The Christmas Rabbit

Today we are going to discuss several items that relate to rabbits and Christmas. The first item is a short story by Beatrix Potter that has accompanied illustrations in the show notes. A news article about The rabbits of Christmas past: A present that backfired for Australia. A nice set of treats you can make for your rabbit. We cover the topic of your Bunny and the Holidays. A Narragansett Legend of how Rabbit wishes for snow, which we have covered once before, but it is a fun story, and finally A Time for Giving.
THE RABBIT'S CHRISTMAS PARTY
by Beatrix Potter
The rabbits arrive for the party.

On a wet December day, the rabbits gathered for a Christmas party. Rabbits don't like rain, so they wore raincoats. One rabbit brought an umbrella.
The room was decorated for Christmas with holly on the walls. When the rabbits sat down to eat, there were not enough chairs. So some rabbits sat on baskets.

The rabbits sit down to eat. The rabbits dance a country jig.
After dinner, the table was pushed aside, and the rabbits danced in a circle. One rabbit provided music by playing the pipe.

When the piper became tired, the rabbits started a game of "Blind Man's Bluff." One rabbit would be blindfolded. Then that rabbit would try to tag the other rabbits.
When a rabbit was tagged, he or she would be blindfolded and the game would start again. The rabbits play 'Blind Man's Bluff'.

The rabbits roast apples for dessert.
For dessert, the rabbits roasted apples. They tied apples to strings and hung them by the fire. The rabbit who watched them used a cabbage leaf to keep her face from getting too hot.

After all of the food and exercise, some of the rabbits had trouble staying awake around the warm fireplace.
After dessert, it was time to go. The rabbits found their coats by candlelight. Then they said goodbye all around before they set out.

Time to Go.
Now this story and information came from a website called family Christmas online, which we have a link to in the show notes.
https://familychristmasonline.com/stories_other/potter/rabbits_christmas/rabbits_christmas.htm
Beatrix Potter was born to a wealthy family in London, England in 1866. Supposedly tutored (but largely ignored) by her governess, she had many long hours to spend alone with a growing menagerie of pets, which she taught herself to draw in startlingly accurate detail and proportion. Her innate intelligence and ability to observe and document minute details of nature should have given her a scientific career, but Victorian England didn't even think women should have "their own" money or property, much less a career in a "man's world."
In 1890, she began illustrating greeting cards, using her pet rabbits as models more often than not. In 1893, she began writing and illustrating her own children's books. In 1902 the first - Peter Rabbit - was published.
The real history of the paintings is not clear, but they were never published in her lifetime. Perhaps that helped to preserve them, because in those days, the original paintings were often discarded (or taken home by employees) once they had guided the printers' efforts to make the color separations needed for printing. Four of the paintings are in a museum today, but the other two are in a private collection.
When the US copyrights on most of Potter's work expired, a few book printers started including these six paintings in titles like "The Complete Peter Rabbit Collection," etc. Potter's original publisher then released images of the paintings in a "frieze", a long strip of paper you could unfold to view them all at once. Unfortunately it went out of print almost immediately and hasn't been reprinted. On the other hand, the images in the frieze look like they've been adapted for four-color printing the same way Potters' paintings adapted over a century ago - a process that reduced details and subtleties of shade.
We are free to publish these paintings in this format in the United States because they are in public domain here. However, they are still be under copyright in other countries. If you live outside of the United States, please check the copyright laws of your country before downloading these images.

Now when I was researching Rabbits and Christmas, I came across an article about rabbits from Christmas past.
The rabbits of Christmas past: a present that backfired for Australia
On Christmas Day 1859, the Victoria Acclimatization Society released 24 rabbits for hunting, to help settlers feel more at home.
Given the millions of dollars in damage to agricultural productivity that ensued, as well as the impacts on biodiversity as the rabbits bred and spread to cover 70% of the continent, this could be seen as Australia’s worst Christmas present.
Rabbits are well known for their ability to strip grasslands bare and destroy the seedlings of woody shrubs and trees. Even in low numbers, rabbits can completely prevent some important woody species from regenerating.
Mulga woodlands, for example, cover vast tracts of inland Australia, and mulga trees are likely to be a very important carbon store in these areas. However, rabbit numbers as low as one animal per hectare can effectively stop the replacement of old trees by destroying seedlings.
Importantly, much of the damage that rabbits cause to the environment can be reversed.
http://theconversation.com/the-rabbits-of-christmas-past-a-present-that-backfired-for-australia-35544
Rabbit treats at Christmas
Flex your creative skills and share the Christmas cheer with your furry friend this year. I will explain how to make three nutritious and delicious homemade bunny treats, perfect for the festive season.
Like us, rabbits can become overweight and suffer from dental disease if they have too many treats. Excess sugars and starchy foods can also wreak havoc with the sensitive population of bacteria in their gut. Although we commonly think of rabbits munching on carrots, root vegetables like these have a high sugar content and, along with pieces of fruit, should only be given as an occasional treat – Christmas is just such a time!
As Christmas approaches, why not involve your bunny in the season’s fun – homemade treats and presents are the perfect way to spread the festive spirit! And because they’re homemade you’ll know you’re giving him the healthiest treats possible.
There seems to be bright lights and sparkly things everywhere, anyone would think it was almost Christmas or something! If it’s snuck up on you and the idea of braving the shops for last minute presents sends you into a panic, this is for you…
The first one is a Hanging biscuit decoration
These festive biscuits are delicious for your bunny. Take a handful of pellets, a handful of rolled oats, half a banana, half a courgette (which is also known as a zucchini) and half a small carrot. Finely grate the carrot and courgette/zucchini, chop up the banana, crush the pellets and mix it all together with the oats. Roll out the mix with a rolling pin and then cut out Christmas shapes with biscuit cutters. Poke a hole in the top of each – don’t forget this step if you want to hang them up – and bake on a low heat for a couple of hours until they are completely dry. Please remember to remove the ribbon, or swap it for something more bunny safe like sisal before letting your bun lose on them!
Bunny crackers
A quick, simple toy to occupy your bunny and make sure he eats his greens. Simply stuff a toilet roll tube with a few mixed handfuls of fresh hay and leafy greens, like spinach, sprout-tops or kale. Make sure the hay and greens are poking out of the ends, fluff them out and presto, a bunny cracker! Your rabbit will love rolling it around and poking out every last bit of goodness to eat. As well as meeting their basic nutritional requirements, nibbling hay keeps bunnies busy, chewing strengthens their teeth and jaws and it keeps their gut healthy, too. Giving a variety of greens every day also mimics the many different plants rabbits graze on in the wild.
A mini Christmas tree
With your tree out of bounds, give your bunny his own Christmas tree made of twigs of apple wood or willow, with ‘baubles’ made from chunks of apple or orange (not the peel) and small berries like blueberries. Bind the twigs together with string, stick the ‘trunk’ through a hole in a shoebox to keep it steady and thread the fruits onto the tree for your rabbit to find and enjoy. Once he’s eaten the fruit, your bunny can have hours of fun nibbling the twigs, which keep his teeth in good health,
Remember that these are easy and inexpensive to make, healthier than most shop bought treats and make wonderfully tasty Christmas presents for your rabbit. Just take these instructions for making homemade rabbit treats and adjust the flavor to your rabbits taste.
http://www.therabbithouse.com/blog/2011/12/21/minute-christmas-baking-rabbits/
https://www.petplan.co.uk/pet-information/rabbit/advice/seasons-eatings/

Your Bunny and the Holidays
It's that time of the year again when the humans go a bit crazy, otherwise known as Christmas. We are going to make the most of the festive season, rabbit style...
The festive season is perfect for spending time with your pet and providing him with some well-deserved treats and attention. To keep the holidays fun and trouble-free, keep plants out of your bunny’s reach; some can be toxic to rabbits. And if you have a house rabbit, remember to supervise him around the Christmas tree, wrappings and ribbons, low-lying human snacks and candles or open fires – these can all be hazardous to pets.
We are going to find out how to stop your Christmas tree being chewed, how to manage guests unfamiliar with house bunnies, what foods should be kept out of reach and learn how to make sure you and your rabbit enjoy this special time together.
It's holiday season again, a time of year that can be both fun and stressful for you and your rabbit. In the midst of all your holiday preparations, here a few tips to keep your bunny safe and happy over the holiday season.
Christmas can be a time of mixed blessings for a house rabbit. On the one hand, there is the likelihood of more treats, attention and excitement; on the other hand, there is the risk of interruption to our sacred routine, naptimes and so on.
Your home can change quite a bit during the Christmas holidays with the putting up of decorations and it’s likely you rabbit will want to explore these new things, typically by nibbling them. Unfortunately most Christmas decorations aren’t made with house rabbits in mind, so it’s important to add a little bit of bunny proofing to them to stop them being damages and make them safe.
Plants & Christmas Trees
Christmas trees are so great rabbit's don't understand why the humans don't have them all year round. What could be better for a house rabbit than a tree in your living room? Anyway, a rabbit gets the amusement of watching the humans trying to put the lights on (and try to protect the cables from your bunny friend). Here's the chance to have a helpful house bunny that nibbles on any branches within reach and generally tidying up the tree.
Be aware of seasonal plants that are brought into the home.
Christmas trees can be a real temptation for you rabbit. Make sure the tree is placed away from any object that can be climbed on to stop you rabbit reaching over to the tree. Check to see your tree is firmly secured and can’t be knocked or pulled over. It can often be best to fence off your tree with a pet pen to keep your bunny away from low hanging branches and present underneath. As well as the risk of knocking the tree over real fir trees can also be bad for rabbits if eaten. If you water your tree make sure the tree water is covered over as this can also dangerous as it may contain fertilizer and even aspirin used to keep the tree looking fresh.
If your Christmas tree has not been treated (with fire retardant, pesticides, etc) or painted, then it should be safe to chew. Note that natural chemical compounds in some evergreens may cause the bunny's urine to turn more orange than usual, but this is not a health concern. Fir tree oils can irritate to the mouth and the tree needles can also cause digested problems.
Plastic trees can also be a problem if eaten as the man made non-digestible materials can cause tummy upsets. Find a nice spot where you can all enjoy the tree but out of reach from a curious rabbit.
Despite common perception, Poinsettia plants are not poisonous. That's not to say your bunny should eat them, since they can cause mild intestinal discomfort in some sensitive individuals. But they should not cause serious illness.
Some holiday plants, such as holly, mistletoe and certain types of ivy, can be toxic. To be especially safe, keep ALL plants and fresh green decorations up and out of your bunny's reach. Put them in a room where your bunny doesn't usually romp, or place them high enough to be out of reach of little teeth. Make sure falling berry’s and leaves are in areas where they can’t fall in your bunnies path.
Pinecones are generally safe distractions, and make festive bunny chew and throw toys at this time of year.
Take a critical look at your tree before placing the ornaments and lights. Low hanging decorations could be inviting toys. On lower limbs, use safe plastic or wooden ornaments a rabbit can safely nibble, tug, or steal. Always supervise closely when bunny is loose around the tree. With pets in the past we have hung bells and jingling things down low on the tree as a first alert to trouble.
Lights, Cords, Decorations
Those of you who have Christmas trees also may also have extra electrical cords and lights, which bunnies can and will chew. If possible, put your Christmas tree in a room where Bunny doesn't play. If this isn't possible, you can make your tree "off limits" to your rabbit by placing a puppy pen around it, or you can use the pen to section off the part of the room where the tree is, keeping bunny safely away. This will help keep you and your rabbit safe from chewed electrical cords and preserve your favorite Christmas ornaments, as well.
If you put up electrical decorations during this season, make sure the cords are well out of Bunny's reach. Plastic wire protectors may help slow down a curious bunny. However, the wire wrap will not necessarily prevent a determined rabbit from chewing through the plastic to the wires. So after wrapping the cords in the wire wrap, you should still tuck them out of rabbit reach. If you can’t hide the power cords you can cover them with something tough like plastic pipe, this can be split along its length and slipped over the cable so you don’t need to take the plug off.
We have several tips for bunny proofing a house in the episode about house rabbits.
I came across two news stories about rabbits eating lights for wires.
WAKEFIELD, Mass. (WHDH) – A Wakefield family caught a rabbit chewing through his Christmas lights on his home surveillance video.
Greg DiGiorgio said he spent 12 hours putting up his Christmas lights on Monday, only to find the wire had been clipped. Thinking he was being vandalized, DiGiorgio set up a surveillance camera to find out who put the lights out. Turns out, it was a hungry rabbit.
“I was actually relieved. I was hoping there wasn’t some vandal going around Wakefield,” said Rachel DiGiorgio.
The family has since moved the lights out of the rabbit’s reach.
http://whdh.com/news/wakefield-family-finds-rabbit-chewing-through-christmas-lights/

NORTHWEST HARRIS COUNTY, Texas - A hidden camera sting caught more than a Cypress homeowner expected when he hoped to catch the vandal that kept cutting his Christmas lights. "We put up our Christmas lights right after Thanksgiving. After they were up a few days, we woke up and noticed they were cut," said Brett Mosser.
For days, Mosser was under the impression that a grinch had made its way to his home and was cutting his Christmas lights. The homeowner even showed the local news pictures of his wife holding one of the snipped wires -- from the family's elaborate outdoor holiday display.
"I repaired them, thinking it was a one time deal. But it kept happening. It happened five times in a week," said Mosser. Upset that someone could do something this ungodly, the church pastor enlisted the help of a friend because, he said, he was determined to catch the culprit. "We were setting up cameras and we weren't watching 20 or 30 minutes and we noticed something scurrying on the ground," said Mosser.
The so-called vandal: a furry rabbit.
"The best part of it, was this was, 'Oh good, this wasn't a human.' I had been thinking, 'Who could be this mean?'" said Mosser. A lesson, Mosser said, he didn't take for granted, especially because he knows that it's never good to make assumptions. "We were all determined to catch this person. and I think God has a sense of humor," said Mosser.
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/harris-county/rabbit-busted-as-christmas-light-vandal-

Now back to our tips about Lights, Cords, Decorations
Be alert about synthetic tinsel and garland which, if ingested, could cause tummy trouble or impactions. And be conscious of potpourri. Some rabbits enjoy nibbling on it, and there's no telling what potentially harmful chemicals or preservatives might have been used in the potpourri you're using.
Ornaments
If your rabbit starts taking an interest in your Christmas decorations or ornaments its best to move these out of reach. They are often made of materials that can be easily ingested which can cause gastrointestinal problems. Even some of the more natural looking materials can be harmful as they can be treated with fire retardant materials.
Place them on a shelf out of reach or on a table able before. Once your rabbits curiosity is sparked its likely they will keep returning no matter how many times you say NO!
While wrapping and opening gifts, keep in mind that tape and ribbon are not good things for rabbits to eat, but they seem to be especially attractive playthings to some bunnies. As a substitute, give white tissue paper and you'll enjoy watching some happy playtime.
'Tis the season for candles and fireplaces. Keep the first high out of reach and the other enclosed so your bunny can't investigate too closely. Don’t place candles on anything that can be knocked over or on something that can be tugged at by your rabbit resulting in the candle toppling over. Even cold ashes can be harmful, as they are very caustic if combined with water (including saliva!).
Be aware of low-lying candy, snack bowls, and gingerbread homes, or your buns will have a (potentially dangerous) feast on holiday treats. Coffee tables and end tables are usually low enough for a healthy bunny to easily hop up and partake of your festive offerings. Salty snacks are particularly risky, since a rabbit can actually ingest a fatal overdose of salt if she eats too much (e.g., chips, salted nuts, etc.)
Company and the Hubbub of the Holidays
Many families have friends and family members for short or long visits around this time of year. This will inevitably interrupt your rabbit's customary routine and atmosphere. If you have family members who don't understand house rabbits, make sure you take the time to prepare both your company and your rabbit for what to expect. This could be a great opportunity to educate your friends and family about rabbits and rabbit behavior.
To reduce your rabbit's stress, try to stick as close as possible to her routine. Make sure you remember to give her plenty of attention and reassurance. If your bunny is particularly sensitive to noise and activity, you may even want to move her to a quieter room while your company is visiting.
A big changes at Christmas can be people visiting your home who may not be used to house rabbits. It may be best to ask guests to take their shoes off as they may not be used to how rabbits tend to get under food and can easily be stepped on. If you have children staying, encourage them not to race around where your rabbit can roam. Don't be shy about laying down some ground rules for your company, especially if they include children. Never leave your rabbit unsupervised with a child. Small visitors may be tempted to chase, pick up, or inadvertently mishandle your bunny. It could take only a second for a potentially crippling or even fatal accident to occur at the hands of a well-meaning, but overly affectionate child.
Uninitiated guests may not be used to how good rabbits are at chewing things so it’s important to give them somewhere to leave shoes, coats or handbags where they can’t be got at. Be careful to keep an eye on laptop or phone charger leads that may appear.
It’s also worth re-enforcing to guests that may not be used to rabbits that it’s unlikely that your rabbit will want to play with them or their children. Help them understand rabbits are shy prey animals, which means they can be timid and skittish in some situations. Rabbits also have fragile bones and can be injured easily if handled improperly. Introduce the rabbit calmly and go through some simple rules at the start.
Simple rules for rabbit safety:
⦁ Don’t shout or scream as loud noises can distress rabbits as they have sensitive ears.
⦁ Take their shoes off to the risk of stepping on your rabbit.
⦁ Only give your rabbit it’s normal food, don’t feed it sweets or chocolate.
⦁ Remember rabbits can scratch and bite when stressed so be careful.
⦁ Let your rabbit come to you, it may not like being picked up stroked or cuddled
If you have guests who are particularly interested in visiting your rabbit, don't allow them to handle the bunny without first properly instructing them about safe handling. Let visitors know that a rabbit's digestive system is very delicate, and though she may be adorable when she sits up and begs for treats, that giving in and overfeeding her could be killing her with kindness.
Many of the foods that we associate with Christmas can also be harmful if you rabbit eats them and special attention needs to be given to snacks left out by guests that are in reach. Sweets and chocolate that may be discarded by children could easily be stolen by your rabbit and many of the foods can be harmful to an unsuspecting bunny.
Chocolate and sweets
It’s important to keep chocolate out of reach of your rabbit. If your rabbit only eats a small piece then you could be lucky and no harm may come of it. But if your rabbit eats a large amount of chocolate, then this could be quite serious and result in an emergency visit to the vets. Sugary sweets are also bad for rabbits and if left out may cause harm, alongside this if the wrappers are eaten they can cause issues.
Remember, what the humans fail to realize is that the best bit of presents for rabbits is helping them unwrap theirs. Acres and acres of wrapping paper to play with... Rabbits get excited just thinking about it. If your people parents tell you they can manage on their own, ignore them - we all know there's no better present opener than a set of rabbit teeth. Watch out for the sellotape though, that stuff can mess rabbit fur for days.
With these precautions in mind, we wish you and your bunnies a fun-filled, joyous Holiday Season!
http://www.rabbit.org/care/holidays.html
http://bunnyproof.com/making-christmas-fun-safe-for-your-rabbit
http://www.bunnyhugga.com/fun/how-to-train-your-humans-a-guide-for-rabbits/rabbits-and-christmas.html
(A Narragansett Legend)
Long in the way time past time, rabbits had very short ears. They had very long tails. They had long, straight arms and long, straight legs. Very different than the way rabbits look today.
One day, Rabbit was out. It was spring-time. Looking for something to do, and something to eat, as rabbits are always looking for something to eat, he came upon a willow tree that had fresh little shoots in it. It made him so hungry. He wanted to go and taste some of those shoots but it was high up in the willow tree and you know yourselves that rabbits are not good tree climbers!
So Rabbit decided to eat some of the grass and play around. But he thought to himself, “I would like to play in the snow.” He remembered that his grandmother told him that if you can wish for something hard enough it can happen. So Rabbit started to wish for it to snow and he started to dance. And he started singing his song, “Oh how I wish it would snow; Oh how I wish it would snow.” And as Rabbit danced and prayed and sung his song, it started to snow a little bit. Oh, this made Rabbit so happy that he sung his song stronger and harder. “Oh how I wish it would snow; Oh how I wish it would snow.” And the snow started to come down. And Rabbit was so excited to see that snow coming down that he sung his song stronger. “Oh how I wish it would snow; Oh how I wish it would snow.” And it started to snow so much.
And because he wished for it to snow so much, the snow rose higher and higher until it rose high into that willow tree. And now Rabbit played in the snow, and now it was so high he could eat some of those fresh shoots that were in the willow tree. He filled his stomach.
And now he wanted to go home, tired from all that dancing and eating. But when he looked, he saw that his home was covered with all that snow. Well, he decided he would rest in the crotch of the tree. And he fell asleep.
He awoke the next morning and the sun had come out and melted all that snow away. Now, Rabbit was high up in that willow tree, wondering how he was ever going to get down. Because as you know yourselves, rabbits are not good tree climbers!
So as he was holding onto those branches and looking and wondering how could he get down, how could he sing his song again, how could he make it snow? As he was leaning over, SNAP! His tail broke! And when his tail broke he went tumbling down out of that tree. And as he tumbled down out of that tree, his little short ears would get caught in the branches and stretch and stretch and pull and pull until they were as long as they are today!
And when Rabbit fell out of that willow tree, he hit that ground so hard his long, straight arms shot into his body and became little, short arms just like they are today.
And when that Rabbit fell out of that tree, he hit that ground so hard his long, straight legs broke and bent just like they are today.
And when that Rabbit fell out of that tree, he hit that ground so hard, he split his lip. Now, you know that this is a true lesson. Because if ever you were to look at that Rabbit today, or any of his grandchildren, you would see that they all have long ears, little short arms, bent rear legs, a split lip, no tail, and they have to hop everywhere they go.
Any springtime, you can go out into the park or into the woods and look up in that willow tree. And when you look up into that willow tree, you will see where Rabbit has left his tail. Because that willow tree has a very special look. And today that willow tree and Rabbit both look different.
http://treasurestatelifestyles.com/rabbits-wish-for-christmas/
A Time for Giving
I know your bunnies are a luckily lot, I’m sure they are treated and cuddled all year around. Sadly, there are many bunnies that don’t have someone to spoil them this Christmas, so if you have spare treats, have time to make some bunny toys, or have odds and ends like bottles, bowls, bin bags, brushes, towels, unwanted toys, even a bag of spare bunny food then please pop them along to your local rescue and make their day with something for the not so luckily bunnies.

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