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Is human food (or some human food, even) supremely bad for bunnies or are there some things that are okay, just not great? Zen gets really curious when I'm eating, and I've given her a nibble of rice or crackers (no meat; I have a pretty good idea of where bunnies are on the food chain) but my friend mentioned that people think a little chocolate is TOTALLY fine for a dog and it's really awful for them, so I thought I'd ask. :/ Hopefully I haven't made her sick. Zen adores a nibble of Ritz cracker, and will crawl all over my lap to try to get another taste. (It's unbearably cute, but of course I'll stop indulging her if there are real adverse effects.)
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Jun 25, 2008 00:01
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Melicious posted:I have a habit of keeping ziplock baggies full of wheat chex in my purse for snacking, and I ALWAYS forget to get it out until I find Bowser armpit-deep in my purse. Sigh. The mental image this gave me made my giggle.  I don't have any purses large enough for Zen's chubby butt to get into, but she does take some occasional paw swipes into them sometimes to see if there's anything interesting within reach. I swear sometimes she's like a cat. 
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Jun 25, 2008 15:40
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Zen is finally possibly getting a boyfriend! I just got in touch with a shelter in Manhattan that has some boy bunnies and Zen gets her first speed dating session this Thursday. I'm popping out to the pet store tomorrow for another litter box, more litter and hay, piles of toys, etc. Also I need to build a second part to the pen. I'm horribly nervous about the bonding process, especially since Zen is such a princess and has been spoiled rotten. :/ Zen's current pen is about 30" x 30" (with half a 2nd floor) and I'm going to make an identical one right next to it for the friend. After the bonding happens (*crosses fingers*) is the combined size enough for the two buns?
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Aug 18, 2008 23:53
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Hyzenthlay + Frith, bonding day 1. I adopted Frith yesterday from a rescue here in Manhattan -- there were two boys Zen got to meet but the handler and I agreed the one I chose looked to have a much better chance. Zen, post bonding, looking thoroughly pissed off:  Frith, post bonding, happily finishing the carrot I tried to use as a peace measure:  It's been one day and I'm already a little discouraged.  Zen is SUCH a princess. It was actually a bit funny to see her entire attitude and posture was pretty much what would happen if someone less than perfect came up to some chick who thought WAY highly of herself: she moved to the far corner of the bonding area (the kitchen, penned off) and looked prim and faced away.Except for the moments Frith came over to say hello and Zen attacked. She's half his size and way more dominant. Which Frith is okay with. But she's so used to being the only bunny of the house I think she's really upset that my attention is divided. She's also really upset that I accidentally whopped her over the nose with my sandal in an attempt to separate them with minimal harm to either; I was just trying to wedge them apart and I guess I was a little more forceful than necessary. I have two identical (mirror image, rather) pens right next to each other and I did the first switch... and Zen somehow weaseled out of hers because I hadn't closed the door properly and tried to go back to the one she'd been in. Luckily I hadn't put Frith in yet. They look so cute together and Frith is soooo willing to be friends, Zen is just being queen bitch. I guess it's my fault, I've spoiled her rotten all this time.
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Aug 22, 2008 23:06
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It's not even Zen wants to be dominant, Zen wants to be the only bunny. :/ I have a quick concern: Zen is eating a lot less since this 'ordeal' has begun, and I'm worried. She goes eat enough hay I think to be not starving, but she barely picks at her veggies and I'm concerned she'd not getting her vitamins. I've pulled out her favorites too, and she just takes a bite or two. Also, that whole thing about putting their food bowls opposite each other in the pens so they can make eating a social activity doesn't work with Zen. She pulls out the piece of carrot she wants and hauls it off to the other side of the pen.
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Aug 23, 2008 18:44
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Frith got out tonight for the second time (hence why I'm awake at 7am, jesus). For those of you using the make-a-bookshelf frames, what do you guys use to close/lock the door? I have one door that has zip ties on just one side so I can swing it open when I like, and he manages to shove it out of the connectors at the bottom. I'm currently using a hair clip to keep it closed now but I think this is less than ideal. Zen will still have nothing to do with Frith and he's starting to get sulky back, so bonding sessions are worse. I tried pushing them together in a forced snuggle: it worked the first time, then Zen leaned over and attempted to hump Frith, he got a little peeved, and BOOM fur flying. Subsequent attempts have them wriggling away from each other immediately. :/Are some bunnies just unbondable? Zen hasn't changed her behavior at ALL and it's been almost a week now. I know, I know, bonding can sometimes take months, but I hoped to see at least a glimmer of affection by now. Or at least tolerance.
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Aug 27, 2008 12:03
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Deceptor101 posted:No idea about the ear issue cowslip, hope everything turns out ok. I saw this link on cuteoverload (its fun, ok?) and I wanted to share it with you fellow bun-lovers: I saw that today and I nearly died of, well, cute overload. I remember when Zen was that tiny. She's just big-furred now. Is what I keep telling her.  Frith... Frith is just dumpy. There's no two ways about that.
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Sep 11, 2008 06:56
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One of the handlers from the shelter I got Frith at is coming to visit tomorrow to help me with a bonding session with Frith and Zen! Crossing my fingers (they haven't had a session in a few days, she suggested giving them a break after the last two have resulted in casualties -- me included). At the very least hopefully she can make me less depressed about the poor progress.
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Sep 12, 2008 21:52
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Bunway Airlines posted:I'm glad to hear it. Good luck at the session and let us know how it goes! So she came and supervised a ~15 minute 'date'... and they didn't fight! They were very tense still, but she assured me that ignoring each other is better than fighting. I think the conclusion is I should stick to several shorter sessions, instead of the 15-20 minutes once or twice a day I was doing now. Basically, to squeeze in a 2-5 minute session whenever I have a bit of time to spare. Zen still sulked afterwards, but at least there were no battle wounds this time, and she was significantly more relaxed in his presence than she's ever been before, so I have newfound hope.
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Sep 14, 2008 21:25
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Zen used to hate being picked up and would try to wriggle out immediately. Now she very much tolerates, and makes it clear it's just tolerance. She won't wriggle out, but if I need to carry her she's constantly looking over my shoulder and around and trying to figure out if we've gotten 'there' yet. Frith raises holy hell if you touch his midsection in preparation to pick him up... but once he's picked up, he's more docile. Mostly out of sheer fear. When I get to putting him down (this is usually me picking them up and moving them from their pen to the date area, or my room) he sees ground, he leaps. My arms and chest have so many scrape marks.
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Oct 4, 2008 16:00
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DS at Night posted:Haha yeah when I first got Billy I got comments at work where people thought I was a cutter or something. Fortunately he hasn't left any permanent marks. My favorite one: "Do... are you in an abusive relationship?"
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Oct 5, 2008 00:26
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Bunny bonding breakthrough! On day like 7 million and something. (Zen is currently sulking at me from her pen because after the following incident her playtime was over and she was unceremoniously put back inside.) Zen has begun to condescend to be pet by me during bonding sessions, and as I'm petting Frith too, that means she has to be within a ~5 foot radius of him. Today Frith managed to inch close enough to get a good nuzzle in there -- his nose tucked oh so sweetly under her cheek. And then I paused petting for a moment to admire and she launched herself at the nearest moving thing; unfortunately for me, that was my hand. If you ever wondered if rabbit bites make it through regular leather gloves (I was wearing them precisely for bite protection), they do. Need to up the ante to thicker gloves. Or my bunnies just have to get along.But a nuzzle! There was a nuzzle! I was so happy. *wipes tear* edit: ^^^^ Oh rub it in, will you? Everyone's bunnies love each other but mine. (Your buns are adorable.)
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Oct 11, 2008 01:49
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I just noticed Frith's nose is yellowy dirty in a bit... is it possible to give him a bath and wash his face (and paws) or should I just let him do his thing?
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Oct 11, 2008 17:30
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DS at Night posted:I wouldn't let them near a wii if I were you. The cord of the sensor bar can be bitten through in one swift chomp. As can a DS charger, a laptop charger, an ipod usb charger... In replacing electronics alone my bunnies have cost me hundreds; I wouldn't risk letting the buns near a wii, that would suck. Is there a site where I can buy bunny toys or something? My buns very quickly lose interest in everything -- all they seem to want to do is eat, sleep (Frith; Zen doesn't sleep), meatloaf, and run around. And cuddle my foot. <3
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Oct 18, 2008 18:02
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Mr. Wynand posted:One of bonded mini-lop pair just died That visual made me tear up a little bit. I'm not even sure what I'd do if one of my buns died, especially inexplicably.
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Nov 8, 2008 23:50
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Bobblehead Biddy posted:Other than getting a carrier, what specific steps can I take to ensure his comfort and happiness? The last thing I'd want to do is stress the poor guy out. Is it just you driving, or will someone be coming with you? Zen actually doesn't mind car rides. She much prefers them out of her carrier than in. The last time she was in a car was a cab ride to the shelter where we got Frith. I had opened the flap to the carrier a bit to pet her in case she was frazzled, she nudged her way out, and spent the rest of the ride on my lap with her front paws on the car door, facing out the window. It was her most dog-like moment, and it was unbelievably cute. So see if you can get someone to sit with him and let him out of the carrier to look around. To be fair, Zen is pretty unruffled about most things, so it might also be a personality thing.
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Nov 12, 2008 08:19
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Deceptor101 posted:Well there's gotta be some or else none of us would be here and we'd all be just another PI Cat owner. I personally think they're far cuter and more interesting than cats. Honestly, I got my first bunny on a whim because I was a shopaholic in a pet store. The second one was to be a friend for the first (they still hate each other, but now they're at the ignoring phase! Progress!), therefore he was from a shelter that I contacted a couple weeks before I got him. There wasn't a huge amount of forethought that went into this. That said, I think there is nothing sweeter than getting 'groomed' in an attempt to get pet back. I know cats do that head rubbing thing but I really love how Zen will bounce up and start licking my elbow, looking very expectant (she does not groom because she loves, she grooms because she wants to get pet -- Zen uses me :/ ). I also think buns have a lot more and varied personality than cats. I love cats; they were, until I got Zen, my favorite animal, and I was convinced I was going to have 1 -- or 12. But I feel like most cats are that lovely lazy, slightly aloof, personality. They just vary between how friendly they are. Zen has so much more personality than a lot of people I've met. Frith is developing (he's still a teenager ). Or maybe I'm just making excuses for myself now that I won't be able to get a cat, since Zen will be seriously pissed.
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Nov 15, 2008 19:33
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More anecdotal evidence: before Zen was spayed, she hated being held, pooped everywhere, and humped everything all the time. Now she's resigned to being picked up, poops only everywhere (and I mean everywhere) in her pen, but not a poop outside the door. Oh, but she still humps everything. But the shelter handler says that's just her being the uber-dominant bitch she is. <3
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Nov 18, 2008 01:25
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Bagleworm posted:As far as I'm able to tell, it depends on your vet, city and country. People have quoted < $100, including pain meds, to anywhere up to and including $300. For me, it was $120 canadian, including medication from my vet. I also adopted a male rabbit from the SPCA for $50, neuter included. I feel like I've commented this before, but I'm not sure if my cost was me being ripped off or a product of being in Manhattan, but Zen getting spayed, including the meds, and not an overnight stay, was in the neighborhood of $500.
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Nov 26, 2008 03:06
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Frith does the paw shake too and the first time I thought he was having a fit, because I'd never seen Zen do that. Now she does too, which is weird. I'm sympathize with everyone who has way too fast and camera shy bunnies. Mine will be doing something really cute and the moment I run to get even my phone (even though my phone camera blows) -- BAM, bounce somewhere else, or back into a boring old meatloaf. (Zen meatloafs like a pro.) I did manage to slowly creep up on Frith with his butt in the litter box and his torso hanging out, like the lazy bunny he is, so once I remember to upload those I will certainly post them. He looks so silly.
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Dec 6, 2008 17:22
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Something I'm getting more frustrated with lately: what do you guys give your buns for digging? I have started donating my clothing I don't like anymore (don't worry, just like plain cotton t-shirts and stuff, nothing polyester or beaded they could chew on) into a pile to dig at. That was all well and good but they seem to be tired of it and are now instead picking apart my carpet. Or at my down comforter. And I now have a bite size hole in a sheet. Is there any way to better reinforce THIS you can dig in, THIS you can't? Suggestions for a more appealing digging pile?
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Dec 8, 2008 00:42
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alucinor posted:Only by location, meaning, you just have to prevent access to unapproved materials. That's so frustrating. I see all the bunny pics everyone keeps posting having them meandering on beds, sitting on top of books, and all I can think of is "Zen eats books" and "Frith tried to dig through a sheet the other day".
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Dec 8, 2008 05:20
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Baitu posted:There are some rabbits not like this? Still I find it worth it most days. Frith spoons with me sometimes! If I'm lying in bed and its his turn out (yes, the kids are still fighting enough that most of their playtimes are one-at-a-time ), he might hop up, meatloaf... and then glide into a happy sprawl up against my side/thigh/all the way down by my calf so I have to rearrange him so I can actually reach.I think the cutest (albeit a little omfg) thing Frith did was recently we had a beautiful day outside so I took the kids out one by one for a little extended run around time. Zen played happily, made faces at the passing squirrels, and made half-friends with a neighborhood dog (there are apparently a lot of bunnies in my apartment complex -- at least two people I've met around say they have bunnies, including the owner of this dog). Frith, however, would not budge from the place I set him, looking terrified and like the world was coming to an end. When I came over to pet him to try to relax him he tried to climb back into my arms. Awwww. Yeah, after 5 minutes I just brought him back inside. No use antagonizing him if he doesn't want to enjoy the weather. But yeah. They're destructive, frustrating, crazy pets, and sometimes I really wish I'd gotten a cat. And then Zen licks my hand or Frith bowls me over with his whomping ~12 pound self and I'm in love.
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Jan 4, 2009 00:00
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Frith likes to lick my sheets. I swear I wish I could take the best qualities of both my bunnies and make SuperBunny. Frith's spooning, Zen's excitedness, Frith's placid demeanor, Zen's super-cute paws-on-the-pen-bars-when-it's-dinner-time, Frith's lack of pickiness in food, Zen's ability to use a litter box properly (Frith is PRETTY good about the peeing, but the poo just goes everywhere), Frith's pretty pretty white coat. Zen and Frith are still not in love, but god dammit I hope when they finally fall in love, they'll take on each others' better qualities. Not the annoying personality traits. :/
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Jan 28, 2009 06:03
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Hmm... 2' x 2' x 2'? I might actually be able to do that. All this time I thought you guys were talking about these behemoths of boxes, and my NYC apartment can't fit anything. Maybe I'll start looking into a box of hay now. Where does one get this 50 lb box of hay? And wow, I guess I'll have to deal with the semantics of getting it to my apartment (no doorman in my buildint).
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Jan 30, 2009 01:53
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Fenarisk posted:There is a local rabbit shelter that has almost 80 bunnies between several houses, and we're looking at them for another rabbit to hopefully give ours some companionship and company to be less bored when we're away at work. That's basically what my shelter did with Zen. There were only two neutered boys available at the time, but Frith totally fell in love with her at sight and Zen is kind of bitchy anyway so the handler said I'd probably have the best luck with him. (Still working on bonding them, .)And age, breed, and size don't matter for true love. Frith was about 7 or 8 months to Zen's year and change, he's a New Zealand white and she's a half dwarf, he's twice her size. She's not in love with him yet, but it's going to happen!
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Feb 1, 2009 08:10
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Fat Lazy Unicorn posted:I haven't posted any good pictures of my buns here yet, so I thought I would post some for you to enjoy! How do you guys trust your bunnies around piles of what looks like clothing or other things that would look delightful to dig into? Mine would tear anything to shreds. I love the bunny pictures where they're half asleep in a pile of laundry but I'm afraid I'll end up with tatters of clothing. Or they'll pee in it. (They're litter trained mostly, but every once in a while they decided RIGHTHERE is a good place to pee.)
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Feb 3, 2009 03:15
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Frith's new favorite thing to do is dig all the litter out of his litter box, so that there is poop and litter on the floor of his pen. Ignoring the towel/rug pile I gave him to dig into. Is there anything I can do besides get a deeper litter box, possibly?
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Feb 7, 2009 18:16
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Tots posted:(cute stuff with paddington and mimsy) All the first counter stories in this thread make me jealous. The day I brought Frith home Zen tried to kill him. It's been like 6 months and they're just at the ignoring each other phase. I have grand dreams of a 3 level 'condo' with the grid blocks but it obviously can't happen until they're in love. On that note: Frith has been here for ~6 months and he still poops wherever he's sitting at that moment (when he has out of pen playtime). In the beginning I thought it was because he was super stressed at the new home and housemate, and it's definitely toned down to a dozen or two stray poops in an afternoon, but they're still there. I keep scootching him to the litter box (which he will pee in, but poop right now to -- but I have a cheap IKEA bath mat around the litter box for easy cleanup and easy replacement if it gets gross) but there are still stray poops. Any ideas/ways to change his behavior? angelicism fucked around with this message at 09:32 on Feb 21, 2009 |
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Feb 21, 2009 09:28
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When I went away for a few days (for a wedding, awww!) my roomie was kind enough to take care of the buns... and give them (separate) photoshoots! I may be a little biased, but I think my buns are the most beautiful in the world.  Frith:      Zen:     
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Mar 6, 2009 15:39
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Frith loves to lick the sheets when he's flopped on my bed. The first time he did it I moved my foot and found a gigantic wet spot and was a bit perplexed. Now I just try to stick my hand under his face when he does it to distract him. It's pretty cute though.
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Mar 7, 2009 17:42
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alucinor posted:Also, dill? RABBIT CRACK. Yeah seriously -- Zen went through a phase where she wouldn't eat any veggies except carrots or dill. She's ferret out those things from her food bowl and then turn away from the rest disdainfully. I was convinced she was going to starve herself to make her point. :/
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Mar 13, 2009 22:38
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munchies posted:Went outside with 2 of my buns today (the other one is too quick too catch and I left my harness at my parents) Took these pics: Awwww, they look so soft and cuddly! Like moving plushies! It's too cold here (New York) to take the kids outside for a romp, but as soon as it gets warmer I will. Zen loves being outside. (Frith not so much.)
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Mar 15, 2009 23:28
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Fenarisk posted:Seeing bunnies in the actual harness is just beyond my comperhension. I can pet and play with and chase my mini rex all over and be a general rear end in a top hat when she's on the bed and I roll her around in the covers so she can burrow out (she loves this), but once you so much as try to pick her up she'll pounce and hiss and have none of that poo poo. My buns don't mind being held -- you just need to pick them up every day to get them used to it. That said, they mind being held onto when my room is visible underneath because OMGblanketstoburrowinto!! and it's clearly sheer cruelty not to let him/her go to town on them. When I go outside Frith refuses to be put down. The Big Bad Outdoors and all.
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Mar 19, 2009 14:44
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I built the buns a new pen and now they're never coming out. Well, that's not true, if I open up her door, Zen will venture out just long enough to run to the other side of Frith's pen, taunt him, and then go back inside herself. Frith, aside from the above behavior, is perfectly content to never leave the nook in the back of his pen. Anyway, at least they seem happy. Although Frith is never going to get any exercise at this rate.
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Mar 21, 2009 20:32
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ShadowCatboy posted:Somehow, Frith was able to save up 10 dollars and buy a forums account. How logs in with his little paws remains a mystery. I've tried this a million times. That boy is happy to just sleep (or sprawl out half asleep) ALL DAY. I'm jealous. Some of us have things we have to do during the day. Lagomorpha, your bunny makes me die of warm fuzzy feelings. ^_^ Mr. Wynand: I got my cubes at a Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and I've seen them at my college store (from when I was in college) -- I imagine it's a pretty popular solution for college kids since they're fairly cheap.
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Mar 22, 2009 16:25
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Do bunnies get depressed? I think Frith is depressed. He hasn't come out of his pen in a week. I leave the pen door open, I hide in my room so he can venture out without being watched, and all he does is stay in the back of the pen. He'll only come to the front to eat and pee, and then go straight to the back. On another note: where do you guys get your bunny halters? I've only seen ones for dogs and the smallest one I could find still isn't small enough for Zen, she just wriggles out of them.
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Mar 29, 2009 22:54
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luscious posted:hey this happened to my rabbits. They would hardly come out or really even move. SO! I renovated their cage and took it from blah to OH YEAH! (my rabbits make me retarded sometimes who cares). My buns still live in separate (identical) pens because they STILL fight. Yes, it's been like 9 months and the stupid kids haven't bonded and I've about given up. And now I can even give them dates because Frith won't come outside, ever.The pens are 3x2 for the bottom floor and 1x2 for a little 2nd floor, with no ramp. Zen hops up and down there just fine, but Frith hides in the back under the second floor.
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Mar 30, 2009 19:43
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Bunway Airlines posted:You know, I've been thinking about Firth and I think you may need to drag him out. I don't think rabbits get emo, they're just being rabbits. It's possible your two will never bond but they need to realize you're boss and they do need to respond to you. Portia, my lop was extremely dominant and bossy when I got her. Every time she bit me or did something dominant towards a human I would pick her up and gently hold her on her back so that she would chill. After several weeks of this (make sure you only release when you're ready) she learned that she couldn't pull poo poo like that. I wasn't mean or nasty towards her, it was just a simple way of saying "Hey, I don't really care, I'm in charge and you're not allowed to do that. I'm going to pick you up or pet you if I need to so chill out". I suppose it's worth a shot. The last time I tried to reach into the pen and haul Frith out he freaked out, and I a) felt so bad for stressing him out when he's jumpy to begin with and b) didn't really need any more scrapes on my arm that made me look like a bad suicide attempt. It's not even that Frith is dominant, that's Zen's problem, but I can deal with her. Frith is just a world-class pussy, and while it's super cute sometimes, it's very exasperating at other times. Obviously.
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Apr 2, 2009 00:28
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D'aawwwwwwww. Every time I see a lop I want one so badly. Zen and Frith are gorgeous bunnies but lops are so... loppy. It's so loving precious. I just want to ruffle their ears.
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Apr 3, 2009 21:03
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