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| Mark Your Calendar!
2009 Dinner & Auction - September 19th, 2:30pm
 The Rusty Pelican Cafe in Seattle has once again offered to host our annual Dinner & Silent Auction, and we're so excited!
Last year we auctioned a winery tour, first base Mariner tickets, a whale watching outing, a pearl necklace, a bowling party at Lucky Strike Lanes, a billiards party at Jillian's, ski tickets for Crystal, Columbia Crest Estate wine, gift certificates to several restaurants and local events, and much more. We hope to have just as many wonderful items as last year. Please let us know if you can help by donating an item for auction!
Tickets are $35 each and may be purchased through Paypal or by sending a check to Rabbit Haven at the address below.
This is our largest fund-raising event and we hope you will attend.
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| Don't Overheat This Summer
How do I keep my rabbit cool?
ˇ Make sure your bunny is out of the sun.
ˇ Set up a circulating fan that will breeze past your rabbit without blowing directly on him all day and bunny-proof the cord!
ˇ Place a ceramic tile with the rabbit. The tile stays cool for them to lie on.
ˇ Place a few ice cubes in their water crock so the water is tempting and they can also lie against the cool crock.
ˇ Mist the rabbit's ears. Rabbits dissipate heat through their ears and misting them will help keep the rabbit cool.
ˇ Brush out excessive fur. If you have a long haired rabbit, consider cropping your bunny's coat for the summer months.
ˇ Fill 1 or 2 liter soda bottles with water and freeze them. Put the frozen water bottle in Bun's cage so he can lean against it to keep cool.
ˇ Be sure Bun is getting his fair share of veggies to help keep him hydrated.
ˇ Be especially watchful of rabbits over 5 years old or ones who are overweight or incapacitated. These rabbits tend to be more sedentary and may not get up to drink water if they are too hot.
If you suspect your rabbit is suffering heat stroke, DO NOT submerge him in cold water. This could place the rabbit in shock.
Dampen his ears and body with cool water.
GET HIM TO YOUR VETERINARIAN OR EMERGENCY CLINIC IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT WAIT!
As the weather warms, fly strike can kill a healthy animal who has temporary loose stools, but at particular risk are aging, disabled, long-haired or overweight rabbits who are not able to clean themselves. Within 24 hours, rabbits can enter a terminal state of shock due to maggot infestation. The chances are greater if the rabbit is outside, but it only takes one fly indoors to do the damage. Maintaining a watchful eye and keeping your bunny dry and are the most critical preventive steps.
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Incoming Rabbits
 Chocolate - An older guy at 8 years, this little Dutchie is happiest when he's being held.
Skipper & Clover - These small packages are major cuties and full of energy.
 Dijon - He is a beautiful and very friendly rex who is working on his litterbox habits.
 Duncan - Rescued by a very kind woman who paid the vet bills to take care of his teeth and eye infection. He loves attention!
Edmond & Truffles - Edmond is an American Fuzzy, he is two years old, very friendly. Truffle is a Lionhead mix, she is about 9 month old and likes to be petted. They are working on their litter habits.
 Jasper - This sweet little lop came from a breeder that didn't want him because he had teeth problems. His front teeth had to be removed and he's feeling much better.
 Roo - This little EC+ girl recently lost her mate. Once she finishes her treatment, she'll be available to meet an EC+ male bunny. She's very friendly and loves being petted.
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Adopted Bunnies
These lucky bunnies went to their forever homes.
 Mickey
 Sandrine
 Cyrus
 Ziggy
 BeBe
 Ewok
 Blackberry & Clyde
Beatrix, Tucker & Turner | |
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Fireworks Are No Blast for Pets
This fourth of July, please keep your rabbit friends indoors where they are safe from disturbing loud noises, mosquitoes and dangerous foods. Loud noises are especially scarry for rabbits, who can die from fright. Keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home. Close the windows and doors of your home to prevent the loud sounds of fireworks from harming your bunny's ears! Remember their hearing is much more sensitive than ours.
Be prepared if your rabbit is frightened - gently hold him and comfort him until the noise is over. Turning on gentle music can help calm him and provides a constant pleasant sound.
Keep your pets on their normal diet during the holiday. Any change, even for one meal, can cause digestive problems. (Always have simethicone on hand for a tight bunny tummy).
Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Both are extremely toxic if ingested.
Protect your bunny from mosquitoes to avoid fatal mosquito borne diseases.
Make this a safe and happy celebration for everyone! |
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| Bladder Sludge |
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Is your bunny getting too much calcium? Too much calcium, not drinking enough water, and not getting enough exercise can result in bladder sludge.
Bladder sludge (also called hypercalcinuria or hypercalciuria) is a thickening of the urine with calcium salts that never form into stones but does not flow as normal, liquid urine should. It is the consistency of chalk or fine sand, and is a white to gray color. Very thick sludge can have the consistency of toothpaste and when felt, can be smooth to gritty in texture. Sludge can form in the kidneys or ureters, but most sludge is noted in the bladder, and is suspected to have formed there.
Read more about diagnosing and treating sludge in rabbits.
Alfalfa hay is extremely high in calcium and should be replaced with lower cal-cium hays such as timothy or oat hay. Fruits are low in calcium but high in sugar and should make up a very small part of the diet. Root vegetables such as carrots and radishes are low in calcium. Most greens are comparatively high in calcium but they are also a very important component of a healthy rabbit diet and should not be eliminated. Broccoli flowers and stem, cilantro, dark leaf lettuce, watercress, Brussels sprouts, celery leaves, cabbage, and endive are good choices when trying to reduce dietary calcium. Turnip greens, broccoli leaves, mustard greens, kale, and collards greens should be restricted or eliminated depending on the severity of the problem.
Bon appétit!
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Barn Sale Raises $1,600!
Thank you to everyone who donated items for our Barn Sale last month, where $1,604.00 was raised for the bunnies.
With many things going for less than a dollar each, that's a lot of items being sold - all of which were donated!
We collect items all year so if you're cleaning out your closet this summer, please consider donating to Rabbit Haven. |
About Rabbit Haven
We are a non-profit shelter and sanctuary dedicated to the care of unwanted and mistreated rabbits ... until they all have homes.
The barn is in Gig Harbor with an annex in Carnation, WA.
PO Box 2268
Gig Harbor, Washington 98335
Rabbit Haven
206-351-2637
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