Rabbiting on: Study and debate on talking to bunnies

Don't know how we managed to miss this article from BBC News, but it's well worth a read.
To quote from the report:

• Rabbits have various ways of making people aware of how they feel
• When stroked along the jaw line they grind their teeth, a sign that they are contented
• A rabbit that runs towards its owner when it sees them is another indicator of a pet that associates its owner with positive interactions
• Honking and binking (sic) means they are excited
• But one that lunges at its owner with ears back and grunting is not happy bunny 

Another way bunnies have of expressing themselves is the tail shake. Dijon is an avid tail-shaker, especially when he is being ushered back into the living room from the hall. An exaggerated shake of the tail is what we receive, a sure sign that we are seriously out of favour!

It will be interesting to see where the research leads and what conclusions it draws.

Christmas Present

OK, so Christmas was two days ago, so we're a little late in posting anything... Mabel and Dijon had a lovely time; Mabel had a few tasty pieces of carpet pile and Dijon ate a strip of a metal case from a mince pie. For Christmas they received some dried Dandelion leaves that they can't get enough of.

We also received a couple of lovely bunny-related gifts all the way from Switzerland. First, there was a handmade tree decoration in the shape of a rabbit. It's about 5 inches tall, and looks lovely when surrounded by the other tree decorations:

There were two larger cream-coloured versions of this, that are about 10 inches tall:

We're not sure where to put them, so for now they are resting majestically on the back of an armchair. They wouldn't be safe on the floor - Mabel and Dijon would take too much of in interest in them...

Pipecleaner Bunny

Just toying with a couple of pipecleaners in an attempt to fashion a bunny, and here's what was was produced (not too dissimilar from Dijon...)

Of course, if new pipecleaners had been used the bunny would have look a lot neater, but old is all we had lying around.

Chinny chin chin

Mabel's been hard at work this morning, shredding a box from the inside out...

Shredding, from the inside out

Chin up!

A Few Photos

Here are a few photos of the bunnies taken yesterday. Despite being a little chilly, they still insisted on going outside... They assume that because it's warm inside (central heating) and it's sunny outside (winter sun) then it must be warm outside.

Bunny Love -- Allogrooming

Dijon the Fluff Ball

Powder Puff Tail

Noses

Foraging in Flower Pots

Nibbles in a Tough

Tinsel town

Dijon has just paid some very unhealthy attention to a piece of tinsel this evening - not that we've put up decorations yet, merely searched out some pieces for two nativity costumes. He was reaching up for it as though it were the tastiest treat, and snuffling the floor for any dropped pieces.

We will have to keep our decorations VERY well fenced off this year!