A Barn in my House?

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

My lucky little rabbits have just received an early Christmas present.

It was a friend who first put the idea into my head. She told me I was making things hard for myself transferring Ash and Lily from hutch to run each morning and evening and having to clean out two lots of accommodation. She suggested a Bunny Barn and told me to look on the web site for a bargain.

Well, I soon found one and within three days of ordering, the flat pack was delivered.

My son, Sam, being a carpenter by trade, soon had the barn standing in one piece. In fact it took him less than 15 mins from start to finish.

As the bunnies were quite used to their old way of life and knowing that rabbits like routine, I wondered what they'd think of their new abode.

After the shock of finding themselves in a completely different environment, they gingerly sniffed their way around their new habitat but avoided the steep ramp to their sleeping quarters for a long time. I knew Ash, the black rabbit would soon get over his reservations because Netherland Dwarf rabbits are quite agile jumpers. However, Lily is a little more sturdy and chunky and her legs are much shorter. I wondered if she'd ever get the hang of going up to the top level. It wasn't until the next day that she tentatively started to mount the ramp but when she got to the top, she couldn't quite grasp how to get off the ramp and onto the landing so she let herself slide all the way down again and chickened out. She didn't attempt it again for a long time. Ash, on the other hand was by then, racing up and down the ramp as though he'd always been doing it. He practically leaps off the top of the landing in what looks like a suicide jump.

A day later, Lily finally plucked up the courage to go and inspect the upstairs living quarters but then she decided she couldn't get back down.

I can remember having to show my late cats how to use a cat flap and I had to do the same with Lily and the ramp.

Anybody coming into my house would have seen me lying on the floor with my head inside the run, coaxing the bunny up and down the ramp with dried apple treats.

The effort definitely paid off and everyone seems satisfied with this new abode. It certainly looks better than the run, is easier to clean and the rabbits still use their tray as a toilet and they have so much space to exercise in and I seem to have more time as I'm not transferring the bunnies to another place twice a day.

They come out regularly for cuddles though.

So thank you, dear friend, for putting me on the right track. sometimes other people can see things more clearly.

Is It Winter Again?

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

The Clematis is probably the predominant flowering plant in my garden right now. It is one of my favourite plants.

The weather is quite cold and wet at the moment and the Bank Holiday was spoilt because of it. However, I enjoyed the break as I had all my family around me for the weekend and Harry had perked up no end following his last trauma with chemo.

Towards the end of this week, Harry starts his second treatment. I really hope that he won't be as badly affected as last time. The doctor said that she would cut down the dosage slightly to see if that will help.

Dare I say that Blogger seems to have settled down?

Last week it was Rabbit Awareness Week. The purpose of that week was to try to get owners to be aware of a rabbits needs.

Apparently, many bunnies are still kept alone in a small hutch at the bottom of the garden with no one bothering with them and nothing to keep them mentally stimulated. They end up being practically forgotten about, especially in rainy weather. There are many neglected and unhappy rabbits that were bought for a child who got fed up with their new *toy* and moved on to something else.

Rabbits are intelligent animals and need the company of their own kind. It is best to have a neutered male and a spayed female who usually get on well together. They need to exercise in a large run as well as having access to lots of hay, some daily vegetables and fruit and a hand-full of rabbit pellets and they need a selection of toys to play with and a little place to hide when they feel threatened.

They are not really suitable animals for small children and according to the Rabbit Welfare Association, an increasing number of adults are enjoying them as pets.

They can be kept indoors and can be potty trained as rabbits are very clean animals.

They wash themselves more than a cat does.

Lily likes to drag her towel around and she sits on it to sleep. She loves to be cuddled and if she is in the right frame of mind, she sits for a long time on my lap. She likes to play ball and tear up cardboard or paper in her run.

Ash is still a bit skittish, being a Netherland Dwarf, but he does often stay on my lap for a cuddle but needs to be securely held. He loves being stroked but will nip my sleeve if he wants to get down. He likes to throw his plastic dish around his run and tear up paper and cardboard boxes.

When they are happy, they jump around and do a little hop, skip and jump, referred to as a binky. They can take off vertically like a helicopter. A contented bunny will throw itself on the ground as though dead and stretch its little legs out behind it and fall asleep...... knowing it is secure.

There is nothing better than seeing a bonded pair exchanging glances and snuggling up. They appear to be sharing a secret and wash each others noses and ears constantly.

They are fairly high maintenance pets but I love mine to bits.

Rabbits' Play Time

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

"Ash, there's grass on this tube."

"Mmmmmmh. I know Lily. Its delicious.Wish I could get up to top bits where theres more of it."

"I'm thinking, Lily how to get to the top of that tube.You're not going to sleep again are you?

Come and listen to me or I won't be your friend."

"I think I have the answer, Ash. Come and have a go at jumping on this tube. Come on, come on. Whats the matter with you?"

"I'm busy eating my sea grass mat, Lily. Can't be bothered just now."

"Viola! I knew I could do it, Ash. Just a question of balance. Come and join me. Its great fun."

"Lily, you're not sleeping again are you? I guess that was hard work, but I'm a bit fed up with you right now. I was beginning to have fun. I guess I will have to eat my sea grass mat by myself because you look as though you're about to drop off, as usual."

Chicken Nesbitt Comes To Stay

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

It all began with a comment that I left on Mrs Nesbitt's Space. I can't even remember exactly what it was, except to say that I enjoyed going over to her place because I live in the city and I haven't room for hens.

In other words, it is good to be able to get in touch with rural life.

Well, next thing I knew, I received a letter from a chicken! Can you imagine the surprise I got, to receive a letter from a chicken!

She had invited herself to stay and was packing her case. The cheeky thing.

After a few days, I was rudely awakened by the postman who apologised for getting me up (because he could see that I was still in my dressing gown.) Silly man, didn't he realise that I had been up for a while because I had rabbits to feed? My granddaughters were here too and were able to join in all the excitement. The parcel was huge and I had thought that Chicken Nesbitt was going to be very small. However, it turned out that she was almost as large as my dwarf rabbits.

She seemed very hungry when she got here after all that travelling and I thought I would give her access to the rabbit hay in their run.

The shock of this sent Lily running for cover in her card board box and you can see her white nose and fur sticking out of the doorway. Both rabbits were a bit unsure of Chicken Nesbitt.

Chicken Nesbitt scared my rabbits. You could say that both rabbits went a bit chicken (Sorry about that.)

It didn't take long for Ash to start to make friends and he gave Chicken N a kiss. Now it was her turn to feel uneasy.

A few moments later, Lily came over to investigate too and Chicken Nesbitt started to cry. I think she realised that she was in definite danger of being eaten.

So being the kind person that I am, I quickly removed the chicken from harm and she felt so much safer looking at the rabbits from the other side of the bars.

All three animals now came and fed together and there was a much happier atmosphere.

However, Chicken N was still a bit frightened of her nose being nibbled, so she climbed up onto the window ledge that looked out onto the garden. She liked that and she is also able to look down onto the rabbits and laugh because they can't get to her through the netting at the top of their run and she is nice and warm and dry and can steal the rabbit food when they aren't looking.

I might add that my husband is very concerned because Mrs Nesbitt sent me a book on keeping chickens! Isn't this sort of how the rabbit ownership got started? An impulsive thing that came out of the blue? Yes, he is very worried.

I am going to read it but.........

Anyway, thank you very much Mrs Nesbitt for sending your chicken. She is happy here and doesn't want to come home. Hope you don't mind.

Happy New Year

Photo Copyright: Maggie May

Like the photo of the steps leading through the archway, for most of us the way to the top and round the corner is unknown. I wonder what this unknown New Year will have in store for us?

Last year seemed a struggle with health issues for us and I wasn't sure that I would make 2011. Now here we are again standing on the threshold of another year.

When my daughter arrived here for Christmas, my youngest grandson came with a terrible cough and cold and a high temperature and didn't feel well enough to appreciate Christmas. Within a very short time, Deb caught it from Dean and Rick wasn't too well either.

Sam, my son, is now really ill with the same thing but so far, anyway, Harry and I keep chugging on.

Deb goes back to the east coast on Monday so I am hoping that she will feel better for the remaining days.

My little rabbit, Lily, started trying to mount Ash, her foster brother, again and he didn't like it at all. She was one very determined lady. Details of the last time it happened in my post here.

This time she was even more persistent so I rang the vet and asked her if she could spay a 4 month old rabbit as soon as possible.

There was a vacancy for the operation on the very next day.

So off I went last Thursday with my randy little rabbit in a carrier. I was almost tearful to leave her to this awful operation and was wondering how Ash would cope without her, too.

However, Ash enjoyed all the extra pampering and feeding of treats and was only a bit sullen as he sat hunched in his cage waiting for her return.

Three o'clock (the pick up hour) slowly crept round and off we went to collect her from the vets.

We'd had strict instructions that they should not be together for the next ten days so we are back to square one, with the large run divided. The rabbits can see each other and sniff and kiss but that is all.

Lily was very sleepy and tense when we brought her back and she'd been drugged with pain relief and antibiotics.

I knew I had to get her drinking and eating as soon as possible.

I got up in the night and dipped my finger in her drink and let her lick the water off. She refused all food though. She seemed grateful that I was trying to help her.She looked at me for a long time and then came over to be nearer and enjoyed being smoothed. Then she went over to her water bowl and took a few sips.

Next morning she did seem brighter and ate a few mouthfuls of greens and some hay. Just a few mouthfuls.

So the New Year will be a new beginning for her too. Hopefully she will turn into the little sister and companion that Ash needed.

I'd just like to wish you all a very Happy New Year and to tell you all how much it means to me that you follow my blog and faithfully comment.

May the coming year be kind to you all.

Incidentally, it is going to be the year of the rabbit in the Chinese New Year.

Henpecked

Photocopyright: Maggie May

Usually, when Harry says, "You brought it all on yourself," it may not necessarily be true. However, this time he is probably right.

There were the most terrible crashing sounds coming from the rabbit cage this morning but by the time I had been summoned to investigate, the rabbits were sitting side by side licking each other as though butter wouldn't melt in their mouths.

For a little while, I have been a bit suspicious that Ash was getting bullied and sometimes Lily sits on his food so that he can't eat it.

She is very heavy handed and pushes him around.

However, he is besotted with her and goes back to her as though she is a kind of goddess.

I get a bit annoyed that he won't stick up for himself.

Now she has really started to hassle him. She means business. She wants to be mated.

She nips his rear end and throws herself at him.

Her behaviour is quite disgusting!

Poor Ash is overwhelmed by these advances. He is like a little boy with a promiscuous hussy!

Sometimes she goes into a sulk. Other times she uses violence.

These hormones are really kicking in and they are powerful.

I had thought a doe would come into season every now and then and get a bit moody, but no....... female rabbits are continually ready for any advances they can get. All the time, every day, every night.

That saying about *breeding like rabbits* is true. They seem to be very passionate creatures.

That makes it difficult. I cannot be with them all the time to rescue Ash.

If I separate them he is frantic with anxiety. He adores her but is overwhelmed by her sometimes violent passion.

Theres only one thing for it. She will have to be spayed.

Do I need this hassle right now? Can I cope with this just before Christmas?

I can't forget how ill Ash was after his operation and a female would have to face bigger surgery and trauma. Also a rabbit mustn't stop eating or it could go anorexic and die and I should think there was a risk Lily might go off her food after an ordeal like that.

Although she has obviously reached sexual maturity, she is still very tiny and not five months old for a month or so. That is the age that the vet reckoned was the time to do it.

For the next couple of weeks I have got quite a few commitments, appointments and social events, as well as work and the grandchildren. My daughter is coming for Christmas so the house will be full.

I know I have brought this all on my self but I really don't need to be told this quite so often.

So come on folk...... what shall I do?

Risk getting her spayed now or wait and hope Ash doesn't get hurt or traumatised till the end of January?

Rabbits' Progress

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

Some people might be wondering how the rabbits are getting on.

I am pleased to say that they are as devoted to each other as ever and spend most of their time playing and sleeping snuggling up to one another. That is when they are not racing about and wrecking everything that gets in their way in their enclosure.

Lily has a voracious appetite and I have to be careful that Ash doesn't go without, as he doesn't seem to eat as fast as she does.

She seems to be moulting and losing the long hair from her back.

Lily likes to leap onto the towel that is secured by pegs on top of their cardboard box. So far it has held her weight and I think it makes a perfect hammock. However when Ash tried to do that, the whole thing gave way and he crashed to the floor. He has never repeated that experience which he obviously didn't like. I wonder how long Lily will get away with this little habit before the *roof* caves in?

This time last year was a difficult time for me as I was newly diagnosed with cancer and waiting for chemotherapy.

The memory of it seems to be coming back when I least expect it to. I imagine that the anniversary of anything difficult is bound to be significant, even when you don't realise just how much you might be affected by it.

I am very grateful to be alive and well right now.

I was very thrilled to be chosen by Hadriana's Treasures to be nominated for her Weekly Award that she designed herself.

Many thanks for the lovely write up, Hadriana. Much appreciated. Why not pop over and see her very informative blog and share in her treasures.

The Thing I Was Waiting For...

Photo copyright: Maggie May

Yesterday, things went very smoothly with the daily meeting of these two rabbits, so I decided to put them in the run together and take the partition out.

I watched them very closely and they seemed to be completely accepting of each other.

Several hours later, it was time for me to go to work. What should I do? Separate these new friends who were snuggling up together, or take a chance and leave them? It would mean they'd be one hour on their own, as Harry had gone out. I decided to take the chance and leave them, as my gut feeling was that they would be alright.

I could hardly wait to get home and when I did, the rabbits seemed very close to each other and Ash looked very happy.

He still seemed to need a cuddle from me though, which greatly pleased me, as I wondered if I would be redundant now he'd found a friend.

I decided to leave them together in the run, for the night and not confine them in a cage, where they might feel restricted and fight.

Next morning they were actually licking each other and there was a real look of pleasure on their little faces.

I feel that I definitely did the right thing getting another bunny for Ash and although I now have double the expense of having Lily inoculated and at some point spayed, it will be worth it in the long run.

So, in the end, the bonding happened very quickly and easily which just shows that you can never guarantee anything with animals.

As Britain put the clocks back last weekend, we now face darker evenings which I hate. I would have liked to keep the time as it was. Even though it was dark in the mornings, I preferred it that way. What do other people think?

Bonding

This is what happens when a happy little bunny decides to chill out!

Little legs get thrown out behind her.

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

Although this photo is slightly out of focus, it is the only one I have of my two bunnies actually sharing a cage. They seemed to tolerate each other very well. However........ shortly after this photo was taken, all Hell broke loose and Lily was badly scared. Ash didn't like sharing his things.

They were quickly separated and I spent a lot of time searching on line for the best way to bunny bond. (Not all the things that came up were related to rabbits, I can tell you.)

I have been putting them to sleep alone in each others' cages at night and alternating their toilet trays and mixing their scents, so that they don't have a territorial feeling about either cage.

Then every day, the two rabbits are taken upstairs and placed in the empty bath tub on an old blanket.

As neither rabbit had ever been there before, they were not worrying about territory. First time in there, Lily just sat quietly, while Ash was more interested about possible escape routes.

Every day for ten minutes or so they have a chance to sniff each other out and judging by the upright ear positions,(friendly), they have not been in fighting mode since. The ears go back and tails up when they are going to attack.

They can be feisty little beasts.

I will carry on like this until I feel that they can tolerate each other for longer and they won't be left alone any time just yet.

This rabbit bonding is a work of art. I didn't know that I would need to be a psychologist.

However, I can be as stubborn as they can.

According to the bonding sites, a quick bond can take a fortnight but a difficult bond can go on for months.

I have a feeling that I will strike lucky with these two, though.

English Weather

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

Just lately, the weather in our part of England has been very unpredictable.

The heating was put on last week as it went very cold.

Yesterday it was raining cats and dogs.

Now it is sunny and quite pleasant but there is a coldish wind outside. Beautiful weather for a walk as long as you are well wrapped up.

Inside our house, it is a bit hot with the heating on.

Seems to be an in between time.

Today Harry and I walked through some open ground that is called a Common and this is for everyone to use.

However, just on the other side of these trees, there is a plan to build dozens of dwelling places..... houses, flats etc.

There are partitions to sign against the use of this space for yet more homes. I know there is a shortage of affordable housing, but do we really have to lose all our green open spaces? And will they really be affordable? I doubt it some how.

Whatever happens, I really hope these trees will not be cut down.

Whichever way you look at it, these two rabbits are definitely bonding.

Ash doesn't bother much with the rest of his cage now, but prefers to sit next to Lily.

Lily is just as bad and doesn't often leave Ash's side.

She has learnt to pee in her tray now and in time will learn to do her little poos there too. This seems to be difficult for her to grasp at the moment, but I am glad about the wees because that is more tricky to clean up.

Harry and I carried them to the settee today and set them side by side because they seemed to be getting on so well with each other in their cages. Lily stayed put, but Ash realised that he was free and his main interest was to get behind the settee which I didn't think was a good idea at all. Lily was forgotten about.

Things are going well, so far though, as its very early days.

I will continue to keep them apart, except for little excursions.

Watch this space.

Lily and Ash

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

Not so long ago my little rabbit Ash, had a generously sized play pen.

However, he now has to manage with a much smaller space for a couple of weeks or so.

All because of Lily, his little companion to be.

She is in a smaller space still.

I have been assured by the breeder that this is the correct way to go, so with excitement and some trepidation about the difficulties of rabbit bonding, I brought Ash his new baby *sister*.

Lily doesn't seem phased by anything and compared to how Ash was when he was a baby, she is not the slightest bit skittish.

So when I put them in their separate compartments for the first time, they turned their backs on each other.

Lily didn't think there was a big deal to the meeting, though Ash sniffed her rear end but seemed quite friendly in a nervous kind of way.

After a while they began to ignore each other and just get on with life.

At one stage they did kiss through the bars though, so I guess they are going to bond.

Watch this space as I hope to get some pictures of them grooming each other.

Sorry, all you folks who don't like rabbits except in a meal, just bear with me and I might return to normal, (whatever that is).

The Chosen One

Photo copyright : Maggie May

I knew that the little rabbit in the picture below was the one that I really had taken a fancy to.

I picked it out of 4 photos of babies (all from the same litter) on the web site of the breeder where I bought Ash.

She had told me that there were two boys and two girls, so I was hoping that the one I really secretly liked more than the others was a doe and not a buck.

I would have loved any of them as they all were so cute, but seeing as I was the first to reserve one out of that litter, I thought I could afford to be picky and indulge myself.

I had rung round rescue centres before contacting the breeder to see if I could find a suitable dwarf rabbit to be a companion to Ash, my existing bunny. However, there were no dwarf ones available and the whole object was to get them to bond and live together in the same quarters, so I obviously was not going to bring home a huge rabbit that would toss Ash around like a football.

My son took me over to see the babies on Friday morning and I was amazed to see how much my little rabbit had grown from the original photo. Fortunately this little rabbit was a doe, so I gave her a long cuddle and paid my deposit.

Lily will be ready in two weeks to come home with me. Then the fun will begin..... getting the two rabbits to bond.

I thought you would all like to know that my husband, Harry's chemo has now been postponed for at least 3 months, possibly longer, because his recent blood tests have turned out to be unexpectedly satisfactory.

We feel it is definitely answered prayer and we will enjoy the extra time that we have been given.