Happy Birthday Mabel!

Today is Mabel's 3rd Birthday. Another round of 'Happy Birthday' on the piano before school, and a corner of toast. She says she's going to have a restful day, in preparation for extra mischief later on...

Here is a picture of Mabel as a baby, with one of her 3 brothers. She had a chocolate brown Dutch mother, and yellow Dutch father (same father as Dijon). She was the only black baby, but sometimes we can see some blond streaks in her fur.

This was taken before she met her monstrous half-brother, Dijon...!

Happy Birthday Dijon!

Dijon is 3 years old today. Boy 'servant' #2 played 'Happy Birthday' to him on the piano this morning, and he is feeling very important. I think that extra treats will be necessary later!

Here is a photo of him when he was just a few weeks old.

Spring clean

Yesterday, I continued my late Spring clean by washing the long curtains from the patio door, which hang right next to the bunnies' cage. Not that there's much left of them - the bunnies tend to prefer lacy edges on the curtains. To be fair, this is the work of several previous rabbits, not just Mabel and Dijon - we've had those curtains for over 15yrs (it seems pointless to buy new when they would be ruined within minutes).

Anyway, having washed and ironed the curtains, it seemed a shame to hang them back next to the dusty rabbit cage. So I cleaned the trays and inside the cage, then tempted the bunnies back into the cage - I didn't want them investigating behind it, and besides, I would be vacuuming.

With great difficulty, I moved the cage. Those cages are extremely heavy and awkward to move, especially with just under 5kg of curious rabbit inside!

Behind the cage I had to wash and vacuum - there was fur, dust, piles of hay, the odd dried up spray of wee... not a pleasant job. The bunnies were not impressed with me vacuuming, and I had to keep stopping so that they didn't create more mess by weeing on the floor of their cage.

Another struggle to move the cage back into it's place, a rather poor vacuum of carpet (due to completely blocked Hoover - tube, container and (filter), clean curtains were re-hung, and then Mabel and Dijon were able to come out again.

Just under 3 hours of work. And were they grateful?! Hmm...

Super Grass

It's 9:15 on a lovely summer's evening, the patio door is open, and the bunnies are looking out into the garden. They have just returned inside after having a feast of fresh, lush, green grass from a section of turf we recently a few weeks ago, and had been saving especially for Mabel and Dijon.

Dijon loved it, and munched his way to Nivarna. Mabel was less impressed and merely sniffed a few blades before hopping back inside, into her cage, and onto one of the litter trays.

Brief update

Oh, dear. Time has marched on again, and we've not been posting any news of the bunnies. Mabel and Dijon aren't doing much at the moment. They are so settled, and really not getting up to mischief. Even when we've been out for the day, and they've been confined to their cage, they've not shown any real annoyance.

There must be something wrong with them.

Anyway, here are a few photos that capture what they've been doing.

Enjoying the outdoors...

Looking down on inferior beings...

Land ahoy...

Powder puff...

Lip up

Nose, philtrum, mouth... Dijon style:

Amazing Graze

The bunnies enjoyed some time out in the warm spring sunshine today, and just as the shadow were growing longer, and the the light became more golden, they hopped into the trough of grass we've been growing, and began to graze.

Daft Dijon #2

The bunnies have been a bit naughty about going back to their cage at night recently. It may be because the tin of treats (we use a muesli-style rabbit feed for treats) is getting a bit low, with not as many of their favourite bits.

They usually come running back, full speed with binkies, but recently they have developed a very defiant look, and we can see them dig their heels in and sit tight. Mabel usually comes in the end, but Dijon is so stubborn. It ends up with a silly game of chase, and of course bunnies are best at this game.

However, a couple of nights ago, after nearly 30mins of crawling under table and creeping around armchairs to usher him back, I had a brainwave: I remembered how we always joke about Dijon being silly enough to walk into any dead-end container. Even after a trip to the vet, he will quite happily walk into the pet carrier if it's placed near him.

So that is what we did... put the carrier on the floor, in he walked,and was carried back to his cage, where Mabel was waiting (having eatenall the treats).

Surely it wouldn't work again the next night? Anybun with half a brainwould realise our trick. But it did work. And again the followingnight... and, if miraculously he does develop some forward thinking,we'll have to find some different containers for him to explore!

Daft Dijon

A sunny day here, but still a bit chilly... nevertheless, the buns told me that it was definitely warm enough to leave the patio door open, so they could venture outside briefly, then retreat to the threshold... close enough to the doorway to step outside every time I attempted to close the door (we were all freezing).

With the door open, they have access to a safe, fenced off area of the patio. I've planted up lots of containers - grass, herbs, and even a couple of dandelions I've cultivated (huge plants, actually transplanted from a neighbour's garden). There is also a large container of compost for them to burrow.

Mabel enjoys all the grass, herbs, branches out there... but Dijon?? He prefers to eat the rubber seal around the patio door, the cobwebs under the sill, the plastic flower pot, and the sticky label on the side of the large container.

Weeee!

Often, when we're slouched on the sofa, winding down at the end of the day, Dijon will hop over for a brief stroke. Whilst sitting at our feet, having his ears gently tugged and his cheeks massaged, he drop a few poops. We've grown used to it.

Last night, however, he hopped over, then quickly rushed off again flicking his feet at us.

The little monster had done a massive wee right by the sofa. There was absolutely no reason for him to do this. He could easily have gone in one of the litter trays in his cage. Quite what came over him we don't know, but we hope it doesn't become a habit.