The Bunny Camp Newsletter is brought to you by Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group in support of The Bunny Camp Sanctuary, who kindy let it feature on Rabbit Rehome. If you have any queries regarding the newsletter, appeals or rabbits in it please contact them directly not Rabbit Rehome.

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Bunny Camp News

Volume 2 Number 11 November 2004

Contents:-

  • All the latest from The Bunny Camp.
  • Information on our sponsor buns
  • Clyde’s story
  • Sponsorship form
  • Something you may not know about Bunny Camp
  • The Barbara Peters Page
  • Don’t forget our key rings & fridge magnets!
  • Come and visit us on our open day
  • The recipe column
  • Bunny Humour
  • In the news
  • Comment from our editor
  • Bun of the month
  • Flopsy Girl’s Agony Column
  • Join the Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group
  • A reminder of who we are

Ø Bunny Camp News is produced by the Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group

Ø In support of The Bunny Camp Sanctuary.

All The Latest from The Bunny Camp

Could you give a bun a home? These are just some of the buns we have that need love and care from someone just like you.

Babies

Details: Description: 4 babies aged 11 weeks. Both sexes. Cross breed bunnies (possibly a touch of angora in the mix, but not really long haired, just slightly fluffier than 100% smooth haired bunnies) probably medium sized when adult
General health: Good
Temperament: Used to being handled
Type of home wanted: Loving good homes.

Cindy & Dori (Bonded females)

Details: Cindy is a Fawn lop with a few black markings
General health: Good
Temperament: Good
Type of home wanted: Indoor or outdoor.
Unwanted child's pet. Born July 2003. Cindy is a lively outgoing rabbit. Dori is a Black lop General health: Good
Temperament: Good
Type of home wanted: Indoor or outdoor. Also born July 2003

Pollyanna

Details: Pollyanna is a black and white Dutch rabbit, very clean and healthy, circa 2 years old. She is a rabbit who is not too outgoing, not too shy either. She keeps her hutch very clean and would make an ideal house rabbit. She has a really cute habit of crashing out for a sleep by lying out in her hutch.

Bunny Camp Sanctuary Sponsor Bunny Information

For a mere £1 per month, £12 for the year you can sponsor one of these gorgeous but poorly bunnies and help towards their ongoing veterinary care.

BENJI. The sweetest little male Dwarf Lop bunny, age unknown but younger. Found wandering streets, was to be put to sleep. Came into Sanctuary 2.10.02 taken to Vets immediately. Sore eye connected to overgrown molars. In very poor condition and very underweight. Much better now. CHRYSTAL .Stunning female silver Dwarf Lop born approx 1.9.99. On arrival had cataract in left eye and one forming in right. Now totally blind. Was unwanted due to stroppy nature after her partner died. Fear aggression. ERICA. Cute and lovely natured female Dutch bunny born July 2002. Unwanted due to owners moving house. Had old, untreated brake on back right leg will have mobility problems and arthritis in the future.
CLYDE. Very handsome, nice natured male English born approx September 96. Came from a breeders home unfortunately kept for 3 years in a shed with no attention just fed and watered. Very nervous and requires surgery to his teeth every few months. DUKE. Extremely placid and adorable male French lop born approx Feb 97. Arrived Feb 01 in shocking condition. Had lived in a 1 foot square box for 4 years. Had muscle wastage, poor skin and fur, mentally very unsure. Now partially sighted. BLUEBELL. Female, spayed Dutch bunny born approx Jan 2001. Came in with HUGO, has been in re-homing section since October 03 with minor eye problems but now has developed teeth and related eye problems therefore cannot be re homed. Will require ongoing Veterinary treatment.
LITTLE JESS & MAZIE. 2 Female Guinea Pigs, LITTLE JESS just lost partner SPIKE, MAZIE came into Sanctuary as unwanted pet with bunny, the bunny died shortly after decided to pair up with LITTLE JESS and place on Sponsorship Scheme. HUGO. Very sweet natured male Blue Dutch bunny born Jan 2001. Belonged to a Breeder but due to ill health couldn’t cope. Was very well cared for and 1 of 10 who came in. HUGO suffers problems with his left eye due to teeth problems will need regular teeth checks. ELICIA. Female cross Netherland Dwarf/Dutch bunny age unknown, older rather than younger. Came from RSPCA in Leeds was a cruelty case. Very bad state with fractured back left toes, E CUNICULI, mites, spurs on teeth. Will require constant Veterinary treatment. Very sweet natured.
IVORY & BAILEY. Ivory born November 01. Was found in a shed at 7 days old with 19 other rabbits all born through interbreeding. Ivory has severe malocclusion, has had front teeth removed. Bailey brought in at 8 weeks old was to be put to sleep, has misaligned jaw requires Veterinary treatment every 2 weeks. BONNY & BLOSSOM. 2 female white bunnies, Bonny Netherland Dwarf, Blossom cross Netherland Polish born approx 2000. Unfortunately these bunnies have been homed and re homed several times and keep coming back. Now permanently on Sponsor Scheme.

CLYDES STORY

Hi I’m a white and brown English bunny born September 1996. I arrived at the Sanctuary in September 2000 with my sister Bonny. We were owned by a breeder who unfortunately died leaving us to be cared for by the family. Although we were kept clean and well fed and watered they sadly had no time to attend to our emotional need.

As we had no real contact we became very insecure and frightened of the outside world. My sister adjusted very well to the new surroundings and was very quickly found a new mum and dad. I on the other hand found the change very disturbing which meant Sonya and Jim had to give me a lot of love, time and patience. As they won my trust another problem developed, malocclusion (teeth problems) which means I have to have my teeth ground down by the vet frequently under anesthetic. Due to this I am now a permanent member of the family.

In July of this year all my dreams came true I fell in love with a beautiful doe called Bluebell. We were soon married and live in a fabulous centrally heated bunny house. If you wish to know more about where I live and who I live with fill in the form and SPONSOR ME.

Other work that the sanctuary carries out

As most of you who follow Bunny Camp News will know, The Bunny Camp Sanctuary works very hard taking in abandoned, unwanted, and neglected bunnies and finding them loving new homes, or if health is an issue, they are put on our sponsorship scheme where they live a happy life here at the sanctuary thanks to your help.

However, our work here at the sanctuary also runs into the wild bunny population. In the last three years, we have had an increasing number of wild bunnies brought into the sanctuary as very young babies (between the ages of four to ten days old). The majority are dug up during excavation for new properties or when a garden is cleaned up after winter. These bunnies are born wild, and deserve to live their lives in the wild, for however long or short a time that may be, so we have devised a rearing program that enables us to eventually release them back into the wild.

This year, we have reared and released three litters back into the wild over the summer period. Above are the first litter of five that arrived all happy and healthy in April after being dug up by a J.C.B. Following a strict feeding regime, they grew up well and became very active. It was fun to watch them grow, however we didn’t interact with them except for feeding which only lasts about 5 weeks following which, they weaned themselves onto dried food with no difficulties which made the job much easier.

Unfortunately, the last litter we reared did not go as well as the others. Two of the six kits died, and a third was sick. Still three were ok, so they were released into the wild to remove the risk of them becoming ill.

The sick bunny was cared for using natural remedies, and after a couple of weeks improved and became independent again. This individual was monitored for about a month to ensure good health before release.

To This

Final release at the end of summer

The Barbara Peters Page

Hello darkness my old friend

I come to talk with you again….. Well in the words of the song, as the days grow shorter colder, and wetter, we need to think long and hard about what we can find either out in the garden, or in the woodlands for our long eared friends to eat. If you live anywhere near a farm, then have a word with the farmer who may well be able to provide you with really good quality hay – much better than the pre-packed variety from the pet shop. Hay is very important to rabbits and should always be given to them in unrestricted quantities.

There are still a few blackberry leaves left on the bushes, and as you know, I am a firm believer in giving these as a help to the digestion as often as possible.

If you are very lucky, you may still be able to find some of my plant of the month, which is

Agrimony

Agrimony usually grows in dry grassy places, in waste ground, or by the road side.

It is astringent, and can be used as a tonic as it is a source of iron and vitamins (especially B & K). It is also a diuretic.

Don’t forget our key rings and fridge magnets!

As Christmas approaches, and you can’t for the life of you decide what to buy Auntie Ethel, we have the ideal solution…

PERSONALISED KEYRINGS AND FRIDGE MAGNETS

HAVE YOUR FAVOURITE PICTURE ON YOUR OWN KEY RING AND/OR FRIDGE MAGNET!

BE IT HUMAN, ANIMAL OR OTHER!!!
JUST SEND A PHOTO, AND YOU GET YOUR KEY RING AND/OR MAGNET AND YOUR ORIGINAL PICTURE RETURNED INTACT.
MAKE GREAT LITTLE GIFTS.

SMALL KEY RINGS –ONLY £1.25(£1.50 double sided)

JUMBO KEY RINGS AND FRIDGE MAGNET
ONLY £2.00(£2.50 if double sided photo)

(PLUS 60P min. for return postage – up to about 5 large key rings)
If single sided you can have a wording logo on other side e.g. – ‘I SUPPORT BUNNYCAMP SANCTUARY’

Actual Size of picture small - 35mm x 25mm
jumbo and magnet - 70.5mm x 45mm

You can e-mail your pics and order to:
Franniejayne@aol.com or post to address below.
- 23 lower east avenue, barnoldswick bb18 6dn
- Chqs payable to bunnycamp sanctuary

Bunny Camp recipe column.
By Brambles Pack

This week we thought we would write about what 2foots call a meal. For a meal you need at least 2 courses. We have heard that some 2foots eat lots more than just two courses but we are going to just do to (And they call us greedy). Anyway this month’s recipes are for Spaghetti Bolognaise and Hot Baked Trifle. These 2 courses cover the sweet and savoury courses that most 2foots eat.

For these recipes as always we recommend that you use a 2foot for the difficult, dangerous and boring parts.

The main course is Spaghetti Bolog-thingy. This was originally conceived for meat eating 2foots. But non-meat eating (Vegetarian 2foots) can make this by replacing the mince with quorn mince (that’s artificial meat). The recipe given here feeds around 4 2foots.

What you need:-

  • A Large frying pan – preferably with a lid
  • A saucepan
  • A sharp knife
  • A wooden Chopping board.

You will also need these ingredients

  • 1 Onion
  • 2 food bowls (500g) of Beef mince – That’s a Moo that has been mashed into very small pieces
  • 1 tin of Plum tomatoes – We’re not sure whether these are nice to eat
  • Hay
  • Thyme
  • Parsley
  • Oregano
  • Rosemary
  • Tarragon
  • Basil
  • Some mushrooms – About 4 Button mushrooms is enough. Be sure to get the right sort, as some mushrooms are dangerous. We think that the red ones with white spots would look good but the 2foots say that they have hallusogenic properties and are poisonous.
  • Chicory
  • Garlic
  • A green pepper. Any colour pepper will do but green makes a different colour
  • Tomato puree – that’s tomatoes that have been really well mashed!
  • A quarter of a water bottle of sherry – about a small 2foot glass full – 2foots drink this but is smells horrible…
  • Some oil
  • Seasoning – as it’s almost winter we think this means a cold breeze possibly some snow and less veggies.

You will also need about 2oz of pasta per person. For this dish our 2foots use spaghetti but there are a number of different types of pasta that could be used.

  1. Cut the onion and garlic into small dice (that’s small cubes with 6 sides that have numbers on each side). You can just mash the garlic if you want
  2. Put the oil in the frying pan with the onion and cook the onion till it’s gone vaguely opaque. Then add the garlic. During this period it might be wise to get the 2foot to watch the food whilst you eat some of the chicory. Put on a pan of water with a little salt in it for the pasta.
  3. Add the mince to the pan and brown it. This means that it is cooked and can be eaten by 2foots.
  4. Eat some hay
  5. Add the mushrooms, pepper herbs (though keep some back as a snack) and tinned tomatoes. Cook for a little bit. Then add the tomato puree. Leave the mixture to simmer gently preferably putting a lid on the pan.
  6. Cook the pasta in the boiling water as per the instructions on the packet. Our 2foots use dried pasta.
  7. Eat the hay have a snooze and a bit of a wash
  8. Once the pasta has cooked uncover the meat mix and add the sherry to it. Give it a good stir and cook for a further minute. Whilst it is cooking drain the pasta and share it between plates (what 2foots eat off) and then place the meat mix over the top.

For the desert course we have been told that sand isn’t good enough. Therefore we will have to make Hot Baked Trifle.

For this recipe you need an oven proof dish – that’s a dish that doesn’t run away from ovens

  • 2 food bowls (1 Lb) Cooking apples optional – our 2foots don’t use these normally
  • 2 English Rabbit earfuls (2 tbls) water
  • ¼ of a food bowl (2 oz) sugar
  • 2 food bowls of Blackberry (8 oz) – Note we tried to use Blackberry last time but he wasn’t willing to co-operate and we think he is a bit furry. We think the fruit would work better
  • 1 and a half food bowls (6 oz) sponge or Swiss Roll
  • 2 large eggs, separated – that’s the white from the yolk and not from each other. To separate eggs you need 2 buns. One bun breaks the egg into a bowl and the other bun places a glass over the egg yolk (the yellow bit) Then whilst the glass is held in place the first bun pours the white bit into a second bowl. This can be difficult so it might be easier to get your 2foot to do this instead
  • 1 English rabbit earful (1 tbls) Cornflour
  • Just under half a water bottle (½ pt.) of white stuff that comes out of Moos (Milk)
  • ½ Netherland dwarf earful (½tsp) Vanilla essence
  • 1 food bowl (4 oz) Caster Sugar (100g)
  1. Peel, core and slice apples and put into saucepan with water and 11/2 a food bowl (2 oz) sugar. Simmer gently until tender then stir in the Blackberries.
  2. Grease a 3pt. dish and line the sides with sponge or Swiss Roll. Blend the egg yolks with the cornflour. Heat the milk and gradually stir in eggs and cornflour mix. Return to pan and bring slowly to the boil until mixture thickens stirring continuously.
  3. Spoon the fruit into the dish. Remember to test the taste of it to make sure its good fruit.
  4. When custard has cooled slightly, add vanilla essence and a little of the Caster Sugar and pour over the fruit.
  5. Mash egg whites, with a special beater called a whiskey. 2foots call this whisking. Do this until the egg whites are stiff, sprinkle half the Caster Sugar over them and re-whiskey until stiff again.
  6. Fold in the remaining Caster sugar and spoon the meringue over the trifle- This bit can get messy as the egg whites don’t get hard enough to fold like paper.
  7. Bake for twenty minutes at gas mark 4 (1800C) until the top is brown and crisp.

      As always we hope your 2foots enjoy the recipes given and if you have any you would like us to add to our column please send them to bramblebun@yahoo.co.uk and we will have a go.

      Bunny Humour

      Once upon a time, allegedly, in a nice little forest, there lived an orphaned bunny and an orphaned snake. By a surprising coincidence, both were blind from birth. One day, the bunny was hopping through the forest, and the snake was slithering through the forest, when the bunny tripped over the snake and fell down. This, of course, knocked the snake about quite a bit. "Oh, my," said the bunny, "I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I've been blind since birth, so, I can't see where I'm going. In fact, since I'm also an orphan, I don't even know what I am." "It's quite OK," replied the snake. "Actually, my story is much the same as yours. I, too, have been blind since birth, and also never knew my mother. Tell you what, maybe I could slither all over you, and work out what you are, so at least you'll have that going for you.." "Oh, that would be wonderful" replied the bunny. So the snake slithered all over the bunny, and said, "Well, you're covered with soft fur; you have really long ears; your nose twitches, and you have a soft cottony tail. I'd say that you must be a bunny rabbit." "Oh, thank you! Thank you," cried the bunny, in obvious excitement. The bunny suggested to the snake, "Maybe I could feel you all over with my paw, and help you the same way that you've helped me." So the bunny felt the snake all over, and remarked, "Well, you're smooth and slippery, and you have a forked tongue, and no backbone. I'd say you must be either a Supervisor or possibly someone in senior management".

      These two rabbits escape from the laboratory and see grass for the first time. Lollopy, lollopy, lollopy, lop, they bounce through the grass when they meet an older rabbit. "Hello," says the older rabbit. "Would you like to come and stay at my warren?" "What's a warren?" ask the two rabbits. "Don't worry," replies the older rabbit. "Come and see." So off they go and they like the tunnels and chambers of the older rabbit's warren, and decide to stay. In the morning, the two rabbits are awaken by the thumping of the older rabbit: thump thump thump. "Come on out for the cabbages," calls the older rabbit. "What's a cabbage?" ask the two rabbits. So off they go and enjoy the day in the fields eating cabbages. They return very satisfied with their tummies full of cabbage and agree a good day was had. The following day: thump thump thump, "Come on out for the cabbages", and the same for the day after that. By the end of the third day, rabbit one says to rabbit two, "These cabbages are good but there must be more to life. Let's go and find it." Rabbit two agrees, so off they go lollopy lollopy lollopy lop across the grass. They meet a younger rabbit. "Hello," says the younger rabbit. "Why don't you come and live in my warren. I got young girly rabbits in my warren." So they agree and for three days, it was thump thump thump. By the end of the third day, rabbit one says to rabbit two, "Oh man, I gotta get out of here." "WHY?!?" asks rabbit two. "This is the best time of our lives!" he exclaims. "Yeah," says rabbit one, "but it has been a week since I've had a cigarette."

      End column By Dandy

      Christmas is approaching

      Well now….

      Christmas is approaching fast, and as we have already said, a great gift idea for 2-foots is to buy them one of our fridge magnets, or perhaps a key ring, but more importantly, what are you going to buy the bun in your life?

      It’s very tempting just to go out and buy some treats from the pet shop, but in all honesty that is not a good idea. It’s like when you come to open YOUR presents, and you find that cousin Doris has bought you yet another bottle of foot soak to go with the 4 others that you already have in the bathroom cabinet, when what you REALLY wanted was a good book.

      The best thing to give your long eared friends on Christmas day is something like a nice fresh carrot top, or a sprig of parsley. If you do want to give them something a little bit different, then how about a bread stick?

      The most important thing of course is to make sure that all the animals are warm and snug, and that they are happy not just on Christmas day, but throughout the whole year.

      Read Dandy's live journal at http://www.livejournal.com/users/dandybun/


      Bun of the month
      Tilly Mint

      Flopsy Girl’s Problem Page

      Dear Flopsy Girl...
      Hi, Flopsy Girl! Glad Dandy lets you use the Pooter sometimes! (or do you let him use it most of the time?) Anyway, let's see. I'm sure I left a question for you somewhere. Ah. Here it is. How do I get my 2-foots to stop eating stinky foods? – From Merridoe

      Hello Merridoe, nice to hear from you. It’s very easy to stop your 2-foots from eating stinky foods. Whenever they make something that you do not like the smell of, just do something really naughty, like poo on the rug, or start ripping the curtains so that they have to leave their food and attend to you. If you do this every time, they will soon realise that it’s no good them making hot stinky food, as they will never have time to sit down and eat it before it goes cold, and before too long, they will start eating salad all the time.

      Dear Flopsy Girl...
      I have developed a liking for chewing through my blanket, as I find this a very satisfying thing to do. However, my 2-foots keep trying to stop me as they don’t seem to like me doing it, what should I do? Dandy

      Dear Dandy. What you need to do is to turn the situation to your advantage. If the 2-foots don’t like you chewing your blanket, they will be looking for ways to make you stop. This could well involve them bringing you treats to try to distract you. The big advantage of this is that I can steal them!

      There were hardly any questions this month. I can only assume that this is because I have been so successful is solving your problems that there are hardly any problems left to solve. If you do have a problem that you think I could help with though, please get in touch.

      If you have a question for Flopsy Girl, please send her an e-mail to :- bcnews@ntlworld.com Flopsy Girl will be happy to help 2-foots with their problems as well as rabbits, or any other animals.

      Why not join us?

      The Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group meet about once a month, usually in a child friendly pub (yes Sonya brings her kids!). We talk about Bunny Camp and plans for the future, but we do not just confine ourselves to that. We are a general talking shop for all things rabbit, and would love to welcome any Bunny Camp News readers to join us.

      If you would like details of where and when we meet, then call Allison Girt on 0113 239 7408 (evenings), or e-mail her on : alison.girt@btinternet.com

      Who we Are

      Here at the Bunny Camp Sanctuary, we strive to provide a safe haven for rabbits who, through no fault of their own, end up here because they have been mistreated or neglected, or simply because their owners can no longer look after them.If you are interested in re-homing or sponsoring any of the gorgeous creatures that we have, or simply wish to make a donation to this worthwhile cause, please contact:

      Sonya and Jim McDonough
      4 Stoney Ridge Avenue,
      Heaton,
      BradfordWest Yorkshire
      BD9 6PA
      England
      Tel: (0044) 01274 821665
      Email: bunnycampsan@blueyonder.co.uk