Bean is the beginning

My first bunny companion, Bean. 

    I have always had a love for bunnies. As a child, I was never seen without my grey stuffed bunny. Although I have had a couple pet bunnies throughout my childhood, I was too young to appreciate the companionship of a rabbit.

    I realized how amazing rabbits are when I adopted Bean. Bean’s breed was a Holland Lop mixed with a Mini lop. She was extremely social and loved to cuddle.

    I adopted Bean as an emotional support animal. The transition from home to school during my freshman year of college was very hard for me. Although I made great friends, had great grades, and played on the lacrosse team, I felt lonely; so I adopted Bean as a companion. I would let her lay in my bed, take her outside, and even to the beach. 

    On March 8, 2021, Bean stopped eating and looked to be in a great amount of pain. I took her to the vet where they diagnosed her with GI Stasis. GI Stasis is the slowing of the passage of food through the GI Tract. This diagnosis is often fatal for rabbits. 

    The following morning on March 9, 2021, Bean was taken into immediate surgery to dislodge any blockage that may be present. The surgery was successful, but Bean passed away post-surgery due to the stress on her body.

    Bean represented more to me than just a pet. She was a bridge between my home in Maryland and school at UF. At the lowest point in my life, Bean was there to help me. She provided comfort and a sense of purpose; she was a light in the darkness.

    My mission now is to save other bunnies just as Bean, in a way, saved me. In Bean’s honor, I am now fostering a bunny named Zolie. She was previously in an abusive hoarding situation and my goal is to help her transition to her forever home.

    Through my experiences, I have been inspired to use my knowledge through this blog to educate others about bunnies while encouraging the adoption of rabbits who need homes. This blog will include information about rabbit health, rabbit diet, why rabbits are great pets, where to adopt a rabbit, etc. 

    Rabbits are very misunderstood animals, and most people have little knowledge about what level of care a rabbit needs. This may be due to their size, people's perception of the animal, and how the media portrays them. Rabbits are often grouped with rodents such as hamsters or guinea pigs on pet store food bags or toys. In reality, rabbits are a completely different gene order. 

    Rabbits are a part of the order Lagomorpha rather than Rodentia. The main difference, biologically, between lagomorphs and rodents is that lagomorphs have an extra set of incisors in their upper jaw. Rabbits require a different level of care than most rodents do. I like to compare rabbits to cats. Rabbits use a litterbox, need as much attention as a cat does, and need as much space as a cat does. Through this blog, I hope to exploit the common misconceptions of rabbits and show the public why rabbits are great pets!