Poor Baxter! was caught outside in a thundrstorm this afternoon..

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juliew19673

juliew19673

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West Hollywood, California, USA
I was at work today w/out Baxter! as of this morning on the news it was going to be the perfect 70 degree day in LA so I thought Baxter! could stay at home outside on his patio. At 3:00 PM today I received an email from weather.com telling me there was an imminent Severe Thunderstorm heading to my neighborhood (we had a few Tornadoes in Los Angeles today)!

I left work - took me an hour to get home as it was just pouring down rain.By the time I get home its stopped raining.I ran upstairs and opened the patio dooor and Baxter! is a boy possesed and jumps into my arms (no - "come - come Bax, come on, come on" needed this day - he was READY to go). Felt SO bad that he was SO ready to get out of there - but he was not drenched (has places to go - but assuming the thunder probably scared him half to death)..

I took him down to the bedroom, let him have his free run of the area ALL night long (usually he gets a couple of hours when he's had the patio all day) and still tonight he seems "upset".. It's like he's trying to tell me something and I just don't understand. He keeps "digging" at me and licking me until I stop him (he's a lover usually but this seems "over the top").. He's jumpy, not running about and am thinking he heard thunder and what not, and am just still scared - but can't seem to comfort him even though I"ve laid down with him for an hour at a time (he will lay still but not relaxed)..

I've checked him all over and do not see anything out of sorts (no cuts, he's eaten, but not pooed or pee'd that I see - which concerns me).

Poor boy - wondering if there is some herb/treat that might make him feel better/calmer (I'm out of Cheerios unfortunately)..

Any suggestions appreciated.
 
Come-on Someone! Answer me back - I make sure that I "run down" this forum to see who is "not" getting a response to their thread and will respond so that they are not "left alone" -and I expect the same...

Kills me whenI'veseen a thread "visited" a number of times and no one responds(barring your not equipped to give advice, but even the I at least reach out to them)iItslike we're livng in Manhattan and walking by a someone who is getting mugged and not doing anything about it - so PLEASE respond to each thread - how hard is it?
 
Hey Julie, I've been trying to answer since you posted, either my computer is staging another slow down (which is why I've barely been on since you signed up!) or the server's on the fritz again, so sorry!

My guys are the same way when they get upset, and it can last awhile. Pipp is having tooth issues right now and she was spending a lot of time on my lap digging and chewing, and then just begging for pets. (She will also LEAP off the vet's table into my arms).

When Dill gets very angry, he will really quickly chew a hole in something -- like my couch!

The others alsoget nervous and jumpy and/or clingy -- a combination of the two.

The best soothers around here are endless pets, soothing talk, banana and oats -- although very very tiny bits, seeing as a few are prone to imbalance, Pipp has gotten very ill from overdosing on oats.

They're such sensitive little critters.

PoorBaxter!!No mom and all that noise andwind and rain... all very unusual for the area.

He should be okay, just keep doing what you're doing.



sas :agree(hoping this post works!) :clover:
 
Awww poor lil guy... That's the weather for you. How is he doing? I can't really add much of anything really since Sas already gave you good info. Basically, it's like soothing a child from a nightmare. He will be jumpy when hearing loud noises but soon he will think "hey, nothing happened" and will settle down. Give him extra cuddles for me :)
 
I don't have much experience with this, but it's frustrating when someone reads a thread and doesn't post, so I'll give you everything I know, but don't trust me completely on this without getting it comfirmed by someone more experienced.

Keep an eye on him, and if you notice any changes, take him to the vet. He's probably rather stressed at the moment, so give him some space. If he seems to want to stay near you, let him, but don't sit there constantly patting him or picking him up if he seems to want to be left alone.

I wouldn't give him anything that he hasn't had before, unless someone advises you to. If he's stressed, in shock, whatever, it probably won't help to put more stress on his body by giving him something new.

I'm sure he'll be fine, but make sure he gets a lot of TLC! ;)

Rachel.

EDIT: Sorry that I made that sound like he might have something seriously wrong with him, I don't think he does. I'm just saying that if he seems overly stressed or whatever, give him his space. :)
 
Awww poor little Baxter....how is he doing?...i hope by now he feels more comforted

and secure with his mum around...just like little humanbabies...bunnies just feel so comforted just to have their mum by their side to give them somecomfort...and make them feel secure...i'm sure you are all Baxter needs at the moment :)

Kisses to Baxter :big kiss:

Cheryl




 
Poor Baxter! :? Is he any better this morning? I think I've seen a calming aid that can be used for rabbits. I think it is called Rescue Remedy but I haven't used it on a rabbit. Does anyone know about it and would it help?
 
I thinkwhat Julie is referring to in her second post was atech glitch. When she posted it apile of people were on and readit (I couldsee the view count), but then one of the famous 'glitches' hit and wiped almost everybodyoff the board, or at least hung them up, leaving poor Juliequite bewildered I'm sure.

I stayed onbut it wouldn't let me post.

That said, this place does tend to be at its quietestjust beforemidnight PST, it's too late for the easterners, too early for the overseas crowd, leaving us under-represented west coasters.

Getting back to Baxter!, I suspect it's more the abandonment/noise issue than just a noise issue. You're his mom/mate and you left himduring a scary time.

Just keep apologizing, he'll be fine. They canhavelong memories, you might still see bits of this for aweek or more.



sas:pet:


 
I'll be so glad when we move!

Julie, how's my boy? I worry about Tony getting scared out in a storm, myself!

Can you describe the patio? is it covered? and is it on a second floor?

Anyhow, I am glad you made it home and "saved" him.... I imagine he'll be a bit more lovey now LOL!


 
I know how you feel about poor Baxter! being in that sort of weather. One time I left the house with the sun shining to go to Green Bay shopping for an hour or two. I come back out to the car and the sky turned real ominous. All of the way home I kept thinking about Miss Maggie, my heart-bunny, who was outside in her cage. When I arrived home the storm had already blown through, but Maggie was soaking. I ran her into the house quick and started drying her off. I think I was more upset than she was even though she was on edge from going through a thunder storm.

It will probably take a bit of time to get over since you haven't had him for very long and, as someone else said, you are his mate and his protector and you weren't there for him. I forgot if he was a stray before he arrived at your home. If he was, he might have had some scary stuff happen then and the storm only re-enforced some of those feelings. When I first adopted Maggie, she used to scream in her sleep because of her bad dreams. I felt so sorry for her, because I didn't know what to do to make the monsters go away. Eventually, the bad dreams stopped along with the screaming.

I do hope he will come around soon. If he is in shock, the best thing is calm, quiet, and warmth.

myheart
 
The way I comfort my bunnies is by cuddling them on my chest with their head under my chin. They really seem to feel secure there, and when my bf does this to his little dwarf, he's very happy because the bf's beard is fuzzy like a bunny! Another thing I do to make them feel safe is to pet their heads and noses, and gently rest my hand on top of their ears/neck area. This is really good for car rides, since I can keep them in the carrier on my lap and comfort them. Finally, I just let them run and hide wherever in the house they want to go, then go to them to pet and give treats. That way they're comfortable with the space, they don't feel exposed to "predators" and such. You can also try to train them to relax by saying, "It's ok, Baxter!" gently to them.

My bunnies aren't really afraid of thunderstorms unless they're really loud. One is more afraid of them than the other, but she's more afraid of everything since I've only had her for a few months and she came out of a not-so-good situation.

Didn't you find Baxter! outside? Maybe he felt like he had been abandoned to fend for himself in severe weather like before? I know my Muffin (who was abandoned and left without food or water) gets really upset if I'm gone for a long time. Last weekend we left them overnight with LOTS of food while we went to Indiana to pick up my bf's new bunny--we were gone maybe 18 hours--and Ms. Muffin was very upset when we got back, while Tony was just happy it was dinner time! I think she felt abandoned again, and having eaten almost all the food we gave them in the first few hours we were gone, she was hungry.:( Maybe I'm making it all up, but it seemed like she was upset because she felt abandoned and hungry again. It's possible that that's why Baxter! was so upset too. Or I could be giving bunnies' memories and intelligence more credit than they deserve!;)
 
Julie I am so sorry:(you must have put this up as i was shutting my comp off this morning. Im so sorry i missed it how is he doing??
 
Hi all - thanks for the responses and sorry, I didn't think that anyone may be having computer glitches so I apologize for being snotty and stamping my foot (being concernced while hormonal, never helps my disposition either)..

Well Baxter! has looked at me and thumped a few times this AM; this after I locked poor Tbone (and the BF) out of the bedroom so that Bax and I could cuddle all night. I also awoke to find my pinky fingernail had been chewed down to the quick and he now has a bizarre fascination with wanting to chew the rest of them off?! :shock:

I think what most of you have suggested is accurate.. He thought he had been abandon again and had to listen to that horrible thunder and deal w/the torrential downpour and wind.. Poor baby.. He has had a few blueberries and a banana chip (my peace offering) and seems fine just a little cranky (I did coax a couple of great binkies out of him this AM).. Its helped thatI took the day off, so we've been hanging out watching movies..

Now I'm dealing with the cranky cat.. lol.. sorry again for being cranky myself, I was in "the zone" and not thinking outside of my own personal issues..
 
Bo B Bunny wrote:
I'll be so glad when we move!

Julie, how's my boy? I worry about Tony getting scared out in a storm, myself!

Can you describe the patio? is it covered? and is it on a second floor?

Anyhow, I am glad you made it home and "saved" him.... I imagine he'll be a bit more lovey now LOL!
Click to expand...

boy will I be glad when you guys can move - lol!!

The patio is on the second floor and is not covered - but his hutch is out there which had a towel on top of it (it was dry inside); but he had wedged himself between the hutch and the sliding glass door.. I think so that someone would see him out there and save him! Once I opened the door he jumped right into my arms and buried his head.. Poor lil guy!!! Still feel bad..

Again, he's fine - but I think I lost some of his trust. :(
 
Glad to hear that poor little Baxter is getting over his ordeal....aww i knowhe still loves his mum..no worries there :)

Cheryl
 
juliew19673 wrote:
Hi all - thanks for the responses and sorry, I didn't think that anyone may be having computer glitches so I apologize for being snotty and stamping my foot (being concernced while hormonal, never helps my disposition either)..

Well Baxter! has looked at me and thumped a few times this AM; this after I locked poor Tbone (and the BF) out of the bedroom so that Bax and I could cuddle all night. I also awoke to find my pinky fingernail had been chewed down to the quick and he now has a bizarre fascination with wanting to chew the rest of them off?! :shock:
Click to expand...

LOL I'm sorry I missed this earlier. I'm on most of the day but hardly ever near the computer... RO is always open on my laptop though :pI'm glad Baxter! is O.K. and forgiving you - our weather here too has been terrible and unpredicatble... it seems the only time it rains is when I need to be outside... soon as I get in the house the sunshine comes out. I had to unload a whole truck load of feed bags in the pouring rain yesterday, four 50 pound bags rabbit food, 2 50 pound bags pig food... sheep food... chicken food... as soon as I got inside, the sun popped out and it was just lovely out!


Anyway, sounds like your peace offering was perfect. As for the chewing on your fingernails thing - that is strange! Maybe he's doing it for the same reasons humans do.. stress, or just a bad habit... or he's a littleweird :pSnuggle time always does the trick, and banana chips.

As for the being hormonal,I hear you girl, and I understand!!
 
Trailsend you crack me up (and your blog, I love) your SO busy with your ranch and the various animals I cannot imagine how you do it all..

Also being in the area of the world you are and having so many animals you must deal with wicked weather and having to be "johnny on the spot" putting them away or checking on them after the storm - "How Do You Deal With It?"..


 
How do you keep him from jumping off or over that patio!?! :shock:

Sounds like he'll be ok soon - he has decided your nails need clipped so grooming you is a good sign!

Maybe the thumps were:

  • DO NOT put me outside again!
  • DO NOT leave me again!
  • WATCH OUT! there's a lot of big boom monsters out there!
 
My patio has 10 ft high walls that3, are made of concrete - one is 4 ft high concrete and then lattice on top of that to match the 10 ft of the others - so until Baxter! feels the need to jump the 4 ft and then climb he's pretty safe except that the patio is "open" at the top and we do have hawks/owls that fly around in the afternoon or (owls) at night - but he keeps to the sides of the patio and has MANY things that cover the area (boxes, tables, chairs, etc)..


I've been meaning to start a Blog for Baxter! that I can put up video/photos of his life so that you can understand the "trial" that is his life (as he thinks it is... LOL)..
 
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