Magic Tricks

First let me say that I'll address all of the issues raised in the previous comments, i.e. Rabbit won't fit, too stressful for rabbit and loud noise from the balloon.

The trick is a well constructed illusion, at least the one I purchased was. It's sturdy and works very well. It works in pretty much any "normal" lighting. I would definitely recommend this to someone who wants to produce a live rabbit in their show. I use a top hat/white bunny puppet to start, because it looks just like my rabbit.

Now for the issues people raise:
I've seen many people raise the issue that their rabbit doesn't fit. I have a white mini satin rabbit and she fits perfectly. She is, however a very mellow rabbit and feels safe and secure in tight confined spaces. I know this as she usually hides in small spaces around my apartment. She's also a rabbit that doesn't mind cuddling and being held for long periods of time. I've also trained her to remain in the box for long periods of time (20 mins max). So for me it works. A mini satin is the perfect size for this illusion, and if you interact with your rabbit (snuggle the rabbit, hold it often and get it accustomed to feeling contained) the rabbit will feel safe and secure in the box. Also, always give your rabbit a treat every time you rehearse and perform the effect. That way the rabbit understands that this is a "good thing" and not a "bad thing". I use low sugar dried papaya.

Now for the issue of the sound. Many people argue that popping a balloon in the box will startle or stress out the rabbit. I do not use the large long balloons that you can put through the holes on either side. They WILL create a loud noise. My suggestion is to use large balloons instead of small ones. When using a small balloon that reaches it's maximum capacity at 4 or 5 inches, there will be a very loud pop that could very easily startle and stress out your animal (and your kid audience), HOWEVER, if you use a large balloon that reaches it's max capacity at 8 or 10 inches, you won't have a problem, because you can only inflate it with a few blows to fit it into the illusion. It will reach about 4 or 5 inches, and when it pops, it will not produce a loud bang, as the rubber is not super stretched, in fact the pop is actually quite muffled when contained in the mechanism of the illusion.

By the way, in case anyone is wondering, the needle is very unlikely to harm the rabbit as well, as the mechanism of the illusion makes it nearly impossible for the rabbit to get anywhere near the needle. Either way, be smart, and pop the balloon quickly in and out and you won't have a problem.

I had one guy suggest making an animal balloon rabbit, putting it into the box and popping it to create the real one. This is a GREAT idea but won't work because, when popping an animal balloon, the balloon has to unravel and takes a while to fully deflate, and the mechanism requires a clean quick pop.

So yes, your rabbit may be too big, or perhaps you just want to produce a stuffed animal or silks or something. This will work just fine. I would personally find a small rabbit like a mini satin, and I would only suggest using large or "normal sized" balloons instead of the smaller ones or the large long balloons to create less noise. Kids also hate loud noises like balloons popping so it works out well for kids shows.

This is just how I perform it and in my opinion it's the best way.

Good Luck!