Contender for largest bunny in the United States celebrated his second birthday on Nov. 11 at The Bunny Hutch in Virginia Beach.
His name is Lord Reginald Watson Beldon Maxwell VIII but friends and acquaintances call him Junior. His last measurements marked him at 3 feet 6 inches and 25 pounds which may seem large but he still falls short in comparison to his father, King Darius’s, with measurements of 4 feet 4 inches and 49 pounds.
Kelly Hurlbut, animal husbandry manager at The Bunny Hutch, describes Junior as “the man in charge”.
He may not beat his father’s size in length but he still has room to grow.
“He’s still got a while to grow. Usually they [Continental Giant rabbits] don’t hit maturity age until they’ve gone through two baby sheds. He’s still on one,” Hurlbut said.
Junior is the big man on campus at The Bunny Hutch, both literally and figuratively. The staff refer to him as their boss. His titles include therapy bunny and children’s literacy campaign manager. He has his own ID and passport, allowing him first class travel to and from his father’s home in Wales.
Junior’s size has brought him local fame. News stations have featured him as their highlight of the day. He was a part of a radio interview with their CEO Angela “Max” Maxwell, and had a two-page spread in the Virginian Pilot. He even has his own personal assistant and PR consultant.
Junior is a big bunny with bigger dreams.
“His number one goal is to meet Ellen DeGeneres and we’re hoping that at some point he may. I’ve tried sending an email to her saying ‘Hey, my boss is your biggest fan”, Hurlburt said.
Miranda Fein
mlfein@vwc.edu
(Photo: Miranda Fein|Marlin Chronicle)
