the february 2014 nethe february 2014 ...btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site851/newsletter...the...

First of all I would like to say thank you very much for your generos-ity over the Christmas period. The cheques, cash and gifts once again leave me speechless. The start of 2014 has not been very kind to us at Bunny Burrows loosing several of the residents has been very difficult to handle. Hopefully the only way is up. Many of the mature animals are having regular trips to the vets. Rachel has a very unpleasant eye condition but she is a little fighter. Joy is struggling with arthritis and curva-ture of the spine but enjoying being pampered and fussed over by boyfriend Carnegie. Teddy has had a spell of ecuniculi sadly unable to stand, his head is badly tilted, but after a spell of medication that being a course of steroids and the travel sickness drug Stemetil he is back to normal and Spring is in the air so I think a little bonking might be in order. The list goes on with Tyson breathing erratically, Clarissa loosing weight and suffering with an eye problem it's been a bit like vet E.R. There are. sometimes 10 on medication twice a day. The continual calls and emails of rabbits and guinea pigs needing homes is very sad saying no does not come easy but there is a lim-ited amount of space money and sadly energy. I have never wanted to be in a situation where the animals don't get the best of food care treatment and of course love. So many rescues make the mistake of overcrowding that is never going to happen at Bunny Burrows, how-ever hard saying no is. There has been some good news since the last news letter I was in-vited to an award ceremony in London. I had been nominated for the Animal Enthusiast of The Year Award. A category in the Daily Mirror Animal Hero awards. I had made the final 3. I had know idea I had

www.bunnyburrows.btck.co.uk

The The The The ccccoooonnnnttttiiiinnnnuuuuaaaallll ccccaaaallllllllssss aaaannnndddd eeeemmmmaaaaiiiillllssss ooooffff rabbits rabbits rabbits rabbits and and and and guinea guinea guinea guinea pigs pigs pigs pigs nnnneeeeeeeeddddiiiinnnngggg hhhhoooommmmeeeessss iiiissss vvvveeeerrrryyyy ssssaaaadddd ....

Sponsor a pet And help bunny burrows

FEBRUARY 2014 PAGE 12

Sponsoring a pet is a super way of helping Bunny Bur-rows. Sponsorship lasts for one year and costs £20, the equiva-lent of only 39p a week. You will receive an A5 sponsor certificate card with a colour photo, an Easter card, Christmas card and an up-dated photo in the form of a fridge magnet. Also our newsletter, four times a year. Take a look at the long term resi-dents who will never be rehomed because of on-going health prob-lems. If you are interested please let us have your name, address and who you would like to sponsor. Please send your details with a cheque to Bunny Burrows 68 Whitefields Drive Richmond North Yorkshire DL10 7DL GIFT AID is tax relief on money donated to UK Charities, please tell us if you will allow us to claim this back from your £20.

BURROWINGS T H E F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 N ET H E F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 N ET H E F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 N ET H E F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 N E W S L E T T E R W S L E T T E R W S L E T T E R W S L E T T E R

F R O M B U N N Y B U R R O W SF R O M B U N N Y B U R R O W SF R O M B U N N Y B U R R O W SF R O M B U N N Y B U R R O W S

News from the Burrow

tyson

mercury

dizzy

barney

evie

clarissa titch

300 piece jigsaw Continued ...

worth it. Amongst the bat droppings, we finally managed to clean, wrap and lay out this forgotten work of art and leave it ready for its next conservation process. The sun shone through the now unshuttered windows and I clearly remember watching the wild rabbits enjoying the undisturbed peace and the long grass! I remember feeling privileged to add my own small con-tribution to this oak staircase’s life, which will no doubt be still around after I am long gone. One of the many happy memories of an interesting and varied job. Some cleaning jobs are more than just a brush and a vacuum cleaner.

AFTER CLEANINGAFTER CLEANINGAFTER CLEANINGAFTER CLEANING


News from the burrow Continued ...

even been nominated so it was like a bolt out of the blue. Tanner and I are still Ebaying for the charity in the evening, thank-fully we are still having some fabulous items donated. The whole process is testing my photography skills. Describing the item to have the best chance to sell for the best price is a definite challenge and parcelling the goods up can sometimes make me wish I had several pairs of hands. I am trying to get one of the bunnies taught to sit on the package while I stick the tape on. If only all the packages could be square or flat life would be simple. When selling 2 heavy metal dining room chairs I opted for buyer to collect that was after wrap-ping a 23 piece china tea set. My next challenge is selling two gran-ite curling stones, I can't move them never mind wrap them. reckon that will have to be buyer collect. All good fun and in a days work. Please keep donating remember Bunny Burrows when Spring cleaning. Thanks! Thinking of fund raising the Hot X Bunny Day fast approaches. The event is on April 13th. That is Palm Sunday. This year we will be holding the event in Richmond Town Hall. Rather smart venue I must say. The Town Hall is just up from the Market Hall where we have held the annual event for the past 13 years. The rabbits and guinea pigs will be with us as usual. We hope to have a clothing stall, books, gifts, bric a brac, jewellery, jigsaws and many more bargains. There will be a mega Tombola and a special fund raising stall for the children. Also this year, as well as a cake stall, we will be doing re-freshments. I am looking forward to seeing all the regulars and any new comers or even passers by. The event has always been memora-ble and hopefully this year will be even better as all the stalls will be funds for Bunny Burrows. The day is always full of chat and hugs so please put it in your diary, on the calendar and in your mobile phone. Look forward to seeing you on the 13th. April. Tanner says, "See you!" he plans on being there. I think I had better put a lid on this now and go and do the medication and syringe feeding. I have 4 wild baby rabbits to feed with goat’s milk, they are just so gorgeous perfect in every way. A lady brought them because her dog had dug out the nest, they were only about 10 days old but thankfully unharmed. Thanks for your continued support.


Sunday mornings From gwen

The past two Sunday mornings I have opened the bedroom curtains, not early as I am lazy on a Sunday. Each time I have thought back to my childhood, now that is a long way back! I lived at the bottom of a steep, cobbled street called Bargate in Richmond. Under the window in my parents bedroom was an old wooden ammunition storage box for keeping old photos and documents in. I remember spending many happy hours standing on the box watching the com-ings and goings in the street. There was always so much to see, la-dies stood on the front doorstep, nursing a child and chatting with several of the neighbours. Most of them had metal curlers in their hair and wore the floral wrap-around cotton aprons. There would be the men of the household sat on the step usually with a woodbine or senior service cigarette. There was so little traffic and as kids we used to play ring a roses in the road or farmers in his den , get a bit of soft stone and mark the pavement to play hopscotch. A game of hide and seek, so much to do, such a lot to see, life wasn't a bed of roses but my childhood was happy. The point I am making is, when I looked out of my window what did I see? NOT A SINGLE SOUL, how sad !! .

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Are you tooled up ? From kaz

Scientists once thought that the use of tools was a feature of humans but research has shown tool users in the animal kingdom. CHIMPANZEESCHIMPANZEESCHIMPANZEESCHIMPANZEES are our closest living relatives and ap-parently they learned how to make and use tools, with-out human help. Stone hammers have been found at a chimp settlement in the Ivory Coast, Africa, dating back 4,300 years. They are even capable of making spears to hunt other animals for meat and are known to have de-veloped specialized tool kits for foraging army ants. Scientists have found that CROWS CROWS CROWS CROWS and their relatives have exceptional brains, making them adept at crafting twigs, leaves and even their own feathers into tools. Researchers have even discovered that crows might learn to drop stones in pitch-ers to raise the height of water inside. ORANGUTANS ORANGUTANS ORANGUTANS ORANGUTANS in the wild have developed a way to make whistles from bundles of leaves, which they use to help ward off predators. This is the first time an animal has been known to use a tool to help it communicate, therefore making this evidence that knowledge is passed from one generation to another. ELEPHANTS ELEPHANTS ELEPHANTS ELEPHANTS are among the most intelligent animals in the world with brains bigger than any other land animal. It has been sug-gested that they can intentionally drop logs or rocks on electric fences to short them out and plug up water holes with balls of chewed bark to keep other animals from drinking the supply. MACAQUES MACAQUES MACAQUES MACAQUES living near a Buddhist shrine in Lopburi, Thailand, are known to pull out hairs from visitors to use as floss to clean their mouths. DEGUS DEGUS DEGUS DEGUS have been taught by researchers in Japan how to use rakes. The Degu is placed on one side of a fence and sunflower seeds are placed on the other side. When provided with a small rake, the Degu pulls the seeds through.

CLEVER CROWCLEVER CROWCLEVER CROWCLEVER CROW

MACAQUESMACAQUESMACAQUESMACAQUES


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300 piece jigsaw From Jennifer roberts

A few years ago, I worked for English Heritage as one of three custo-dians to a nuclear bunker in York. This varied and rather unusual

career choice saw me working closely with the conserva-tors and collections team, not only on the 1960s bunker, but on a variety of sites and objects. Myself and a colleague were given the unique opportu-nity to experience hands on conservation and curatorial techniques as the bunker was fitted out, cleaned and pre-pared for opening. It was with delight that we were both

asked to join Beth Stanley, the then Conservator for the North, and Susan Harrison, Regional Curator for archae-

ology, on a two day trip to Brinkburn Priory in Northumberland to help catalogue and clean a 17th century oak staircase. In the 1830s, the priory was converted to a manor house by John Dobson, an eminent 19th century architect. He included a grand oak staircase from Anderson Place in Newcastle as this was being demol-ished and its fittings sold off. Dobson purchased the staircase for a princely sum of £35, but research shows arguments between Rich-ard Grainger, the entrepreneur selling off Anderson Place and Dob-son. Parts were allegedly missing or damaged and in the ensuing battle meant the staircase was never installed. Some 169 years later, it was discovered in a stable block on the Brinkburn estate where the current owners, allowed English Heritage to remove the now 300 piece oak jigsaw and place it in the manor house for conservation. This is where we came in. I am sure that you will all be familiar with

the feelings of curiosity about what lies behind closed doors and blocked off upper floors. What a treat to be allowed in rooms long since abandoned! Working solidly for 2 days in the master bedroom suite, amongst faded wallpapers and pink plastering, we matched, sorted and photographed this ancient jigsaw until we could compre-hend the scale and grandeur of this forgotten staircase. Our faces and hands resembled coalminers rather than

EH staff, but with the organist playing in the church dur-ing our lunch break and the monks chanting, it was all

BEFORE CLEANINGBEFORE CLEANINGBEFORE CLEANINGBEFORE CLEANING


Dobson Dobson Dobson Dobson purchased purchased purchased purchased the the the the staircase staircase staircase staircase for a for a for a for a princely princely princely princely sum of sum of sum of sum of £35, £35, £35, £35, ....

CLEANINGCLEANINGCLEANINGCLEANING

Talbot bunny news From john talbot

From early December until mid February the country has been battered by storms. Here in the ‘Sunny South’ (ha ha) the rainfall has been unprecedented. Many times recently, I have thought of the unfortunate outside pets with uncaring owners. It is certainly a lot more difficult to care for outdoor hutch bunnies at this time of year. Add to this the recent appalling weather and unfortunately some people will neglect their pets. Hope-fully, before too long we will be able to enjoy some lovely Spring weather. As we both are now at home all day, there have been only a few days when we have been unable to let our bunnies out. We usually get a dry spell at some time during the day. At present they are all well. The four half wild babies are nearly two years old and love to come out and leap around the garden. Simba our little lion head had another dental just before Christmas. He then had a poor appetite for the next three weeks. At times he stopped eating and was given Fibreplex, Zantac syrup and Critical Care to aid his appetite. He is now back to normal. As well as the anticipated nice Spring weather we are looking for-ward to the Hot Cross Bunny Day in Richmond Town Hall, April 13th

SIMBASIMBASIMBASIMBA


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Recipe for february From john talbot

8ozs of finely diced carrots 1 x 15oz can of chopped tomatoes

1 small finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon of oil 1 pint of vegetable stock ½ teaspoon of dried Marjoram (Marjoram has a long history as a herb used in love spells and potions. Freshly ground Black Pepper

Heat the oil in a saucepan and stir in the vegetables. Cook over a low heat for 3 or 4 minutes without browning. Add the tomatoes, stock & the marjoram.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cover the saucepan. Simmer for about 30mins, checking that the carrots are cooked enough. The soup can now be served as it is, or blended in a liquidiser. Add the ground black pepper.

CARROT and TOMATO CARROT and TOMATO CARROT and TOMATO CARROT and TOMATO SOUPSOUPSOUPSOUP


A A A A delicious delicious delicious delicious soup soup soup soup suitable suitable suitable suitable for all the for all the for all the for all the family.family.family.family.

Did you know? From kaz

Elephants eat 700 pounds of food a day. Squirrels teeth never stop growing. Pigeons store food in their oesophagus. Flamingos can only eat with their head upside down. Cows create 100 pounds of manure a day. Doctors in the Andes mountains in South America have been known to use guinea pigs to find illnesses in people? They put the guinea pig up against the sick person and it will let out a squeak when they are close to where the disease is.

Update on tanner From gwen

Tanner is leading quite a busy life at the moment. These past few months have seen many of the residents struggling with health issues and Tanner has taken to looking after and cuddling Rachel, one of the oldest residents. She has had a very nasty problem with her left eye and she has no sight in her right eye. I often get asked if Tanner is O.K. with only three legs, he had his right back leg removed when very young, his right ear half bitten off by his mother and also no front teeth. I say he is more than O.K. he is a very happy bunny ☺

TTTTAAAANNNNNNNNEEEERRRR aaaannnndddd RRRRAAAACCCCHHHHAAAAEEEELLLL

Tits fly into Tits fly into Tits fly into Tits fly into caves and caves and caves and caves and peck the peck the peck the peck the skulls of skulls of skulls of skulls of hibernating hibernating hibernating hibernating bats to eat bats to eat bats to eat bats to eat their brains.their brains.their brains.their brains.

Why rabbits? From lisa bromley

I wonder how many times I have been asked that question! I know someone who rescues Greyhounds and another person who rescues cats, and everyone who finds this out will always say things like, ‘Oh! How nice of them to do that!’, or ‘What a lovely thing to do!’ On the other hand, when I mention to people that I have eleven rabbits, most of whom are rescued, I would say that 99% of the time I get the response of, ‘Why rabbits?’ Well, I would love to answer that question and explain why I love these cheeky, lovable, funny and downright nosey creatures! For starters, a lot of people are under the impression that rabbits are boring. They couldn’t be more wrong! I normally find that these are the same people who think that rabbits should be kept in a hutch in the bottom of the garden, sometimes on their own, and then they ex-pect the poor things to be entertaining! If a person owns a cat or a dog, try putting them in a hutch or a cage and see just how non-entertaining they would be. Rabbits need space and freedom to be able to exercise their powerful back legs, and believe me, the pleas-ure I get watching a rabbit or two binkying around my garden far exceeds any work undertaken to make the garden rabbit proof. They run, jump, twist and spin and just standing watching them for a while will guarantee to have a person laughing within minutes. My favourites are the foster rabbits I sometimes look after who have-n’t ever had the freedom of a garden to run in. I put them down on the grass, and at first they are very un-sure. They will stretch their bodies forward as far as they can, their little heads bobbing up and down as they sur-vey what’s around them. They will take one step, then another and repeat! This will go one for a few minutes until their confidence grows and their natural strong cu-riosity kicks in and they have to explore every inch of the garden. When this is successfully done, and they are happy with where they are, then let the binkying com-mence!!! It lifts my spirits every time!

DDDDOOOOLLLLLLLLAAAARRRR aaaannnndddd MMMMEEEEAAAADDDDOOOOWWWW

PENNYPENNYPENNYPENNY


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nnnnaaaammmmeeeessss....

Caring for a tortoise From sophie webb

When people arrive at BB, one of the first things that they see are the seven resident tortoises. Often this is followed by ‘I’d love a tortoise’. Unfortunately, many people grant them-selves this wish without the knowledge required to look after them properly. It is a common misconception that tor-toises (or turtles as they are often mistaken for) are easy pets and do not require much care except a garden to roam and the occasional lettuce leaf to eat. However this is not the case; tortoises are in fact very difficult and time co-suming to look after.

Marigold, the newest member of the tortoises at BB, is an example of what can happen if tortoises are not properly cared for. It is vital that tortoises get enough UV from the sun and are regu-larly bathed and rubbed with oil so that their shells are in good con-dition and they stay healthy. UV light is vital for their growth and health as UVB (one of the two types of UV light) plays a key role in the production of vitamin D3 which is needed for the tortoise to be able to absorb the nutrients from their food. Without exposure to the sun, tortoises do not get the vitamins and minerals that they need and this can result in a wide range of health problems. Therefore if keeping a tortoise indoors, a vivarium fitted with UV lights is neces-sary to avoid this. As you can see from the photo, Marigold’s shell is curled up at the back. This is because she was kept inside without a vivarium. Tortoises need a varied diet in order to get all the nutrients that they need; the BB tortoises get a mix of different fruit and vegetables each day in the Summer including tomato, kale, lettuce, pear, cucumber and nectarines. However, there are some plants that are poisonous to tortoises which must be avoided (especially important if your tortoise has free range of your garden) such as bluebells, borage, nightshade, buttercups and cow parsley. Also, although it is best for a tortoise to live outside during the Sum-mer in order to get the maximum UV light, care also must be taken to ensure that they do not escape as they are good climbers and dig-gers. Therefore, sometimes it is advisable to have a pen for them so that they do not get lost. Water should also be provided so that they do not become dehydrated, ideally in a bowl with low sides.

MARIGOLDMARIGOLDMARIGOLDMARIGOLD


Tortoises Tortoises Tortoises Tortoises need a need a need a need a varied diet varied diet varied diet varied diet in order to in order to in order to in order to get all the get all the get all the get all the nutrients nutrients nutrients nutrients that they that they that they that they need.need.need.need.

Why rabbits? Continued ...

even in a domestic situation, there is a very clear hierarchy. Dollar, my first ever rabbit who is almost eight years old, is at the very top of the tree, poor little Jon is at the very bottom, with all the other rabbits having their own position in between. This order has never changed for years until a few weeks back, my Sable rabbit, Penny was taken quite seriously ill and I had to bring her into the house for a week. Luckily she re-covered, but prior to this, she was firmly top dog Dollar’s number one. However, Freda, my cat chasing rabbit, (Oh yes! She was once hanging off a cat’s back leg as it tried to escape up the garden wall!), has had her eye on Penny’s alpha female position for quite a while. Even from Freda being quite young I had often seen her challenging Penny, only to be shot down in flames by a scathing look or a bite on the bum! Things did change whist poor poorly Penny was out of the group for a week. Freda took full advantage and used that week to climb the ranks and is now firmly Dollar’s right hand bunny! Penny has been back in the group a while now and her position has never been recovered and probably never will. So are rabbits daft? No way! I love them because of the way they can stand on their back feet like meerkats for five minutes at a time. I love the way they sit in their litter trays with their two front paws on the side watching the world go by. I love them because of the way they greet me when they haven’t seen me for a few hours. It’s not just dogs who give a good greeting. My rabbits shake and flick their heads in joy and run up to meet me, with of course Meadow licking away! I love them because they are individual, fun loving, curious and of course cute as buttons! So. Why rabbits? I have literally just touched the tip of the iceberg of reasons. There are countless other reasons why I love rabbits and why rabbits will be a part of my life forever. For no matter how much love and care I give to them, they repay me back a thousand fold. They make me smile. They make me laugh. What better reasons are there?


TTTThhhheeeeyyyy mmmmaaaakkkkeeee

mmmmeeee ssssmmmmiiiilllleeee.... TTTThhhheeeeyyyy mmmmaaaakkkkeeee mmmmeeee llllaaaauuuugggghhhh........

Why rabbits? Continued ...

It’s not just when they are going ape that rabbits are entertaining. Just watching them do their natural rabbity day to day things is a

blessing. I am very fortunate to have been able to con-vert my garage into a rabbit pen so all my rabbits are free range and are never locked in hutches. The garage door has a cat flap which the rabbits utilise to spend time in the garden should they wish to do so. This means I am able to observe them as close to their natural behaviour as possible. And for anyone who thinks rabbits are a bit dim......think again! They are very intelligent and all my

rabbits know their individual names. Yes! It’s true. They understand the words breakfast and tea time, and if you

don’t believe me you should come to my house on a morning or an evening when these words are shouted across the garden, and just watch the mass exodus of rabbits rushing inside for their grub!!! They know that when I am finished cleaning them out on a morning that they will get a treat. They also know that the last thing I do when I am cleaning them out is to wipe down the sink and the worktop, so when they see me doing this, they start to gather around my feet waiting for me to reach for the tub which contains the carrot crunchies! They like their fusses and if they are wanting a fuss and I am ignor-ing them, they will nudge my ankles with their head until they get what they want! My black and white dutch rabbit, Meadow, will lick my ankles and feet to get my attention, and when she has it she will lick my face, hands and ears with utter contentment. A few of my other rabbits will have the odd lick of bare skin, but none with the sheer joy that Meadow does. And this is another reason why rabbits are such a pleasure to look after. Every single one has their own per-sonality, and they are as different as you and I. I have Meadow, the licker, Freda, the aloof one, Marcia, the cuddly one, Penny, the scaredy cat, Dollar, the big boss, Oscar, the gentle one, Zach, the lazy one, Delilah, the moody one, Rusty, the laid back one, Dusty, the ac-tive one and of course not forgetting Jon, the social one who would get on with any animal he came into contact with! What I have noticed very clearly, is that when rabbits live in a group,

FREDAFREDAFREDAFREDA


I love the I love the I love the I love the way they way they way they way they sit in their sit in their sit in their sit in their litter trays litter trays litter trays litter trays with their with their with their with their two front two front two front two front paws on paws on paws on paws on the side the side the side the side watching watching watching watching the world the world the world the world go by. go by. go by. go by.

ZACH and DELILAHZACH and DELILAHZACH and DELILAHZACH and DELILAH

Why rabbits? From lisa bromley

I wonder how many times I have been asked that question! I know someone who rescues Greyhounds and another person who rescues cats, and everyone who finds this out will always say things like, ‘Oh! How nice of them to do that!’, or ‘What a lovely thing to do!’ On the other hand, when I mention to people that I have eleven rabbits, most of whom are rescued, I would say that 99% of the time I get the response of, ‘Why rabbits?’ Well, I would love to answer that question and explain why I love these cheeky, lovable, funny and downright nosey creatures! For starters, a lot of people are under the impression that rabbits are boring. They couldn’t be more wrong! I normally find that these are the same people who think that rabbits should be kept in a hutch in the bottom of the garden, sometimes on their own, and then they ex-pect the poor things to be entertaining! If a person owns a cat or a dog, try putting them in a hutch or a cage and see just how non-entertaining they would be. Rabbits need space and freedom to be able to exercise their powerful back legs, and believe me, the pleas-ure I get watching a rabbit or two binkying around my garden far exceeds any work undertaken to make the garden rabbit proof. They run, jump, twist and spin and just standing watching them for a while will guarantee to have a person laughing within minutes. My favourites are the foster rabbits I sometimes look after who have-n’t ever had the freedom of a garden to run in. I put them down on the grass, and at first they are very un-sure. They will stretch their bodies forward as far as they can, their little heads bobbing up and down as they sur-vey what’s around them. They will take one step, then another and repeat! This will go one for a few minutes until their confidence grows and their natural strong cu-riosity kicks in and they have to explore every inch of the garden. When this is successfully done, and they are happy with where they are, then let the binkying com-mence!!! It lifts my spirits every time!

DDDDOOOOLLLLLLLLAAAARRRR aaaannnndddd MMMMEEEEAAAADDDDOOOOWWWW

PENNYPENNYPENNYPENNY


TTTThhhheeeeyyyy aaaarrrreeee vvvveeeerrrryyyy

iiiinnnntttteeeelllllllliiiiggggeeeennnntttt aaaannnndddd aaaallllllll mmmmyyyy

rrrraaaabbbbbbbbiiiittttssss kkkknnnnoooowwww tttthhhheeeeiiiirrrr iiiinnnnddddiiiivvvviiiidddduuuuaaaallll

nnnnaaaammmmeeeessss....

Caring for a tortoise From sophie webb

When people arrive at BB, one of the first things that they see are the seven resident tortoises. Often this is followed by ‘I’d love a tortoise’. Unfortunately, many people grant them-selves this wish without the knowledge required to look after them properly. It is a common misconception that tor-toises (or turtles as they are often mistaken for) are easy pets and do not require much care except a garden to roam and the occasional lettuce leaf to eat. However this is not the case; tortoises are in fact very difficult and time co-suming to look after.

Marigold, the newest member of the tortoises at BB, is an example of what can happen if tortoises are not properly cared for. It is vital that tortoises get enough UV from the sun and are regu-larly bathed and rubbed with oil so that their shells are in good con-dition and they stay healthy. UV light is vital for their growth and health as UVB (one of the two types of UV light) plays a key role in the production of vitamin D3 which is needed for the tortoise to be able to absorb the nutrients from their food. Without exposure to the sun, tortoises do not get the vitamins and minerals that they need and this can result in a wide range of health problems. Therefore if keeping a tortoise indoors, a vivarium fitted with UV lights is neces-sary to avoid this. As you can see from the photo, Marigold’s shell is curled up at the back. This is because she was kept inside without a vivarium. Tortoises need a varied diet in order to get all the nutrients that they need; the BB tortoises get a mix of different fruit and vegetables each day in the Summer including tomato, kale, lettuce, pear, cucumber and nectarines. However, there are some plants that are poisonous to tortoises which must be avoided (especially important if your tortoise has free range of your garden) such as bluebells, borage, nightshade, buttercups and cow parsley. Also, although it is best for a tortoise to live outside during the Sum-mer in order to get the maximum UV light, care also must be taken to ensure that they do not escape as they are good climbers and dig-gers. Therefore, sometimes it is advisable to have a pen for them so that they do not get lost. Water should also be provided so that they do not become dehydrated, ideally in a bowl with low sides.

MARIGOLDMARIGOLDMARIGOLDMARIGOLD


Tortoises Tortoises Tortoises Tortoises need a need a need a need a varied diet varied diet varied diet varied diet in order to in order to in order to in order to get all the get all the get all the get all the nutrients nutrients nutrients nutrients that they that they that they that they need.need.need.need.

Talbot bunny news From john talbot

From early December until mid February the country has been battered by storms. Here in the ‘Sunny South’ (ha ha) the rainfall has been unprecedented. Many times recently, I have thought of the unfortunate outside pets with uncaring owners. It is certainly a lot more difficult to care for outdoor hutch bunnies at this time of year. Add to this the recent appalling weather and unfortunately some people will neglect their pets. Hope-fully, before too long we will be able to enjoy some lovely Spring weather. As we both are now at home all day, there have been only a few days when we have been unable to let our bunnies out. We usually get a dry spell at some time during the day. At present they are all well. The four half wild babies are nearly two years old and love to come out and leap around the garden. Simba our little lion head had another dental just before Christmas. He then had a poor appetite for the next three weeks. At times he stopped eating and was given Fibreplex, Zantac syrup and Critical Care to aid his appetite. He is now back to normal. As well as the anticipated nice Spring weather we are looking for-ward to the Hot Cross Bunny Day in Richmond Town Hall, April 13th

SIMBASIMBASIMBASIMBA


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Recipe for february From john talbot

8ozs of finely diced carrots 1 x 15oz can of chopped tomatoes

1 small finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon of oil 1 pint of vegetable stock ½ teaspoon of dried Marjoram (Marjoram has a long history as a herb used in love spells and potions. Freshly ground Black Pepper

Heat the oil in a saucepan and stir in the vegetables. Cook over a low heat for 3 or 4 minutes without browning. Add the tomatoes, stock & the marjoram.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cover the saucepan. Simmer for about 30mins, checking that the carrots are cooked enough. The soup can now be served as it is, or blended in a liquidiser. Add the ground black pepper.

CARROT and TOMATO CARROT and TOMATO CARROT and TOMATO CARROT and TOMATO SOUPSOUPSOUPSOUP


A A A A delicious delicious delicious delicious soup soup soup soup suitable suitable suitable suitable for all the for all the for all the for all the family.family.family.family.

Did you know? From kaz

Elephants eat 700 pounds of food a day. Squirrels teeth never stop growing. Pigeons store food in their oesophagus. Flamingos can only eat with their head upside down. Cows create 100 pounds of manure a day. Doctors in the Andes mountains in South America have been known to use guinea pigs to find illnesses in people? They put the guinea pig up against the sick person and it will let out a squeak when they are close to where the disease is.

Update on tanner From gwen

Tanner is leading quite a busy life at the moment. These past few months have seen many of the residents struggling with health issues and Tanner has taken to looking after and cuddling Rachel, one of the oldest residents. She has had a very nasty problem with her left eye and she has no sight in her right eye. I often get asked if Tanner is O.K. with only three legs, he had his right back leg removed when very young, his right ear half bitten off by his mother and also no front teeth. I say he is more than O.K. he is a very happy bunny ☺

TTTTAAAANNNNNNNNEEEERRRR aaaannnndddd RRRRAAAACCCCHHHHAAAAEEEELLLL

Tits fly into Tits fly into Tits fly into Tits fly into caves and caves and caves and caves and peck the peck the peck the peck the skulls of skulls of skulls of skulls of hibernating hibernating hibernating hibernating bats to eat bats to eat bats to eat bats to eat their brains.their brains.their brains.their brains.

Are you tooled up ? From kaz

Scientists once thought that the use of tools was a feature of humans but research has shown tool users in the animal kingdom. CHIMPANZEESCHIMPANZEESCHIMPANZEESCHIMPANZEES are our closest living relatives and ap-parently they learned how to make and use tools, with-out human help. Stone hammers have been found at a chimp settlement in the Ivory Coast, Africa, dating back 4,300 years. They are even capable of making spears to hunt other animals for meat and are known to have de-veloped specialized tool kits for foraging army ants. Scientists have found that CROWS CROWS CROWS CROWS and their relatives have exceptional brains, making them adept at crafting twigs, leaves and even their own feathers into tools. Researchers have even discovered that crows might learn to drop stones in pitch-ers to raise the height of water inside. ORANGUTANS ORANGUTANS ORANGUTANS ORANGUTANS in the wild have developed a way to make whistles from bundles of leaves, which they use to help ward off predators. This is the first time an animal has been known to use a tool to help it communicate, therefore making this evidence that knowledge is passed from one generation to another. ELEPHANTS ELEPHANTS ELEPHANTS ELEPHANTS are among the most intelligent animals in the world with brains bigger than any other land animal. It has been sug-gested that they can intentionally drop logs or rocks on electric fences to short them out and plug up water holes with balls of chewed bark to keep other animals from drinking the supply. MACAQUES MACAQUES MACAQUES MACAQUES living near a Buddhist shrine in Lopburi, Thailand, are known to pull out hairs from visitors to use as floss to clean their mouths. DEGUS DEGUS DEGUS DEGUS have been taught by researchers in Japan how to use rakes. The Degu is placed on one side of a fence and sunflower seeds are placed on the other side. When provided with a small rake, the Degu pulls the seeds through.

CLEVER CROWCLEVER CROWCLEVER CROWCLEVER CROW

MACAQUESMACAQUESMACAQUESMACAQUES


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300 piece jigsaw From Jennifer roberts

A few years ago, I worked for English Heritage as one of three custo-dians to a nuclear bunker in York. This varied and rather unusual

career choice saw me working closely with the conserva-tors and collections team, not only on the 1960s bunker, but on a variety of sites and objects. Myself and a colleague were given the unique opportu-nity to experience hands on conservation and curatorial techniques as the bunker was fitted out, cleaned and pre-pared for opening. It was with delight that we were both

asked to join Beth Stanley, the then Conservator for the North, and Susan Harrison, Regional Curator for archae-

ology, on a two day trip to Brinkburn Priory in Northumberland to help catalogue and clean a 17th century oak staircase. In the 1830s, the priory was converted to a manor house by John Dobson, an eminent 19th century architect. He included a grand oak staircase from Anderson Place in Newcastle as this was being demol-ished and its fittings sold off. Dobson purchased the staircase for a princely sum of £35, but research shows arguments between Rich-ard Grainger, the entrepreneur selling off Anderson Place and Dob-son. Parts were allegedly missing or damaged and in the ensuing battle meant the staircase was never installed. Some 169 years later, it was discovered in a stable block on the Brinkburn estate where the current owners, allowed English Heritage to remove the now 300 piece oak jigsaw and place it in the manor house for conservation. This is where we came in. I am sure that you will all be familiar with

the feelings of curiosity about what lies behind closed doors and blocked off upper floors. What a treat to be allowed in rooms long since abandoned! Working solidly for 2 days in the master bedroom suite, amongst faded wallpapers and pink plastering, we matched, sorted and photographed this ancient jigsaw until we could compre-hend the scale and grandeur of this forgotten staircase. Our faces and hands resembled coalminers rather than

EH staff, but with the organist playing in the church dur-ing our lunch break and the monks chanting, it was all

BEFORE CLEANINGBEFORE CLEANINGBEFORE CLEANINGBEFORE CLEANING


Dobson Dobson Dobson Dobson purchased purchased purchased purchased the the the the staircase staircase staircase staircase for a for a for a for a princely princely princely princely sum of sum of sum of sum of £35, £35, £35, £35, ....

CLEANINGCLEANINGCLEANINGCLEANING

300 piece jigsaw Continued ...

worth it. Amongst the bat droppings, we finally managed to clean, wrap and lay out this forgotten work of art and leave it ready for its next conservation process. The sun shone through the now unshuttered windows and I clearly remember watching the wild rabbits enjoying the undisturbed peace and the long grass! I remember feeling privileged to add my own small con-tribution to this oak staircase’s life, which will no doubt be still around after I am long gone. One of the many happy memories of an interesting and varied job. Some cleaning jobs are more than just a brush and a vacuum cleaner.

AFTER CLEANINGAFTER CLEANINGAFTER CLEANINGAFTER CLEANING


News from the burrow Continued ...

even been nominated so it was like a bolt out of the blue. Tanner and I are still Ebaying for the charity in the evening, thank-fully we are still having some fabulous items donated. The whole process is testing my photography skills. Describing the item to have the best chance to sell for the best price is a definite challenge and parcelling the goods up can sometimes make me wish I had several pairs of hands. I am trying to get one of the bunnies taught to sit on the package while I stick the tape on. If only all the packages could be square or flat life would be simple. When selling 2 heavy metal dining room chairs I opted for buyer to collect that was after wrap-ping a 23 piece china tea set. My next challenge is selling two gran-ite curling stones, I can't move them never mind wrap them. reckon that will have to be buyer collect. All good fun and in a days work. Please keep donating remember Bunny Burrows when Spring cleaning. Thanks! Thinking of fund raising the Hot X Bunny Day fast approaches. The event is on April 13th. That is Palm Sunday. This year we will be holding the event in Richmond Town Hall. Rather smart venue I must say. The Town Hall is just up from the Market Hall where we have held the annual event for the past 13 years. The rabbits and guinea pigs will be with us as usual. We hope to have a clothing stall, books, gifts, bric a brac, jewellery, jigsaws and many more bargains. There will be a mega Tombola and a special fund raising stall for the children. Also this year, as well as a cake stall, we will be doing re-freshments. I am looking forward to seeing all the regulars and any new comers or even passers by. The event has always been memora-ble and hopefully this year will be even better as all the stalls will be funds for Bunny Burrows. The day is always full of chat and hugs so please put it in your diary, on the calendar and in your mobile phone. Look forward to seeing you on the 13th. April. Tanner says, "See you!" he plans on being there. I think I had better put a lid on this now and go and do the medication and syringe feeding. I have 4 wild baby rabbits to feed with goat’s milk, they are just so gorgeous perfect in every way. A lady brought them because her dog had dug out the nest, they were only about 10 days old but thankfully unharmed. Thanks for your continued support.


Sunday mornings From gwen

The past two Sunday mornings I have opened the bedroom curtains, not early as I am lazy on a Sunday. Each time I have thought back to my childhood, now that is a long way back! I lived at the bottom of a steep, cobbled street called Bargate in Richmond. Under the window in my parents bedroom was an old wooden ammunition storage box for keeping old photos and documents in. I remember spending many happy hours standing on the box watching the com-ings and goings in the street. There was always so much to see, la-dies stood on the front doorstep, nursing a child and chatting with several of the neighbours. Most of them had metal curlers in their hair and wore the floral wrap-around cotton aprons. There would be the men of the household sat on the step usually with a woodbine or senior service cigarette. There was so little traffic and as kids we used to play ring a roses in the road or farmers in his den , get a bit of soft stone and mark the pavement to play hopscotch. A game of hide and seek, so much to do, such a lot to see, life wasn't a bed of roses but my childhood was happy. The point I am making is, when I looked out of my window what did I see? NOT A SINGLE SOUL, how sad !! .

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First of all I would like to say thank you very much for your generos-ity over the Christmas period. The cheques, cash and gifts once again leave me speechless. The start of 2014 has not been very kind to us at Bunny Burrows loosing several of the residents has been very difficult to handle. Hopefully the only way is up. Many of the mature animals are having regular trips to the vets. Rachel has a very unpleasant eye condition but she is a little fighter. Joy is struggling with arthritis and curva-ture of the spine but enjoying being pampered and fussed over by boyfriend Carnegie. Teddy has had a spell of ecuniculi sadly unable to stand, his head is badly tilted, but after a spell of medication that being a course of steroids and the travel sickness drug Stemetil he is back to normal and Spring is in the air so I think a little bonking might be in order. The list goes on with Tyson breathing erratically, Clarissa loosing weight and suffering with an eye problem it's been a bit like vet E.R. There are. sometimes 10 on medication twice a day. The continual calls and emails of rabbits and guinea pigs needing homes is very sad saying no does not come easy but there is a lim-ited amount of space money and sadly energy. I have never wanted to be in a situation where the animals don't get the best of food care treatment and of course love. So many rescues make the mistake of overcrowding that is never going to happen at Bunny Burrows, how-ever hard saying no is. There has been some good news since the last news letter I was in-vited to an award ceremony in London. I had been nominated for the Animal Enthusiast of The Year Award. A category in the Daily Mirror Animal Hero awards. I had made the final 3. I had know idea I had

www.bunnyburrows.btck.co.uk

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Sponsor a pet And help bunny burrows


Sponsoring a pet is a super way of helping Bunny Bur-rows. Sponsorship lasts for one year and costs £20, the equiva-lent of only 39p a week. You will receive an A5 sponsor certificate card with a colour photo, an Easter card, Christmas card and an up-dated photo in the form of a fridge magnet. Also our newsletter, four times a year. Take a look at the long term resi-dents who will never be rehomed because of on-going health prob-lems. If you are interested please let us have your name, address and who you would like to sponsor. Please send your details with a cheque to Bunny Burrows 68 Whitefields Drive Richmond North Yorkshire DL10 7DL GIFT AID is tax relief on money donated to UK Charities, please tell us if you will allow us to claim this back from your £20.

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News from the Burrow

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the february 2014 nethe february 2014 ...btckstorage.blob.core.windows.net/site851/newsletter...the...

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