Living the good bunny life Lionhead rabbits Taterbug and Ellie Mae enjoy their ‘bunny palace’ in the company of each other and their humans, Natalie and Robert Wurz by ANNETTE JOYCE Since Natalie Wurz never does anything halfway, it’s not surprising that when she started thinking about bringing a rabbit into her family, she did extensive research before getting two of the cuddly creatures and transforming her spacious sunroom into what she now refers to as the “bunny room.” As a result, she and her husband, Robert, who together own Stonefield Cellars Winery in Stokesdale, are able to truly enjoy their two new pets – Ellie Mae and Taterbug – to the fullest. Lionhead rabbits Ellie Mae and Taterbug have distinctive wooly manes and are incredibly cute and compact. Natalie explained Lionheads are considered a dwarf breed – at about 5 months old, her bunnies weigh only about 2 1/2 pounds each and
won’t get much larger. In doing her research, Natalie discovered that rabbits aren’t meant to be alone. “It’s not in the best interest of the bunny to have only one,” she said. “Rabbits are very social and need to be around other bunnies.” Natalie put a great deal of thought into creating the perfect environment for her newest “family members.” Rather than stick them in a spare bedroom where she knew they would have limited contact with the rest of the family, she wanted them to be “part of the heart of the home.” The sunroom, she decided, was an ideal place. She considered bunny-proofing the room and giving them free rein, until a friend pointed out the rabbits would find her nice wicker furniture highly appealing for endless chewing. She also had to think about the couple’s two cats, Fluffernut and Baby Kitty, and how they might interact with the new babies. Both felines are fascinated with the bunnies and like to spend time watching and pawing lightly at them. Although neither cat has been aggressive, Natalie doesn’t leave the four animals
Photo courtesy of Natalie Wurz
Lionhead rabbits Taterbug (left) and Ellie Mae find comfort in each other’s company. together unsupervised. Rather than having a wire cage in the corner of a lovely room filled with antiques, Natalie (with Robert’s help) chose to create what she refers to as the “bunny palace” and turned it into a centerpiece for the room. This unique rabbit habitat started with two pieces Nfurniture of fine on Facebook MarketEW LoNatalie catiofound n a cabinet which was place. The base is made from in Kernersv ille used toQhold u a large-screen TV and the top portion is
ick Lube no appointmen t needed for oil chang es & state inspections
Hometown Auto Service Center
Hometown Auto Service Center www.beamertire.com
245 East Parris Avenue High Point, NC 27262
(336) 882-7043
4430 W. Wendover Ave. Greensboro, NC 27407
www.beamertire.com (336) 663-7351
245 East Parris Avenue High 14 JUNE 3 - Point, 16, 2021NC 27262 (336) 882-7043
4430 W. Wendover Ave. Greensboro, 27407 The Northwest Observer • NC Totally local since 1996 (336) 663-7351
507 Cinema Ct. Kernersville, NC 27284
(336) 515-3381
507 Cinema Ct. Kernersville, NC 27284 (336) 515-3381
