Feeling Flushed, Part 2

"What? The vets AGAIN? But look, my eye is fine this week - I don't think I need that re-flush after all!"

"Oh, so you're NOT stupid enough to fall for that? Well what a time to pick to surprise me."

Up, Up and a Snack

"C'mon Dad, if you make me stretch up too far it will hurt. And I'm not talking about me."

Defying My Fluffy Master

"I'm fairly sure I told you NO photo's after the mess you made of cleaning my face. If YOU had an ugly bald patch I bet...err...never mind."

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.

Two buns in a tub

We all know that every bunny needs a friend - but sometimes I wonder whether they know this given some of the challenges of bunny bonding! I recently made my second attempt ever to bond bunnies at home. The first time I was successful. This time I was not.

As I might have mentioned in one of my earlier posts, our beloved Buddy passed away in August from kidney failure, leaving bossy queen Boo on her own. Not long after, by coincidence, we came into custody of a cute little bunny named Milo (see Little Devil) who at the time we did not know whether we would end up keeping or just fostering for a bit on his way into the rescue. Well we fell for him and thought we’d give bonding a go.

So, I set up the our foster bun accommodation as a bonding area (neutral territory I hoped) with the playhouse split into two with metal panels so they’d be able to see and smell each other but not touch. After 3 days spent next to each other (switching them between the sides now and then to get them used to each other’s smell) I let them out for a bonding session in a large pen area. After an initial couple of minutes of not noticing each other there was chasing and attacking (and a bite to my arm). I gave up for the day. Two days later I tried again with the same reaction.

Deciding a change in tactic was needed I started trying short sessions in an even more alien environment – the bath.

These sessions went somewhat better with not as much outright aggression, and on a couple of occasions Milo attempted to groom Boo. Strangely he seemed intent on grooming her eye-balls quite vigorously which was not always appreciated. After nearly a week of these sessions she would still lunge at him sometimes and I was nowhere close to trusting them together.

We were then due to go on holiday, with the bunnies taking their break at the rescue. So I asked Caroline to see if she could persuade them to be friends, and if not to bond Queen Boo with a boybun who she would accept.

Five days later I had an email from Caroline to say that they were bonded! She clearly has the magic touch. They have been home with us again for a fortnight now and are very happy in each other’s company with lots of following each other around. We haven’t seen all that much grooming each other yet, but there has been no sign of upset on their return to Boo’s domain. And to be honest they are both such busy, active bunnies that there isn’t a lot of time for sitting about washing.

Welcome to Blinky's Adventure Land

Here is a little more of my husband's playtime with Blinky.

"So you say you have come to play!"

"We'll start with some box-climbing..."

"...followed by some tube-balancing."

One year on

Two of our lovely group of Rex buns have now been in their new home for a year. For those of you who remember we had a group of 11 baby Rex bunnies (mostly caster colour) handed in around August 2011 – they were two accidental litters fathered by the same dad – an owner had two girl buns and was given the third bunny and told it was also a girl...

The first pair of these beautiful bunnies (Columbo and Lassie, renamed Marple) went to a new home in December 2011. They have a lovely 8ft by 8ft roofed aviary, with a 7ft x 2ft x 2ft hutch, plus they get supervised playtime on the grass in part of the garden. One year on, here’s a few photos of them enjoying their forever home.

"Nom nom nom...."

"So how do you think we're supposed to get to those juicy weeds over there?"

"Thou shall not pass!"