Book

Today I received an email from Waterstones, announcing the shortlist for their Children's Book Prize. I was close to deleting it when I noticed a book listed called 'Rabbityness' by Jo Empson... of course I couldn't resist looking to see what it was... couldn't find a 'look inside' on any retail site, but found this on a blog...

http://picturebooksinelt.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/a-certain-kind-of-rabbityness.html

This blog contains descriptions and images of many pages showing that it's a beautiful book with a deep message about loss and grief... but in particular, a message with which many of us bunny people are familiar: losing a bunny leaves a horribly empty grey hole, a stark contrast to the happiness and fullness their lives brought us, but then we begin to discover the gifts they left behind - the beautiful memories and special qualities they shared with us, as they tried to teach us the value of 'rabbityness'.

I challenge anyone who's lost a bunny to read the blog (or the book!) and keep a dry eye.

Woolly for you

I'm not sure whether it was a lapse in concentration or a lack of respect for the destructive ability of the bunny, but my husband left a long piece of wool on the carpet. Dijon noticed and was picking it up then putting it down, the way they do when nesting. He probably wouldn't have given it much more attention, but I thought I'd better move it to safety, and that's when he decided he really REALLY wanted it. That wool belonged to him.

It started with a tug-of-war, with me not daring to pull too hard in case I damaged his teeth, but then Mabel joined in and it became more of a fight. They were like 2 puppets on a string. There was aggressive tugging, tossing of heads, each trying to win it from one another and from me, then Dijon managed to run off with it, and the wool very much lost! Interesting how they can vary their bite from holding wool to severing wool to chewing wool.

Needless to say it had to be recovered quickly before more was consumed.

What Goes Up...

This evening the living room door was left ajar and Dijon was quick to open it and hop out into the hallway, clickety-clickety on the laminate floor with his slightly-in-need-of-a-trim claws. He was very pleased with himself, and showed us with a very expressive tail that he didn't intend to return to the living room before he'd finished exploring, so we left him for a while as we were in the kitchen. However, very soon the clickety-clickety changed to b-lump b-lump b-lump... Dijon was going up the stairs, and with 3 children asleep up there, this had to be stopped!

Poor Dijon was too scared to come down the stairs, and could only go further up. He had to be rescued and carried back to the living room, where Mabel had been enjoying a few moments of peace, without her man around!

Unfortunately I doubt he'll remember how scary those stairs were, next time the living room door is left open. His bunny desire for exploring new territory will overcome the memory.

Naughtiness in abundance

We now effectively sit in a puppy pen cage in our living room - it is one of the 8 panels ones, we have it from a speaker next to the fireplace, across the fireplace (to protect speaker cable and Christmas stockings), past the other speaker, and television/hifi (yes, we now watch TV through the pen), then it turns the corner and fences off Christmas tree, more cables, router etc. and stops by sofa.

So in theory everything precious is 'safely' cordoned off... but I've seen them eyeing, plotting, scheming... it won't be long...

I've been living with bunnies for many years, enough to know what they're capable of. But others in the family still have a lot to learn... yesterday morning, little Rosie left her precious pink hairbrush on the floor. About 6 of the bristles immediately went missing, no evidence except Dijon nomming brazenly next to the brush. The same evening my husband left a peeled clementine, split in half, in a pot on the sofa... half went the same way as the bristles, leaving a puddle of juice on the cushion.

I dread to think what this - on top of the remote control buttons - will do to his digestive system, but he's certainly still eating well, and - judging by the pile in the cage - no blockages!

Mabel is appalled by his behaviour.

Buttons, Holes

It had to happen, and it did. Quicker than you could imagine...

The one remote control that was untouched by bunny teeth is now the remote control that has been most mangled by bunny teeth.

Stupidly, I left the satellite remote on the sofa when I left the living room. I thought it would be safe; after all, there were others in the room, so Dijon really should not have been able to destroy anything. However, he was very swift, and in the space of 5 seconds he had eaten FOUR buttons. I'm not even sure what one of the buttons does as the label was stamped onto it.

So now there are no remote control units in the house that have a full set of buttons.

Sofa, So Good

Just a couple of days ago we were saying how Mabel and Dijon were behaving themselves since being allowed in 'our' half of the living room... well, they must have heard us and decided that would not do... since then they have been naughty, naughty, and doubly naughty... we have an old piano stool next to our sofa, and they have decided their latest mission is to go under it and burrow their way behind the sofa, using teeth and claws to remove anything in their path.

I'm struggling with this one - every defense I put in place is rapidly destroyed, and it's meant they cannot spend as much time out as they require constant supervision. They know it's naughty, and flick their tails at us if we come near to move them. I'm sure previous bunnies leave their invisible bunny signs to say 'hey, come this way, there's a great tunnel behind the sofa if you can just get there', as it's always been a problem area. Just hope they get bored of trying soon.

Absconders

 

I shut the gate. I made a mental note as I walked through...Shut the gate. Shut the gate. Shut the gate... Unfortunately, I did not secure the gate, so Dijon pulled it open and escaped.

Now, as there was no urgency to go anywhere, we decided to let them have a little more freedom (which confused them as they are used to being chased and clapped back into their area.) Interesting...

Mabel remained in the living room, investigating the skirt around the arm chair. Only once did she venture out into the hall way, but she didn't like the laminate flooring; she couldn't walk on it, instead just dragged her hind legs behind her.

Dijon, on the other hand, like a whirlwind, was into the hall, and onto the mountain of shoes that lives by the front door. He knows no fear... Having scaled the pile of footwear he decided to investigate the kitchen. He's never been there before, so he was a little more cautious than normal, but still quite bold and he stretched himself flat and edged around the base of the units.

Now that they are more settled, it really is time the bunnies were given more freedom, so following the latest escape, I have now purchased a second cage from EasiPet which will be used to cordon off the electrical and cables in the living room. If all goes to plan, this will give Mabel and Dijon the opportunity to socialise with us rather than us socialising with them. Who knows, they may even come for cuddles on the sofa, rather than burrowing into the sofa...

Sucker!

We have just had a new Hoover delivered (and it is a Hoover, so now I can say "I'm hoovering" without pedantic husband saying it's vacuuming!!) [Husband says: Hoover also makes washing machines, tumble driers, fridges, dishwashers, and steam irons... what will you be doing if you're hoovering the spuds?!] The old one's motor burnt out - probably bunny fur/hay/poo overload.

It is much louder (and hopefully stronger!) than our previous one. The bunnies were safely in their cage as I used it - cable looks somewhat thinner than usual, not likely to withstand bunny 'investigations'. Mabel was inquisitive, following the broom with her nose as it passed the cage. Dijon was brave at first but then it all became too much for him and he shot away and wet himself in the corner of the cage.

I don't suppose the floor will remain fur-less and hay-free for long, now that they're out again, periscoping the parked Hoover from a safe distance.

Bite the hand that feeds...

Last Saturday morning, 10th November, Mabel sank her teeth into my thumb! It was very swift. A growl, a lunge, and a very cross bunny. So hard was the bite, that I couldn't stem the flow of blood, and had to use an elastic band as a tourniquet. After a couple of minutes I was able to apply a Steristrip and a plaster. There will be quite an impressive centimetre long scar on my poor thumb!

And what had I been doing to warrant this attack? Sprinkling some treats on the carpet. That's gratitude for you.

We have no idea what provoked her, but she spent a lot of time afterwards mounting Dijon's head, so maybe it was hormonal?

Autumn

I can't believe it's been so long since we last posted. Shame on us. But that's a sign of just how settled life is with the bunnies at the moment.

We've had no health scares, although Mabel developing spurs on her teeth and had them filed down. Both she and Dijon have calmed down a lot - the maturity of adulthood - and are very content.

I was admiring how well they have settled, and commented that Mabel was no longer so protective of Dijon; there had been no lunging, growling or biting for a couple of months, I spoke too soon...