The Bunny Basics

moglig · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 22 Location: Tempe, AZ

Sorry for the long post…I wanted to tell my story, though, about how I got introduced into the world of house rabbits =):

Hi! I have two rabbits right now. We live in Tempe, Arizona. The brown one in my avatar is Phoebe and the white one is Stanley. Stanley is Phoebe’s dad. I used to have Phoebe’s mom, Stella, too, but she died about two years ago. Stella had brown spots, so that’s where Phoebe gets her brown coat from.

I’d like to share my story of how I got my rabbits because it wasn’t a simple adoption. About eight years ago while a student at Mesa Community College I noticed two rabbits living on the campus grounds (it was Stanley and Stella). I was very concerned about them, so I tried to catch them, but they just ran away every time anyone got near. Then I started to see baby bunnies everywhere. Uhoh! The babies were easy to catch, and one day one of the campus groundskeepers came around with a box full of babies. All of them where white with beautiful dark spots on their faces, except for one little drab brown one. Random students started taking the bunnies until all that was left was the little brown one. I decided to take her home. I named her Phoebe.

Having this beautiful little ball of vulnerable fluff living with me made me realize how important it was to catch those parents. Otherwise, the parents were just going to keep breeding, creating more little vulnerable fluffs. I first tried to earn Stanley and Stella’s trust by going to campus in the evenings, when it was cool enough for them to venture out of there hiding place. I would bring them food and they even started to get close enough to take food from my hand. But as soon as I made a move to catch them, they would dart away.

Some time later I tried a different strategy and recruited a friend for help. I borrowed a fishing net and put it on the ground in front of me. Soon the rabbits where getting on the net to take food from me. One day my friend and I decided to try to execute the catch. I couldn’t get both of the rabbits on the net at the same time, so I settled for one. Stanley got on the net and whoosh! I pulled the handle of the net up and caught me a bunny!

Unfortunately, Stella was smart, she saw what happened and did not like that net anymore. So, while Stanley was at my parents’ house, neutered and ready for retirement with Stella, Stella was still out by herself at MCC. I think it was summer by then and I couldn’t believe she could survive such heat! After a few weeks I got her used to the net again. One day I was able to pull off the same catch I used to get Stanley, but I made a mistake. She was struggling in the net, so I put my hand under her and she used my hand as a base to jump right out of the net. So frustrating!

She was apparently pregnant or nursing at the time, because I saw another litter of baby rabbits not soon after that. Next, I tried to catch her with a humane trap with no luck. Then, after reading online about people’s success catching rabbits using a flexible fence to surround them, I told my dad about it. My family was getting really interested in my plight at this point and one day my mom, dad, and brother went out with some chicken wire, corned Stella under a soda machine, and were able to catch her by surrounding the soda machine with chicken wire; she had nowhere to run!

So, yeah, that's my story about how I got my rabbits. I'm so happy I still have Stanley and Phoebe with me. They bring so much joy to my life and am forever a rabbit person now =).

TheBunnyBasics · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 10:12 pm Post subject:

What a wonderful story! Thank you for having such a huge heart and caring about those bunnies. They were so lucky to have you come into their lives. So many people just look the other way but you took the time and had the patience and fortitude to ensure those bunnies didn't meet a terrible fate as so many rabbits who are dumped do.

I am very sorry about Stella. I am sure she had a life filled with love because of you and your family.

We are very happy to have you in the ranks of rabbit people! They are truly wonderful creatures who need more people like you! Thank you for sharing such a heartwarming story.

buns2008 · Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 71 Location: Fort Worth, TX

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for saving those bunnies!!!!! What a great story! Very Happy

peyton716 · Joined: 21 Mar 2008 Posts: 73

What a special person you are. Bunnies are lucky to have someone like you in their corner! Thank you so much for sharing the story of how you came to add your bunnies to your family. It is very inspiring!

Bun&Dogmom · Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 72

You're the coolest peep ever!!! Thank you sooooo much for caring enough to go above and beyond to help these poor defenseless (and extraordinary) creatures! We're so happy you've found The Bunny Basics and we hope to get to know you. Smile

Hooray for the bunny people of the world!! Hooray!!!

Belle, Zeus, Taz, Baby (at the Bridge) and mom

moglig · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 22 Location: Tempe, AZ

Aww, thanks everyone Very Happy