Butterscotch and Goose's Bunny Blog

[JenGibs]

A few more....

 

[Butterscotch]

I laughed when the post OP instructions read that the animal should not jump....I was like....ummm you know he's a rabbit? But he seemed to know he should take it easy and the pain meds they sent us home with helped too.

I thought that was funny too! The written instructions they gave me were generic and more geared toward dogs and cats. I think bunny owners should be given rabbit specific instructions.

 

[Butterscotch]

A few more....

Ohmygoodness your rabbits are so freaking cute!! They're floofy!!! Do you have to groom them frequently?

 

[Butterscotch]

Well, Goose is feeling much better. I let him out into his play pen this morning and had to lock him back up in his cage right away. He was like a little helicopter, binkying and hopping all over the place in tight little circles. That can't be good for his poor sore man bits! The vet said he would be ok in his play pen as long as he was alone and had nothing to jump on/off. I don't know. He was doing some of most fantastic, acrobatic binkies I've ever seen him do! I was so sad to have to put him back in his cage but I am very happy to see he's feeling so good. He's got lots of toys in his cage for quiet play time, I hope that's enough for him for now.

 

[Butterscotch]

Goose nibbled on a piece of green leaf lettuce!! That's AWESOME!!!! He's been refusing to try it for weeks, this is the first time he's tasted it. Yay!

 

[JenGibs]

Ohmygoodness your rabbits are so freaking cute!! They're floofy!!! Do you have to groom them frequently?

I do. They get haircuts about every 6 weeks. Unfortunately there are no bunny groomers locally so I have to do it. Takes a whole weekend to do the 3 Angoras since they need breaks (stress) and a lot of it is scissor work.

 

[Butterscotch]

You veteran rabbit owners are probably already used to this with your rabbits but Butterscotch comes running to me every time I approach the play pen and I am just thrilled that she finally seems to like me. She lets me pick her up and groom her, kiss her, smoosh my face into her soft fur....whatever I want to do! I put her down and walk away and as soon as I get close to the pen again she comes hopping over. I love this!! I always thought Goose would be my cuddle bun but he can't stand me. Butterscotch has always been indifferent to me. She would hop into my lap and take treats from my hand but then she would hop away right away and continue on her path of destruction. I had her out in the play pen all weekend and I didn't realize until today that she hasn't been a total pain in the butt lately. What's going on?? I thought she would get super sassy before her spay, not super sweet. She's been getting a lot of greens from me lately because I'm trying to get Goose to try them. Am I just buying her affection with lettuce? I'm not complaining, not at all, I'm just baffled. And completely smitten with this little furball!

If I could just get her to potty train.

 

[Anna R.]

I am so happy to hear you are finally getting to cuddle with one of your buns. It is truly the best gift... The highlight of my day (I know I am pathetic) and I just love it. Most of my girls run to me when I walk in their room and it lights up my heart. I know you waiting for the time when one would come and cuddle with you, I am so happy you have that.

On another note... my second youngest bunny (she is a Polish and just over a year old) has never really been able to do a full binky. She has tried several times but just sort of jumps up and wiggles her little body (it is so funny and cute). This morning I said my good-byes as I was leaving for work and petting them she jumped up and did a FULL BINKY. I was so happy for her, she finally got it. It made my whole day. What a cute little girl she is. I just had to share this with someone, not everyone gets what a binky is. I am so proud that she finally figured it out, she is so adorable.

 

[Butterscotch]

Ok. So I think/hope/pray that Butterscotch is finally starting to get the potty training thing! A while ago I bought a sheet of vinyl to use for their play pen but I was still laying down a fleece blanket over it for traction. As expected, Butterscotch was using it as her own personal large, glorious toilet. So I had enough and, as advised by a few other smarter bunny owners on this site, I removed the blanket. It took my bunnies a few days to build their confidence on the vinyl but they've got it now. I gave them no blankets or flat cardboard for about 2 weeks. I also had been giving each bunny a grass mat in their cages but Butterscotch's got wet and moldy so I had to remove it before I had another one to replace it with. This meant she had absolutely no soft surfaces to lay on at all so I gave her a small clean dog bed. She used it as a toilet, I took it away. Fine. She would have to make do with only vinyl and plastic flooring until I could order a new grass mat. Lo and behold, she had no other options for a fancy toilet so she had to use her litter box. I am quite embarrassed that I was told this, I had read this, I knew this, but I still did not want to take away her soft surfaces because I felt bad about her sleeping on hard plastic. For a whole week now she has had one small soft fleece blanket in her play pen that she has not used as a toilet! She is using her litter box just as good as Goose has always done! I cannot put the blanket in her cage or she will soil it, but at least she has it in her play pen. I only lock them in their cages now when I go to work, they spend the rest of the day and all night with access to their play pens. I'm so glad this is getting easier. For a while I was wondering if I had made a huge mistake in getting rabbits. Oh, who am I kidding, I was wondering if I had made a huge mistake in getting Butterscotch. But now I feel as though we're well on our way to an enjoyable arrangement and everything that I had hoped bunny ownership would be. I think they are happy and they make me happy, so we are doing just fine. It's been a long road, I'm not sure I'll ever get baby bunnies again, but I think I've done a pretty good job of giving them a good life so far. And it's only going to get better when they can finally live together! So far there have been no signs of aggression between them and they get along beautifully. Butterscotch gets spayed in about 3 weeks and aside from territorial pooping she never really displayed any hormonal behaviors. I hope we keep the peace until she's healed and that bonding is as easy as removing the play pen divider.

 

[Butterscotch]

I just dropped Butterscotch off at the vet for her spay. I was a wreck when Goose got neutered even though he handled it like a champ but this is a much more complex surgery and I'm so worried for Butterscotch. I have her play pen and cage cleaned, her blankets washed, a fresh supply of greens, her favorite hay varieties, and I'll be bringing some Critical Care home from the vet when I pick her up this afternoon. I took today and Monday off of work to stay home with her and monitor her. This is awful, this worry. She also has a bald patch on her forehead that I noticed a few days ago and I have no idea where it came from so they're going to do a skin scrape as well, to check for mites.

Since I'm going to be stuck at home all weekend bunnysitting I picked up some supplies for my other hobby of restoring vintage Coach handbags. A few weeks ago I bought a lot of 19 vintage bags from an estate sale and now that they've all been authenticated they need to be cleaned and conditioned. It's a somewhat time consuming yet very satisfying activity and I hope it keeps the worry and boredom away for the next four days. I picked up steel wool and gentle painter's tape and I'm going to tape off the leather and polish the brass hardware on all of these bags. Sometimes when I'm finished with them, they look brand new even though they are 20+ years old! My oldest bag is approximately 60 years old and it looks gorgeous with buttery soft leather now that I'm done with it. I'm thinking of giving it to my mom for Christmas if I can't find a more contemporary bag that I think she would like better. She's not as big of a fan of the vintage styles as I am but she thought it was really cool that I was able to get my hands on a bag from the 70's and make it look and feel new again.

Poor Goose looks a little lost without his girlfriend! I hope that Butterscotch heals quicker with his company, even though they will still be separated. I feel very lucky that they seem to adore each other even though I broke all the rules of baby bunnies. I took him to the vet with Butterscotch this morning but they said he didn't need to stay with her. They aren't bonded yet but I certainly don't want to risk ruining their chances over a vet visit. I'll bring him again this afternoon when I pick her up. Hopefully he'll pick up enough of the scent of the vet's office that he won't think Butterscotch is a different rabbit when she comes home.

If anyone out there prays for bunnies, please send a few prayers for Butterscotch! She's in for a tough weekend and she can use all the help she can get!

 

[Butterscotch]

Vet just called....Butterscotch's surgery went well and she'll be ready to come home in a few hours! Yay!!

 

[Lauren Kiernan]

I hope all goes well!

 

[Butterscotch]

Butterscotch is home now. She was munching hay a few minutes ago, that's a good sign. She seems to have dozed off again though, I hope she's just groggy from the anesthesia. I gave her a really low sided litter box so she can get in and out easily, I hope that helps her. Goose is sniffing her through her cage bars.

I took her out of her carrier to gently place her in her cage and she leapt out of my hands into her litter box and now I'm freaking out that she tore her stitches. She's just loafing in her box now, I will check her incision in a little while I guess. I'm not really sure what to do. She has a soft fleece blanket to sleep on and three types of fresh hay for dinner. I hope she stays comfortable tonight.

The vet did not give her any take home pain medication. None. She got an injection that they say will last about 24 hours and then she just has to bear it. "They're more stoic than we are", the vet said. I don't freaking care! Just because she can't complain out loud doesn't mean she should have to suffer. Omg I'm not sure I'll ever go back to this vet I'm so upset. What can I do?? Can I get pain medication from a different vet? Is there anything I can do?

 

[Lauren Kiernan]

Wow. Our bun got pain meds after his neuter. Once a day for 3 days

 

[Butterscotch]

After spending all day yesterday huddled in her blankets, Butterscotch is a little more active today and that makes me feel so much relief. I woke up to dozens of dark colored but normal size/shape poops in her litter box. I'm assuming the dark color is because she has been eating mostly greens for the last 2 days. This morning she munched on some alfalfa hay and oat hay and I think I heard her crunching on some pellets but I'm not sure if that was her or Goose. She's also digging in her blankets today. Yesterday she did nothing but flop on them. I gave her some new toys this morning and she's chewing on them! She wants out of her cage badly but I can't risk her tearing open her incision. How long do I have to keep her cooped up?

Goose made a nest of blankets right next to Butterscotch's cage and he just sits in it and watches her. He dragged the blankets across the whole entire play pen to put them by her cage and that's where he's been sleeping and spending most of his time. I think bonding is going to be a breeze with these two, they seem to really love each other and it's so sweet! I'm going to try around Thanksgiving.

 

[A & B]

No pain meds seem odd to me. When Bugs was neutered he got enough meds for a whole week. I felt that after the first day or two he really didn't need them though. Does she seem to be in pain still? If you don't mind me asking, I'd like to know the name of your vet because I'd like to skim over their website.

I would keep her in her cage until at least Tuesday or Wednesday. You don't want to take the chance of her ripping her stitches. If she seems bored, you can try rearranging her cage or adding some different toys. My favorite DIY toy is a paper bag stuffed with hay and a few pellets with sisal string to tie it off. It's the only thing Bugs, Evie, and Snowball all enjoy and it's incredibly cheap! Here is a video I watched yesterday and got some DIY inspiration from.

I really hope bonding goes well for you and your bunnies! They'll be the cutest couple!

 

[April LD]

I've had 30 rabbits spayed/neutered. Most only got the pain med shot. There were a few where they provided 3 days of pain meds dosed out, once a day up to 3 days. They didn't need it. My rabbits took it easy for a day then were crazy again. Just keep an eye out and try not to let her jump up on high furniture or jump down from high furniture.
If you are concerned and feel like she is in pain, you would know if she is TRUST ME, then call your vet and let them know and ask if they can provide some meds for pain. But I think she will be fine. If she jumped out of your hands as soon as she was home, she is probably doing fine.
I will keep my fingers crossed...but I feel like she (and you) will be fine

 

[Butterscotch]

I'm not sure if this was the right thing to do but Butterscotch was absolutely frantic to get out of her cage today so I caved. I let her out with Goose. (He was neutered 2+ months ago and her spay was about 6 days ago.) For the first time ever she groomed him! She has been such a snob since I brought her home, he will groom her on demand but as soon as he puts his head down she hops away. Every. Time. And he just sits there with his little head on the ground looking defeated and it makes me feel sad until I try to groom him and then he disappears into his hidey hole so fast I was never really sure he was ever there. But today, she did it!! I'm hovering over the play pen like a hawk, making sure they are ok and Butterscotch stays calm so I was lucky enough to get these pics. It's hard to tell but she was grooming him in the first pic. Sorry for the poor quality, they were taken on my tablet. I was afraid if I got up from the couch to get my phone that I would interrupt the grooming and I didn't want to take that away from Goose. Oh, my heart!! I love these bunnies so much!

 

[Butterscotch]

I've had 30 rabbits spayed/neutered. Most only got the pain med shot. There were a few where they provided 3 days of pain meds dosed out, once a day up to 3 days. They didn't need it. My rabbits took it easy for a day then were crazy again. Just keep an eye out and try not to let her jump up on high furniture or jump down from high furniture.
If you are concerned and feel like she is in pain, you would know if she is TRUST ME, then call your vet and let them know and ask if they can provide some meds for pain. But I think she will be fine. If she jumped out of your hands as soon as she was home, she is probably doing fine.
I will keep my fingers crossed...but I feel like she (and you) will be fine

She is back to her old sassy self already! Now it's hard to keep her calm so she can heal. She rattles those cage bars like my house is on fire or something. I let her out today and she made out with her boyfriend and now they're having dinner together. Omg so cute.

 

[Butterscotch]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Butterscotch and Goose are now officially husbun and bunwife and they moved into their new home today. They have been doing overnights since a few weeks after Butterscotch was spayed and there has never, ever been an issue. They have always been in love, since the day they came home. They sleep together, groom each other, eat together, play in their cardboard tunnel together, and flop together. I am so happy!!! And I got half of my living room back. I put an extension into one of the cages and got rid of the other cage. Now they have one long cage that they share and full time access to their play pen. Together. Omg they are the cutest couple!