Buck Jones
Well-Known Member
Ya never can tell where the day is gonnago...Recently let Ernest(ine) out to free range. While myback was turned, Mickie escaped from his hutch because I left the topopen to "air it out." I calculated, incorrectly, that hewould be unable to climb out.
Engrossed in yard work, thank goodness I was there, I heard silentthrashing about. Turned around to find Ernest(ine) and Mickielocked in combat, rolling about the ground. Separated themand returned Mickie to his hutch with his mate, Maizie.
Ernest(ine) in turn parked beneath another hutch and just satthere. At first, I thought she was just resting, then thoughtI'd better check. When I approached, Ernest(ine) took off hobbling awaywith one front paw dangling. I thought the leg might havebeen broken!
Missus and I caught Ernest(ine) and inspected the legclosely. Appeared red and raw, abraded some, but not broken,nor requiring stitches. We applied some anti-biotic Ozonoland commiserated with Ernest(ine), who has been rejected to date forbonding with our widowed doe, Mitzie. We attributed that rejection,somewhat, to the "fact" Ernest turned out to be Ernest(ine), but, now,Ernest(ine) had been severly attacked by a buck, Mickie,...not entirelyunheard of, but surprising to us, nonetheless.
Attending to the wound, we inspected the genitals more closely and cameto the conclusion that perhaps the "Spay Papers" had been drawn up inerror as Ernest's previous owner suggested. She recalledErnest coming home all red and swollen...asin testicles, andwas at a loss to "explain" the papers indicating spaying for a doe.
We compared Ernest(ine) to Calbert and Missy and Ernest(ine) was morelike Calbert. We compared to three Internet sexing source pictures, butErnest(ine) in real life did not match up quite as clearly as we wouldhave preferred in order to draw a definite conclusion, although theMissus currently favors Ernest(ine) being a buck. I don'tnecessarily disagree, but I find Ernest(ine) a bit skittish for a buck.
Fact of the matter is, we're not sure. We will either have totake Ernest(ine) to a vet for a fee, or to a nearby breeder who hasmuch more experience sexing rabbits than we do. Inthe meantime, we decided, with some advice from a bunny knowledgablefriend of ours, that Ernest or Ernestine, as the case may be, shouldcome inside and become a house bunny.
Calbert and Missy were moved outside after I spent the day "winterzing"their outside hutch by inserting removable wooden panels on the sidesand creating a wooden panel w/plexiglas window for the front that canbe bolted in place with wing nuts and bolts when severe inclementweather threatens. They have spent most of their days out inthe hutch all summer and fall, so the adjustment should not be terriblydifficult.
I prepared a smaller inside cage for Ernest(ine), whose is now safelyenscounced therein as I type this. Ernest(ine) had originallybeen a house bunny until last winter, when circumstances predicatedhis/her owners move Ernest(ine) into a hutch at a neighbor'syard. In any case, Ernest(ine) is back in a house, wherehe/she probably belongs and Missy and Calbert are outsidewith one another.
The Missus could not handle three house rabbits as rabbit fur"floaters" drive her crazy. She vacuums at least once,sometimes twice a day. Ernest(ine) appears to beless of a shedder than Missy and Calbert, who were both longer haired,so that may ameliorate the situation a bit.
Let Ernest(ine) run about the house last evening.Dropped poops here and there, which is not unexpected...new, curious,excited, marking, afraid, etc. Also peed in a dark corner ofthe room...which Missy and Calbert never did, so I hope we aren'tcreating a "monster" here with Ernest(ine) becoming a house bunagain. I think things'll improve with time and familiarity.
Ernest(ine) lanquishes in the Missus arms, but has a tendency toscratch away at me when holding her/him in the living room.Yesterday my finger was even mouthed. No skin broken, but Igot the the message that Ernest(ine) did not like what was goingon. I think, possibly, that the TV may be source of annoyanceto the bun and will experiment more to see ifthat is simplywishful thinking upon my part, or, Ernest(ine) simply does not like me.
As I said, ya never can tell where the day is gonna go.
Buck
Engrossed in yard work, thank goodness I was there, I heard silentthrashing about. Turned around to find Ernest(ine) and Mickielocked in combat, rolling about the ground. Separated themand returned Mickie to his hutch with his mate, Maizie.
Ernest(ine) in turn parked beneath another hutch and just satthere. At first, I thought she was just resting, then thoughtI'd better check. When I approached, Ernest(ine) took off hobbling awaywith one front paw dangling. I thought the leg might havebeen broken!
Missus and I caught Ernest(ine) and inspected the legclosely. Appeared red and raw, abraded some, but not broken,nor requiring stitches. We applied some anti-biotic Ozonoland commiserated with Ernest(ine), who has been rejected to date forbonding with our widowed doe, Mitzie. We attributed that rejection,somewhat, to the "fact" Ernest turned out to be Ernest(ine), but, now,Ernest(ine) had been severly attacked by a buck, Mickie,...not entirelyunheard of, but surprising to us, nonetheless.
Attending to the wound, we inspected the genitals more closely and cameto the conclusion that perhaps the "Spay Papers" had been drawn up inerror as Ernest's previous owner suggested. She recalledErnest coming home all red and swollen...asin testicles, andwas at a loss to "explain" the papers indicating spaying for a doe.
We compared Ernest(ine) to Calbert and Missy and Ernest(ine) was morelike Calbert. We compared to three Internet sexing source pictures, butErnest(ine) in real life did not match up quite as clearly as we wouldhave preferred in order to draw a definite conclusion, although theMissus currently favors Ernest(ine) being a buck. I don'tnecessarily disagree, but I find Ernest(ine) a bit skittish for a buck.
Fact of the matter is, we're not sure. We will either have totake Ernest(ine) to a vet for a fee, or to a nearby breeder who hasmuch more experience sexing rabbits than we do. Inthe meantime, we decided, with some advice from a bunny knowledgablefriend of ours, that Ernest or Ernestine, as the case may be, shouldcome inside and become a house bunny.
Calbert and Missy were moved outside after I spent the day "winterzing"their outside hutch by inserting removable wooden panels on the sidesand creating a wooden panel w/plexiglas window for the front that canbe bolted in place with wing nuts and bolts when severe inclementweather threatens. They have spent most of their days out inthe hutch all summer and fall, so the adjustment should not be terriblydifficult.
I prepared a smaller inside cage for Ernest(ine), whose is now safelyenscounced therein as I type this. Ernest(ine) had originallybeen a house bunny until last winter, when circumstances predicatedhis/her owners move Ernest(ine) into a hutch at a neighbor'syard. In any case, Ernest(ine) is back in a house, wherehe/she probably belongs and Missy and Calbert are outsidewith one another.
The Missus could not handle three house rabbits as rabbit fur"floaters" drive her crazy. She vacuums at least once,sometimes twice a day. Ernest(ine) appears to beless of a shedder than Missy and Calbert, who were both longer haired,so that may ameliorate the situation a bit.
Let Ernest(ine) run about the house last evening.Dropped poops here and there, which is not unexpected...new, curious,excited, marking, afraid, etc. Also peed in a dark corner ofthe room...which Missy and Calbert never did, so I hope we aren'tcreating a "monster" here with Ernest(ine) becoming a house bunagain. I think things'll improve with time and familiarity.
Ernest(ine) lanquishes in the Missus arms, but has a tendency toscratch away at me when holding her/him in the living room.Yesterday my finger was even mouthed. No skin broken, but Igot the the message that Ernest(ine) did not like what was goingon. I think, possibly, that the TV may be source of annoyanceto the bun and will experiment more to see ifthat is simplywishful thinking upon my part, or, Ernest(ine) simply does not like me.
As I said, ya never can tell where the day is gonna go.
Buck
