Monthly Rabbit Journal 
2001

November, December 2001

I can't believe the New Year is up on us already!!! I have been looking at some juniors that have grown up over the last few months and I am really excited to start showing them this new show season. Now if I can only get some new litters. Winter is always a slow time for my does. They seem to know that they can take a break during winter. I don't push to hard to get does bred this time of year but hope that a few of them will give me a mercy litter here or there! LOL!

The days have been getting colder but the bunnies always seem to adjust very well to the cold. I have recently put them on a richer feed for winter with lots of hay to cuddle in when the temps drop. I love how dense the fur gets this time of year.

Well, I want to wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season!!! Enjoy your family, friends and I hope Santa fills your nestboxes!!!

September, October 2001

I can't believe that this fall is already in full swing! Things are getting colder and the leaves are turning those wonderful bright fall colors. The bunnies are beginning to get more food to help them put on a bit of extra weight to fight the cold of winter fast approaching.

The biggest challenge for me this time of year is getting does to breed. They seem to want to go into some type of hybernation and not worry about litters when it starts to get a bit colder. Though I certainly can't blame them, I need to convince them otherwise! So, hopefully I can convince a few does to have some babies for me this winter:)

I am looking forward to some upcoming fall shows here in Washington and also in Oregon. I haven't shown as much this year as in past years due to various scheduling issues and I am really looking forward to wrapping up this show season with a few great shows. The shows are such a wonderful part of this hobby and I have missed going as much this year. Next year I really hope to get myself scheduled right and go to as many as I can.

Well, have a wonderful fall and I hope your nestboxes are full of wonderful little fall babies!!!

August 2001

I went to a show this month which was lots of fun. I am a member of Northwest Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Club and we had the annual Cluster Show.  I brought a bunch of juniors that are getting a good start so far. Met with a lot of friends and caught up on our bunny chatting. Met some new people which is always fun. Nice to see new faces entering the hobby! I hope we all try to encourage the new people coming into our hobby. It's so great to get people involved and help them along the way. Having a mentor is a really big advantage and makes everything much more fun.

Well, hope everyone is looking at those juniors and sizing them up to go to the National Convention in San Diego. Most of mine are molting so I am crossing my fingers that I will have something nice to bring along with me.

Have a wonderful end to your summer!!! Enjoy those shows and hope to see you in San Diego!

July 2001

Wow....the last few months passed so quickly!! We have been getting quite a few new litters of bunnies which is nice. Except for a few special does, most of my does will be taking the summer off. Everyone has done a great job with spring babies and it's time for them to get the summer to rest and get some condition back. With all the things that go on in summer, my schedule is usually a bit hectic to worry a bunch about little ones coming. So, it means I get a little break too.

I have had quite an array of different colors pop up in the nestboxes over the last few months. We have had chestnuts, otters, blacks, chocolates, chocolate otters, ruby eyed whites, oranges and black silver martens! What a fun bunch of colors to look at! They are all getting a bit older and I am starting to decide which bunnies will be future show bunnies. It is always exciting to watch them mature and see if my early feelings about them were correct. 

I have missed a few of the local shows lately with everything that has gone on lately. I have been raising various species of parrots lately which has taken up quite a bit of my time. My Aviary website is http://mvps.org/kennemer/SunnysideAviary if you are interested in seeing some of our baby birds. They are also getting bigger and I should have more time now to focus on bunnies again. I hope to go to the show coming up locally in August. I might actually have a few juniors that will be big enough for the show tables! I look forward to the upcoming shows.

Well, off to clean bird and bunny cages now. I hope everyone has been enjoying the beginning of summer and had lots of spring babies to watch grow! Take care and keep those bunnies cool!

APRIL 2001

This month has been so strange for weather. My poor bunnies don't know if it's spring or if winter is still around. I have lost a few babies to the unexpected cold of some of these last few weeks which is always hard. Some of the new moms just don't seem to know how to keep the babies covered after their midnight feedings. Luckily they seem to get better at this with time but still makes me nuts when I lose a baby to the cold like that.

Still, we have had quite a few babies born lately including a rainbow of colors such as chestnut, otter, black, rew and orange. A few look like little hopefuls so I will be watching them closely for the next few months and crossing my fingers!

Our family has been thinking ahead to the plans for our trip to San Diego for the ARBA Nationals in October. Never too early to plan and certainly it should be lots of fun for everyone! Now if I can just get a few babies to grow up and be worthy of the trip...  

Have a great month and hopefully things will begin to look a bit more like spring and warm up around here. Wishing you full nestboxes!!!

MARCH 2001

Spring is springing all around the rabbitry this month!! Does are actually lifting and I expect to have some great litters later this month!! It's about time...been a long winter!

I have made some great new friends across the country this month by shipping bunnies to them. I want to thank Kelly and Kathleen and wish them the best with their new bunnies!!

Also, Congratulations to Leah who won another BOB this weekend with her black otter buck, Sunnyside's Blackjack!! Way to go Leah!!!

The show season is in full swing and I hope everyone is having a great time catching up with friends at the shows. I hope everyone has full nestboxes this month and lots of sunshine to clean those trays:)

Have a great month!!!!

FEBRUARY 2001

Well rabbit lovers, it's that time again....show season is starting!! I don't know about anyone else but my nestboxes have had a tough time this winter! With only a few new babies gracing my boxes, I am really hoping that spring changes things around my rabbit hutch. Some of my does seem to sense spring is coming as they appear to be more cooperative these days. Still, with so many peanuts, max factor babies and still born it's been difficult to produce any babies this season. 

February will bring our family's first show of the year in Shelton, WA. We look forward to seeing friendly faces again and catching up with all our rabbit friends. I hope everyone has had a nice winter and we look forward to seeing you all at the shows this year!! Take care and cross your fingers that spring is on it's way a wee bit early this year!! 

JANUARY 2001!!!

Okay, how is it already January 2001????  I have to admit that I am excited to start yet another year breeding and showing bunnies. This will be my fourth year with these wonderful little dwarf rabbits and I am ready for another year of babies in the nestboxes!! There will be a lot of great shows in our area this year and hopefully I will also make it to a few other states to support other clubs and their shows. 

This month is starting out a bit better than the last couple as I finally have some does cooperating and breeding. It has been a strange winter here and I think all the bunnies are a bit confused about what season this is! It's warm enough lately that I am hoping they all think spring is here and fill the nestboxes!

I hope this year brings wonderful babies in your nestboxes and lots of rabbit friends and fun! Hope to see everyone at our local Northwest Nethrland Dwarf Rabbit Club shows!! We plan on showing everyone a good time and having lots of fun!! Our club has purchased new coops for the upcoming shows so come to a show and let your bunnies be cooped in style!!! 

Happy New Year!!!!!!