A Bunny Status Report
I haven’t been talking about our bunnies lately and it isn’t for a lack of things to say!! We have been busily getting them set up in a new, more secure spot! We started work on rebuilding & securing their area way back in the summer. As the days shortened and the temperatures became cooler, we had to really pick up the pace. While work was underway, the bunnies stayed in my climate-controlled potting shed – and I knew if we didn’t hustle, they wouldn’t get their winter coats.
Thankfully, the fall was mild and by late October, the bunnies were all moved in. We are really enjoying have them back outside where we can easily keep an eye on them. And they are loving it even more, I am certain!
The bunnies are now all cozy in a new, large enclosure. In addition to repairing the original hutch, we built a second hutch; now there is a “boy cabin” and a “girl cabin”. The boy’s cabin has a divider in the middle, separating our 2 frisky bucks. But the girls have one giant ((non-divided)) hutch.
Zero ((above)), our sable Lionhead buck, can be seen in his spot — all happy with his little timothy hay mat and beehive bunny home.
The boys are by far the most docile of our four – we can easily reach out and pick them up & they love to be petted. They even come up to me and rub against me until I reach down and give them a rub down.
Throughout the year, we bring the bunnies into our home, letting them “free-range” hop or free-range snuggle! ((Gracie had the idea of letting him hop in the shower – my clean-freak tendencies thought her idea was excellent!
I don’t like to bring them in too often in the winter because I am afraid it may make the outdoors seem even colder.
But this handsome fella is hard to resist!
Speaking of cold, when the winter temperatures drop below 30°, we bring the bunnies inside our garage ((where temps hover at about 45°)). I often have people asking what we do about freezing temps, bad weather etc. and we always protect these guys. They come with us into our storm shelter if weather requires it and we bring them indoors – out of the frigid temps, severe storms etc & we will bring them in if temps are too high as well.
Polly & Ruby Grace have become fast friends, tolerating each other so well. As they develop — and as they become mommas, we are aware they may turn into “frien-emies” so we built their hutch in such a way that they can easily be divided if it becomes necessary.
Speaking of becoming mommas – we hope to breed them in the early spring. Timing is everything! So we are aiming to have a litter come when the nights no longer drop below 50°. If a baby or a few babies get out of the nest at night and momma ignores them, a cold winter’s night would be the end ((sniff)). So, warmer nights give us a little grace until we figure out what kind of mommas we have on our hands.
Oh, and in case you haven’t met the bunnies – this ((above)) is Polly. She is a gorgeous black otter ((name of her coloring pattern)) Holland lop doe. She & King Louie ((the harlequin Holland lop buck pictured below)) are betrothed.
Which means Ruby Grace ((our black Lionhead lop mix)) & Zero are our other happy couple! Hope you enjoyed a little bunny update – stay tuned for some “baby” announcements!