Bunnies... hats...

Yes.. Strawberry Shortcake hats fit on bunnies so perfectly! This is little Chiyo, whom loves the little hat very much! Chiyo is a 6 month old little doe that I love to pieces. Isn't she darling?

Aneko here though, is not happy about hats...she just wasn't very happy about the entire ordeal. It's okay though, she's still very cute and was very kind to put up with this. Aneko is a five month old little and really is turning into a stunning little doe as well.

Sometimes ungreat events lead to great results

It has been a long time since I have actually been able to update, and you can probably thank the cold weather for that right now. I have a nerve disease that leads to my circulation being very bad when it is not about 85 degrees outside. Couple that with the dampness, and I'm pretty much stunk inside, outside of my barn chores. I can not even ride a horse even. I went out this morning, in a hat, gloves, long socks, jeans and coat. It's really quite funny, I would enjoy laughing at myself over it, except I remember the fact that four years ago I loved the winter and cold weather.

Although this isn't really a post about my health, I thought I might mention it a bit. One of my greatest reasons for breeding my bunnies for fantastic personalities, is because of my physical condition. I was in a life threatening accident three and a half years ago. I was in a trauma unit for weeks. I results in cracking my skull, braking five vertibrae and many many other issues (a bonus also being I severed all the nerves in my left ear, not only can I not hear out of it, I have constant ringing..like when you go to a concert your ears hurt and ring..mine doesn't go away though). My basic point is that a lot can happen to someone. I had a very long recovery and my doctors tell me I won't know the extremes of my injuries for another five to six years yet.

While I was recovering (I could not walk or move much for several months), it about the time I realized how much I needed to cuddle and love my bunnies. And although at the time, I already had been breeding for good temperaments, this is when I started to really want and have a goal towards producing super house bunnies. The bunnies were a huge part of my recovery. I always had a bunny with me on my bed. They slept and cuddled with me. It was fantastic!

When I was in highschool I would take naps after school on my bed and my lovely little ruby eyed white Holland doe, named Kissakei, would sleep next to me. I wanted to return to that. I had gotten so hyped about six years ago about breeding for color and show type that I lost a better goal of breeding for a loving animal as well.

I always kept a good eye on personality in my bunnies and refused to breed overly hyper or territorial bunnies but I've since just been fine tuning things even more. And I'm so very happy to have gotten as far as I have. In fact, it is a huge part of why I have such trouble letting my babies go. ^___^

I think it is fantastic, but there are some downsides. I've relapsed and been in the hospital several times since my accident and my bunnies, although cared for and all at home, do not get much attention when I'm not here or able to be with them. I've since been a-okay for over a year now, but it is a little scary knowing my brain might just pull a fast one on me. I also have to me careful to not hit my head, since even small bumps can cause issues. In fact if I hit it hard enough I may not wake up the next time...which may be a problem. hehe.

I just wanted to write a little bit about me, so whomever reading this can understand why I've become so worried with personality and why in the past on my own blog I really posted about how upset I was about people just breeding for the sake of breeding and not having good goals for the breed. These little bunnies helped me to heal and stay sane, to which I really owe them so much more and I really want other people to feel how important and how loved these little bunnies should be.

Personality is just one part of course, I still am breeding strongly for beautiful show quality animals, with lots of cuteness of course too! You will see however, that I am not what many people call a "color" breeder. Color happens here mostly by default, if at all. Bunny color genetics are easy (I'm happy to answer any questions one may have). I've probably had every colored Holland lop in the last 15 years and I'm just not interested in color, since I do not believe the color makes the bunny. The mind and type do. :)

Picking rocks

I've been temping to create just a single farm blog, as most of my daily life seems to involve something more to do with farming at this time. But we'll see, for the most part things are smooth sailing here. Last Sunday, my Dell laptop, with everything I had on it, kicked the bucket. It was a birthday gift from my brother three years ago, but it's untimely death was not terribly welcome. Because I'm become so completely dependent on a computer I was in bad shape. Not only had I lost all my files, but I lost my emails and all contacts, which was hard. I know I had several bunny replies to send and follow up on, and I've been trying to find them all but I'm having trouble of course.

Anyhow, a bright light to everything was I found a new computer. Walmart (of all places) had a decent Toshiba laptop on sale, that very Sunday. Each store was given a handful or two to sell as a promotional event, and my local Walmart (Ware) I guess had no one interested in them that morning. So at 7pm, I made the goofy drive to the store and purchased it. It's nothing fancy, no major bells or whistles but I just need something that works for email, web and website silliness. So hooray!

Bunnies are currently doing quite well. We had a lot of storms this past week so no bunnies went outside in puppy pens to munch on fresh grass and get a good romp, but they are pretty happy I think. Yesterday I sold some of my very beloved bunnies to a friend breeder, it was really hard to see them leave and it's hard to be in the rabbitry and realize they are not there, but I know that once I sort out some larger animal time commitments, that I'll be able to devote more time to bunnies. Right now, I just can't devote enough love and time to everyone and it makes me feel bad. I love petting and playing with them and just hanging out watching them, but horses have really taken over. This is the soul reason why I have many bunnies listed for sale, granted they will only be going to very loving homes I approve of.

After the horrible feed issue of last month, I finally have a couple of babies in the rabbitry! Three litters were born this past week, and although their timing is not great, they are beautiful babies and I hope they all grow up happy and healthy! Crossing fingers here. Holland lops are extremely hard to raise sometimes and rabbits in general are just very fragile creatures. Although they have a high mortality rate, mine tend to do pretty good, but I always hope for a little help from some higher power to make sure they thrive and grow up happy. Now its only a handful of babies but it really lifted my spirit none the less.

The feed company is still "looking into" the feed lots and problems. I somewhat feel they are just hoping I forget about it or let it go. I guess I also feel frustrated as other people that had issues with the feed, did nothing. They did not call and report, they just moved on. It makes me wonder if anyone else even bothered to report it, so the company really has little to fuss over with one breeder nipping at their heels once and a while. Quite a bummer, but I'm learning to move on. I plan to rebreed the parents of that beautiful otter buck I lost (see his photo's on a blog post from last month).

I had a bunny I was bunny sitting go home recently. His owner also adopted another bunny as well. I feel stupid over the entire ordeal though. His owner is having some money issue (college students...I feel the pain too!) so I told her it was okay to pay me at a later time for the bunny and also watching her other bunbun while she was away. She also borrowed two carriers for the ride home. I've not heard from her since.... and I'm a little boggled. She was a lovely girl that called me nearly weekly, if not several times a week about her bunbun and other things. She said she'd call me that evening or the day after. I guess I'm just sad. I feel a little taken advantage of as well.

Granted it's not the first time. I've been listing extra horse supplies and collectibles on craigslist recently (and likely ebay soon...yikes) to try and make some of the funding for my horses veterinary bills. I've had people come and try to swindle deals at me and normal under pressure I cower and just agree. Confrontation of any sort is just not my specialty.

On another note, horses are pretty depressing when it comes down to the basics of it. I bought two breeding's last year for two mares (before the economy went into the bucket). One of the mares has been the very ill mare, the other mare refuses to develop a nice follicle and ovulate at all. After several hundreds of dollars on trying to get the mare with a good follicle, we've reach an end point, it's not happening. No matter the medications or anything, just nothing is going quite right. The breeder has said I can move the breeding's to next year, but the costs of doing that alone is another $500. Basically, it means I spent a few thousands dollars and will be expecting no babies next year and no chance of even thinking of making it back. I know horses do not make money, but it is not suppose to get worse and more difficult each year.

To my original title, if I had some powers to create anything right now, it would be a rock eating critter. Something cute with an uncanny taste for granite and slate. Either that or a school bus load of kids whom collect rocks. I spent the better part of the afternoon clearing a 10' x 12' area of rocks. And not just the handful or larger size, the small ones too. Because although the horses (and people) trip over the bigger ones, the small ones get stuck in shoes and hooves.

It's only 4pm and it means my short brake is over, so hi-ho its back to rock moving I go. :)

Massively behind on updates

Oh my gosh things have just been crazy here. It is coming closer to the end of equine breeding season, so things are all in a rumple trying to get a couple of mares fully ready to go and bred AI to a couple of stallions in the southern states. It's a fine balance of trying to catch the mares folicials at the right time and getting the stallions shipment here in time. It's not a quick and easy process in the least.

I'm also facing a scare with a mare with some major gastro upsets. We're started her on an ulcer medication this week, as all her blood panels and physicals have everyone stumped. Everything is normal and well, besides her insides being gassy. And though owning horses is expensive, it becomes particularly more stressful when a few thousand in unplanned veterinary bills pops up on the radar. It's pretty much a fact of life, we love our animals but sometimes extra care and emergencies happen.

Back to the bunny front, things have been alright here, although they could have been perfect. I did have some major issues with a brand of feed I had been using for the last two years. I switched feeds after several bunnies started to not look well, in fact I lost a great deal of youngsters because of the contaminated feed. I have calls into the company and feed samples from the bad batch sent. It's somewhat of a fruitless effort but should be done. Many of these feed mills for different companies process many types of animal feeds in the same machines. If the machines are not cleaned properly between types of feeds, mixes can be made. There is also a chance of inferior or contaminated ingredients being used.

Playing with the rabbits recently has been on the back burner. I've mostly been checking them and giving a few pats before focusing myself back on the horse barn. Its been painful to see the bunnies after having some pass away. I lost the beautiful little otter buck I posted on this blog a few weeks ago. He was one of my pride and joys. I plan to rebreed his parents once everyone is back up to snuff. In some ways, I wish I could have done more to prevent something like this. After raising these rabbits for fifteen years, every three to five years I run into a bad feed lot with the brand I am feeding. It's tough, and the feed companies offer little sympathy. I think they tend to focus on the fact I'm a breeder and not on the fact that I love my animals dearly and this just isn't right. I think it also is related to it being rabbit food and in their eyes, not a extreme investment in the first place.

I know this because recently I opened a bag of my horse feed (completely different company mind you, one that actually only mills equine feed) the bag had some odd looking chunks in it, which ended up being not well ground beat pulp. Not a huge issue but enough that a horse could possible choke or that the amount of water needed to fill the beat pulp could lead a horse to colic/impaction. (When horses are fed beat pulp it is soaked in water, as the pulp absorbs a great deal of water , great stuff, but if it is fed dry you risk making the horse quite ill when the digestive tract slows to a halt without the movement of fluids and the amount of space the swelled beat pulp takes up). Anyhow, the company flat out told me they had a problem with their supplier for beat pulp and have since cut off business with them. They then over nighted me a bag from a different one of their mills. Then also sent my local store two more bags for me to pick up, until they get the supply in the store restocked with non chunky beat pulp feed. They were nice and understood it wasn't just a empty concern. It is possible my tummy upset mare I wrote about above may have her problem due to the possibly chunky beat pulp feed, but we're pretty sure it's not the feed. I was impressed and confident with McCaulley's feeds for their response and actions. The rabbit food company on the other hand, not on my good list. It's a big name in animal feed and plan not to disclose it until I have things settled out with them. However, I can say they have an extreme amount of recalls on all feeds for other animals (from household to farm). So, in the mean time, I've opted for a feed made locally, by actually, some farmers I've met in passing and that are known by my boyfriend. I have been purchasing it from the mill, but feel better knowing where the ingredients are from and where it was made, because if I have any sort of problem I can be at their doorstep too boot. hehe.

On a more important note I suppose, breeding season for bunnies has halted here. With the bad feed, any does I had bred, aborted early (major issue I had with the bad feed). I am waiting to rebreed any bunnies until they have been on the new feed for at least two months. This means no babies until the fall, which is pretty depressing for me. It's better for the bunnies to wait though. I have some really fantastic juniors though, so I'm hoping that something in there will be nice.

Mean while, I'll be needing to go through the herd for downsizing possibilities. Because I keep so many of my litters, I've hit a road block of having, well....too many bunnies. And no it's not impossible to have too many. I feel it's too many when I do not get to spend time and love for each bunny. So a major downsizing will need to come into play. Of course, it couldn't hurt for my veterinary budget either at this point.

Other things keeping me overly busy.... opening a small business of selling gourmet dog treats. I love to bake and love making fabulous little treats for puppies, which have been well approved by many doggies to date. I've also been playing with the idea of making kitty treats and possibly adding bunny treats to the list as well (I've always made them, but perhaps there is a market for them?). In my lack of spare time, I fantasize about learning to crochet. I have the books, the hooks, the yarn....and patterns but no time. Someday...it will happen. Till then, my dream.. is well a dream.

I've also dabbled with painting and drawing once again. I did portraits in college of animals and such, and would like to get back into the idea of doing so. I think with the economy the way it is, that many of my joys and passions are really just not probable, as individuals are not really focusing on the "extras" in life right now. I know, I'm the same. I've become quite a penny pincher in some ways, although I'm going to brake my rule and give myself a treat. I'm going to watch a afternoon showing of Wall-E. It just looks so cute and I don't want to wait for it to come out on DVD right now.

Give your bunnies all a big hug and a kiss on the nose, and horses too. ^__^

Silly blogging

Oh gosh. I've become an addict in my search for replacing my old toys. If you're reading this... please let me know if anyone will part with their older toys. hehe. I lost several of my toys in a move and to our basement flooding when I was younger and have recently been trying to find them at Thrift shops and tag sales, with little to no luck. Although I did score a really cute Strawberry Shortcake juice glass this morning! I just love it! Forgive me though, as my search has limited my website updates and my email replies a little bit as well. I'm just a little over zealous in my search right now and hoping maybe someone will read this that has them.

Of course, I am happy to pay for them or...even trade bunnies! Or other things (I bake gourmet dog treats and make lots of other little things for animals. Heck, I have lots of horse stuff too! Mostly new items, but thats another story. I have a mini tack shop in my house by default from my buying habits the last few years). Anyhow... I guess this is a plea, to hope in finding some older toys. So please forgive me for being so off topic and needy. I think with the current economy and worries I've just been taken in trying to find the nostalgia and innocents of my childhood.

So, I beg anyone that is willing to part with them to please let me know. I'm looking for anything to has to do with these, from dolls, plush, toys, cookware, dishes, books, video...you name it! :)

Late 70's to early 90's toys: Rainbow Brite, My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, Herself the Elf, Rose Petal Place, Charmkins, Care Bears, She-Ra (Princess of Power), Moondreamers and Glo Worms. Maybe even some Holly Hobbie or other 80's characters that are not ringing a bell right now.

90's to 2000's: Cardcaptor, Hamtaro, and Sailormoon.

Long list huh? I know.. I'm asking a lot but I'll cross my fingers. :) Thanks so much and next post will be back to bunnies of course. And to make this bunny related, I had a fantastic new owner take some an adorable little doe yesterday, which really overjoyed me that the little doe went to such a fantastic house bunny home! Hoor-ay for awesome owners!

Never enough... hours that is

Time becomes more and more of a special ..well gift in our life. I can not remember right now the last time I sat down for a meal without rushing through so I could run off to get something done. Worse yet, I mostly eat while on the go. I'm trying my best to slow things down, but my gosh...sometimes things just get really difficult.

Bunnies do however, add lots of stress relief. I smile EVERY day I see my bunnies and kiss them on the nose and cuddle them. I'm hoping that everyone has the same reaction to them. I enjoy hanging out with my little bunnies and just petting them can be enough. Right now, I have a little doe, actually one I just posted for sale, sitting next to me. She's actually snoozing, with her hind feet kicked out and her front legs stretched out with her head between them. I wish my camera was within reach, because it would be a cute photo, but alas, I'll have to leave some cute idea images in your mind for now.

This is one of my up and coming stars, a little black otter buck. I just... love him! His overall balance and type look great already but his personality is just as nice too.

One of the most pleasing parts of my breeding program has been because of my focus on personality. I just love it when I end up with an extremely friendly baby, one that will follow you all over the place and sit on your feet, but as an overall, every single one of my babies has been downright.... fantastic! I'm so happy to have so many friendly and cuddly bunnies. I'm overjoyed when I receive updates from owners or even when I hear people visiting and seeing my bunnies, how they are just amazed at their personalities. My bunnies will sit in laps, be petted, be picked up and ...it makes me giggle a bit now. I've not had any of my bunnies bite me, so I think sometimes when people ask me if they do, or tell me when either a past bunny or their other house bunny nips them, I feel a little odd, as I'm not always sure how to reassure them that not all bunnies are like that. Maybe I should just say their personality is as cute as they are?

I've always felt a lot goes into how a bunny is raised, but genetics seem to be just as important. The old nature vs nurture debate of course. I can understand from a breeders point of view though, I tend to be quite picky about placing bunnies, and yes...I do turn down quite a few people, but above all else, my bunnies are for me. I'm not interested producing top show animals over personality. Personality with the cuteness is just a total added bonus for me. At the end of every day, my bunnies are truly pets. And normally at the end of every day, they get little good night treats and kisses or pats or cuddles...

Bunnies on the mind!

I've been a bad blogger recently, mostly spending my free time surfing other blogs rather than updating my website or posting on my own little blog. Tsk tsk, I know. Baking has taken over my free time, as I've been trying out many vegan ideas. I've also been terribly busy with farm projects and taking care of all the little creatures here. Rabbitry prep for remodeling is underway as well, all materials purchased (phew!) but installation is slow....very slow. Hopefully to be completed in the next few weeks, as I've very excited to start painting.



I have been trying to take all new updated photos, so no worries there. Above is a little tort doe out of Foxfire, my fox colored buck and actually, a doe I have listed as available. Of course, after watching this little cutie grow up, her momma may just have reserved herself a spot here, this doe is beyond cute!!

A new website design is in order I believe, so I've started thinking of new ideas. And of course, with my crazy life and never ending ideas, I have been wanting to start something that I'm hoping to get up under way soon!! Expect the cutest of cute and the yummiest of yummy things....to be available, someday this summer!

Friday afternoon I spent washing and (sneaking into the dishwasher...hehe) floor mats from the bunnies cages. I have EZ cage rest mats in with every bunny, but they need a bi-weekly washing. Which was easy to swing this week, since my mother is in California and the dishwasher is not under a keen eye right now. I also started washing bowls and crocks, but at 11pm last night I just could not do anymore. It helps that I keep a few sets of bowls around, so I can change them often but not wash them all right away.

Keeping a clean rabbitry is more work than really anyone would think. I spend a few hours a day, at least, cleaning, feeding, watering, checking on and loving all the little residents. But I still feel as though I am behind or am lacking in some ways. I think redoing the entire rabbitry will help with that, as it'll be a beautiful, bright and homely area to hang out and spend more relaxing time with all the little ones.