Smokey's Bunny Haven

08/02/2024

Long hair DO care. A lot.

Longhaired bunnies like our Tribble here are appealing because they’re sooo fluffy. But that fluffiness can cause life-threatening problems if your bunpuff isn’t brushed daily. Thoroughly.

Why all the brushing, and sometimes even shaving? Bunnies with so much fur can’t keep it clean and neat all by themselves. They need hooman help. Matted fur can cause skin infections. Dirty fur puts bunny in danger of flystrike, which can be lethal. Imagine how it feels to wear a fur coat in July—bunnies can get sick and die when they get too hot, just like we do.

And then there are hairballs.

Bunnies don’t hack up hairballs like cats do. The hair just moves through the GI system. If it gets stuck, it can cause a blockage. The resulting stomachache, which can be very painful, causes bunny to stop eating. That makes the problem even worse; there’s nothing to help move the hair mass along. The GI system comes to a halt. This is called GI stasis, which can quickly kill a bunny.

And we haven’t even touched on how bunny fur sticks to everything—your black pants, your contacts, your couch…

Still want to adopt a puff? Pick up a brush and even a good shaver with it. Some bunnies don’t mind a good brushing, but others—like the Tribble—most definitely DO mind. It is not fun to vigorously groom a biting, struggling bunny, particularly since the bunny (and you) can be injured.

And remember: bunnies cannot be bathed. We and the Tribble are grateful for this.

07/31/2024

This is Smooches, one of our friendliest buns. When Smooches sees a friendly hooman, she immediately rushes to the front of her cage and lowers her head for petting—and she expects LOTS of pets.

Smooches came to Smokey’s from a rescue. We don’t know her backstory. It’s hard to imagine how anyone could abandon or mistreat a rabbit as sweet as her name. As with many of our bunnies, we don’t know how old Smooches really is. She may be 13 years old, which is old—um, distinguished—for a bunny. But Smooches will always be young at heart.

Elderbuns like Smooches require a lot of extra care, especially vet visits and food for special diets. To help Smooches and our other elderbuns, please donate:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=MMN95RCAVMZXU

To donate hay, pellets, and other bunny care necessities, see our Chewy wish list:

https://www.chewy.com/g/smokeys-bunny-haven_b121527156

07/29/2024

Robbie puts on his best Monday face.

07/03/2024

Most of us love fireworks on the Fourth—the excitement, the boom as they streak upwards, the bright lights blooming in the night sky. But the things we love about fireworks are the very things that make them terrifying to animals—including pet bunnies.

As prey animals, rabbits by nature are hyper-alert and ready to spring into action at any minute. Sudden loud noises—like the thump and whistling of fireworks—can freak them out. What’s that noise? Where is it coming from? I need to hide, but I don’t know where to go! What if I run right into this thing? What are those flashes???

A panicked rabbit can easily injure itself. Stressed bunnies may stop eating. In rare instances, a really terrified rabbit can die of fear.

Help bunnies by providing a place where they can feel safe and protected. Close the curtains and pull down the shades. Play soft soothing music in the background, or turn on a fan to minimize the noise outside. Set up a few hiding places if your rabbit doesn’t already have a tunnel or bunny cottage—a big box with hay or rough blanket inside, for instance. Move bunnies to a room away from the fireworks, but don’t put them in a bathroom or any room with a slick floor. Rabbits have powerful back legs and need traction to take off. Without it, a scrambling bunny can seriously injure itself (think of back injuries and broken limbs.)

Bring bunnies kept outdoors inside; they have nowhere to run and hide in hutches.

Of course, having a trusted hooman nearby to soothe and reassure bun when things really start popping is the best.

07/01/2024

Kendrick doesn’t like the news or his pellets.

06/24/2024

Hi, I’m Harley! I was born at Smokey’s. My mom Annie came here after she lost her home, and me and my 3 sibs arrived soon after (surprise!) I look just like
Annie, and I inherited her sweet nature too—I love to be petted, and I’ve never met a stranger (what IS a “stranger” anyway?)

Everybody thought I was a girl at first. I was named Harley Quinn, like the Joker’s girlfriend in the Batman comics, because I’m a harlequin mini-Rex (get it? Harle-Quin = Harley Quinn heh heh.) But I surprised everyone again—I’m a boy! I mostly go by Harley these days.

I have a condition called cecal dysbiosis. That means I have a sensitive cecum, a pouch where the small and large intestines meet. The cecum is what keeps good and bad bacteria in balance. Mine is out of balance, so I have a special diet. The hoomans are sad that they can’t give me apple (my favorite) anymore. I snack on dandelion and botanical hay now. They don’t compare to apple, but I know my hoomans are just trying to keep me healthy. My brother Graham passed away of complications from cecal dysbiosis before he was a year old. The hoomans don’t want that to happen to me.

I need lots of hay, even more than regular rabbits. Chewy’s has lots of hay:

https://www.chewy.com/g/smokeys-bunny-haven_b121527156

We’ll take cash too:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=MMN95RCAVMZXU

Venmo | Kimberly Wilson

Thanks!

06/19/2024

“Corn soup! Delish!”

Of course Cheese is playing with a toy, not actual corn. Corn is HORRIBLE for rabbits. Safe toys, though, are GREAT.

Bunnies get bored, especially if they don’t get a lot of time out of their x-pen to explore and play. A few good toys keep their minds and bodies active. Bunnies toss them, chew them, shred them, turn them into toothpicks, and dunk them in their perfectly nice clean water, as demonstrated by Cheese here. Bonus: all this chewing keeps bunny teeth trimmed down. They don’t have to resort to your baseboards, furniture, good shoes…

Cheese recommends toys made with natural, untreated materials, like his “corncob.” Just because a toy is sold in a pet store doesn’t mean that it is safe. Many woods are toxic to bunnies. Choose materials like unvarnished, unpainted birch, straw, wicker, and sea grass. Cheese’s toy turning his water yellow is a good sign: it means the dye is vegetable-based and nontoxic.

If you’re on a budget, no worries. Homemade toys work just as well See the House Rabbit Society page for ideas: https://rabbit.org/behavior/playthings-how-bunnies-use-them/ . (Note: we personally do not agree that slinkies are safe toys. We envision our rabbits’ heads and feet getting stuck in them.)

Whether bought, made, or recycled, your bunnies—and your couch—will appreciate toys.

06/16/2024

06/14/2024

Annie is one of our friendliest, plushiest buns, rushing right up to strangers for pets. You’d never guess that before she came to Smokey’s, she was one of several bunnies crammed into a hutch. It was not an easy life. Food was tossed in for Annie and her hutch mates to fight over.

Then her owners decided they didn’t want rabbits anymore. Annie was about to lose the bit of food and shelter she had—maybe even her life.

Her owner learned of Smokey’s and contacted us. Smokey’s is entirely owner and donor funded. Resources are stretched thin, especially when we are at capacity. We couldn’t find room for Annie and her hutch mates right away. As we feverishly worked on a solution, Annie’s owner called to say that the male bunnies in the group had suddenly been killed by a dog.

The remaining bunnies—girls Annie, Molly, and Gidget—were now in a precarious situation. They had to come to Smokey’s immediately. Annie and Molly brought a surprise with them—they were pregnant! Molly’s babies didn’t survive, but Annie’s four did.

Despite being neglected in terrible circumstances and having faced a fate similar to that of her brothers, Annie remains one of the sweetest, most loving buns you will ever meet. Humans failed her once, yet she still trusts them. Because there are caring humans in the world—like you—she has a safe home and plenty of love.

Please help Annie and the other bunnies at Smokey’s.

Donate here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=MMN95RCAVMZXU

To donate hay, pellets, and other bunny care necessities, see our Chewy wish list:

https://www.chewy.com/g/smokeys-bunny-haven_b121527156

06/10/2024

This is Myles. He came to the haven with his mom and sibs 9 years ago, victims of yet another hoarding situation. Myles is shy, a “plain” black bunny who blends with the shadows. Like all introverts, bun and hooman, he is easy to overlook among the lively extroverted rabbits around him. But introverts, once you get to know them, can be quite interesting, amusing, and a lot more talkative than you think. (Myles doesn’t talk, but you get the idea.)

Rabbits aren’t meant to be left alone in cages 24/7, the only interaction with their humans limited to feeding time. Affection and attention are as important as food and water. Bunnies need someone to appreciate their amazing binkies and zoomies, preferably with gasps of awe. They like to hang out with the fam, even if their humans are just engrossed in the latest serial killer documentary. Extended stroking of the forehead is a must. They might allow you to do the full-body-pet thing, and a few even go for cuddling.

People who say rabbits are “boring” and “have no personality” obviously have not spent any time with them. (They’re probably the same people who complain that human introverts are “boring” and “weird.”) A little attention can bring out a lot of personality. Even if a bunny is as quiet as Myles.

Show Myles, and the other rabbits of Smokey’s Bunny Haven, a little love. Donate here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=MMN95RCAVMZXU

Venmo | Kimberly Wilson

To donate hay, pellets, and other bunny care necessities, see our Chewy wish list:

https://www.chewy.com/g/smokeys-bunny-haven_b121527156

05/14/2024

Kiki helps with Reggie’s nebulizer treatment. Reggie is not impressed.

05/10/2024

Kelsey, one of the bunnies with the most expressive beautiful eyes at Smokey’s, is a natural to answer your burning question for today:

Can rabbits see in color?

Kelsey (fluttering her long lashes) replies: “Sort of.”

Rabbits have dichromatic color vision, which means they have two cones (color receptors) in their eyes. Humans are trichromatic, having three cones. What colors do we see that rabbits can’t? Red, and combinations of red, green, and blue—we can distinguish among a wide range of colors. Rabbits see the world in blue and green. They see all other colors as gray. If your diet mainly consists of green stuff, like grass, you really don’t need to see red.

Know what else Kelsey can see that you can’t? Behind her. Rabbits don’t have to turn their heads to see all around them, including over their head. Know what you can see that Kelsey can’t? In front of your nose. Rabbits’ eyes are on the sides of their head rather than in front, so they have a blind spot in front of their noses and chins.

Kelsey says keep an eye (haha) on your bunny’s oculi for crusting, redness, weeping, and cataracts (cloudy white film on the eye.) Eye issues, weirdly enough, can be an indicator of dental problems.

And maybe change the color scheme of your bunny’s space to blue and green.

05/04/2024

“Sweet dreams.”

—Bindi

05/02/2024

Behold…the sploot.

What’s a sploot, you may ask?

Ordinarily, being prey animals, bunnies are on high alert and always ready to run. Seconds matter. It’s hard to take off at high speed if you’re all stretched out on the ground (makes you a bigger target too.)

Our Tribble here is stretched completely out, with his back legs kicked out behind him. This means he feels totally safe in his environment. He trusts his hoomans enough to relax in their presence. It’s chill time.

If a bunny is comfortable enough to sploot in your presence, you’ve been honored. Enjoy it—and enjoy the cuteness.

05/01/2024

Dudley demonstrates a new way to give his hoomans a heart attack—napping on his comfy shark cushion.

05/01/2024

Remember to rabbit today!

Saying “white rabbits “ 3 times aloud when you wake up on May 1st, before saying anything else, guarantees good luck for the rest of the month!

At least that’s what British superstition says, anyway.

Even the Brits don’t know where the tradition came from—why does it have to be rabbits? and specifically white ones?—but it was first mentioned in a 1909 book, Notes and Queries. Children made sure they said “rabbits” before anything else on the first day of the month, believing it would bring them luck for the next 30 (or 31, or 28) days.

But don’t worry if your first words this morning were “NOOOO” when your alarm went off. Other versions of the superstition say rabbiting works on the first day of every month, not just May. You can even shorten it to “rabbits!” Just try again in June.

04/29/2024

Bo and Henry are a couple of our elderbuns. Saved from a hoarding situation, they came to Smokey’s with their moms when they were only 24 hours old. They’re now 12 years old.

When bunny parents choose a cute baby bun, they may not think about how long it will live. They should.

Bunnies live as long as some dogs—8 - 12 years or even longer with the right care. The bunny that’s a baby now will be considered a senior when he’s around 5-6 years old (giant breeds, like English lops, age faster.) He’ll experience the same age-related issues his humans do: arthritis, decreasing vision and hearing, problems with his teeth. He won’t be able to get around well, his back will go out. He may even tell kids to get off his lawn.

Just when he needs his hoomans most—they don’t want him anymore. They’re tired of taking care of him. He doesn’t play (they don’t notice how much he loves to hang out with them.) He has to go to the vet a lot, which is expensive. They want a kitten or a puppy.

So where do the Henrys and Bos of the world go?

Some owners try to rehome them, but it’s hard to find a good home for a young bunny, let alone an old one. Maybe the bunnies are moved to an enclosed yard, after living indoors all their lives. Maybe they’re euthanized, which is at least kinder than just releasing them outside to die, alone and afraid. Owners do that too.

But a lucky few come to Smokey’s Bunny Haven.

Elderbuns, and other bunnies who are considered unadoptable, are our reason for being. Smokey’s Bunny Haven is one of the very, very few sanctuaries in the US for these special bunnies. We are the forever home for the bunnies who lost theirs because they became sick or injured (often because of poor care), or too “old.”

These bunnies need us. And we need you.

Please donate:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=MMN95RCAVMZXU

Chewy wish list:
https://www.chewy.com/g/smokeys-bunny-haven_b121527156

04/18/2024

Before you get that cute bun, you might want to watch this.

04/18/2024

It takes a lot to feed a bunny. Especially 100+ of us.

Specifically, it takes 1 50lb box of Oxbow western timothy hay and 1 50lb box of Oxbow orchard grass a day; and 300 pounds of Oxbow timothy pellets a week.

You think YOUR grocery bill is bad.

So why do our hoomans choose a certain brand for our feed and hay? Why not pick up some cheap feed or bales of hay at a supply store?

We’re not snobs, really. Sadly, most rabbit feed is horrible for rabbits. Many cheap or generic brands pad their feed with things are actually really bad for us—nuts, seeds, beans, corn, fruit jellies that are basically candy. Even the pellets may not be the timothy we need, but alfalfa or an alfalfa mix. Alfalfa isn’t even grass! Rabbits under a year old can have it, but not the rest of us.

A regular diet of poor feed leads to bladder sludge, GI issues, liver disease, obesity—and eventually death. In fact, the wrong diet is one of the leading reasons that we die before the age of two. That’s why we get plain good-quality timothy hay pellets from Oxbow.

Speaking of hay: it is essential to our very survival. Without it, we die. Hay has to make up at least 80 percent of our diet: timothy hay, orchard hay, meadow hay, maybe a little occasional oat hay as a treat. We need it to keep our GI tract going, for toileting, and for keeping our teeth trimmed. It’s also nice for napping and throwing around (annoys the heck out of our hoomans, hehe.). Our hoomans give us timothy hay for fiber and softer orchard grass hay to mix things up.

Cheap hay can be made up of any type of grass and also alfalfa. Lower quality hay can be stalky, dusty, even moldy or buggy (eek.)

This is why we get Oxbow (or Small Pet Select) hay. These companies source their hay from the best farms and have strict quality control standards. Our hoomans know exactly what we are getting.

We’re bunnies, so we don’t know much about money (except that we shouldn’t chew the paper kind because it really upsets the hoomans.) But we can guess that hay and feed for so many of us is expensive. We depend on the kindness, compassion, and generosity of hoomans like you. Won’t you help us? No donation is too small. Every dollar counts. (We promise not to eat the dollars.)

Please don’t let us go off our feed.

To donate:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=MMN95RCAVMZXU

To donate hay and pellets, see our Chewy wish list:

https://www.chewy.com/g/smokeys-bunny-haven_b121527156

03/25/2024

Because bunnies have fur, many people assume that they can live outside in cold weather. Brody can tell you that is not true.

Many years ago, he was one of several Flemish Giants kept outdoors in a bitterly cold mountain environment. Twenty froze to death.

One of the lucky few surrendered by the owner, Brody came to Smokey’s with 8 other survivors.
He’s the last of the group, a big bunny with a big presence.

Large rabbit breeds are prone to back issues, especially when they reach a certain age. In the end stages, they can lose the use of their back legs. Brody is no exception. He was one of the first bunnies to rush to the door of his pen at feeding time, patiently waiting his turn. Though he can’t do that anymore, he still enjoys mealtime. His humans make sure he is fed first, as befits one of our elderbuns.

Rabbits with back problems, like Brody, need special attention. This means soft, thick fleece blankets to lie on, food and water dishes with low sides, cut-down hayboxes, extra-careful attention to grooming and hygiene, frequent repositioning, medications to manage discomfort and inflammation, and trips to an exotic vet to monitor progress. This kind of care doesn’t come cheap, but Brody’s worth it.

To help Brody and the other rabbits at Smokey’s, please donate:

PayPal:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=MMN95RCAVMZXU

Venmo:
https://venmo.com/u/Kimberly-Wilson-699

03/24/2024

Update on Mollie:

Mollie is recovering from surgery nicely, as you can see. She showed some interest in the staples from surgery, but after we explained how important it was to leave those alone, she hasn’t touched them.

She is scheduled for a checkup and spay in a couple of weeks.

Mollie thanks you for all your help and support!

03/13/2024

Update on Mollie:

Mollie underwent surgery this past Monday (March 11.) We dared not wait any longer. It was a good thing that we didn't: Mollie had a carcinoma. Three areas of cancerous tumor were removed. As you can see from her post-op photo, this was a seriously involved surgery that took nearly 3 hours to perform.

Mollie came through and is recovering, but she still has a way to go. In four weeks, she'll be spayed in case there is metastasis to the uterus. Spaying will also help prevent further cancers.

Your generous donations mean so much to Mollie and the humans who care for her. She wouldn't have stood a chance without your help. Every dollar counts, and we are deeply grateful. Thank you.

Mollie's surgery may be done, but her medical expenses aren't, and a spay is coming up. Please share: https://gofund.me/4cc9f603

03/06/2024

Please like and share. Mollie needs help.

Mollie came to Smokey's Bunny Haven from a backyard breeder. The breeder dec… D Lineberry needs your support for Help Mollie Get Surgery She Desperately Needs

02/14/2024

All we need is love...and a little hay wouldn't hurt.

Hoppy Valentine's Day from Smokey's Bunny Haven.

02/11/2024

Smokey's Bunny Haven now has a wish list on Chewy!

Smokey's Bunny Haven is a sanctuary, not a rescue. This means when bunnies come here, they come to stay. Most of our bunnies are not adoptable--they're elderly, disabled, special needs, or require skilled medical care--and so have nowhere else to go. And we have 100+ of them.

It takes a lot to care for so many bunnies--food (you think your grocery bill is bad), hay, bedding, cleaning supplies (yes, bunnies have laundry), medical care. Times are tough for bunnies too. Won't you help us? No gift is too small. Every little bit helps. Just visit our wishlist on Chewy:

https://www.chewy.com/g/smokeys-bunny-haven_b121527156

The bunnies thank you in advance!

02/08/2024

Several years ago, a Roanoke Times carrier was delivering newspapers on his route when he noticed two obviously domesticated rabbits outside. They quickly disappeared, but the carrier saw them again, and again. He worried about them, but wasn’t sure what to do. They always ran away, and there were plenty of places for a rabbit to hide. This wasn’t the best neighborhood to search for bunnies either. Finally he heard about Smokey’s Bunny Haven. It took a few tries, but Smokey’s volunteers were able to catch the two and bring them home. One was a girl they named Hope. The other was a boy who was named Sloan after the carrier who helped save them.

But Hope had a surprise—babies. Some of the newborns didn't make it, but Hailey, Hannah, Hobie, Hayden, Houston and Harvath survived. Today Harvath and Hobie are the only siblings left. Their dad’s still around too.

Because of a kind stranger’s compassion and concern, Sloan and Hope survived. They found a warm safe place to live instead of dying in fear outdoors at the mercy of predators, cruel humans, cars, disease, hunger, and weather. Because someone tried to help instead of leaving them to their fate, most of their babies had long lives, instead of very short and sad ones. Sadly, there are a lot of Sloans and Hopes out there, and they aren't so lucky.

To help the Sloans and Hopes of tomorrow and the bunnies of Smokey's Bunny Haven today, please donate: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=MMN95RCAVMZXU

02/04/2024

Cinder is a former resident of Smokey’s. She likes her hoomans, but they are terrible at making beds. It’s a good thing she’s around to do it properly.

02/04/2024

🌟 Join Us in Making a Difference! 🌈 🌟

Dear Friends and Community,

We're on a mission to create positive change, and we need YOUR support! 🤝 We've launched a GoFundMe campaign to make a meaningful impact, and we invite you to be a part of this journey.

🐰 Campaign: Hop to the Rescue: Smokey's Bunny Haven 🐰

At Smokey's Bunny Haven, we're providing a loving sanctuary for bunnies in need—the elderly, disabled, sick, and those with special needs. 🏡 Our dedicated team works tirelessly to ensure these furry friends receive the care, nourishment, and love they deserve.

💚 How Can You Help? 💚

Your generous donations will directly contribute to feeding, caring for, and addressing veterinary needs for our bunnies.🌿 Every dollar brings us one step closer to creating a haven of hope for these precious souls.

🙏 Join the Cause! 🙏

-Click the link below to make a donation: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hop-to-the-rescue-supporting-bunny-haven

-Share this post to spread the word and raise awareness.

-Tag friends who love animals and invite them to join the cause.

Your support means the world to us and the bunnies we care for. Let's come together and make a positive impact on their lives! 🌟

Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey! 🐾💕

These bunnies come to us with stories etched into their fur, tales of abandonment, n… Ana H needs your support for Hop to the Rescue: Supporting Bunny Haven!