Rabbit Rhythms June 2022

Broken black satin from Sarah's Rabbits in Brunswick, ME.

Welcome to the June 2022 edition of Rabbit Rhythms!

Here are the highlights of Issue #99:

-- This month's Breed of the Month is the Satin, a tribute to Team Sheen.

-- How to Buy a Bunny - What you will want to know if you are thinking about getting a pet rabbit.

-- Get Reassurance With Our Shipping Insurance

--Bunnies and Booms - how to handle fireworks and pet rabbits. 

(Just click the green link letters if you want to skip ahead to that article.)

Breed of the Month: The Satin Rabbit

Gorgeous variety of Satin Rabbits from Sarah's Rabbits.

Our Breed of the Month is the spectacular and shiny Satin. If you would like to find out more about this lovely lagomorph, check out our ebook, Domestic Rabbit Breeds. Pictures of Satin rabbits on this page are provided by our friends at Sarah's Rabbits in Brunswick, Maine. The origin and evolution of the Satin Rabbit almost reads like a science fiction novel. Long long ago, on a farm far far away, before there was such a thing as a Satin rabbit, a Dutch farmer failed to properly chaperone his new doe. Thirty-one days later, she was the proud mother of the first chocolate-colored rabbits. Their rich chocolaty brown color went as viral as a Baby Shark dancing video on TikTok, so they were named Havanas after the luxury cigars.

They were THE rabbit to have. Havanas were quickly imported to the USA, where breeders went full speed ahead on Operation Bunny. Years later, an American farmer noticed his new Havana kits had an unusually shiny sheen to their fur, so he sent the rabbits to Harvard to find out what happened. Was it alien DNA? A long buried supernatural entity? Government experiments? Magic fairy dust? It seems great grandma Havana had passed along more than one mutant gene. The Havana brown had been a mutation from random mixed breeding, and now another mutation from selective mixed breeding had changed the hair itself, not just the color.

Remarkable Siamese Satin Rabbit from Sarah's Rabbits in Brunswick, ME.

Striking Broken Red Satin rabbit, courtesy of Sarah's Rabbits.

Satin fur has translucent hair shafts, creating the distinctive shine. Originally, Satins were in rabbit shows as Havanas, but after allegations of performance enhancing hair styling, Satins were designated as a specific type of Havana, the Satin Havana. (If this happened today, we would probably be calling them Satvana.) All was well once again in the bunny world as apples were being compared to apples, and Havanas to Havanas.

Have you ever heard the saying, “If you find shoes you like, buy a pair in every color?” Same goes for rabbits. But if you can’t buy it in other colors, you make them. For this reason, the Satin has expanded into 26 colors and patterns, with more being developed all the time.  Not all attempts to develop new colors have been successful, In fact, several colors came to be only after several attempts by many breeders, and some colors still haven’t been successful. Recently, there was effort to develop a Lilac Satin, but it didn’t pan out. Hopefully, breeders are still working on it.

REW Satin at Sarah's Rabbits.

Black Satin from Sarah's Rabbits.

Satin fur is very soft, shiny and luxurious, so potential owners may be concerned about special grooming requirements. Rest easy, they only require the same regular weekly brushing that any rabbit should receive, and they are very good at grooming themselves and keeping themselves clean. Of course, if you want your rabbit to look their very best, especially during molting season, Bunny Branola is the ultimate hare/hair conditioner. The ingredients are both delicious, promote gorgeous fur, and have roughage to help keep bunny’s digestion regular to prevent woolblock (hairballs from grooming).

Satins are also a great family pet. They have laid back but very social personalities. They prefer playing with people over solitary play with toys. They are also a good pet for kids. They are medium size as adults, so about 9-11 pounds. Given their friendly natures and ever expanding color palettes, the future is looking bright and shiny for Satin rabbits.

Get Reassurance With Our Shipping Insurance

Raising-Rabbits is now offering insurance for purchases! Get peace of mind knowing that you’re covered in case anything happens in transit. When you check out, you will have the option to buy insurance from Route Insurance, ROUTEINS. If something happens to your purchase in transit, just file a quick claim and ROUTEINS will take it from there to order a duplicate item for you. It’s quick, easy, and stress free. We have created a page to tell you all about the insurance, including step by step instructions with screen shots.

ROUTEINS Shipping Insurance

How much does this cost? It’s actually very cost effective: $1.50 for all orders below $100, and 3% for all orders above $100. So an order that’s $10-$99 can be insured for only $1.50! So a $100 order gets insured for only $3, and a $200 order gets insured for only $6. What a deal!

Why should I buy this insurance? Don’t the carriers provide insurance? Carrier insurance can be limited. Any Priority Mail shipment that goes through USPS has $50 of insurance automatically, but that may not cover the replacement cost. Our Frozen Pet Food is shipped via UPS, which comes with $49 of insurance, but it’s not enough. Starting prices for our frozen food are $200 because large cases are needed in order to ship safely. That $49 won’t come close to replacing your order. Also, UPS automatic insurance does NOT cover frozen items, so if anything happens, you’re stuck.

At Raising-Rabbits we value our customers which is why we found an insurance service to protect your purchases. Because the insurance is covering specific items, their claim form is much shorter and easier than some other agencies, including USPS and UPS.  Raising-Rabbits is here for you!

How to Buy a Bunny

The best wisdom is to do the research in advance and then you'll buy wisely. 

(Pictured: Adorable Holland Lop at The Farm at Fort Mill in South Carolina.)

Rabbits have specific needs and behaviors that are much different than cats and dogs. Also, different rabbit breeds have certain care needs and temperaments. By researching first, you will be able to make the best choice for your family and the bunny, which might include “let’s wait until next year.”

Raising-Rabbits.com has just published a wonderful page of guidance on how to buy a bunny, which answers your many questions and concerns that typically precede the decision to acquire a rabbit.

The page, How to Buy a Bunny, covers all of the following:

(Pictured: Holland Lop from Belle's Bunny Boutique in New Jersey.)

• Best source for the best pet rabbits, and why
  
  
• Pedigrees
  
  
• What kind of bunny you want, including sizes, colors, and personalities. See the ebook, Domestic Rabbit Breeds, which describes rabbit breeds and even personalities in detail.
  
  
• Are there kids in your household? (Might affect the type of rabbit you choose)
  

• How do you plan to house your rabbit, and if indoors, is the space bunny-proof? Check out Pet Rabbit Living Spaces for DIY plans for building cages, hutches, and more.
  




• Have you researched rabbit grooming and medical care, and the costs? See our excellent paperback book, The Rabbit Raising Problem Solver, and ebook, Keep Your Rabbits Healthy, for a gamut of answers on rabbit health and diseases.
  
  
• Do you have a source for bunny toys for stress relief and teeth health, especially bunny chew toys? See chew toy info and links below.
  
  
• What do rabbits eat, and how much to feed them? The ebook, Feeding Your Rabbit, tells you everything you need to know about what bunny likes and needs to eat. 
  
  
• Is this the right time to acquire a bunny or would you like first to LEARN about rabbits? This great book pair, Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits, and the Rabbit Raising Problem Solver, are perfect companion volumes that cover ALL the bases, from beginner to advanced!
  

Check out our World of Raising Rabbits bookstore for these and many other resources.

(Pictured: Cuddly Mini-Rex from Shepherds Purse Rabbitry in Rhode Island.)

Random Rabbit Rantings

Off Topic News, Items of Interest, and Funnies We Want to Share

Silver Fox from Wits End Farm in NC. "What the heck are you people doing out there?!"

Bunnies and BOOMS!

Every year, fireworks and pets is a big issue, so we have actually written a whole page to help your rabbit ease through the holiday. We cover lots of topics and tips:

Safe space for bunny.
Comfort food and treats.
Hydration.
Thundershirts.
Use of pet CBD oil.
To cuddle or not to cuddle.
And more!...

Check out the page: Fireworks and Pets

Like this Rabbit Rhythms June 2022 Newsletter?

Bunny Branola - Ultimate Rabbit Nutritional Supplement, and Treat!

Bunny Branola.

What bunny doesn't love Bunny Bran??!
1 Tablespoon per day of our tasty and nutritious snack mix
sprinkled on their regular food is all your bunny needs to be happier and healthier.

• Bunny Branola makes fur softer and shinier, teeth and tummies healthier, and helps relieve stress due to things like barking dogs, new situations, or ultra cold winters. 
• Bunny Branola is a wonderful rabbit superfood supplement for pregnant bunnies and growing bunnies. 
• Bunny Branola now available in four flavors - Original, Pumpkin Spice, Cranberry Crunch, and Merry Mint!
• Bunny Branola can be ordered in Multi-Variety Packs!

Yes! I want to find out everything Branola can do for my bunnies!

Buy Bunny Branola Now!

Chew Stix by Raising-Rabbits
Just the sticks your bunnies need for chewing and gnawing!

Fruit-infused Raising Rabbits Chew Stix are nature's blessings from the beautiful Washington State forests and orchards.

Fresh alder branches are harvested from trees grown without chemicals, pesticides, or smog. Those branches are then hand cut down to bunny size portions, and infused with apple from Washington’s famous apple farms.

Alder is perfect for rabbit dental hygiene! The apple taste and smell will attract your bun, and they can chew to their heart's content, saving your phone cords and your sanity. 

Check out Raising Rabbits Chew Stix Here!