August 15 Haul!!

I went shopping yesterday for some much needed supplies for Willow.  I thought that I would share some of my purchases as I am very excited about them and hope that they would be helpful to anybody looking for new and creative ideas for their bunny. Also, sorry for the poor quality in some of the pictures.  They were taken with my phone in the middle of a storm.  Anyway, I hope you enjoy!!

First I went to a local Dollar store.

First I got some Zip ties.  I've been wanting some to help me bunny proof my room a little better. 

A spray bottle to fill with vinegar water for cleaning Willow's toys and litter tray.

A bowl.  I've been wanting to wean Willow off of her water bottle and decided that now was the perfect time to start that process.  *sigh* Fingers crossed!

A pack of fashion bracelets to make to use as a DIY toy or something.

"Hot Links".  Another idea for a DIY toy.

Altogether I spent: $5.35 at the dollar store.

Then I went to Wal-mart.

Rasins.  Yup.  101 Rabbits uses Rasins as a treat for her bunnies so I thought I would give them a try.  They were only $1.98 for a 12 oz box.

Hay!  A much needed part of Willow's diet.  She actually really loves her hay...

Only $7.32 for a 48 oz bag.

And a notebook for myself.  

$1.97

I also got her romaine lettuce but I didn't get a picture of it before I cut it up for her salad mix.  It was $1.77 for a small head.

Total I spent $13.18 at wal-mart. 

This is what I made with those bracelets and "hot links". 

 I made this because Willow has a bad habit of chewing on the bars of her cage.  The metal isn't good for her teeth so I put these in her favorite spot to hopefully distract her from chewing the bars.  Again, here's to hoping!

Thanks for reading!

-Willow and her Mom

Willow on Veggies'

As most of us know Rabbit nutrition can be quite tricky for a new comer.  I know that I was shocked to discover that a rabbit's diet was much more complex than just throwing food in a bowl and calling it good.  A healthy diet consists mainly of high fiber hay (such as Alfalfa, Timothy, or Orchard Grass for those bunnies a bit more sensitive to the dust), a high quality pellet (given only twice a day in Willow's case), and an assortment of fresh produce.  This last part was really a surprise for me.  I mean, I knew that rabbits liked fresh veggies but I was clueless as to just how vital they were to their daily diets.

For most rabbits (if they've come from a pet store, like Willow) fresh produce hasn't been a part of their diet.  It has been a real blast slowly introducing Willow to different produce and seeing which ones she prefers.

A quick word of caution, however.  It is recommended that, for first time veggie eaters, the introduction process is slow.  Don't just throw together rabbit safe produce and feed it to your bunny.  Chances are that this, however yummy it might be to your bunny, might cause them to get sick.  It's better for your rabbit to introduce new foods one at a time that way you can determine whether or not she/he likes something or not or whether or not a certain food upsets his/her tummy.

That aside, I have introduced Willow to Romaine lettuce, carrots (given in a small quantity), and, most recently, basil.

omnomnomnom!

So far she loves the Romaine (obviously ;P) and carrots.  I gave her basil for the first time yesterday and she hasn't quite decided yet if she likes it or not.  I guess compared to the lettuce and the carrots, basil does have a much stronger aroma and taste...

"Hmm, not too sure about this stuff."

Of course she LOVES her carrots.  Who wouldn't?  Not too long ago I discovered that carrots are high in sugars and should only be given to a bunny in small amounts.  

"Yummy salad!"

For more information about a healthy rabbit diet HERE is an article I found in my own search.  I would also encourage you to do your own research on the subject.  I hope this has been helpful!

-Willow and her Mom

Cardboard Woven Mat brought to you by 101 Rabbits

If your rabbit is anything like Willow you know how frustrating it is to buy your bun-bun a new toy only to have him/her be more enamored by the cardboard it comes with.  Willow loves cardboard.  It doesn't matter what shape or size it is she gets a lot of enjoyment out of chewing and shredding any bits she can find.  So today I offer you an easy do-it-yourself project for your cardboard loving rabbit.

I stumbled on this gem Saturday.  Luckily I had all the supplies so this cost me absolutely nothing!  Which makes it even better, right?!

This mat was created by 101 Rabbits, go check out her site.  She's pretty amazing and has other very useful information and tutorials.

Anyway, she was kind enough to post this a simple, yet thorough, tutorial on her youtube channel.  So I will let her explain.



I hope your rabbit loves this fun new toy.  I know Willow does!

-Willow and her Mom

Introductions

I love blogging.  Unfortunately I'm not very good at it.  I used to be, of course, back when this was a humble fostering blog.  But I'm not very consistent when it comes to myself or my writing because, quite frankly, I'm not consistent in either of those things.  So, I'll go back to blogging about what I am good at.

My pets.

Now, as previously stated, I used to foster so, technically speaking, those puppies and kittens weren't really mine.  As often as it might have felt that they were, at the end of the day, they always left me to go to new homes.  This, of course, was always very satisfying for me and it gave me an outlet so I didn't feel like I HAD to have a pet of my own.  For this my parents were grateful.

I haven't had a pet of my own since I was really young and that was a mistake.  I wasn't ready for the responsibility that comes with being a pet owner and I wasn't financially independent so I relied heavily on my parents to provide for the pet.  I learned a lot from that experience.  Like, when it's best to say goodbye and admit defeat.

Years have passed since then and the itch to have a pet in my life has, once again, bared it ugly head.  Only, this time, I was in a better place financially and mentally.  So I caved to a childish dream of mine and, after countless hours of research, brought home Willow.

Enjoying pellet time/ floor time

Willow has been...an adventure.  No amount of research could have prepared me for what it truly meant to be a rabbit owner.  Needless to say the first 24 hours were stressful for the both of us.  But now we have finally begin to figure each other out (after a month, might I add).

More about Willow

Willow is around 7-9 months old.  I believe she is a Rex and I'm 95% sure that she is, in fact, a she.  Unfortunately, she was not rescued (I am extremely sad that I couldn't adopt but, at the time, there wasn't much available in my area).  As of right now she is unspayed but I plan on scheduling the surgery very soon.  I did attempt to take her to a bunny friendly vet not to long ago but that's a whole big messy story that I won't go into yet.  For now, I'm content with my 'Silly Willy', as I lovingly call her.  

She is very playful and mischievous.  If some thing is off limits she will try with all her tiny might to go there.  She's somewhat social with our dogs (though her mom isn't always thrilled by her stupidity bravery) and isn't afraid of much.  In fact, she's quite comfortable out in the open, which I find to be quite contrary to everything that I've read about rabbits.  She'd much rather flop out in the open than snuggle up in her hidey house.  Overall she's very outgoing and she LOVES binky and jet around like she's going mad.

I absolutely adore her!! She's, by far, the best decision I've ever made and I have enjoyed every new adventure and discovery.  She certainly keeps me on my toes!! 

So, if you haven't already guess, this blog is going to be about me, Willow (mostly Willow), and our adventures together as we continue to get to know each other.  I hope you'll enjoy the journey just as much as I already have!  

-Willow and her Mom