Gift wrap

Every now and then you get a present that you’ll remember for a lifetime. That perfect gift that you’ve been dreaming about for years, that would just about make your life perfect, but that never seemed to be within reach.

This holiday season, thanks to two ardent supporters, GLRS and our rabbit residents received such a gift! It’s even wrapped in shiny silver paper. And we didn’t have to wait until Christmas morning to enjoy it.

It’s no secret that the colder months have always wreaked havoc on the sanctuary budget. Heating a drafty, uninsulated building like our Binkyville barn is a bit like building a campfire with wadded up currency! But it’s not easy to find winter vacation homes for the 20+ buns that live there.

But this year, two of Santa’s elves swooped in to save the day! They’re a husband/wife team named Chris and Lindy, and they just happened to hear about our plight. They also just happen to be experienced home renovators with a surplus of brand new insulation.

Chris and Lindy didn’t just load up a sleigh—er, truck—and drop the stuff off, either. They stayed for two full days, helping us dismantle pens, move rabbits out of the way, and cover every square inch of the walls and ceiling with thick slabs of the shiny silver insulation.

The inside of Binkyville may now look like the inside of a freezer, but it feels more like a tropical island! Our rabbits will be warm and snug in the icy cold months, and comfortably cool come summer. ’Tis the season for giving, and for giving thanks. THANK YOU!!!

Quick like a bunny!

It’s not often we send you two blogs in one day! But some things are just too good to last, and we’d hate for you to miss out. Thanks to a limited time partnership with Booster.com, a crowdfunding organization for non-profits, we’re able to offer you one-time-only GLRS t-shirts and hoodies, just in time for Christmas!

But there’s a catch: we must receive your order by December 8th, and we must meet a certain minimum for the shirts to be printed.* There’s no time to waste!

You’ll find our selection here, on Booster.com. Choose classic tees,  women’s V-necks, or cozy hoodies, in an assortment of colors. Know someone who’s hard to fit? Our shirts run from youth medium all the way up to adult XXXL. The material’s pre-shrunk, so there won’t be any unfortunate surprises on laundry day!

Remember, time is of the essence. By the end of the day on December 8, this offer will be gone for good. So head over to Booster and see if this just might be the perfect opportunity to “top” off your holiday shopping! Many, many thumps of thanks!

*If we don’t reach our goal, your money, including shipping fees, will be refunded to you. There’s no risk!

Miles of smiles

If you’re like most of us, you’ll do some of your holiday shopping on Amazon. It’s fast, convenient,and offers some of the lowest prices you’ll find. You can order anything from books to clothing to electronics, even groceries. Pay with a few clicks, and have everything delivered right to your door. No jockeying for a parking spot, or trying to navigate narrow aisles stuffed with all manner of Christmas kitsch. What could be more stress-free?

What if we told you you could spread a little holiday cheer to our sanctuary, just by ordering that Lego set or Barbie Dream House? Try Amazon’s new shopping platform. It’s called AmazonSmile, and it works exactly the same way as traditional Amazon. But when you order through AmazonSmile, they’ll donate 0.5% of your total purchase price to the charity of your choice. You won’t be charged any extra for your products. All donations are paid directly by Amazon.

It couldn’t be simpler to sign up. Just go to smile.amazon.com and sign in using your regular Amazon account information. No need to register again, or come up with a new password. You’ll be prompted to choose a charity. Type in Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary, and click Select. That’s all there is to it! Then browse and shop as usual.

For even greater convenience, add AmazonSmile to your bookmarks. Our lists are long, and our budgets are tight. So make every dollar you spend this season do double duty! Using AmazonSmile will help our sanctuary rabbits have a cozy Christmas too.

Gummy boars

Our sanctuary residents celebrate Thanksgiving just like many of us—with a scrumptious midday feast followed by a long, cozy nap!  You won’t find any turkey or stuffing around here, but our rabbits and our pigs are perfectly happy with piles of crunchy hay, mixed greens, and for dessert, juicy slabs of fresh pumpkin.

Generally it doesn’t take long for our animals to gnaw their way through a delicious meal! But for some of our seniors, navigating a big pile of food can prove to be a bit tricky sometimes. Woody and Arlo are two of our oldest pigs, and while they’ve held up quite well over the years, their teeth haven’t.

There’s no such thing as porcine dentures, but Woody and Arlo have to eat. So we’re putting out a call for a working blender and microwave. Do you plan on replacing your older units sometime soon? Have you spotted a can’t-pass-it-up Black Friday kitchen sale? Used or new, our pigs aren’t fussy!

With these appliances, Arlo and Woody can enjoy all their favorite foods in a warm puree form that’s comfortable on their tender gums. These guys are practically our Founding Fathers, arriving more than a decade ago after surviving a harsh UP winter on their own. How can we possibly leave them out of any holiday feast?

Please spread the word, and let’s find these old timers the equipment they need to stay happy and nourished. If you know of anyone who’d be willing to donate or chip in towards the cost of a working larger-capacity blender or microwave, please contact us at pigs@rabbitsanctuary.org. Many thanks, and wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving for all of us, man and beast!

Giving thanks

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving? Maybe you gather around the dining room table for a sumptuous feast with family and friends. Maybe you watch the Lions game while enjoying pumpkin pie. Or maybe you’re one of the diehard bargain shoppers who braves the crowds at your favorite store.

Whatever your day entails, don’t forget the “thanks” in Thanksgiving! Those of us with rabbits have an extra long list of blessings. Just ask us! How would you complete this sentence: “I’m thankful for…”?

“…for the comic relief my bunny provides! He’ll launch himself off the sofa like a rocket missile, then race around my feet and nudge my ankles, then decide it’s time for a treat and beg like a puppy. Never fails to make me laugh.”

“…for not needing cable TV. Watching my girl binky and do the Bunny 500 around the living room is way more entertaining than anything on ESPN or Fox Sports.”

“…for the opportunity to hear myself think. Rabbits don’t bark, meow, hiss, whine, or howl in the middle of the night for no reason. Life with a rabbit is blissfully peaceful.”

“…for the creative ways I’ve learned to redecorate my house! It’s amazing what ambiance a little chicken wire, cardboard, and duct tape can add to a home. Keeping everything chewable out of the reach of my buns’ eager little jaws is a daily challenge.”

“…for helping me at least look like I live a healthy lifestyle. Most of my groceries these days come from the produce department. The cashiers think I’m on a perpetual diet. I don’t tell them the greens are for my bunnies’ salad…the Froot Loops are MY dinner!”

“…for unconditional love. All I have to do is look into those big brown eyes and I’m filled with happiness. Being this precious boy’s mama is pure joy.”

Have a bunderful holiday!

Extra credit

We all like bonus buys! Those buy one, get one free specials at the supermarket, the 20% extra bottle of shampoo, a free gift card with purchase at the mall. Now we have a way to make your rabbit care dollars go further too!

You know you need hay, food, bedding, etc, and you know we need them too. That’s why we’re so excited to let you know we are partnering with Small Pet Select this season. For every purchase made on their website, www.smallpetselect.com, our sanctuary will receive 15% of the total of that order.

But what does Small Pet Select have that might interest you, or your rabbit? Start with six different types of hay, including high fiber 1st cut timothy, calorie-building alfalfa, or their special orchard grass/clover mixture, in quantities of 5 pounds all the way up to 60. Not only is the hay straight from the farm and sorted by hand, but they package it in sturdy reclosable boxes. The hay stays fresher than it would in a bag, and and the box doubles as a tasty chew toy!

What’s a meal without dessert? Try a bag of Holiday Herb Medley. A fragrant blend of dried elderflowers, rosehips, jasmine, rose, and dandelion might just be the equivalent of bunny crack. Sprinkle a little on your bun’s hay or pellets. Or maybe your bunny is starting to show her age. Add a teaspoon of Young at Heart herb mix to her diet to keep her kidneys and liver healthy.

For playtime, how about a honeysuckle vine wreath studded with dried honeysuckle leaves? Or a crunchy loofah biscuit? SPS carries a whole bunch of fun, unique products that you won’t find anywhere else. Ever heard of a maypop? Or linden? (Hint: they’re both edible). Or a ball woven from cattails?

Finally, for being such a great bunny parent, aunt, uncle, best friend…treat yourself too! What a great time of year to cuddle up in a 100% cotton “Talk to the Tail” hoodie. Or get a jump start on that Florida vacation with a pair of blue bunny flip flops and a brown bunny beach towel! (You can even get a matching phone case!)

Shop at www.smallpetselect.com, and enter code GLRS in the “Notes” box at checkout. Our sanctuary will automatically receive 15% of your order’s total! Now’s a great time to stock up, because shipping is free when you spend $40 or more. Hoppy Holidays!

Handle with care

Ever get the munchies? Ever sit down with a movie and a bag of potato chips, and by the time the credits roll, there’s nothing left but an empty sack? Our rabbits know what it’s like to eat mindlessly for hours on end! But unlike humans, they won’t end up with an upset stomach or expanding waistline. Rabbits thrive on a constant intake of food; their digestive systems are designed for it. (A prime example of Life’s Not Fair!)

The most important thing your rabbit can eat is hay. Experts recommend unlimited amounts, making up at least 80% of Bunny’s daily food intake. This adds up to a lot of hay, and budget-minded rabbit parents may find it more economical, and more convenient, to buy in bulk.

But with your bunny, quality is key. Just as you would probably take a pass on soggy, stale, or smushed-up chip fragments, rabbits will turn up their noses at hay that’s not in tip-top condition. None of us want to invest in a 50 pound bale of fresh timothy, only to throw away 30 pounds of it when our rabbit decides it’s no longer up to snuff. Which hay you choose is important, but how you store it is key.

Most of us are used to seeing pet store hay in plastic bags. We may store larger quantities in garbage bags. But plastic builds heat. Heat draws moisture out of the hay and fosters mold, which is deadly to rabbits. Hay needs to breath. A cardboard box is best, but if you stick with plastic, poke a few holes in the bag for ventilation, and keep it away from damp areas like the basement or bathroom.

Damp isn’t good, but dark is. When light hits hay, it sucks the freshness out of it. Do you know how good hay smells when you first bring it home? You want to preserve that smell, because once it’s gone, the flavor is too. Keep your stored hay out of direct light as much as you can.

One big advantage to buying fresh from the field is that this hay hasn’t been handled a lot. Hay breaks down the more often it’s touched. You’ll notice pet store bags usually contain quite a bit of chaff. This is wasted weight that your rabbit will never eat. He, like most of us, wants food that hasn’t been beaten to a pulp! Those of us who don’t live in farming country can try mail order. Some reputable brands are Small Pet Select, Rabbit Hole Hay, and Farmer Dave’s.

No tricks, all treats

What kind of Halloween treats did you like to find in your goodie bag when you were a kid? Do you remember trying in vain to convince your parents that SweetTarts and Snickers bars made a perfectly acceptable breakfast the morning after? It never seemed fair that THEY got to set the limits. Wasn’t it OUR candy?

Looking back, it’s easy to see that a bag of M&Ms, while highly desirable, really wasn’t a healthy substitute for a bowl of shredded wheat. Our parents were trying to avoid stomach aches, cavities, diabetes, and a whole host of other ailments that come with overindulgence of certain foods. Now we’re in the driver’s seat! Those of us who’ve been blessed to be bunny parents need to be just as vigilant.

Our rabbits crave “junk food” just as much as we do. But they have complex digestive systems. Their guts are designed to handle hay, grass, and greens, and not much else. Where’s the fun in a plate of lettuce? If you want to witness a pure expression of bunny bliss, slip your rabbit a treat. But what’s safe, and how much is too much?

We’ve all seen those commercial rabbit treats in the pet section. Yogurt drops, corn puffs, seed’n’nut snack sticks…sure, your bun will go nuts if you bring those home, but it’s some of the worst stuff you can feed him. The first rule of thumb is stick to unprocessed, preservative-free foods. Take a pass on the “nutty donuts”, and offer a handful of dried willow leaves or apple branches. Instead of “fruity biscuits”, try a small chunk of a fresh apple, pear, or banana.

The key word here is SMALL. A thumbnail size piece is plenty. The House Rabbit Society recommends no more than a tablespoonful per day of anything that doesn’t fall into the hay/grass/greens category. (Sticks and leaves fall under “grass”.) If you see any changes in the quality or quantity of your pet’s poop, cut back. There are a few rabbits out there who can’t tolerate any sugar at all.

But we’ll let you in on a secret. Just about anything will pass for a treat, if you ACT like it’s a treat. Pick something perfectly wholesome, like a sprig of cilantro or leaf of kale. (Choose something that he doesn’t get every day.) Use your best Bunny Voice, praise him, let him see how excited you are…and watch him rip that produce out of your hand like he hasn’t eaten in a week!

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

The perfect pumpkin! Is there anything we can’t do with it? We like to decorate with it, the kids want to carve it, the deer can’t wait until November 1 when they’ll get a tasty snack. But let’s not overlook what might be the most important consumer of all–our rabbits!

Veterinarians have long advised bunny parents to keep a supply of plain pumpkin handy (not pumpkin pie mix!). High in fiber and essential vitamins, pumpkin is one of those foods that can often tempt an ailing or finicky rabbit. It’s good for buns with dental issues and those who struggle with maintaining weight. Canned pumpkin is most convenient, but fresh is equally safe.

Even healthy rabbits enjoy a small serving of pumpkin now and then. While you’re carving your jack-o-lantern, harvest an inch or so of the flesh for your bunny. It’s okay to leave the skin on, although most rabbits regard that part like kindergarteners do the crusts on their sandwiches. The true joy is in the soft, tender “meat”.

Planning to roast up the pumpkin seeds for a snack? Set aside a few for your rabbit friend. You’ll want to dry roast his portion (no oil or salt please) by heating in a warm oven for three or four hours. It’s also safe to feed them to him raw, as long as they’re clean. Pumpkin seeds are proving quite valuable for urinary health in both humans and rabbits, so if you’ve got a bunny with sludge issues or recurring UTIs, your vet may recommend a small serving each day.

Don’t forget, it wouldn’t be Halloween without a treat! While you’re munching on the leftover Snickers bars and popcorn balls, let your rabbit join in on the fun. Here’s an easy recipe for pumpkin cookies that’s strictly for him. One to three per day, please, depending on the size!

Boo-tiful Bunny Bites

Mix together:

3 tbsp pumpkin puree (no added spices please)

1/3 cup rolled oats

4 tbsp dried apples

3 tbsp water

1/2 cup flour

Adjust water if needed until consistency is like cookie dough. Scoop out teaspoon-sized portions and place on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Thicker bites may take more time, thinner may need less. Let cool before serving. Store in air-tight container.

Boo Bunnies

What are you planning to do this Halloween? Grab a quick dinner and greet the kids trick-or-treating on your doorstep? Pick up your buddies and head for the haunted corn maze? Dress up like a pirate and hit the dance floor at your favorite club? If you’re like many of us, the answer is probably, “It depends!”

Depends on the weather. On whether or not you’ve had time to scrounge up a costume or remembered to stock up on sufficient amounts of candy. On your energy level after a long day at work! Let’s face it—sometimes it’s all we can manage to just slip off our shoes and collapse on the couch. And those of us with furkids might prefer to spend a chilly fall evening at home with our buns.

We always say bunnies make everything better, and Halloween is no exception. If you choose to celebrate at home, we’ve got just the ticket. Pop some corn and pour the spiced cider, then curl up with some horrifying, hair-raising hares!

Night of the Lepus

Sure, there’s death and destruction all around in this relic from the ‘70s. But the truly frightening part about this movie isn’t the gigantic bloodthirsty rabbits that terrorize a sleepy country town. It’s what passed for special effects in the olden days before CGI. Think catsup blood and creative camera work. Can’t actually produce a horde of twenty foot tall rabbits? Shoot a room full of normal ones hopping around a miniature cardboard village. And market the movie as a drama, not a comedy.

Curse of the Were-Rabbit

These laughs are intentional! Wallace and his plucky pooch Grommit strive mightily to protect their neighborhood from fuzzy four-legged foragers that threaten the annual vegetable festival. But how are they supposed to outwit an enormous, ravenous, destructo-rabbit? Can they corral the colossal creature before he devours the entire crop? And keep him safe from trigger-happy vigilante Victor?

Bunnicula

This gem of a book is a wonderful way to help those sugar-soaked kids unwind before bed. Chester the cat considers it his sworn honor to protect his human family. But when foundling rabbit Bunnicula arrives, Chester’s hackles instantly rise. What to make a of a black and white bunny with fangs, who wears a cape, and leaves a trail of pale, juiceless veggies in his wake? Can Chester expose Bunnicula as a vampire bunny? Or will Bunnicula have the last laugh?