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In this issue...
- Basic Bunny Class
- Sepember Hoppy Hour
- Bunny Pig of the Month
- Keeping Your Small Pet Cool This Summer
- Alicia Lost to Myxomatosis
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Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class
Our next class is Sunday September 8. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!
| 1:00 to 2:00 |
- Handling and Husbandry |
| 2:00 to 2:30 |
- Training |
Bring your Rabbit or Guinea Pig. Learn easy handling and care-taking during the first hour, then for the last half hour play training games that are fun for you and your pet!
$5.00 for an individual
$10.00 for a family
Free to BUNS volunteers
All classes are in the Humane Society Education Building, at 5399 Overpass Rd, Goleta, (to the east of the Animal Shelter)
Read More
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Hoppy Hour and Picnic - Sept 22
Now that summer is over, hoppy hour is back on the lawn!
This month's is Sunday September 22 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. So bring your fuzzy friend and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one play with others.
We'll be at the Humane Society Lawn, at 5399 Overpass Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. Admission is $10 per rabbit or guinea pig. All animals must be healthy and rabbits must have been spayed or neutered at least 30 days in advance.
Please join us for an afternoon of fun!
Our registration/waiver form is available online! Print it out before you come to save time at Hoppy Hour and Pignic registration! (If you've filled one out before, note that we've consolidated the Rabbit and Guinea Pig forms) You can download fill out out a form before coming:
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Bunny of the Month
Beverly is a classy little lady with a big personality in a tiny body! She is a discerning bunny who knows what she wants, and will let you know it too! Beverly is looking for a confident, experienced adopter who can appreciate all this lovely Lionhead has to offer.
Want to know who the Guinea Pig of the Month for September is? Visit bunssb.org to find out!
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Tips on Keeping Your Small Pet Cool This Summer
This article is reposted with permission from our good friends at Small Pet Select.
I don’t know about you, but I impatiently waited out all nine months of Colorado’s stubborn winter in eager anticipation of sweet, sweet summer. Sunburn. Mosquitos. Hot leather car seats. Two-shower days. Bring it on. I want all of it. But as much as I worry about keeping my small animals warm all year long, they could take or leave my beloved three months of summer. In fact, overheating can be even more dangerous than catching a chill for small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs.
Small animals can’t keep cool by panting like dogs or sweating like humans. Guinea pigs don’t even have sweat glands! An 80-degree day sounds like heaven to me, but is already too warm for your little one. Add in direct sunlight or high humidity, and you’re looking at a recipe for disaster. Extra fluffy breeds, overweight animals, babies, and seniors are particularly at risk. Here are some tips to keep your small animals cool during the warmer months.
- First things first. If the temp is pushing 80+ degrees, keep your small animals indoors – ideally with the air conditioning running. Save the fresh grass time for dusk.
- Invest in oscillating fans to help with air circulation if the air conditioning isn’t keeping up. If air conditioning isn’t available, you can DIY by blowing a fan over a cold, wet sheet.
- Time for a summer ‘do. My Texel guinea pig’s summer coiffure isn’t as stylish as his winter cut, but it gets the job done.
- Give your small animals some cool ceramic tiles to rest on, if they so choose. You can even freeze them for a few minutes first. Avoid placing in the sun though, as it can produce the opposite effect. I hear bougie buns like marble, too.
- Replace plastic hides with fleece forests, or a damp towel draped over your guinea pig’s cage for shade and shelter.
- Offer moisture-rich treats straight from the fridge like cucumber, celery, and melon. Rinse greens in cool water before feeding to encourage extra water consumption. Avoid feeding frozen veggies, however.
- Refill bowls and bottles with fresh, cool water a few times a day. You can even offer an ice cube or two for your buddy to lick.
- Freeze water bottles, wrap in a towel or old sock, and place in your small animal’s enclosure for him to lay against.
- Rabbits regulate body temperature through their ears. Mist your rabbit’s ears with water, avoiding moisture inside the actual ear canal. The evaporating water can help cool down a toasty bunny.
- Watch for signs of overheating or heatstroke and intervene as soon as possible. These include:
- Reddening of the ears
- Rapid breathing , panting, or open-mouth breathing
- Lethargy or weakness
- Laying on side
- Acting disoriented
- Salivating excessively
- Seizures
Call your vet right away if you notice any of the above symptoms. Do NOT attempt to put your rabbit or guinea pig in a cold bath, as the shock of the sudden temperature change can be fatal.
Enjoy some fun in the sun this summer, but take extra precautions on hot days to keep your small animals safe and cool.
For more information:
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Alicia Lost to Myxomatosis
We mourn the death of former BUNS bunny, Alicia from myxomatosis. Alicia was much loved by the Hysons her family. We are so happy that the last 2 years of Alicia’s life were spent in a safe and loving home.
Alicia’s life was not always easy. First she was in a group of rabbits that were abandoned on a Santa Ynez Valley ranch. The ranch woman who found the rabbits described them as meat rabbits. She moved Alicia and the other girls to a large pen. Since the woman did not plan to breed rabbits, she put the males “to their intended use.” For a while Alicia lived in a pen with the other girls. One day the woman had to go out of town. She decided to “free” the rabbits.
In August 2017 the woman abandoned Alicia and approximately 20 rabbits on Figueroa Mountain Rd in 100 degree heat. That night the rabbits were caught in the headlights of a mom and daughters driving home. The mom and daughters were able to catch several. In the next few days fourteen rabbits were saved. Rescue efforts were made by residents, Animal Services, the Animal Rescue Team and BUNS. We searched until there were no living rabbits to be found; sadly we found quite a few bodies.
Residents kept three of the rabbits. Eleven rabbits were transferred to BUNS. Two of our 11 Figueroa Mountain bunnies died from Myxomatosis within a week. In the next few months Alicia and the other surviving Figuroa Mountain bunnies were adopted by loving families.
We are so grateful to the Hysons for allowing Alicia to know what it is to be loved and safe. We share their grief at her loss.
If you would like to learn more about protecting your rabbit from myxomatosis, read our June 2019 Extra Edition here: http://www.bunssb.org/newsletter/view/june-2019-extra/
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