Mookie and Benji .. Benji is quite "lost"

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Saffy

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9 Ladies Stone Circle - Derbyshire, , United King
As some of you will know, Mookie skipped her way to the bridge yesterday morning. I don't think Hollie or I have cried so much in one day, ever !

We brought Benji into the house last night and settled him into the downstairs toilet (hmm .. that gives an imagine) ... I don't mean IN the toilet :biggrin: He was fine ... pooped and weed over Mike's copy of a magazine he foolishly left on the floor, so at least we know he's eating and pooping and weeing.

Hollie and Mike both said we should get another rabbit to try and bond with Benji, as seeing he and Mookie snuggle up together and give one another bunny kisses, was one of the most rewarding and heartwarming things of having two together.

I don't want another mini lop as much as I love them as I fear that my little knowledge of their teeth and lack of experience, went some way towards her death. I was told (not very tactful I know) by someone, on the day of her death, that the gut drug should never be given and of course, I blame myself partly - though to be honest, she was so far gone in such a short time, I don't think anything could have helped her and I wish I'd had the guts to know this and have her PTS .. but you always hope, don't you ..

Anyways .. Hmmm .. Hollie has been nosing on Pre Loved and Gum Tree, a palace on the internet inthe UK that advertises private sales and came across two little self black Nethies .. ohh how funny, both does.

After some deliberation and a need to distract myself from thinking about Mookie and breaking into tears all the time, I phoned ... it went to voicemail, so I left a message and said to Hollie .. "If they ring back, it will be fate" and we will go and see the bunnies.

So ... at 10 tomorrow .. we are going to see a tiny little bunny

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I've a funny feeling we will be welcoming a new bunny (she's already named the blummin thing LUNA) to our home tomorrow ....
 
Well .. we did it .. I'm still feeling Mookie's loss painfully and keep breaking into tears and didn't really feel ready for another bunny. To look at Benji sat out in his run, wandering around looking lost and sad ..or that's how it seemed to me .. perhaps it was just my human emotions getting in the way.

Hollie is coming up for her last three A level exams and in a way this new rabbit has made her chill a little. Yes she is still revising madly, but not obsessively as she used to, she is now taking breaks to play with Luna.

As for Luna. Well, the lady we got her from was lovely. Luna was in with her mum a REW and really tiny .. she was going to breed but said the standards in the UK are getting silly and they are starting to breed smaller and smaller. As it is the Dad (Called Ben, funnily enough)was smaller than the Mum and she was TINY!

Anyways, she has decided not to breed Nethies any more so Luna was the last to go (she is keeping Blossom the Mum but has passed Ben onto a friend who keeps show stock). As it is, she says Luna was the smallest of the litter and thinks that she may be even smaller than the Daddy!! (We don't intend to breed Luna and will be getting her "done" as soon as possible)

She is 9 weeks old on Sunday and was actually born on our elder daughter's birthday 11th April .. fate again stepping in?

She's a lovely little thing but I am having trouble focussing on her as I keep breaking into tears of guilt over Mookie.

I cuddled Benji and took him to Mookie's grave and told him that this new one wasn't a replacement for Mookie and how much we are going to miss her. I cried so much he was soaked!

I've asked Benji if he will please befriend this little girl rabbit as she needs to be shown what to do! (Yep, I think he understands what I say)

We have had them in the run together but seperated by a wired panel so they can smell one another. Luna keeps trying to mimic Benji and it was quite comical to see them doing their Peter Rabbit impression and washing themselves .. Luna kept toppling over as she's not quite got the hang of it yet.

Any advice on how to bond these two?

We are keeping Luna in a carrier as believe me, she is so small she fits in a cup (photo to come) and would be utterly lost in a cage, but we plan to put her out in the run daily, whilst keeping an eye on them, just to let them get the smell of one another.

Weepy smiles

Saff xx
 
I have to get my act together tomorrow with a blog.

Hollie and I introduced Ben to Luna in the run - without seperators today. Luna immediately bowed down, submitting to Ben and bless him, he started to kiss, kiss, kiss ... this went on for about ten minutes, with them running around and then her stopping and him kissing her .. THEN, he bowed his head ... she didn't know what to do at first, then she started kissing ...

I was nearly in tears !!

Photo's AND video to follow !!
 
What fantastic photos, and watching the video was heartwarming!
Our family lost Jaden in the beginning of December, so when we bonded Jezebel to another bunny I went through all the processes you guys are doing now!
Keep on bonding!! We kept them in their own homes (side by side) for a solid month, and since you have already introduced them and no fur was flying, I would think that was a good sign :)
Personally, we didn't let Ben (Jezebel's new arranged marriage husband) and Jezebel out together unless they were out in neutral territory and slowly we integrated their 'out' time together.
We would place them in each other's home too, so they would get a sense of shared territory, sometimes for 1/2 day until we could just leave the cage doors open and they could choose to go back and forth between their respective bunny condos.
They are now quite a snug pair, and I am SOOO excited and happy for you folks :)
It helped Jezebel IMMENSELY to have someone to love and someone to love her back, she started dancing again and being very affectionate with us!
Enjoy Saffy and please keep the pics and stories coming
xo cher
 
Well .. no pics sadly as my phone has decided to give up the ghost, but Benji and Luna are snuggling up together in Benji's cage as I type. They are both flopped out side by side ...

Earlier, then were both grooming one another in the sleeping quarters, so I guess, the bonding is going well. Hmm bear in mind she is 10 weeks' old now and it wont be too many weeks before she starts to get hormonol. I want to put off having her "done" for as long as I can really .. the bigger she is and all that.

I'm debating whether to let her stay with Benji tonight .. but someone has given us another cage, which is a lot bigger than the one we have, and perhaps I feel it best if we give that a good power wash out and disinfect, then they can feel they are moving house "together" ...



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Cher .. have to say .. Benji has been doing little binkies today .. so he is obviously quite enjoying company !!

 
Totally bonded.

They've been sharing Benji's cage for the last few days and nights. Benji seems to know she's a baby and humours her as such!

They had a Lady and The Tramp moment last night .. shared a lettuce leaf, right down to the end!
 
He's totally changed .. he seems more gentle. And a funny thing .. when he was with Mookie he was always having loose poops .. I more often than not had to bum bath him from time to time ... his poops are fine now !! ??

You can really tell that he wants to look after Luna .. he sits, looking like a grumpy old rabbit, watching her prancing around and showing off - and if anyone comes near her that he doesnt know, he lowers his head and pushes towards the person trying to stroke her.
 

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