Monday 31 December 2012
Big and beautiful
Sunday 30 December 2012
A brief moment of sunshine
Saturday 29 December 2012
After dinner nap
Friday 28 December 2012
Life With Mars
We lost dear Dexter a few weeks back. He had been soldiering on through breathing problems for some time, had gone to live with Vicki for an easier life and some close attention, but very sadly went downhill quickly and passed away. I will leave his story for Vicki to tell some day.
Dexter left behind his partner Mars, a very shy little straight-eared black bunny we hardly ever saw. So shy, she wouldn't even eat in front of me at the Rescue. Knowing she would quickly become stressed on her own, Caroline decided to bond her straight away with Kirk, a big handsome agouti bunny who has been with us waiting for a home for too long.
It will be interesting to see how their relationship affects her and whether she becomes more confident. Kirk is very bold, friendly, quite full of energy, almost the opposite of Mars.
So far it is looking promising - I don't think she has ever gotten this close to me (of her own choosing) before, with or without parsley!
Thursday 27 December 2012
Do The Tansley
Having found out we now have a YouTube channel, Tansley is preparing to take the world by storm in 2013. Here we catch him putting the finishing touches on his new routine.
Wednesday 26 December 2012
Un-Boxing Day
Tuesday 25 December 2012
Merry Xmas 2012!
Wishing you a peaceful day and a jolly holiday, from Jemima, Whisky and myself, all the Rabbit Residence team and all the bunnies at the Rescue!
Merry Christmas!!
Monday 24 December 2012
It's a Yin-Yang Thang
I don't hold up much hope for bonding Whisky and Jemima - they are both too bossy and un-yielding to accept each other. Plus, he REALLY likes humping, she REALLY doesn't.
They've been out in the garden at the same time and seem to cope when supervised, but at some point one of them will march over and demand attention, then get grumpy when they don't receive it. As with many of the other bunnies we've tried him with, it seems the only time Whisky gets on with Jemima with no problems is when he's distracted by food.
Sunday 23 December 2012
Photoshy
Well actually Wellington, it's only a couple of strands, if I wanted to I could probably remove it with Photoshop and...
OK, OK, I get the hint, no photo. I'll try your wife instead...
Saturday 22 December 2012
Work Out
Friday 21 December 2012
Just Leaf
Thursday 20 December 2012
Stocking
With the holidays almost upon us, Whisky has been checking we are properly stocked up on the essentials...
Wednesday 19 December 2012
Gridlock
"Motorists are advised to avoid the Bunwall Tunnel this morning as the whole area is in gridlock and there are queues in both directions. Here's what our traffic camera shows from the south end:"
"And here's our camera at the north end:"
"I guess somebun should really have sign-posted it 'one way'."
Tuesday 18 December 2012
Seeing Them Cross
I was frustrated enough about this picture being focused on the background instead of Whisky when I only thought I'd missed a great shot of his cute mouth. Then I looked again and saw the feets! OMG-SUPER-CUTE-CROSSED-FLUFFY-FEETS!!!!! I can't believe I missed it! Would have been the cutest pic ever!
:-(
Monday 17 December 2012
Sunday 16 December 2012
Six Degrees of Grassification
Did you know that grass will pretty much stop growing when the temperature drops below six degrees centigrade? This makes winter frustrating for our bunnies as their daily garden snackage depletes in the cold weather. It's not exactly a walk in the park trying to eat it when it's frozen solid either.
So joy of joys, we are suddenly having a winter window of warmth this week in the UK with temperatures around eight degrees. And no-one is more pleased about this than Lady Porkins McChompsalot.
Saturday 15 December 2012
Friday 14 December 2012
Noir
Whisky has a new favourite spot. Now I can't be sure, but I suspect that it has something to do with the fact that when he's sat there:
- I can't shut him in his room
- since I can't shut the gate, I can't get to the spare room behind, which means I can't go make a fuss of Jemima or let her out
The main problem with this in terms of the blog is that all pictures for the foreseeable future are going to look very similar while he won't budge his fluffy bottom.
So today, to avoid having a picture that looks exactly like yesterdays, I decided to switch the camera to "high contrast black and white". I think the setting is intended to produce pictures that look like a forties Bogart movie still.
So here he is, Sam "Whisky" Spade, private detective.
Thursday 13 December 2012
Facebath
Well, after 2 eye flushes and a course of antibiotics (drops and oral), I'm not going to win the human-of-the-month award from my little fluffy boy. My only consolation is that the new regime of daily face bathing is likely to seem like pure joy compared to dropping stuff in his eye.
Wednesday 12 December 2012
Jaws
Sat on my "to do" list for some time has been the task of producing a simple guide to health-checking bunnies. In the meantime, I have lots of strange images of Caroline poking and prodding various bunnies that I need to decipher so I can add instructional text. There's even one in this set of her apparently giving Bacardi a big fat kiss on the lips - not exactly sure how that one fits in as part of the health check guide, but it would seem a shame not include it!
The meaning of these two pics is clear - rabbits seem curiously prone to abscesses and this shows how you can feel for them in the jaw. Early detection of abscesses often means you can avoid any serious problems, so it's definitely something worth doing regularly between their regular vet visits.
As shown, the idea is to feel along the underside of the jaw for lumps. I would also suggest checking the bones from the side too by placing the index fingers along the line of the jaw from ear to nose (like you are underlining both their eyes simultaneously with your fingers).
Simple huh? And don't worry, the disapproving look fades eventually...
Tuesday 11 December 2012
The Boo Snackleys
The most exciting new happening is Caroline being on the radio yesterday, but since neither Caroline nor radio's have cute fluffy ears, here's a couple of random pictures of Vicki's buns eating snacks while bonding at the Rescue last month.
Monday 10 December 2012
Who's That Bun?
He looks like Rocket. He moves like Rocket. And yet, not only did a family dare to pet this rabbit then leave the enclosure with the same number of children as they arrived with, but another unsuspecting visitor picked him up for a cuddle and lived to tell the tale! Who is this strange bunny living in Rocket's house??!
Sunday 9 December 2012
Napday Grumpus
Saturday 8 December 2012
Warmer Feet
Friday 7 December 2012
Feeling Flushed, Part 2
Thursday 6 December 2012
Wednesday 5 December 2012
Defying My Fluffy Master
Tuesday 4 December 2012
Elvis
My last mention of Elvis on this blog was to call him a silly nickname. "Humourless". Had I even a clue at the time that my handsome boy would not live to see himself appear on here again, his life taken by a tumour that was quietly eating away at him from the inside, I might have chosen better words.
"Humourless" was a reference to his real nickname at home, "Chuckles", a somewhat sarcastic jibe at his overly serious attitude towards me. Never have I met another rabbit so stern. Try to stroke his head and, whereas other rabbits would enjoy the attention or move away, he would keep dodging his head out the way but stand his ground. He'd glare back at me as if to say "What the heck do you think you are doing, mister?! I have Jemima to groom me, not you, thank you very much!". If I had to pick him up he wouldn't freeze of wriggle like other bunnies, he would go completely floppy like there wasn't a bone in him. I've heard of animals "playing dead" in the terrifying clutches of predators, but he did it every time I lifted him off the ground, even when I'm sure he knew he was only in for a quick brushing - it was both bizarre and disconcerting.
Human interference aside, he certainly did enjoy being a rabbit doing rabbity things, like digging, exploring and mowing the lawn. Of course he also enjoyed playing and snuggling with Jemima (when she wasn't telling him off). He was a handsome chap, had the most perfectly formed, highly expressive ears and, because life is ironic, the most beautifully soft, strokable fur.
Sometimes visitors to the Rescue seem very hung up on choosing rabbits that are friendly towards people, as if there is no joy unless the rabbits attention is directed straight at them. If those visitors had met Elvis they would quickly have seen the joy that can be gained just seeing a bunny wrapped up in doing their own thing, or even in just watching them watch the world go by from their favourite spot in the sunshine. Some bunnies we love with all our hearts just because they are who they are, no compromise, that is how I felt about by wonderful little Elvis and I will miss him dearly.
Elvis and Jemima were spending some time together at the Rescue as they'd fallen out after his last bout of illness. He'd seemed fine all the first week, but then on the next Monday just seemed to go suddenly downhill. On Tuesday 27th November 2012 at around 1am, following a very difficult 24 hours, Elvis lay in Caroline's arms and eagerly gulped down a syringe full of food. Then, by 3am, he was gone.