7 minute read
Living the good bunny life
Lionhead rabbits Taterbug and Ellie Mae enjoy their ‘bunny palace’ in the company of each other and their humans, Natalie and Robert Wurz
by ANNETTE JOYCE
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Since Natalie Wurz never does anything halfway, it’s not surprising that when she started thinking about bringing a rabbit into her family, she did extensive research before getting two of the cuddly creatures and transforming her spacious sunroom into what she now refers to as the “bunny room.”
As a result, she and her husband, Robert, who together own Stonefield Cellars Winery in Stokesdale, are able to truly enjoy their two new pets – Ellie Mae and Taterbug – to the fullest.
Lionhead rabbits Ellie Mae and Taterbug have distinctive wooly manes and are incredibly cute and compact. Natalie explained Lionheads are considered a dwarf breed – at about 5 months old, her bunnies weigh only about 2 1/2 pounds each and won’t get much larger.
In doing her research, Natalie discovered that rabbits aren’t meant to be alone.
“It’s not in the best interest of the bunny to have only one,” she said. “Rabbits are very social and need to be around other bunnies.”
Natalie put a great deal of thought into creating the perfect environment for her newest “family members.” Rather than stick them in a spare bedroom where she knew they would have limited contact with the rest of the family, she wanted them to be “part of the heart of the home.”
The sunroom, she decided, was an ideal place. She considered bunny-proofing the room and giving them free rein, until a friend pointed out the rabbits would find her nice wicker furniture highly appealing for endless chewing.
She also had to think about the couple’s two cats, Fluffernut and Baby Kitty, and how they might interact with the new babies. Both felines are fascinated with the bunnies and like to spend time watching and pawing lightly at them. Although neither cat has been aggressive, Natalie doesn’t leave the four animals together unsupervised.
Rather than having a wire cage in the corner of a lovely room filled with antiques, Natalie (with Robert’s help) chose to create what she refers to as the “bunny palace” and turned it into a centerpiece for the room.
This unique rabbit habitat started with two pieces of fine furniture Natalie found on Facebook Marketplace. The base is made from a cabinet which was used to hold a large-screen TV and the top portion is
won’t get much larger.
Photo courtesy of Natalie Wurz Lionhead rabbits Taterbug (left) and Ellie Mae fi nd comfort in each other’s company.
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the hutch from another piece of furniture.
The wooden inserts in the cabinet doors and the back of the hutch were replaced with black wire to provide airflow and give the bunnies a view. A shelf divides the inside area into two equal spaces with a ramp so the bunnies can freely move up and down. Each space has its own food supply and litterbox.
Since rabbits need plenty of exercise, Natalie added a flexible pen on the sunroom floor that Ellie Mae and Taterbug can access with a ramp that extends from the hutch. The play area is filled with Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO rabbit-appropriate toys to Natalie Wurz and her husband, Robert, created the entertain the pair when “bunny palace” to ensure their two Lionhead rabbits have they’re not chasing one the best environment possible. another, jumping around or just stretched out relaxing. down,” said Natalie, who has moved her office into the room. “They’re like a e rabbits and their antics comfort animal.” provide not only a bit of Rabbits can become easily frightened and require time to bond with entertainment, but also a people. soothing quality. “They’re prey animals and they don’t like loud environments,” Natalie said.
“I love their energy. They’re fun “You have to be quiet and sensitive to to watch but they can also calm you their natures or they will run away.”
Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO Natalie Wurz enjoys cuddling with Ellie Mae.
She added that the key to successfully bonding with a pet bunny is to move slowly.
“Just be patient and go slow. Get down on their level, and let them come to you,” advised Natalie, who does this by simply sitting in the pen with her rabbits and letting them move about freely.
Rabbits are generally smart and can be trained to use a litterbox. Both Ellie Mae and Taterbug are already accustomed to their litterboxes, which leaves less of a mess for Natalie to deal with when cleaning their hutch.
When training a rabbit to use a litterbox, Natalie cautions against using regular cat litter, which can be extremely harmful to rabbits; instead, she opts to use pine pellets or paperbased litters.
For anyone thinking about bunny ownership, Natalie has this bit of advice: “Do your homework and know what you’re getting into beforehand.”
She’s found a lot of information on YouTube and recommends a few sites that have been particularly helpful to her, which include The Bunny Lady, 101 Rabbits and Lennon the Bunny.
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