# Beauty and the Beast



## Zurrz (Mar 23, 2013)

Several years ago in the Summer of 2010 I went to a fair in my little Maine town. I went to look at the animals as I always do, an animal lover at heart. I just couldn't resist. As I was walking through the stalls, that earthen farm smell surrounding me, I was distracted from the cows and goats by a plain looking table.

Baby buns hopping around in an enclosure, looking very fluffy and cute. 
I had assumed they were there simply for show, it hadn't occurred to me that a rabbit could be a pet! (Even though one of my neighbors growing up had a bunny, a fact I seemed to have forgotten at the time) 

I've had many fur babies, hamsters, dogs, a rat, a ferret, cats. Birds, and birds, and bird. I was very successful with my fish, who lived for nearly a decade. Pets were constant in my life, my brother had lizards and snakes who always seemed to prefer me as well. (I truly believe animals can sense a person who is all embracing of them, which is why I've been able to gain the trust of even those labeled "feral") But a rabbit as a pet? That was interesting to me, and as I'm a scholar at heart I began researching. 

Boy, I researched. I read, and read, and read. I read about illnesses, dietary needs, different breeds of rabbits, rabbit showing, rabbit body language, the benefits of spaying and neutering. Everything that a prospective rabbit owner should and could read (though, unfortunately many do not and don't understand what rabbits need and what's best for them before getting one simply because "they're so cute") and after thinking about it and speaking to my parents I finally felt ready and able to care for this animal to the best of my abilities. 

It was the end of my Freshmen year in Highschool, I had been busy emailing breeders (I live in Maine, so I was constantly skeptical of the breeders. I wasn't going to support a breeder that was just trying to get some cash and didn't care if the babies became pets, stew, or snake food.) and still couldn't find one I felt great about, or I did and they didn't have any males. 

It's June now, I've been looking for my rabbit, stopped by the Humane Society but didn't make a connection with the rabbit they had there (she was a sweetie and was adopted shortly after I left). One of my mothers informed me that a friend of hers had ended up with a litter of baby buns, this peaked my interest and after talking to them I found out they were Lionheads. I asked for a black male, and was told they would get back to me after sexing them.

There was a single male in that litter, he just so happened to have a wonderful black coat. It almost seemed like I was meant to have him. I was told he'd be old enough to go home on July 4th, a date I found to be ironic and it made me believe that he was meant to mine even more.

Now I have to explain myself. Several years before when I lived with one of my mothers (I have two, long story that I might explain later) boyfriends, he had a pregnant dog who he would not fix no matter how hard I tried to convince him to, and I was with her while she gave birth. I was twelve at the time and home during summer vacation, one of the pups was born still in the sac and the mother didn't do anything to help so I broke that baby out at breathed some life into him. Those pups were born on July 3rd, and we ending up keeping the one I saved. He was the sweetest and most loving black lab mix, and he was mine. 

I had to rehome him eventually, which was heartbreaking. That was years ago and I'm still pretty sore from it. 

But back to the babbits, 

On July 3rd, 2011 I was called and told I could have my bunny that day, they would be in the area since they were bringing the others to a picnic to socialize them. At that point I was freaking out, I enjoy schedule and having him a day early was NOT planned. But when I got him all my problems erased. He the most precious creature I had even seen and I was smitten.






_"Who are you and what am I doing here?"_

It was then that I finally decided on a name! 

Cid.





_"If I pose will you get that thing out of my face?"_





_"Ah, yes. You're making good progress cleaning, Mom!"_





_"...see? This is called perfusion. Where would you be without me to help you with your homework?"_





_Life is good. _

Thank you for bearing with me while I give a long winding explanation as to how I got Cid! The rest of these entries probably won't be as boring!


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## Ilovemyrabbit (Mar 23, 2013)

Aww, Cid is adorable! I loved reading about your pets, and Cid! Not boring at all!


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## Nancy McClelland (Mar 23, 2013)

:hearts: he's so cute!


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## agnesthelion (Mar 23, 2013)

Adorable bun and what a great story of how you came to be his slave. Bunnies do take over your heart! I never thought my two would as much as thry have 

Hope to hear more from you and CID!


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## Zurrz (Mar 23, 2013)

On February 18th of 2013 I went to my local Humane Society, my original intent wasn't to get another bun as Cid's appointment to be neutered was several weeks away, but after hearing Alex's story I couldn't possibly leave her there another second.

Alex was indicated as the bun that would get along best with grumpy little Cid, when she was taken out her cage and put into the pen so I could visit with her a bit she seemed less than enthused. I was told by the tech that Alex was just done and "We can do a lot, but we're not you."

She was abandoned, her old family didn't even have the decency to surrender her. From how she's acted since I've gotten her it seems like she didn't get any time to hop around and be a babbit.

This is the first picture I took of Alex, while she was looking totally defeated at the shelter:





So I took her home, opened her carrier and went to set up new living arrangements for her and Cid. The first thing Alex did when leaving the carrier was go and lie down behind Cid's cage, where he groomed her from between the bars.

She came over, visited me, enjoyed a craisin, then found a good spot to observe me. She tried to help me tighten the zip ties between the NIC grates and after a long and tiring day of work she found her enclosure (which is X-Pen style as I had only gotten enough to make one condo and ended up having to split the materials between two buns) to be satisfactory and I was rewarded with a very big flop.





_Quite similar to this one. _
Alex has been so great, and her real personality is something to behold. She's pushy, very food oriented (she acts like I starve her any time she sees her veggies), if I dare to look in her direction and not pet her she tugs at my clothing and nudges me. 




_That nose totally kills me. So cute._
It took some time to gain her trust (though the story above may have made you think otherwise) but now Aly is a great friend. Her and Cid have begun the process of bonding and it's gone totally flawlessly!

Alex is convinced she's a mountain climber! Which is totally my fault for showing her how to get up on my bed! 














In addition to having nothing on the floor it's become obvious to me that I can't have anything within bunny jumping height. 

Luckily for me my babbits are quite well behaved, unless they're conspiring with each other. Well, Alex has less than desirable eating habits. She downs her entire salad in less than five minutes! 




This shot was achieved by bringing my camera up, putting the salad down as quickly as possible (if I take too long Queenie nips at me) and crouching down just as she tore into that poor carrot. It never stood a chance. 

Anyway! That's all there is to know about Alex! Her age is unknown to me, but she was old enough to be spayed. If anyone has any ideas let me know! I'd be interested to hear what you think!


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## Ilovemyrabbit (Mar 23, 2013)

Alex is beautiful! I love her coloring, Brown and White look so good together. 

I can't believe she was abandoned. The least the family could have done was give her to the shelter.

I loved the photo of her dead bunny flop! It actually looked like she was dead.


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## Zurrz (Mar 23, 2013)

I'll let her know you admire her! She'll appreciate that.
I know! I can't imagine that! Some people don't appreciate animals as much as others. 
It's sad really, they don't know what they missed out on!

Ehehehe. It's especially cute when she does it, she rubs her back against the wall and almost goes totally on her back before flopping again!
It's more like a double flop. I'll have to try and get it on video some time!

My dear Cid refuses to put himself in such a position, he's far too regal for such a thing.
That just means I find Aly's flops to be all the cuter!


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## Ilovemyrabbit (Mar 23, 2013)

Yes, please let her know .

She rubs her back on the wall and then flops, lol. It must be so cute to see her do it. Yes if you can it would be nice to see her do it on video.


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## PaGal (Mar 23, 2013)

Welcome to the forum! I have enjoyed the beginning of your blog and look forward to reading more. Both of your buns are adorable! 

My daughter who has been reading along with me, would like me to ask you why you call the buns babbits?


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## Azerane (Mar 24, 2013)

They both sound like such sweeties, and both such beautiful buns


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## Zurrz (Mar 24, 2013)

PaGal: It's the combination of "rabbit" and "bunny"! 
It's just a cute affectionate term I use for my two, especially Cid since I often refer to him as "Babs". 
Thanks for reading!

Thanks Azerane! They really are awesome, rabbits have such great personalities.


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## Chrisdoc (Mar 25, 2013)

Oh, they are both lovely. I just love her colouring and that flop is adorable...I do love dbf´s especially when they perform them with such abandon. Cid is gorgeous too, that shiny black coat, he´s a handsome little fellow and they look great together. Can´t believe they would abandon her to fend for herself, some people are just unbelievable. 

Look forward to more pics, videos and news of these two.


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## Ilovemyrabbit (Mar 25, 2013)

LOL. I love that you call you're rabbits babbits, its so cute.


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