Puppy Dog Tales - January 2016

The Adventures of Beatrix Potter

This month, Daisy Mae (our columnist and registered seizure-alert dog) introduces neighbor rabbit Beatrix Potter, a "house rabbit." 

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Shawn told me that she believes this is a designer bunny, maybe part Lionhead or Angora or even Rex or Mini Rex. 

It was a few days before Mother’s Day when a small black rabbit appeared in our Cedar Point neighborhood.  She had a tuft of hair on her head and did not look like a wild bunny. We figured she had been turned loose or had escaped.

Neighbors fed her but were worried about predators so when the rabbit was caught calls were made and longtime bunny aficionados Shawn and Woody Prychitko agreed to give the little girl a home.

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Beatrix chatting up another neighborhood bunny

“She was young when we got her on Mother’s Day and we quickly realized that she was very different from the other 10 rabbits we’ve had. She is very interactive and vocalizes much more than our other rabbits did.”

Rabbits are very social and get bored without companionship. Just picturing one bunny in a hutch in the backyard is a sad thought. Shawn told me that as a solitary female Beatrix needed to imprint on someone, so she now considers Shawn and Woody her fellow rabbits.  Woody is her soulmate and she misses him when she goes to work. She growls, and she has a funny whimper she uses when you pick her up to bring her back inside that says, “I wanna stay outside.”

Beatrix is litter box trained and considers the entire house her warren. When people realized they could litter-train, rabbits became indoor pets. They quickly become integrated into a family's day-to-day activities and add their own special personalities to the mix.

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Ms. Beatrix is fond of hopping from rug to rug, her little furry feet never touching the hard floor. Because rabbits need to dig, it is very important for a house bunny to have time outside — in a safe environment, of course. If that isn't possible, watch out for your furniture and your carpets. 

Ms. Beatrix loves to play, and one of her favorites games is chase. She begs to be chased and to chase. She has a favorite toy. When she gets up in the morning and is let out of her crate she goes for her pink ball which she throws, chases, cuddles and loves on.

If you are considering a bunny for your future think about getting two so they can keep each other company. Having just one like Shawn and Woody do is fine if you take that hour or two a day for bunny time.

If you think a bunny might be a good addition to your family consider checking out the House Rabbit Society, and watch the video below.