I set out our rain barrels today to catch the rain from the gutters and wouldn't you know, it didn't rain. The weather channel said it was suppose to rain this morning and this afternoon and again tonight. Still nothing! I don't mind dragging them 10 big and heavy 50 gallon drums around if it's going to rain, but when it don't rain at all, it doesn't make me happy because now I have to move them back and out of the way. I can leave them in place until in the morning, but if I do that, then I will have to move them in the morning as they sort of block the walkways in and out of the house.
I just checked the weather and now they say it's not going to rain until tomorrow night. I wish they would get the days right as we were told it would rain today. A 60% chance of rain usually means it rains here, but nooo, we don't get a drop. I guess this means I should move the barrels tonight. Shucks! I will try again tomorrow after school and move them in position again, and hopefully it rains tomorrow night as we need the water for the plants. We don't usually use county water for the plants if we can help it. Plants do better with natural water, plus it saves us money.
Happy trails!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Injured Wild Rabbits Update
The two rabbits I went to get yesterday are doing good. The vet checked them out last night and we found out they don't have broken legs. That's good news! They both have severely bruised legs and are resting comfortably in their own little area of the Bunny Barn. They can't have any contact with humans, except to feed them and even that they are being fed rubbish from the wild. The one thing to remember about wild rabbits is to not feed them regular domestic food pellets or grains, or they will get accustomed to it and want it all the time. That is something that can't happen or they could possibly starve themselves to death looking for that same food. We keep a supply of wild nuts and other goodies for the wild rabbits to feed on here.
Other than that, it's been a quiet day around here. We had a couple people stop by and look at a couple bunnies they might want next weekend, and that's about it all day. I kept busy breaking sticks for the rabbits to gnaw on, picked up four bales of fresh hay, restocked the feed, and other normal things I do each weekend. I was going to go out tonight but changed my mind not long ago as I'm pooped. Two of my friends decided to come my way instead, so we are going to watch a movie and just relax! I need it too.
Happy trails!
Other than that, it's been a quiet day around here. We had a couple people stop by and look at a couple bunnies they might want next weekend, and that's about it all day. I kept busy breaking sticks for the rabbits to gnaw on, picked up four bales of fresh hay, restocked the feed, and other normal things I do each weekend. I was going to go out tonight but changed my mind not long ago as I'm pooped. Two of my friends decided to come my way instead, so we are going to watch a movie and just relax! I need it too.
Happy trails!
Friday, April 9, 2010
Rabbits vs. School
Hello everyone! I have had a busy day today.
Last night I received a phone call from a wildlife officer down in Everglades City who needed me. Wow, I felt special too. I have never had an officer from the wildlife dept. call from that far away before. He wanted to know if I could come down and pick up two wild rabbits that needed help. Usually they take care of this themselves and don't have outside help, but this was a special case as he put it. He said he contacted his office and they gave him my phone number as the closest place that could care for the rabbits. Again, I felt honored. It was a 3 hour drive down there though and I had school today too. I asked if I could come down on Saturday, but he said they needed help now! Turns out both rabbits have broken legs and that made up my mind to call the school and tell them I'm not coming in today.
I jumped in my truck this morning and drove down and picked them up. I called the vet that handles our rabbits on the way back to the Bunny Barn and he is due here soon. For being wild rabbits, they sure are tame to me. I have had each one in my arms and neither has tried to get away. It's almost like they know I'm here to help them. Both were injured in a trap of some kind that the officer found after getting a phone call from someone who had found them. Once the vet sees them and tells me what to do to care for them, they will stay here until they are healed. It will be up to the wildlife dept. on what happens with them next. Usually they are released back into the wild, as most don't live long in captivity. I will have to limit the time they are around humans as I don't won't them getting to used to me being around.
It would seem I'm the only rabbit wildlife rehabilitator between here and Everglades City. I find that hard to believe. I don't mind traveling to pick up any rabbits, but there has to be someone else in the area, or I would hope there is. I need to do some calling around and see who else is licensed to work with wild rabbits. My dad is, but he is here with me, so that's no help. I could have sworn there was another place down there somewhere. Anyway, they are safe for now and now I have chores to do. Oh fun!
Happy trails!
Last night I received a phone call from a wildlife officer down in Everglades City who needed me. Wow, I felt special too. I have never had an officer from the wildlife dept. call from that far away before. He wanted to know if I could come down and pick up two wild rabbits that needed help. Usually they take care of this themselves and don't have outside help, but this was a special case as he put it. He said he contacted his office and they gave him my phone number as the closest place that could care for the rabbits. Again, I felt honored. It was a 3 hour drive down there though and I had school today too. I asked if I could come down on Saturday, but he said they needed help now! Turns out both rabbits have broken legs and that made up my mind to call the school and tell them I'm not coming in today.
I jumped in my truck this morning and drove down and picked them up. I called the vet that handles our rabbits on the way back to the Bunny Barn and he is due here soon. For being wild rabbits, they sure are tame to me. I have had each one in my arms and neither has tried to get away. It's almost like they know I'm here to help them. Both were injured in a trap of some kind that the officer found after getting a phone call from someone who had found them. Once the vet sees them and tells me what to do to care for them, they will stay here until they are healed. It will be up to the wildlife dept. on what happens with them next. Usually they are released back into the wild, as most don't live long in captivity. I will have to limit the time they are around humans as I don't won't them getting to used to me being around.
It would seem I'm the only rabbit wildlife rehabilitator between here and Everglades City. I find that hard to believe. I don't mind traveling to pick up any rabbits, but there has to be someone else in the area, or I would hope there is. I need to do some calling around and see who else is licensed to work with wild rabbits. My dad is, but he is here with me, so that's no help. I could have sworn there was another place down there somewhere. Anyway, they are safe for now and now I have chores to do. Oh fun!
Happy trails!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Silver Rabbit
One of the most rarest rabbits is the Silver Rabbit, with just under 200 of them in existance in the US alone. There are 3 Silver varieties - gray, brown, and fawn. I have only seen one of them in my life and that was 2 years ago at a convention in Atlanta. Silvers have been known under many names: Millers, Silver Sprigs, Lincoln Silver, Lincolnshire Silver-Gray, and Riche. They range in weight from 4 to 7 pounds. This rabbit shouldn't be confused with the Silver Fox rabbit, as they are quite different from each other.
This is the only picture I could find of the three of them together. This proves they are rare when I can't even find that many pictures of them. This picture is small. The SRC has a few individual pictures of them.
This is the only picture I could find of the three of them together. This proves they are rare when I can't even find that many pictures of them. This picture is small. The SRC has a few individual pictures of them.
College Books
Calvin and Hobbes: Amnesia
Has anyone else ever tried the amnesia routine atleast once in there lives? I sure did. It didn't go over that well with my dad either. lol I think all kids try this atleast once growing up.
Handling Rabbits
If you didn't know already, rabbits are prey animals and they consider humans a predator, so when a big predator grabs them and holds them up off the ground where they are used to living, it signals danger unless they have learned to trust you and you have been gentle with them, helping them to feel more secure.
I'm mentioning this because on a daily basis I see potential new owners just pick up any rabbit and hold them up high in the air for some reason. I see this done to cats and dogs at the SPCA too. Why do people do this? Get eye level with these animals on there turf as that is the best way to see them anyways.
Just remember when handling a rabbit for the first time, don't instantly grab it and start playing with it. Lift it up gently if you have to move it. Once the rabbit knows you better and trusts you wont harm it, then it wont mind being picked up. Most rabbits dont like to be picked up anyway, no matter what anyone tells you. The best way to move a rabbit is to lift it up gently and slowly around its body, keeping one of your hands underneath it on its rear legs, then cradle it in your arms. There rear legs are very powerful and if left dangling in the air, they tend to kick. It's an uncomfortable position for them.
That's my tip of the day. Have a great day everyone.
Happy trails!
I'm mentioning this because on a daily basis I see potential new owners just pick up any rabbit and hold them up high in the air for some reason. I see this done to cats and dogs at the SPCA too. Why do people do this? Get eye level with these animals on there turf as that is the best way to see them anyways.
Just remember when handling a rabbit for the first time, don't instantly grab it and start playing with it. Lift it up gently if you have to move it. Once the rabbit knows you better and trusts you wont harm it, then it wont mind being picked up. Most rabbits dont like to be picked up anyway, no matter what anyone tells you. The best way to move a rabbit is to lift it up gently and slowly around its body, keeping one of your hands underneath it on its rear legs, then cradle it in your arms. There rear legs are very powerful and if left dangling in the air, they tend to kick. It's an uncomfortable position for them.
That's my tip of the day. Have a great day everyone.
Happy trails!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Curious Looking Insect
I didn't think school would ever end today. Slow day!
I was over at my friends house last night and they were moving a hot tub from the rear of the house to the side of the house. I was just watching. hehe Anyway, Megan - my best friend - called me over to where she was standing and asked me what this bug is that was under the hot tub. I got down closer to it and I had no idea. I had never seen one like it before. My friends are always asking me what things are as I like nature - including bugs - but this one puzzled me. I went out to my truck and got my magnifying glass so I could look at it better. By the time I got back, there were now about 20 of these little bugs.
I decided to take one with me when I left and take it over to a man I know who knows all about bugs. He knew what it was right away. I knew he would. lol He said it was a "Boisea trivittata", or in normal talk a "Boxelder Bug". He said they were very common around houses that had pressure treated wood nearby and were always found in direct sunlight. I have been around pressure treated wood before and I had never seen this bug before and it was dark out when I first saw it. I think the lights that were being used to move the tub may have attracted the bugs, as he said they don't usually come out in darkness.
Also, Boxelder bugs will secrete a staining dye when crushed, so don't crush them indoors or you might stain something that can't be replaced.
This is the best picture I could find online of them. The are not very big at all. 1/4" to 3/4" long is about as big as they get. Cool looking aren't they? BTW, I returned the one I took. lol
I was over at my friends house last night and they were moving a hot tub from the rear of the house to the side of the house. I was just watching. hehe Anyway, Megan - my best friend - called me over to where she was standing and asked me what this bug is that was under the hot tub. I got down closer to it and I had no idea. I had never seen one like it before. My friends are always asking me what things are as I like nature - including bugs - but this one puzzled me. I went out to my truck and got my magnifying glass so I could look at it better. By the time I got back, there were now about 20 of these little bugs.
I decided to take one with me when I left and take it over to a man I know who knows all about bugs. He knew what it was right away. I knew he would. lol He said it was a "Boisea trivittata", or in normal talk a "Boxelder Bug". He said they were very common around houses that had pressure treated wood nearby and were always found in direct sunlight. I have been around pressure treated wood before and I had never seen this bug before and it was dark out when I first saw it. I think the lights that were being used to move the tub may have attracted the bugs, as he said they don't usually come out in darkness.
Also, Boxelder bugs will secrete a staining dye when crushed, so don't crush them indoors or you might stain something that can't be replaced.
This is the best picture I could find online of them. The are not very big at all. 1/4" to 3/4" long is about as big as they get. Cool looking aren't they? BTW, I returned the one I took. lol
Monday, April 5, 2010
Rabbits: World Total
"How many rabbits are there in the world," asked a friend of mine?
That's a good question and I had no idea when this was asked of me last month by one of my curious friends. All I said was millions. I got to thinking about it more and decided to do some research on it and it has not been easy finding out the true number. I really don't think anyone knows the true total except the one who created them all, being many are in the wild and we don't keep track of them all.
From what I have found out so far, rabbits range from 20 to 500 individual species per square mile. The land area of the Earth is 57,500,000 square miles. Being no one really knows the exact number of rabbits per square mile, you can do the math above and see that there are more than most would have ever known about, including me, even if there were only 20 per square mile. That's alot of rabbits! Being rabbits do not populate the polar regions of the Earth, the land area would be reduced dramically, but still, that is alot of rabbits even without the polar regions included.
Now you know, or atleast to the best of my research and knowledge you do. lol
Happy trails!
That's a good question and I had no idea when this was asked of me last month by one of my curious friends. All I said was millions. I got to thinking about it more and decided to do some research on it and it has not been easy finding out the true number. I really don't think anyone knows the true total except the one who created them all, being many are in the wild and we don't keep track of them all.
From what I have found out so far, rabbits range from 20 to 500 individual species per square mile. The land area of the Earth is 57,500,000 square miles. Being no one really knows the exact number of rabbits per square mile, you can do the math above and see that there are more than most would have ever known about, including me, even if there were only 20 per square mile. That's alot of rabbits! Being rabbits do not populate the polar regions of the Earth, the land area would be reduced dramically, but still, that is alot of rabbits even without the polar regions included.
Now you know, or atleast to the best of my research and knowledge you do. lol
Happy trails!
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