I'd Really Prefer Caramel

February 17, 2005 2:04 PM

Save the Bunnies! Every year, thousands of "pet" rabbits are purchased as Easter gifts, usually for kids, without much thought to the years of care which the animals will need. Within months, humane societies and pet shelters are flooded with the animals, many of which must be euthanized, as there simply aren't enough adopters to give them new homes. In response, the Columbus House Rabbit Society encourages everyone to eschew pet rabbit gifts and say Make Mine Chocolate!^TM instead. And since no campaign is worthwhile these days without a symbolic lapel pin, you can wear a chocolate bunny to spread the message.
posted by Dreama (30 comments total)

Ok, I'll do the obvious:

You could just eat it.
posted by Bugbread at 2:10 PM on February 17, 2005

I don't think I could wear a chocolate bunny pin that didn't have it's ears mysteriously missing, with teeth marks at the top of it's chocolate head.
posted by graventy at 2:13 PM on February 17, 2005

Bunnies are really neat pets. They're quite smart, and not as messy as dogs or cats. They're quiet, and don't need loads of activity. We have two at home, alongwith many other critters.

It breaks my heart to see people purchasing them - or any animal - thoughtlessly. My wife worked for a time at a pet store, and she did a balancing act between recommending animals (bunnies, budgies, ferrets, whatever) to people and trying to explain to them how much work is involved.

April was "sad stories about bunnies" month, it's true. You just hoped that people would take it seriously, that they were bringing a live animal home that would need food, cleaning, vet care, etc.
posted by dammitjim at 2:25 PM on February 17, 2005

She works hard for her bunny (dun duh dun duh)
Hard for her bunny (dun duh dun duh) . . .
posted by punkbitch at 2:29 PM on February 17, 2005

For the love of eris, forget humanity, just think -- tiny pellets of Bunny poo -- everywhere. EVERYWHERE. The stench of these tiny bunny droppings are not to be ignored. Your house will be cursed. CURRSSED... rarhreioghgneg *zombies*
posted by cavalier at 2:31 PM on February 17, 2005

Eat the suckers! that is what they are for...another example of intelligent design.
posted by Postroad at 2:33 PM on February 17, 2005

Brings to mind the cartoon My Butt Hurts
posted by RichAromas at 2:36 PM on February 17, 2005

Maybe Mefi could adopt a bunny.
Y'know, in a month or two.
As we lost ours last year.
posted by asok at 2:43 PM on February 17, 2005

Rabbits are pretty easily house trained. Even the ones I raised for food would only go in a couple places in their cages.
posted by Mitheral at 2:52 PM on February 17, 2005

Bunnies make good eats.

Myself, I want a bunch of little fluffy bunnies in my yard, hopping freely and keeping my lawn nice and clipped. Unfortunately, the neighbours are almost surely not of the same mind. And somehow I can't imagine that a half-dozen bunnies, given a supply of food and a bit of shelter, aren't going to make dozens more bunnies in very, very short order...
posted by five fresh fish at 2:52 PM on February 17, 2005

Aren't indoor bunnies hell on the corners of your walls, sofa, et al?
posted by five fresh fish at 2:52 PM on February 17, 2005

For the love of eris, forget humanity, just think -- tiny pellets of Bunny poo -- everywhere. EVERYWHERE. The stench of these tiny bunny droppings are not to be ignored. Your house will be cursed. CURRSSED... rarhreioghgneg *zombies*
posted by cavalier at 4:31 PM CST on February 17


Eat the suckers! that is what they are for...another example of intelligent design.
posted by Postroad at 4:33 PM CST on February 17

Postroad, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you started composing your comment before cavalier had finished his. We shall not tolerate the eating of bunny pellets here at MetaFilter.
posted by ChrisTN at 2:55 PM on February 17, 2005

And somehow I can't imagine that a half-dozen bunnies, given a supply of food and a bit of shelter, aren't going to make dozens more bunnies in very, very short order...

Unless they sprout buds, I think you'd be safe if all six were male or female.
posted by Bugbread at 2:59 PM on February 17, 2005

ChrisTN: FYI, Eating rabbit poop is nothing like gay sex.
posted by knave at 3:01 PM on February 17, 2005

Although this is a repost (I know because I posted it) it bears repeating (and also has a new URL).

fff, they can be rough on a lot of things. Basically, anything that's on or near the floor is theirs ;) Younger rabbits tend to chew more, so it declines over time. The House Rabbit Society can help with rabbit-proofing your house.

My last two lived over twelve years, so owning them can be the same level commitment as a dog or cat. My present rabbit is only five, so he's got plenty of time. He's also litterbox trained and neutered :)
posted by tommasz at 3:05 PM on February 17, 2005

If I wore a pin that looks like a Brown Bunny, wouldn't I be mistaken for a Vincent Gallo fan?
posted by wendell at 3:11 PM on February 17, 2005

Aren't indoor bunnies hell on the corners of your walls, sofa, et al?

YES! My ex-roommate had a bunny and we had to rip up and replace all of the molding and half the doors in the condo we were renting when we moved. Not to mention the shoes, furniture, and house plants that thing destroyed.

I'm generally kind to animals, but I couldn't get the vision of "Fatal Attraction"'s bunny boiling out of my head. (Although, personally, I think it would have been better roasted.)
posted by wicked sprite at 3:20 PM on February 17, 2005

New Bunny Pellets: Just add water!
posted by Sparx at 3:37 PM on February 17, 2005

We shall not tolerate the eating of bunny pellets here at MetaFilter.

indeed -- they're often chock-full of coccydia.
I second the destruction comments -- do not underestimate a bunny's power to seriously fuck up your house. not to mention they're very fragile and often require medical attention
posted by matteo at 3:42 PM on February 17, 2005

Aren't indoor bunnies hell on the corners of your walls, sofa, et al?

They're actually mostly a menace to wires-- electric cords, speaker wire, etc. Give it a nice soft wood to gnaw (pine, etc) and it will ignore everything else except wires. And in regards to another comment, rabbits are easy to housetrain with just a little effort.

That said, I hope that we won't replace our rabbit when Beth, the current rabbit, passes on.
posted by Mayor Curley at 3:45 PM on February 17, 2005

posted by dhartung at 7:26 PM on February 17, 2005

Just echoing Mayor Curley and others -- our rabbit has really done a number on our rec room: chewed parts of the carpet down to the pad, ruined just about every lamp, gnawed on books and record album sleeves and ate through the precious cable TV cable, right down to the copper wire. We don't allow him out of his cage unsupervised, even for a few minutes, and we won't be replacing him either. I don't know what Mr. PT was thinking when he brought him home.
posted by SashaPT at 8:16 AM on February 18, 2005

knave, I am in awe at that link. Just how did you manage that? A mind like that.... I'd try the land crab.

Now my basic education is coming back to me. Don't rabbits have to gnaw on something hard so that their teeth don't grow back into their brain and pithe them? shudder. Pellets and furniture destruction, think, think before you consider the hausenfeffer!
posted by cavalier at 8:26 AM on February 18, 2005

Grendel managed to chomp my PS2 AV cable in half because it was between her and hay. Beyond that, Robocop and Grendel stay in their cage, hang out, and occasionally scrabble at the bars. When they're out, they're supervised and largely ignore the bookshelves, wires, and records that are within reach of their teeth. When they're out they either squabble over who gets to sit in the new Bunny Castle that Banjo bought for them or they binky up and down the carpeted hallway. Grendel sorts shoes, too.

Robocop was an Easter Bunny before going to the HRS. Poor little guy was so happy to have people who would pay attention to him (even at the cost of having a psycho-hose beast like Grendel for a roomie). He now hops up on the couch to watch Law and Order with me (I think he likes the baum-baums). When he dies I intend to have him stuffed.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 8:29 AM on February 18, 2005

Grendel sounds talented. Sorting shoes no less. ;)
posted by dabitch at 8:34 AM on February 18, 2005

Now that's the kind of animal welfare initiative I can get behind.

(My SO's parents' pet rabbit died in a fire last week, though, so I don't think I'll be buying bunnies of any sort this year.)
posted by darukaru at 9:01 AM on February 18, 2005

We think she used to work at a shoe-sorting factory and is just trying to keep in practice. She'll hop up to a pile of shoes and boots near the front door and spend time moving them into new piles based on size, how they sound when they thunk on the floor, and whatever else her vaguely advanced brainstem decides. Then she gets bored, goes and does some binkies, then gets back to work.

Banjo and I are thinking of getting her a timecard and a punch-clock.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:02 AM on February 18, 2005

Righty-o. So my bunnypet dreams will not include bunnies in my home. They shall be Outdoor Bunnies. And I shall try my best to not be upset when they become Some Beast's Lunch, as is sure to happen.
posted by five fresh fish at 3:26 PM on February 18, 2005

They aren't just cute like everybody supposes. They've got those beady eyes and twitchy little noses. And what's with all the carrots? What do they need such good eyesight for anyway?
posted by bingo at 6:54 PM on February 18, 2005

Makes it easier to hunt you as you sleep.

That's why you should always have a nightlight.
posted by five fresh fish at 7:34 PM on February 18, 2005