The Hidden Burrow - Home to Show Quality Rabbits in Singapore

The Pet Emporium

2009-07-19T16:36:00.010+08:00

Its been a loooong time since I've updated this blog. I still get enquiries about available rabbits and I'm flattered that people still read this blog. Although I don't have any bunny related news to report, I'm happy to announce the fulfillment of a dream. We are officially opening our own shop on 7th August 2009! We are starting to accept appointments and bookings for our boarding and grooming services. Call us for more info!

The website is still undergoing some minor updates, with the webstore currently undergoing a major overhaul. Do visit our website and let us know what you think:)
Hope to see you at our store!

Updates

2008-10-06T22:17:00.002+08:00

Hi All!
Just wanted to mention that we do not have bunnies available to new homes and won't be having any for quite some time. However, we do have 2nd hand sanko cages available for sale. Please contact us at thehiddenburrow@yahoo.com.sg for more info on that.

As a sidenote, I've gotten quite a few emails in the past month about how I dealt with flying fur especially since my buns have dense fur. Well, to reduce shedding and help keep bunny cool, undercoat has to be removed. I used 3 tools to do it and it takes about an hour to 2 hours to really get all the excess fur out. I might offer bunny grooming services after March but I'll have to see how things go. In the mean time, jia you and keep brushing your buns!

THB

Late Updates

2008-08-07T00:30:00.002+08:00

Just a quick update here - Lolita, Bella and Bertha have gone to new homes.

Also, we no longer have any buns available for sale/adoption/rehoming etc. Thank you for all the emails :)

Blog

2008-07-12T18:29:00.003+08:00

Due to a busy scheldue,(we now have puppies!) we anticipate that there will be minimal blog entries for the next 12 weeks.

If you are interested to see our puppies, please go to http://dreysonpuppyblog.wordpress.com/

Vanilla

2008-07-05T15:06:00.002+08:00

Just received this video from Vanilla's owner. So cute!!!

Moochi(Vanilla's new name) bunny's bedtime lullaby

Boxy went to a new home!

2008-07-01T14:36:00.002+08:00

Boxy went home with Soursop's owner. She is now renamed Fleur, for flower.

She took a couple of days to adjust and her owner is now happy to report that she is very affectionate, and will lick their faces and stare adoringly into their eyes.

I'm glad we have another happy story! :)

Bunny

2008-06-27T11:59:00.002+08:00

Went to a pet shop near my place recently and was paying for my purchases when I happened to glance over at the bunny section. I was wondering why two grown men were looking at a particular lop and giggling when i realized that they were shaking a ripped plastic bag in front of the bunny and laughing whenever the bunny lunged for the bag! The poor bunny looked pretty stressed and lunged quite a few times. They stopped doing it when they realized that I was looking at them. I hope they do not do it again...

Composting

2008-06-27T11:54:00.003+08:00

I've always wanted a composting system but never got round to doing it as
1) I do not like worms
2) The heat generated from composting systems is pretty high and if you're not careful, it can cause fires
3) I have no use for the compost

There are machines being sold overseas that convert poop into dry pellets so that it becomes odorless. I can't remember what its called but they are fantastic for people who only have their garbage collected once a week. That machine has been on my wish list for a super duper long time but I have never got round to getting one because i've not seen it locally, its pretty expensive and most models i have seen can't contain much er....waste.

I've seen an ancient sanyo biodegradable waste recycler machine at the sanyo museum in japan but have never seen others personally before. Hopefully they will be sold in sg soon if they are not already available here. If anyone knows where to get one locally, please let me know. Tks!

Bonded Gals

2008-06-21T11:09:00.003+08:00

Well, I woke up this morning expecting a huge mess. After all, the last time i had them toilet trained was quite a while ago. I found it easier to just clean cages rather than to clear litter trays on a daily basis. However, now that i have less bunnies, it might be less work to toilet train them. Anyway, it wasn't too bad when i went to look at the room. Hay and pellets all over the floor but only one pee puddle. Yay! I need to put in more water points for them and maybe one or two more bowls for pellets. Will have to figure out the hay too. Now that its in a big container, Bella and Mocha find joy in digging in the hay and throwing hay EVERYWHERE! I found Bella sleeping in the hay tray belly side up this morning. Sheesh

Bella

2008-06-21T11:08:00.001+08:00

Its not been very long since Bella was fixed but she seems to have mellowed a little. I was able to hold her for quite a while and was pretty shocked! I will continue to observe her and see whether or not she has really mellowed or whether it was just a one time thing. LOL

Hardworking?

2008-06-20T22:00:00.004+08:00

I was pretty hardworking today if i could say so myself. I dismantled 9 cages, groomed 8 bunnies, scrubbed the rabbit room floor, cleaned the glass panels (no easy task as it requires a lot of scrubbing), Moved some cages about, cleaned cages etc. My motivation was to put the females together by today.Usually, i get distracted and take photos or just play, so I'm glad i managed to get things done. Hahaha. Now working on their litter training which seems to be going well. I need to poop train them too!

Playing around with some ideas to make the area more fun. Will post photos when it is completed. My aim is to create a rabbit `garden`. LOL

Claire & West went home today. They have both developed well since they were babies and I'm pretty satisfied with how they have grown. Their fur looks super glossy and shines very nicely. Claire is the obedient one while West is full of characeter and will demand that I move away if i am blocking him. ROTFL.

Lolita,Bella,Jolie,Mocha,Kimora

2008-06-20T19:33:00.005+08:00

I decided that it might be more fun for the bunnies if I could give them a bigger area and decided to dismantle the cages + bond them. Hence, I did that today.

Only Bella is spayed while the others are "un-fixed" females. They all get along and are having a great time with the increased space. I have to find a solution for the hay though...they dug and played with it till its all over the floor! Yikes!

The boys are still in cages and I'm thinking about getting them fixed so that they can all be one big happy family. LOL.

I knew that my nethies could get along with each other but was hesitent about the hollands as I've not tried them all together before. I was so happy that they got along so well that I gave them loads of apples! Audrey was wondering why all the bunnies were running around and kept staring at them! Luckily, my bunnies are used to being stared at. ROTFL.

Please note that generally, its pretty difficult to bond same gender rabbits so don't try it unless you know what you are doing.

Chalky,Fluffy,Inkie,Boxy,Bella

2008-06-17T21:48:00.000+08:00

Chalky went home to her new home today. She seems to get along pretty well with her new friend Bluey and she was pretty happy when she saw him. I can't wait to hear how well she adapts to her new home! :) She has a new name too (Adora. Isnt that sweet?) so i better get used to it. ROTFL.

Fluffy and Inkie went home together today too. Fluffy is now in the midst of puberty and will be sterilized soon. Fluffy is super white and has nice long fur which is super duper fun to brush through because of Fluffy's expression. When I brush fluffy, he relaxes totally and would have this weird expression that just says "I'm loving it!"

Sometimes it takes more than one try to find that special someone and that's what is happening to Boxy. Boxy my super docile, super guai, super affectionate bunny is back! She could not get along with her new owner (who is very nice). I think they just did not have chemistry! Boxy became a difficult bunny at her new home and would not co-operate with her new owner. I was pretty shocked at first because Boxy like Soursop and Vanilla is the type of bunny that would lay in my lap for long periods while i read or watched tv. Anyway, to stop digressing, Boxy is back and still looks the same as how she looked previously. She is available to new homes so if anyone is interested, please email me at thehiddenburrow@yahoo.com.sg

Been feeling a little swamped with the things i have to do! Other than having boarding bunnies, we will be boarding Sunshine too (Sunshine is a really cute King Charles Spaniel that we boarded previously with his bunny brother Cotton) and we have a dog show on Sunday too.

I'm going to bed now! I need my rest!

Clipping Nails

2008-06-17T21:47:00.002+08:00

Some people have asked how I cut the nails of my bunnies if they are not in a co-operative mood. I'm embarrassed to say that i sing to them. Okay...i am a bad singer but the best thing about pets is that they do not criticize! ROTFL.

if you sing something that is slow and steady, it does calm them down. I find it works better than talking as there are minimal pregnant pauses. So, if you are having problems clipping nails, try this! Vanilla's owner highly recommends singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I tend to do the alphabet song. -_-

Chalky and Bella

2008-06-17T21:47:00.001+08:00

I sent Chalky for her sterilization last tue and sent Bella down today. Both Chalky and Bella started eating and drinking within minutes of coming home so that was fab. What were their first foods? Treats! Lol. Gave them some of the mix first before giving them their pellets. Chalky's activity level was back to her usual by the next day. Bella was normal from the minute we picked her up.

On the ride home, she was busy ripping apart the newspaper in her carrier. ROTFL. When I placed her back into her enclosure, she immediately started giving me "the look" and asking for treats. Oh well, she ignored her pellets so I gave her some treats. After a few small treat pieces, she dug into her pellets.

Bella is one of the most expressive bunnies I have. However, she is also one of the most independent and I call her my wild child. I'm hoping the op will tame her character by a little and restore her to the little sweet thing she used to be. Hahahaha

Woah

2008-06-17T21:46:00.000+08:00

Woah.. I wanted to try using baking soda to clean stains and was advised to make it into a paste before using. Hence, what i did was to pour water into the baking soda container and started shaking it to mix the water with the baking soda properly. Guess what happened next?! I should have seen it coming but I was distracted and the next thing i knew, the bottle had exploded and there was baking soda EVERYWHERE! Yikes!

Anyway, results of using it to clean was disappointing. Big sigh

Updates

2008-06-17T21:45:00.000+08:00

Fluffy is here for boarding. He is a REW local mix (at least i think so). Inkie is going home with him in a week. I'm happy for her :)

Soursop went home today. Darlin and Flint went to their new homes too. I'm sure they will be very happy..and spoilt! in their new home. LOL

West and Claire are coming tomorrow for boarding too! I'm so glad to see them. They are very sweet together. I will take some photos of all the boarding bunnies soon.

Introducing..Our Apple, Pineapple and Carrot Mix!

2008-06-17T21:44:00.000+08:00

Our apple,pineapple and carrot mix is a treat for all bunnies! Even our dogs love it! (and they normally hate fruits!) They are very high in fibre, and is great for the prevention of hairballs! Purchase them at $5 for 50g or $8 for 100g (Postage included. Orders sent through postage) Please email your orders, or leave them in a comment. Thank You!

Coming soon..Apple treats, Papaya Treats and other exciting flavors!

Updated: Orders may take up to 3 days to process after payment due to overwhelming response. Thanks!

BunSpace

2008-06-17T21:43:00.001+08:00

I have heard of myspace, but never bunspace. Check it out! http://www.bunspace.com/

The Rabbit World

2008-06-17T21:42:00.002+08:00

Ever since i started arranging to get the bunnies i want to get from convention, i have received a lot of emails! All from some really great bunny people who are so helpful, they really are a blessing!

Along with these emails, there have been very good advise on how to arrange the shipment, who i should be talking to, who i should be getting from, how to choose, and the most important thing-how not to get cheated.

There are a number of breeders who would double their prices, once they find out the bunny is going overseas, because they know we can't find good rabbits here. There are also people who after sending them money, could disappear, and it all goes down the drain. There are also breeders who can send you one great photo of the rabbit, but when you see the rabbit physically, it looks very different.

Thankfully, there are also breeders who are just..perfect. They give you advise all the way, they help list out the strengths and weaknesses of the rabbit, help with genetic information, they are honest and concerned. I have come a long way from my first shipment of rabbits! LOL

As someone who gets her bunnies from "around the world", i get to know other breeders from other countries and compare their "styles" etc. I can only say there is a big difference between SEA breeders and breeders in the US and UK in the way they keep their rabbits, the way they think, the way they behave.

I have spoken to breeders in Japan, Thailand and Malaysia. The japanese are great. They really are open to discussions about the breed, problems faced with popularizing the breed etc. Thai breeders are also an interesting bunch. They have some great AFLs, and they even created their own breed over the years! Impressive. Out of the asian countries, I would definitely have to say that Japan has the best rabbits as they actively show and import A LOT of rabbits. They also have a huge variety when it comes to breeds.

Us Singaporean breeders don't have a wide gene pool... As in the case of Malaysia as well. They probably have an even smaller gene pool, since most of their imported buns come from The Rabbit Hill. At least in Singapore, there are bunnies from LOV, Belokony, Irish Rose etc

My personal goal is to produce rabbits equal to those available in the US. Some people aim to breed rabbits so they can "share" them with other people, and let more people have the opportunity to have better rabbits as compared to those in the pet market. I'm more selfish.I want to produce the best only. What's the point of breeding if you don't aim to breed for the best? This has been repeated again and again. The purpose of breeding is for the betterment of the breed. If you do not strive to do this, or you are unable to at least produce an animal that would resemble what it is supposed to look like according to the breed standard, don't do it!

I have also mentioned this many times. I am a strong believer that rabbits...or any type of pet should not be bred if you do not know any information about the parents at the very least and if possible, at least 3 generations back. The point of this is that generally, any pet with a pedigree would probably be less prone to genetic abnormalities as compared to one without a known history.

One interesting point I realized was that the serious Singaporean breeders, who bother to bring in their stock - we have one thing in common. We don't breed often. I guess some people would say its a waste, and it doesn't justify bringing them in. All i can say is that I'm happy with the way things are. I don't mind them being pure pets. Its nice to just own a rabbit that when people see, they tell you thats the nicest bunny they have seen in Singapore (Aww..shucks..)

I think its pretty sad when people say rabbits are "just rabbits" or that its not worth it to try to get the best and spend that money because they won't "earn back" their cost. So what if they can't earn their keep? If that was the reason you got them...then you should do some reflection because pets are not meant for that purpose!

People have asked me to help them with their breeding project. I have not, because some people are so one-sided. They only want to listen to the side of the story that is beneficial to them. When faced with the realities of birthing difficulties, peanuts, in other words-death, they turn a deaf ear to it and assume it would never happen to them. A lot of people have said i am too direct. I don't hesitate to tell you the realities, because i have gone through them myself. I hate to see someone being mislead into believing one thing, and then finding out the truth.

Again, I do not agree with the breeding of pets without pedigrees and its fact that there are not many rabbits in Singapore that would come with pedigrees. I am definitely 100% against the breeding of any of my rabbits to rabbits that were purchased in pet shops or breeders that got their stock from pet shops.

Also, there is one indisputable fact. You must be able to provide homes for the offspring produced. If you are unable to rehome them, the obvious thing would be that you have to keep them. Hence, it is only prudent to ensure you have the space and financial resources to do so.

Lots of people think that it can't cost much to keep rabbits. I beg to differ. What with the hay,pellets,electricity for their air-conditioning, their essential oils, air revitilizer, treats, cleaning product, grooming tools, blah blah blah, it is definitely costing me a tidy sum to maintain them.

After keeping rabbits for so long, i have been acquainted with all types of people. I always try my best to help, but most times, this is not appreciated.

I feel that I have grown quite a bit since i started breeding rabbits. My first shipment came when i was 16 years old. Now, I'm 20. Its been a while! Looking back, I can't believe how much has changed! There have definitely been times that I have wondered if it would be better to stop keeping rabbits totally , mostly because of the humans, not the bunnies, but I somehow feel that if I do that, there will be a void in my heart and I'll feel a little empty. Oh well, I guess it was pre-ordained that I was to become a bunny slave. Yikes!

Oreo

2008-06-17T21:42:00.001+08:00

Hmmm??? What are you doing?

Stop clicking away! I just wanna sleep!!

Well...since you are here....scratch that little spot for me...Thanks!

Poor Coby

2008-06-17T21:41:00.001+08:00

Coby was made to wear a bumble bee suit that was too big for him. Look at his miserable face! Awwww....

Bunny Roar

2008-06-17T21:40:00.000+08:00

Dug up this photo of Snowie:

Multi-Purpose Cleaner

2008-06-17T21:26:00.002+08:00

I bought this from the supermarket a few weeks back by accident. I had thought it was an eco-friendly glass cleaner but horror of horrors! I went home and read the back where it wrote "Do NOT use on glass" Ahh!!! What was I going to use it for?!?!

Luckily, I soon discovered that its function was much better than I could have hoped for...It works fantastically on urine stains! I have pee trays that are urine stained and I was able to use this product to remove stains quite effectively without having to use as much brute force as I had to use previously just armed with dettol,vinegar and hot water.

Its not a miracle worker but so far, I find that it works pretty well. Also, its plant-derived...Fab!

Here's a photo of it :)

Carrying a bun properly

2008-06-17T18:38:00.003+08:00

I did not realise that not everyone knows how to carry a bun properly, so here are some pointers-which i hope helps!

Place a hand under and behind the front legs and scoop up the hindquarters with the other hand.

If your bunny is scared when held, tuck it’s head between your body and the inside of your arm. It will calm down once it’s head is covered and its sides are securely held.n If this doesn’t work, use a towel to cover its head. Works like a charm for most buns!