Thursday flashback

Super cute Benson, our little grump and his partner Patty.

Remembering Benson

Last week our beloved Benson sadly passed away.

Benson was such a lovely bunny and although we're not supposed to have favourites he was always one of mine.

With his poofy cheeks and little heart shape on his nose he was adorably cute, he was a grumpy, grunty little guy who like his partner, Patty had no issues with telling you off if you weren't quick enough with breakfast or wanted to groom his floofy mane. Our household are particularly fond of bunnies with character and this is what I loved most about Benson.

Binky free little guy.

Have a heart

Isn't Benson adorable?

I love the little heart shaped marking around his nose.

 

You should never ask a women her age...

 

In hindsight the conversation should have gone "hello Benson, how are you on this fine sunny morning?"

 

Instead I asked "How are old you now Benson?  Only you're looking a bit grey".

 



 

It was then that Patty boxed me.

Apparently, as well as it being rude to ask women their real age, it's also rude to ask bunnies too.

Who knew. Next time I'll offer more treats and back away slowly.

Cheeky Boy!

Dirty Boots, Dirty Looks

Lie Detector

"Are you sure? Only it doesn't SMELL like there's no more carrots left in your bucket..."

Altered Images

Patty and Benson have very definitely changed their personalities since they got together. Gone is the grumpy, lunging, in-your-face, snack-snatching attitude. They've become more refined and almost, dare I say, ...angelic?

"Hey, I've always been an angel! (In my own way...)"

"Well our attitudes may have changed but our breakfast order hasn't! More carrots, less of that healthy green rubbish please!"

Sorry Patty, even quieter well behaved bunnies need to eat healthily!

Mr and Mrs Moodychops

Benson and Patty are two of the moodiest, most stroppy bunnies I have ever come across.

When it comes to breakfast, talk about snatchy and ungrateful, however quick you move these two will have the food out your hand (and a few fingers along with it if you are not careful) before you can give it to them. When they've been in sheds with open outdoor grass areas, when you try to let them out they'll barge past you with a headbutt and a glare that suggests the speed of your door-opening leaves a lot to be desired.

Patty has been single for some time. Besides her behavioural quirks, although she's pretty healthy she has funny leg issues which means she needs monitoring and is probably not suited to be rehomed to just anyone. But even amongst our many other special needs residents, she has not been keen on any potential new partner.

Benson, with his strong personality and hilarious antics, has won the hearts of a number of volunteers, but again he is not the sort of rabbit you would re-home to just anyone. You get the feeling that his quirkiness could easily turn into actual fear-aggression if he found himself in an environment he wasn't entirely comfortable with. So rather than leave him single for a while as an available partner for an owners rabbit, Caroline decided it best to find him a new partner straight away.

Which is all good. However, when I found out she was putting these two characters together, I figured there could only be two possible outcomes:

• Their personalities would clash and they'd never accept each other OR
• They'd bond together into a pair so densely packed with mutual grumpiness that no volunteer would survive near them long enough to clean or feed them without being sucked into a vortex of emotional destruction.

I figured it would be the first one. Looks like I might have been be wrong.

"Oh yeah, we're getting on now. Is that surprise or fear I see in your eyes?"

"FYI? Domination plans: these snacks, this Rescue, world. Any questions?"

I'm sorry people. We are all doomed.

Rabbit Plumbers

"You'll be pleased to hear that we've cleared your blockage..."

"Turns out it was us. Now my partner Benson would like to discuss the bill."

"Looks to me like a 20-carrot job. Will you be paying in one sack, or would you like to take the daily instalment plan?"