Protest Song

The bunnies have been unimpressed at the offerings from our garden recently. There are few tasty green bits to be found now that Winter is coming, and with the darker evenings it's even harder to find anything.  I'm sure the neighbours watch and wonder if we're mad, going out in the dark and sometimes rain to pick dandelion leaves... let's face it, they already think we're crazy having rabbits indoors.

Last week I had to apologise for the noisy piano playing (piano is against party wall)... Mabel again. She plays something which sounds like the soundtrack to a horror movie. For such a nervous creature, I cannot understand why she enjoys it so much. She has never batted an eyelid at the thunderous noise she makes as she lands on the piano. She's so sensitive about other things, but seems to enjoy landing on the piano, then hopping up and down the keyboard at her leisure. One of our previous bunnies, Charlie, once leapt onto the piano when he was still a springy little baby. It gave him such a scare that he just sat there and we could literally see him trembling with fright!  He was terrified and had to be rescued. Never went there again!

Dijon just watches - it doesn't particularly bother him, he just sits with a look on his face like "oh no, not again"! It's about the only place he doesn't follow Mabel.

Very Hot Cross Buns

Today was annual bunny vaccination day. As usual, Mabel showed the brains - she spotted the carrier being prepared early this morning, even though it was done discreetly, and she was obviously preparing for a chase. However, first we had a trip to the doctor with our daughter, so the bunnies were sent back to their cage, and when we returned from the surgery Mabel was scooped quickly from cage into carrier. Despite her brief struggle and thumping, Dijon still just ambled stupidly into the carrier to be with her!!

Weight, teeth, claws, vaccinations - everything fine, thank goodness. £70 for the two vaccininations - we had to remind ourselves that previously we would have been paying for 2 separate vaccines, twice a year.

They are now busily washing the stink of that HORRIBLE vet from their fur, and giving us the evil eye.

Metacam to the Rescue

Mabel was unwell yesterday evening. It was very sudden - at lunchtime she was making us laugh by racing so fast around the room, and mid-afternoon, when she was called back to her cage so the living room could be vacuumed, she was happy to eat some treats.

However, at teatime, she was flopped out on her side, showed no interest in her greens, instead hopping into her tray and stretching out on her side. She was panting, and obviously very uncomfortable.

Male servant was sent out on bike to buy Infacol from Tesco, and a dose was given, along with a gentle tummy massage, as we suspected gas. Dijon went crazy over the sweet smell, and seemed to be trying siphon Infacol from her mouth, he was pestering her so much, licking her lips! No change in Mabel though, just lots of changing position to get comfortable.

By the evening she was puffed up, eyes closed, with some grinding from pain. We gave her some Metacam, in the hope that if the pain went she would relax enough for her gut to start moving (again, Dijon was desperate to have some - most bunnies love Metacam).

Within a few minutes, she suddenly went to her cage looking for food. We gave her the tea we'd saved (Dijon still managed to steal quite a bit), then she wanted some Burgess. After that she was back to normal, exploring and having cuddles.

We were wary that the Metacam had simply masked the problem, but today she is fine.

It would be useful to know what triggers these sudden bouts of illness - probably a combination of a heavy moult and consuming too much cardboard/sofa/carpet/paper... had slowed down her gut.

A Break from the Buns

We were on holiday last week, and the bunnies had a couple of well-trusted bunny-sitters come to look after them.

Thankfully, Mabel & Dijon were impeccably behaved, and did exactly as they were told - returning to their cage when called, demanding and accepting strokes, and not causing any damage.

Upon our return, it was clear that they were happy to see us again, especially Mabel who, although not any more pettable than before, was a little more sociable and keen to make presence known.

Of course, it took all of three days fro them to forget that we had ever been away... trying to burrow into the arm chair, incessant attempts at pulling out the pile on the carpet, leaping up on us in an attempt to reach 'Cable Corner'.

Oh yes, they are back

Bun, Sea, and Sand

If you could, would you bring your bunnies on holiday with you? Or would being able to bring them allow you to have a holiday?

We find that we won't take a holiday if the is nobody to look after Mabel & Dijon. Whoever it is has to commit to coming over twice a day at set times in the morning and evening, and staying for a couple of hours each time so that the routine is as close to normal as possible. We don't stressed rabbits whilst we're away.

Wouldn't it be so much easier if you could just bring your bunnies with you, and stay in a place that welcomes and caters for them?  A place that is well bunny-proofed, but with plenty of bunny toys (refreshed for each new bunny visit)...

We certainly think it's a great idea, so why are there no bunny-friendly holidays. There are plenty of places that welcome dogs, but nothing for rabbits.

Bright Spark

We're delighted to report that Dijon's spark has returned. This morning he is acting more like his usual self. Skipping, head shaking, sniffing around as if he means it rather than just going through the actions.

So, the trip to the vet seems to have done the trick.

Under the Weather

For the past few days Dijon hasn't been himself. It's difficult to pinpoint, but he seems a little subdued.

He comes when called, is eating, grooming (himself and Mabel) and doing all the normal Dijon things; yet there's a spark missing. We can see it in his eyes. He just wants non-human cuddles all the time...

So he's booked in to see the vet later this afternoon just in case there is something wrong.

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Well, he has returned from a very brief visit to the vet, and Dijon has a clean bill of health. The vet could find absolutely nothing wrong with him at all. It's just a matter of monitoring him to make sure there's no sudden change for the worse...

Maybe he's just fed up with the weather?

Mabel didn't miss him at all whilst he was away. She slept through it all, but is showing more interest in him now that he's back again!

Flash Bang

Mabel and Dijon aren't afraid of thunder, it seems. We've had a bit of a storm this morning, and the two of them were quite content to stand outside in the rain, not at all perturbed by the spectacular streaks of forked lightning nor by the menacing rumble and crash of the thunder. Even the rain didn't seem to upset them until it started sheeting down.

I wonder if they pick up from us that there is nothing to be afraid of?

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!