Kick Boxing

Mabel has caught on that we have caught on to her antics.

As you may know, she is resolute in her determinate to gain access to Cable Corner, the area of the room that is most densely populated with cables. You may also know that she has learned the route there is via the back of the sofa.

However, humans sit on the sofa and make it difficult for her to accomplish her mission. Nevertheless, she has learned that to get past the humans, all she need do is, in rapid succession, jump onto the cushion, then a human shoulder, then to the back of the sofa. She has mastered this very well; humans cannot thwart a rabbit in mid-leap - they are just too fast and scary.

What Mable didn't bank on is humans learning to read her. We have learned the almost imperceptible signs that give away her intentions. So, just as she is about to leap, all we need to do is stick a foot out. She's quick enough not to end up being kicked.

There's a process of tit-for-tat going on, and she has recognised when a foot is about to thwart her, and now she has taken to stopping dead in her tracks and boxing our feet. Now, a rabbit boxing isn't much different from a kangaroo boxing; it's just on a smaller scale, but no less perturbing.

I have a terrible feeling that Mabel is going to come out on top, and she IS going to reach the heaven that is Cable Corner. And on the way, humans, sofa, and anything else that blocks her passage is going to suffer.

Mabel on a Mission

It's a bit cooler here now - it was around 32C last week. Dijon doesn't enjoy the heat - he's such a muscular bloke of a bun, but Mabel doesn't seem to mind. She's very slight in build, and we think she feels the cold in winter, so has been happy with the sunshine.

She's always appeared to be such a good, quiet, timid little thing... until recently. In the evening, the buns are allowed into 'our' side of the living room. My husband sits on the sofa, and I sit on the armchair... yes, the buns have driven a wedge between us, as Dijon demands his cuddles at the side of the armchair. Not so long ago, Mabel discovered the sofa, and then she discovered that, if she hopped across my husband and onto that arm, she could reach the telephone table.

So now she is on a mission. Every evening, she develops a crazed look in her eyes, and sits by the sofa on her haunches, ready for take-off. Just when she looks ready to leap, she usually races off, doing a couple of laps of the living room, complete with mad binkies, then skids to a halt by the sofa, on her hind legs, front paws dangling.

Then thump and leap, a bit like a paso doble, she springs vertically, lands on the cushion, and usually sets about scrabbling husband's arm and side to move him. He tickles her, she springs down, and the whole process starts again!

Meanwhile, Dijon sits looking either confused or scared!

Review: Russel Rabbit Complete Muesli

Mabel and Dijon, as you know, have been a little too hot recently, but at last they have managed to review the Supreme Russel Rabbit Food Complete Muesli (£1.99 from monsterpetsupplies.co.uk).

They decided the best way to undertake this task was take equal amounts of Russel Rabbit and their regular treats, put them on the floor, and see which they preferred. Whichever they ate first would be the preferred food. So we took one of each type of treat from Russel Rabbit and the generic muesli, and let the bunnies go for it.

Mabel caught whiff of the smell of the food as it was being laid out, and was eager to get going, yet it was Dijon who reached the food first, and he instantly started munching on his regular treats. When Mabel hopped over, she took a quick look at what Dijon was eating before turning to Russel Rabbit which she seemed to very much enjoy. Once his pile had been consumed, Dijon joined in with Mabel.

Mable on a Mission

28/07/2013

 

It's a bit cooler here now - it was around 32C last week. Dijon doesn't enjoy the heat - he's such a muscular bloke of a bun, but Mabel doesn't seem to mind. She's very slight in build, and we think she feels the cold in winter, so has been happy with the sunshine.

She's always appeared to be such a good, quiet, timid little thing... until recently. In the evening, the buns are allowed into 'our' side of the living room. My husband sits on the sofa, and I sit on the armchair... yes, the buns have driven a wedge between us, as Dijon demands his cuddles at the side of the armchair. Not so long ago, Mabel discovered the sofa, and then she discovered that, if she hopped across my husband and onto that arm, she could reach the telephone table.

So now she is on a mission. Every evening, she develops a crazed look in her eyes, and sits by the sofa on her haunches, ready for take-off. Just when she looks ready to leap, she usually races off, doing a couple of laps of the living room, complete with mad binkies, then skids to a halt by the sofa, on her hind legs, front paws dangling.

Then thump and leap, a bit like a paso doble, she springs vertically, lands on the cushion, and usually sets about scrabbling husband's arm and side to move him. He tickles her, she springs down, and the whole process starts again!

Meanwhile, Dijon sits looking either confused or scared!

Review: Russel Rabbit Complete Muesli

26/07/2013

 

Mabel and Dijon, as you know, have been a little too hot recently, but at last they have managed to review the Supreme Russel Rabbit Food Complete Muesli (£1.99 from monsterpetsupplies.co.uk).

They decided the best way to undertake this task was take equal amounts of Russel Rabbit and their regular treats, put them on the floor, and see which they preferred. Whichever they ate first would be the preferred food. So we took one of each type of treat from Russel Rabbit and the generic muesli, and let the bunnies go for it.

Mabel caught whiff of the smell of the food as it was being laid out, and was eager to get going, yet it was Dijon who reached the food first, and he instantly started munching on his regular treats. When Mabel hopped over, she took a quick look at what Dijon was eating before turning to Russel Rabbit which she seemed to very much enjoy. Once his pile had been consumed, Dijon joined in with Mabel.

Dijon says: I’ll eat anything, including things I shouldn’t. I rate it 3/5. 

Mabel says: my old treats smelled old and stale in comparison to the offering from Russel Rabbit. In particular, the orange coloured pieces were very tasty. The browner the pieces, the less tasty they were, but I did like it all. I’ll give it a rating of 5/5.
Owners’ comments: As Dijon says, he doesn’t care what he eats; he is a relentless easting machine. Mabel is a much pickier eater, so for her to eat every sample piece of muesli is a good sign. At £1.99 for 850g it is good value. We rate it as 4/5.

Supreme Russel Rabbit Food Complete Muesli is available from Monster Pet Supplies for as little as £1.99

Remember, rabbits’ main food source should be long grass/hay. This type of food should be given sparingly and only as a treat. Try sprinkling a pinch or two around their living area to encourage the natural instinct to forage.

Hot (Cross) Bun

The recent hot weather has really taken its toll on poor Dijon. He has spent much of the past fortnight flopped out, or hiding beneath the skirt of the armchair. He just can't cope with the heat, unlike Mabel. He hasn't even been able to muster the energy to chase her when she deliberately races past his nose. Nor has he been up to review

Both the bunnies have been insistent that the patio door remain open all day, but neither has ventured out until dusk when the sun doesn't shine in the back garden.

Fortunately, they have very much taken to their new water bowl, and they continue to drink regularly from it, meaning it has to be topped up at least twice a day.

Now the heat has abated, Mabel and Dijon's mischief glands are being reactivated, and they are gradually becoming more mischievous again. So the time is ripe to engage them with their second review which will be coming very shortly.

Wobbly Tripod

OK, which of you two bunnies has eaten two of the feet on my tripod? And WHEN did you eat them?

I am at a total loss as to where, when, and how this wanton feasting occurred as the tripod has been in its case, locked away in the study, for several months. I rarely use it, and certainly not where the bunnies roam.

How I wish I had just one item that hadn't succumb to the bunnies hunger...

Review: Burgess Food Bowl

A few weeks ago, Monster Pet Supplies sent Mabel & Dijon a few goodies to review. Now that they have calmed down after their Great Escape, they have had some time to sink their teeth into a new project and take a look at the contents of the box...

The bunnies have chosen to review the food bowl first. Now, you might think that a food bowl is much the same as any other food bowl, but according to Mabel and Dijon you would be mistaken; they much prefer the new bowl over their older water bowl. They've given it a big 'buns-up', as you will see from this video:

Dijon's Rating: 5/5 
The bowl came in a very tasty box, and was wrapped in equally tasty plastic bubble wrap, which was sadly confiscated before I'd finished eating the first bubble! As for the bowl itself, it is just right: not too thick or thin (our old one is too thin), and is the perfect size - about 4.5 inches wide and 2 inches tall.

Highly recommended. 

Mabel's Rating: 5/5
I love this bowl! It's a good weight - easy enough for me to push with my nose and pull with my teeth, but too heavy to toss around. It holds just the right amount of water for us to drink when we're on the loose during the day. I much prefer it over the old bowl. Everything tastes so much better from it.

I highly recommend this bowl for rabbits, so buy one without further procrastination!

(The box it came in was tasty, but the bubble wrap was annoying.) 

Human Rating: 5/5 
Mabel and Dijon took an instant liking to the bowl. Although you don't see it in the video, Dijon was captivated by it from the moment he entered the box, but it was too heavy for him to pull out. Mabel is usually suspicious of new items, but she was smitten by the bowl immediately. 

It is a very good quality bowl. It's easy to clean, and holds just the tight amount of water for the bunnies to drink in a day. 

Given that the bunnies like it so much, we highly recommend this food bowl.

You may have noticed some other goodies in the box - Russel Rabbit Complete Muesli and Supreme Bedding Twist Nest. Mabel and Dijon will be reviewing these very shortly.

Please note that although Monster Pet Supplies sent these items free of charge, Mabel & Dijon (and humans) will be honest in their reviews.

Guilty!

Well, it just goes to show. Criminologists are correct in asserting that the guilty party will revisit the scene, yet protest his (or in this case, her) innocence.

It has become increasingly clear who was responsible for the break out and wanton destruction of the living room...

To our surprise, it wasn't Dijon. He is far too dim. Being a boy, he would normally be governed by his testicles, but since they were completely removed he has had neither brains nor balls to guide him.

Mabel, however, has brains. She also has strength, persistence, and insight.

Since the Great Escape, Mabel has shown a persistent tendency to pull at the bars of the barrier we have in place around the living room. If we return it to its original location, she'll tug it again, moving it quite some distance.

This week she has shown great insight. It is clear she can form quite a complex 3D map of the living room, and can figure out alternative routes to her destination, despite never having travelled these paths before.

The area of mass destruction was by the telephone table which is between a wall and the sofa. Unable to gain access to the cables thanks to the barrier, Mabel has worked out that it is possible to gain access by leaping onto the back of the sofa, hopping along to the arm, then clambering from the arm onto the telephone table. Cable heaven lies just a couple of hops aways from there.

She is determined to get there; even my presence on the sofa doesn't stop her attempts. If I'm in the way, she just hops onto my shoulder, across my chest, and from there to the arm of the sofa.

Nothing stops her.

I smell trouble ahead.

The Sound of One Hand Tapping

I'm writing this one-handed. It's a  real-time blog this morning...

No, I've not been injured by the bad bunnies! My left hand is currently giving them both a  deep, tooth-grind-inducing stroke.

It's not often Mabel wants a stoke, but this morning, after Dijon made it quite clear that my need for breakfast came a poor second to his need for a cuddle, Mabel ambled over and joined in. Dijon is very must in your face, though, and tries to take a stroke from me at the same time as nestling into her, but she just kept repositioning herself into my hand.

And she's having the longest cuddle she's had for a long time.

I have just dared to type with both hands as the bunnies needed a scratch, and my foot was scrabbled to order me to resume stroking,

They are curious creatures these rabbits that live indoors with us.

Little vandals

3:30 this afternoon, the internet stops working. I think nothing of it as the wireless connection on the main PC is flaky at times. I should have known better.

At 4 o'clock I came downstairs, only to discover a trails of destruction in the living room. Mabel & Dijon had escaped...

I am too upset to write much about it, but I'd estimate that about £200 of damage has been done (that's damage we have discovered so far). Here's what was immediately visible:

• Two camera bags ripped
• Power supply to router in two pieces
• Telephone cable in pieces
• Router-phone socket cable destroyed
• Sewing machine power cable severely eaten

The camera bags can be replaces (about £40).

The telephone will need replacing as it took a special cable to power it. As it was the master phone the other two DECTs will no longer work. They will need replacing (£40 again).

Router power supply will probably cost about £10 to replace, or I'll have to buy a new router (at around £20 for a basic one).

The sewing machine power supply is another matter altogether. The machine is only a week old; a replacement pedal costs £69 which is third of what the machine cost! And search as I might, there don't seem to be any generic ones for this particular model of sewing machine.
Ouh

To say we are upset is an understatement.

Lego of my Leg

Mabel is a naughty bunny. A very naughty bunny indeed. And it all began with Lego.

A large tub of Lego found is way into the living room, and has happily set up home right in the middle of the floor. The bunnies were happy with this arrangement. Unfortunately, in an attempt to make the living room look tidier, somebody moved the tub, placing it so that it abutted a vintage, hand crafted piano stool and the sofa.

Mabel and Dijon, being very observant creatures, spotted this rearrangement, and it immediately attracted their attention. Dijon immediately set about trying to burrow between the tub and the sofa, but stopped as soon as I moved the box. Alas, moving the box a second time caught Mabel's attention. Now, Mabel, is far too sensible to waste her teeth on upholstery; she prefers to tuck into something more solid, and - you've guessed it - she had a jolly good gnaw on the piano stool.

No longer does it have four proud varnished legs. Instead, it has three varnished legs, and a stripped-to-the-core fourth one.

It may be possible to disguise the damage with a few new layers of varnish, but I imaging Mabel will only see this as a challenge. Frankly, I will lose the battle; a piano stool with just three legs is no use at all.

I'll leave