a very big, handsome boy. We will try to do a big reveal in a couple of days, after his makeover. He is very friendly and curious, enjoys pets and head rubs, but he does not like to be picked up or restrained in any way. Midnight is a free-spirit and would do best in a home where he can happily be himself and free roam, but also learn to respect the fact that his family are the Alpha people and they sometimes need to do things for him/to him that he may not like. He will gladly hang out with people, but he wants the freedom to leave and explore when he so desires. Midnight will need a family who is experienced with handling independent bunnies and knows how to respond to their sweetly stubborn behavior.
July 3, 2020
We are sending out lots of love and prayers to Timmy at Hook's Hollands today. He is going to be having surgery to repair a scrotal hernia this morning. Diane at Hook's is a dear friend of ours and we know how concerned she and her family have been for him. Some of you may not be aware of this, but our buck Luigi in one of Timmy's beautiful offspring. We know he has inherited his sweet, loving disposition from Timmy (and his mama, Anna.)
Please PRAY for TIMMY!!!!
We are sending out lots of love and prayers to Timmy at Hook's Hollands today. He is going to be having surgery to repair a scrotal hernia this morning. Diane at Hook's is a dear friend of ours and we know how concerned she and her family have been for him. Some of you may not be aware of this, but our buck Luigi in one of Timmy's beautiful offspring. We know he has inherited his sweet, loving disposition from Timmy (and his mama, Anna.)
Please PRAY for TIMMY!!!!
July 2, 2020
With the rising temperatures come greater risks to a bunny's health. Please be certain to give your pets plenty of fresh, cold water (they love ice cubes, too) throughout the day.
When it gets really warm out, we monitor the Buns very carefully. How do we help them stay cool?
Bowls of cold water can be placed in their space so they can dip their ears into the water. This is bunny air conditioning!
Circulating the air with fans is always wonderful when air conditioning is not available.
Some breeders use chilled ceramic tiles (replacing them with cold ones frequently) for their bunnies to lie on.
Frozen water bottles, pop bottles, or milk jugs are always a big hit.
What's our favorite? Fill a plastic shoe box 3/4 of the way with water, put the lid on the box, and freeze for at least 24 hours. The Buns can lie on top of the shoe box or sprawl out next to it. Because the ice is thick, it won't melt as quickly as a smaller water bottle.
With the rising temperatures come greater risks to a bunny's health. Please be certain to give your pets plenty of fresh, cold water (they love ice cubes, too) throughout the day.
When it gets really warm out, we monitor the Buns very carefully. How do we help them stay cool?
Bowls of cold water can be placed in their space so they can dip their ears into the water. This is bunny air conditioning!
Circulating the air with fans is always wonderful when air conditioning is not available.
Some breeders use chilled ceramic tiles (replacing them with cold ones frequently) for their bunnies to lie on.
Frozen water bottles, pop bottles, or milk jugs are always a big hit.
What's our favorite? Fill a plastic shoe box 3/4 of the way with water, put the lid on the box, and freeze for at least 24 hours. The Buns can lie on top of the shoe box or sprawl out next to it. Because the ice is thick, it won't melt as quickly as a smaller water bottle.
June 30, 2020
There are new photos of Cake Pop, Trixie, and Goldilocks' litters on the Baby Holland Lops page. My heart melts every time I see their little faces...and little tushies...and wee paws...and itty-bitty noses and mouths...even their tiny poo balls are cute! #crazybunnylady
There are new photos of Cake Pop, Trixie, and Goldilocks' litters on the Baby Holland Lops page. My heart melts every time I see their little faces...and little tushies...and wee paws...and itty-bitty noses and mouths...even their tiny poo balls are cute! #crazybunnylady
June 26, 2020
I have been asked by a client to help re-home her bonded buck-doe pair, due to changes in her life that are leaving her overwhelmed in her ability to provide care for two more animals. I will provide more information as soon as I receive it, but it looks like they will be arriving some time next week.
I have been asked by a client to help re-home her bonded buck-doe pair, due to changes in her life that are leaving her overwhelmed in her ability to provide care for two more animals. I will provide more information as soon as I receive it, but it looks like they will be arriving some time next week.
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June 23, 2020 (later in the day)...
Midnight's current family sent some video footage a few days ago, and I was finally able to get it downloaded and edited. Here is a short video of the little guy in action. He should be arriving back at the rabbitry in 10 days' time, and we will then be able to reassess him and hopefully match this gorgeous boy with a family who will love his playful, independent temperament. He is one year old, has been neutered, and is completely litter box trained. We shared a lot of information provided by his current family in yesterday's post, so please scroll down to see that post. |
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June 23, 2020
I know I vowed to not make any birth announcements until the babies made it to the one-week mark, but Mrs. Lynde & Joshua's babies have made it safely past their first 72 hours, so I decided to share the good news. They have seven fat little babies! Four are black and three are blue. I see small Vienna marks on most of them. May they all grow up to be healthy, loving, and adored pet Buns.
The reason for sharing the news of this blessing earlier than planned, is that we are going to need to find several wonderful, new families for them! The Buns have been generating some interest, as is evidenced by our longer-than-ever waiting list, but we will still have more babies than families. If you have been reluctant to work with Hot Cross Buns because our waiting list has gotten long-ish, and you don't want to wait many months before bringing your new pet home, all of our babies can safely be placed by mid-August, and we would love to have you submit the New Bunny Questionnaire to tell us about your interest. If you have any questions prior to submitting the questionnaire, please email us at hcbhollands@gmail.com.
I know I vowed to not make any birth announcements until the babies made it to the one-week mark, but Mrs. Lynde & Joshua's babies have made it safely past their first 72 hours, so I decided to share the good news. They have seven fat little babies! Four are black and three are blue. I see small Vienna marks on most of them. May they all grow up to be healthy, loving, and adored pet Buns.
The reason for sharing the news of this blessing earlier than planned, is that we are going to need to find several wonderful, new families for them! The Buns have been generating some interest, as is evidenced by our longer-than-ever waiting list, but we will still have more babies than families. If you have been reluctant to work with Hot Cross Buns because our waiting list has gotten long-ish, and you don't want to wait many months before bringing your new pet home, all of our babies can safely be placed by mid-August, and we would love to have you submit the New Bunny Questionnaire to tell us about your interest. If you have any questions prior to submitting the questionnaire, please email us at hcbhollands@gmail.com.
June 22, 2020
We decided to add some more information provided by Midnight's current family here on our updates page. (Midnight is the one year-old neutered buck we have been asked to help re-home. We sent his current family a lengthy list of questions to help us all get a feeling for Midnight's temperament and likes and dislikes. Midnight will be staying with his current family until July 3rd, due to space constraints on our end. Once Hamilton goes to his new home that day, we can clean and disinfect the large exercise pen area and make it ready for Midnight's arrival. If you or someone you know would be interested in learning more about him, please contact us through the New Bunny Questionnaire or our email link. Here we go!
Are there any behavioral issues that he has that another family would need to be aware of?
He is a low key/very chill rabbit. Loves to be petted by all 4 of our family members (loves it on his head and ear strokes) - he'll just sprawl out and take it in. However there are times where he'd rather be left alone - so he'll simply hop away when he's not in the mood. He chews, but very little. He loves his space, and we've given him lots! At night time and when we're not home, we put him in his large pen (pics attached). However, most days he has free reign in a full room - be it our kitchen/living area (linoleum) or bedroom (carpet).
Would he be a good fit for a family with children under the age of 12? Older children only? Adults only?
Midnight gets along with all ages. He's been around our parents/grandparents, our family (ages 14-53), and he's been around cousins (6-10). He is not "aggressive" in any way. If the person's actions are calm, he would definitely be able to fit into a family with younger children.
Has he ever bitten or nipped anyone?
No, but when he tries to rearrange your clothes for you, he may grab the shirt a little deep and might accidentally nip you. But no, he hasn't nipped or bit anyone in an aggressive or protective manner.
How would you describe his personality?
Midnight is a chill, lovable bunny that loves his time by himself but also loves his scratches at certain times. When he is a very happy bun, he sprints around the room and binkies.
Has he bonded with one person or more than one person?
He has bonded with all four of us. He may go to one person more for scratches but he has been bonded with all of us.
Does he like a stable routine, or is he a go-with-the-flow bunny who doesn't mind changes now and then?
It is mostly a stable routine where when school was going on, we would give him his greens (mostly romaine or spring mix) at around 6:00 am and then again at 9pm. During weekends and currently in the summer, he was fed later in the day. So his routine would be give him his greens at around 10 in the morning and then again at 10-11 at night. Whenever it's time to eat, we walk in the bedroom, he sees us, he jumps out of the cage and sprints towards us. He definitely loves his food and knows the routine.
How has he done with litter box training?
We have had no problems at all with his training. The first day that we introduced the big cat litter box, he hopped right in and knew that it was his place. He never had one accident. All we ever have to do is he may kick out some of the poo balls and we have to place them back in his spot.
What type of food and hay is he currently on?
He is on 2nd cut timothy hay from small pet select and we give him a little less than a 1/4 of a cup of his timothy pellets in the morning. For breakfast and dinner, we give him probably around a cup to a cup and a half of either romaine lettuce or spring mix. He also drinks water out of a large bowl.
Has he been introduced to any treats?
He loves his bananas for sure and he also loves his timothy pellets. Both are used as treats.
Has anything he has eaten caused him to have an upset tummy?
We don't believe so, we haven't had a problem yet, knock on wood.
Are you aware of any health concerns?
No
What are his favorite things to do/play with?
He loves these grass ball chew toys that in 2 days he was finished with both. He really doesn't play with many toys, surprisingly, but when he wants to play he runs around the room real fast and goes through his homemade tunnel.
What does he dislike?
He dislikes trying to be picked up! He’s just not comfortable being held and is very elusive when we try. He doesn't dislike anything else, but just prefers the softer, grassier toys more than the hard toys like twig balls.
Has he been around other animals? If so, how does he respond?
We have introduced him to our 2 guinea pigs and when we did, the guinea pigs were interested but Midnight didn't care at all.
Do you think he would do well as part of a bonded pair of rabbits, or should he be an “only bunny?”
I would think that his temperament would definitely get better if he was bonded because he doesn't really play much and if he was bonded, he may learn to love to play and things of that nature.
How would you describe the ideal home for him?
A calm home that will give him a good amount of attention but once again he likes to be independent. He likes a quieter place because when the vacuum comes on, he is in high alert and isn't too fond of it.
Is there anything you would like to share about him that his future family should know/would like to know?
He doesn't like to be held, that may be able to be fixed but our family was not able to figure it out. With that being said, it is also very hard to groom him when he doesn't want to be touched on the under side, just to cut his nails. We were able to brush him in a 2-3 day process by brushing him when he would stay in one spot and then he would wiggle away. His nails have not been cut in a long time because of that.
We decided to add some more information provided by Midnight's current family here on our updates page. (Midnight is the one year-old neutered buck we have been asked to help re-home. We sent his current family a lengthy list of questions to help us all get a feeling for Midnight's temperament and likes and dislikes. Midnight will be staying with his current family until July 3rd, due to space constraints on our end. Once Hamilton goes to his new home that day, we can clean and disinfect the large exercise pen area and make it ready for Midnight's arrival. If you or someone you know would be interested in learning more about him, please contact us through the New Bunny Questionnaire or our email link. Here we go!
Are there any behavioral issues that he has that another family would need to be aware of?
He is a low key/very chill rabbit. Loves to be petted by all 4 of our family members (loves it on his head and ear strokes) - he'll just sprawl out and take it in. However there are times where he'd rather be left alone - so he'll simply hop away when he's not in the mood. He chews, but very little. He loves his space, and we've given him lots! At night time and when we're not home, we put him in his large pen (pics attached). However, most days he has free reign in a full room - be it our kitchen/living area (linoleum) or bedroom (carpet).
Would he be a good fit for a family with children under the age of 12? Older children only? Adults only?
Midnight gets along with all ages. He's been around our parents/grandparents, our family (ages 14-53), and he's been around cousins (6-10). He is not "aggressive" in any way. If the person's actions are calm, he would definitely be able to fit into a family with younger children.
Has he ever bitten or nipped anyone?
No, but when he tries to rearrange your clothes for you, he may grab the shirt a little deep and might accidentally nip you. But no, he hasn't nipped or bit anyone in an aggressive or protective manner.
How would you describe his personality?
Midnight is a chill, lovable bunny that loves his time by himself but also loves his scratches at certain times. When he is a very happy bun, he sprints around the room and binkies.
Has he bonded with one person or more than one person?
He has bonded with all four of us. He may go to one person more for scratches but he has been bonded with all of us.
Does he like a stable routine, or is he a go-with-the-flow bunny who doesn't mind changes now and then?
It is mostly a stable routine where when school was going on, we would give him his greens (mostly romaine or spring mix) at around 6:00 am and then again at 9pm. During weekends and currently in the summer, he was fed later in the day. So his routine would be give him his greens at around 10 in the morning and then again at 10-11 at night. Whenever it's time to eat, we walk in the bedroom, he sees us, he jumps out of the cage and sprints towards us. He definitely loves his food and knows the routine.
How has he done with litter box training?
We have had no problems at all with his training. The first day that we introduced the big cat litter box, he hopped right in and knew that it was his place. He never had one accident. All we ever have to do is he may kick out some of the poo balls and we have to place them back in his spot.
What type of food and hay is he currently on?
He is on 2nd cut timothy hay from small pet select and we give him a little less than a 1/4 of a cup of his timothy pellets in the morning. For breakfast and dinner, we give him probably around a cup to a cup and a half of either romaine lettuce or spring mix. He also drinks water out of a large bowl.
Has he been introduced to any treats?
He loves his bananas for sure and he also loves his timothy pellets. Both are used as treats.
Has anything he has eaten caused him to have an upset tummy?
We don't believe so, we haven't had a problem yet, knock on wood.
Are you aware of any health concerns?
No
What are his favorite things to do/play with?
He loves these grass ball chew toys that in 2 days he was finished with both. He really doesn't play with many toys, surprisingly, but when he wants to play he runs around the room real fast and goes through his homemade tunnel.
What does he dislike?
He dislikes trying to be picked up! He’s just not comfortable being held and is very elusive when we try. He doesn't dislike anything else, but just prefers the softer, grassier toys more than the hard toys like twig balls.
Has he been around other animals? If so, how does he respond?
We have introduced him to our 2 guinea pigs and when we did, the guinea pigs were interested but Midnight didn't care at all.
Do you think he would do well as part of a bonded pair of rabbits, or should he be an “only bunny?”
I would think that his temperament would definitely get better if he was bonded because he doesn't really play much and if he was bonded, he may learn to love to play and things of that nature.
How would you describe the ideal home for him?
A calm home that will give him a good amount of attention but once again he likes to be independent. He likes a quieter place because when the vacuum comes on, he is in high alert and isn't too fond of it.
Is there anything you would like to share about him that his future family should know/would like to know?
He doesn't like to be held, that may be able to be fixed but our family was not able to figure it out. With that being said, it is also very hard to groom him when he doesn't want to be touched on the under side, just to cut his nails. We were able to brush him in a 2-3 day process by brushing him when he would stay in one spot and then he would wiggle away. His nails have not been cut in a long time because of that.
Once we are able to bring Midnight here and give him some time to settle in, we will reassess his temperament and work with him to clip his nails and do a little touch-up to his grooming. Once that has been accomplished, we will make an official listing for him on the Available Bunnies page. It is our hope that, because he is already neutered and litter box trained, Midnight will be able to find a wonderful forever home who will enjoy his company and more independent temperament.
June 22, 2020
New baby photos have been uploaded on the Baby Holland Lops page. If you notice pictures of the wrong babies in the wrong areas, please excuse them. I'm having issues with my programs not playing nicely. They are uploading the wrong photos and then replacing older images with different photos. I'm working with tech support, but that can be a long process!
New baby photos have been uploaded on the Baby Holland Lops page. If you notice pictures of the wrong babies in the wrong areas, please excuse them. I'm having issues with my programs not playing nicely. They are uploading the wrong photos and then replacing older images with different photos. I'm working with tech support, but that can be a long process!
June 19, 2020
We created the official listings for Smoosh and Marshmallow on the Available Bunnies page today. Unfortunately, the internet is up to its old tricks and is giving me fits when I try to upload anything, so the videos and new pictures will have to wait until it's ready to cooperate.
We heard from another family who have asked us to re-home their Bun. (I hope this isn't the beginning of an unhappy trend). Midnight is a one year old black buck. He has been neutered and has excellent litter box habits. He has mainly been a free-roam boy when the family is home, and has a roomy exercise pen for times when they are away and can't supervise him. He is, by all accounts, a very fun-loving little guy, energetic and playful. He is not as cuddly as they realized they wanted, so they have asked us to find him a new home, where a more energetic and curious Bun will be wanted and appreciated. He bonded with the whole family, and was unfazed by their guinea pigs. They think he would do well as a part of a bunny pair for bonding. He has many excellent characteristics that we will share in his official listing. We have asked that they keep him until July 3rd, so we can get him settled into the large exercise pen that Hamilton is currently using. Hamilton is going home on July 3rd, so we will then have ample space to keep Midnight happy until he is matched. If you are interested in learning more about him, please complete the New Bunny Questionnaire and we will begin conversing about him. If it sounds like he would be a great fit for you and your home, we could probably get the ball rolling more quickly.
We created the official listings for Smoosh and Marshmallow on the Available Bunnies page today. Unfortunately, the internet is up to its old tricks and is giving me fits when I try to upload anything, so the videos and new pictures will have to wait until it's ready to cooperate.
We heard from another family who have asked us to re-home their Bun. (I hope this isn't the beginning of an unhappy trend). Midnight is a one year old black buck. He has been neutered and has excellent litter box habits. He has mainly been a free-roam boy when the family is home, and has a roomy exercise pen for times when they are away and can't supervise him. He is, by all accounts, a very fun-loving little guy, energetic and playful. He is not as cuddly as they realized they wanted, so they have asked us to find him a new home, where a more energetic and curious Bun will be wanted and appreciated. He bonded with the whole family, and was unfazed by their guinea pigs. They think he would do well as a part of a bunny pair for bonding. He has many excellent characteristics that we will share in his official listing. We have asked that they keep him until July 3rd, so we can get him settled into the large exercise pen that Hamilton is currently using. Hamilton is going home on July 3rd, so we will then have ample space to keep Midnight happy until he is matched. If you are interested in learning more about him, please complete the New Bunny Questionnaire and we will begin conversing about him. If it sounds like he would be a great fit for you and your home, we could probably get the ball rolling more quickly.
June 18, 2020
I caved and added photos of the newest babies to the Baby Holland Lops page. :D
We appear to be having photo posting issues. if you notice any pictures that are out of place, we are working on it. we select the correct picture, but a different image loads. I have been online all day with the support people (three different times!) after attempting their suggestions for fixing it. We're still not there yet, though.
I caved and added photos of the newest babies to the Baby Holland Lops page. :D
We appear to be having photo posting issues. if you notice any pictures that are out of place, we are working on it. we select the correct picture, but a different image loads. I have been online all day with the support people (three different times!) after attempting their suggestions for fixing it. We're still not there yet, though.
June 17, 2020
Yesterday was a not-so-great day. We suffered multiple newborn bunny losses in the rabbitry. It started off with finding a stillborn baby in Cake Pop's nest (her original kits are fine). Next, we discovered that Primrose's peanut baby had died and her remaining baby was chilled and thin, indicating that she had not been feeding it. We tried warming it up, but lost that little one, as well. Last evening, we found that one of Trixie's babies had died. We are presuming that Trixie landed on it during one of her not-so-graceful leaps into the nest box. That was a difficult loss to bear, because it had been a well-fed, thriving baby. :( Even worse, we realized that Goldilocks had not been feeding all of her babies very well. I had noticed that some of them were a bit on the thin side, so re-positioned them in the nest box for better nursing success. Conventional wisdom says that breeders shouldn't interfere too much while a doe is establishing a nursing pattern in caring for her babies. I should have interfered. We lost two of her babies. It was all too much at the end of a long day. We cried.
The more babies that are born, the greater the opportunity for things to go wrong. Give me litters of two or three any day. From here on out, I will definitely be waiting until litters are one week old before making birth announcements. It's less heartbreaking that way. On a brighter note, Goldilocks' babies are doing well this morning and have nice, chubby tummies. Cake Pop's kits and Trixie's babies look good, too.
We will be posting new pictures of Marshmallow and Smoosh today. I'm a day late in celebrating their 5 week old date. :)
Yesterday was a not-so-great day. We suffered multiple newborn bunny losses in the rabbitry. It started off with finding a stillborn baby in Cake Pop's nest (her original kits are fine). Next, we discovered that Primrose's peanut baby had died and her remaining baby was chilled and thin, indicating that she had not been feeding it. We tried warming it up, but lost that little one, as well. Last evening, we found that one of Trixie's babies had died. We are presuming that Trixie landed on it during one of her not-so-graceful leaps into the nest box. That was a difficult loss to bear, because it had been a well-fed, thriving baby. :( Even worse, we realized that Goldilocks had not been feeding all of her babies very well. I had noticed that some of them were a bit on the thin side, so re-positioned them in the nest box for better nursing success. Conventional wisdom says that breeders shouldn't interfere too much while a doe is establishing a nursing pattern in caring for her babies. I should have interfered. We lost two of her babies. It was all too much at the end of a long day. We cried.
The more babies that are born, the greater the opportunity for things to go wrong. Give me litters of two or three any day. From here on out, I will definitely be waiting until litters are one week old before making birth announcements. It's less heartbreaking that way. On a brighter note, Goldilocks' babies are doing well this morning and have nice, chubby tummies. Cake Pop's kits and Trixie's babies look good, too.
We will be posting new pictures of Marshmallow and Smoosh today. I'm a day late in celebrating their 5 week old date. :)
June 15, 2020
We have two pieces of wonderful news!
The first is that Whippersnapper, who was returned to our rabbitry on Saturday, has already been matched with a wonderful person on our waiting list. He will be staying with us until early July, but we are so happy that he has not been over-shadowed by the arrival of all the tiny Buns, and is wanted for being the sweet, playful, friendly little guy that he is. His new name is Hamilton. We are working on his listing (we need to add new photos and a video), but have already put an On Hold note in his availability status. God is so good!
The second piece of good news is that Cake Pop and Little Boy Blue are the proud parents of two wee babies, born this morning. Happy Dance!
New pictures of Tabitha's baby and Isla's litter have been posted on the Baby Holland Lops page. They are two weeks old today!
We have two pieces of wonderful news!
The first is that Whippersnapper, who was returned to our rabbitry on Saturday, has already been matched with a wonderful person on our waiting list. He will be staying with us until early July, but we are so happy that he has not been over-shadowed by the arrival of all the tiny Buns, and is wanted for being the sweet, playful, friendly little guy that he is. His new name is Hamilton. We are working on his listing (we need to add new photos and a video), but have already put an On Hold note in his availability status. God is so good!
The second piece of good news is that Cake Pop and Little Boy Blue are the proud parents of two wee babies, born this morning. Happy Dance!
New pictures of Tabitha's baby and Isla's litter have been posted on the Baby Holland Lops page. They are two weeks old today!
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June 13, 2020
We have all sorts of fun things happening today! We are Bun-sitting little Stewart for his mama over the weekend. He is still such a sweet little bundle of love and has grown up to be a very handsome boy. |
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June 13th (continued...)
Whippersnapper is back with us and is settling in to life back at the rabbitry for now. We hope to be able to place him quickly with his new family. He is a sweet little guy and would be a wonderful companion for someone who has plenty of love and time to give him. We will be officially listing him later this week. We have made a slideshow using some of the photos his first family sent to us. |
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June 12, 2020
Do you remember this little guy? His name was Whippersnapper and he was a blue buck from Trixie's last litter, born on February 28th. He was placed with a wonderful family, but they have asked for our assistance in re-homing him. He is only 3.5 months old and is a playful, sociable little boy. The family's daughter had recently lost a beloved bunny and, as any loving parents would, they wanted to surprise her with a new bunny to love. Although he has been loved and cared for devotedly, there has just been some spark missing in their relationship. I have a feeling that their daughter needed to be included in the decision-making process in order to be involved and filled with joyful anticipation over his arrival. Whippersnapper will be arriving back at the rabbitry tomorrow afternoon.
If you or someone you know would be interested in learning more about him, please contact us! We know there are younger baby Buns on the way, but we don't want this slightly-older, but Oh-so-wonderful little buck to be overshadowed and lost in the shuffle. He is a playful, spunky boy. He is described as being, "truly a delightful, well-mannered Holland lop, " and that there is "Nothing, whatsoever wrong with him." We will spend some time reassessing him, and will list him on the Available Bunnies page as soon as we feel confident that we know what kind of family he should be placed with so he never needs to be uprooted again.
Do you remember this little guy? His name was Whippersnapper and he was a blue buck from Trixie's last litter, born on February 28th. He was placed with a wonderful family, but they have asked for our assistance in re-homing him. He is only 3.5 months old and is a playful, sociable little boy. The family's daughter had recently lost a beloved bunny and, as any loving parents would, they wanted to surprise her with a new bunny to love. Although he has been loved and cared for devotedly, there has just been some spark missing in their relationship. I have a feeling that their daughter needed to be included in the decision-making process in order to be involved and filled with joyful anticipation over his arrival. Whippersnapper will be arriving back at the rabbitry tomorrow afternoon.
If you or someone you know would be interested in learning more about him, please contact us! We know there are younger baby Buns on the way, but we don't want this slightly-older, but Oh-so-wonderful little buck to be overshadowed and lost in the shuffle. He is a playful, spunky boy. He is described as being, "truly a delightful, well-mannered Holland lop, " and that there is "Nothing, whatsoever wrong with him." We will spend some time reassessing him, and will list him on the Available Bunnies page as soon as we feel confident that we know what kind of family he should be placed with so he never needs to be uprooted again.
June 9, 2020
It has been a busy Bun day!
1. We have two new updates from Bun families on the Happy Results page,
2. All baby photos have been updated on the Baby Holland Lops page.
3. We moved our bucks. We didn't move them far, just into cooler rooms in the house. LOL It's going to be well over 90 degrees today, and we don't want the boys to develop heat sterility, which can prevent them from siring babies for the next three months. Since we rely on window AC during the summer months, the bucks are sharing it with us. Four of the boys are living in my younger daughter's room in exercise pens, and Joey is hanging out in the living room in his own pen. What about the does, you may ask? They are still in the bunny room, which usually stays pretty comfortable. They have three heavy duty fans blowing on them, ice bottles, and bowls of cold water into which they can dip their ears (bunny AC). Everyone looks happy and comfortable.
4. The expectant mamas have been nesting nicely, except for Trixie...she's not quite ready to follow the trend. She thought about it, made a "haystache", and even hopped into her nest box, but changed her mind and stretched out for a nap instead. Her instincts will tell her when it's time.
It has been a busy Bun day!
1. We have two new updates from Bun families on the Happy Results page,
2. All baby photos have been updated on the Baby Holland Lops page.
3. We moved our bucks. We didn't move them far, just into cooler rooms in the house. LOL It's going to be well over 90 degrees today, and we don't want the boys to develop heat sterility, which can prevent them from siring babies for the next three months. Since we rely on window AC during the summer months, the bucks are sharing it with us. Four of the boys are living in my younger daughter's room in exercise pens, and Joey is hanging out in the living room in his own pen. What about the does, you may ask? They are still in the bunny room, which usually stays pretty comfortable. They have three heavy duty fans blowing on them, ice bottles, and bowls of cold water into which they can dip their ears (bunny AC). Everyone looks happy and comfortable.
4. The expectant mamas have been nesting nicely, except for Trixie...she's not quite ready to follow the trend. She thought about it, made a "haystache", and even hopped into her nest box, but changed her mind and stretched out for a nap instead. Her instincts will tell her when it's time.
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June 7, 2020
Sweet, fluffy Oliver has a forever family! We are so excited for him and for his new mom, Jass. She had actually come to our rabbitry a few weeks ago when her friend Lisa came to pick up her new Bun, Donnolly (HCB name Serena). She didn't know about Oliver at that time, but Lisa mentioned him to her and Jass fell in love with the description of Oliver and his adorable pictures. It took some doing for her to get her questionnaire filled out and submitted (website host issues that we are continuing to deal with!) but we knew that she and Oliver would be a great fit. We are going to miss his loving presence in our rabbitry, but are thrilled that he has an incredibly loving family to call his own. |
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June 4, 2020
We have posted photos of Isla and Tabitha's litters on the Baby Holland Lops page. Sadly, we have discovered that two of Tabitha's babies are peanuts (instead of only one), so she has only one viable kit in her litter. I have written a blog post for the Bunny Behavior & Health Blog, with pictures of all three of her babies. Peanuts are one of the heart-breaking aspects of breeding a dwarf breed of rabbits.
We have posted photos of Isla and Tabitha's litters on the Baby Holland Lops page. Sadly, we have discovered that two of Tabitha's babies are peanuts (instead of only one), so she has only one viable kit in her litter. I have written a blog post for the Bunny Behavior & Health Blog, with pictures of all three of her babies. Peanuts are one of the heart-breaking aspects of breeding a dwarf breed of rabbits.