5 bunny stories for a hoppy Easter

Take a hop down the bunny trail with these stories of adopted (and adoptable) bunnies.

By Sarah Thornton

April 11, 2022

Spring is in the air, colorful egg-dying kits are filling the shelves and all of the chocolate is bunny-shaped. It’s Easter time. And while the holiday features one of the most well-known cottontails, the Easter Bunny, it can be a tough time for real bunnies sold as holiday gifts, only to lose their new homes soon after. Bunnies can make amazing, affectionate pets but just like any new addition to the family, it’s important to be prepared and know how to give your fluffy new friend the best life possible.

So, if you’re looking for a dose of long-eared cuteness this Easter but aren’t quite ready to make that leap, or if you want to find out more so that you can, we’ve got some bunny stories we think you’ll enjoy. You don’t even have to go on an egg hunt to find them.

Bunny with a head tilt gets a second chance

Bunny with a tilted head facing the camera

When a young woman spotted a small, white bundle of fur sitting alone in a dog park, she did a double-take. It wasn’t a curious puppy staring back at her. It was a domestic bunny, head tilted to the side, trying to hide from the park’s canine visitors. Despite the scary situation she found herself in, the little bunny was extremely friendly and more than happy to be picked up and carried to safety, eventually ending up at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

It turned out that Clara’s head tilt and other neurological symptoms were caused by her immune system going into overdrive after reacting to a microscopic, parasitic fungus called E. cuniculi. But now that she’s at the Sanctuary, the once-abandoned bunny gets daily neck massages, regular acupuncture therapy and medicine (disguised in a delicious banana treat) to make sure she’s comfortable and happy until she goes to the new home she’s already got lined up. Until then, she’s loving all the attention.

Read Clara’s full story here.

Bunny helps a family heal from loss

Person holding a bunny

The loss of Laura and Ross’s first bunny, Timothy, hit the whole family hard. Curly, a bunny they adopted from the Sanctuary to be Timothy’s companion, withdrew. And Ginger, the cat who loved snuggling with his long-ear friend, started stress-grooming until he had bald patches.

It was Vader, an outgoing bunny who just recently lost the home she knew her whole life, who hopped in to help the grieving family. The big-hearted bun quickly became a cuddle-buddy for Ginger (as well as a couple of other feline family members) while she and Curly began teaching each other all their favorite games. Vader’s bright personality lit up the whole household, guided them along the path to healing after loss.

Read Vader’s full story here.

Blind bunny and her brother find safety

Waffle House and iHop the bunnies eating leafy greens together

iHop and Waffle House were bought by a woman who loved the tiny bunnies and gave them lots of attention. But she wasn’t given the information she needed about their health, diet or well-being. And trying to raise them without that knowledge was overwhelming.

It wasn’t until the siblings arrived at the Sanctuary that several things came to light. First, they were much younger than originally thought. Second, they were not both female, as their first person had been told. And third, iHop was blind. Luckily, they were spayed and neutered before any “additional” bunnies could happen. And being blind didn’t slow iHop down one bit — not with her brother by her side.

Read their full story here.

How to get a pet bunny — or three

Bunny hopping off of a chair with a seated person

Life with a new family for Pancake, Ella and Snowflake started on a different holiday. They were a Christmas surprise. But Alex and Cleve had done their rabbit research and were ready to give the trio the best home they could. It was only their daughter, Diem, who didn’t know the three albino bunnies were coming, and she fell in love immediately.

The trio and their family are now helping to educate even more people about pet bunnies. Any time a friend or family member comes over, it’s the perfect opportunity for Pancake, Ella and Snowflake to get some extra attention, and for Alex, Cleve and Diem to lay down some bunny facts in the cutest way possible.

Read their full story here.

7 fun bunny facts

A big bunny and a small bunny facing each other

Did you know bunnies purr? They can also learn to use a litter box. And when they’re happy, they might do a cute little jump-flip called a “binkie.” If you’ve fallen for a cotton-tailed cutie or two and are thinking about adopting one of these fantastically fluffy friends (Easter or not), these fun facts could be a good place to get started.