From: myhui@bnr.ca (Michael Hui)
Subject: Re: Baby Bunny problems
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd., Ottawa, Canada
Date: Fri, 04 Sep 92 13:47:11 GMT

In article <1992Sep3.213256.22607@news.cs.indiana.edu> "Amy Young Leith" <alyoung@kiwi.ucs.indiana.edu> writes:
>And, I noticed, he seemingly was interested in my knees... meaning
>he'd always stand on his hind legs and start to act like he was going
>to crawl on my leg.  Due to his sharp claws, he never got this far,
>because I'd shake him off. 

Mine too. My huge 14 lbs Big Black Baby Bouncy Bunny (the type people
grow in Europe for food, but not in my house!) did the same thing a few
weeks ago. He even bit onto the skin of my knees to hold on for good
measure. I let out a sharp bunny-language "Ack !" (that's Bloom County
language, actually) and he got the message. Last night, he was still
crawling onto my lower leg, and out of curiousity I let him, and lo and
behold, he never bit me, never grabbed my leg too tightly, and so far
hasn't tried to hump my leg again. He's three years old, right at his prime!

>The other day while cuddling/playing on the bed, he jumps on my arm
>and just GOES AT IT.  Ok, so my baby is a boy. 

He's quite a normal boy. Let him be.  :-)

>He follows me around the house CONSTANTLY.  He does not do this to
>Scot.  He also will not attempt to hump anything covered by clothing;
>he'll turn away from my leg if I throw a towel on it, etc.  Strange. 

Exactly with mine too. Mine even lets out this grunting sound, like
"Hmm Hmm Hmm" as he partially blocks his nasal passages to make a sound
in a similar manner to a human snoring. And only when he's in this
excited mood, since other times when he's breathing heavily there is no
sound, just a quiet, bouncy, and _very_ fast Bun dashing through the
house. The moment I wear long pants, he stops climbing onto my leg.

>Anyway, plans are in the making to have him taken care of.  I found a
>vet in town at a cat hospital that also does a *lot* on rabbits and
>ferrets, and the women I spoke with sounded very knowledgable about
>rabbits.  The operation is cheap compared to a cat, only $39.  This is
>done without an injected anesthetic, it's done with a gas (can't
>remember the name) and she said it was safer for the animal.  

Make very sure it's a gas that does not have any harmful effect on certain
organs of the rabbit. From a previous post by Nancy LaRoche, I quote:

From: njl@drutx.ATT.COM (LaRocheNJ)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: THE NECESSITY OF SPAYING PET RABBITS--quotes from an expert
Date: 8 Jul 92 18:40:23 GMT
Organization: AT&T, Denver, CO

The following comments are quoted from an article in the "House Rabbit
Journal" entitled:

         Ovariohysterectomy in the Rabbit: Why it is Necessary
	            by Walter J. Rosskopf, Jr., DVM

"The incredibly high incidence of uterine cancer in rabbits makes the
ovariohysterectomy [spaying] an absolute necessity, rather than an
optional procedure.  The operation also appears to drastically reduce the
incidence of mammary neoplasia (Breat cancer) and prevents numerous other
female problems...

Dr. Rosskopf goes on to explain that UNTIL RECENTLY, SPAYING RABBITS WAS
DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF THE ANESTHETICS, but that isofluorene has changed
this:  "The inhaled gas is almost totally eliminated (99.8%) through the
lungs, so there are no aftereffects..."  Earlier anesthetics "require
detoxification through liver and kidney involvements, resulting in
'hangover' effect with these gases.  An increased incidence of liver damage
and cancer has been noted in human anesthesia personnel working with these
gases, as well...  The safety of the gas [isofluorene] in rabbits is
remarkable..."

He goes on to discuss the procedure, precautions he takes, etc.  This
article is an excellent one for you and for your vet.  If you would like a
copy, send a SASE to me (with a note indicating what you're requesting) at:

	House Rabbit Society
	1271 Birch St.,
	Broomfield, CO  80020

And while you're at it, get on the mailing list for future copies of the
Journal by joining the HRS--just send $12 to:

	House Rabbit Society
	1615 Encinal Ave., 
	Alameda, CA  94501

Nancy LaRoche (HRS)
att!drutx!njl

>So, I can now understand Dink's problems.  He's probably DAMN
>frustrated.  =)  Poor baby.  

Yup. All psyched up and no where to go.

               << Buns are people too. Hug them. >>

>alyoung@kiwi.ucs.indiana.edu for personal mail
>			    All business mail to alyoung@silver.ucs.indiana.edu

Michael MY Hui          myhui@bnr.ca           Ottawa Canada
Newsgroups: rec.pets,alt.best.of.internet