LIL BITS

Check out these Asia Sentinel artciles featuring Rabbit Ranch wine.

The Perfect Match

Lapin au Vin des Central Otago a la Wandering Palate (Rabbit Casserole with Central Otago Pinot Noir).
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Must-Have Wine: Feng Shui and the Year of the Rabbit

Our Wandering Palate, noting that the Lunar New Year celebrates the bunny, introduces us to Rabbit Ranch Pinot Noir 2009, Central Otago, New Zealand
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Thousands of dead rabbits carpeted Pioneer Park in Alexandra on Saturday, following the 19th annual Great Easter Bunny Hunt. Central Otago farmers have reason to smile following the eradication of more than 24,000 rabbits, hares, and other pests from farmland throughout the district. The 19th annu... read more »

A man who allegedly swung a live rabbit at pedestrians in Auckland's downtown Queen St was due in court today on a charge of animal cruelty. Police said the man, 53, held the rabbit by its ears and swung it at pedestrians as he abused them. Police were called by a security guard and when police ar... read more »

The Enderby Island Rabbit Club secretary with the winner of the Annual South Island Show in June 2009- gratulations Wayne!

 A Christchurch woman fears hallucinogenic "magic" mushrooms may be killing her rabbits.

Zara Welton, 21, a mother and part-time rabbit breeder, had 28 rabbits in the back yard of her Spreydon property.

Eight rabbits died over two weeks, and Welton suspects the mushrooms are the culprit.

However, a Christchurch veterinarian said it was impossible to prove if these mushrooms were the cause of death.

The active ingredient in magic mushrooms is classified as an illegal class A controlled drug as it has hallucinogenic properties.

Welton breeds two types of rabbit. One breed was kept in hutches with wooden floors, but the breed that was dying mini lops lived in hutches with grazing access to the grass.

Last week she found one rabbit acting "all schizy and jumpy". She took it to a veterinarian but it died after a seizure.

"At first the vet assumed calicivirus or blamed the cold weather, but it was only the rabbits on the grass that were dying, so they thought it might be something toxic," she said.

Welton had seen a small patch of mushrooms in a corner of her backyard, so she picked samples for the vet.

Under torchlight, Welton found her backyard covered with tiny mushrooms.

"They were everywhere," she said. "I tried to search online for any information, but all I could find was tips on how to cultivate them, not kill them."

Welton even rang the Alcohol Drug Helpline and was told magic mushrooms came out at night in cool, damp weather.

She has moved the remaining rabbits indoors until she is able to get new floors for their hutches.

Christchurch veterinarian Heather Remnant said there was no evidence the rabbits had died from eating the mushrooms

Dome Away From Home

Download newspaper article (PDF, 5.2 MB).

Download newspaper article (PDF, 1.3 MB).

Rabbit's pen pal

Snapshot of Rabbiters Camp: The Night's Catch.

Run Rabbit

Therein lies a tail: Download PDF (2.6 MB)

Classic Car Editorial: Download PDF (3.1 MB)

The dangers of obesity to kids may be all over the headlines just now but, spare a thought for the legions of fat rabbits - overfed and under-exercised by their doting owners. To tackle the problem, Edinburgh University's Veterinary School is to employ a vet to become a rabbit specialist and examin... read more »

Easter has to be the best holiday of the year - the weather is settled, you can overindulge, especially on chocolate, and catch up with family and friends without all the stress of Christmas shopping and organising the summer holidays. Easter as we know it today is believed by many religious histor... read more »

Prising a giant 15_pronged mutant carrot out of your vege patch is one thing - working out what to do with it is another. Berhampore resident Archie Holmes, 96, doubts there is a vegetable peeler robust enough to deal to his 1.5 kilogram carrot, which he is keeping in a bucket of water by his back... read more »

A pet rabbit is being credited for saving the lives of a Melbourne couple after fire swept through their home this morning. Firemen say the husband returned to his Macleod home from night shift this morning only to hear the family pet, named "Rabbit", scratching at the bedroom door 30 minutes later... read more »

Download the Enderby Island Rabbit Club Newsletter.

Bunnies are turning up left, right and centre at the Mangere SPCA as the novelty of this year's Easter gift wears off. SPCA employee Jenna Fowler says 13 rabbits are ready for adoption and another 13 are waiting to come up for adoption, including two pairs. The influx is a result of people who hav... read more »