BlackDove200
Member
I thought I'd blog. I like the idea of having one on here, so people can get to know the four of us better. I haven't really been on the site too much yet, but I also was never really much of a forum poster before either.
So, just a little background on us--I have no problem letting anyone know my first name is Mara. In Feburary last year, I started really to really miss having a pet. In the apartment where my husband and I lived, they weren't allowed, but caged animals are easy to hide and our apartment was pretty big. I wanted something smaller, but couldn't have a guinea pig. (Keep in mind, this was before I decided to do more research on having a rabbit). When I told my husband I wanted a rabbit, he looked at me like I was crazy.
He told me no, and then the same time that month two weeks later, he told me he wanted a divorce. He met someone else and he wanted to be with her. *rolls her eyes*
I will skip the part where I was heart broken, and get to the point where I suddenly realized I had a lot more freedom to do as I pleased. My best friend later realized how bad I wanted a rabbit, and came to stay with me a few weeks later. Next thing I knew, we were in her truck on our girl's day driving to the next town to a petstore to look at the Holland Lop the store owner said he had in the store. That's when I found Thumper.
(Bare with me, I don't know how to actually put the photos in the post yet, so these are just links to pictures from facebook) https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/297663_10100230526635053_1450371231_n.jpg
I instantly fell in love. I had had rabbits before, when I was little, but I didn't really actually remember anything about them. When I saw Thumper in the pet store, he just looked at me like, "Hi! *sniff sniff* You look nice." I picked him up to look at him, and to make sure he was healthy. I would have rescued a rabbit, but I really also wanted a friend, and he was only twenty five dollars.
I have never done so much research before on an animal. As soon as I had Thumper home, I read more about it. I knew the basics--sit on the floor, spend time with the bun, let them get to know you. Thumper instantly liked me, he's just got such a giving, sweet personality. My old apartment had wooden floors and he was afraid to walk off my area rug for the longest time--I soon decided he would be a house rabbit, and we would go from there after I read enough about it. He wasn't neutered when I bought him, but I think he must have been about six or seven months old because he wasn't really interested in being too naughty yet. While I lived in the old apartment, too, I got a roommate who instantly fell in love.
The roommate thing didn't work. I was too caught up in trying to graduate from school (have a creative writing and anthropology degree now) and to survive the divorce. Thumper surprised me because he would just sit with me, and it was like he knew I needed him. Of course I'd let him binkie and it was SO cute when he figured out how to run up the stairs (after about a month we developed a game where we would go up and down the stairs like 5 times in a row, and I was always right next to him to make sure he didn't fall when he went down), but I ended up just deciding I wanted to live by myself in a smaller apartment after I found a new job, but I had to stay on the same street since I didn't (and still don't) have a car.
Thumper liked the new apartment. I moved in like May, and that was when him not being neutered really became a problem. Thankfully I found a really great vet, and now he is just so calm. He isn't afraid of my mom's boxer, who likes to sniff all three of my rabbits (Winnie runs like a wild man away from her). His favorite place in the apartment is under my entertainment center near my Angel and Buffy DVDS or near my yarn box. I don't have any pictures of that, but as we go on with the blog I'll get more pics.
Thus, you have the story of the king.
I think it was in August when I got Winnie. He was another petstore rabbit. I was thinking about getting a female because sometimes I would have to put Thumper in his cage while I worked (from home) to keep him from getting into too much mischief. I can't exactly rabbit proof the apartment the way I want to yet, so unless I am keeping an eye on all three bunnies, they have to be in their cages. I knew about rabbit bonding...
But one day Thumper got out of his cage while Winnie was exploring. Winnie was SO tiny because he was only 8 weeks old. I was scared when I wasn't fast enough to catch Thump and prevent them from meeting each other on the floor..but I was immediately shocked. They were pretty good to each other--Thumper had had enough time since his neuter for him to calm down. I was EXTREMELY lucky at the time, since they bonded.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/12683_10100301364166073_789711155_n.jpg
I was pretty sure it was because Winnie was a girl and Thumper was in love.
Then... yeah, obviously, Winnie isn't a girl. I think I called him my "sweet little girl" at least two months until I realized...Oh. You're a boy. I was embarrassed because I should have known how to sex a rabbit, since I'd had them when I was a kid. Winnie is a lionhead, if that wasn't obvious. He likes to drink water from a cup and spend time with me, licking my face for hours. Eventually, he and Thumper wanted to be in their cages together. I was careful--I didn't let them be together immediately. A few disagreements did happen, since there was an age difference and Thumper was convinced he was the alpha rabbit, but there was nothing that was ever too bad.
Thus, Win became my little prince.
Then...October... I met Albert.
My best friend had me over for a night of partying. I had the weekend off, she had time off from school, and her in-laws were gone. There was beer and it was going to be fantastic, but then I found out her in-laws had this angora rabbit. I was horrified to realize he was in a hutch, since Winnie and Thumper were SO spoiled.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/564798_10100283721591933_1619734436_n.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/557403_10100243468120213_1932225246_n.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/216953_10100244644901933_1976215299_n.jpg
(Thump didn't want me to read in this picture) https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/530982_10100239667855973_2036230343_n.jpg
I was HORRIFIED. Albert didn't have a name at the time, he was just the rabbit. He could hardly move, his fur was SO matted. There wasn't a bit of hay in sight for him. He was thin, and dirty, and smelly. I looked at my friend and her husband and said, "That's HORRIBLE. I'm tempted to take him home and clean him up!" My friend agreed, but I couldn't even wait that long. I brought him into their trailer and found something to cut the matted wool from Albert's body. We found an electric razor (human variety, didn't hurt him a bit) and I sheered the wool off the poor boy. I am STILL picking mats from him from October. He was so grateful, Albert just looked at me like "thank you!" and showered my fingers in kisses.
I've dubbed Albert Sir Albert of the Apartment. LOL! (The courtly titles were actually given to them by another friend.)
Here he is after the hair cut...
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/385714_10100278231623873_156733283_n.jpg
And nowish, even though it's still not fully grown out:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/422977_10100308139608033_1606684263_n.jpg
He's JUST as spoiled as the other two.
Mom met Albert, and she fell in love too. We've always had a soft spot for rescues, and I couldn't let him live in those awful conditions anymore. When my friend explained to her mother in law how upset I was, and the kind of life I could give the rabbit, she said it was fine as long as I would let her have his wool. This woman infuriates me because she just has no regard for animals, but my girlfriend couldn't do much since they're letting her and her husband live their with their son. I got to keep Albert, and that's all that matters.
The unfortunate outcome of this was Thumper bonded more with Albert, and now Winnie can't stand either one of them. He is full blown teenager and and obnoxious little punk. But still utterly adorable.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/154302_10100311059321903_1955716969_n.jpg (he likes to hide in hoodies)
I'm gonna set up a neuter for he and Albert sometime in January--IF my mom doesn't decide she wants to take Albert to herself. She's a little horrified I got Thumper neutered, but at the same time she has seen a difference in his behavior. I think its because he's neutered and Albert is at least 3 years old that he can get along with him more so than Win right now. I don't think that will happen, because Albert is thoroughly enjoying being a house rabbit even though we have had to have some conversations about house etiquette.
All in all... even though what really spurred me into buying a rabbit and keeping Thumper as a pet in the first place, it's really helped me get to a good spot since the divorce. I have three little furry sons who need my attention, and even though I end up vacuuming and huffing in frustration when Thumper runs underneath the bed or Winnie dashes behind my dresser, these rabbits are in a happy home. Especially Albert.
Win and Albert just kinda aren't sure about Aunt Heidi, the boxer, or cousin Atlas, the Staffordshire Terrier. Winnie also doesn't like Stefan from the Vampire Dairies. I say, "Uh oh! Bunny eater!" when we're watching the show and he dashes underneath a blanket (getting a carrot after I say that probably has just trained him XD).
(This TV thing is cool, mom--and yes, of all three of the boys, Winnie will actually hunker down and stare at the TV with me) https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/6965_10100325433535863_1857406820_n.jpg
Haha, wow. It's almost 5am. I was going to read some of the other blogs on here but I think I better go to sleep. XD
So, just a little background on us--I have no problem letting anyone know my first name is Mara. In Feburary last year, I started really to really miss having a pet. In the apartment where my husband and I lived, they weren't allowed, but caged animals are easy to hide and our apartment was pretty big. I wanted something smaller, but couldn't have a guinea pig. (Keep in mind, this was before I decided to do more research on having a rabbit). When I told my husband I wanted a rabbit, he looked at me like I was crazy.
He told me no, and then the same time that month two weeks later, he told me he wanted a divorce. He met someone else and he wanted to be with her. *rolls her eyes*
I will skip the part where I was heart broken, and get to the point where I suddenly realized I had a lot more freedom to do as I pleased. My best friend later realized how bad I wanted a rabbit, and came to stay with me a few weeks later. Next thing I knew, we were in her truck on our girl's day driving to the next town to a petstore to look at the Holland Lop the store owner said he had in the store. That's when I found Thumper.
(Bare with me, I don't know how to actually put the photos in the post yet, so these are just links to pictures from facebook) https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/297663_10100230526635053_1450371231_n.jpg
I instantly fell in love. I had had rabbits before, when I was little, but I didn't really actually remember anything about them. When I saw Thumper in the pet store, he just looked at me like, "Hi! *sniff sniff* You look nice." I picked him up to look at him, and to make sure he was healthy. I would have rescued a rabbit, but I really also wanted a friend, and he was only twenty five dollars.
I have never done so much research before on an animal. As soon as I had Thumper home, I read more about it. I knew the basics--sit on the floor, spend time with the bun, let them get to know you. Thumper instantly liked me, he's just got such a giving, sweet personality. My old apartment had wooden floors and he was afraid to walk off my area rug for the longest time--I soon decided he would be a house rabbit, and we would go from there after I read enough about it. He wasn't neutered when I bought him, but I think he must have been about six or seven months old because he wasn't really interested in being too naughty yet. While I lived in the old apartment, too, I got a roommate who instantly fell in love.
The roommate thing didn't work. I was too caught up in trying to graduate from school (have a creative writing and anthropology degree now) and to survive the divorce. Thumper surprised me because he would just sit with me, and it was like he knew I needed him. Of course I'd let him binkie and it was SO cute when he figured out how to run up the stairs (after about a month we developed a game where we would go up and down the stairs like 5 times in a row, and I was always right next to him to make sure he didn't fall when he went down), but I ended up just deciding I wanted to live by myself in a smaller apartment after I found a new job, but I had to stay on the same street since I didn't (and still don't) have a car.
Thumper liked the new apartment. I moved in like May, and that was when him not being neutered really became a problem. Thankfully I found a really great vet, and now he is just so calm. He isn't afraid of my mom's boxer, who likes to sniff all three of my rabbits (Winnie runs like a wild man away from her). His favorite place in the apartment is under my entertainment center near my Angel and Buffy DVDS or near my yarn box. I don't have any pictures of that, but as we go on with the blog I'll get more pics.
Thus, you have the story of the king.
I think it was in August when I got Winnie. He was another petstore rabbit. I was thinking about getting a female because sometimes I would have to put Thumper in his cage while I worked (from home) to keep him from getting into too much mischief. I can't exactly rabbit proof the apartment the way I want to yet, so unless I am keeping an eye on all three bunnies, they have to be in their cages. I knew about rabbit bonding...
But one day Thumper got out of his cage while Winnie was exploring. Winnie was SO tiny because he was only 8 weeks old. I was scared when I wasn't fast enough to catch Thump and prevent them from meeting each other on the floor..but I was immediately shocked. They were pretty good to each other--Thumper had had enough time since his neuter for him to calm down. I was EXTREMELY lucky at the time, since they bonded.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/12683_10100301364166073_789711155_n.jpg
I was pretty sure it was because Winnie was a girl and Thumper was in love.
Then... yeah, obviously, Winnie isn't a girl. I think I called him my "sweet little girl" at least two months until I realized...Oh. You're a boy. I was embarrassed because I should have known how to sex a rabbit, since I'd had them when I was a kid. Winnie is a lionhead, if that wasn't obvious. He likes to drink water from a cup and spend time with me, licking my face for hours. Eventually, he and Thumper wanted to be in their cages together. I was careful--I didn't let them be together immediately. A few disagreements did happen, since there was an age difference and Thumper was convinced he was the alpha rabbit, but there was nothing that was ever too bad.
Thus, Win became my little prince.
Then...October... I met Albert.
My best friend had me over for a night of partying. I had the weekend off, she had time off from school, and her in-laws were gone. There was beer and it was going to be fantastic, but then I found out her in-laws had this angora rabbit. I was horrified to realize he was in a hutch, since Winnie and Thumper were SO spoiled.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/564798_10100283721591933_1619734436_n.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/557403_10100243468120213_1932225246_n.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/216953_10100244644901933_1976215299_n.jpg
(Thump didn't want me to read in this picture) https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/530982_10100239667855973_2036230343_n.jpg
I was HORRIFIED. Albert didn't have a name at the time, he was just the rabbit. He could hardly move, his fur was SO matted. There wasn't a bit of hay in sight for him. He was thin, and dirty, and smelly. I looked at my friend and her husband and said, "That's HORRIBLE. I'm tempted to take him home and clean him up!" My friend agreed, but I couldn't even wait that long. I brought him into their trailer and found something to cut the matted wool from Albert's body. We found an electric razor (human variety, didn't hurt him a bit) and I sheered the wool off the poor boy. I am STILL picking mats from him from October. He was so grateful, Albert just looked at me like "thank you!" and showered my fingers in kisses.
I've dubbed Albert Sir Albert of the Apartment. LOL! (The courtly titles were actually given to them by another friend.)
Here he is after the hair cut...
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/385714_10100278231623873_156733283_n.jpg
And nowish, even though it's still not fully grown out:
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/422977_10100308139608033_1606684263_n.jpg
He's JUST as spoiled as the other two.
Mom met Albert, and she fell in love too. We've always had a soft spot for rescues, and I couldn't let him live in those awful conditions anymore. When my friend explained to her mother in law how upset I was, and the kind of life I could give the rabbit, she said it was fine as long as I would let her have his wool. This woman infuriates me because she just has no regard for animals, but my girlfriend couldn't do much since they're letting her and her husband live their with their son. I got to keep Albert, and that's all that matters.
The unfortunate outcome of this was Thumper bonded more with Albert, and now Winnie can't stand either one of them. He is full blown teenager and and obnoxious little punk. But still utterly adorable.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/154302_10100311059321903_1955716969_n.jpg (he likes to hide in hoodies)
I'm gonna set up a neuter for he and Albert sometime in January--IF my mom doesn't decide she wants to take Albert to herself. She's a little horrified I got Thumper neutered, but at the same time she has seen a difference in his behavior. I think its because he's neutered and Albert is at least 3 years old that he can get along with him more so than Win right now. I don't think that will happen, because Albert is thoroughly enjoying being a house rabbit even though we have had to have some conversations about house etiquette.
All in all... even though what really spurred me into buying a rabbit and keeping Thumper as a pet in the first place, it's really helped me get to a good spot since the divorce. I have three little furry sons who need my attention, and even though I end up vacuuming and huffing in frustration when Thumper runs underneath the bed or Winnie dashes behind my dresser, these rabbits are in a happy home. Especially Albert.
Win and Albert just kinda aren't sure about Aunt Heidi, the boxer, or cousin Atlas, the Staffordshire Terrier. Winnie also doesn't like Stefan from the Vampire Dairies. I say, "Uh oh! Bunny eater!" when we're watching the show and he dashes underneath a blanket (getting a carrot after I say that probably has just trained him XD).
(This TV thing is cool, mom--and yes, of all three of the boys, Winnie will actually hunker down and stare at the TV with me) https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/6965_10100325433535863_1857406820_n.jpg
Haha, wow. It's almost 5am. I was going to read some of the other blogs on here but I think I better go to sleep. XD
