# Raisin Cane



## Samara (Apr 10, 2012)

I figured it was time to start an RO blog in addition to my weebly site. I've been using weebly more often because adding pictures is a tad easier than Photobucket, but c'est la vie. Here I am! 

Gubbs is doing better today; he is back to normal as far as eating and drinking. His neuter was Saturday. Last night I swung by the feed store and picked up some probiotics and Nolvasan. I used Nolvasan when I was a tech at the animal hospital; when diluted to the correct ratio it is an amazing sanitation tool. There is also a variation that's used as a surgical scrub. Potent but useful stuff. 

When checking Gubb's incision sites last night I noticed he had urinated on himself a bit. Warm water and diluted soap did the trick, and though it took him a bit to dry he was a trooper through the process. 

My sister in law let me borrow her hair dryer, so I walked to her house to pick it up because it was a nice night out. With it on low and varying between the cool and warm settings Gubb had his first experience with noisy technology. 

Some pictures from last night:















































I keep having to change up Matthias bathroom arrangement. He started with a crate as a house, but was peeing in it, so I removed it and replaced it with a plastic house (i.e a green-opaque storage bin flipped upside down with a doorway) and put a fleece blanker underneath for soft resting. He kept peeing on the blanket. I can only do so many blanket loads of laundry a day. I can't wait till he's older and A) has the hang of litter boxes and B) is neutered so he doesn't feel the need to mark everywhere. I know it's not his fault.

So last night I took away the house entirely and put one of his 2 litter boxes in its place, and put his hay next to it. He pushed it out of the way and peed against his hay. My bad, I didn't attach the box to anything for security. Le sigh. So this morning I took his former green plastic house and flipped it upside down and dumped both litter boxes into it. It is now a litter box, with a slight ledge to hop over (i.e the former doorway) that keeps the bedding in place. I got rid of his hay bin and put the hay directly into the litter box itself. So far so good. He came over when I was making the changes and sprawled out between my feet till I was done. He checked it out and peed inside of it. I gave him a raisin and carried on with chores. 

I need to amend the bookcases in the living room as he's starting to chew covers. That's on my agenda today.

Molly is about the same: more sneezy than the others but no wonky discharge or staining on her paws/chest. It's looking like allergies, but to what testing still needs to be done. She is my sweet, outgoing wee girl and I think the probiotics and a good disinfecting will help. I need to pick up a mop so I can move their NIC pen (still separated of course) and really scrub the floor. Using Lysol wipies several times a day is working, but it's not the same as a hands-and-knees scrub. 

I've been struggling with a cold as of late; it's really kicking my butt. I'm so tired and feel weighed down. I might spend some time with a movie on today and nab one of the bunnies for a snuggle. 

How's everyone else doing out there?


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## ZRabbits (Apr 10, 2012)

Glad to hear Gub is doing well and was a trooper through the bath and blow drying. 

Lots of allergies here too. Really dry. Once in a while I have little bunny sneezes here, but nothing bad. 

Sorry to hear about Matthias and his peeing on blankets. Love babies but they do make a mess. He will get the nack of litter training. Plus the marking doesn't help either. Those dang hormones. 

Hope you are feeling better. Hope the movie and bunny snuggles help. 

K


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## Samara (Apr 10, 2012)

Thanks Karen  I appreciate it. 

I wondered if the air here was too dry, but I have two open topped fish tanks that have water movement...you'd think that would make some sort of difference? 

Gubbs is doing good tonight. He munched some oats and hay and took a raisin. I've found that my rhythm has changed with my rabbit routine. Normally I'd sweep, change boxes, take care of food and water in the morning then touch up as the day goes on. I just found myself cleaning their pens an entire second time just before sitting down with the computer. 

Wrapped around their fingers much? 

It's nice having Matthias kicking around during the day in the main area of the house. Still weird when having a wee and he's munching away eyeballing me, but when I'm sitting on the couch watching the fish and he hops up and sits next to me it reminds me how much I love having these wee guys around. 

I double checked my best guess at Matthias being a buck as he grew from birth to now and I'm happy to announce that he is indeed 100% buck. I was secretly hoping he would be a doe so I could sneak him back in with Molly and Gubbs when the time is right. No such luck. He'll have to be neutered first. That's next up on my list. 

He let me brush him today without a fuss. It was nice to see how sleek his coat looks after a good brushing. Because I switched him off of wood bedding (because he was tracking it from the bathroom onto the carpet in the living room) he only seems to need underbelly brushing every few days. 

His mane is so silver and shiny. He's a handsome bunny. I'm glad he's here, but it is still bittersweet because of having to rehome Atticus. I feel like I've betrayed Atts by now having another buck in the house when it didn't work before. 

Don't get me wrong...I've searched high and low for a great home for Matthias and his short-haired brother and only sister were snatched up in a heartbeat. No one seems to want this wee guy. I guess my point is we didn't go out and buy another buck, just couldn't find a home for the last kit from Molly's unexpected litter, but it still feels like I've done something I ought not have. 

Phooey. I suppose the feeling in time will pass. 

I can't wait till Gubbs and Molly can be free ranged as Matthias is. Matth is now because I didn't have extra NIC panels, but also because he needed to be a floor away from Gubbs because of his developing male tendencies. The bathroom seemed the best option. 

I've taken some night time cold medicine that is giving me a fuzzy head. Whee!


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## Samara (Apr 12, 2012)

Matthias seems to be ruling the roost in our household. He is so full of life it staggers me. Was I ever that excited to simply be? I think as the hardships of life take their toll it strips away the memories of being free and innocent in a lot of us, myself included. I'm envious of his zeal and energy. 

I wake up in the morning and do a head count on everyone to make sure there aren't any pressing emergencies, then I head off to let loose the kraken that is my bladder. I stop in Matthias's bathroom simply because it's closest, but also to take down his nightly baby gate. He's usually in the same place when I greet him in the morning: standing over his pellet dish nomming and eyeballing me.

He usually accepts a few nose boops and an ear pet before he hops out into the hallway and heads for the living room. He gets a good charge across the carpet and comes back and zaps me on the leg or foot as I'm washing my hands. Little cretin. 

Today while I was taking a break from housework and checking my email he dashed into the room, leaped onto the couch where I was, zoomed across my hands and keyboard (I use a laptop), over one of the cats and leaped off the couch still at top speed and careened out of the room. What kind of tyranny is this? 

Gubble is doing much better. He's fully back to normal, but I'm still having him take it easy for another few days. I'm already seeing a difference in his litter box habits, for the better! He's not peeing outside his box and is only leaving a dropping or two out. He is sleeping a lot more lately; he scratches at his fleece blanket, burrows against it and kicks his feet out. I love watching him sleep. It's like watching a cloud. Very relaxing. 

Molly is getting ever more feisty as the days go on. She's only been with us since sometime in January of this year and was such a shy, wee thing. She greets me in the morning when I'm sweeping up and changing boxes. Some days she'll let me scritch her nose and mane. She challenged the vacuum today even. She's definitely gaining her mojo. 

I scrubbed and disinfected everyone's food and water dishes/bowls today. (I typed "bowels" at first, eek). I decided because Molly is 2 years old and Gubbs is fast coming up on a year that I would start measuring out their pellets rather than filling up hoppers daily. It will also allow me to give them probiotics without the powder being sifted out the bottom of the hopper. I usually take the food route rather than mixing it in water. 

So because the NIC pens have holes cut into them for the hoppers (and both Gubb and Molly demonstrated today they can easy fit out of said holes), after cleaning I put the hoppers back onto the pens and filled them with raw oats. I got them each a heavy bowl and half a cup of pellets each with the daily recommended dose of probiotics. I topped it off with a couple of raisins. 

So far it's 5:00pm and they haven't quite finished their pellets. That may be because they have the oats to go at. How does everyone feel about free-feeding oats? I can't imagine they would cause any significant weight gain, even for a rabbit. I'll have to do some more research. 

Matthias is being free fed because he's so young, plus he already uses bowls for everything. 

How is everyone out there today?


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## ZRabbits (Apr 12, 2012)

Glad to hear Gubb is doing so well. And Molly is coming out of her shell. 

And Matthias sounds like a hoot! Love that baby energy they have. 

Don't feel bad about Atts. Things happen, you did what was best for him. And you can't throw Matthias out in the cold, can you? You are taking what life hands you and making the best out of it. And truly loving your buns shows through your posts. 

Hoping you are feeling better. Know how miserable a cold can make you. It's so dry here, my sinuses are killing me. 

K


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## Samara (Apr 13, 2012)

Thanks Karen  

Today is a little better! Everything clears when I stand up, haha. Sorry about your dry air...maybe it's time for a humidifier or more houseplants? 

Does anyone out there have to clean their bunnies eyes daily? Not the weepy, sick eyes of a rabbit that has a cold, but like dog eye-boogies? 

I'm finding I'm having to clean Matthias's eyes daily because his fur catches the build up in the corner of each eye. Any thoughts? He isn't sneezing, his nose isn't and hasn't ever been wet...his eyes just seem to run. Maybe allergies?

I read somewhere that the salt can cause bunny fur to fall out around the eyes if it's left there for any length of time.


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## Samara (Apr 16, 2012)

Molly and Gubble have been out together for 12 hours now and are doing amazing. They aren't spatting, he isn't mounting, and she isn't territorial of her pen or he of his. They are sharing litter boxes, food dishes and water bottles. Even their beds! I'm so thankful and so hopeful for their bonding. They act like they've always been together. Right now they are playing with their toys together.


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## ZRabbits (Apr 16, 2012)

So glad to hear Molly and Gubbs are getting along together. Hopefully this is the step to a true long bonding relationship. 

So what are you going to do with the little guy? Are you going to bond him with those two once he's neutered? 

K


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## Nancy McClelland (Apr 16, 2012)

:clapping:


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## Samara (Apr 16, 2012)

Yes I do think we are going to bond him to Molly and Gubbs when he's fixed. That's in the works right now with out vet  Molly's spay will be last up.


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## Samara (Apr 19, 2012)

Here is an updated blog entry; I don't have time tonight to upload pictures to Photobucket.  

http://raisincane.weebly.com/captains-log.html 

Pictures included!


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## ZRabbits (Apr 19, 2012)

Love the pics! Wishing Molly and Gubb all the success in being "Official House" Bunnies! 

K


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## Samara (Apr 19, 2012)

ray:


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## Samara (Apr 23, 2012)

Updates here!

http://raisincane.weebly.com/captains-log.html


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## ZRabbits (Apr 23, 2012)

Bunnies sound like they are doing good. Love the fact that you slept through Molly's digging. lol

Neat fish. Don't know much about them, but they definitely look interesting. 

K


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## Samara (Apr 23, 2012)




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## Samara (May 5, 2012)

SO awful at updating here. Makes zero sense. 

Updates here, though!

http://raisincane.weebly.com/captains-log.html

:headsmack


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## Samara (Jun 7, 2012)

Still awful at making updates here, but I make daily ones on my Weebly blog. Go figure. Check it out here! Starling and Pidge now have their own pages  

http://raisincane.weebly.com


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## ZRabbits (Jun 7, 2012)

*Samara wrote: *


> Still awful at making updates here, but I make daily ones on my Weebly blog. Go figure. Check it out here! Starling and Pidge now have their own pages
> 
> http://raisincane.weebly.com



I check it out all the time! I absolutely love what you did with your website. Awesome info. Plus love to hear about you and your bunnies. Especially my favorite, Matts. Sorry, just in love with that little devil. 

K


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## Samara (Jun 7, 2012)

I leaned over the gate in the kitchen today and pointedly told him I was more than willing to make him into a pair of mittens and a nice stew if he didn't stop jumping the darn thing. He thumped at me. THUMPED at me. 

:headsmack


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## SnowyShiloh (Jun 7, 2012)

Haha, funny Matthias!! He didn't like being told off


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## ZRabbits (Jun 8, 2012)

*Samara wrote: *


> I leaned over the gate in the kitchen today and pointedly told him I was more than willing to make him into a pair of mittens and a nice stew if he didn't stop jumping the darn thing. He thumped at me. THUMPED at me.
> 
> :headsmack


Hehehehe. Sorry can't help buy laugh at Matts antics. It's that lion head part of him given from Molly. They are a breed that knows what they want.

Don't worry. This is just a phase. I think in no time as Matts gets older you will find he turns into such a sweet, funny bunny. Who will give you lots of smiles and joy. 

Love those bunnies with an attitude. My Kreacher turned out just fine. What a gentleman. 

K


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## Samara (Jun 8, 2012)

:thumbup


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## Samara (Jul 12, 2012)

Psst...could a friendly neighborhood moderator delete this blog for me - I'd like to start fresh and not with a picture of Gubble's freshly neutered junk. :embarrassed:

Thank you!


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## NorthernAutumn (Jul 12, 2012)

Will do - keep the cover photo, though


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## Samara (Jul 12, 2012)

:biggrin2:


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## agnesthelion (Jul 12, 2012)

Well I guess this is going to be deleted but still wanted to comment that imread through this blog and your other one. Lobed reading about all your buns. And I had no idea you had so many other critters on your life too 

Matthias and Pidge are my "faves"  they are all adorable but their faces and some of the Matthias stories cracked me up.

Oh and I love the book White Oleander too!  I am a huge reader as well. Never without a book. Were you one of the members I talked to about "Watership Down"? Fantastic book! I can tell by your love of fantasy you would like it. Read it if you haven't!


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## Samara (Jul 13, 2012)

I have Watership Down. I have the sequel too  

Fiver was always my favorite. 

Thank you for taking the time to read through my stuff and things! I appreciate the interest! I'm always following Agnes too, hehe. Did you hear they're coming out with a Despicable Me 2?I'm excited!  

Matthias (pronounced Math-E-ahs, not Ma-THY-us like usual) has become Matthy-a** around here till he's neutered LOL. Gah! He's a little cretin! But I love him so  

Pidge is my sweet wee girl. My lovely Pidgioto. She is still so tiny! She's a one handed bunny - meaning she fits in the palm of my hand! Well, fingers included. She's so wee! 

I can't wait to start the new blog here. I'm going to go all out and post daily! Fingers crossed


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