Tag Archives: bunny mom

Feb26

Proud Bunny Mom

Posted on February 26, 2024 by lifewithlilred

Hello! Johnny and I have had our sweet bunnies, Melvin and Penelope, for a year and three months now. Life is so much better with these adorable, adventurous, mischievous gremlins by our sides and I am amazed at their progress since we first brought them home. Bunnies are timid animals and it took a decent amount of time for them to get acclimated to just Johnny and me petting them. Being held was also a massive no/no for them until just this week. In Penelope’s case, anyways lol:

Working up to holding my bunnies was a matter of trust. Despite the fact that I want to hold them all the time, I held off because I knew that’s not what they wanted and they weren’t ready for it. However, through recent events earlier in the week, I had a feeling the buns wouldn’t completely hate me for it. When I work from home, I am talking to the buns constantly and I try to use key phrases consistently for them to learn how to follow commands. For example, they both know their own name and turn themselves around when they are venturing into non bunny proofed areas.

This is always very impressive to me, but this week Mel and P blew my mind. About ten minutes before I leave for work, I let them know that it’s almost time to go back in their hutch and shortly after I herd them in. Their new trick is going back into their home without me having to get up. The first time it happened, I almost thought it was a fluke. They have been doing it every day since, though, and it is a true testament to how smart they both are.

Knowing that both bunnies have a firm understanding of my voice encouraged me to try picking them up. Johnny and I will hold them on occasion and we never attempt to move them if they are uncomfortable in the situation. This Wednesday, I was able to pick both bunnies up with no problem whatsoever. Melvin is a bit too young and rambunctious to want to be cuddled by his mom for longer than a few minutes. Penelope, on the other hand, was a totally different story. As soon as she was in my arms, she melted and it turns out my girl is a huge couch potato lol. She snuggled up on the couch with me like she belonged there this whole time. I was so proud of her and I knew that waiting until she was fully ready for snugs was one billion percent worth it. ❤

Being a bunny parent is all about being patient and this week of progress has shown that it pays off a thousandfold. Listen to your bunnies and pay attention during your interactions together, they will always tell you everything you need to know!

Do you have any pets? How has being patient helped you as a pet owner? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb19

Bunny Galore Home Decor

Posted on February 19, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! As you all know, Johnny and I are bunny parents to the sweetest mother and son duo named Melvin and Penelope. They are our little pride and joys and life simply wouldn’t be the same without them scampering about the apartment and being cute. This past week, we took a look at some gorgeous new clothes from my TJMaxx haul. This is all well and good and I love everything I got. However, there were some home decor pieces that I couldn’t pass up and they just might be my favorite things of all! Check it out:

^^^ LOL pardon my shedding husband in the last picture. SMH!!

Have you ever noticed how there is never a shortage of home decor for dog and cat owners in stores? No matter the time of the year, there will always and forever be “dog/cat mom” items to pick from. I have, honestly, never thought about this until this past shopping trip. When my mom and I made our way to the home decor department, I almost died and went to bunny heaven. There were bunny decorations everywhere and it took me a minute to realize this was in preparation of Easter lol. Now, I know that this is truly the bunny owner’s time to shine!

If I had all of the money in the world, I would have bought every single bunny item in the store. They were all just SO cute! The first thing that caught my eye was the topiary bunny on a pedestal and it immediately went into the cart. This was a great substitute because they had a huge topiary bunny that I wanted desperately, but lacked the space for. Next, my mom showed me the beautiful flower print bunny figurine and that also had to come home with me. They had this little statue in a variety of patterns, but the one my mom pointed out was the first one I saw and I liked it the most. I especially like that it makes me think about her when I see it. ❤

The last bunny items I purchased were some adorable decorative plates with images from Peter Rabbit on them. I have several Halloween themed plates from TJs that I just like to have so I was happy to add onto the collection. The pictures are so incredibly sweet and I actually have a few teacups with Peter Rabbit on them to match. Finally, Johnny and I are avid fans of wall art and after some deliberation, I added the butterfly illustration to my cart too. I have quite a few prints of scientific drawings of plants that I got from the Goodwill and this will look perfect hanging next to them. I love the frame and bold colors and, of course, I always think about my niece when I see butterflies – her favorite!

Now that I know when to find bunny themed home decor, you can catch me at the same place, same time next year. Thank you, TJMaxx, for making this bunny mom an extremely happy customer!

Do you change your home decor out every season? What is your favorite season to decorate for? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan28

Baby Bunny Cuteness Overload

Posted on January 28, 2024 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Johnny and I have been bunny parents to our sweet Melvin and Penelope since November of last year. We adopted the mother/son pair from the most wonderful couple and they are our little pride and joys. Six months prior to bringing the buns home, Penelope had a herd of babies and we got them when Melvin was a half a year old. Sadly, this meant we didn’t get to experience teeny tiny Melvin until recently. Some pictures from their original parents popped up on her phone memories and was sent my way and I just about died of cuteness overload. Check it out:

^^^ Nelly girl loves box time!!! 😀

Ever since receiving pictures and videos of my baby Melvin, I have been looking at them constantly. They’re just so adorable and are my go to whenever I need a smile. I obviously couldn’t keep all of this cuteness to myself so here we are now lol. The videos that I was sent were an absolute hoot. The one with Penelope featured her enjoying some leafy greens which is so classic Pen! The way to this mama girl’s heart is definitely through her stomach and she lives for the leafies.

The videos of Melvin, on the other hand, showcased his adventurous spirit right from the jump. The couple we adopted him from has a dog, cat, and a pig too and he loved interacting with them. Other videos featured him zipping in and out of hiding spots and climbing about. Mel is our tiny wanderer and is always looking to explore. I was not surprised in the slightest that he had that exact same spunky personality even in his infancy. In fact, as I type this, he was just trying to figure out a way to hop the baby gate we have set up to keep them from going beneath the couch. Mel is always up to something!

Seeing old videos and pics of Mel and Pen made me love them even more and I didn’t think that was humanly possible. They are simply the best bunnies a gal could ask for and bring so much joy to mine and Johnny’s lives! ❤

Do you know what your pet looked like as a baby? What baby animal do you think is the cutest? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov4

Happy Gotcha Day, Bunnies!

Posted on November 4, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello everyone!!! November first was Melvin and Penelope’s Gotcha Day and I guess I’m a horrible bunny mom because I didn’t realize it until the second lol. I have been thinking about their Gotcha Day for months and naturally it slipped my mind the day of SMH. In my defense, it has felt like Johnny and I have had Mel and P for forever ever since we brought them home over a year ago. They are the best little bunnies that we could ever ask for and it is such a joy to be bunny parents:

^^^ Lol at this picture of Penelope!

Mel and P have grown so much since we have brought them home. Not in size, but in spirit haha. For the first several months of having them, they were pretty skittish and it took a decent amount of time for them to get fully acclimated to their new setting and owners. These first months were a testament to patience being a virtue as we slowly but surely increased our interactions with them. A year ago, they barely wanted to be pet. Now, they love to be picked up and cuddled while Johnny and I hang out in the evenings. It’s great!

The best part about this year of pet parenthood has been watching Mel and Pen’s personalities finally come out. Penelope is not as shy as we originally thought and is such a cuddle bug. Our clothes are proof of this because she sheds like crazy. The way to her heart has always been with her favorite treats and she will literally melt over an apple lol. Melvin, on the other hand, is all about adventure. He loves to explore and is currently zooming around our bunny proofed zone as I type this. Mel is such an adolescent and doesn’t like to be held for too long so he can get back to playing. Thankfully, he is never too old for lots of pets from his old mom and pop. 🙂

Johnny and I took our fur babies home during a very dark place in my life and they made every day better. It was a comfort to have these two little gremlins to wake up to and return home to, knowing that they depended on me for their care. No matter how bad I was feeling, just being around them always helped to lift my spirits. Even though they can’t clean their own litter box (I wish!), they take care of me too. My mental health has improved one hundred fold because of them and they truly came into our lives at just the right time. I love them so much! ❤

Happy (late) Gotcha Day to my sweet Melvin and Penelope. The most wonderful bunnies in all the land! Johnny and I love you both!!!

Do you celebrate your pet’s Gotcha Day? How has your pet helped you? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May22

Bunny Care Essentials

Posted on May 22, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Johnny and I brought our sweet mother and son bunny duo, Melvin and Penelope, home this past November. They are our lil besties and our apartment has so much more joy in it ever since we adopted them into their forever home. The longer that we have had them for, the more amazed I am by the day that rabbits are often given as pets or gifts for children – they are a lot of work and Johnny and I are adults!

Today, I thought I would discuss some Bunny Care Essentials that are 100% necessary for their well being. Bunnies are not just cute balls of fluff to look at through their hutch and require a decent amount of care to keep them happy. Like the following:

Clean Up Crew:

Bunnies are social animals and it is best to have a pair of them. With a pair of bunnies comes double the expenses and double the cleaning up!! We have a designated area in their hutch for their bathroom breaks and both Mel and P are pretty good about using the litter boxes. However, that doesn’t mean that they don’t have accidents! Every morning, it is an absolute must that I clean out their potty area of any soiled bedding and refresh their litter boxes. Bunnies are rather picky and as soon as their litter boxes get nasty, they refuse to go in it. It’s obviously not the most enjoyable chore in the world, but having bunnies means having to clean up after them. And, be warned – bunnies go to the bathroom a lot lol.

Play Time:

Bunnies are energetic AF and they are currently zooming around the apartment as I type this. Yeah, bunnies get the zoomies too! Johnny and I are in the process of bunny proofing a section of our apartment for them to free roam all day every day, but for now, they are in their hutch while we are at work and asleep. Any other time, though, their door is open and they have free reign to go in and out as they please. Throughout the play area, we have a wide variety of Chewy boxes, toys, scratch mats, and hideaways for them to interact with. Despite everything at their disposal, their favorite plaything will always be the Chewy boxes! Playtime is so important to Mel and P’s well being and bunnies should never be confined to their hutch for more than a day.

Care Packages:

I love to online shop for literally anything and Chewy has become the site where I now purchase from the most frequently. Since two bunnies is a standard, that means that their essential items run out fairly quickly. Every month and a half or so, I order more bedding, hay, pellet food, toys, and cleaning spray and it typically totals out to around $100 each time. Johnny and I also visit the grocery store weekly for their fresh veggies and occasional fruit treat. While I love to spoil them constantly with new toys, the rest of the order really isn’t spoiling them at all – it is all needed for them to live their best bunny lives.

Consideration Is Key:

If you think that bunnies are animals that you can instantly snuggle up to, pick up, and coddle then you are wrong. Bunnies are, honestly, a lot like cats and you truly have to let them come to you. Bunnies are also prey animals and it is ingrained in them that they don’t like to be picked up. It took time and patience to gain Mel and P’s trust and they show their affection in their own way. They both love to be brushed and pet and, if I’m lucky, they’ll let me pick them up. You are not going to become trusted by your rabbit immediately and you have to be okay with that. Pushing them out of their comfort zone is only going to terrorize them and will ruin any progress you have made. Slow and steady is key and they will come around in their own time and respecting that is essential.

Although I knew what I was getting into before Mel and P came home, all of their requirements still came as a bit of a surprise and it’s important for other people considering bunnies as a pet to know them too. I wouldn’t trade one minute of their care for the world, though, and I am the proudest pet parent to two wonderful little gremlins! ❤

What are some care essentials for your pet? What is your pet’s favorite toy? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr7

Chewy Boxes: A Bunny’s Favorite Toy

Posted on April 7, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! My bunnies, Melvin and Penelope, are my precious angels. Things have been very glum in Lil Red’s world for a long time and Mel and Pen have brought so much joy into my life. Johnny and I truly couldn’t have picked a better time to welcome these two little balls of fluff into our home and I miss them constantly when I’m out! We are very proud bunny parents and as a pet mom, it is my job to spoil them rotten and Mel and P definitely aren’t complaining about it. 😀

Two bunnies means lots of everything! We have to restock our supplies on Chewy fairly often for bedding, pellet food, hay, and their cage cleaner. And, with every order, I can’t resist buying them lots of toys. However, it’s the Chewy boxes that are always the biggest hit:

Melvin is my tiny wanderer and has a very playful disposition. Pen, on the other hand, is much more chill but has come out of her shell a lot since adopting them in November. They both enjoy playing with the toys in their hutch well enough, but their true play time comes when we give them free rein of their bunny proofed area. Johnny and I have them out several times a day for hours on end and it is such fun to see them zipping around and getting into adorable mischief. And, of course, having lots of box time!

When Johnny and I were preparing for the arrival of our pets, the Chewy boxes were arriving non-freaking-stop. We had grand dreams of building a cardboard castle for them, which I still hope will come into fruition in the future. However, the bunnies have been doing a pretty good job of making their own hideout all by themselves. For the past month or so, Mel and P have been working diligently at creating a tunnel in one of the Chewy boxes to dash in and out of. The work has been slow going because I limit their time playing with the cardboard so it doesn’t hurt their bellies. And, this past week, they finally achieved success!

I take the bunnies out every morning when I’m working and it was hysterical to watch their little faces poke out of the tunnel they were making. I would look down and there would be a sweet bunny face looking back at me from the cubby hole; It was the cutest! Mel and P worked so hard to create another access point into their box and I am honestly so proud of them lol. It is also the perfect spot to play bunny peek-a-boo at, which is one of their favorite games. Like I said, SO f’ing cute!

Toys from Chewy are great, but the boxes are second to none when it comes to Mel and P’s entertainment. Lucky for them, I just placed a big order on Chewy so another box will be at their disposal soon. I can’t wait to see what they do with it!

What is your pet’s favorite toy? Where do you get your pet supplies from? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar3

Pet Bunnies For Easter: DON’T!!

Posted on March 3, 2023 by lifewithlilred

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Hello!! Johnny and I have had our sweet baby bunny angels, Melvin and Penelope, for almost four months already! I honestly can’t believe it has only been that short of a time because it feels like I have had them for forever. The more time I spend as a very active bunny mom, the more I truly can’t understand why small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters are given to children as pets. They are way more work than you could ever expect and it’s not fair to expect a child to meet the needs of pets that require a lot of care.

With the Easter season approaching, I wanted to share my thoughts on this as bunnies are as common to give to kids as candy for the holiday. However, a majority of these rabbits will end up in shelters within the year. Here is a brief summary of all that having a bunny entails before you make the decision to incorporate a new pet:

Bunnies Need Exercise:

If your plan is to get a rabbit and confine it to a hutch all day every day, then let me stop you right now. For both the mental and physical health of the rabbit, they need plenty of exercise outside of their cage. Because I work from home a lot, I allow my bunnies to roam for six plus hours a day. Your rabbit’s exercise space will need to be fully bunny-proofed to prevent them from getting hurt or chewing on anything that they shouldn’t. And chew, they will – one look at our windowsill will prove it!

Bunnies Are Expensive:

There are so many supplies that you will need to have constantly at home for your small animal; Pellet food, veggies, Timothy hay, bedding, toys, and litter to name just a few. Individually, these things aren’t the most expensive in the world but it adds up when you have to replenish supplies often. On average, Johnny and I probably spend between sixty to one hundred dollars on Chewy per month. If this is something that your budget won’t allow, then let me stop you right now as these are all essential items to your bunny’s care.

Bunnies Are Messy:

After the arrival of Melvin and Penelope, I had to push my wake up time back to 5 AM so that I could care for them and still start online work in time. Every morning, I have to thoroughly clean their potty area including three litter boxes. While Mel and P are pretty good about using their litter box, they still are subject to accidents. Bunnies deserve a clean space and if you can’t set aside adequate time every day to spot clean and empty litter boxes, then let me stop you right now.

Bunnies Are Social:

Bunnies are very social animals and having a bonded pair is ideal. Like humans, bunnies can get depressed too and need stimulation to keep them happy. This means lots of toys, taking the time to pet and groom them, and interacting with them throughout the day. If you can’t commit to the highly necessary extra socialization for your bunny, then let me stop you right now.

Bunnies Are Usually NOT Cuddly:

If you are imagining a fluffy little something that the kids can hold and snuggle, then let me stop you right now. Bunnies, traditionally, are prey animals and they despise being picked up. Kind of like a cat, you really need to let your bunny come to you on their own terms. Penelope is very shy and it took a decent amount of time for her to warm up to me. Melvin, on the other hand, is very adventurous and never minded me too much! It all depends on the temperament of your bunny and forcing cuddles is only going to terrorize them.

Bunnies Are Awesome:

Melvin and Penelope are the absolute best and I love them so much. Before committing to wanting pet bunnies in the first place, I researched their necessary care and felt like I could provide that and more. It makes me happy that I can and it’s important to me that people know what they are getting into before taking a small pet home. It is incredibly rewarding, but a lot of work!

If you or someone you know is considering an Easter bunny, please consider this post before making any decisions. If you can’t meet all of these daily tasks for their care, then a bunny isn’t the pet for you.

What kind of pet do you have? Have you had a small animal as a pet before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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