Here comes Petter Cottontail
hoppin' down the bunny trail
Hippity hoppity Easters on its way!

History of the Easter Bunny

The Easter bunny has its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore. The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the Spring season. The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have it's origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s. And were made of pastery and sugar.

The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The arrival of the "Oschter Haws" was considered "childhood's greatest pleasure" next to a visit from Christ-Kindel on Christmas Eve. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay a nest of colored eggs. The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their bonnets to make the nests . The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread through out the country.




Thinking of Buying and Easter Bunny?

A Real Easter Bunny Is A Lifelong Commitment, UF Expert Says
Parents may want to fill Easter baskets with chocolate bunnies this year, unless they're ready for a lifelong commitment to the real Peter Cottontail, says a University of Florida rabbit specialist.

The fact that rabbits are sold at Easter leads to a lot of impulse buying, said Bobby Collins, a small-animal science professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, a part of UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

"That's OK if you're making a long-term commitment to integrate that animal into your household and your life," Collins said. "They are fuzzy and wonderful at Easter but if they grow up to be ignored, that's not healthy for the animal -- or for kids learning about caring for animals."

People who think rabbits require less maintenance than a dog or cat should think again, Collins said. While rabbits can be ideal for apartment living, in some ways they require more care than a dog or a cat.

Rabbits have many of the same health problems associated with cats or dogs -- hairballs and fleas, for instance -- plus a few all their own, Collins said.

Rabbits' spines are delicate and can be fractured by something as simple as jumping out of a child's arms. This makes it important when picking up a rabbit to support the rabbit in a manner in which it feels secure.

Collins said rabbits also are prone to a disease called snuffles, a bacterial infection caused by the organism Pasteurella multocida, which lives in the nasal passages of almost all rabbits. In mild forms, it can cause the rabbit discomfort and in severe forms it can result in the death of the rabbit.

Collins gives rabbit owners the same advice as dog or cat owners: Have a reserve of cash ready to spend on veterinary care in case of an emergency.

"I can guarantee your rabbit will have some illness that will require major hospitalization and care during its lifetime," said Collins.

Owners of house-rabbits also need to take a long look at their home and ask themselves "what can this rabbit get into," Collins said. Rabbits will chew on anything: electrical cords, furniture, even baseboards. They will crawl up into the springs of furniture and sometimes get trapped. Other pets may attack them.

Collins said he recently treated a rabbit that became sick after eating carpet and cardboard. It cost the owner $700.

"It's much better to keep an eye on your rabbit and not let it eat the carpet," Collins said. "I hear people say they have rabbit-proofed their home but that's like saying a home is child-proof. There's really no way to do that. You just have to keep an eye on your rabbit at all times when it is out of its cage."

As rabbit ownership becomes more popular, it is not uncommon to see students arriving at college with a rabbit they got as a child, Collins said. The oldest rabbit Collins has seen was 12 years old and he has seen some suffering from geriatric diseases like arthritis.

But Collins said it is also not uncommon for students to leave their rabbits at home when they go off to school, leaving Mom and Dad with something to think about before purchasing an "Easter" bunny.

"This pet is coming to your house forever," Collins said, "not just for Easter."

Collins offers these tips for those considering adopting a rabbit:

• Rabbits' claws need to be clipped every three to four weeks.
  
• Ears need to be examined periodically for ear mites.
  
• Rabbits groom themselves and can get hairballs that need to be treated like a cat's hairballs.
  
• Some rabbits get overgrown teeth that need to be filed by a veterinarian.
  
• Caged rabbits need to be protected from wind, sun and rain. The cage floor needs to include a smooth surface to keep the rabbit's hocks from getting sore.
  
• Indoor rabbits need to be kept from chewing cords on electrical appliances, telephones, curtains, etc. They also need to be barred from climbing into boxsprings or the batting of sofas and chairs.
  
• Rabbits shed and need to be brushed or combed at least once weekly. They will accept grooming more readily if you begin grooming when they are young.
  
• Rabbits can and should be neutered or spayed. This is especially important in females to prevent uterine cancer.
  
• Rabbits kept outdoors and out of a pen should be supervised them from becoming prey to hawks, owls, raccoons and other wildlife.

Peter Cottontail

Here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hoppin' down the bunny trail,
Hippity, hoppity,
Easter's on its way.

Bringin' every girl and boy Baskets full of Easter joy,
Things to make your Easter bright and gay.
He's got jelly beans for Tommy,
Colored eggs for sister Sue,
There's an orchid for your Mommy
And an Easter bonnet, too.

Oh! here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hoppin' down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity,
Happy Easter day.

Here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hoppin' down the bunny trail,
Look at him stop,
and listen to him say:
"Try to do the things you should."
Maybe if you're extra good,
He'll roll lots of Easter eggs your way.

You'll wake up on Easter morning
And you'll know that he was there
When you find those choc'late bunnies
That he's hiding ev'rywhere.

Oh! here comes Peter Cottontail,
Hoppin' down the bunny trail,
Hippity hoppity,
Happy Easter day.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit


Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. They lived with their mother in a sandbank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree.

One morning old Mrs. Rabbit said, "I'm going to the bakery to buy brown bread and currant buns. You may go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden. Your father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor."

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries...but Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight to Mr. McGregor's garden and squeezed under the gate! First he ate some lettuce and some beans, and then he ate some radishes. On his way to find some parsley, whom should he meet but Mr. McGregor!

Mr. McGregor jumped up and ran after Peter, shouting, "Stop, thief!"

Peter was very frightened. He rushed all over the garden, for he had forgotten the way back to the gate. Unfortunately Peter ran into a gooseberry net and got caught by the large brass buttons on his jacket. Peter gave himself up for lost; but his sobs were overheard by some friendly sparrows, who flew to him in great excitement and begged him to try to free himself. Just as Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve, which he intended to pop on top of Peter, Peter wriggled out of his jacket, leaving it behind him. He rushed into the toolshed and jumped into a watering can. It would have been a good thing to hide in, if it had not had so much water in it. Mr. McGregor was quite sure that Peter was somewhere in the toolshed, perhaps hidden underneath a flowerpot. He began to turn them over, one by one.

Suddenly Peter sneezed -- Kertyschoo! Mr. McGregor was after him in no time. Peter jumped out of a window. Fortunately the window was too small for Mr. McGregor. Then Peter ran away from the toolshed, all around the garden. At last, he found the garden gate. He slipped underneath and was safe once more in the woods outside. I am sorry to say that Peter did not feel very well that evening. His mother put him to bed and gave him a dose of camomile tea.

"One tablespoon to be taken at bedtime."

But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper.



Tortoise and the Hare

A Hare one day ridiculed the short feet and slow pace of the Tortoise, who replied, laughing: "Though you be swift as the wind, I will beat you in a race." The Hare, believing her assertion to be simply impossible, assented to the proposal; and they agreed that the Fox should choose the course and fix the goal. On the day appointed for the race the two started together. The Tortoise never for a moment stopped, but went on with a slow but steady pace straight to the end of the course. The Hare, lying down by the wayside, fell fast asleep. At last waking up, and moving as fast as he could, he saw the Tortoise had reached the goal, and was comfortably dozing after her fatigue. The moral of the story is... Slow but steady wins the race.

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MHC