A belated Christmas/New Year's post

So it seems that all my recent posts come with an appolgy for lack of activity... so sorry... again.

I hope this post makes up for it. I thought I would share a little project I had been working on as a Christmas present to my grandparents and Regina (who still goes by Roger).

I made them a custom bunny condo. This was the first I have ever made so, it isn't perfect, but I'm proud nonetheless. Building a condo can be pricy (although not as much as some larger store-bought
cages) but it helped that many of the supplies I already had: plywood (which was left over from previous project and may have even originated from a dumpster), zip ties, power tools, screws, brackets and 1X1 wood strips. I used linoleum for the 1st floor and carpet squares for the second and for the ramp. I got these from Habitat for Humanity Restore, which like the thrift store for home improvement supplies. The only things I had to purchase full price were some additional brackets, wheels (so that my grandparents can move the condo easily) and spray adhesive for the linoleum. I scavenged some grids from Umbra's condo (since she doesn't stay in it) and purchased some more from Sears which happened to be on sale. I should mention that I had originally bought grids at target, but returned them on account that the spaces were too wide.

 

I made the condo 2 by 3 grids (I believe each grid is about 24 inches long). You may notice from the image about that I miscalculated  the length of the sides: they should have been a little bit longer so that they over lapped. For this reason I used brackets for added stability.

Wheels allow the condo to be moved with ease.

Unfortunately, at this point I began to slack off on documenting my process so the next image will be the finished product.

Regina/Roger investigate her new digs.

Ave you can see that I created a private room for Regina to hide in. The ramp was made by cutting down some closet shelving which we were not using. I zip-tied a strip of carpet to it for better traction. The second floor sits atop two 1x1 wood strips. Not visible in the photo, the strips have notches are cut into the underside at each end so that they sit snugly over the grid wires.

Although Regina seemed wary of the new cage (she is a shy bunny), my grandparents liked it, although they were shocked at its size. I do have a feeling however, that like Umbra, Regina will not end up being confined in the new condo. She spends most of her time having free run of a spare bedroom. A screen allows her to see what is going on in the house. She does like to climb up on a bookcase in the room where she likes to sample some literature.

After the final assembly Regina retired to her favorite corner and remained in bun-loaf mode the remainder of our visit. She was tired of all the hustle and bustle, and even refused treats from my grandma, which is just as well because she certainly has not lost any weight despite having more room for exercise.

Frustration!

So shortly after Umbra came into my life, a family at my church also got a rabbit identical to Umbra (except that it is a male). My mom often does odd jobs for them, including pet sitting (they have several cats and a dog and often a rotation of other pets.. I have no idea what happens to them), so I went along. I noticed the rabbit was not being kept in the ideal conditions. He was housed in a wire bottom crate (much to small) with nothing to rest in except the litter box, had very few toys and although they had bought hay (which is great! most people don't realized how important it is), there was not any in the cage. I left them a friendly note giving them a few pointers and advising them to get the little guy neutered before too long (or face the consequences.. and the mess).

This was about a year ago.

Yesterday, I returned to help my mom clean up leaves. On the pretense of needing hydration, I entered the house to check up on Umbra's doppelganger, and was instantly disappointed: they had not followed any of my advise. There was no hay in the cage, not a single toy and no clean hard surface for the little guy to rest his feet on. He was so excited when I deposited a pile of hay into his crate and instantly began eating. Last time I had places some toys in the enclosure, but now there were none to be found. And the only thing I could find to provide a more comfortable resting surface was some old newspapers. He acted a little teritorial when I reached in the cage, I suspect he is still "intact", but as I stroked his forehead he calmed down quickly and seems to have a good disposition. Unfortunately, I did not inspect his feet, but as even Umbra has problems with hers even living on carpet, I wouldn't be surprised if they were in poor condition. 

I realize that I may seem pushy if I confront them; people don't like being told how to take care of their animals. However, it breaks my heart to see him living such a way. Plus, this rabbit was purchased for the enjoyment of the family's children, and having gone through the untimely and rather gruesome death of my childhood rabbits, I would hate to see those children's hearts broken. It is not their fault that they are not familiar with proper rabbit care, and I do not blame the parents entirely either, although I had hinted them previously. I understand that it is frustrating for parents to be left with the responsibility of taking care of animals neglected by the children who begged so persistently to have them. Nonetheless, if someone offers you advice and you ignore it out of your own convenience, why did you buy the animal in the first place. As the adult, it is your responsibility to at least make sure the children care for the animal, if not do it yourself (which you should expect, they are children after all). Think of the example you are setting for your children as well: you can have anything you have the passing whim for, with no consequences, and second responsibilities are not mandatory. When you bring an animal into your life, you have entered a contract, although not always written or even spoken, that you give that animal the utmost care and attention so that it lives a happy and as long of a life as should be expected for its species.

So despite the awkwardness of confronting someone, and the risk of appearing like an animal-loving freak, I will being printing out all the information I can get from HRS and giving it to the family this Sunday as well as making the serious offer to take the rabbit into my care if they decide it is "too much of a hassle". It is not crazy to want animals to be treated humanely and with compassion. It is crazy to neglect and abuse them. We are human beings, with our capabilities, we must also adhere to our responsibilities. This is the mark of a higher species. Live up to it.

Another Great Site

Came across the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund's website today. It has great education resources, including articles, videos and posters. RWAF's main goal is to educate rabbit owners on why "a hutch is not enough". Point anyone you know who is thinking of bringing a bun into their home this way, the rabbits and humans will both appreciate it.