Dijon's spraying

I was with the vet for nearly 40mins discussing Dijon's mounting and spraying. She had a good feel around and could find no lumps (sadly no "oops I must have missed a testicle", thus putting and end to this spraying nightmare.)

She clipped his claws, then started to doubt herself and had another feel, this time with him 'dangling' so that anything there would drop down. On one side she could feel slightly more fat, and started to wonder if she should just do a small operation, a little incision on that side, under anaesthetic, just to check for any testicular tissue hidden in the fat. Poor woman said that, if she did find anything, it would be the first time, and she began to doubt her whole career, but said she takes pride in her work and wants to make all her animals happy...

She recalled that when she did the castration back in September, she found that one testicle was actually much smaller than it had appeared, being inside a lot of fat, and she had a big dig around to make sure it was all out. The fact that she double-checked at the time makes me (and her) think that it's unlikely anything's been left, and more likely just his nature... And so we've left it that we'll see how he goes, if he calms down, and re-evaluate in a few months if he hasn't - or if he's really bothering Mabel.

Top and Tail

We have booked an appointment to get Dijon's bits checked out. 4 months since castration, and he is spending more time that ever trying to mount Mabel, is 'hmm-hmm'ing so loudly we can hear it from the next room, and this evening he sprayed full force when out in the dining room, sending wee all over the carpet, piano stool, piano (as high as the keys) and cupboard next to it. Fortunately he just missed me.

Unfortunately I had spent most of yesterday morning cleaning his spray stains off the carpet with the Vax. I suppose I'd provided a blank canvas.

As I type, he is going in circles trying to mount Mabel. We have noticed that he tends to pester her when we approach - if he's excited to see us then he redirects his excitement onto Mabel.

However, she may be getting her own back... we've noticed that several of his whiskers on one side appear to have been chopped off - badly, they even have split ends. Could it be Mabel...?

Break Out

We had decided to delay expanding Mabel and Dijon's play area into the front of our through living room - mainly because Dijon has been doing the occasional spray outside of his cage, but also because we need to reinforce the bunny-proofing to suit our 2 teenage bunnies (barriers had been removed as Nelly became older and less adventurous).

But this morning, Mabel became impatient. She shook the fence (2 panels of our chicken-wire outdoor rabbit run, linked together with chains). She pulled so hard with her teeth and claws that they fell down, leaving a gap in the middle. Both made their escape, then they split, each to a naughty corner obviously bunny-signposted by buns gone before. So there was no way of catching either because I had to be watching both at the same time! (This escape was obviously planned in advance - choose a time when only one bunny-slave is at home).

Lots of stretched out periscoping, and lots of excited thumping, then they both showed too much interest in the television/hi-fi/juicy cable corner, so I had to try my hardest to herd them back. Dijon was very obliging - he knows the ringing of the cage bells and went straight back for his slice of pear, but Mabel preferred the taste of freedom and had to be ushered back.

She is now tugging at the towels in her cage very crossly!

Time Out

What an amazing day! The bunnies have been with us for 5 months today, and  they have spent almost the whole day out of their cage, with very little destruction to show for it. They really were surprisingly well-behaved.

It began at 8:30 when they were given breakfast. Rather than closing the door to their cage, we left it open. Mabel hopped out almost immediately, leaving Dijon to much at his leisure, but she soon returned as she didn't like the music we were playing. She is a bit funny about music, and more often than not will retreat under the towel in her cage until the music ends. Dijon did try rounding her out of the cage, but she refused until the music was switched off.

So from 8:30 until 5:30 - when it was tea time - they stayed out. There were a minimal number of poos from Dijon, no spraying, no wallpaper stripping, carpet lifting, or book ripping. No leaps onto the piano, no chair/table leg gnawing, no curtain ripping.

But there were bunny cuddles, bunnies sleeping, bunnies grooming each other, children and bunnies playing together.

Was there no damage at all? No, there was a little, all caused by Dijon. He can't help himself... First, he ate the rubber end from a zip, and gnawed around the edge of the lid to the tub storing the Burgess. Not only did his gnaw it, he ate all the slivers he nibbled off. Not a single shaving of yellow plastic was to be found. Well, at least he has shown some intelligence - knowing where the Burgess is hidden is quite a step for him.

Mabel, on the other hand, was impeccably behaved and showed no desire to do anything other than look longingly at the piano keyboard.

On Your Knees and Spray

Just as we think the bunnies have settled, one of them goes and does something so hideously rude...

Since Christmas, Mabel and Dijon do seem to have become more settled, and they have been much more willing to have a prolonged stroke. Even Mabel has hunkered down for a nose rub when touched between the ears or on the snout, and that is not like her at all. We have had some seriously long strokes of late - up to 10 minutes!

Well, although Dijon is quite to poopmeister, it did seem that his spraying had abated, but last night he shamed himself. It was time for the bunnies to return home after a good run, and as usual they returned home without any protestations. However, as whilst the towel in the cage was being straightened to make it more comfortable for him, he sprayed in his female carer's face. Bull's Eye!

Surely by now, so many weeks after his snip, he should have stopped spraying!?

Shame on him.