High Maintenance Buns

 I have typed up bun-care instructions. Just in case someone else needs to do the bun work, if -- imagine -- I am otherwise occupied/busy/out of the house. 

BUNNY CARE

Morning and evening routine are the same. I usually let them out twice a day, in shifts: Mustache and Smudge from 8-9 or 9-10, and then Poppy and Cookie from 9-10 or 10-11. Evening is usually Mustache and Smudge from 8-9 and Poppy and Cookie from 9-10.

1.     Make a “moat” around whichever buns are not out, using the big panels Offspring the Third made (e.g., put up the panels around Poppy and Cookie first). Let out one set of buns.

2.     Put all their toys (cardboard boxes, tubes, etc.) on the floor if they aren’t there already.

3.     While they are hopping around, clean the litter boxes. Remove any of the litter that is wet and the poop (you can leave in any litter that isn’t dirty). Put fresh litter in to replace what was removed. Put the litter boxes back in the same corners. 

4.     Empty and refill the carrot water bowls.

5.     Put crunchies in the leaf bowls. They don’t need much –a quarter cup of crunchies per bun.

6.     Check the hay in the various containers. If it looks at all low, add some. There is a big bag of timothy hay, and smaller bags of special hay for variety. You can mix and match, giving them some timothy hay and then a handful of special hay. I tend to put the special hay on one edge in the litter box – for some reason they like to eat and poop at the same time.

7.     When you’re ready to put a set of buns back in their pen, get some greenery – a few large lettuce leaves or half a bundle of cilantro – and put it inside the pen. [They also like broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and carrots, but those should be given only once in a while.]  They will eventually go in and eat it. Then you can close both doors to the pen.

8.     Repeat the above steps for the second set of buns.

9.     Remember that they like to hide in the recliner chair, so watch out if you sit in it while they’re hopping around! Also, they will chew on everything so try to keep them from chewing on the house!

If you have things to do and don’t have time for a particular morning or evening routine, that’s fine. Just be sure to do the other routine that day and try to give them some extra hopping around time during that one routine.

If anyone looks ill or won’t eat, you can call the vet at [NAME NUMBER ADDRESS]. The bunnies are listed under my name, by each of their names. They can give you advice or have you take them in. Use the credit card as needed.

.....

It seems like a lot, but really, it's not any worse than cooking meals for small dogs.

We do the best we can for the furry critters.