Carmel & Charlie

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Oh for the love of pete!!!

Well, the poo wars continue onwithout fail.:banghead

And as it turns out, there was a breach in Charlie's security that I was unaware of. I mean, his pen is built like Fort Knox but leave it to the Poo Lord to figure out an access point. She didn't get inside, but she found a spot where thepanels that cover the bottom of the pen were too close to the actual pen. So little "be my friend" Charlie had apparently approched that spot and presented his poor little head to Carmel.

I found a small pile of his fur and he's got some bald spots on his forehead. THANK God she didn't get his eye (too close). Poor Charlie, and for cryin' out loud, Carmel is a tyrant! She is constantly ready for any opportunity to wreak havoc. See pic below:

pen001.jpg




So anyway, Ifixed the breach and all is well in the kingdom.....for now :privateeyes
 
Power Outage (GRRRRR!)

Friday evening we had some pretty severe storms. And of course the power went out :grumpy:. It happened at about 9pm so at least it wasn't during the heat of the day. Still, I watched Carmel and Charlie closely for heat prostration. We (of course) didn't have any bottles of water frozen, so we bought some ice and I filled my stainless steel mixing bowls with it. The bowls have lids so I could flip them over creatinga nice cold dome for the buns to use. I also filled up some freezer zip lock bags with ice too.

Carmel doesn't like to use the cold stuff so I kept a close eye on her. Charlie, on the other hand, was sprawled out across the zip lock bag with his head resting on the "dome o' ice". We were prepared to go to a family member's house if the temp rose too high.

Thepower came back on after about 5 hours. Since it was the middle of the night, the temp never got too bad. Of course, today the power went out AGAIN! The electric company said it was a device malfunction, whatever that means. It was late afternoonand the tempwas risingquickly. We were preparing to leave when the power came on. Only about two hours this time. Our car doesn't have a/c so the transport could have been bad too.

Irealized that I really wasn't prepared for this. So I've decided to get a couple of "Pack and Play" collapsable playpens. Then if we have to pack up and go, it will be easy to set the buns up in someone else's house.

Summer makes me nuts! :banghead
 
Well now that the harness disaster is behind us, Carmel has been coming around more and more each day. I am definitely anti-harness now. Charlie remains un-fazed by the whole ordeal.

Carmel is somehow managing to chew/pull out Charlie's butt fur. I cannot for the life of me figure out how she's doing it. :pullhair: But every morning Charlie's butt looks like a ruffled skirt and there's a little pile of fur lying near the bars of his pen. I've adjusted his pen so many times to keep Carmel from getting to him, but I think I may just have to tear the whole thing down and re build it!

On a side note....I've never met a bunny who wasn't scared or at least leery of a vacuum cleaner. Today I had to really deep clean Charlie's pen. He is always right underfoot when I clean his space, but today I took everything out and went in with the vacuum. Charlie got sobotched upabout where his stuff went that he actually charged the vacuum! I was surprised to say the least...the vacuum suffered no serious injuries. ;)

charliebutt001.jpg


Mr. Ruffley Butt

 
I think that Charlie is amazing. Last night, while I was lying on the couch, little man made his usual trek up his stairs, over my belly, and into the crook of my arm. He nuzzled down against me (he always likes to be firmly pressed against me for pets) and I went about giving him a 45 minute ear/head massage.

As I felt his little purrs of contentment and his periodic thank you licks, I wondered again where this little guy came from. The shelter did not have much information about him, other than they thought he was 4 years old and that he likes to play with balls (no he doesn't BTW).

He is just so sweet and loving. He had to have come from someone who was good to him I think. Yes, he does love being in his pen for privacy, but he also loves spending time on the couch with me. This guy was socialized before he came here...he had to be. And then I wonder, why did his former owner give him up? He is just so wonderful...yes he is a carpet puller but other than that he is a genuine snuggle bunny.

My other buns were with me since they were babies, so I know how they were raised and how they came to be such awesome rabbits. I am just a ponderer (is that a word?) and just wonder about Charlie's past, what his life was like, what his human was like, etc. But I'll probably never know...and he's not talkin';). I am so glad that this little bun came into our lives.


[align=center]:hearts :hearts:hearts:hearts:hearts:hearts:hearts:hearts[/align]
 
This is one of my favourite blogs! Charlie is such a cutie, he sounds just like my Oscar. I have a soft spot for Caramel too, she looks just like my nephew Murphy!(buck rogers bun) I like Charlie's set up it looks really nice! I also really like the name Charlie! Did he come with that name or did u chose it?
 
Your Caramel and Charlie sound just like my Misty and Charlie when I first brought Charlie home. Misty guraded his pen and tried to get him through the bars every chance she got. It took my 5 months to get them to like each other, so there is still hope!!

My breakthroughs came with car rides - a car ride, then time together. Eventually she would just flop out near his cage (like Caramel is doing in that one picture). Thay's actually a really good sign that she doesn't feel threatened by him. Is she still trying to get him through the bars?

I'd say give it some time and they might bond without you even realizing it.

:D

Great blog!

:popcorn2

________________
Nadia
 
Aww, thanks Leslie and Nadia for the compliments on my blog! :bunny24

Leslie102 wrote:
I also really like the name Charlie! Did he come with that name or did u chose it?
Click to expand...
Thanks! Actually, his name was Benjamin at the humane society but he just didn't seem like a Benjamin....while I was waiting for them to neuter him, the name Charlie popped into my head and I knew that was it!

Nadia, I'll definitely be trying the car rides once we start up bonding again (we'rewaiting until Charlie is over his syphilis infection), I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Carmel has been leaving his fur alone (for now) but I have hispen pretty well guarded against herattacks! ;) She can definitely be 9 pounds of fury when she wants to be!

Carmel hasgotten back to her old lovey self toward me. I actually got that close-up pic of her while I was sitting on the floor and she was licking my leg andnosing for some pets! :hearts:


couple more pics....

"Uh oh, she's got that camera again"

P9220337.jpg




Pretty girl pose

carmelpose.jpg




"Geez, can't a bun get a little privacy?!"

P9240340.jpg



 
My Girl

Carmel is so special. I cannot believe that this is the same rabbitwho spent 4 years so closely bonded with Buddy that sheutterly ignored me.

My medical problems seem to be piling up even more. So many tests, so much medication...it takes a toll. How amazing that Carmel seems to know that I'm not doing so good.

In the middle of the night, when the house is quiet, hubby is sound asleep. I am awake and in pain in the bathroom. Again. But I am not alone. Carmel comes; every night. She plays in my bathrobe for a bit then settles on the floor by my feet. She gives me kisses and just stays with me.

I pet her for as long as my arms will bear, but she expects nothing of these visits. She is not there to receive but rather to give. I love my sweet girl.
 
Dear Buddy,

It's been almost 10 months since you had to leave us. I miss you so much and know that no bun will ever be able to fill the hole you left in my heart. I was thinking today about the evening that we bought you. I knew nothing about rabbits and you made me nervous! But we were so excited because you were so cute. And you were so tolerant of our ignorance of bunny care.

We put you in a big ole' tub with the food you came with and some water. Then we flew to petsmart to buy supplies. Thank goodness I bought that rabbit care book there! I stayed up all night reading that book with you in that silly tub by my feet. We bought you a "rabbit cage", and you quickly told us how unacceptable that was. Then we gave you your giant pen complete with the hidey box that you hopped on top of to thump onwhen a thunderstorm was rolling in.

I remember you used to jump into the popcorn bowl between me and daddy when we were watching a movie on tv. You didn't want to eat it, you just wanted to see what it was. Then you would always hop onto my belly and chew the buttons on my shirt with your butt in my face the whole time.

I remember when we brought Carmel home and she was just too young. She saw you and thought you were her mama so she tried to nurse. I remember the look on your face as you hopped away flicking your feet at such nonsense!

Oh and that one time when we moved to that strangely built apartment and you immediately started running around the whole place so methodically to get the layout memorized. Over and over you ran the same path but then your silly mama put a barrier up to keep you out of the bedroom while I unpacked the electronics. You ran smack into that screen running full tilt! Again you gave me that trademarked Buddy look of "What the heck did you do?"

The time that you ended up riding on Carmel's back facing backward as she raced across the room always brings a smile to my face.

You even took me back after you and Carmel were boarded for that one awful month. I'm still so sorry about that.

When you started to get sick you were still so much my wonderful boy. All of those nasty medicines and treatments were an awful lot for a little bun to handle. But you did. You always did. I didn't think I was really going to lose you. You were only 4 years old.

I miss you so much my little Buddy boy. My belly hurts when I think about you not ever being here again. Carmel was so lost without you too. It broke my heart to watch her searching for you all of those days. She won't accept Charlie. She hated the foster too. You were one of a kind and in her eyes you will never be replaced. Nor will you ever be forgotten.

I will see you at the bridge my sweet boy.

love,

mama

bani1.jpg

 
Gosh I haven't written anything here for a while but I do like to add entries cuz I like to try to have memories.:tongue

So Charlie can't hear. We kinda figured as much since he never spooked at anything no matter how loud or crazy. We never really knew for sure though. We've had him for five months now! Wowza, seems like longer...probably cuz he's such a sweetie. Anyway, he was sitting like two feet from us and we started to call his name and make wierd noises without moving our bodies. We got louder and louder and got no response whatsoever. Well, from Charlie we got no response....Carmel began thumping from the hallway to tell us to shut up.

So when we took him back to the vet to try to figure out his syphilis issue, the vet said that he does believe Charlie to be deaf as a doornail...his words not mine. But, on the good side Charlie was FINALLY tested for syphilis instead of just being treated for the assumption. He tested negative. Go fig.

He's such a good boy though, and without being able to hear he seems to respond to vibrations...like approaching footsteps and such. Plus he appears to havegreat vision cuz he picks up on the slightest movement. Even better than "super sonic vision" Carmel! Guess he had to adapt. Not good to approach too fast though...like a certain young niece I know.

Bonding is STILL on hold. My husband, Roger, has been working 14 hours a day 6 days a week since this is his busy season so I have no bonding helper. And with Carmel I need to have a helper for sure. I tried to do it alone the other night. She literally knocked him onto his back with one quick blowand tried to bite him. For ONCE Charlie tried to fight back by kicking at her. But it was all very brief before I separated them and ended the "session". Good grief she is obnoxious. She'slike the terminator when it comes to Charlie, but she's all cream puffy and lovey to me.

Sooooo, who knows, they may just be separate for life. Which I think kind of sucks for Charlie cuz he acts like he wants to be her friend (at least from the safety of his pen).

And that's all I can typesince my keyboard is acting up and one by one the keys are failing to function!


 
My own "bully breed"

I am really getting tired of Carmel's 'tude. I get it, she wants to kill Charlie. She wants to kill anything and everything lagomorph. Enough already!

Carmel has always been a bit of a pain in the butt. I got her when she was barely 8 weeks old, and my sweet Buddy was about 6 months old. I was stupid and didn't know bonding too well back then. But lucky me, they bonded. Until Carmel hit sexual maturity--literally overnight. Then she was out for blood. They were separated until after her spay. Luckily Buddy was forgiving of her past assaults. At first he stayed on the defensive, but she was no longer aggressive to him so the re-bond went great. They were lovers til he went to the bridge. She ignored me until after he died, then she suddenly became my shadow.

And Then...

I brought a foster here in April. That was 4 months after Buddy died. Carmel smelled her instantly and went nuts! Shooting poo out of her rear like rapid machine gun fire. She wanted to get at that rabbit something fierce. Thankfully, the rabbit went to it's forever home pretty quickly. (Insert warning here--> THIS GIRL NEEDS TO BE A SINGLE!)

(Ignore warning here--> maybe another MALE will be ok, Buddy was male.) Charlie came here inJune.Neutered adult male. No machine gun poothis time,but there were plenty of one sidedpoo wars courtesy of Carmel.Alas, she hates him.

Now I'mgetting really annoyed at her morning"ritual". When Charlie sees me come into the living room he gets really excited because he knows he's going to get pellets. Carmel, whois always laying outside of his pen in themorning, immediately tries to attack him through the pen bars. She gets so "caught up in the moment" that when I step near her to reach over the pen and give him pellets, she attacks my feet!So there I am, dancing around likesomeone's shooting bullets at my feet, trying to give Charlie his breakfast. Half the time it gets dumped on his head because she trips me up so much. Today I sprained my ankle!

So I constantly ponder...should I take away her free roam lifestyle and make her live in a pen again? My bun pens are huge and doing that will make my living room look a wee bit like a jail. Or should I bring in a bigger, meaner bun toknock her around a little bit and put her in her place--JUST KIDDING ;). But hey, a girl can ponder can't she?

So here it is folks, the latest in bunny bully breeds. It weighs 9pounds and is a mix of unknown heritage. It is fast, cunning, anddominant. Habits include: ripping holes in carpeting and digging on sofas. It will attack all other rabbits but always brakes for craisins.This is"The Carmel Rabbit"

carmelhorns.jpg


But hey, don't take me too seriously...I do love the littlewitch (see previous mushy posts) :biggrin2:
 
So Charlie's been here for 6 months and we stopped the bonding sessions several months ago because Carmel just always trys to kill him. Charlie is not aggressive at all and usually just got knocked onto his back by the brute.

But yesterday I got a bee in my bonnet and decided to try a car ride with them. Hubby(Roger)rode in the back with the buns and I drove. Carmel is not fond of the car so she tried to hunker down between the seat back and Charlie. Charlie is so oblivious to rabbit etiquette and car rides. He stood ON her.

So Carmel's underneath him probably seething with resentment and thinking about revenge plans once she gets out of the car. I told Roger to scoot Charlie off of her because I doubt that was helping her opinion of him. So around we drove until Roger got carsick from sitting in the backseat staring at rabbits. Then we had to get home quick before there was a big mess.

Sheesh. :tongue

I do think I'll try it again though cuz maybe it will be the trick that ends up working. But I'll sit in the back with the buns for sure!
 
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