Rabbit Tales

Last Easter I posted this picture of Thumper, a bunny my Wife and I rescued the year before.


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Thumper started out as an "Easter Bunny" to a child in the Apopka area .

Just like many other animal "presents," the novelty wore off and then Thumper was a "chore".

Next, Thumper was banished to a small pen in the backyard , a small roof and crude walls providing minimum protection from the rain and trapping in the harsh Florida heat instead of providing cooling shade.

We took Thumper in, literally, in the house. Thumper enjoyed the a/c in the summer and the heat in the winter as did we.

A trip to the vet and $$$ later Thumper was neutered and he became one pretty laid back bunny , except for the seizures.

We trained him to use a litter box and when we settled in after a days work, Thumper was let out of his cage and would run down the hallway , cats just scattering ,as he made it into the living room, claiming the spot under the coffee table as his own. Kresha often laid down on the floor with him a she watched her shows.

I noticed Thumper starting to run "crooked" about 5 months ago and then the first week in October I came home and he couldnt stand up. His rear legs were paralyzed.

A trip to the vet here in Apopka showed him as a healthy bunny who couldnÂt walk or stand up, but while the vet here helps us with the smaller problems, a referral to Winter Park animal hospital was set up.

I let Kresha take Thumper by herself, because I thought Thumper would be coming home.

Instead my wife, by herself, was told there was less than a 25% chance that Thumper would recover his mobility and sitting in his own urine etc.. would only add to his problems.

Now my wife, LOVES animals. She Âs always stopping and saving turtles crossing the road and one day even had me come back from a fishing trip to help her get a pot-bellied pig out of the road and into my backyard until we found the owner.

Kresha had to make the decision to put Thumper down. Only those of you that ever loved a pet understand pain of that magnitude . Thumper left us on 10-3-2006.

Here I was , on a bulldozer at work 40 miles away, and couldnÂt even wrap my arms around her and assure her it was the humane thing to do and that without her to begin with, He wouldnÂt have been the happiest bunny in Apopka for the last 2 years.

That evening when she came home I had dinner ready as usual and had removed most of Thumper's toys from under the coffee table. She started to unload her car, but said sheÂd wait till morning. I knew she didnÂt want to see the pet carrier. She went to bed early and I unloaded the car for her.

The next day, I asked her if she had any plans on getting another bunny. Her eyes lit up like they normally are and she asked me if I meant it. I said " I already found a local breeder up in Eustis on the Internet" Boy was I ever the hero, I got the hug I wanted to give her the day before and down to my desk we went.

I showed her the website and we were thinking about getting a young rabbit this time. I sent an e-mail and the next day when I got home I had a response as followsÂ..

"Sorry,no young Mini rex at this time but I do have a adult Mini Lop who has been spayed and is litter box trained. I'm looking for a good home for her. She is very sweet. The previous owner has cancer and can no longer care for her so I offered to find her a good home. Interested?"

After several more e-mails with me asking some more questions about the Mini Lop, we decided to go look at her and we took the pet carrier with us just in case we decided to adopt her.

"Silverbell" came home with us on 10-7-2006.

SheÂs the off spring of one of the breederÂs original rabbits and belonged to her friend. We were returning home with her when we were caught in my truck by the hail from the tornado up the street.

I built a ramp for her to exit and enter her cage on her own ( every evening when we are there) and she comes running down the hallway just as Thumper did. Once in the living room she does a couple of bunny 500Âs , the equivalent of Daytona 500, around the coffee table and then usually throws in a couple of spectacular Snoopy Dance-like aerial spinning jumps. I lay on the floor and watch the Orlando Magic games and she makes sure sheÂs close enough to be petted or brushed.

If you stop petting her, she reminds you sheÂs still there by nudging your hand with her little scrunched up nose.

IÂve dozed off only to be wakened by her licking my neck or face as if sheÂs grooming me.

My wife took a nap on the sofa not 2 weeks after we adopted Silverbell and was woke up to discover the rabbit jumped up on the couch and snuggled up under her chin .

She returns to her cage for litter box breaks and then runs back in the living room and looks at us as if to say " IÂm a big girl now" .

Here she is chillin' , all stretched out, waiting for me to lay back down and get back to rubbing her little head !



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To say Silverbell has filled a void in our hearts and home over the loss of Thumper would be an understatement.

SilverbellÂs actions of affection, which are reactions to the attention she receives here only reaffirms to us that our pets, no matter what coat they may wear, are not only part of the family but are a very important and therapeutic part of our lives as well .