Introducing Binky and Mickey
After returning home from Australia and New Zealand in February 2018, Kevin knew that he wanted to take his children's magic show to the next level. He decided there was no better way to do it than to magically produce a live rabbit for the children to go crazy. So, the research began. He wanted to know which breed was the best for performing magic, as well as much information possible on how to properly care for a rabbit.
The first task was to build a den large enough for the rabbit to live in, run around freely, and get lots of exercise. Rabbits should not live in cages! Being excited to brush the dust off of his carpentry tools, Kevin got started on building a den with five levels all connected with ramps and bridges. There are 65 square feet of surface area with two of the levels built in front of windows to allow for as much natural light as possible. After building the den, the next step was to have it furnished with toys, boxes, tunnels, and blankets, and to buy the proper food, litter, and cleaning supplies. All of this was quite the investment!
It was finally time to buy the rabbit! Kevin found a local breeder online. His original plan was to get one Netherland Dwarf, white male rabbit. Kevin learned in his research that Netherland Dwarf rabbits are the smallest breed. This was important because the larger the rabbit, the more difficult they are to hide! The chosen color was white because it is more visible on stage. And finally, a male was chosen because males tend to be smaller, and more social and friendly than female rabbits.
Here is a picture of Binky, just before he knew he'd become a magic bunny!
When Kevin arrived at the breeder's house, there were just two baby rabbits left from the litter of eight, both snuggled up to each other in a small, cozy nest. They were born in January 2018.
Feeling guilty about separating the last two siblings, Kevin carried on with the original plan of buying just one rabbit. He took the white male home and placed him in his new den. A "binky" is when a rabbit jumps and twists in there air, which is a sign of happiness. That's exactly what he did once he was placed in his new home, hence how he got his name. But, Kevin knew that something wasn't right. Rabbits can get very lonely if you don't spend enough time with them, or if they don't have a friend to keep them company.
With his guilty conscience increasing by the hour, Kevin went back to the breeder and picked up Binky's sister. After just 4 hours of possibly never seeing each other again, the siblings were re-united!
Binky is the rabbit normally used for magic shows for the reasons stated above. Mickey is there for companionship or a back up in case Binky isn't feel well. The decision to keep them together has not been regretted. They are constantly next to each other, either cuddling or showing affection in some way. After 6 months, it was time to get them fixed to prevent inbreeding. The saying "breed like rabbits" exists for a reason, as there were a few close calls!
Here is a sped up video of Binky and Mickey enjoying their multi-level den. They must hear food coming!
Everyday when the weather permits, Binky and Mickey get to run around freely outside in the backyard. Other than dinner time, this is when they get most excited as their number of binkies increase! Surprisingly, they show no interest in running away. Signs of a happy rabbit!
Can you see Binky relaxing in this picture?
After Binky magically appears at the end of Kevin's larger magic shows, he temporarily goes into a protective display box so that all the children can see him and take pictures. For smaller shows, the children get to gently pet the rabbit and have a picture taken with him!
Are you interested in having Binky perform for you? If so, click here. Otherwise, be sure to come back to this page for more Binky and Mickey adventures!