New Bunny Parents!

[skwerlybuns]

Hello everyone,  I am really glad to have found Binkybunny.com because my husband and I have just become bunny parents!  Here is a little background info on us and how this all came about.

My hubby and I are "Squirrel people", we love squirrels and have been enslaved by many generations over the years.  Last year we left the San Francisco Bay Area and moved up here to the beautiful Pacific Northwest for a job relocation.  The business park that my dh works in is located in a beautiful area that was built around a wildlife santuary with a large pond for fowl, and creeks and trails where you can come across a beaver or muskrat and cottontails. 

About two months after starting work my dh would be walking around the area and he noticed bunnies just sitting on the lawn areas in front of some of the buildings…… just hanging out and munching on carrot treats that people left.  To make a long story short, he eventually made friends with several of them to the point where he could get a "bunny kiss" before giving them a carrot treat.  He would visit with them every day and was concerned when one was not around.  As it turns out business parks seem to be the place for people to "dump" their unwanted bunnies, the Microsoft campus had a huge roundup of hundreds of feral buns by the local Rabbit Rescue group.  This news was very upsetting for us because obviously buns beget more buns and the population would just increase again    We contacted the local rescue groups but none are taking in any new rabbits right now.  Several of my dh’s favorite ferals started dissapearing just recently, and then two weeks ago he and his co-workers were looking out the window (2nd floor office) and noticed some guys hanging around the small pond in front of the office building…… this is a popular spot for mallards to hang out and sure enough one of the guys was stalking one of the mallards, as he grabbed one several people ran downstairs and ran out to confront these guys.  The one with the duck was going into the tree cover where another guy was waiting with a hawk!!!!  They had already offered the hawk a rabbit they caught and it was laying on the ground dying.

When the jerks were confronted they ran, and even had a getaway vehicle ready to pick them up so they raced out of the area before the licence plate could be spotted.   The cops were called and given a discription of the truck and the idiots with the hawk.   This REALLY upset my dh, since this is probably how  his bunny friends had dissapeared.   To make matters worse, we discovered the den where three baby bunnies were living…….. right under the front step area of the business office across the street!  They were so tiny, and by the coloring we know who the parents are, one we named "Wild Bunny" because its coloring is very like a wild rabbit (we now know its probably a Flemish Giant.  The other parent is pure black with a tiny white snippet on its nose, a medium size bun.  This one’s name was "Black Bunny" (not original we know).  Black Bunny dissapeared about three days before the poachers were spotted so we decided to take action and rescue the babies.   So! that is how we became bunny parents, we plan on keeping them and having happy house bunnies. 

I made contact with one of the people from Rabbit Haven and she offered to come and sex them when they are a little older, and we can have them spayed/neutered by the rescue vet so that will help with the costs. 

I have to run now, but I will post pix when I return.  We have learned so much from this forum and I look forward to learning more!

 

[Sarita]

Welcome and thank you for rescuing those babies! Looking forward to seeing the pictures. Osprey who is on the forum helps with Rabbit Haven too I believe.

[MooBunnay]

*GASP* OMG!!!! That is horrible!! I am sooo appreciative of you saving those poor bunnies, if I had seen something like that myself, I would still be in some form of traumatized shock! I hope those people got scared enough to stay away, maybe the news or something could get hold of the story, then at least people wouldn’t be so tempted to dump their bunnies there

Anyways, welcome, its always fun to meet new bunny parents! Let us know if any questions come up!

[osprey]

Thank you for rescuing those babies!  Do you have any idea how old they might be?   If they are really tiny they might require some supplemental feeding since they don’t have mom.  Feel free to ask questions here, some of us have had some experience with raising baby rabbits.

I do work with The Rabbit Haven, but I think that is a different one than the one you contacted.  We are based in Scotts Valley, California, and I’ll be you talked to the folks in Gig Harbor, Washington.  Unfortunately we have the same name but are different organizations.

 

[Scarlet_Rose]

Welcome to the board, and wow, I am heart wrenched to say the least.  I too want to thank you for opening up your home and taking in the babies.  Please ask any questions you might have, and we love pictures!

[skwerlybuns]

Here are some pix, the first ones were taken 2 days before we rescued them, the last one was taken yesterday.  If anyone has any idea how old they may be I would really like to know!  The day we got them they were about the size of  a large apple and were eating the foods that people left outside their "den".

 

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[Scarlet_Rose]

Oh my gawd!!! They are simply just too cute!!! Hmm, not sure on the age. I am tempted to say about 5 or 6 weeks. How big were the parents?

[skwerlybuns]

Here are pix of the babies parents, one is the large possibly Flemish giant, and the other is a smaller black bun.  We have no idea which is the actual mother or which is the father because we can’t see any nipple action on either one but the black bun was definately hanging out with the large wild colored one.

The black bun was one of my dh’s sweeties, and would give bunny kisses, unfortunately he/she is now one of the missing buns.

 

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[babybunsmum]

so sweet!  those little buns are lucky to have been found by you… bless your heart

[Sarita]

I hope they find Black Bun! He sounds like an exceptional rabbit who deserves to be rescued too.

The babies are so cute. They aren’t very old at all. I think maybe around 5 or 6 weeks too.

[Deleted User]

What a horrible story. I feel like someone punched me in the stomach. I am so happy to hear you have saved those babies. The pictures are wonderful. I hope you find Black Bun.

[BinkyBunny]

WELCOME!!! What sweet sweet adorable pictures! I love the one of your dh with the black bunny. So heartwarming. I so hope you find the black bunny.

You and your husband are their angels, and I am sending happy healthy vibes to the baby bunnies and “safe return” vibes to those that are missing.

Please keep us updated!

So how did you originally become interested in squirrals?

[Gravehearted]

ooooo my…. that story totally made me cry. how awful and cruel people can be. But, it’s people like you that make all the difference, stepping in to rescue them from such an awful fate. what wonderfully beautiful bunnies, i really hope the black bunny will turn up too.

I would keep a careful eye that the babies are eating. I would likely take them to the vet to have them checked over and make sure they’re all ok. It may be that they’ll have you add some supplements like acidopholous or oat groats.

Sending lots of good wishes your way….

[Beka27]

how awesome of you guys to take those buns in!  yes, i would def. take them to the vet to make sure they’re okay and find out their age.  plus the doctor will tell you how long before they need to be separated… the last thing you need are more babies!

[Lagomorpheus]

Sad story, but a happy ending as those babies have a good home now and you have two of the cutest bunnies I’ve seen! Thanks for doing the right thing 🙂

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Posted By Bunzai on 11/18/2007 7:08 PM
What a horrible story. I feel like someone punched me in the stomach. I am so happy to hear you have saved those babies. The pictures are wonderful. I hope you find Black Bun.

Oi! My stomach has been punched too!!!

 

  We will give you all the support and info you need-in exchange for more darling pictures hehe

Great job on the rescue! …Those are really cute babies   I don’t think they are very old either…but old enough to be weened if they are eating solid food, which is very good! I’m sure when the rescue comes to sex them for you, they will be able to give you a good estimate.

[skwerlybuns]

Posted By BinkyBunny on 11/18/2007 11:23 PM
WELCOME!!! What sweet sweet adorable pictures! I love the one of your dh with the black bunny. So heartwarming. I so hope you find the black bunny.

You and your husband are their angels, and I am sending happy healthy vibes to the baby bunnies and "safe return" vibes to those that are missing.

Please keep us updated!

So how did you originally become interested in squirrals?

 

In answer to how we became interested in squirrels:

My hubby and I have always loved squirrels, even before we were together!  They are fun to watch, amazingly clever, and when they trust you enough to hold your finger with their hands and gently take a nut it is an amazing feeling.  Even saying the word "squirrel" is fun!    In observing them up close and personal we have discovered an amazing vocabulary of sounds they make, from barking, to quacking, to growling!

Here is a pic of one of my friends…….. watching me work on my computer, and waiting, waiting, waiting, until I give in to the cuteness and give him a walnut!  The other pic is on of the little ones that leap onto my knee for the handout.   The last pic is of one of the babies from a litter of four that one of my squirrels had.

 

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[skwerlybuns]

So today the smallest bun, Little Michele, finally figured out how to hop up on top of the cardboard house in their cage!  The two other buns who we are calling boys just because they are bigger,lol, are bummed because their little sister has figured out how to get up to their clubhouse!

Here is a pic of the 3 of them on the house, and one of Tancill (the largest of the babies).  They are literally growing right before our eyes! 

 

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[Lagomorpheus]

Squirrels are pretty cute, but remember, they are rodents!

Hand feeding is not recommended, however, because squirrels may carry plague or other animal-borne diseases. Even if they do not carry disease, they often have a hard time telling fingertips from food, and bites are painful.

[babybunsmum]

oh dear dear dear!

sooo…

cute!

[MarkBun]

Nothing wrong with rodents. Usedta keep mice and rats. It is true that they are wild and thereby can be afflicted with the various diseases that wild animals can get but I have known many people who have had ‘wild squirrels’ as “pets” and as long as you know how to handle yourself around them, it is usually a fine thing.

The main issue is when someone holds an item either in the palm of their hand or too close to their fingers – that’s when the nips can occurr.

[Lagomorpheus]

Carefully controlled rodent pets are one thing – wild rodents are another: Rodents are particularly dangerous as they "are able to vector more than 60 known diseases, and the list grows as more research on zoonosis continues." [The Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich]

I’m sure theyre being careful and their squirrels are very friendly, though…just saying!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Skwerly buns what gorgeous pics of those squirrels!

We used to have squirrels in our back yard when we lived in Ontario…They’d have about three litters a summer-our yard was always full of babies; sometimes moms would push the babies out of the nest before they were ready (in order to have another litter!) and our dog -bless her-would go and lay with the babies…We would then put them in wooden nests we made and attatched to the trees to finish growing. I think one of the reasons we always had tonnes of squirrels was we had a dog to keep the cats out of the yard-we also had lots of bird feeders and the squirrels ate from them too hehe..
We had one special squirrel, a black female (my brother named her bob hehe ) she realized we were the one’s who put food out for them so she would often come right up to the sliding glass doors and peer in!

[BinkyBunny]

Gorgeous pictures of those baby bunnies…and those squirrels. OMG, how adorable!!! Thank you for sharing.

[Spacehopper]

My god, I’ve only just read this and i’m disgusted, yet thank @!*#  there are people like you still on this godforesaken planet!  How can…why does….what….how…..Those buns are so pretty, and I LOVE the last piccy, Perfect for making HUGE and putting on the wall somewhere. 

HOOOOORAH TO YOU!!!!!  It’s people such as yourselves that should be knighted, honoured whatever it is they do, but no, they dish them out to people like Cilla Black, Elton John, Cliff Richard, MAGNUS MAGNUSSON (god knows why !), Mick Jagger, Helen Mirren, and as for Ellen McArthur, i just don’t get it at ALL, stop me now, see, I’m harping on now in a wandering rage all because of those wicked masochistic boys!! 

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