Gentle Rabbit to Re-Home

blaine near 17th, Caldwell ID

Description

Hi, My name is Max. Karhu, the little gray bunny you are considering, has been my bunny since she was a baby. My son found her running around near College of Idaho in the fall of 2019. I have to give her to a new, loving owner because I am moving into an apartment in Maryland where I cannot keep her. It breaks my heart. Here are a few things to know about Karhu. Karhu is Finnish for bear. Feel free to name her as you wish, though. Karhu is very gentle. She will want you to pet her most of the time you open her hutch. She will come up and put her nose under your hand, which is her signal. This is a sign of trust. She loves to be rubbed around the base of her ears, on her cheeks, and for you to stroke the top of her head. Because bunnies are basically defenseless little animals, to be trusted by a rabbit is very touching. During her sleepy times of the day, she might not come. But most often she will come. When she is really relaxed, and after you have been rubbing her around the head and ears, sometimes you will feel her moving her jaw side to side, kind of a vibrating motion. This is a sign that bunnies give when they are feeling really good. Karhu has gotten mad enough to bite me - just once. She thought I was taunting her, trying to keep her from the carrot I had given her. I was trying to get her comfortable with being held so I picked her up while I had a carrot in my other hand. She wanted the carrot but really did not like being held. So the only caution I offer is to let her have whatever treat you give her. And, she doesn't like being held. You can tell if she is mad. Her ears will be pinned back, her head down, and she will crouch as if to pounce. And if she is really mad, she makes a grunting or hissing sound. That grunting sound and that hissing sound are hard to describe. But once you have heard either sound, you will recognize it easily. If she is that agitated you need to leave her alone for a few hours, or maybe until the next day. That's about how long it takes for her to forget what you did to bother her and forgive you. She has only gotten that mad at me enough to grunt twice - once was during the carrot incident. She will forgive you and will want to be your friend again. Karhu has been spayed. She won't be able to have babies. As much as I love bunnies, there are too many of them born for people to take good care of. So many little rabbits, and big rabbits, suffer terribly. Also, when she was spayed she became much more calm. Karhu needs companionship. When I have to leave her alone for a day or so, she sometimes eats very little. She needs your attention and likes you being around. I have been working from home and have had her hutch in the room where I work. I think that if she had another bunny for a companion she might enjoy it. But sometimes bunnies take awhile to get used to one another. If she accepts it, another bunny may fulfill her need for companionship. Karhu has only been indoors the entire time I have had her. I understand rabbits can be outside, but I would suggest shelter so that she would not get too hot or too cold. And I know that rabbits can die of hypothermia if they get wet. She runs around on the floor, in an area that has nothing she can chew on other than cardboard boxes. Rabbits will chew on anything - clothing, woodwork, furniture, plastic items, electrical cords, and even your shoes. They love to run around, though. Karhu is very curious and enjoys her time outside the hutch. The more room to play, the better. It just has to be bunny-proofed. Karhu is easy to feed. I give her grass hay and Kaytee rabbit pellets. Occasionally I give her alfalfa hay, but only a little at a time because alfalfa is too rich for rabbits. And alfalfa has so much calcium that rabbits can get kidney stones from it. So alfalfa is only a treat. For snacks she loves pieces of carrot, cauliflower, broccoli, bell pepper (stem removed), apple, and tomato. Avoid cherries, peaches, and apricots as these fruits are somewhat toxic to rabbits. I also give her twigs, leaves, vines and branches from apples and grapes. Don't assume, though, that anything we eat is safe for a bunny. Karhu hates oranges or orange peels. She hates other oily stinky things, such as WD-40. So clean your hands when you have handled such things. She may nip at your fingers otherwise. Having a rabbit is a big commitment. Please watch these two videos: Pros and Cons of Having a Rabbit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pI0o3RMuHc 10 reasons you should not get a rabbit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaoHFamRXYg Though they need a lot of care, rabbits reward you with their simple loyalty and trust. And watching a rabbit brings you the joy of the animals of nature - rabbits are just a little closer to the wild. Their trust and friendship are rich rewards. Thank you for considering adopting Karhu. Please be good to her. I ask $35 so that I know you are committed. You can have her hutch and food and other supplies. Max