# Rocket, Emily and Bennie



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 2, 2007)

This is a picture of Emily (in the foreground) and Rocket (behind) fromMidwest Rabbit, but now they are in our house and in a pin.They seem to be happy munching the hay box I made and in their littlehouse I made them as well. They are in a standard NIC pin,but I will be making a NIC condo when I get some free time.

Here is the link to their Petfinder:http://search.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=7827957

Thanks to Dominique and Rochelle at Midwest Rabbit for taking the timeto help us pick our new bunnies. Now hopefully I can prymyself away so I can get enough sleep for work tomorrow. 

I will take pictures after they get situated a bit more.

_Chris

_*P.S.* I really should get to bed... I took a few pictures of the cage and bunnies in action:





All this poo was just after a few hours of construction of the cage.





I really need to get them used to the litter box, it looks barely used.





Here is the size of the cage, a 3x3 NIC cage. I really amthinking of making it a 2x3 cage if I do a condo, since they will havemore room to move in it. The nice thing is that they can roamaround plenty in the height of 1 NIC cube, so I am sure they will enjoya condo situation.





Here is the house I made them out of 2 packing boxes. Just alittle thread to hold the sides together, just in case they try tonibble it won't hurt them. Also that ball is a chew block.





There is Emily after getting quick drink of water.





Here is Rocket munching on some pellets.





Emily is enjoying some hay, though she did push Rocket out by accidentin order to get to the hay. Don't worry, they both get plentyof it.

That's the pictures for tonight. They haven't tried to escape yet, so that's a good sign.


----------



## Krystalily (Apr 2, 2007)

Yay! They look like they are getting settled in rather nicely! 

:colors:


----------



## Haley (Apr 2, 2007)

Hurray! Im so happy you took those two. :hug:

I met them about a month ago and it just broke my heart that they wereturned into the rescue, they seemed so loving and sweet. Last week whenI was there they were standing up and just begging for pets every timeI walked by their pen.They are just adorable!

Congrats! 

PS. You may want to get a large cat litter box for them, that willencourage them to goin more-Ive used that corner one beforeand its just a little small. If youbuy a cat one and put abig handull of hay in one corner that should help. A lot of bunnies atthe shelter sort oflose their litter box habits becausetheyre marking so much due to the smell of so many other buns. It maytake afew weeks for them to get used to it. Good luck!


----------



## jordiwes (Apr 2, 2007)

I am IN LOVE with these two. Congrats!!!


----------



## Haley (Apr 3, 2007)

We need more pics, you should start a blog when you guys have a chance!


----------



## naturestee (Apr 3, 2007)

Congrats! I _love_ Emily. Her face is just too cute!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 3, 2007)

Things are going well so far, however they keepmarking their territory by pooing everywhere in their box and then theymoved their potty box and peed in the corner. Luckily for meI put down a shower curtain, so I can just wipe it up when needed withvinegar.

When it is pellet time, we try to spend some time with the bunnies byopening the cage and sitting outside of it and feeding pellets to thebunnies. Hopefully that will give them the sense we're therefor them.

_Chris_


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 3, 2007)

I took 15 minutes between work (I work fromhome) and cleaned the cage. Where they moved the litter boxwas a redish color water. It didn't look like blood, butmaybe it was. Do you think that one of the bunnies got hurtor is the redish color just urine? I am worried about that.

Otherwise they look happy and healty and the redish stuff wasn'ttracked anywhere around the cage, though they were trying to dig thereas well (there is a rip in the shower curtain). I cleaned upeverything with 409 then wiped it down with vinegarafterwards. It looks good now, though some input would begreat.

_Chris_


----------



## star_tigress (Apr 3, 2007)

I had fun last weekend meeting the volunteers atthe rescue shelter &amp; other buns along with Emily and Rocket. I even got Krystalily and her hubby to come with us. 

Chris_Kewl and I made the living room mostly bunny-proof but there arestill some odds and ends to pick up before Emily &amp; Rocket canbe able to hop anywhere in our place because I read that they needexercise time up to two hours. Granted, I'm still learning new thingsand also continuing to read the guides in Bunny 101.

I'm really glad we finally got to adopt those bunnies and I hope they're happy with what we've offered them so far. :bunnydance:


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 3, 2007)

My mom brought up a good point. Shesays that our bunnies need salt. How do I salt the bunnies?Or is that necessary if I am giving them pellets?

Any ideas would be grateful!

_Chris_


----------



## Krystalily (Apr 3, 2007)

Your bunnies need salt? :what



I've never heard of this. I've heard of horses getting salt, but notbunnies. I would have to say that I wouldn't worry about it, but I'mgoing to leave this one up to more experienced bunny peeps.


----------



## Krystalily (Apr 3, 2007)

Taken from: http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/trivia.shtml

*Question: *Do rabbits need salt blocks?
*Answer: *No. The average pellet provides enough salt foryour rabbit's needs. However using a salt lick will not harm yourbunny.


----------



## Haley (Apr 3, 2007)

yup, a lot of people give salt licks because they think bunnies need them. They dont. 

PS. Love the new avatar. Those two remind me a bit of my bonded dutch pair, Basil and Max.


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 4, 2007)

Okay,after a few days of them gettingused to their 3 by 3 by 2 NIC pin, I made them a 2 storeycondo. The problem is that they don't want to go up the rampto the second floor. I put their house up there, which theylove to go into (as that it is full of fur and they like to rest in it.

However, right now they just sit at the bottom floor, where the hay,litter box, water bowl is. I put some pellets on the ramp andon the 2nd floor, hoping that they go up there and see that theirthings are up there. Though, I don't think my rabbits arejumpers (there is a 3 inch leap from the top of the ramp to the nextfloor).

Ideas?

_Chris_


----------



## Haley (Apr 4, 2007)

hmm. I think I would try not to change anythingelse in the next week or so. It takes a bunny a while to get used tohis/her new environment so the less change the better. 

For the second level, just give them some time. Most bunnies dont needa ramp and can jump up and down on their own, so they may not ever useit. You could try putting a few raisins up there for now. Also, what isthe floor like up there? If its slippery at all they might not want togo up. 

I would give them some time with it and see how it goes. Ihavea pair who loves their second level and then I haveanother pair who never went up onto the second level so I just removedit. 

They are lucky to have such attentive parents though!


----------



## loopylou (Apr 4, 2007)

Hi.

your rabbits are very lucky, and look so sweet.Ishouldn't worry to much about finding redish coluor you found, i readthat rabbits urine can be that colour so i'd say it was that.

Hope they are doing well.

:apollo:Louise


----------



## star_tigress (Apr 4, 2007)

Thanks Louise.  So far they're doing well. In fact...

Our bunnies somehow escaped during the night. In fact I kept dreamingabout them being out! So weird... anyways, I woke up feeling verydisturbed so went downstairs to check on them.

The cage was empty. :shock:

Looked under the kitchen table, there were Rocket and Emily!  Theyhopped around when they saw me. I was really trying hard not to laughand went back upstairs to get Chris.

Seems not to have caused many damages but Chris is going to check thecords to make sure damage hasn't been done to them because the livingroom wasn't 100% bunny proof. ( It was 90% bunny-proofed, we were stillworking on that last 10% but this happened.) I'm pretty sure he'll workextra hard today to make sure the environment is completely safe forthem while I'm at classes and he's working. We're also watching them tosee if they're fine. Hopefully they are! So far they're acting fine asfar as I've observed since adopting them. A bit more outgoing maybe ... But that's not a bad thing, right?

We also may need to get a second litter box for outside the cage incase they escape again because when they got out after working the cagedoor loose, it closed behind them and they didn't know how to open itagain. So I stepped in a few wet spots in the carpet. Not a big deal.DH says it's Rocket marking his territory.

It was a lovely way to wake up for sure. :bunnydance:


----------



## Haley (Apr 4, 2007)

haha I think we've all had that happen to us at least a few times. 

Those caribeener (sp?) clips work well to latch the door shut. Mybunnies are all escape artists (especially my Lucy who is so tiny shecan fit through the smallest crack) so I know what its like to wake upto bunnies (and poo ) everywhere. 

Its hard to me mad at them when they look so sweet and innocent, isnt it?


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 4, 2007)

I just measured, cut and folded the coroplast afew minutes ago, I need to find some tape so I can remove the showercurtain and replace it with this.

Since the cage was moved around, the rabbits are going in the cornerwhere the litter box used to be, so I will have to move the cagecompletely, scrub everything clean. I will let them runaround while I do that. I need to clean their litter boxtoday, it's only been up since Sunday night and I can already smell it.

The good news is both Emily and Rocket are going up and down the rampwith no problems now. They are happy in their house and cango downstairs to potty, which is what they have been doing...Though doing it in the wrong area.

My only concern for right now is if we're approaching the rabbits tooquickly. I heard we should leave them in the cage for a weekand let them "absorb" then let them out. My issue with thatis cleaning and caring for the rabbits. Everyday I go andclean their cage. Am I wrong? Any help would beappreciated.

_Chris_


----------



## Haley (Apr 4, 2007)

All rabbits are different. If they seem to befine with you reaching in and cleaning, then go ahead. From the littlecontact I had with them at the shelter they seemed like they adjustedwell and were good with people. Bunnies like that dont need as muchalone time. Some bunnies are terrified of new people and places andthose bunnies need to be left alone more.

Its your call. Just use your best judgment and if you think they are fine and adapting well, Im sure they are


----------



## Kawaii608 (Apr 4, 2007)

they are soo cute. what breed are they? And what breed are the rabbits in petfinders called "bunny rabbits"


----------



## Haley (Apr 4, 2007)

*Kawaii608 wrote:*


> they are soo cute. what breed are they? And what breed arethe rabbits in petfinders called "bunny rabbits"


They are dutch. When petfinder lists a rabbit as "rabbit" or "bunny rabbit" its just because they dont know the breed.


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 5, 2007)

Yesterday I spent the day making the coroplastboxand I must say that it was so worth it. I doneed to get some D-Rings to close the bottom part of the cage when I amnot trying to enter it, I have some cheap clips that I found around thehouse and they are not doing any justice. I also need to geta side clipping hay bin forthe bunnies, the cardboard one Imade keeps getting knocked over, plus there is limited room now withthe ramp. I also need to velcro the litter tray to the bottomof the coroplast, the buns are redecorating and making the litter go onthe bottom of the tray.

When I am finished shopping and getting everything done on the cagetonight, I will take pictures of how it looks. I like it andI thinkour buns like it too. 

_Chris_


----------



## Haley (Apr 5, 2007)

Your bunnies sure are spoiled! Dont you just love the coroplast? It makes clean up so much easier. 

Cant wait for new pics!


----------



## Michaela (Apr 5, 2007)

I could have sworn I had replied to this thread...I remember typing it:?
Anyway, OMG Rocket and Emily are so cute!!:inlove: Are theycompletely dutch? Is it just me or does anybody else think they looklike there's a bit of netherland dwarf in them?

I know all about escape artist here too:tongutwo:


----------



## amundb (Apr 5, 2007)

Velcro! Why didn't I think of thatbefore? Magnet is insistent on flipping his tray overlately. Awesome, thanks for the tip! :elephant:


----------



## Haley (Apr 5, 2007)

*Michaela wrote:*


> Anyway, OMG Rocket and Emily are so cute!! Arethey completely dutch? Is it just me or does anybody else think theylook like there's a bit of netherland dwarf in them?


I think they are pure dutch, just smaller. Ive seen somedutch with shorter ears and blunt heads like that (maxs head is alittle like that). They were 4-H bunnies I think.


----------



## star_tigress (Apr 5, 2007)

I know all about disappearing posts.   It happens to me all the time.

Yes, Emily and Rocket are so cute! Last night, they exploredpractically everywhere in the living room and I could have sworn theydid some binkies. Rocket kept sniffing me and Chris. Emily was morereserved though, occasionally sniffing and mostly laying under thekitchen table.

This morning, Rocket let me pet him. Emily though, kept going down tothe first level whenever I came through the living room. Once, when Igot home from my class, she bolted for the litter corner on the firstlevel while Chris was petting her. (She was on the second level.):tongutwo:h34r2 I know, I'm probably mean but I didn't mean tostartle her by just opening the door.

I think when we get new pictures and videos, we'll make a blog in Bunny Blogs and continue from there.


----------



## Haley (Apr 5, 2007)

If you want I can always move this to the bunny blog section and change the title so you still have these other pics.

I just love these two! Sounds like you guys are doing great with them!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 6, 2007)

Here is the completed NIC cage, I couldn't findmy velcro so I just used some duct tape under the items.Still unmovable and works quite well.






This is a 3x2x2 condo, these guys are 1/2 the height of a square sothey can walk freely around without problems in there. Whenthey want, they can go upstairs to the second floor. Iaccidently was a 1/2 inch too wide when making thesides ofthe coroplast, so the bottom looks bowed out a little. Idon't mind as long as it works. Haley gave me a great idea toclose the cage... D-Rings work fine.





Firmly taped to the ground is the litter box. They reallyhaven't had too many complaints about it, thank goodnes. Nextto it is a strapped on hay feeder. Since the NIC cubes wiresare far apart, I had to use zip ties to help stabalize it.You'll notice I use the NIC cube plastic holders as well as zipties. I even zip tied the holders to the NIC cube so theywouldn't come apart. This allowed fora stable 2ndfloor without using plywood.





The hole under the stairs is covered because that's where the oldlitter box was and they were liking to use it as a secondary pottyarea, so I blocked it and put a coroplast barrier there. Alsothe cardboard box below helps for them to climb up the ramp.The ramp covering is an old pair of blue jeans.





The 2nd floor is carpeted with some reminant we found when we movedinto the townhouse. I wanted them to be able to enjoy theirpatio. 





The cutting wasn't exactly perfect, but the hole for the ramp looksgood enough. They seem pleased and go up and down all thetime. I have a 2nd watering station (water bottle) and somepellets when they want to lounge up here.

You will also notice that there is no ceiling on the 2ndfloor. That is because my bunnies are not jumpers and theheight of the NIC cube is nearly the height when they stand on 2 legs,so there isn't any way they could jump from the 2nd floor that I knowof.

Here is some other pictures:





Emily sneaking around my wife's feet (you can see the NIC cube box beside her).





It's time for some pellets, look at them enjoying that bowl of pellets. You can tell they are fed well.

Today has been productive and Emily and Rocket did some binkies and ranaround the apartment very happily. We still need to unpack inthe livingroom, but I am pleased with today's work.

Time to go and round them up for bed. Nite!

_Chris_


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 6, 2007)

Last night I dumped a bunch of vinegar in thebox and wiped it clean; remembering this when I woke up I checked onthe buns and they were very good about not peeing in the samespot. Though, they are still pooing a bit around thebox. Thank goodness that is easy to clean, but still wouldlike them to have near 100% accuracy.

Haley suggests I should switch to a larger box? Do you think it's just them marking their their territory?

Thanks,

_Chris_


----------



## JadeIcing (Apr 6, 2007)

Oh my god. I am so happy you got some bunnies of your own. Three cheers for new bunnies!

[align=center]arty0002:arty0002:arty0002:[/align]


----------



## Haley (Apr 6, 2007)

I think if they are peeing in their litter boxyou should be fine with that one. I know I just had trouble with itbecause my boys would stick their chubby butts over the side

Some stray poops are normal. They could just me marking their territoryright now. Also, some bunnies are never 100% great with the box, andwill leave little poops around. One thing you can do to help discouragethis is to pick them up whenever you see them and put them in thelitter box. 

Ahh its so dignifying being a bunny owner, isnt it?


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 6, 2007)

I don't mind cleaning their poop, I used to clean cow and horse, this is cake compared to that. 

I wish they wouldn't get startled like they are right now, especiallyin morning/afternoon they seem to be easily startled. I willtry to give pets or a pellet or two and it's instantly out of the toplevel and to the bottom level. 

Well, that's good to hear. Yeah,the buns are small,they can sit all the way in the box without a problem. 

_Chris_


----------



## maherwoman (Apr 6, 2007)

Your two are SO CUTE!! I just love howmuch they look alike, yet subtle differences. What a cute couple...

And looks like you've done a really nice living space for them,too! Good job!  Be careful and watch tobe sure they're not consuming the carpet. My three girls loveto, so I can't give any of them carpet of any sort (can't even let themplay in the cat condo much, because they start tearing off carpet andtrying to eat it). Just something to watch for. Ifyou find you have to take out the carpet, you can get pegboard reallynice and cheap at a place like Home Depot, and they'll cut it to yourmeasurements in-store for free, too! 

Hugs to all,

Rosie and the Girls :bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:

P.S. You should make this your Bunny Blog! I can move it/change titles, etc. if you'd like!


----------



## star_tigress (Apr 6, 2007)

Sure! :hug:

We have more pictures. Chris was looking for the camcorder earlier but no dice so we'll have to wait a bit longer on videos..

Seems Emily and Rocket are settling in well - no biting of the carpetas far as I see. Last night was pretty funny - Rocket would run aroundthe living room really really fast and jumping in the process. Oh Iwish I had that on video!

Emily was just sitting under the table just chilling until she decidedshe wanted to eat the pellets with Rocket. I had to work on papers so Ihad to go upstairs to the office and leave Chris to their mercy.


----------



## maherwoman (Apr 6, 2007)

Okay, cool! I'll move this over to the Bunny Blog section for ya, then!

Let me know if you want to change the title, ok? 

Hugs!

Rosie and the Girls :bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 6, 2007)

I'm sure the camera is in a box somewhere, we'll find it right before we move again. 

The nice thing that I have to mention is that the bunnies went intotheir condo when they were ready and I just closed the bottomdoor. I hope this becomes a habit, saves me from corralingbuns night after night.

There is a little bit of pee next to the water dish, I assume becauseEmily washiding in the litter box. I am thinking Ineed to extend a bit on their cardboardhouse so they willfeel a bit more safe there so they won't hide downstairs.

_Chris_


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 11, 2007)

The good news is I finally got batteries in thecamera so I can take pictures, however with everything hectic going onI haven't had a chance to take pictures of the critters. Hereis the scoop though...

This weekend we bought some carrots and bananas, figured treats wouldbe nice to bond with our pets. Rabbits easily get addicted tobanana from what I understand, so I have been giving banana verysparingly, I usually eat 9/10 of it then split the last bit between thetwo rabbits. It's nice to have the rabbits eat from my handas well, maybe it will have them trust me a bit more. I havebeen doing the same thing with carrots.

Found out the pellets we have been feeding the rabbits are not good forthem, I am going to bitch to Hartz tomorrow about this. It'sfalse advertising, I guess. I posted about this overat:http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=20898

I have not noticed any more pee spots, which makes my lifehappier. Though they traded in the peeing in the box forchewing on cords. Either Rocket or Emily gnawed through thepower cord for my cordless phone and I assume they gnawed through theUSB plug for my PVR (it's being fickle). This weekend I'llhave to go through the house and patch cords and block those wiresagain.

I've noticed that Rocket and Emily are eating a lot more hay with thenew feeder. This is good. We got a 96oz bag ofTimothy Hay and a crawl tube. The buns are gnawing on thetube and going through it like a champ. Hopefully this willget them more active. I also bought them a cheapie wickerbasket (non glazed or nothing, smelled normal and tasted like wood tome). They are enjoying the new toys so far.

Other than that, we're getting greeted at the gate by Rocket most timeswe come down and when we put them out to run, both Emily and Rocketexplore around and find spots where they are happy, which isgood. Also with our kitchen floors being linoleum they don'tlike it, so they keep to the carpeted areas. That's good withme, I'd hate to be cooking and be tripped up by the buns.

The box is still covered with poo droppings. I got a handcleaner and duster (as well as a spray bottle with 50/50 water andvinegar mix) to clean the box. The goal is to not get myhands messy in the process. So far I am doing a good job andthe coroplast makes cleaning easy, though I wish they'd stick to theboxmore. I do have to say that there isaLOT more in the litter box than outside, so I should be grateful forthat.

We're planning on having friends over on Thursday, so I am curious howthat is going to play out. I think I may make a special penfor the buns to roam in for Thursday. I think we may cook outand I don't want them suddenly going outside from the back door.

That's pretty much it, it's 3:30am and I need to wake up at 10am forwork. I guess I just needed to chat a bit and update...

Note to self: Change battery in smoke alarm, the chirping is getting annoying.

_Chris_


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 12, 2007)

As I promised this morning, I would havepictures... Here they are, in all of their sepia-tone glory(we really need a new digital camera). Rocket is a camera hogand will get into any picture.





I wanted to take a few pictures of Emily, since she's the real shyone. We just held Rocket for 15 minutes and gave him pets tohelp settle him down. We even just gave a carrot and bananapiece. The calming down didn't last long...





Rocket: I see you're taking pictures, can I join in on the fun?
Emily (doing a double-take): It's my time to shine!





Emily: This is me, take the pictures, get it over with quickly.





Rocket: Is it too late to take my pose?
Emily: Forget it, sheesh! Brothers suck!





I don't think Emily and Rocket were on speaking terms for a few moments...





Finally Rocket went and said he was sorry.





I was able to capture a picture of Emily grabbing some stray hay from the outside of the hay feeder.





Rocket: Enough pictures of my sis, it's my turn!





_Emily hides her face in shame._





Rocket: Do you think this is my best side?





Rocket: Are you even paying attention to me?





Rocket: Here is my best side!





Rocket: ... Am I cute or what?





When I tried to take a picture of Emily in the inside the cage, where she hid from Rocket's camera-hogging antics.
Rocket: Ooh so this is where the hay is, it looks so yummy, let me have a bite.





Rocket: ... Fine, take a picture of Emily. Sheesh, you never take pictures of me.

So that's the buns, enjoy the pics!

_Chris_


----------



## Haley (Apr 12, 2007)

Love the new pics! These two are quickly becoming my favorites here on the forum. They are just precious.

Oh, and for the cords..something Ive found that works great is thiscorrugated plastic tubing you can buy:http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12079&amp;forum_id=17Ifound mine at autozone for very cheap. I found out the hard way thatbunnies love to chew phone cords and especially laptop power cords!

Yeah, and Hartz food is pretty crummy. I bought Kaytee Fiesta foryears, never knowing how horrible that was for my guys. I switched toKaytee Timothy Complete and its wonderful. They are much healthier now.


----------



## HoneyPot (Apr 12, 2007)

Gret new pictures!! You and Haley...make my crave a pair of dutch rabbit for my very own. I can't wait for you to get some video up - I love yourtwo already!!

____________
Nadia


----------



## star_tigress (Apr 12, 2007)

Chris is a wiring extraordinaire.  If he canfix my alarm clock by splicing a plug for a non-functional item onto myalarm clock plug wire (the plug itself was broken and mangled and itwas a custom made one) - and make it work like a charm, hecan fix the phone, etc. even if they were all chewed up by the buns. It'll take a disaster to stop him from repairing things. 

That's probably the reason why I married him.  (Kidding, sweetheart! I love you.)

Rocket let me hold him. :bunnyheart I even got to carry him around fora few before Chris wanted to hold him. Emily's still very shy. She willnow let me pet her but if she thinks I am going to pick her up, shewill hop away really quickly.

This weekend, we're getting videos for sure!:happydanceThis smiley faceis actually how I feel right now considering I've been extremelylethargic for the past couple months due to a medical reason and yes,I'm so happy to get energy back.

Question - where will we find those pellets that's good for them? Allthe pellets we checked out at Pet Supplies Plus were all not so good.Chris said they shouldn't be getting alfalfa and all of the pellets(even the ones out of the bin) had alfalfa components in it. :?


----------



## Haley (Apr 12, 2007)

hmm..some Pet Supples Plus stores carry KayteeTimothy, some dont. You can ask them if they could special order it foryou. Mine does this for me at no extra charge. I usually order a bunchof bags all at once because they only come in 5 or 10 pound bags. 

Also, Im not sure what youre using for hay, but you can usually findcheaper (and fresher) hay than the bagged kind. If you call around tolocal horse stables/farmers sometimes you can find Timothy hay for dirtcheap. Or, you can order from sites like oxbow.com orhttp://www.kmshayloft.com/catalog/.Shipping can be expensive, but when you work it out its still cheaperthan buying the little bags.


----------



## maherwoman (Apr 12, 2007)

Cute cute cute pictures!!

Chris, are you an electrician like my wonderful husband? Ifso...then your wife is LUCKY!! I love being married to anelectrician...it's WONDERFUL!! 

Hugs!

Rosie and the Herd :bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 13, 2007)

For the first time since we got Emily and Rocket...







I got to hold Emily! She was hesitant for me picking her up but when Idid she sat there and let me pet her. I was trying to cheerup my wife after some bad news. Hopefully it worked. Emily was rewarded with some banana, and of course Rocketgot some too.


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 13, 2007)

I found out that we have a local feedstore. They sell Timothy Hay in 1lb bags for $2.79.That's fine and good, much cheaper than we paid,but I calleda stable and they can get me $5.50 for Bail (around 50lbs)ofTimothy. Now this feed store doesn't seem to have Kaytee orOxbow, so I am going to see if they can special order it. Ihave to call back at 3:30pm. They don't have Pestall orsawdust pellets for litter boxes, though I found another place a cityover that has 30lbs of Pestall pellets (she said they are more likecrumbles than pellets), $4.89 for 30lbs. I think this will benice and if Ican get 50lbs of hay, I can share it with my sister-inlawwhose buns go through it fast.

Yayness! I can call back in an hour and get my solution.

_Chris_

*EDIT:* Crud, he left for the weekend. Icalled Pet Supplies Plus and they do have "Kaytee Timothy Complete" for$7.48 for a 5lb bag. We'll get a bag today and start weeningoff the other stuff. Next week I should make plans to get thePestall and hay as well.


----------



## binkies (Apr 13, 2007)

The bale of hay will be fine. And much cheaper! You have some cute babies!


----------



## Haley (Apr 17, 2007)

Aww..snuggle bunny. How cute!

Congrats on finding the hay for so cheap! Just make sure to check formold and such. But that should be much fresher and nicer than thecrappy bagged stuff. Oh, and when you call around to feed stores, youcould ask for Equine Fresh or any sort of pelleted horse stall bedding.Sometimes they are called different things.

Sounds like you guys are all doing well! Cant wait to see some more pics


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Apr 17, 2007)

I just bought a new camera, waiting for it to be delivered, so within the next few days I should have some more pictures.

This Friday we have to go out of town until Sunday, we have a bunnysitter watching our buns. On Thursday we will have to makesure the person is up to speed on on everything. I am notfond of leaving them, but at least they will be at home where they arecomfortable and safe.

_Chris_


----------



## Haley (Apr 17, 2007)

Congrats on getting a new camera!

Oh, and is your pet sitter good with bunnies? I was just looking at thebuckeye house rabbit society's website earlier and they have a list ofpeople who bunny sit! I thought that was pretty cool


----------



## Chris_Kewl (May 3, 2007)

Sorry for no update, had a death in our family. Will explain in a minute.

So since we were leaving on the 20th for KY to visit my inlaws, I made this new and improved pen!






Yes, it goes the entire width of the livingroom and cuts it into 1/3,but I knew it'd be easier to do this then have the bunny sitter letthem out and sit around for 2 hours.






You can see Emily hiding in her little box house, lets get a sneek peek.
















There is Rocket in the hay feeder and in the potty box. Wouldn't it be funny if humans could do the same thing... 






What a sad looking bunny. Look at where this bunnyis... Maybe that's the look of mischievousness.Anyways, I will miss them.

So that night our bunny sitter, Kellie, was given theinstructions. In fact, we kept her around until3am. We gave her a key we bought earlier that day and madesure she had a checklist. Hey, she was only going to need tobe there for a few days...

So we get to KY safe and sound. A little while later I get anIM from Kellie saying the key we didn't give her didn't work.So I called the landlord and they said that I would have to let her in,they wouldn't do it for me; I was 8 hours away from them and I wasn'tgoing to drive back. So since they were not being nice, Itold her to break in via the window. Luckily the window wasunlocked and that the screen as easy to pop out. She kept theback door unlocked so she could have easy access to the buns.

So on the next day my wife's grandmother died. It's a shamebecause we had so much in common, I wish we had more timetogether. So we had to go to MO for the funeral. Anice 13-hour drive 1-way...

We finally came back a week later on that Thursday to find this sullen-looking face. This is the look of "I'm sorry!":






Today, a week later, I took some more pictures:






Someone is trying to get my forgiveness... But why? 
The rest of the pictures are great, I like this new camera.





















While inspecting the pen, I saw this in an area just big enough for them to fit in:






I am not mad at the buns, it's instinct for them to make holes, so I amnot angry. I now understand that they need to be locked upand only let out when I can trust them though.

I went through the rest of the pen and found this:






Notice where Rocket was sitting on the last picture beforeKY? Well, that's the reason. This is a before andafter picture, the pictureon the left was taken on the 20thand the one on the right was taken today. I think Rocket hadsome secret plans. 

No, the fuzz was not eaten, they didn't even bother to move it, it wasleft right next to the hole, so they were just doing it to doit. The buns really could care for eating anything but hayand pellets.

The carpet is easy to fix, though I am not going to fix it myself, Iwill just mention it when we move out. It shouldn't be tooexpensive to fix, I could fix that for under $10 myself if I had thesame sample.

Well, that's it for the update. The buns are happy, I justthink they had a bit to much uncontrolled freedom for too long.

Until later,

_Chris_


----------



## Haley (May 3, 2007)

Thanks for the update!

Im so sorry to hear about your wife's grandma. That must have been veryhard for you guys. Add to that the frustration with your sitter notbeing able to get in the house...when it rains it pours, huh? 

The buns look beautiful, as always. I just love the mischevious looks on their faces:






"you think we chewed what? nope, not us!" 

My girl Lucy did the exact same thing in my living room. Its hard to bemad at them, as you said, its their natural instinct. Plus theyre toodarn cute to stay mad at.


----------



## Chris_Kewl (May 3, 2007)

Haley*wrote: *


> The buns look beautiful, as always. I just love themischevious looks on their faces



[/quote]Yes, they are the mischevious duo, as I said to mywife. That's the new picture I put as my avatar because ofthe looks on their faces as you were posting that reply.Great minds, eh? 

_Chris_


----------



## binkies (May 3, 2007)

They look so guilty in all of those pictures! Very cute though, adds to the adorable factor!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (May 7, 2007)

A few nights ago I had a dream about an ideabunny cage that would allow the buns to run around free and give themmore space than the 2 by 3 cage. By adding an extra square onthe ceiling of the 2nd floor and making like a mushroom floor (andreinforcing it with sturdy wood or metal restraints) it would give thema possible 4 by 4 circle to play in and 3 squares for steps, of course.

The downside of this is losing extra space in the livingroom, but wouldbe a neat project nonetheless. I doubt I will do it, but Ijust wish they wouldn't spend all their free time in their littlemakeshift house. I feel a bit helpless with them, I guess.

_Chris_


----------



## star_tigress (Jul 18, 2007)

I'm so glad to see this site back up and running! The last time I tried to login, it was down and I completely forgot my password.

Rocket and Emily are doing okay but I'm getting kind of concerned since our apartment has been invaded by clutter. I'm just wondering how we can deal with this because it is so heartbreaking to try to clean so Rocket and Emily could roam free only to find MORE clutter! Suggestions would be wonderful!

The summer heat has hit with its mugginess so we made a 2-liter bottle to freeze and place near the bunnies so they could keep cool. 

Nothing much is new, really. :?


----------



## JadeIcing (Jul 21, 2007)

As soon as I finish I will show you some of what I have done. For space that is.


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Dec 1, 2007)

It has been a long time since I have updated. It is not out of spite and the bunnies are fine. There were a few deaths in the family, the boards here moved and life was just plain busy. The buns had bunny sitters and were happy too. Currently I am on the road and posting from my T-Mobile Sidekick, my friend Sara is watching the buns.  I made that NIC condo, gave myself a few blisters and used a lot of wire ties and NIC squares. They love it. I'll need to take a picture soon. The nice thing is it is next to the back door so I can sweep stray hair/poo/hay out the back yard. Yay for free fertalizer. The rug I used for the 2nd floor needs a good vacuuming too. When I get back into town I'll have to do that and clean the cage.  Now since we're caught up, our neighbor Tim's friend went to Kuwait and his baby dutch (8 weeks old) had to be given away. I offered to take it in and see how she fits in with Rocket and Emily. The bunny looks very similar to emily but caramel instead of grey. She's also smaller but growing. I checked her and sure enough a girl and not fixed, so that'll happen on Monday. I have dubbed her Bennie. (Guess the connection to the bunny names and earn a cookie!)  We didn't have a separate cage so everyone had to share the same cage. The first 24 hours was rough; Rocket was dry-humping her for a few hours, Emily did it once too then chased her around. Tonight before I left all three of them ate from the same bowl and Sara said they've been quiet too.  Now I assume the humping and chasing is just dominance, showing Bennie who is the boss in "the harem". There has been no fights and no biting. Bennie is getting plenty of hay and food, I have been keeping a keen eye on that. Rocket will clean Bennie now and lay next to her, so that's good but do you think after she's fixed will Emily and Bennie get along more? The chasing is aggrevating for me and for Bennie.  Thanks!


----------



## jordiwes (Dec 1, 2007)

Great to see you back here!

You just put them all in the same cage together? Yowza, I'm glad there were no real fights. Bunnies can be quite territorial and usually require a long introduction period to get used to each other. I would pull Bennie and make her her own NIC cage until 4 weeks after she has been spayed. It would really suck if they all got in a fight when she was fresh from surgery.

Then have them play together in neutral territory and see how it works out. Her being quite young could be the reason there have been no major scuffles, but she will go through her "teenage years" soon enough and you want to be really careful.

Good luck and update us with pics!!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Dec 1, 2007)

Yes, after the surgery they'll need to be separated. Bennie's cage is going to pale compared to Rocket and Emily's because it's temporary but hopefully she'll get acclimated and is allowed in the pack.

I have been reading up on "The Lanugage of Lagomorphs" (http://www.muridae.com/rabbits/rabbittalk.html), even though it's an old and unkept website it still has some information. If you have a better communication website, let me know though. I really am interested in the cross talk of the bunnies and even how to communicate with them as well.

I'll take some pictures before surgery on Sunday and show the new cage and the bunnies now. They are happy and content, though I want to see them happier, of course.

Any other suggestions would truly be appreciated.

Thanks!


----------



## binkies (Dec 1, 2007)

Oh boy! A new addition!!! You are quite lucky to have been able to stick them in together. Can't wait to see pictures!!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Dec 2, 2007)

We left at 8:30pm, we'll be home by 6am. This means I may not get pictures of Bennie until after surgery. I'll see how things progress. I'm sure she's not gonna be thrilled with me tomorrow though.  She is keeping to herself but when supper comes, Rocket will bring the dish closer so Bennie can access it too.   Nite all!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Dec 4, 2007)

So today the buns went to the vet to get checkups. All of them pass with flying colors and the vet is very pleased with how well they were being taken care of. I gleamed. My wife, my friend (and bunny sitter) and I were there to make sure the trio didn't give too much ruckus. I have a few scratches from Rocket seeing the person in white and being afraid. Emily just succumed, especially when getting her nails clipped. Like she was at the spa. Bennie NEVER been to the vet so she was very afraid, she cuddled next to Emily in the carrier when we were there.

Bennie is scheduled to get fixed on Friday, from what I understand they like to do them before the weekend so that the owners can spend time with them. Smart thinking!

More pictures? Your wish is my command! *folds arms together and nods*

Lets start looking at the cage nearly a year later. It has changed quite a bit since the original creation.






Yes, that is a coroplast floor. They originally didn't like it but they did warm up to it a bit more.





There is Bennie having a break in the box and munching on some hay.





The stairs really have gotten ratty in the last year, they love peeling off cardboard, even if its apart of their own house. 





Here is the completed place, I let them roam around here 24/7 then open up the cage for 4 hours during the day to let them get exercise. They seem to like it. We've really done a lot about bunny proofing and have learned quite a bit.

Lets go to the pictures that feature Bennie:





Bennie is like the little sister in the group, she's in the middle having her food. Emily doesn't bother her anymore and they seem to get along fine now. They will even cuddle together. It's quite cute!





Emily: "HEY! That's for everyone!"
Bennie: Munch, Munch, Munch





You can really tell the size difference when they are next to eachother. Bennie is a shrimp compared to the 4-year olds.





Now isn't that the most adorable picture? I am glad I got that snappy!





Rocket: "Aww, what about me. I'm still cute!"

Rocket got plenty of pets from me after these pictures were taken. I even did some "bunny talk" with him and got responses, including this one that allowed me to groom him. How nice is that? Just a little nose twitch by me and he was butter.

With the buns doing so well, I am not sure if separating them after the surgery will be necessary. I would love to get your opinions on this so that I don't make a mistake.

Thanks!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Dec 4, 2007)

Today I went downstairs to grab some lunch and make some tea when I see there is a few spots of urineon the coroplast. I just cleaned it yesterday, so I went and made lunch and while it was in the microwave I looked at the bunnies. Emily was on top of Bennie, but not in a hurtful manner.

"Some lordly rabbits will lay across the necks of subordinate rabbits to confirm their dominance."

This was something that I read on the Language of Lagomorphs (on the way to KY) but didn't get until now. This is quite interesting. Is Emily punishing Bennie for peeing on the coroplast? My buns are good about using the box but I think Bennie isn't quite up to speed yet. It'll change after she is fixed for sure.


----------



## tonyshuman (Dec 4, 2007)

what cute dutches!! i'm partial to that breed, especially torts!

i put my hand over tony's ears/shoulders sometimes to calm him down when he's upset, like when he's in the car or i've just picked him up. being the submissive rabbit isn't necessarily a bad thing--they get a feeling of being safe and protected by the dominant rabbit. maybe bennie's out-of-the-box peeing is being taken as a "marking my territory" signal by emily, and emily just wants to reassert to bennie that she is the queen rabbit. i wouldn't worry about it--rabbits are very funny in the way they establish dominance. some don't mind being on the bottom rung of the ladder.:biggrin2:


----------



## Haley (Dec 4, 2007)

Oh you have no idea how jealous I am- I want a dutch trio! They are beautiful together.

Im glad things are working out so far. I agree with others that she should be separated from the other two after surgery. If one tried to mount her she could be hurt badly. 

Shes so beautiful though, she looks just like my foster boy Nigel. Also an 8 month old tort dutch (so if she doesnt bond long term with your two you can take him )

As for Friday spays, theyare good bc you can be home with her over the weekend but be sure you have an emergency vet who you can call over the weekend in case of emergency. Also be sure your vet gives you Metacam.

Keep us posted!

Haley


----------



## star_tigress (Dec 5, 2007)

Chris is going to split off the condo for Bennie tomorrow night. I'm not looking forward to Friday morning - I will ask them about Metacam when we drop her off.

They're still doing well together. Bennie is hanging out with Emily in the cardboard house while Rocket is nibbling his breakfast. So far so good. I have been vigilant since I don't want any rabbits to get hurt here.


I'm so hoping to get a picture of Rocket sitting on the couch one day! Chris and I were out of town for the weekend and our bunnysitter was checking her email then came back downstairs to discover Rocket had jumped onto the couch! As we all know, he isn't a big jumper but somehow he did it twice... and when she wasn't looking either. He's a mischevious bunny for sure. :biggrin2: I haven't seen him do it... yet.


I'm so glad to see replies here - it makes me feel reassured that things will be ok for Bennie. Hopefully things will continue to be smooth, especially after the surgery.

The vet office has an emergency phone line and the office has two vets that specialize in rabbits along with two attendings who have rabbits of their own. One of the vets assured me that she will be right here if anything happens. She actually lives about two minutes away from the office which is 15 minutes away from our home. So if anything happens, she'll be right there.


----------



## star_tigress (Dec 7, 2007)

Well, Bennie is home. She's sitting around a lot but also hopping around. 

I asked about painkillers but they said if the vet thought Bennie needed it, they would have given it to us. I asked them why not - they said that if we had some, Bennie would overextend herself due to not knowing her limits. If that made sense?? We also didn't need to get a cone since the incision is too low for her to reach.

She did get a painkiller before leaving though. So I guess we'll see.. :? I feel like such a bad mommy though.


Any tips while we keep an eye on her?


----------



## Haley (Dec 8, 2007)

Oh geeze Im sorry I didnt see this last night. How is she today?

Its not your fault- butno vet should spay a rabbit and send herhome with no pain meds. Thats just cruel.The shot they gave her only lasts about 12 hoursor so. She should be on Metacamfor at least 2-3 days after her spay. If theyre still open, call them and complain.She probably in a lot of pain.


----------



## tonyshuman (Dec 8, 2007)

IMHO, you're not a bad mommy, they're insensitive vets!!:grumpy: any invasive surgery needs painkillers i think, especially one as invasive as a spay!! maybe post in the infirmary to see what others will say about getting her some meds? i bet randy will have an opinion on this... i need painkillers if i work out too hard at the gym, so i think a bunny would need them for having her babymakers removed!:shock:

in any case, glad to hear the surgery went well!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Dec 8, 2007)

I really don't think she's in pain. I know that sounds just as bad but she's as active as ever. We're trying to limit her mobility but she's jumping around and even hopped out of the enclosure we made for her twice. She's all about the snooping around and she isn't just chilling in one place.

Our vet said, and I even though it was odd, if she had a twinge of pain she wouldn't overexert herself and that he has been doing it for 20 years and he knows what he is doing (and he hasn't lost a patient yet for this). So I dunno. She really doesn't seem to be doing bad. She's doing great in fact, she's all about the jumping and she did a few little binkies around 5am when I was feeding her.

Though last night her poos were soft. I assume that means she just wasn't doing much hay. I was feeding her as much hay as I could and hopefully that'll harden them up some. She's still marking though, which is irritating me. That should pass over time, right?


----------



## star_tigress (Dec 8, 2007)

Bennie has jumped about three or four times since she got home. Last night, she somehow jumped out of the enclosure and spent all night long having the rule of the living room.  She even saw Emily and Rocket & spent some time by them which is evident by her pee near the cage. We woke up to see tons of little poo everywhere!! And Bennie was munching on the bale of hay that Chris got. I was wondering how the heck she got out so Chris tried to make the enclosure shut offs higher to my knees.

After checking email and then deciding to hang out with Bennie, I went downstairs to have some munchies with her. When I set a foot by the couch (she was staying by the couches and the TV) she took a single look at me then bolted. It was like one minute, she was there and the next - she wasn't!! :shock:

I was like ... "Where are you Bennie??!" I looked around the enclosure - nope, no Bennie!! She had somehow become a super-rabbit.

So our family friend and I looked around since Chris had to work emergency hours. We found her hiding with the DJ equipment.

So I tempted her out with some hay and picked her up & petted her while walking back to the enclosure. She promptly started looking around on how to get out again. Thirty minutes later when Chris came downstairs to check, Bennie decided to do a slow-motion of what she did which was to jump ON the enclosure wall then off it. It was somewhat cute but I was getting worried about all those activities she was doing. Chris checked her - she hadn't ripped anything and was just fine. So she was put back in and he told me he would make her cage when he was done with work.

A few minutes later, she promptly jumped out again through a very teeny tiny hole that we didn't think she'd fit through. :foreheadsmack:

So I left her out of the enclosure after I closed off the DJ equipment or anything she might be able to sneak under or through. She seems to really want to be back with Rocket and Emily. I also saw the incision that they had made - it's really small - looked like they did it laproscopically?? Is there even a possibility?


I'm going to see what Chris did since I took a nap.


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Dec 9, 2007)

The separate cage, really just a divider between the two cages has been made. I am glad I did this because when Bennie would jump out and Emily was out, Emily would chase her out of the way. I am not much for that, I wish I knew how to change this behavior.

So Bennie is now on her side of the cage (see the 1st picture of the set I took to get the idea of where the divider is) andlooks at me with sorrow. She's all sad looking because she can't roam free like the last 24 hours. Though Emily saw Bennie on the other side so Emily put her nose through and tried to either nip at her or lick her. I was confused, I hope it wasn't a nip.

Also the week Bennie has been with us Rocket and Emily have no disregard for the litter box, which makes me upset. The poo isn't so bad but it's the spots of urine that now I have to take care of. I'll need to get a gallon jug of vinegar from Sam's Club, which saddens me a little. I am sure they are marking that this is their area but it's a bit out of hand.

Hopefully in time I can combine this family again but right now it looks like Emily and Bennie are at odds.


----------



## star_tigress (Dec 9, 2007)

Rocket and Emily are on their condo's 2nd floor. Who's on the first floor at their partition?

Bennie!! :headsmack

Somehow she jumped the partition last night after Chris put her in her section. I have no clear idea why but I may have a tiny inkling. She seems to be ok but I'm worried because she keeps jumping everywhere!! 

A :inlove: story ...

Last night when we were hanging out with our neighbors since he was the one who dropped off Bennie since his friend couldn't take care of her anymore - Bennie jumped on me twice while I was laying down on the couch. She's quite a jumper.

I'm not used to having a jumper in the house - Rocket and Emily aren't jumpers. The most Rocket can do is the top of an upside down milk crate.

Anyways, Chris is downstairs checking on Bennie and putting her back in her enclosure. I have to go since we have two hours worth of drive for a meeting. :? I hope she doesn't do anything like that again for today.


----------



## Haley (Dec 9, 2007)

aww Im so happy theyre all doing ok. 

Unfortunately, the marking is normal and sometimes doesnt really get much better. Ive had bonded pairs where both were wonderful with the litter box but that all went out the window when they were put together.

Im glad Bennie is doing alright. Try as much as you can to keep her jumping to a minimum- they can easily tear open their wound after surgery or worse. Even though she might feel good she wont isnt. Maybe block off her second level for now?

Oh and we need some more pics when you guys have a chance!


----------



## star_tigress (Dec 9, 2007)

Chris tried to get rid of possible jumping points and Bennie still somehow got out while we were away.

No idea how she is doing it - she's a super rabbit!

We will try to get more pictures.  I know Chris is getting more videos.


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Dec 10, 2007)

I have blocked the jumping point with a spare piece of coroplast for tonight to see if I can limit her jumping 2 NIC cube high.  It's quitea challenge.

And I want to give props for this new post all for our little Bennie: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=30564&forum_id=16&jump_to=400830#p400830


----------



## star_tigress (Dec 11, 2007)

Yesterday, I woke up and checked on Bennie, she was still munching away on hay.

So I had to go to Youngstown since I was a guest speaker at an elementary school. Four hours later when I came home - Bennie was still in her enclosure - she seemed to be ok but a bit unhappy. I assured her she would be hopping around during the regular "out" hours when I was done with my finals rough draft. 

When Chris and I were finished with work and finals respectively, we came down to discover that somehow the coroplast got moved and Bennie was with Rocket and Emily! We were so shocked. 

How is she doing it?! Are the other rabbits conspiring? I can't imagine how Rocket and Emily could move the coroplast so Bennie could jump.

Until much later. Bennie kept jumping back and forth for some reason but we kept missing it because we were watching tv so Chris got the camcorder and waited for the next moment.

He got it on tape! It's quite odd - Bennie would jump then rebound on the NIC wall like Jackie Chan and then try to do the same thing on the hay bale but it didn't quite work. So she decided to jump _from the floor_ over the 28 inches tall NIC wall and on the top of the brown cardboard "house".

She made it too - she had to clear the few inches by using her hind legs on the NIC squares. Because of that, I got worried. So the NIC wall is gone since she seems so for being with Rocket and Emily, we're watching her. So far so good.

The vet called while Bennie was trying to do her jumping tricks. She wanted to know how Bennie was doing and to check on the incision area. So Chris checked Bennie - so far so good. The incision is healing nicely and still is closed. He told the vet about how she kept jumping. The vet laughed and said that the rabbit was a Houdini.

That's for sure.  

Chris will upload the videos then post it on here today - it's quite cute and some surprising things on there. 

When we were laying down with the all three rabbits - Bennie kept binkying around and coming up to Chris to sniff him. It was so cute. Rocket kept trying to get our attention so I paid him attention.  Emily was hiding under the reclining chair with several sheets of newspaper she somehow found. So it seems like everything's going smoothly. We'll see about today.  Maybe Bennie will be more courageous in her searches - she's still skittish whenever we move, she would immediately look at us and tense up like she's going to bolt.


----------



## Haley (Dec 11, 2007)

Aww she sounds adorable! I think its fine to keep them together as long as youre sure she wont be mounted. 

I cant wait to see the video!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Dec 21, 2007)

It has been 2 weeks as of today since she was fixed. I have yet to see any problems. She's still as chipper as she was beforehand and she is MUCH BETTER with using the box.

Here is the video of her jumping 3-feet trying to get to the other bunnies when we tried to separate her:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSBR0hptaOo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSBR0hptaOo[/ame]


----------



## tonyshuman (Dec 22, 2007)

[align=left]what a jump!
[/align]


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Jan 1, 2008)

I know it has been a few weeks since we have updated. Since then we obviously removed the split of the cage due to Bennie's high-jump skills. Also they have chewed completely through their house, so I made a new one that is a little larger to accomodate 3 buns. They haven't quite understood it's a place for all of them to get into yet but time will tell.

We need to contact our backup Bunny sitter, Brandi, due to Sara, Christina and myself will be gone for Ohayocon from Thursday to Sunday night.

Why does good bunny food have to cost $9 a bag? Sure, I guess $18 isn't bad a month for bunny food but geeze the other crappy food is only $5 a bag. Timothy Complete is like twice as much, sure it's good for the buns and they are worth it but is it supply and demand? Timothy hay is pretty cheap since now I found a provider but the food is costly.

Back on the bright side of things. We found a 2lb pack of Romaine at GFS for $5 and got some other things, of course carrots, so we can treat our bunnies.  I try to get the buns a salad or a big carrot a day so they get their vitamins. It also makes them all happy so I am all for that.

So yesterday I spent 2 hours cleaning the cage due to the holiday, so it went unkept for a week. All I can say is wow... After a week of not being cleaned, it's a disaster. I need a power scrubber or something because barehanded scrubbing doesn't get all of the discoloration off the coroplast. I use a lot of vinegar, thank goodness Aldi's is cheap for vinegar.  Before I started cleaning the cages, I was trying to get Bennie and Rocket out of the cage. I would grab Bennie and stick her on the couch, do the same thing with Rocket. And then when Rocket was on the couch, Bennie would hop back in the box before I could close the gate. This went for 3 rounds before I gave up, of course all of them left the box when I left then I immediately closed the gate. Muhahaha! I tricked the bunnies!

So after I cleaned the cage, I shook the food bag and poured it in the food dish, both Bennie and Rocket binkied into the cage and started scarfing down the food. Emily was in her favorite hiding spot, under the recliner. So I chased her for 15 minutes and gave up. She waltzed in when she wanted and started eating. I closed the cage then and went to bed, it was nearly 8am when I went to sleep.  Sure, cleaning the cage was a 2-hour project but corralling the buns is also a 2-hour job. 

Well, I am gonna get back to work, I have a lot to do before Thursday.


----------



## Haley (Jan 5, 2008)

Too bad youre not closer- I would bunnysit for sure! You should check the webpage for the Buckeye HRS. I think they have a list of people who bunnysit for a small fee.

And as for pellets, do you guys have Pet Supplies Plus down there? They special order me a 50# bag of Oxbow Bunny Basics (which is a great timothy based pellet) for only 35.00! Its such a great deal!

Again, I cant tell you how jealous I am of your dutch trio! We need some more pics when you get back!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Jan 8, 2008)

Ourold bunny sitter was available, so we got lucky. I will definetly contact Pet Supplies Plus about that. Do you have UPC number or order number you can give me so I can make their research easier?

Thanks and I will get more pictures soon.


----------



## Haley (Jan 8, 2008)

I dont have any type of code, but my PSP usually looks it up in their system. You could probably call to ask if they could order it for you- tell them youve heard of other PSPs doing this.. Its a 50 pound bag of Oxbow Bunny Basics T. It costs about $35.00 with shipping.


----------



## Haley (Jun 8, 2008)

:bump

We need updates! Im so incrediblyenvious of your dutch trio!


----------



## star_tigress (Jun 8, 2008)

They are doing quite well. A few weeks ago they all had check-ups and their nails clipped. 

Emily had a cold (the primary reason why we scheduled a check-up for all of them) so the vet gave us some meds. So far she's doing great - much better than being lethargic like she was before.

Bennie has really grown as compared to when we first got her. She now can take first two steps (on the stairs) and keeps getting into small crevices that I wouldn't have thought a rabbit could.

Rocket is as curious as always. He has started jumping up on couches and meatloafing when we're not in the living room. He has really taken towards Bennie in the jumping tendency.

They're all hanging around and eating right now. We put down a 2 liter bottle full of frozen water for them to enjoy since the weather has been really hot and the fans cannot keep up. 

I'll let Chris_Kewl update with more information.


----------



## Bo B Bunny (Jun 8, 2008)

It's good to see you here! I'm glad they are doing well!


----------



## Elf Mommy (Jun 8, 2008)

I just read through and am all caught up on Bennie and the Jets  What an adorable trio! You definitely make me want a dutch sometime in the future!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Jun 8, 2008)

Now you won't be caught up again as I am posting this...

Boy today is hot! It is 87 degrees at this second and I just gave the bunnies a new frozen bottle to cuddle against. Another reason I am glad I put coroplast on the floors... It keeps cool.

Lets check in on the bunnies:






Yes, Rocket is with the bottle while everyone has found a nice corner to chill against.





Emily really doesn't seem to care if I pester her with a picture...





Yes, Bennie has grown, she's all about the bunny flop right now.

It's a warm one but they went through this last year and it's no warmer than it was last year. I'll just swap them bottles and make sure they are okay. I'll let them run around tonight when it's coolerand change their box while they play.


----------



## Haley (Jun 8, 2008)

Yay! Everyone looks beautiful. Again, Im so jealous!

You know what also works great for keeping cool is to buy some ceramic tiles and keep them in your freezer. My bunnies love them bc they dont get so wet like the water bottles and they can lay on them.

Glad to hear everyone is doing well. Its so hot here too and our power went out this AM. Thankfully its back on now


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Jun 8, 2008)

Ooh, I like that idea, the problem is this townhouse has a tiny freezer and it's stocked to the gills right now. When we get a house it'll have central air... If it's still a problem with heat I will definetly do that because that sounds like a nice idea.

Though... How big are these tiles? Bathroom tiles or floor tiles? I think I could do bathroom tiles (or the height of a 2-liter bottle). We talking pure clay or the coated for the bathroom? I want to make sure I pick up the right kind.

Thanks!


----------



## Elf Mommy (Jun 8, 2008)

I'm determined to stay caught up!  

Don't they hop on and over the couch?


----------



## AngelnSnuffy (Jun 9, 2008)

Chris, another alternative is frozen bricks, which I forgot about! I was trying to find a pic for you that a member put on here of the floor tiles they used, I can't seem to find it:?. So, frozen bricks!


----------



## Chris_Kewl (Jun 9, 2008)

Nope, the couch is uber high so they can't. Same goes to the cage. There isn't enough gap between. Thank goodness, though the whole room is bunny proofed. Though, they have gotten out before due to things like locked gates that weren't all the way locked, etc etc.

After owning them for over a year, I think I have them right where I want them.


----------



## Haley (Jun 9, 2008)

Any kind of tile would work great. The bigger ones are nice bc they can lay on them, but you could buy the small ones that are a few inches wide which would fit nicely in your freezer. The only thing is they dont stay cool as long as the water bottles so you have to switch them out more frequently.


----------



## star_tigress (May 23, 2010)

It's been a while since this thread was updated. Chris and I have been so unbelievably busy since then.

Luckily I graduated on Saturday the 15th so it means I have more time on my hands to do things. :big wink:And to help Haley and the gang on a transport recently this weekend.

One sad news though regarding this blog - Emily had congestive heart failure on May 5, 2009. According to our vet, she was born with it but when she got a cold, it made everything worse within such a short time period.

So we all said our goodbyes. She passed away in the company of her brother Rocket and adopted sister Bennie.

We still have her ashes in an urn. We haven't been able to bring ourselves to think on what we will do with it even a year later.

Bennie is still rambunctious along with Rocket. They get along so well. Oh and we moved to our own first house, six months before Emily passed away. So, she did have a chance to have a joy of a room to herself along with Rocket and Bennie instead of cooped up in the cage.

We have some goals for their room but they haven't materialized because Chris has been between jobs and I was focusing to graduate with two bachelors.

So that's the update for now. I don't know if Chris_Kewl will be back on here soon to give an additional one. Hopefully he will.


----------



## Haley (May 25, 2010)

Yay for the update! Im so glad you guys were able to help with the transport this weekend. Thank you soo much!

I was so sorry to hear about Emily. She was really a special girl. Im glad to hear the others are doing well. You will have to post some pics when you get a chance.

And Congrats on your graduation!


----------

