Saturday Thoughts and News

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Rabbittude

Late last night, I discovered that our Etsy shop has received Google syndication so that it appears in the Google shopping results. This has been a hotly debated subject on Etsy since the rollout for this syndication of Etsy shops began sometime last year. I have seen reports from shops that it helped a lot while other sellers say they haven’t seen any difference at all in their views or sales.

With a tough economy though, many want to believe that getting into that extra place will be the thing that gets them to the sales level they are seeking. So the slowness of Etsy and Google making this happen for all Etsy sellers is causing a lot of negativity. Many of the unsyndicated feel they aren’t on an even playing field.

The jury is out for us on this one until some time has passed. Since summer is a slower time for people looking for bunny rabbit items, unless they are a true rabbit enthusiast, it may not make much difference for us receiving this syndication now. Springtime would have provided a better testing time for Rabbittude. We will keep to our plans and see what this does or doesn’t do for our views and sales going forward. At least now in the Google shopping, items from our CafePress store and Etsy shop are appearing together to give people who are finding us for the first time a wider variety of choices.

Learning we were syndicated did prompt a really good look over all our current listings to make sure they met the rules to be picked up by the feed. I was editing late into the night. Then this morning Blaine was going back through and reviewing, looking for typos or things that didn’t make sense. That provided a funny view of the difference in how the guys view descriptions. Blaine told me I had a problem on one listing. I asked which one and his response was, “the silver bunny earrings with violet whatevers”. Which was his translation of Sterling Bunny Rabbit Earrings, Violet Swarovski Butterflys.

Changing subjects to Poo in review: In The Wonderful World of Bunny Poo, I talked about a Creative Breakroom challenge I had seen for “Jars O Crap”. Even though the challenge is past, I was going to do an upscaled bunny poo in a jar product picture and description a la that challenge theme for fun. However, my rabbits aren’t the poo producers I had thought. Well they are, but they aren’t as messy outside the box as I thought which is the best means of collecting clean dry poo. Either they have gotten very tidy right when I decided to collect a small jar of their random poos, or they were never as messy as I assumed. Live and learn. If I ever get a jar collected, I will do a blog post with my hypthetical product listing.

Tomorrow I will share some photos. The first week of August has been designated as a Simplify Your Life week. So, I have posts planned starting Monday on how to simplify and make things easier with house rabbits as part of the household equation. I will share a lot of the things we have discovered and learned that have helped us.

Just backyard bunnies and crickets in here tonight …

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Rabbittude

Shadow and I are both a bit under the weather today. I am saving my remaining oomph to medicate him and not up to finalizing the post I had in process for today. So I will have several posts tomorrow instead.

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All Kidding Aside, Bunny Poo Is Great for Gardening!

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Rabbittude

Bunny poo assisted blooms in our garden

I have been poking fun at rabbit manure for sale on the web for a couple of days. It is funny how silly some serious listings and terminology can sound when the product being sold is poop. Today I switch over to the real value of bunny poo.

If you have a rabbit and a garden, rabbits really do create the perfect compost. If they are fed properly, the only things going in are veggies or hay products. Then what comes out of a healthy rabbit are nice dry round bunny poo marbles that have extremely low odor.

Someone connected with a rabbit rescue told me they have provided gardeners with rabbit manure and used the rest for gardens around the rescue building. I think that is terrific idea for rescues. Added value to the community with a usable product and use it to make the grounds of the building more attractive. It also provides another positive talking point on an unexpected side benefit of having a house rabbit. Waste not! What other composter will look so cute? Rabbits are just so totally vegan, green and eco conscious little beings.

Here in Georgia, the soil is red clay based, so the soil needs improvement for gardening. We moved in with the rabbits nine years ago and have regularly used their offerings in the parts of the yard we picked out for our gardens. I won’t say we have had raging success, because our part of Georgia has been in and out of drought mode with a switch over to flood stage a couple of times. To say our plants have been stressed for much of the time we have been here is an understatement. We brought in several rain barrels to collect water from our gutters when it does rain and are putting in more plants that tolerate heat and low water conditions, xeriscaping.

The other thing we have noticed in our gardens is lots of wild cottontail rabbits who will come to visit. It seems to us that the bunny poo fertilization has hung out a wild bunny welcome mat. They will sit right below the windows of the house eating quite comfortably. One time a mother brought her babies with her and they were snuggled up underneath her as she ate. The babies took off running when we accidentally moved. I found one of the babies napping in the sunshine curled up in a patch of grass by the backdoor the next day. We can watch the bunnies through our windows and sometimes sit on the back patio and enjoy the yard with them as they feed.

So use the poo, its good stuff! On to the plan for the remainder of this week and next. Tomorrow, I am going to talk about rabbits and territorial poo, bunnyproofing info. Thursday, I plan to share some of the unusual things for sale on the web related to rabbit poo. Friday, I will have a follow suggestion or two. I figured on getting all the messy stuff out-of-the-way this week, since the first week of August is designated as a Simplify Your Life week. During that week, I plan to share lots of the tips and tricks and supplies we find most handy for keeping things clean and simple with rabbits in the house.

A Quick Note …

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Rabbittude

Just popping in quickly here to say I am working on further research into bunny poo and what is already out there in the internet marketplace. A couple of comments yesterday sent me off looking for more things than I had thought of. Quite amazing really what people have for sale these days. I will post more later today, perhaps early evening for those on US Eastern standard time.

The Wonderful World of Bunny Poo

Posted on July 24, 2011 by Rabbittude

Oat Hay + Rabbit = Cheeripoos ?

As a cottage industry, seriously. I have often fantasized about getting the bunnies to earn their own keep. I had read at one time about a how-to book that had information for using bunny poo to start a worm farm and then sell the worms to fishermen. Blaine has a wonderful green thumb and we use bunny poo in our garden. So I have always been aware of the rich fertilization in the poo since it is already composted veggies and hay. It is also nice hard dry little marbles that are easy to pick up and don’t have much of an odor.

However, I had never heard or thought about the possibility of actually selling bunny poo online. I had just recently joined the Creative Breakroom forum. In one thread I learned about a challenge they had a while back for “Jars O Crap”. Everyone was to take a Mason jar and fill it with whatever, take pictures and then list their jars online.

Looking through the challenge thread and the very creative responses had me laughing myself silly. This is the one I loved the most: Un Bocal des Peaux D’Oignons. Oh so very special, I am almost tempted to buy it myself. If I had been there at the time to take part, the title had me thinking quite literally about my most available free item here, a jar of bunny poo!

So I got into a discussion in the Breakroom on the topic of bunny poo. What do you say the expiration date is on a bottle full of bunny poop? What kind of shelf life does that have? Or does it become vintage at some point? Rapid thoughts were running through my head as to whether that would be tagged as handmade or a supply. Do I say I made it myself or it was created by my rabbit collective? Some pointed out that a bottle could have explosive gas issues and that holes in the top or a plastic bag with a nice label might be better.

As we were verbally flinging the poo back and forth in this discussion, one member asked another if they had heard back officially on this. That is when I found out that someone had investigated whether selling bunny poo on Etsy was allowed. They were told that it was, as long as local laws and regulations in regards to animal compost are met. Hey, I am living in a farming community! I will just bet I can find out about that! That is where hysterically funny idea meets up with actual business opportunity. Too funny!

I suppose I should be incredibly alarmed with myself that the idea of selling bunny poo has generated more creative marketing ideas in my head than anything else this year. Perhaps there are whole huge cottage industries out there for the unemployed to sell pet waste and help feed their families. I did check this morning on Etsy and there are current active listings there for both Rabbit Manure and Llama Beans.

Objectively, the picture for the Llama beans was a great deal cleaner (does that term ever apply to compost?) than the Rabbit Manure. The Llama Bean title is also more appealing than Rabbit Manure which sounds a bit too down on the farm for eco conscious urban viewers. So I sense an opportunity to upscale the market for rabbit compost / fertilizer. I am intrigued in my research today on Etsy to see how many people have tagged their items with fertilizer when they aren’t selling compost ??? I am not at all certain about the thinking on that one for SEO keyword searches.

At this point, I have no idea where I am going (is that a poor word choice?) with this. The minimum I expect is to have some great fun and laughs here for the blog. Since laughs have been in short supply at many points this year that will be oh so welcome. So stay tuned for poo!

Just Thinking …

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Rabbittude

I just love this photo from istockphoto.com!

It is Saturday, a day to unwind, review, mull … zzz. Whoops have to catch myself. Actually, I have been hopping and bopping around the internet to various sites. I am always on the look out for great bunny things or funny bunny ideas.

I am thinking about bunny poo today, lots and lots of bunny poo. Part of that is because I see lots and lots of bunny poo. Even when I don’t see the bunnies, I see evidence of the existence of bunnies here.

We didn’t realize that the careful leaving of rabbit droppings in specific areas is part of rabbit territorial marking. Now we do. However, we keep telling Tigger and Shadow it really isn’t necessary to mark the area around their litter box as theirs by ringing it with poo. No one else is going to be claiming those boxes. We have found that a kitchen skimmer (dedicated to the bunnies, no going back to the kitchen now!) is a great tool to scoop those up and drop them in the litter boxes. The cat scoops always had holes too big and allowed the poos to drop right through.

So where am I going with all the poo? Oh that would be telling today and I am going to make you wait and come back another day to find out.

And Following Up On Friday – Eeuuuww …

Posted on July 22, 2011 by Rabbittude

Okay, I swear sometimes the bunnies read the blog and Twitter feed. It was only a couple days ago I wrote about The Things I Do For Bunnies and how I really gag over the smell of Cilantro. Someone on Twitter asked if I really hated it that much and I replied that I found the smell of Tigger’s SBDs sweeter than the smell of Cilantro. Tigger’s SBDs tend to smell like a skunk has invaded.

Last night, Blaine washed up a pile of Cilantro for the bunnies while I was working in the office. I came into the living room after the rabbits had finished eating. I got down on the floor and Tigger hopped over. She stopped right in front of me and yawned, sharing a cloud of Cilantro scented bunny breath.

With Tigger, I do have to wonder if she was addressing me with bated breath wanting to know what smelled the worst: Cilantro, her SBDs or the new entry, her Cilantro breath. I have to admit, I fled the room so quickly that I am not sure where I would rate the Cilantro breath. However, I know I don’t need to try it again just to be able to fine tune that answer. I now have a completely new Haiku idea for the folks on IHateCilantro.com. If only I could remember how a Haiku is supposed to be written.

Sigh … where is a good gas mask or respirator when you really need one.

Does My Bunny Love Me … How Will I Know?

Posted on July 21, 2011 by Rabbittude

Me & Tigger, in the shot my Mom wanted to take of her. Tigger sweetly held still even for a non digital camera 🙂

So how do you know with rabbits? Since bunnies are prey animals, they aren’t used to letting anyone who isn’t a bunny in on how they feel about things. They are hiders. Over the years, we have learned sometimes it isn’t so much what they do, but what they don’t do anymore.

They will stay out in the open and not hide as much. When they feel like it, ours will come when we call. Some might actually hop up to greet you when you come home. My first bunny Thumper and Portia, the one we lost a few years back, would both come up and pull at pants legs or paw at ankles to get attention.

You will see a difference in their attitude and behavior if you have been away from them for a while. I know someone who took a day trip and could tell her bunny missed the family, he was so excited on their return. Another person I know has moved and isn’t at home with the bunnies as much right now and one is acting out a bit.

Shadow will bounce up, flop down and stick his head under our hand. In return for head pets, he will lick whatever part of us he can reach, hands, arms, legs, faces. Shadow also gives invitations to play. He will zoom up, zoom a little away and look back over his shoulder. He wants to play chase.

Tigger is a very kitty style bunny, a standoffish Princess. It has always been harder to read her. However, she started to show just how much she cared and trusted us at vet visits and when ill. She hates to be picked up and held, but at vet visits I started to notice when I would try to put her down on the table, she was clinging to my shirt. One time while there, when the vet let her lose to hop back into her carrier, instead she jumped up into my arms. I truly believe she is telling me she wants me to protect her and recognizes me as a protector for her.

Recently while very ill, Tigger had Blaine very misty eyed. We had to pick her up a lot to medicate, feed and clean her up. After putting her down, each time we expected her to want nothing to do with us. However, one time she hopped up beside Blaine, flopped down and clearly wanted to be petted and comforted. They stayed together enjoying each others company for a good while.

One of the most obvious ways that bunnies show loving approval is by tooth purring. We don’t always hear it, sometimes we feel it as they gently click their jaws and we feel their jaw movement as we pet them.

One vet said one of the best guides to knowing we had bunny love and approval was that we were being shown their true personalities and that only happens when a rabbit feels completely comfortable in their environment.

The Things I Do for Bunnies

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Rabbittude

Today is a day of reflection and there are a couple of things that come to mind on this topic. The first is T-shirt sacrifices. There is no T-shirt color that can properly hide the discolorations that come from spit out bunny food, bunny pee and bunny poo. Portia and now Tigger have both needed syringe feedings and would soil themselves and have poopy butt while really ill.

Portia was pretty good about holding still to be taken care of and cleaned up. Tigger however, has always been a bit like holding the Bugs Bunny style Tasmanian Devil. You might hang on, but her position changes regularly and rapidly. I try to use baby style drop cloths to cover me up while Blaine feeds or cleans her, but she twirls around all over me and I always end up wearing whatever she wants to share. Immediate laundering doesn’t always get out the ground in stuff that comes with all her wiggling around. So, there goes another shirt designated to bunny care only. I know someone out there is thinking, just bunny burrito her in a towel. I cannot describe how fast she moves, there is no getting her wrapped up into a towel like that, even at a slower ten-year old speed. Only at her very sickest will she hold that still and then the towel burrito isn’t necessary.

Second, the smell of Cilantro makes me gag. I don’t know why, but I really hate it. So of course, the bunnies love to eat Cilantro and want it for variety in their diet. For me, the only thing worse than the smell of Cilantro in the room is the aroma it leaves hanging around on my hands when I wash it up for the rabbits. I cannot get it off no matter what I use. It follows me everywhere.

Usually, I get Blaine to handle the toxic veggie. I have trouble even being in the same room with it while the bunnies eat it. I went looking for info on Cilantro to see if there are any kill the odor suggestions. Instead, I found there is a member website for Cilantro haters with over 3,000 members: http://ihatecilantro.com/submit.php. Amazing, I am not alone. I will have to look over the haikus of my fellow sufferers.

Back to Tigger for the third, SBDs. Tigger can clear a room with her gassy issues. She is the sweetest, fluffiest, cutest most beautiful rabbit and yet if she lets loose, you would swear there was a skunk in the room. I cannot believe how much toxic gas a five pound rabbit can hold. Now this isn’t just because she has been sick lately. Tigger let loose her first SBD right in my face when she was just a baby. I thought I was going to find a huge pile of poo underneath her and was really surprised to find nothing at all and realize my cute little bunny could let loose a silent stinker like that. It was a very teary eye opener into the dark secrets of fluffy bunnies.

Dust Bunny

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Rabbittude

Ah, bunnies never learn. The minute I open the door to our half bath, Shadow’s rabbit radar goes off and within seconds, he is there to zoom in. He always follows the same course with a lap around behind the toilet.

You would think he would learn about the spider webs back there. One thing really enjoying a high growth cycle this past couple years in Georgia is the spider population. I beat back cobwebs on a daily basis in some areas.

It has gotten to be a habit for me to always look at open spaces before walking through them. Overnight, the spiders will build a web across open areas and doorways. I hate getting a face full of web. It is a major freak out that everyone hears about if the spider happens to be in the web at the time. So I have learned to look first now and proceed cautiously. Little Shadow hasn’t yet. He came out from his lap, hit the dining room and starting cleaning his little face off.

I tried to tell him not to go back there, but he just wouldn’t slow down and listen.

I Don’t Know Nothin’ About Birthin’ No Blog

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Rabbittude

Greetings Bunny lovers. I’m Pappa Bunny. Momma Bunny had a rough day today. **Tigger !! No !!! No !!! Stop that !!** She fought off pirates yesterday who hijacked her Twitter. **Shadow!! Quit chewing on that !! Bad Bunny !!** She is enjoying a little quiet time. Me, I’m trying to keep the babies out of trouble (fat chance), and help out a little bit here.

Tigger has shown remarkable improvement over last weekend. Looking at her, you would never guess she was at death’s door then. Her appetite is back to normal, and she is being very good about eating hay. I swear we have the only two rabbits in the world who don’t like timothy hay. I tried a new brand of timothy on them last night, and they seem to have eaten it all. **Tigger !!! Leave Shadow alone !!** Sorry about the interruptions. Bunnies will be bunnies.

I am still concerned about Shadow. He has a lot of energy, and is still very playful for his age. It’s just that his appetite seems to be slowly decreasing. At his last few vet visits, he has dropped a little bit of weight each time. I am going to try to make some banana / critical care balls for him. Maybe he has a slight blockage. Or he just needs a little something to stimulate his appetite more. **Shadow!! Get down off of Momma’s chair.**

It is so hard watching them grow old. It seems like yesterday that we had two hyperactive little puff-balls running around like maniacs, getting their little bunny selves into everything. They were a lot of work, and at times very exasperating. But I wouldn’t change it for anything. Even those runs around the dining room table at midnight trying to get Shadow to go to bed.

Thanks for letting me share with you. Momma Bunny should be ready to go for tomorrow. Me? I gotta go feed the Prince and Princess another pile of kale leaves.

Hackers, Phishers and Frauds, Oh My!

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Rabbittude

I am not sure exactly what happened on Twitter today, because until just a couple of hours ago, I hadn’t been on Twitter. It appears however, that someone else was very busy today on Twitter using my direct messaging to send out lots of spam.

I HATE SPAM! BIG YUCK! The best I can remember, I got an email earlier today notifying me of a direct message from someone I recognized. I must have clicked on it. I don’t remember clearly, I was in a hurry. Doing whatever unthinking thing I did with that email gave someone access I didn’t intend. This is one of the things that hackers and phishers count on. Sooner or later we all rush and don’t pay attention when something looks legitimate. Then they get what they need to take over and use someone’s account.

If you got an email about receiving a direct message from me today on Twitter and haven’t opened it, delete it. The only messages I have sent have been responses to people who were kind enough to let me know what was going on with my account so that I could work to stop it. If you rushed like me with an email about a direct message and possibly clicked on anything, change your Twitter password now.

I am so very sorry to all who received spam messages today from my account.

Rabbittude

Rabbits + Attitude = Rabbittude

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