Saturday 31 January 2015

The All Ears Podcast

The All Ears Podcast is an audio podcast, available directly from the
website or via iTunes, hosted by Kathy Gillibrand and Sabina Fox. It was
launched in November 2014. Four episodes have been released so far,
covering the changes to best practice in rabbit welfare over the past
ten years, snuffles and stasis, and then, for episodes 3 and 4, Dr Twigs
Way talks about foraging for rabbits and housing for rabbits. Episode 5,
recorded with Jo Hinde, should be released soon, and there are more
equally awesome special guests lined up to talk.

http://www.theallearspodcast.com/podcast/

Friday 30 January 2015

Fresh supplies, at last!

Just over a week late, the bunnies' supplies finally arrived this
afternoon. We were allowed to keep the 4 bags of hay which had arrived
from the first order, and a whole new second order, so now have 10 bags
of hay! They were also kind enough to pass on a voucher as compensation.

Mabel and Dijon have fresh litter, fresh hay, and some Readigrass as a
treat... they say that all is right with the world, but have warned me
that if I EVER let supplies run so low again, they will carry out their
plan to cause further extensive cable damage in the living room...

Wednesday 28 January 2015

Litter Let-down: Update

Several emails and two phone calls later, the mystery is solved and we
have discovered that most of our order has been sent to the wrong postcode.

Goodness knows how they managed to get one parcel to us, and one to an
address just over 250 miles away... just that rather essential first
letter of the postcode! I imagine the recipient was rather bemused, no
wonder they refused to accept delivery. Very few people require 60
litres of litter and 4 bags of hay!

Anyway, we've been told it has now been dispatched, so - assuming it's
addressed with all the right letters in all the right places - we
shouldn't have to endure this terrible bunny wee smell for much longer.
Mabel and Dijon have no problem doing their business on old hay in their
trays instead of litter, but we are noticing the difference!!

Chewing, Grooming, and being the King - or rather Queen - of the Castle

Fresh Air

"What's that, you want me to come in because you are freezing with the
patio doors wide open? Not a chance!"

Mabel enjoys some fresh air most days, whatever the weather. Dijon
mostly sits on the threshold, occasionally poking his nose outside, and
we freeze indoors!

Litter Let-down

Mabel and Dijon have been sadly let-down by their usual supplier, a certain online Supermarket for Pets... they were running low on litter, so asked me to order two large bags of their favourite 'Back 2 Nature' paper-based litter, back on Sunday 18th, to arrive well before the last supplies ran out. To qualify for free delivery, I also ordered some hay.

Three days later a parcel arrived - just 2 of the 6 bags of hay. No litter. I emailed immediately... a response 2 days later informed me that the second parcel had been 'refused collection'. I imagine they had tried to put the 2 heavy bags of litter in the same box, and the courier had refused to take it.

Anyway, despite several emails from me, I've heard nothing since. Very annoying... but, more importantly, we have now run out of litter!

Our local stores don't stock 'Back 2 Nature', or other paper-based litters. Male slave went out yesterday, and bought a small pack of Wilko Wood-based cat litter, but it is labelled 'pine fresh', and I'm reluctant to use it, as I remembered that pine isn't great for bunnies.

In fact, I did a quite check online, and found a couple of really interesting articles, about how the danger is actually the pine aroma, rather than any hazard of ingestion -

Litterboxes and Liver Disease

 


The Dangers of Softwood Shavings

 


Although these both refer to 'shavings' rather than pellets, I still don't want to risk it. So the poor bunnies now have old hay in their trays, whilst I decide whether to place another order elsewhere for another £30+ (seems standard requirement now for free delivery). I know the minute I do that, my missing items from p supermarket will turn up!!