When it gets cold outside

Since we have reached October, it is getting a lot colder. There are some things that you need to remember when you have bunnies living outside, when it gets cold. 

It is a good idea to isolate the cage so the bunnies do not freeze. You could also put a blanket around the cage, and a tarpaulin on top of that. 

At this time of the year, you should also give them a lot of extra hay and straws, and place it in their cage so they can hide and get warm in it.

You should also check and switch their water more often when it is freezing cold outside. The water freezes very easily. Especially the water in bottles. It will take longer time for the water in a bowl to freeze. It is not necessary to give them cold water either. It is a good idea to give them lukewarm water, so it does not freeze as fast as it would if the water was cold.

Johan

Muffin

Binkies - jumps of joy

A binky is easy to recognize. When bunnies are happy and confident, they like to binky. A binky is a funny and huge jump. They like to jump high and shake in the air. Some might think that they are ill and something is bothering them, but it is just their way to express how happy they are.

Since a binky is very quick and sudden movement, it is hard to get a proper photo of it. I am still struggling to get a good binky shot, but I have some adivse of how to get a good shot of a binky.

↪ Use a camera. You will get a better shot if you take the photo with a camera instead of your phone. Not only does the photos come out in a better quality, but you can adjust the settings.

↪ Adjust aperture and shutter speed. To freeze movement you need to use a high shutter speed. On all of the photos below I used 1/1000 shutter speed. A higher aperture will also make it easier to avoid a blurry photo. The lower the aperture is, the more blurry will the background be. Higher aperture will make more details in the photo. I used a very low aperture on the photos below, which is why many of them turned out blurry. A higher aperture would make them more clear.

↪ Use the multiple photos function. When your camera takes several photos in a row, the chances of a good binky shot are higher.

The model in these pictures is named Muffin. ;)

The summer heat

It is summer now, and very hot outside. When bunnies are in their natural habitat, they dig holes and tunnels that they hide in to stay cool.
Bunnies can not sweat. Neither can they pant through their mouth like a dog since they breath through their noses. Therefore bunnies are more exposed for heat strokes, and it is important that you help your bunny cool down.

Symptoms of heat stroke:

- Panting / gasping for air

- Acting very weakly (exhausted)

- Slow movements

- Blue or grey colored lips

What should you do for your bunny in the heat?

✖  Refill water bowl regularly - make sure your bunny constantly has accsess to water. Of course this is imporant throught the whole year, but they drink more often at summer, so remember to refill regularly. The water will also get hot, so you should change it even if the water bowl is not empty yet.

✖  Wrap them in a wetted towel - carefully wet a towel with cold water, and wrap it around the bunny. The towel should not be so wet that it drips of it.

✖  Spray water - I like to take a spray full of chill water, and carefully give M & J a spray or two to cool them down. You can also fill a water bottle and drip some water on them. Make sure you do not spray or drip water on their ears.

✖ Access to shadows - it is very important that your bunny has access to shadows, so they can hide from the sun and cool down. They should not be put in direct sun light. I like to put a sheet or a blanket over their playpen to give them shadow from the sun.

✖ Cold water bottle - fill a water bottle and put in the freezer. When it is cold, you can give it to your bunnies to help them cool down.

Keep in mind that even though it is hot, you should not bath your bunny. Not ever. A bath can expose them for shock, that they can die from. A bunny should never be bathed unless your vetrinary gives you instructions to.

A sheet over their play pen to protect them from the sun.

Muffin & Johan likes to flop and relax in the heat.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, everyone! I hope you are enjoying the Easter with lots of candy. I know I am. Muffin and Johan also got some extra nana before I left for the cabin. I am back home now though. My grandmother took care of the bunnies while I was gone.

I would also like to say something about bunnies and Easter. Please do not buy a bunny for Easter, even though we connect bunnies with Easter. A bunny made out of chocolate is not the same as a real bunny. A real bunny is a lot of responsibility, and probably not a pet for your child. A real bunny is a 10-year commitment, unlike a bunny made out of chocolate or a stuffed toy. The two last mentioned is probably more of an appropiate bunny for your child than a real one. Check out the hashtag #Easterbunnyawarness on Instagram to learn more.

Do not bathe your bunny!

Det kan ikke bli sagt nok ganger. Selvom det er mange som vet det, er det fremdeles mange som ikke vet det; ikke bad kaninen din. De kan bli paralysert og dø av skrekk, dessuten tåler ikke kroppen temperaturendringene. De blir traumatisert og får sjokk. Kaniner er veldig renslige dyr, og vasker seg selv. Hvis kaninen er veldig skitten er det bedre fukte en klut enn å bade den. Det er viktig å gjøre mye research for å unngå at slike ting skjer. Det finnes unntak, men da kontaker du veterinær for instruksjoner, men ingen kaniner skal bli badet med hele seg.

It can not be said enough. Even though a lot of people know, there is still a lot of people who do not know; do not bathe your bunny. They can be paralyzed, and die. It is extremely traumatic for them and they can get a shock. Bunnies are very clean animals, so they groom themselves. It is better to use a wet cloth if your rabbit is very dirty than to bathe it. It is important to do a lot of research to avoid these situations. There is exceptions, but then you need to contact a vet for instructions. But no bunny needs a full body bath. 

Muffin is grooming himself

and so is Johan.