My Zoo Cru

Oh where to start. I've had animals all my life. Cats and dogs mostly, with an odd one thrown in. But never a bunny. My sisters' had rabbit, but they didn't really socialize and care for the bunnies in a way that made them good family pets.

My little zoo started when I moved to Sacramento for college in 2003. My parents had just helped me move and were heading home when my room mate says to me, "Hey, want to see my neighbor's new kitten." So yeah I'm a sucker for kittens. Turns out its this little gangly siamese kitten with just a grey nose. Aaaaand the neighbor's adult cat does like him and would I like to take the kitten. Or just take him for a little bit to see if you like him. I take him back to my apartment and he goes straight under my bed and takes a nap. The rest is history and he's my baby.

Then I got Edward Wong Hau Pepulu Tivruskii 5th, a leopard gecko in 2005. Wow I've forgotten I've had him for quite a bit. 2006, then boyfriend wanted to get a cat with me. When we later broke up, Azrael came with me because my ex hated cats :grumpy:

Azrael, aka Fatman, is a 21lb wrecking ball who is very aptly named. I think he's got maine coon in him and he's got a ton of energy still.

Murray, another leopard gecko came next.

Which brings us to Harvey, the rabbit, the reason why we are here. I've had Harvey since July 3rd, after a friend couldn't keep him since he has to travel for work. Of course I couldn't resist since I'm a sucker for rescues. So I brought him home, and he made himself right at home. Sweet little guy, he started running circles around me and exploring everything.

I was worried how the cats and how Harvey would react to each other. Harvey adores the cats and circles them too. The cats freaked out at first and would jump to the highest piece of furniture to escape the funny looking cat that was chasing them. But the cats have calmed down and mostly ignored Harvey. Harvey hasn't calmed down. He has gotten to the point of chasing the cats (mostly Azrael tho, funny to see a 21lb cat run from a 4 lb bunny) and grooming them and then bitting. Bossy little bunny. And spraying them. Which is kind of amusing to me but not the cats. They jump every time Harvey gets them with this. But it has been fun having a rabbit of mine own. He's actually pretty curious about little things I do. He'll jump into the litter box as I am cleaning it and put his paws on my knees. Like whatcha doing, huh, huh???

Harvey was supposed to be neutered on the 18th but the friday before that he was aggressively chasing Azrael and bitting Az's belly. They ran into the bedroom before I could break it up and in the spilt second before I could come to the rescue Azrael must have gotten poor Harvey in the ear. Harvey is slightly unfazed and races out of the bedroom to bite poor Merlin.

So poor Harvey has had a tough week. I had to take him to the ER this weekend when he had bad poops and his ear was hurting him. They gave him fluids and antibiotics and told me to see my regular vet. He seemed like he was getting better on Monday when I took him in since he was a little more active. At the vet he was even putting his paws on me wanting to get out of there. I had to take him in again because his ear started to swell and he's all sniffly. Poor bunny is now on antibiotics for the next ten days. It's so sad to see my bunny sick and not himself. I am however getting more comfortable handling him, since I need too. I imagine he doesn't really care for it tho.

Soooo Until I can get him neutered, when he's feeling better, I have to keep him away from the cats. The cats ignore him otherwise. They don't think of him as food. Azrael did try to play with him once but he can get rough.

I'm thinking a baby gate in my bedroom door, until he's neutered.

I want to try it again, once he's neutered and got all his extra hormones out of him first. See how that goes. Anyway how should I correct Harvey's behavior around the cats? Poor Merlin has lost his safe spot. Harvey has figured out he can get on the sofa.

Yay, Harvey's feeling much better today. The sniffles are gone and he's back to begging me to let him out in the mornings. Not exactly how he used to (his ear still needs to heal). He used to bounce back and forth until I let him out. Right now he's just being pushy for me to let him out (better than nothing). And he's been fighting me when I hold him to give him his meds (also a good sign, since when he was feeling real bad he just sat there and took it). Aaaand he's eating better! Yanks the greens right out of my hand haha. I've been keeping him away from the cats, except for Merlin briefly because Merlin is so laid back I know he won't use teeth or claws. So until he learns to not get so excited about the cats he's going to be watched very carefully.

And since I didn't before. Harvey!:

harvey5web by Magpie8203, on Flickr

(Picture from the first week I had him)

OMG your rabbit sounds like a riot! like you stuck a trouble maker right in the middle of your well organized home. That and he looks like suuuuuuuuuuuuch a cutie. =)
So... i'm glad your bunny is bonding with you quick. lots of people aren't as lucky. =) Sera does the same to me, climbing on me when i'm cleaning her area. I say she's 'helping me'. lol
When harvey gets better, you should get some video of him and your huge cat running around haha. sounds soooooo amusing. as does the spraying lol. i just laughed so much at all your stories already..
So! you had a question in there. How to correct your bunny. You know? i use the ceaser milan method.. It works for our rabbits. First offense: snap fingers. Second offense: snap finger 'Hey'. Third offense: same as one and 2 and stand up.
Usually by standing up the bunnies are running away from what they are doing wrong. And really, they Know when they're doing something bad. Epies will actually alert me when he's done something bad lol.. he'll thump over and over like 'Ha-ha! I won! You didn't get me!'

Thank you Seraphina Hahah yeah he is a riot. I didn't realize how curious a bunny could be until Harvey. He's like a 3 year old child and kitten all in one. Has to explore everything. And he likes to climb all over the sofa. Such a weird thing to see.

Hahah yeah it's actually kind of cute seeing him chase the big cat when he's not getting aggressive with the cats. As for the spraying, I'm just glad it doesn't stink nearly as bad as cat pee. XD I have to wipe down the cats with a wet paper towel.

I'll try that with him Usually the cats run for higher ground when Harvey is being really naughty but Azrael wasn't fast enough. Poor cat needs to exercise. Merlin won't play with him anymore.

Ooooh but Harvey was mad at me this morning. I had to get up at 730 for work and give him his meds. He's not an early morning bunny. Stomped his foot at me.

Bunnies are so funny. Neutering and about a months time should mellow him down to where he's not the "terror of tiny town".

I certainly hope so. I'd rather not have to confine him to just the room when we are home. Since Azrael seems like he enjoys the bunny's company when he's not getting bitten by said bunny.

I just wish I could see some progress on him ear. I know it's only been 4 days of antibiotics and I'm being an overly worried first time bunny mom, but I'm going to talk to his vet on Monday. I gotta say this kind of came at a bad time, since I'm going on a vacation next week. I'm sure I'll be worrying the entire trip =/

Aaaany back for an update. Harvey's had a rough couple of months. The first vet I went to didn't know what she was doing. So his ear ended up getting infected. She told me his ear would have to come off. So I went to get a second option from a rabbit doctor at the same clinic I took my gecko to. This second vet felt he might lose part of his ear. But she worked with my budget and we got him on different meds, which did the trick. He didn't lose any part of his ear, but he does have scarring which won't grow back hair.

He is back to feeling better. Chasing and spraying the cats. Luckily he's leaving the fat cat (the one who bit him in the first place) alone and targeting Merlin. My poor old guy who wouldn't hurt a fly. He just takes it and looks very confused. Merlin does like grooming the rabbit which is kind of cute.

So last night Harvey is circling and spraying Merlin again when I notice he's starting to get aggressive with Merlin. As they are rounding a corner I go to rescue Merlin. However instead of biting, I find Harvey humping Merlin. Which shouldn't have been as funny if it weren't for the fact poor Merlin looked so confused. Between giggles I pick up Merlin and head to the living room, with Harvey under foot. So I figure Harvey gets it out of his system and go to take out my contacts. I have one contact out and Merlin comes to join me because he's a total velcro cat. That gets Harvey going again. So I've got Merlin yowling while Harvey .... well you know. Then Fatman decides to join the fun which is a very bad idea if Harvey decides to hump him too. I'm half blind at this point trying to get my contact out and make sure Harvey doesn't get hurt. I finally manage to get Harvey back in his cage (I distracted him with craisens) for a time out and I swear he looks so satisified with himself. The stinker.

This morning I had a dream I was at my mom's house with Harvey and my older sister shows me her new rabbit. A nice well behaved white rabbit. At which point my mom starts yelling at me that Harvey is misbehaving haha. And yes he was misbehaving again this morning.

Next week he's getting his neuter.

There is nothing so persistent as a horny little bunny!

Hahaha no kidding! I really had no idea either. My sisters' rabbits never acted like this. I really shouldn't laugh at poor Merlin, but it is pretty funny.

What a beautiful nethie Himalayan bun!

Thank you Dave!

I'd post more pictures of him, but it's hard to get him to sit still now that he's feeling all better. He'll take a break for less than a minute, then he's off again to explore or harass the cats haha. Annnd I realize he was a bit chunky now that he's on proper food and not that food for the 99 cent store.

The nethie's I have had are very busy bunny's and rarely would sit still long enough for me take a picture.

Very busy and in to everything. I did get one picture the other night but it didn't come out too well. Ooooh well. He did join me on the bed while I read a book. Stretched out by my legs. AND sat still haha. I think cause the cats were locked out.

Posting a few pictures, one of Azrael and another of Harvey that didn't come out too well.


fatman by Magpie8203, on Flickr

bunny butt by Magpie8203, on Flickr

I just love when they lay all stretched out like that.

Me too! I thought it was the cutest thing the first time I saw it, but wasn't fast enough with the camera. My new point n shoot isn't that good =/

Harvey finally got his neuter earlier this week. And he did great, groggy when I got him home. It was really weird to look at his empty cage that day and not see his little face peering at me. It just wasn't the same without him there. haha.

And right keep him quiet after the neuter. Which I have. He's in his cage for a few day to relax. Only the day after the surgery he's bouncing back and forth in his cage, wanting out :rollseyes

I figure in a few days time when he's really feeling much better he'll go crazy that I'm having him be quiet haha. Riiight a hyperactive bunny is going to be quiet

And the other animals:
Murray

ED

and Merlin and Azrael when Azrael was a kitten

It's been a little over a week since Harvey got his boy bit hacked off. I had put down a place matt (only thing I could find at the time) for him while he was recovering. His cage has a wire bottom and I've really been meaning to buy a grass matt for him. He really seemed to enjoy that place matt. But it wasn't exactly a throw away one either. Not that I cared to much if he distroyed it. Things are just things after all.

I finally bought him a grass matt, but he doesn't seem to enjoy it as much as the place matt. It isn't as soft of course. So I buy him a cheap dish towel at walmart, that he uses along with the grass matt. He's been having a blast with it. Digging it, tossing it around and then snuggling into it.

When I let him out in the mornings and after work I've been keeping him confined to my bedroom without the cats to keep him quiet after the surgery. I will read on the bed, which he'll some times join me or he'll do a bunch of binkies. More than I have ever seen him do before haha. It's got to be one of the silliest things I've seen an animal do. Like he's having little fits. I can tell he's missing the cats, especially Merlin. I've let Merlin in for a little visit here and there, mostly because Merlin hates being locked out of my room especially when I'm in there. haha Harvey started humping him again. It has calmed down tho.