Shuu
Well-Known Member
This post got a lot longer than I intended, but please persevere if you have a Flemish or experience with Flemmies. :run:
We'll I'm starting to get sick with Flemish Fever.
I've always been one to want odd pets that, when I tell people aboutthem, all they can do is blink at me and say "...You have what?"
The idea of having a giant bunny with such adorable personalities withall that extra body mass to love and coo over really appeals to me.
I've done my research, read through all the Flemish posts on the board.I've found a breeder in my area that breeds the colour I want (Fawn)but I don't want to contact them until I get the OK from my dad. Lastthing I want is to get my hopes up and have them dashed in theirinfancy.
I just have a few questions before I seriously pitch the idea to my dad.
I do currently have Loki and Tyr, my Lop mix and Dutch. As some of youhave probably read, they bonded beautifully. Having lived in the sameroom from the start really helped things. After they both were fixed Istarted them with a bonding regiment. Everything went great. No fights,no nipping, a tiny amount of dominant mounting on Tyr's part and theywere grooming each other within 20 minutes. After a week of sleepingaway the afternoons together and romping around in the evenings withouta hitch, I went ahead and built them their NIC cage. The building tooktwo days but I'm really happy with it. They've been together for a fewdays now and they're loving it. I spent the night near them the firstnight and there was no fighting at all. At this moment they're squishedup against the wall of the cage sleeping soundly.
The reason I mention all this is because I can't decide whether to geta buck or a doe. Tyr, my buck, is very laid back. He's never attackedme or Loki or anyone else for that matter. The first time he met one ofmy friends not long ago he stretched out while she was petting him.Just today Loki jumped on his head when he was sleeping and he didn'tbudge. He always gives in when she wants licks and he puts up with herantics.
Loki, my doe, on the other hand is a little more skittish. She stilltenses up when anyone other than myself walks by the cage. She's gottena lot better since the two of them moved in together but it's not 100%.
Having said all this I'm not sure which would have more troubleaccepting a new friend of their sex. I really can't see Tyr attacking,even another buck, but he's never had the chance to prove me right orwrong. Loki would probably be nervous at first but her, too, I can'tsee attacking. They both have accepting personalities.
I realize they're still pretty young (about 6-7 months) but I wouldn'tbe getting the Flemish till around Christmas anyways. That should putthem at almost a year old so they should be more calm by then. If allelse fails, I can easily keep them seperated, but I'd prefer to letthem hang out together. They would, though, be sleeping seperately.Loki and Tyr together and Flemmie by him/herself.
My second question isn't really a question so much as a request. My dadlikes the rabbits, though you'd never get him to admit it, but for himto accept a 17-20 lbs rabbit is going to be a challenge. I know if Igot one he'd fall in love, but it'll be hard to convince him.
We have plenty of space but it would take some rabbit-proofing. Ireally don't think it's the rabbit he doesn't want, but the mess hethinks he/she will bring with him/her. I think he's beginning to seepast the messiness a bit now that Loki and Tyr live down in thebasement with us (where all the computers and the big television is).They've been really good in not pooping all over their cage and they(as we all know) don't smell. Now that he sees they're clean it may nottake as much convincing.
Basically I'm asking for help convincing him of how wonderful a petthey are and how enriching their company is. It's going to take somedoing, but I really want him to know they're like a dog or cat with abunny personality and cleanliness.
In summary, from your experience, do bucks or does get along betterwith other buns? And any convincing arguments I could convey to my dad.Also, any websites you could refer me to I may have missed in myresearch.
Thanks for reading all this and for any responses. You're doing me a big favour.
We'll I'm starting to get sick with Flemish Fever.
I've always been one to want odd pets that, when I tell people aboutthem, all they can do is blink at me and say "...You have what?"
The idea of having a giant bunny with such adorable personalities withall that extra body mass to love and coo over really appeals to me.
I've done my research, read through all the Flemish posts on the board.I've found a breeder in my area that breeds the colour I want (Fawn)but I don't want to contact them until I get the OK from my dad. Lastthing I want is to get my hopes up and have them dashed in theirinfancy.
I just have a few questions before I seriously pitch the idea to my dad.
I do currently have Loki and Tyr, my Lop mix and Dutch. As some of youhave probably read, they bonded beautifully. Having lived in the sameroom from the start really helped things. After they both were fixed Istarted them with a bonding regiment. Everything went great. No fights,no nipping, a tiny amount of dominant mounting on Tyr's part and theywere grooming each other within 20 minutes. After a week of sleepingaway the afternoons together and romping around in the evenings withouta hitch, I went ahead and built them their NIC cage. The building tooktwo days but I'm really happy with it. They've been together for a fewdays now and they're loving it. I spent the night near them the firstnight and there was no fighting at all. At this moment they're squishedup against the wall of the cage sleeping soundly.
The reason I mention all this is because I can't decide whether to geta buck or a doe. Tyr, my buck, is very laid back. He's never attackedme or Loki or anyone else for that matter. The first time he met one ofmy friends not long ago he stretched out while she was petting him.Just today Loki jumped on his head when he was sleeping and he didn'tbudge. He always gives in when she wants licks and he puts up with herantics.
Loki, my doe, on the other hand is a little more skittish. She stilltenses up when anyone other than myself walks by the cage. She's gottena lot better since the two of them moved in together but it's not 100%.
Having said all this I'm not sure which would have more troubleaccepting a new friend of their sex. I really can't see Tyr attacking,even another buck, but he's never had the chance to prove me right orwrong. Loki would probably be nervous at first but her, too, I can'tsee attacking. They both have accepting personalities.
I realize they're still pretty young (about 6-7 months) but I wouldn'tbe getting the Flemish till around Christmas anyways. That should putthem at almost a year old so they should be more calm by then. If allelse fails, I can easily keep them seperated, but I'd prefer to letthem hang out together. They would, though, be sleeping seperately.Loki and Tyr together and Flemmie by him/herself.
My second question isn't really a question so much as a request. My dadlikes the rabbits, though you'd never get him to admit it, but for himto accept a 17-20 lbs rabbit is going to be a challenge. I know if Igot one he'd fall in love, but it'll be hard to convince him.
We have plenty of space but it would take some rabbit-proofing. Ireally don't think it's the rabbit he doesn't want, but the mess hethinks he/she will bring with him/her. I think he's beginning to seepast the messiness a bit now that Loki and Tyr live down in thebasement with us (where all the computers and the big television is).They've been really good in not pooping all over their cage and they(as we all know) don't smell. Now that he sees they're clean it may nottake as much convincing.
Basically I'm asking for help convincing him of how wonderful a petthey are and how enriching their company is. It's going to take somedoing, but I really want him to know they're like a dog or cat with abunny personality and cleanliness.
In summary, from your experience, do bucks or does get along betterwith other buns? And any convincing arguments I could convey to my dad.Also, any websites you could refer me to I may have missed in myresearch.
Thanks for reading all this and for any responses. You're doing me a big favour.