Baton Rouge, LA 225-341-BUNNY 225-341-2866 wendy@magichappensrescue.com

~Bunny Building Blog~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~THE DESIGN~ We have purchased a 12x24 portable metal building. There are 2 windows and there will be a big a/c unit with thermostat to keep the buns comfy all year long. We will be adding insulation to make it more efficient, and tile flooring so as not to absorb odors and stay easy to clean. When you first enter the building there will be an office of sorts for adopting families to hang out with their potential new family members and for weary Care Days volunteers to rest. :) The desk will house the rabbits' paperwork (adoption papers, vet history), along with a computer and printer with hopeful internet access (if the wireless router reaches that far!). The computer can be used for printing adoption forms and info sheets (instead of just referring them to the website), looking up history of the adoptables (and adopted!), and photos of all past events. We'll also have a calendar and message center (dry erase board/corkboard) for organization. For housing the rabbits, We plan to build shelving units that will each hold 3 cages. Each cage will rest on its own roll-out shelf for easy access for both cleaning and removing the rabbit when needed. Each shelf will have an "ID tag" with the rabbits name, feed, and special needs on it. The bottom shelf will be off the floor, and over the top of the highest cage there will be a solid shelf for storage. Along the tops of the cages we will be storing any extra cages, food bowls, water bottles, blankets, towels, hay racks, bedding, food, hay, and event items (our canopy, information binder, fundraiser items, etc.). We eventually hope to add an automatic watering system as well! In the center of the back wall will be a counter and sink and small storage area. The storage area will have the metal trash can of pellets and a shelf on top for the tote of timothy hay. The counter will serve as an area to examine rabbits and give injections if needed, or hold snacks and drinks for Care Day volunteers. Underneath we will have our mini-fridge to hold drinks and any medications needing to be kept cold, along with the all-important veggies! On the far left of that area will be a 3-section restaurant sink, perfectly sized for bathing a rabbit or guinea pig and cleaning food bowls and fill water bottles or handwashing. On the left side of the building we will have the resident rabbits set up in their permanent habitat and ex-pens for the adoptables to enjoy. The ex-pens will be the regular ex-pens to start, but we'd like to eventually create a "double-decker" exercise area out of grids (such as the NIC cubes, like the residents enjoy now). This will allow for double the area and double the number of rabbits to enjoy free time! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~SUPPLY LIST~ Of course, none of this grand dream is easy, but thanks to adoption fees, donations, fundraisers, and the help of skilled family and friends, we are going to make this a reality! Here is the list of items needed and the approximate cost of each. These numbers will be updated as we head get things in place so we can get accurate measurements and prices from Home Depot/Lowe's. If you have any items you would like to donate, please let us know! Also, please forward us any Lowe's or Home Depot coupons that you won't be using. Items in bold have not yet been purchased, and prices are an estimate building - $3,525 plumbing hookup - ?? interior plumbing - ?? electrical hookup - 350? interior electrical - $95+breakers? interior lighting - $33+bulbs cage shelving lumber & hardware - $300? storage shelving - ?? air-conditioning - donated! insulation - $150? wallboards - $500? tile & flooring materials - $685 specialty tools (drill bits, chalk) - 45+? hose & nozzle - $25? hose casing - $25? shopvac - $40? broom, mop & bucket - $10? large dry erase board - $25? motion outdoor lights - $30? old towels & rags - donated? totes for storage - $50? NIC grids - $125? lumber for ramp - $100? watering system - ?? skirting - ? overhang- ? picnic table - 100? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~THE CHECKLIST~ clear area for building purchase building & have delivered hook up electrical hook up plumbing install interior electrical add insulation, walls, and ceiling install floors (started) add air conditioning build cage shelving units build/install storage shelving install sink bring in desk & couch add exercise areas install motion light add watering system add overhang add fenced yard Photo blog Become a fan of MHRR on Facebook to get all the latest updates on the building and more! 10/17/09: Electricity & plumbing have been run from Wendy & Topher's house to the building. 8/22/09: The tile pattern is beginning - Michelle & Dave cut the tiles to fit the building. 8/20/09: We received another building fund donation thanks to the Wehbe family (Billie's adopting family), who set up a lemonade stand for the matching donation drive! 8/14/09: Topher and Chris laying down the subfloor. 8/11/09: $800 of supplies - hardiebacker boards, thinset, grout, tile, interior lighting, interior wiring, electrical outlets and switches, and more.