BUNS Newsletter - February 2016

In this issue... Basic Bunny Classes $14 Valentine's Rabbit Adoptions This March, it's time for a Pignic... And a Hoppy Hour! Our Bunny of the Month Clint and Negrita, a Love Story Crows on Patrol         Basic Bunny Class, Feb 6 Learn how to best care for your fuzzy friend at our Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig classes! This month's class is on Saturday, February 6, with upcoming classes March 5, April 9, May 8, June 11, 2016. Classes are free for BUNS volunteers. Visit our class page on bunssb.org to learn more. Read More     $14 Valentine's Day Adoptions In honor of Valentines Day, rabbit adoptions are just $14! Valentine's day is a Sunday, so adoptions on Friday or Saturday (Feb 12 or 13) will be just $14.         It's time for a Pignic! Mark your calendars and bring your Guinea Pigs to our March 12 Pignic! What’s a Pignic?  Pignics give your Guinea Pig a chance to play with other Guinea Pigs. Boars and sows will have their own pens for supervised play. If you'd like, you may bring your own set up for individual play, so your pig can see the others from their own pen. Mark your calendars for March 12 from 1:30 to  4:00. The Pignic will take place on the Humane Society Lawn, at 5399 Overpass Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. Admission is $10 per Guinea Pig and includes a health check. All animals must be healthy. Nail trims will be available for $5.00.  Join us on our Facebook Pignic page for the latest news! Read More     March Hoppy Hour We're also having a Hoppy Hour in March! Bring your fuzzy friend and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your bunny play with others.  Hoppy Hour will take place on the Humane Society Lawn, at 5399 Overpass Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. Admission is $10 per rabbit. All animals must be healthy and rabbits must have been spayed or neutered at least 30 days in advance. We'll be providing light refreshments for both you and your bunny, so please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More       Guinea Pig of the Month Amelia is showing her good side in hopes of being someone’s Forever Valentine. Amelia is a cuy mix, so she is looking for a valentine who accepts her size and strength as a delightful part of who she is, and who will enjoy the journey in getting to know her shy personality.  Read More     Clint and Negrita, a Love Story Negrita came to BUNS in a crowd of young bunnies. A day care center asked BUNS for help with a large group of baby bunnies that had become teen agers. The thought of a crowd of bunnies breeding was pretty scary. So we agreed to help. But when all was said and done, Negrita stayed at BUNS. Her shy gentle nature was not a good fit for an active group of kids. Even BUNS was hard for Negrita. The barking dogs and an ever changing group of volunteers left her sitting in the back of her play yard. We tried hand feeding and clicker training. Still Negrita never seemed to enjoy her time with people or in the yards. Despite her beauty, adopters lost interest because she was so shy. One day Clint was returned to the shelter by a tearful adopter. Clint was a super sweet bunny, but, the adopted explained, she had no time for him due to work. Clint was fine with the shelter. He loved the play yards and having pets from many people. He was good at getting kids to feed him. He was just fine. Of course, Clint, was picked for adoption very quickly. But, surprise, the adopter wanted Negrita as well. So we began to date the two. Clint was curious and hopped over to say “Hi!” Negrita was shy and hopped away. Clint didn’t mind; there was lots to do in a play yard. Every so often he would hop over to Negrita and she would hop away. They did not fight, so we kept putting them out to play together. After Negrita stopped running away from Clint, we moved them into the same hutch. You should see her now. When you approach their play yard, Clint hops over....So does Negrita. If you offer parsley, Clint eats out of your hand....So does Negrita. When Clint dances across the play yard....So does Negrita. Clint has always be a happy boy, but it is a joy to see how happy Negrita is. Watching Clint and Negrita, we are reminded how much bunnies enjoy each other. If you have a lonely bunny, you will be so happy if you find it a friend. Consider taking advantage of the shelter’s $14 Valentine’s Day adoption fees. Contact us to make an appointment for a date: info@bunssb.org or 805 683-0521   Crows on Patrol “CAW, CAW, CAW” screamed the crow as he dove straight toward the top of the pine tree. I looked up and into the hard shiny eyes of a hawk just seconds before he took flight, the crow in pursuit. As they flew I watched the crow dive the hawk again and again until they were out of sight. One brave crow chasing a larger predator.  On our website, you can read more about how crows help patrol against hawks, which helps keep your bunnies safe! Read More