Posts tagged "rabbit"

Hey, rabbit. Hey, rabbit, come here. How come I've never seen you jump? How come I've never seen a bunny jump? Sure, you hop around all the live-long day. How else would you get around with those big ol' hind legs and feets? But hopping and jumping aren't the same thing. I bet you can't jump. I bet you 100 carrots that you can't even jump. I dare you to. I Daily Squee dare you to jump.

Oh! Well. I guess I owe you 100 carrots.

We haven't heard from Teddy the Porcupine since New Year's. We sure hope he's OK. Meanwhile, we've been jonesing for video of people's pets gruffling on snacks. Here's a worthy entry in that category. Look at the size of that beastly bunny! Look at how cute it is being held like a baby! Listen to it adorably smacking its little rabbit mouth on that banana! Can any of you readers translate what the people in the video are saying? We bet it's something along the lines of, "Dang! This rabbit is snackin'!"

In contrast to what Oskar demonstrated earlier, it seems that if you want a pet who will help you trim your holiday tree, go bunny. (Or, at least, go B.B.)

The first roommate I had after college kept a pet rabbit, so I can confirm the truth of this song's sentiment. Bunnies are, without exception, cute as buttons. But they don't do a whole lot. They're not as interactive as dogs or even cats. That's why owners live for these special moments, these bunny-tongue moments. You might go six months without glimpsing a B.T. but when you do, oh, it's like touching the face of God.

Those carrots! Oh my heavens, those carrots were delicious. Obviously, you know how much I love carrots. I'd eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I could. If you'd let me! Ha ha. But you know what? Even the potatoes were utterly fantastic. I'm not necessarily a big fan of potatoes, but the potatoes you made were out of this world. And the radishes! Who knew? It's like, I always forget how much I enjoy radishes, but then you put them in front of me and they're so good that it's stupefying. And let me also say that people tend to underestimate celery. I've been guilty of it myself. But the celery you served up tonight was perfect. It was so crispy and crunchy. Really, the whole meal was absolutely scrumptious. It was a perfect stew. But most of all, thank you, thank you, thank you for not putting me in it.

Whether your kids are screaming for a bunny after watching the movie "Hop" or just getting in the Easter spirit, bunny fever is rampant. Pet stores, feed stores and even some garden-supply shops are filled with rabbits just waiting to land in Easter baskets. But things don't always work out so well once the rabbits come home. According to some estimates, 90 percent of rabbits brought into American homes for the spring holiday will end up euthanized.

Want to keep your new pet from becoming a statistic? Paw Nation checked in with the experts at 3 Bunnies Rabbit Rescue in East Hartford, Conn., to find out what you should consider before you bring home that bunny.

1. Do you have the room?
"People need to realize a rabbit does need room, does need exercise, does need socialization," says Mona Reopel, co-founder of 3 Bunnies. If you can, opt for an X-pen rather than a cage to allow the rabbit substantial space.

2. Are you able and willing to rabbit-proof your home?
Rabbits can be litter trained and allowed to roam around the house like a cat or dog, but it's their natural instinct to chew. Reopel warns that computer cords, TV cables and even table legs are easy pickings for your rabbit.

Cute Pet Name: Alfie

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Age: 6.5 years

Rabbit Breed: Lionhead

Favorite Treat: Fox's Crunch Creams.

Likes: Sleeping, eating.

Dislikes: Being picked up, bathed or disturbed.

Weird Quirk: His ears sit like the hands of a clock.

Fun Fact: Although he is a lionhead, he's missing most of his mane, as his housemate nibbled most of it.

Congratulations to our submitter, downatthezoo. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!

More Cute Pets

Name: Cashew

Location: Portland, Oregon

Age: 6

Breed: Holland Lop

Favorite Toy: A cardboard box.

Favorite Treat: Alfalfa hay.

Likes: Her bonded boy bunny Peanut, jumping on the furniture, giving kisses, eating cardboard and running free in the garden.

Dislikes: Loud and sudden noises.

Fun Fact: She likes to dig, roll, and lay in the pea gravel on our walkway.

Weird Quirk: She and Peanut groom each other at the same time.



Congratulations to our submitter, catlu1 If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!

More Cute Pets

This is a rabbit. We know. We couldn't believe it either. We kept asking him to prove it, but he looked like he might be getting angry. And we suspect we wouldn't like him when he's angry.

Name: Chewy

Age: 9 months

Breed: Dwarf Lionhead

Location: North London, U.K.

Favorite Treat: Parsley

Favorite Toy: Roll of toilet paper.

Likes: His girlfriend Tipsy, jumping around in the garden, and climbing as high as he can get on nearly everything.

Dislikes: Trying new food.

Special Stance: Prefers standing on two paws instead of four.

Congratulations to our submitter, Itchyfeetinlondon. If you'd like to submit your pet, upload your favorite pet photos to our Flickr pool!
More Cute Pets

Rounding up our favorite animal stories, photos, and videos on the Web each week!

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  Slithery Surprise

  A woman finds a three-foot python in her hotel bathroom. This is the story of how it got there. Remember when they just left you chocolates? [via Omaha.com]

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  Dog Runs for Governor

  A dog is running for Governor of Texas. And why not? We've made govs out of wrestlers and action heroes. [via Tonic]

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  Internet Loves Vulcan Cat

  Spock, a cat whose oddly shaped paw looks like the Vulcan greeting from "Star Trek," is gaining great popularity on the Internet. Meow long and prospurr... [via AOL News]

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  Rabbit Whisperer

  Okay, he may not have the charisma of Cesar, but when was the last time you saw Cesar hypnotize a poodle? [via Dailymail.co.uk]

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  Beautiful Bulldog

  The Most Beautiful Bulldog competition is back with a brand-new, beautiful winner. The other bulldogs will just have to settle for adorable. [via AP]

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  Sssstunning Snake

  For those of you who like your beauty contestants a little less furry, a yellow anaconda won the Hiss America pageant. Who owns the snake? A little girl who loves Harry Potter. [via Ledger-Enquirer]

This rabbit doesn't look happy.

We recently wrote about the ASPCA's top 10 pet poisons of 2009. Included on the list were human foods that can make pets sick, including avocados. Little did we know that one little green fruit would inspire such a flurry of comments from people who argue that their dogs love the key guacamole ingredient. So we decided to set the record straight.

According to the ASPCA, the avocado plant contains a substance called persin. "Different species of animals have different toxic reactions to avocados," said Dr. Tina Wismer, the senior director of veterinary outreach and education at the ASPCA. "Animals such as birds can develop respiratory distress, fluid build-up around the heart, and death. Horses, rabbits and goats can develop both mastitis [inflammation of the mammary glands] and cardiac problems. They also get a build-up of fluid under the skin in the face and chest."

"In dogs, cats and ferrets there are no reliable reports of poisoning," she added. "However, dogs commonly ingest the pit and it can get stuck in the digestive tract."

One other thing to keep in mind: different varieties of avocado contain different amounts of persin. So even if your pet rabbit or horse has eaten avocados without a problem in the past, the same might not be true in the future. The common Guatemalan variety seems to be the most worrisome, the ASPCA notes. And avocado leaves contain the most persin, Wismer told Paw Nation.

So what's the verdict? If you have a pet bird, horse, or rodent, absolutely keep it away from the guac. If your dog adores avocados, he can probably keep on enjoying them. Just make sure to keep those pesky pits far out of reach!

Peanut butter and jelly, pencil and paper, animals and kids: Some things just go together. So it's no wonder that many teachers choose a pet for their classroom. Animals have a way of bringing out the best in children. Special needs students connect with them, they draw shy children out of their shells, and they can calm excitable kids.

Which animals make the best classroom pets? Here are some suggestions you may not have considered.

Bearded Dragon
A reptile may not be your first thought for a classroom pet, but perhaps it should be. PetSmart owner Chad Beverly recommends bearded dragons for the classroom because these lizards are docile and don't bite. As reptiles, they also lack the fur that aggravates allergies in some students. Additionally, Beverly says that since bearded dragons are desert reptiles, they require less care than tropical lizards. Fill an aquarium with sand, keep it warm, and your "beardie" will be happy. Plus, Beardies love attention, so a classroom bearded dragon can be an ideal pet choice.

Degu
The success of Disney's film "Ratatouille" has led to a growing interest in rodents. How about choosing a degu as a classroom pet? You'd be forgiven for never having heard of this little creature; he is less known than other rodents such as mice and rats. Degus are furry and relatively small (about six inches, plus another five inches of tail). They are highly social creatures, and children will enjoy watching a pair of them interact. (Indeed, if you do choose a degu, you should buy at least two, as they do better with companions.)

With Christmas nearing, the story of one Missouri woman's pet bunny, as originally reported in USA Today, has been touching hearts nationwide.

As anyone who has worked with homeless animals can attest, the effort the job requires can sometimes feel much greater than the good that comes out of it.

Joy Gioia, who manages the non-profit House Rabbit Society of St. Louis, recently told Paw Nation: "Sometimes it's heartbreaking, many times it's rewarding, and occasionally there are moments of pure gold such as what happened with Ruby Angel."

Here is the story of Ruby Angel.

The House Rabbit Society is a nationwide organization dedicated to rescuing, sheltering, fostering and re-homing abandoned rabbits. With so many rabbits in need, local chapters like the one in the greater St. Louis area usually aren't equipped to accept a rabbit brought in by an individual who simply isn't able or doesn't want to care for the animal. However, the folks in St. Louis recently made an exception for a rabbit named Ruby Angel.

Ruby Angel was named by her owner, an unidentified local woman, who thought the white mark on the rabbit's nose resembled an angel with wings. When employees at the House Rabbit Society of St. Louis heard the woman's story, it became clear that this rabbit was an angel in more than appearance.