Bunnies In The Backseat

I am going to try harder to be a better bunny blogger. We will see. I am launching a mommyhood blog as well, so as usualy, bunnies take the back seat. Mommyhood? Oh yes, for those of you who don't know, I am with child. When I called one breeder friend with the news she asked when I was due, which is the end of October. I hadn't thought about it, but that's dangerously close to the 2009 ARBA Convention! Damn.

So convention is here in MY state and chances are I will be popping out a baby instead of attending. However, my Netherlands will be there with or without me. I have some stunning Himi's coming up and I look forward to seeing how they do... well, at least hearing how they do.

A Diversity of Possibilities

va·ri·e·ty: n. diverseness: noticeable heterogeneity; a difference that is usually pleasant; a diversity of possibilities.

A diversity of possibilities. That's my favorite. When I walk through my barns, that's the definition that makes my heart swell with pride. My agoutis... my little lynx, lilac chin, choc agouti bunnies looking up at me, my hopes in them and their futures on the tables. My widebands, the oranges, fawns and creams hopping in and out of their boxes, bouncing about oblivious to the great plans I have for them, and what great successes they already are. The pure little self bunnies: chocolates, lilacs, blues, whites--my clean slates. The steels, the shimmering beauties that glisten bright in their stackers, silvers and golds... like treasure. My smokey shadeds, and siamese bunnies... like exotic little cats. And of course our newest residents, our pointed whites, my favorite of them all.

Yes, Georgia and I now work in every group, and have housed almost every variety. I have often struggled with whether it was immature of us to care so much for color, to bother with the weak, underdeveloped varieties. It does, after all, hold us back on the tables, and for the number of animals we have and the breeding power we have, we should be topping the charts.

But we aren't, though we are watching our little projects place higher and higher. It's a slow journey but so rewarding! I just love that we represent every group. I feel like as along as SOMEONE is doing this, none of these varieties will be lost, and maybe we can raise the bar on "odd ball" colors. And I'm so happy that I'm not alone in this. That there are other breeders that share my vision.

There's my warm and fuzzy message of the day, my little celebration of variety :)

Ciao!

Cori Lynn Gentry
Buckskin Bunny Cooperative Rabbitry
Where Quality Comes in Color
Established 1996

Bunny Money

My bunny partner, Georgia, is great at finding ways to help pay for our bunny addiction. Anyone who catches the rabbit habit soon realizes that it's not a profitable business if you are counting on profits from kits to survive. My herd has me somewhere just under $800 in the hole, not too bad considering how much I've been showing... but surprisingly, it's not my stock sales steadily digging us out, listen to these great ideas!

Photo Shoots
Many photographers go out and have to buy baby bunnies for their yearly Easter photo shoots. Three years ago I started offering a rent-a-bunny service, which is great because not only do I get paid for supplying babies ($5 per a day per a bunny, I typically rake in $60-100 per photo shoot, which is usually 3 days-1 week) but the children often fall in love with the bunnies and I am able to sell the whole lot of 'em (I sell babies for $45 ea.) after shoots are done! It's excellent advertisement! Just send your cards and some fliers to some local photographers... I have 3 that hire my yearly, and I got one more this year. Note that I have parents fill out a contract agreeing if for any reason they can't keep the bunny it is returned to me, to ensure impulse buyers don't send their babies to shelters.

Bunny Petting Zoos
A great idea that Georgia had (picture above taken by her)! For $25 per an hour, you bring a few babies, friendly adults (we each have a couple leash and harness trained), and if you have a variety of breeds, different examples of size and fur type... and the kids (with lots of adult supervision) get to gently pet the bunnies, see how to properly handle them and enjoy their gentle personality. Once again, great advertisement for sell pets.

Classroom Education Days
I have done this a few times and it is a lot of fun! I have gone to kindergarden classes to high school science classes (I brought a doe that had recently died during child birth and we disected it). Young children are great because you get to talk about being gentle and "bunny talk" or ways to learn what your bunny is saying. High school lessons coincide with genetics in biology class. I charge $25 an hour (usually just one hour plus travel) for this too.

Bunny Boarding
WE know how careful you need to be with bunnies during the summer months, but not all pet owners do. Offering bunny boarding, especially durring the summer months, gives pet owners a very safe option when finding care for their rabbit when they go on vacation. Very easy money and you are providing a valuable service!

Cori Lynn Gentry

Buckskin Bunny Cooperative Rabbitry

Where Quality Comes in Color

Established 1996

Wilting Violet

Violet

I noticed on Tuesday that my favorite buck, my registered grand champion broken lilac, Violet, was huddled in the corner of his cage. This buck has been a bitter sweet member of our herd... a killer on the tables, but not with the ladies... he has not produced a kit for us in a year and he isn't very old, and we don't have anything from his early litters... so we are really praying for something. Anyhow, Violet gets lots of extra attention, getting various supplements to hopefully increase his fertility... so I noticed immediately when he didn't eat and didn't greet me as he always did. I picked him up and flipped him over to look at his teeth... maybe he hurt himself... knowing I may be about to see something upsetting I leaned against the table in my barn... I often faint at the sight of blood.

I flipped him and to my horror, Violet's entire genital area was covered in dark gloppy blood... I set him down to collect myself. I've had 2 bucks get their penises bit off or almost off by does (poor guys) but I've never seen anything like this. I grabbed some paper towels and warm water and geared up for an investigation. Its been 2 days and I still don't know what to make of it. There is no wound, it seems as if the thick bloody substance is coming from his bowels... not urine. It resembles a bloody version of jelly gut.

So I don't know what to do. I'm treating him like he has jelly gut, and he doesn't seem particularly uncomfortable. Any suggestions?

Cori Lynn Gentry

Buckskin Bunny Cooperative Rabbitry

Where Quality Comes in Color

Established 1996

When It Rains...

The fan's hum and the heavy August air only deepens my trance as I pray for rain. I'm standing over my first litter in 5 months. Finally, a sprinkle, something, maybe my luck is changing. Maybe the skies will open up and finally I will once again spend hours in my barn recording breeding and litter records to the rhythem of babies munching their hay. But nothing... nothing for weeks, nothing for months... for no feasible reason. I call my Concord partner Georgia whom I co-own all stock with. Nothing.

Whether it be the weather, fate, or my clumsy rain dances... get out the umbrellas folks cause it's raining babies! I can't believe it, really. Between Georgia and I, we have over 40 kits in the box... with 8 more positively palpated does due within the next 2 weeks. That doesn't count my Netherlands or Georgia's Angoras and Hotots.

When it rains... it pours. Colorfully too. Creams, blues, fawns, smoke pearls, chins, chocolates, frosties, opals, squirrels, rews, sables, chestnuts, steels... I guess it's spring.

Cori Lynn Gentry
Buckskin Bunny Cooperative Rabbitry
Where Quality Comes In Color
Established 1996