Lovely Lucky Pet: Easter

Showing posts with label Easter. Show all posts

Happy Easter from Kelly

Look! The Easter Bunny is here!

"Mom, I'm losing the ears. And can you do something about these bunny slippers?"

Happy Easter everyone! from me and Kelly.

5 Things To Know Before Buying an Easter Bunny

When I was young, I loved my pet rabbits Tibbar (Rabbit spelled backwards) and El Ear-o (Don’t ask me how I came up with that one!) They were so cute with their long ears and twitchy noses. But is getting an Easter bunny for your children this holiday really a good idea? Here are a few things to consider before you make the big decision:

1. Do you have enough space?
A rabbits needs a fairly large hutch or pen. Look around your house and see if you have a good location. Rabbits can live outside, but they need shelter to keep them out of the elements, such as sun, wind, rain and snow. The House Rabbit Society recommends keeping your rabbit inside, where it can be part of the family’s daily activities.

2. Do you have enough time?
Rabbits may not require as much attention as a dog or cat. But you’ll need time to feed and care for the rabbit, including daily play time. Will your children remain enthusiastic…or lose interest after a few weeks?

3. Are your children old enough?
Rabbits are curious and affectionate pets. But they also may be timid and skittish. They don’t always like to be held. Children should be old enough to hold the rabbit gently, and not to squeeze if the rabbit tries to get away. If pulled and prodded, a rabbit might scratch.

4. Who will do the work?
We all know the old scenario--your kids beg for a pet, then you do all the work. Will someone in the family be committed to cleaning the pen? It’s a yucky job, but someone still has to hop to it!

5. Is now the right time?
Do your children get overexcited at Easter? Will everyone from Grampa Joe to Aunt Betsy be visiting? If there’s a lot going on, consider waiting to add a rabbit to your family. Then everyone will be ready for the new responsibility.

Rabbits can make great pets. If you choose to wait, give your child a plush bunny for Easter. Then check with local shelters and rabbit breeders after. Happy Easter!

(Originally posted on Guideposts.com, March 2009)

Happy Easter!

from Flickr, by Bakerella

(via Bakerella)

Peep Show

The Washington Post has held a Peeps Diorama Contest for two years now.

Here is my favorite entry from the first-ever Sunday Source Peeps Diorama Contest, held in 2007.

And my favorite entry from Peeps Show II, held in 2008.

(via)

Choose Chocolate, Not Fur: A Rabbit Reality Check

As Easter approaches, hearts and minds naturally turn toward springtime and all that it entails. During this enchanting season, many of us feel the impulse to give colorful Easter baskets brimming with surprises for children. Too often, one such “surprise” is a velvet-eared, live baby bunny, adorably nestled among green plastic grass and pastel chocolate eggs. While it is often tempting to give those cuddly little creatures as pets at Easter, Marie Mead cautions that people must educate themselves about the nature and needs of rabbits before taking the bunny plunge.

“Rabbits are very misunderstood animals,” says Marie Mead, creator of celebratingrabbits.com and author of the upcoming book Rabbits: Gentle Hearts, Valiant Spirits—Inspirational Stories of Rescue, Triumph, and Joy (Nova Maris Press, Spring 2007, $18.95). “They are extremely sensitive, intuitive, and gentle creatures who require extensive attention and mature guardianship—something many people don’t realize when they purchase a baby bunny. It’s a very sad fact that most rabbits don’t even enjoy a year of happiness with their new caretakers. Instead of living out their normal lifespan¬¬––eight to 12 years––they often die within the first year of life.

“Many rabbits are injured or become ill due to improper handling and care and, as a result, either die painful deaths or are euthanized,” says Mead. “Discarded bunnies overrun the animal shelters after Easter, resulting in many rabbits being euthanized due to space constraints and other factors.