# Bunnies...And Other Very Important Things



## plasticbunny (Jul 7, 2011)

CHAPTER ONE: THE STORY OF BUNBUNS

When I was growing up, the only animals I ever remember having were cats. I was never allowed a dog, a giunea pig, a turtle, a hamster... Only one or two cats and that was all.

One Christmas, when I was about eight or nine years old, I begged Santa for a bunny. I remember wanting that bunny so badly, it was all I ever talked about... And when Christmas morning came, I eagerly tore open my loot to find not one, but two bunnies - both of themplastic lawn ornaments. My parents said that Santa must have realized I was not quite ready for the real deal yet.

Flash forward almost 15 years. My boyfriend Rob and I had just begun dating and had moved in together right away. Oh, what a challange. Now, Rob is not a "pet" person. He loves animals, but doesn't want to assume responsibility for any of them, has a hard time dealing with poo...that sort of thing. I was in my early twenties, and was starting to feel that primal urge to make many many babies, and Rob was in his early forties and not interested in a long journey like starting a family. It was time fora compromise: I won't bug you for babies, but I need something to care for. I want a bunny.

Our first Valentine's day, Rob brought me on a surprise trip to a nearby pet store, where they had one little baby bunny. "I think it's a girl" the clerk said, and showed me the small broken orange lop. And so, with cage, food, and bunny in tow, we headed home. I named the new addition Bunnylicious, BunBuns for short, and it didn't take me long to fall in love. She was everything I wanted a bunny to be - puffy, loving, curious, but aloof. A creature that didn't like to sit on your lap, but loved to sit beside you.







BunBuns was with us for almost four years. In the summer of 2010, she began to have signs of GI stasis. I spent days and nights syringing her pumpkin, pineapple juice and mashed pellets. My boyfriend (who was now quite fond of BunBuns) and I rotated four hour shifts with her, so she was never alone and was eating every half hour. On the third day of pulling her through, I decided to try something new. I gave her an enema. Using a pediatric ear bulb, I mixed a few drops of mineral oilwith a few mLs warm distilled water. My poo-phobic boyfriend held BunBuns while I gently inserted and squeezed... We waited anxiously... Within ten minutes, BunBuns hopped into her box and brought forth the biggest bunny dropping I have ever seen. It was easily the size of a large grape! There was no chance she would have ever passed that on her own, no matter how many fluids or fiber or masages she had. The enema had saved her life.

BunBuns had lost so much weight during her ordeal. I free fed her pellets from then on, and monitered her eating closely. She was starting to fill out a bit by October, when our worst nightmare happened - She went into stasis again. This time, syringe feeding her was impossible. She just spit it out and it clumped under her chin. We tried the enema again, with no luck. It was late in the evening when she started to act very differently, and I knew she wouldn't make it to see a vet in the morning. Her eyes seemed dull, and she didn't move or react to my voice. I put her on the floor and her legs gave out beneath her.

I wrapped her in a soft towel and layed with her on the floor. I spoke to her and stroke her face. I told her what an amazing companion she had been, and that I would miss her. And when she started to wail, I told her she could go. And she did.

Rob and I drove out to a nearby protected nature trail, where all of our creatures have been laid to rest. I picked a tree and laid her at it's base, and we covered her in fallen leaves. We said goodbye before going home to our empty house. I swore I would NEVER have a rabbit again.


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## SOOOSKA (Jul 8, 2011)

Hi Erin, sorry to hear about your BunBuns. 

She sounded like a Lovely Bunny. 

Looking forward to reading more entries on this Blog. (and pictures:biggrin2

Susan


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## plasticbunny (Jul 8, 2011)

Thank you Susan. Yes, she was quite lovely, and still missed.


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## plasticbunny (Jul 8, 2011)

CHAPTER 2: THE STORY OF MOLLY

Still distraught over my loss, I knew for certain that I would never get another rabbit. They were too fragile, I couldn't take another loss. They got sick and died too easily.

Well, never say never.

In early December 2010, I was searching around my local Kijiji for... Well, I don't really remember. But I do remember stumbling across an advertisement for "Purebred Red New Zealand Rabbits". Curious, I opened the link. There was very little written, simply thet there were three available female red New Zealands, $10 each. No picture.

I wrote the advertiser, asking if she had a picture. She sent me this:







There wasn't even a thought. I knew I needed to have one of those little babies! But when I wrote back saying I wanted one of her kits, she asked, did I want the rabbit "prepared", for a small extra cost? I then realized that these were MEAT RABBITS :shock:.

Well, that was it - I would have to take all three, and I'd take them LIVE, thank you very much.

Two weeks later, the three babies were ready to come home. Rob and I drove an hour each way to pick up our new family members. We had decided that we couldn't keep all three, but we would keep one and find homes for the other two.

Molly and her sisters coming home:











It was theraputic to have baby bunnies in the house. We found a home for one of the girls easily, and after much discussion, we decided to keep the two that were left. We named one of them Molly, and the other Rusty. It wasn't long before puberty hit, and the girls needed to be separated. I found a fantastic rabbit-savvy vet, and made appointments for the girls to be spayed as soon as they were old enough.

I noticed that these rabbits had such unique personalities. Molly was more reserved, and more possessive over her belongings. She nipped your clothing, hated sitting on your lap, and seemed to be indifferent about being petted. Rusty, on the other handwas one of the friendliest rabbits I've ever met. She was content to sit on your lap and snuggle. Whe you walked into their room, she'd periscope for head pets. She seemed to just really love attention... A real heart bunny.

Molly and Rusty together as babies:






In early March, on a warm spring day, I decided it would be really nice for the girls to spend some time outside on the grass. Molly went first. I fitted her for her harness, and we spent a good hour out in the back yard munching on weeds and such. Next it was Rusty's turn. She seemed a bit nervous, but soon was enjoying it as much as her sister. Our neighbour's son, who is quite nice and always comes to see the animals when they're in the yard, was out. He saw that I was in the yard, and came around the fence. Unfortunately, this startled Rusty. She instantly went into prey mode, flying around the yard on her leash, around in circles. When I was able to catch her, I calmed her down and brought her inside. I set her down in the livingroom and, to my horror, saw that she could not walk. She had broken one of her back legs.

It was late afternoon on a Sunday and the girl's vet wasn't open. Rob called around and found an emergency vet nearby, and we were out the door in minutes. Driving down the highway, holding my sweet girl, I noticed her body change. She seemed to go limp although she was still breathing. I knew she would let herself go if we didn't get to the vet right away.

We were served at the vet's right away. Everyone was very nice, though sullen. The vet explained to me that they weren't equipped to treat rabbits. Rusty's leg was shattered in two places, and it could not be saved. We would have to hope she would make it through the night to take her to her regular bunny vet. There was no way I was going to do that. I could never have my animal suffer, when the odds were against her even surviving the night to get treatment. I opted to have her put down.

At six months old, Rusty crossed to the bridge.






It was sad at the house for awhile. Rusty was only with us a few short months, but to be honest, she was my preferred bunny between her and Molly. She was friendlier, less skittish. I decided I would start spending a lot of time and effort trying to bond with Molly, especially because she seemed lonely without Rusty's presence in the room. I spent hours laying on the floor with her, letting her come up and sniff me and giving her pets. Eventually, she started tilting her head up for nose scratches. She stopped nipping my clothes and came to accept me into her space. She ran to greet me whenever I came in her room. It took a lot of effort, but Molly and I became friends.

Of course, life gets in the way, and I didn't always have as much time to spend with her as I knew she wanted. Even unbonded, I knew I wanted another rabbit to be in the room with her, a constant presence for when I couldn't be there. It was time to get Molly a companion.


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## Kipcha (Jul 8, 2011)

That is so sad to hear about, I have heard of people having problems with leashes and harnesses, I can't even imagine how traumatic that must have been for you. Both Rusty and BunBuns sound like wonderful bunnies. I am happy to hear your situation with Molly has improved, though.


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## Nancy McClelland (Jul 8, 2011)

Every loss effects us greatly, but, we couldn't imagine a life without our bunnies.


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## TinysMom (Jul 8, 2011)

Wow - I have two white New Zealands but I'd never seen a red one before - GORGEOUS! 

How heartbreaking to have that happen and have to make that decision. Poor baby - and poor you.

I'm glad you & Molly bonded more after that. (I'm trying to bond with Rosita - my white NZ who is cage aggressive).


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## plasticbunny (Jul 8, 2011)

*Kipcha wrote: *


> That is so sad to hear about, I have heard of people having problems with leashes and harnesses, I can't even imagine how traumatic that must have been for you. Both Rusty and BunBuns sound like wonderful bunnies. I am happy to hear your situation with Molly has improved, though.


Thank you. Yes, both girls were wonderful, and Molly is wonderful in her own way as well... just more "animal" than the other two. But, I do see my stronger relationship with Molly as the silver lining to Rusty's fate.


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## plasticbunny (Jul 8, 2011)

*Nancy McClelland wrote: *


> Every loss effects us greatly, but, we couldn't imagine a life without our bunnies.


It is true. My two losses have been very difficult, but I know that I will be a bunny owner for life. Heartbreak is, unfortunately, part of owning an animal.


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## plasticbunny (Jul 8, 2011)

*TinysMom wrote: *


> Wow - I have two white New Zealands but I'd never seen a red one before - GORGEOUS!
> 
> How heartbreaking to have that happen and have to make that decision. Poor baby - and poor you.
> 
> I'm glad you & Molly bonded more after that. (I'm trying to bond with Rosita - my white NZ who is cage aggressive).



Ha, Peg... Molly is not actually a New Zealand. She was advertised as one, but has since turned out to be a Flemish. But that's the next chapter!

And yes, it was a horrible dicision to have to make. I've since gone through an immense amount of guilt, and questioning myself if I made the right choice. I feel in my heart that I did, but I do still sit with Molly on occasion and have a little cry. 

Too bad you need her uterus so badly, or a good spay could help with Rosita! It certainly tries our patience, doesn't it?


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## plasticbunny (Jul 9, 2011)

CHAPTER 3: MOLLY'S IDENTITY CRISIS

Towards the end of May 2011, When Molly was 6 months old, I decided it was time to have her spayed. 

At the vet, Molly weighed in at 11lbs - what is considered normal for a full grown New Zealand, not a 6 month old. The vet estimated that her full size weight would be around 16 lbs. DEFINATELY big for a New Zealand.

Later that night, I decided to do a little research. While looking through pictures of New Zealand rabbits online, it became clear that she was not one of them. Her size was off,her body type, the shape of her head... None of her characteristics matched the breed.

So, what was she?

The only other breed I could think she may be was a Flemish Giant. I posted a thread on this forum, requesting the imput of other members. And the verdict came in: Molly was indeed a Flemish!


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## TinysMom (Jul 10, 2011)

*plasticbunny wrote: *


> *TinysMom wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Wow - I have two white New Zealands but I'd never seen a red one before - GORGEOUS!
> ...



Right now its not that I need her uterus (although I did go ahead and try to breed her last week) - but I need the $$$$$ more right now.

She is still fairly young and I have other girls that are ahead of her in line for spays based upon age, etc. 

(I try to spay my girls when I retire them so they can live longer).


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## TinysMom (Jul 10, 2011)

Ah yes....I remember that - she HAS to be a flemish giant...look at those awesome ears....


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## plasticbunny (Jul 10, 2011)

:biggrin:Molly's quite proud of her ears. She thinks they're her best feature. :biggrin:


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## Kipcha (Jul 10, 2011)

I love how dissaproving she looks in that pic.

"A New Zealand you say? Ha, fool... My luxorious ears and magnificent size make me nothing less then the best."

I look forward to reading more


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## plasticbunny (Jul 10, 2011)

Molly approves of your comment, lol. Congratulations, Molly does not dole out approval to just anyone.


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## plasticbunny (Jul 10, 2011)

CHAPTER 4: THE STORY OF GUS

Molly may not have cared for her sister that much, but she seemed to miss having another bunny in the room with her. I had to put my grief aside and find her a room mate, and someone who she could potentially bond with in the future.

Rob was out running errands when he called me on his cell phone. The pet shop where we had got BunBuns from had just recieved a new shipment of 8 week old Holland Lops, and they looked JUST like little BunBuns when she was a baby. Perhaps one of these new babies would make a fitting friend for Molly?

I knew I wanted a male, to make the bonding process easier. I asked a sales girl if I could sex the bunnies, and one by one, they all turned out to be girls. I was so disappointed.

Well, she said, there's one more lop over here... And she picked up a teeny little black lop. Oh, this little one HAD to be a boy. Of course, it was love at first sight, and if it had been a girl I probably would have taken it anyway! :biggrin2: But to my delight, it was a little buck!

Gus came home. This was how small he was his first night with us:






Gus was super sweet, even when his hormones got going. His litterbox habits were impeccable, and by his third day home he wasn't having any accidents at all. He was content to sit on my lap and cuddle, something I had never experienced from a bunny. But then he got neutered.

After his neuter, Gus developed a lump near where his left testie had been. I lovingly nicknamed it his "gusticle". It turned out to be residual swelling from his operation and needed to be iced several times a day. By the end of that week, his swelling had disapated, but now he was absolutely terrified of me. He would not go anywhere near me. 

Only now, after two months of hard work trying to rebond to him, will he let me close enough to pet him. It's hard to take sometimes, and he may never be the same loving bunny he once was. Rob calls him a "rabbit's rabbit", because he's as stereotypical rabbit as they come. Skittish, nevous... But I won't lose hope!


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## plasticbunny (Jul 12, 2011)

CHAPTER 5: THE STORY OF LEELA

There once was a young couple who decided to move in together. This life change made both of them feel very grown-up, and suddenly, getting a puppy together sounded fun and very exciting. After a brief search, they found a sweet little Chow Chow puppy, and named her Chewy.

The girlfriend (let's call her Jill) was very fond of the puppy, and bonded very closely to her. The boyfriend (let's call him Jack) was also fond of the puppy, but not as much as Jill was. Jill was absolutely in love.

One day, Jack and Jill decided that they did not want to be together anymore. They divided their belongings, and went their separate ways. It was obvious that Jill would get possession of Chewy, because they were so close. But Jack was very mad at Jill for some reason.

Before Jill could take her beloved Chewy, Jack sold her to another family. 

Jill was very sad, and somehow she found out who Jack sold Chewy to. Jill went to the family and explained the situation, and begged for the dog back... But the family did not want to give her back. They were very mean about it, too. There was nothing Jill could do.

Over the next three years, Jill moved on with her life. She met a man who she loved, and had a baby. She even got a new puppy. Jill had long forgotten about Chewy, until...

One day, the telephone rang. It was the local Humane Society, telling Jill that they had found her dog. Well, it turns out that the new family had never changed the information on Chewy's microchip, and she was scanning in under Jill's name! After three years, Jill would be reunited with her beloved Chewy.

Jill remembered how the family had treated her, and knew that they did not deserve to have Chewy back. But Jill couldn't keep Chewy for herself, with so much going on in her life. She posted an ad online for the four year old Chow, hoping to find a loving home where Chewy could live forever.

Meanwhile, another couple (a more STABLE couple  ) had decided that they would get a dog. The girlfriend, Erin, had never had a dog, but knew that a Chow Chow would suit her lifestyle well. The boyfriend, Rob, had had Chow Chows in the past and loved the breed. But, they decided to not get a puppy because they wanted a dog that was already housebroken... So, one day, they looked online for older Chow Chows to adopt, and found four year old Chewy.

That day, Chewy came into Erin and Rob's life and hearts. She was renamed Leela. She was fairly obediant, except she needed some practice walking properly on a leash. Her favourite activity is sleeping.

Leela also took a liking to Molly, and especially enjoyed licking Molly's giant ears.

Life has become richer and more vibrant with Leela in it. And she is happy to have found her forever home.


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## plasticbunny (Jul 13, 2011)

The time has come... Molly and Gus had their first bonding session! It went quite well, and I thought that documenting their progress over time may help others who would like to bond their own rabbits, but aren't sure how to get started.

First of all, let me remind everyone that both Molly and Gus are altered, and they're fully healed. This is important to not only avoid unwanted pregnancy, but also to relieve any hormonal and territorial behavior. Unspayed females can be very territorial, and difficult to bond. Unneutered males can be strongly driven by sexual behavior, and this can lead to annoying and excessive mounting. This is why it is good for both to be altered, not just one.

Molly and Gus live side by side in adjoining Xpens, and can easily see each other through the bars. They are very used to each other's presence. They also share the same play space (Molly during the day, Gus at night).

Molly and Gus have met in the past. It did not go well. After Gus was neutered and healed, I tried to bond them on neutral territory. I was planning to hold off on getting Molly spayed so that she could reach full size (spaying will stunt the growth slightly). But Molly was too territorial, and made Gus very nervous, so they didn't get along. When it became obvious that they wouldn't be able to bond, I opted to have Molly spayed sooner.

Now for their first date!

It is important to have the first introduction on neutral territory, somewhere where neither bun has been before. A common choice is the bathtub. This is a great spot because it's a small space where they can't help but notice each other, and it's slippery on the bottom so if they do fight, they can't get a good grip on the floor. I didn't add in a litter box because I didn't want either bun to claim it. I threw in some hay and fresh parsley to make the environment more appealing and to encourage them to eat together. Eating is a social activity and encourages the bonding process.







Next, make sure you have all necessary materials. You will need a spray bottle filled with water, so if the buns show any sign of aggression you can sray them with a stream of water. I rinsed out an old Tilex bottle.







Because bonding sessions can last awhile, it's a good idea to have some entertainment!







And now we can get started! You will want to add the calmest bunny first. In my case this is Molly, who's favourite activity is to sleep and eat at the same time :biggrin2:. The reason for this is that a calmer bun is less likely to claim the space in the time it takes for you to get the second bun.







Next, I added Gus!







Both bunnies will spend a minute exploring the new space. Worst case scenario is any sign of aggression - Lunging, circling, tail up and ears back - Learn your bunny body language so you can diffuse any potential fights before they begin. If aggressive behavior pesists, you may want to end the session early and try again later, or in a different area of the house.

Lucky for me, Molly instantly settled in to munch parsley, while Gus nervously explored.







Molly is very relaxed and self-assured, which I think Gus needs. He is a very insecure rabbit and can benefit from Molly's demeanor and size. He spent a lot of their date assuming the submissive position, and requesting to be groomed. He was obviously VERY fond of Molly.













And some grooming requests that turned into a five minute cheek snuggle:







It is preferable to end bonding sessions on a good note, so that the bunnies retain good thoughts and feelings of being with each other. When Molly and Gus both flopped over on their sides in front of each other, I recognized it as them being comfortable enough to relax in each other's presence, and ended the session. All in all, it took about 30 minutes.







This was an EXTREMELY successful first date, and I'm very excited!


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## plasticbunny (Jul 13, 2011)

Super cute picture of Duke the Chow Chow after his bath:







Can I come out now, mum?


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## Brittany85 (Jul 15, 2011)

Aww so CUTE! I loved your pet stories. I am definitely going to do this too! Mine will be longer though since I have had so many pets haha!
Great blog!!


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## Brittany85 (Jul 15, 2011)

OH and here is my blog: http://www.puppy-parent.blogspot.com/
On Chloe


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## Brittany85 (Jul 15, 2011)

And my old website with pictures of all my old bunnies 
http://sunshine-acres-bunnies.piczo.com/?cr=3


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## plasticbunny (Jul 15, 2011)

Aw, so cute!!!

Thanks for commenting, Brittany. I was beginning to feel a littlelonely here... :sad:!


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## Brittany85 (Jul 15, 2011)

Haha! I finally found it! Your pets are so cute, Molly is the same colour as my new bunny Lila. But about 10 times bigger!


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## SOOOSKA (Jul 15, 2011)

Erin, how is the bondng going?

Anymore Bathtub sessions?

Of course we need MORE pictures.

Susan:biggrin2:


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## plasticbunny (Jul 16, 2011)

Oh yes, there has been 1 more tub session! It went very well, with lots of snuggling, but no grooming yet.

I'm just worried because at three this morning, Rob and I woke up to a loud crash. We ran into the rabbit's room, and somehow, Molly had escaped from her pen and was loose in the room with Gus! There were tufts of orange and black hair everywhere, and Molly had squeezed herself into a teeny hiding spot, and was so scared... It took me a good twenty minutes to calm her down.

Neither bun was injured, but I'm taking a couple of days off bonding to give them some time to cool off.


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## Kipcha (Jul 16, 2011)

Oh no! That is very scary... I had a similar experience when we were pet sitting a checkered giant, somehow he managed to get out of his cage and jumped up into Star's cage, pulled him down out of it (Star is raised off the ground with an open front, which he really likes) and just beat the snot out of him. The checkered didn't have a mark on him but I found Star hiding behind our saddle rack just terrified and at first I didn't think he really got hurt other then the black and white fur everywhere, but a few days later when his wounds started to scab over I found he had over 20 large bites all over his body. I felt so bad...

I agree with Susan, we need more pics of Miss Molly and Gus! I love reading your posts on here 

Hopefully this incident won't effect your bonding.


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## plasticbunny (Jul 16, 2011)

Well, here's a shock for everyone!

Gus has a new mommy. That's right, he's moving to a new home.

I brought Gus into our family with the hope of bonding him to Molly. It appears more and more that this won't happen... And if it does, it will be after many more months and a bucketload of stress.

I was certainly up for the challange, daunting as it was. Then today, I was telling a coworker of mine about the fight that happend, and she OFFERED TO TAKE GUS.

I went to object, but then I thought about it. I mean, Molly and Gus really aren't a great match for each other. Just because it COULD work doesn't mean it SHOULD. And Gus is a rather unfriendly rabbit that needs a lot of one on one time - something I don't have time to dedicate to right now. I do get the feeling that Gus would be happier as a lone bunny with lots of love from a special human.

So, after some thought, I said yes!

At the end of August, Gus will move into his new home. He will have his own room, a NIC cage that I will build for him as a going away present, and a very nice young girl who will love him as her only rabbit. I think it will make him much happier.

I wouldn't have even considered re-homing Gus until she offered to take him, but now I feel like it's just what he needs.

Now I'm left with a question: I've always wanted Molly to have a bun buddy, but I'm wondering now if I should get her a friend when Gus is gone. I know that Gus was the agressor, so I think that bonding Molly to another laid-back rabbit would be far easier. If she stays alone, Molly will have her own room to be free range and lots of toys, but I'm worried she'll get lonely if I have to work a lot and can't spend time with her. She's never been alone in that room before. Will it impact her that much? I'm not sure. She may very well get along fine by herself, but if she'll be happier with a mate I would stillprefer to bond her. One thing is certain - I would only bond her with a Flemish buck, preferably one bigger than her. I think she'd be more attracted to a larger rabbit. This would be easy becaue she's on the small side for a Flemish, only 13 lbs or so, and may not grow much more because of her spay.

Well, I suppose thats enough rant for today! Any opinions on whether Molly should remain single or not are very welcome!


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## TinysMom (Jul 17, 2011)

I have a number of flemish giants and I have to say that each one is different and has different wants and needs. Harmony and Athena want NO other buns around them and they prefer to be alone. Nyx seems to crave the attention of other bunnies and lives with four other flemish girls plus an elop girl...and the hollands play with them too.

I know that when I had Tiny - I tried to bond him with a french lop doe - thinking he might like a mate his own size. BIG MISTAKE.

I have lots of pictures of Tiny with girls....all of them lionheads and much smaller than him. He loved all the girls - as long as they were smaller than him and willing to snuggle.

My point is - you'll pretty much have to wait and see what Molly wants and how she handles it when Gus leaves. I feel bad that it didn't work out - it sounded like their first date went so well too.

I'm glad you're doing what you feel is best for Gus.

Oh - and I LOVE chow chows. We had a dog that was half chow...she looked just like a full blooded chow though and was just an awesome dog.


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## plasticbunny (Jul 17, 2011)

*SECOND THOUGHTS*

Oh, dear.

I slept on it, and now I'm starting to have second thoughts about rehoming Gus. Even though he's a mean little pooper, I'm kinda attached to him. With enough love I think he may come around. And I decided once and for all that I do NOT want to get another rabbit if Gus goes, so Molly would for sure be alone.

Their first bonding session went so well (Gus clearly LOVES Molly, Molly tolerated Gus), but after their fight, they were set back significantly. I have to face the fact that if I were to kep Gus, the bonding may take a long time, and they may never fully bond. In that case, I would be keeping Gus for me alone, not for Molly.

Grrr, I don't know what's right. I feel like I'm being selfish no matter what I do. What is truely best for Gus???

PROS of rehoming Gus: He will have his own space, he will have an owner who can give him undivided attention, Molly will have the room to herself, No one needs to go through the stress of a prolonged bonding.

CONS of rehoming Gus: Gus and Molly are so cute together and will probably bond eventually, Gus loves Molly, I don't want Molly to be lonely, I would miss him even though he's a complete jerk,.

I'm leaning towards keeping him... WHAT DO YOU THINK???


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## Wabbitdad12 (Jul 17, 2011)

Great blog.

Rabbits are social creatures and not all are going to bond. Sometimes they like being able to be next to another bun. For example, my wife's bunny that passed away recently was next to a Mini Lop named Pudge. The days after Dutchie died, Pudge wasn't herself. A couple of weeks went by and my wife and daughter came home with a baby bun she named Louie. Since then Pudge has been in a much better mood.

I guess my point is they don't necessarily have to be in the same cage to enjoy each others company. Sometimes being next to each other and being friends through NIC panels is all each of them may need.


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## plasticbunny (Jul 17, 2011)

It's true. If they don't ever bond, at least having each other's presence in the room makes a difference for them. And I know that I wouldn't replace Gus with another rabbit. I would hate for Molly to be alone... 

So Dave, your opinion is to keep him?


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## sarliz (Jul 18, 2011)

I read everything, start to finish. 


I told you I did! Just remember to make sure your happy with your decision, as well as Gus!


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## TinysMom (Jul 19, 2011)

*Wabbitdad12 wrote: *


> I guess my point is they don't necessarily have to be in the same cage to enjoy each others company. Sometimes being next to each other and being friends through NIC panels is all each of them may need.


I had two holland lops that were side by side in cages - a male and a female. Earlier this spring the female got sick and passed away. Before she was ill - she would literally spend HOURS every day staring into Zuba's cage - and he would look down into hers (slightly different levels).

I tried everything after she passed to work with Zuba and make him happy - even breeding him! But after about a month he passed away - in perfect condition - no signs of illness - good weight - awesome fur - great show condition.

To this day - I swear he died of a broken heart and he would not have anything to do with another girl in that cage- no matter who I tried.

I don't think they need to be in the same cage to be friends....

Another story - I just adopted Popcorn and Charlie from a forum member who is about to go to college. The original plan was to adopt Popcorn as she's a stinker who is a bit cage aggressive and hard to work with...and mom didn't feel comfortable having to deal with her. Only Charlie was her "cage mate" in the next cage and when they got separated about a week before the time to pick her up - both Charlie and Popcorn did not do well with the separation....so I was asked if I would take Charlie too.

Now they're both side by side in cages in my bedroom and they sleep beside each other during the night and sometimes during the day (if Charlie hasn't hopped out of his cage onto the adjacent table).

You say Gus is a stinker....my personal opinion is hollands *can* be that way. But I've also found them to be lovable stinkers over time as they get used to me and I get used to them....(for months I wasn't a fan of our first holland lop, Puck - partly due to his energy - I wanted a snuggle bunny and he wanted to PLAY!).

Good luck with whatever you decide....


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## SOOOSKA (Jul 19, 2011)

Erin, I read your post about re-homing Gus, that saddened me but everyone has to make decisions that are best for them. 

Sometimes Winston drives me nuts with his litter habits, I get so frustrated that he doesn't use the litter box half the time. Then I have to remember he is an animal and he is mine no matter what he does. Watching him and Vega together makes up for my frustrations.

Then I read you post about having second thoughts, I can imagine it is a difficult decision for.You got some good advice. I know it took me and the ex 3 months to re-bond Wilbur & Jackie when their bond broke. In the end they are (live with ex now) the cutest couple together. Being patience with them paid off in the end.

Good Luck whatever your decision is.

Susan


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## plasticbunny (Jul 20, 2011)

Thank you to all of you for being so supportive.I'm certainly not the type to rehome an animal because it "isn't working out", and would never have considered giving him away unless she had offered.

BUT, I couldn't do it!

That's right, Gus is staying . In the end, I couldn't justify giving him away, and I had to do what I feel isbest for both him and Molly.

Let the bonding commence!


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## SOOOSKA (Jul 20, 2011)

Erin, i'm so happy for every bunny:biggrin:.

Is that an updated picture? They make a beautiful couple:big kiss:.

Susan


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## plasticbunny (Jul 20, 2011)

It is :biggrin2:.

Stay tuned for the newest bonding news... We've had some breakthroughs!


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## plasticbunny (Jul 20, 2011)

Well, I have LOTS of bonding news for everyone!

Molly and Gus had a total of three incident-free dates in the bathtub, thelast one being about an hour long. Gus was clearly smitten with Molly, and Molly finally showed some emotion towards Gus, too. Up to this point she'd seemed to be rather blah about the whole ordeal, so I was quite pleased. In fact, she was so excited about her third date, she went right up to Gus, gave him a sniff, and BAM! Dead bunny flop, right in Gussy's face!







I'm just glad her aim wasn't off, lol.

So, because the tub dates had been so promising, I decided to try them on the floor of the bathroom. This would give them more space to hop, play,share a litterbox, etc. It would also give me an idea of whether they would choose to spend their time near to each other, or ignoring each other.

At first, they sniffed around to becoe familiar with their surroundings, and then sprawled out a few feet apart.







About twenty minutes later, Molly decided to join Gus in his corner of the bathroom, and request a groom.







Gus wasn't ready for grooming yet, so they stretched out for a bit instead.







A few moments later, we reached a breakthrough - Gus mounted Molly for the first time! She was very receptive, and it only lasted a second, so I didn't have to intervene. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it because I didn't grab the camera fast enough 
. BUT, what happend next was even better! Gus decided to start chinning Molly's ears, and then tentitively groomed her for a minute... Molly seemed delighted!













Ah, love.

But wait, there's more!

Today, I decided that since the bonding was progressing so rapidly, I would take it to the next level. I scrubbed down every inch of their room. The floor was washed twice and wiped with white vinigar. I moved everything around so it didn't look like the same room to them. This took a good three hours of work, and meanwhile they were snuggling in the bathroom.

Finally, I set up an Xpen in their room and popped them into it... And held my breath.

They poked around, but didn't seem to recognize any of their surroundings. It was truely a whole new space.







And it wasn't long before they stretched out for a good nap, side-by-side.







It looks like we're almost there! I'm going to leave them in this set-up around the clock, and I'll sleep in the room with them for the next couple of nights (just in case).

I hate to say it, but I'm kind of disappointed! I was fully prepared for a long drawn-out bonding with lots of spats and set-backs, but it looks like they were a good match after all :biggrin2:!


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## Brittany85 (Jul 20, 2011)

Aw yay Erin!! SO happy to hear. Those pictures are priceless, the size difference is hilarious! Yay they like each other!!


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## plasticbunny (Jul 20, 2011)

Thanks, I'm thrilled! And SO glad I decided to keep Gus.

I know, Molly is so much bigger than Gus. It may sound weird, but I get such a kick out of comparing the size of their poos... I mean, Molly's poo is easily four times the size of Gus's!


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## Brittany85 (Jul 20, 2011)

aha Really?! weirdd! I didn't realize that at all!


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## plasticbunny (Jul 20, 2011)

Ok, maybe not quite four times the size, but about double, for sure!








And pictures of the lovebirds from a minute ago, going on their third hour of living together:


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## Brittany85 (Jul 20, 2011)

Ahah you are so funny!! Love that you took a picture of it  So I guess your day off was a good one!


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## LoveMyRabbit0910 (Jul 20, 2011)

Molly is one of the most gorgeous bunnies I've ever seen!!! I loveee the picture you used in chapter three. Kind of looks like she's smiling, the way her eyes are all squinty. She's pretty.


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## plasticbunny (Jul 21, 2011)

Thank you! I'm quite a proud mum :hearts


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## SOOOSKA (Jul 21, 2011)

Erin, I'm so Happy for you, Gus and Molly.:weee:arty0002:inkelepht:inkbouce::bunnyheart:running bunny:bunny18

They really do make a Beautiful couple:heartbeat::inlove::inlove:.

Can hardly wait to see LOTS more pictures of the Happy Couple in "WEDDED BLISS"

Susan


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## plasticbunny (Jul 21, 2011)

Thanks, Susan!

We had some chasing in the middle of the night, so I put a divider in their pen. I'm going to be building a new floor for thier cage this afternoon so I'll put them in the bathroom while I do that, and hopefully the floor will smell different enough that I can put them back in the pen together tonight.

I'm not expecting them to live in peace from here on, that would be naive! But, I love that they're getting along as well as they are. It gives me hope that some day they'll bond fully .


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## TinysMom (Jul 21, 2011)

Chasing is actually natural as they're still establishing their relationship....I've even had bonded rabbits do some chasing and humping...as long as there wasn't fighting with it - I allowed it. I mean....its almost impossible for us as humans to live with someone else with some tiffs...how can we expect rabbits to do that?

I think they're so cute together and I'm so glad that you decided to keep Gus. Most of my flemish does don't care about having a partner - but my flemish buck sure loved it....and most of my bucks (if they were neutered) would definitely have a doe to bond with cause they seem to like it when another rabbit comes near them.

I wish you lots of luck and that things continue to go as well.


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## plasticbunny (Jul 21, 2011)

Thanks Peg :biggrin2:


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## Wabbitdad12 (Jul 26, 2011)

I am glad everything is going so well with the bonding. That is awesome that the bonding is going so well.


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## jujub793 (Jul 26, 2011)

sounds like things are going great with the bonding. I'm glad you decided to keep Gus, he seems to be glad you did too :agree


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## plasticbunny (Jul 26, 2011)

Greeeeat news!

we're officially bonded! They've been living together for almost a week now, no fighting whatsoever.

That was way faster than I ever thought, and I was sure it was going to take MONTHS.


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## Kipcha (Jul 27, 2011)

I'm soooo happy for you! It's great that they are getting along so well!


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Jul 28, 2011)

Best stories evah! The ones about BunBuns and Rusty made me cry. I lost my little Jean-luc 2 weeks ago and sometimes feel like the heartache is unbearable, but i can't imagine the heart break of holding your bun in your arms and hearing it cry as if it knows its about to leave this world. I'm sorry you had to go through that. On a happier note, it's nice to see Molly and Gus's bonding sessions going well. 

PS. Chows are one of my fav breeds. Newfoundland Landseers are my absolute favourite though. ^.^


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## plasticbunny (Aug 2, 2011)

Sigh.

Well, I haven't updated in awhile because life has been hectic, but it seems unavoidable now. Molly passed away last night.

She had been fighting pneumonia for a few days and was getting worse. Just as I made the decision to take her on one last trip to the vet, she died in the car on the way. It was a terrible way to go and I'm having a very difficult time with it.

Today, I'm disinfecting the rabbit room (well, now Gus's room) and keeping a close watch on Gus to make sure he doesn't get sick. After losing three buns in the past year I honestly could not stand to lose a fourth. It's ironic, because I really don't care for Gus all that much and it's clear that he hates me, but losing him would be the end of me having rabbits, like, EVER. So far they seem to be far too delicate for my taste and I really need Gus to prove me wrong. I need him to live longer than four years because if he goes way too far before his time just like the others then I will never have a rabbit again, and I'm rather fond of rabbits.

I did go through the thoughts of whether I should even keep Gus now that Molly's gone. Considering I almost rehomed him a few weeks ago, but changed my mind because I was sure he and Molly would be happy together, it seemed to be a logical course of action. But, I've decide to keep the little jerk.

After Molly passed last night, I brought Gus downstairs and sat with him on my lap, and we had a little chat. I said: Look, Gus, you don't like me, and I don't like you. But here we are stuck with each other whether we like it or not, so we may as well make the best of it. Listen, let's make a deal. I'll spoil you rotten, give you everything you could ever want and more. You have a room to yourself, all the veggies you could eat, and three litterboxes. Hear me, Gus? I said THREE litterboxes, just for you. All I ask in return is that you be a teensy weensy bit nicer. I mean, you don't have to lick me or cuddle with me, but you're going to have to give a little.

I think he understood.


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## Brittany85 (Aug 2, 2011)

Erin I am SO sorry. I stopped by the store today and Sarah told me 
It was so fast. Molly lived a good happy life although short, I know she knows how much you loved her 

And Gus better get his act together!

Don't feel discouraged, I had two bunnies die for no reason a few years back and it is so upsetting and made me not want to have rabbits but then I realized if I didn't I wouldn't get to enjoy the good times I had with them.
If you need anything let me know  xo


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## plasticbunny (Aug 2, 2011)

Thanks, Brittany .

It's rough, but I'm coping. I'm getting rather used to loss at this point and I don't like it.


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## TinysMom (Aug 2, 2011)

Erin,

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is to lose one - especially with such little notice. Its always extra hard on me when it is a flemish giant.

I am thinking Gus may very well understand you - I think many times we're understood better than we think we are.


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## jujub793 (Aug 2, 2011)

Gosh I am so sorry to hear about Molly! What a shock, I've been away from the forum a few days so I didn't even see that coming . I was reading your blog and enjoying the stories of Gus and Molly and Bam! You dropped that bomb. You have definitely had a tough year. Maybe in some weird way this will bring you and Gus closer ray:


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## plasticbunny (Aug 2, 2011)

I hope that Gus and I can one day bond, but I'm not betting on it. He is truely the most frightened, aggressive little rabbit, but I'm hoping he can get over that with enough love. Even if he never does, he will still have a good home here. All I ask in return is he lives longer than the others did.

Every loss is hard but my way of getting over it is to try and find a positive. The positive when BunBuns passed away is that her illness forced me to learn a lot more about rabbits and how to combat GI stasis, and I also got to save Molly and Rusty from the fate that was awaiting them and gave them a few more months than they would have had. The silver lining of Molly's passing is that now Gus will be spoiled rotton with treats, toys, lots of space to call his own, and tons of love (whether he likes it or not).

And maybe, regardless of his rough start, he will like me one day.


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## JadeIcing (Aug 4, 2011)

I am so sorry for your loss. If you read the second post in my current blog I have been where you are and it is horrible. I also know how bunnies can surprise you and live despite all kinds of set backs.


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## plasticbunny (Aug 5, 2011)

Thanks Alicia


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## plasticbunny (Aug 5, 2011)

SIGH

I've been trying to grow grass for the last 5 years in my back yard. Unfortunately, the "soil" is half sand, half clay which makes growing anything pretty much impossible.

Well this year, I gave it my all. I planted super seed, covered with mulch, fertilized it, watered it twice a day... And it grew lush and magnificent.

And the dogs destroyed it.

Grrr, dog pee. I even planted clover as a last ditch effort (less damaged by the nitrogin in dog pee), with no luck. Nope, I'm left with dirt, speckled by dying grass. I give you Duke, one of the guilty parties (obviously very proud of his work):








And Leela, who pees about six cups at a time (no, seriously):


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## plasticbunny (Aug 5, 2011)

The "rabbit room" is officially Gus's room, and it's bittersweet. I spent all day Tuesday disinfecting the room, soaking EVERYHING down with bleach. Rob bought a new area rug for Gus to do his binkies on (chocolate brown, because I plan on decorating in chocolate brown and powder blue). I took a few pictures to share!

I keep Gus in the room with a babygate:







The overview of the room:







Gus's "toybox":







I used NIC panels to keep Gus from getting under the futon:







A picture of his "cage":







Leela exploring:







Gus's food, water and salad bowls:







And his roomates, Minx (white) and Tidbit (black/white):







And of course, Mr. Grumpy himself:


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## plasticbunny (Aug 5, 2011)

Now that Molly has passed, I feel it is important to make nice with Gus. I'm spending a minimum of an hour a day laying on the floor of his room so he can get used to my presence. Today, he actually came out of his cage and explored the room while I was there, which is a big step forward! Normally he'd avoid me in any way possible, but today he came over to where I was laying and nudged me few times, and then hopped over to his toybox and sprawled out.


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Aug 5, 2011)

Awww. This might just be the start of a beautiful new friendship with my grumpy pants. ^.^


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## JadeIcing (Aug 5, 2011)

He may come around more because he misses her. My lop boy was the best of all my bunnies. I miss him.


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## Wabbitdad12 (Aug 7, 2011)

I am so sorry about Molly.

Your puppies are beautiful. My wife and I had beautiful flowering plantsaround one of the corners of your patio when we moved in. Our dogs had other plans, that corner isnow crabgrass.


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## plasticbunny (Aug 7, 2011)

*I'm guilty!*

I forced bonding from Gus last night, and I think it went well!

Instead of laying in his room on the floor, which results in him basically ignoring me, I caught him and brought him downstairs to watch TV with the family :biggrin:. I really did not want to "force" him to do anything, but it seemed like a great idea after a glass of wine, lol.

Anyway, I plopped him down on the chair next to me where he sat for a good hour. After awhile he seemed to relax a bit instead of sulking in an unresponsive ball (which is pretty much Gus being friendly, as opposed to thumping/ biting/ running for his life). I felt like asking him, who ARE you?

I'm thinking I should do this every night, in addition to laying with him in his room. Thoughts???


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## TinysMom (Aug 8, 2011)

Sounds good - next time - have treats too!


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## Kipcha (Aug 8, 2011)

That's pretty much what I do with all buns... And I agree with Peg, have treats at the ready. Soon enough, Gus will be putty in your hands (Or you'll be putty in his, whatever works! )


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## plasticbunny (Aug 10, 2011)

*GUS UPDATE: *He still thumps and runs away when I try to approach him, but will generally stay still after a few tries and stand rigid while I pet him. Hopefully one day he'll realize that I don't mean danger, and stop thumping . I've also discovered that he'll take oats from my hand, which he won't do with anything else, so I've been trying to do that as often as I can without making him fat!

*ME UPDATE: *For this, you may need some background information.

When I was younger, I had gotten in with a bad crowd and had started using drugs. To get moneyto supportmy nasty habits, I would regularly steal money from my parent's wallets. I was kicked out at the age of 15.

This led to me dropping out of school, in part because I now needed a full-time job to support myself and also because I wasn't making the best choices at that time in my life. Suffice it to say, I left school with basically a grade 9 education.

Eventually, I did decide to quit drugs on my own when I was 18. I literally decided one day that I just wasn't going to do them any more, and stopped. The withdrawls were terrible, but I never went back. I've been fortunate enough since then to go and speak to groups of children about the horrors of drugs and what they can do to you and I have found it to be quite healing.

Anyway, to get back on topic, I was now 19 with barely any education, working dead end job after dead end job. I had done fast food, warehouse work, retail, and odd jobs, but I decided to follow my passion and find someone who would apprentice me as a tattoo artist. I was able to find someone, and after a very short apprenticeship, a position opened up at the shop I was working at. I became a full time artist and was actually quite good... but all good things must come to an end. The market in the city I live in was poor for tattoos and it takes a long time to build up a decent cliental. It simply was not enough money and the pay was too sporadic. I decided to leave and get a job with a paycheck.

I stopped tattooing five years ago and have since worked a lot of retail. At 23, I finally went back to school and took a course at the local college to get my high school equivalency. It really didn't do much for me but I'm glad I made the effort to get it, and I no longer label myself as a "drop-out". But still, it only gets you so far and I am only qualified for what I'm doing now, which is, you guessed it,retail.

Now I am almost 26 and I've decided to start my life and go back to school, but I'm having a hard time deciding what to take. I don't have the option to take a lousy four-year course that proves to be useless, and then go back for something else. If I take something, it needs to be the final decision of what I want to do with the rest of my life. These are the options so far of what I've been considering and why, and the cons of each:

*Veterinary* *Technician:* I love animals, I love science, it is only a two-year course at college. *Cons:* The pay averages at $25,000, it's hard to find full-time work, I can be very opinionated if I think I'm right and I'm not sure a vet would appreciate that.

*Veterinarian:* I love animals, I love science, it pays very well, the hours are good, I can specialize in exotics, I like to be "the boss". *Cons:* The schooling is long, I would need to move a couple of hours away for school and I'm sure Rob and I would not stay together if that happened.

*Upper Management, retail:* Within my comfort zone, I like to sell, I like to be "the boss", taking a short 2-year business course would set me apart, it can pay decently (about $40,000 for the type of store I'm thinking of). *Cons:* Extremely stressful, long hours, it's depressing to imagine myself in retail for the rest of my life.

*Physiotherapist:* I love science, it pays well ($60,000 to start), the hours are good, you can be your own boss and even own your own business. *Cons:* Only that the schooling is long -6 years of university plus about 2 years beforehand to get caught up with my prerequisites.

I'm honestly trying to think, If I could be anything in the world, what would it be? But also, what is realistic? I'd love to be a doctor, but is it realistic for me to do that? No.

Anyway, it's all just very depressing and stressful for me right now.


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## JadeIcing (Aug 10, 2011)

The first one... I have a friend did it and here we are 4yrs later still no job and she is doing retail.

Second... LOTS of School!

Third would be my choice.

Fourth would be cool.


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## Ashleighh (Aug 11, 2011)

Hey Erin, just read all of your blog and love your stories. (I'm also sorry for your losses this year and I hope Gus opens up!)

Personally I think "Upper Management, retail" would be the best choice for you 

-Ashleigh


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## Brittany85 (Aug 11, 2011)

Hmm I think that upper management is a really good job and not depressing at all! Not like you are just working retail minimum wage forever.
You have tons of experience and from knowing you a bit I think you would do very well!


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## plasticbunny (Aug 11, 2011)

Well, I'm really not sure about retail management, and I'll tell you why. First of all, the hours I would have to work would be around 60 - 80 hours a week, so I'd basically have no time for anything or anyone else. Secondly, I'd be stressed all the time, always worried about work, and I don't think I'd be very happy. And thirdly, it is really easy to work for a company for 20 years or more, and get laid off as you near retirement, so that the company doesn't have to pay your pension. I'm not saying all companies are like this, but I've witnessed it twice before, and it makes me rather paranoid.

I'm really leaning towards physiotherapist. Anyone have thoughts on that?


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## plasticbunny (Aug 11, 2011)

Thanks, Ashleigh!


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## BunniBee (Aug 11, 2011)

I'm sorry to hear about your losses. I know I would be devastated. I used to have ferrets and decided they are way to hard to lose so I won't ever have more. But I do miss the little snots. 

I have no advice on schooling. I wanted to go into ecology and environment but once I hit Physics, I decided I would go nuts if I had to take one more "math" class. So, I got my associates in Laboratory Technology and do not like the work so I am still in my old job. I so want to work with animals on some level, but the pay for it is not outstanding and it would rack up even more student loans.... I wish you luck in your decisions.


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Aug 11, 2011)

Wow, Erin. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us! Were very similar in that i have gone through much the same as you, except i wasn't kicked out, i ran away when i was 14. Reasons were a little different but the end result was much the same. I am still not on the best terms with my family and hope that will change in time (i am now 30). 

I have also decided that i want to become and exotics vet specialist! The only problem is that to study veterinary medicine in Australia, you have to either get 98% on your SAT's (given that my memory is pretty terrible, i don't see that ever happening) or a distinction average in 1st year science. So i have decided that i will shoot for a distinction average in 1st year science instead which would mean a total of 4yrs study.

So my initial suggestion would be a little biased lol, but i would suggest that you take time to think about it. And really pick something that you're going to be happy doing. Don't settle for something just for the money because the last thing anyone wants is to be unhappy in their job, just working to make a living and not enjoying it.

Also wanted to let you know that although 4-6yrs seems like a lot, it really isn't! In 4yrs you'll be 30, and 30 is the new 20! Lots of people are starting to live their lives much later than they were 30yrs ago. People aren't getting married, having families and in a lot of cases, finding their career path until their 30's. So please, please, please don't let the amount of time be the ultimate deciding factor, because if being a Vet or a Psych will make you happy in the long run, i say go for it. =)


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## Bunnylova4eva (Aug 12, 2011)

back to the bunny- but I just wanted to say, I've loved reading all your bunny stories!  Gus looks *just* *just* *JUST* like my little Charlie who is now back with the breeder. *sniff sniff. boy of boy do I miss that little bunny.


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## gemgnir (Aug 14, 2011)

Hi Erin! I have loved reading all of your blog, but am so saddened by all of your losses. Praying for you, and for your bonding with Gus. Love all the pics! Keep 'em coming!

Meg


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## Wabbitdad12 (Aug 14, 2011)

Thanks for sharing your story. You should be proud of what you accomplished so far, I am very impressed, with your determination you will be able to achieve a lot.

This is the advice I have given my kids, do what makes you happy, money is good but when it comes down to it, happiness is what counts. The money for living will be there. I had to learn that lesson the hard way, I had a very good job, making very very good money. However, I came home at the end of the day frustrated and angry. So money is not always the answer, it definitely helps, but having it can also make you miserable.

I wish you the best of luck in whatever decision you make.


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## MagPie (Aug 14, 2011)

Sorry about the loss of Molly. I've been silently following your blog.

Anyway, about the careers, I'd say any of them except upper management. I know that doesn't help much. But I work in retail for a big company and I would never do it myself. Then again I am tired of retail nor do I like it much. Plus they can do some shady stuff (like you mentioned) and it could take forever before you make any good money (I know I'm not).

Go for the schooling. Go for something you really love, whether or not it makes really good money.


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## plasticbunny (Aug 14, 2011)

Thank you everyone! :biggrin2:

It's lovely to have so much support! I do have some wonderful Gus updates, but you'll all have to wait until tomorrow, because I'm off to bed!


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## Brittany85 (Aug 14, 2011)

Yay you got your internet back!


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## plasticbunny (Aug 14, 2011)

Yay!

Oh ya, this is my first time on the forum in the last 24 hours because my internet died, and last night I was having some MAJOR withdrawls, lol. Think I have a problem?


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## Kipcha (Aug 15, 2011)

plasticbunny wrote:


> Yay!
> 
> Oh ya, this is my first time on the forum in the last 24 hours because my internet died, and last night I was having some MAJOR withdrawls, lol.Â  Think I have a problem?



Mhmm, I don't think so, I quite like the internet as well... But I'm just wondering what the wonderful Gus update is! :big wink:


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## plasticbunny (Aug 17, 2011)

OK, OK, I've made you guys wait long enough, so here goes...

GUS LICKED ME!

I always hear, "my rabbit gives me kisses" or "my rabbit licks me all the time"... But seriously, the only rabbit that has ever licked me is BunBuns, and she only started about a month before I lost her. And so, considering my never ending jealousy of bunny-kissed owners, and the fact that Gus (until recently) HATES me, this is big news! I mean, Gus is only 6 months old, so that means I could be in for YEARS of bunny lovin'!

This is how it all started: Rob felt like watching some guy movie that I really wasn't inthe mood for, so I decided to lay upstairs in bed and pop Gus down on it with me. After a bit of excited scampering, he settled down and spread out. I couldn't help myself, I had to nuzzle him, and do you know what he did? He pancaked for a groom request!

So, I nuzzled his head and ears with my nose, and then... he looked up, and LICKED MY NOSE!

Last night, I laid with him on the bed again, where he proceeded to hop up on my chest and groom my eyebrow. We are making great strides, people!

*MORE GUS NEWS:*

Get ready to call me crazy, but I've decided to make Gus more a part of the family, and so I'm going to start bringing him places! I'm actually very excited about it. I've already bought a little carrier that's just his size to carry him around in. Just like this:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2750635

I put it in his pen and I cant tell if he REALLY likes it, or he REALLY hates it. He`ll go in sometimes, but then he gets all squimy and starts digging at it which could either be good or bad, I can`t tell. It isnt the way he acts with his hard shell carrier at all, and he loves that. Oh well, all in time I suppose!


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## Brittany85 (Aug 17, 2011)

I already know this but again, YAY! Gus is going to be a good bunny soon I can just feel it.

Have a good day off tomorrow and a good anniversary with the boyfriend


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## gemgnir (Aug 17, 2011)

Oh my gosh!!!! I'm SO excited for you and Gus! That is awesome!! I'm gonna try nuzzling Levi more... I want groomed eyebrows, danget! 

I agree! These are great strides!!!


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## Kipcha (Aug 17, 2011)

Wow, that just AWESOME! I am so glad to hear your bonding is going so well with Gus!

I know a few people will dissaprove of taking your rabbits with you, but I think people really underestimate these little guys. I mean, my rabbits have gone EVERYWHERE with me and I've never had a problem. In fact, I stand by the fact that it's because I take them everywhere that I have such a close bond with each of my buns.

Hope Gus loves travelling as much as my guys do!


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## JadeIcing (Aug 17, 2011)

I am so happy for you.


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## Brittany85 (Aug 17, 2011)

I have a carrier as well and it is lots of fun bringing Freddie to Petsmart with me. I wouldn't bring a super nervous rabbit in it but Freddie is so relaxed I never worry about him being stressed. I agree I think it creates a stronger bond.


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## plasticbunny (Aug 17, 2011)

Well, today is Rob's and my 5 year anniversary! 5 loooooong years, lol.

Since we both have bad colds right now, we are celebrating by staying in, guzzling cough syrup, and rubbing Vicks all over each other.

How romantic :heartbeat:


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## JadeIcing (Aug 18, 2011)

Congrats


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## Wabbitdad12 (Aug 21, 2011)

Congratulations!


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Aug 21, 2011)

Happy anniversary and im so glad to hear that Gus has warmed up to you! That's wonderful news! ^.^


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## TinysMom (Aug 21, 2011)

I just read about your anniversary - I understand how that can feel - we've been married 32 years now and had a few anniversaries like that.


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## plasticbunny (Sep 29, 2011)

UPDATE!!! YAY! (it's about time)

Well, let's start with Gus: Mr. Grumpy Pants has gotten much better, and is starting to - dare I say - like me? I've demolished his exercise pen and he now had the whole room to himself, all day and night. I like to go and lay on the floor to read and let him jump on my legs and lick my nose. I must remember to post pictures of his new little outfits, it's too cute.

If anyone is familiar with my other recent posts, I'm engaged! Rob has (finally) asked me to marry him. Now, I'm not a poofy frufru sort of girl, but not a tomboy either. I like casual, simple, stress-free. For this reason, my ideal wedding dream has always seen me and my groom alone in some beautiful private outdoor area. I'm in my simple white summer dress, he's in his simple shirt and tie. We marry, then go on a nice elaborate vacation (which we can afford, because we didn't have to feed a hundred people), where I will lay on the beach in a skimpy bikini drinking gin and tonics. And when we come home we invite all of our friends and family out to dinner and SURPRISE!

Well, that is not how it's going to happen.

The first problem is how much it costs to actually hire someone to marry you outside of an establishment. My real priority has always been to just have a really nice honeymoon, so we decided together that we should save the money and spend the $200 to get married at the courthouse. I'm fine with this.

The second problem came when I realized that the courthouse needs you to have two witnesses who actually know you, present for the ceremony. How do you choose just two people? If you choose one, well, it's rude to not invite this person or that person. Long story short, we've ended up with the full ten guests that we are allowed: My parents, my sister, my grandmother, my close friend Sarah, Rob's three children, his brother, and his friend Tony.

So now it's actually a WEDDING. Joy. Oh, but it gets better...

When Rob and I first met, I was a scrawny 105 lbs. At 5'7", this was disgustingly underweight. Scince then, I've quit smoking and started to eat, well, a bit more than what's necessary. I ballooned to 180 lbs in the last 5 years. A couple of weeks ago, at work, a customer congratulated me on my pregnancy. I'm not pregnant. Devastated, I knew I had to kick this weight once and for all and started to take the baby steps in the right direction. My goal was set for June, and we could get married then.

Now, Rob has just started a new course at school which actually will be running right through the summer, and so the only time we can actually go on our honeymoon is during reading week, which is in FEBRUARY. Um, 50 lbs in 5 months??? Are you freakin' kidding me??? But, I have to do it if I want to wear a teeny bikini on our honeymoon. I WILL NOT sacrifice my honeymoon dream. To motivate myself even further, I've already purchased my dress (which is no longer a summer dress, btw, because an actal wedding seemed to require something a bit more formal), and ordered it just a bit bigger than my goal size so I can get it tailored to fit perfectly. I have no choice but to lose the weight or I'll be stuck with a dress I'll never wear and be out a few hundred bucks.

Well, I suppose that's enough ranting for now. I'm off to toss a salad for lunch and then walk the 2.5 miles to work. I leave you with pictures of my dress (which will be white, not blue):












And of course my engagement ring!


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Sep 29, 2011)

You can doooo eeeeet Erin! But you don't need to toss salads to get there! That is unless of course you're into that kinda thing. >.>

Sorry i just couldn't help myself hehehehe.

Seriously though, i can tell that you're the kind of person who can achieve almost anything when you put your mind to it, im sure you'll reach your goal weight in time! And the dress is lovely btw! 

Keep us updated with the weight loss, it might help to keep you motivated, just a thought but I'll be cheering you on anyway.arty0002:


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## plasticbunny (Sep 29, 2011)

Thanks Annette!!

I'm happy to say that I've already lost 10 lbs in the last couple of weeks, but you know what they say - the first ten comes off the easiest. I actually don't mind the salad. I feel like it brings Gus and I closer together, lol. Plus, I use a reasonable amount of creamy dressing, so it's still tasty.

By the end of the day, I'm getting about 8 servings of veggies, 3 servings protein, 3 servings carbs, 2 servings fruit, 2 servings dairy, and lots of water.

A sample day is:

Breakfast: Big bowl of high fiber cereal and skim milk, one coffee with fiber supplement.

Lunch: Three cups of greens tossed with various colors of peppers, tomato, chicken, maybe some apple or grapes, maybe a sprinkle of cheese or bacon bits, and about three tablespoons creamy dressing.

Dinner: A variation of lunch, or a meat with a steamed veggie like broccoli.

Snacks: fruit or yogurt, although I find that my meals are so well-balanced that I'm rarely hungry.

I'm also drinking only a couple times a week, as opposed to my regular almost nightly routine, and I'm only drinking red wine.


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Sep 29, 2011)

That sounds like a great meal plan. Food can still be healthy and tasty. And we do need some fat in our diet! 

I'm a huge fan of salads, not so much because they are healthy but because i just love them. Not without dressing though... i mean i love my rabbits but im not willing to eat like them lol. xD

A fav salad of mine is thai beef and chicken salad. I sometimes make it at home, and if im not in the mood for that flavor but want a "meaty" salad i will do a dark leaf lettuce with halved cherry tomatoes, a grilled steak (ours are very small compared to the steaks you get in the US, ours are probably considered XXS lol, about the size of your palm but not as thick) sliced thin with a vinaigrette dressing and a shaving of parmasan on top! There's about 4 times as much salad than there is meat just to give an idea of ratio, but anyone can adjust it to how they like it.


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## Brittany85 (Sep 30, 2011)

OOH I love the dresss!!!
And I know you can lose the weight!! 

See you soon!

xoxoxo


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Sep 30, 2011)

I have to apologise because i have a bad habbit of assuming everyone is from the US when you're clearly from Canada! >.<


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## plasticbunny (Oct 5, 2011)

YAAAY!! Well, we picked our honeymoon destination...Jamaica! We found an adorable little resort, 3.5 stars, but it has better online customer reviews than most of the 5 star resorts. And here is everything that's included (click on link):


http://webstar.softvoyage.com/cgi-b...EN&REFWHATID=101&CSS=&AGENCYID=&HOTELID=19113

And a Youtube walkthrough I found (which you may find incredibley boring, lol):

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRW2wOyhu6w[/ame]

I really like the look of this place. I even found a five star resort vacation package that was on special for $900 a head, but I chose this place instead. It has such a freindly feel to it!


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## jeanluc_pippen_merry (Oct 6, 2011)

Jamaica! Woohoo! I watched the vid and the water looks amazing! If i was there no one would be able to pull me out of the water, I'd be in there all day lol.


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## plasticbunny (Oct 7, 2011)

I know, right? That's what everyone keeps saying in the reviews, that the water is the clearest they've ever seen. I can't wait!

I also have to mention that I have officially lost 13 lbs! People are now telling me that they notice a difference, which feels amazing. Actually, I haven't been at this weight since last December. It's inspiring! To celebrate my success, I just bought a bikini that I hope to wear on my honeymoon. Here it is:


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## MarisaAndToby (Oct 7, 2011)

Ow ow!! I LOVE that bikini! Very pretty... now I want one too


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## plasticbunny (Oct 7, 2011)

Lol! Ebay, ladies!

I also got these, in a size slightly larger than my goal size (so I can tailor to fit, if necessary):
















And this is the dress I purchased for the dinner we're having after the wedding, except I had it made in powder-blue instead of white:


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## MagPie (Oct 7, 2011)

Ooooh I like that bikini. Will it be that color?

Haha I kind of want one, tho I really don't like buying online. I have to see it on me, since I have more curves than that model and most models.


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## Wabbitdad12 (Oct 16, 2011)

Jamaica is where my wife and I wanted to go on our honeymoon. The Air Force changed my orders and we had to settle for a quick weekend in Chicago.

I know you can accomplish your goals!


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## JadeIcing (Oct 22, 2011)

Love your taste in clothes and the colors.


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