Texan Tales (& Tails) - by TinysMom

[TinysMom]

I'm still going to try to get pictures of Athena later this week or during the weekend - and I'm going to update my blog with some videos & photos in a bit (supper is cooking).

I need to say something though and get it out - because I care about you folks and I know you care about my bunnies.

After watching him today - I am totally convinced that Cyrano is NOT going to make it. I would give him anywhere from 2-3 days to a week at most.

Robin & I were watching the babies today and she pointed out that he struggles to breathe a bit after running around. I got to thinking about how his abdomen/tummy is always huge - and I watched his actions - and I think he is possibly going into heart failure and having fluid build up. He's just too small and young for many of the meds that are used on older rabbits.

I have determined that if he gets to a point where he is suffering - I will help him cross the bridge. I don't think it will get to that point - and I don't think he will want to give up on life until those last few minutes or seconds.

I'm going to be watching him closely and other than the fact I have to work tomorrow - I'll be rearranging my work schedule after that so if he's going downhill - I can be home with him. We will try our best to make sure he's not alone when he crosses the bridge (something we try with all of our bunnies).

So if in the next few days - you see me taking more pictures/videos of Cyrano - it is because I want to remember his life and all the joy he brings to me - I want to preserve the memories of watching him climb to the top of the hay wall to get what he wants - or stepping on top of a big rabbit to get to what he wants.

Thank you to those of you who have emailed me, pm'd me, sent me a note on facebook, etc. about Cyrano. Let me tell you - he's been one well-loved little bunny - between our love and your love and prayers.

I'm not trying to sound dramatic when I write this - but so many of you have privately told me how much you're watching this little guy...and how much he means to you. I felt like perhaps you needed the time now to prepare for his passing....just as I needed to finally acknowledge it for myself.

I promise - the next update will be more fun - with pictures and videos...in a little bit.

 

[Wabbitdad12]

I hope the little guy, when its time, goes peacefully. Although his life may be short, he knew he was well loved. He has the best slaves in rabbitdom.

Such a small bunny has touched many lives, keep fighting little guy.

 

[SweetSassy]

I'm sorry Cyrano isn't doing well.:hug: I think about your bunnies alotso I will be praying for him ray:





My 6 yr old daughter loves looking at the pictures with me(of the baby bunnies).She asked me the other day if we could have one. I told her some day, but not right now. LOl.

 

[katt]

peg, i read your blog, but never really post in it

first of all, the babies are all so completely adorable.

and second, i am keeping cyrano in my thoughts. i think that sometimes this just happens. do you remember izabelle? i lost her more then like 2 years ago, but looking at photos of him reminds me of her

and i wish that there were words of advice i could give you to help him, but there isn't. we tried everything and in the end failed with it all with izabelle.

all you can do is everything that your already doing, you are giving him a chance. giving him a happy life while he is here, for however long or short that is.

many people wouldn't even give that.

 

[TinysMom]

Thanks Katt - I vaguely remember her - I don't think I knew you as well at that time.

I was hoping that perhaps Cyrano would turn out like Pedro - one of our lionheads that lived to be over a year and a half old....

Pedro was mostly bald for the first 45-50 days of his life. I took him to one show to show a breeder friend (took the whole litter for her to see) and by the end of the day - whenever he heard his name - he hid at the bottom of the pile cause he knew he was gonna be picked up and held. Took him to the next show too because she wanted to see him after he got some hair and a lot of the kids were coming up to me going, "You were the lady with the bald rabbit at the last show...right? Do you have him here today?"

Pedro eventually made it to over a pound - maybe 1 1/2 pounds? He got in his fur although he always looked funky. I went in one day - and he was gone. I kept him because I knew he'd probably have health issues.

And here is Pedro...part of the reason I've been fighting for Cyrano so hard...

[align=center]

[align=left]While I can't enforce this by any means - I do ask that his photos not be passed around by folks via. facebook, emails, etc. Someday I may tell his story as "the little bunny that could"...but till then - I try to keep my memories of him to myself - and now I share them with you folks - my trusted friends!


[/align][/align]

 

[wabbitmom12]

Thanks for giving everyone the chance to adjust to the idea. We can all be saying extraprayers for you and Cyrano the next few days too.

That little guy has so much personality. Even with a short life, he will be remembered for a long, long time.

I wanted to say thanks, too, for making the hard decision. I know that sounds strange, but I'm sure you understand what I mean. (Whether anyone else does, not so important.)

It's hard to let go of a beloved bunny, and you have thought out your plan of action in advance. As you say, hopefully he will just fade away, with you beside him. But, it is very good that you love him enough to help him go if you have to. Putting his comfort ahead of your own desire to have him for just a few hours longer is hard to do, but shows the depth of your love and committment to our beloved Cyrano. :hug: On behalf of those who love him too, thanks.

 

[katt]

it is hard to see them fade, pedro was so cute with all his wrinkly skin

i know that with izabelle we were constantly at the vet. i got her from a family that had no right to not only breed rabbits, but own them. they let their young son just do what he wanted with a pair of pet rabbits kept in a run down hutch.

when i saw the litter, and all of them in not so great condition, but still healthy, then izabelle sitting there, looking about to die.

how do you not try to save them?

i know that with izabelle we were constantly fight URI, and the weight issue, if we took her off nutrical and pedilyte for even a few days she would start to dramatically drop weight. just before she died (at like 3 or 4 months of age) she was about the same size as an adult male rat. just tiny. her memory still haunts me all the time. the little fighter that i just couldn't save.

but anyways, we need more flemmie pics. . . i just love seeing all the light greys. . . makes my heart melt every time!

 

[hartleybun]

wabbitmom12 wrote:

Thanks for giving everyone the chance to adjust to the idea. We can all be saying extraprayers for you and Cyrano the next few days too.

That little guy has so much personality. Even with a short life, he will be remembered for a long, long time.

I wanted to say thanks, too, for making the hard decision. I know that sounds strange, but I'm sure you understand what I mean. (Whether anyone else does, not so important.)

It's hard to let go of a beloved bunny, and you have thought out your plan of action in advance. As you say, hopefully he will just fade away, with you beside him. But, it is very good that you love him enough to help him go if you have to. Putting his comfort ahead of your own desire to have him for just a few hours longer is hard to do, but shows the depth of your love and committment to our beloved Cyrano. :hug: On behalf of those who love him too, thanks.

:hug:i would like to echo the above sentiments. our dear little cyrano has really gotten so many of us wrapped around his little paw. his time with us is obviously destined to be short but he certainly making the most of it.

your care of cyrano truly shows what a wonderful person you are:hug:

please give him a chin rub from me

donna xx

 

[TinysMom]

I will be updating my blog later today with photos I took yesterday and a video of me feeding Cyrano formula. I can't watch the video without tears coming to my eyes - I love this little guy so much. I hope you enjoy it also.

I hope to get pictures of mama soon - but I want to wait till we have a nice day and I can let her play outside where she just seems to be so happy (at least in her photos).

I'll write more in a bit...

 

[TinysMom]

Fancy77 wrote:

Peg have been noticing that different FG have different ears, and ears that r set differently on the head. Some r close together and some are farther apart...Both my boys have completely different kinds.

Is there a certain type that is looked better on by the judges, or does it even matter???

This link has some good information on flemish giants and what judges look for. One of the major things they want to see is balance.

To me - Athena's face is more narrow than I would like to see in a rabbit - which was part of why I bred her to Mercury who has a wider face. I wanted to get babies that looked more like daddy in the face and mama in the rise (the angle from front to back).

Its hard to say exactly what each judge is looking for - I mean - there is the standard - but how each judge applies the standard is different. For example - some judges don't know how to pose a flemish giant correctly.

To me (personal opinion only) - I'm not overly impressed when a rabbit wins best of breed at one show. Now let the same rabbit perform well under SEVERAL judges...then you know you have something good - but some judges just don't really judge well (while the majority of them do a great job).

By the way - this is true with any breed.

Hope I've made some sense....now you get to see the "parts" of a rabbit that a breeder has to look at when it comes at deciding who is show-able and who is breed-able (not always the same thing).

I've seen some ugly rabbits that could produce beautiful offspring - and some top show rabbits that could not produce anything as good as they were.

That was one reason why these litters were so important to me - I had to see what Mercury could produce (since he is my main herd buck). If he produces as well with his next litters...I will be very very happy.

I still have mixed feelings about Hermes' litter - I love the color and the personality but it is harder to tell the type right now...

 

[Fancy77]

thx Peg!!! And Pedro was such a cute bunny I think about Cyrano everyday. What ever the outcome he is in great hands

 

[TinysMom]

First of all - thanks to those who dropped me a line to see if I am ok. I've been meaning to update my blog with photos and stuff - but I've been working - AND - I've been spending probably 2 or more hours per day socializing the babies. Yeah...honest. I usually sit on the floor and play with them for an hour or so - and then I go into the rabbitry several times a day and may spend 10-15 minutes with them then - giving them pets and kisses and stuff.

All I can say is that I will be shocked if these babies don't become love-bugs after the love they've gotten and the way their personalities are developing. There is only one that is still shy...but I'm working with it.

I've got to say that I think I'm picking out which one(s) I'm keeping. Not 100% sure yet but I'm pretty close to knowing what I want to keep....at least for 4-6 months to see how they develop. (I'll probaby keep them till the fall shows and decide at that point).

The hard thing is - the non-showable ones are so darn affectionate and they LOVE to give me kisses and kisses - and did I mention KISSES?

I really wish these guys and gals could go to people on the forum (who like....lived here in Texas or something?) so I could follow them as they grow. I just can't get over how sweet the litters are....with people and mama.

One of the bigger babies that I think I'm keeping - loves to do dead bunny flops....like its standing there and suddenly - it goes down on its side - and sleeps sometimes with its legs in the air. It deliberately decides to flop - there's nothing wrong with it (Art has watched it do that too). I can tell I'll be getting near heart-attacks from that one until I get used to it doing that. (Mercury used to love to do that too).

Now for the somewhat good news.

Who's been praying for Cyrano? Crosby? Been sending them good wishes or something?

Well - you've given them strength (as God has been giving them strength). Cyrano still gets out of breath sometimes when playing - but he's breathing better - his swelling has gone down a lot - and I think he's GROWN. I say that because he looks really bald now and I think its because he's grown and the hair just can't cover it all.

He has little white boots on his front feet (from white fur coming in) and then the pink scrawny legs...its so funny.

He doesn't seem to know he's a sick bunny. During playtime today he insisted on running and binkying and climbing (a couple of times he fell over - so he rested and caught his breath - and tried the climb all over again).

I keep telling him that people are praying for him and he's a very special and very loved bunny. After that - he usually flicks me off (cause I've put him down) and goes off running.

He'll stand on top of sleeping brothers and sisters to get to the water bottle easier and when he eats hay - he wants to be on TOP of the pile...not at the bottom.

He's a little daredevil sometimes...and the others put up with it.

And Crosby....may need a new name (I've considered "Calamity Jane").

You see....her eye is clearing up.

Its a little bit cloudy...but I think she can see out of it. I tried some tests today and she kept turning towards me even if I tried to put my hand near her "blind" side.

I'm not ready to pronounce her "healed"....but instead..."healing". I'll feel more confident if she continues to get better over the next few days.

So I guess that is about it. I'll try to get the photos and videos uploaded tonight or tomorrow (if I can stay away from the bunnies long enough to do so).

Oh - and a week from now - Lord willing - my two new girls will be at Ali's place getting to know her. I can hardly wait. Juan cashed my first check today - so LG108 is mine already - and on Thursday he cashes my second check and LG102 will be mine.

I'm SOOOOO excited.

 

[Wabbitdad12]

Thats great news Peg!

Way to go Cyrano!

 

[SweetSassy]

You decided to get both does from Juan? I thought you were only getting one.

Crosby... I like the name Calamity Jane better :biggrin2:I'm so glad her and Cyrano are doing well.

 

[irishbunny]

I'm so happy to hear Crosby and Cyrano are doing better I am always thinking about Cyrano and hoping he pulls through! Such a sweet bunny

 

[paul2641]

Good news about the two little tikes! Oh and I can't believe you'regetting both does from Juan!

 

[hartleybun]

as somebun praying and sending good wishes all i can say is :bunnydance::bunnydance:inkbouce:inkbouce:

all your care and hardwork is paying off and i sincerely hope things continue to improve.

cant wait for the next set of pics

donna x

 

[TinysMom]

The only problem with uploading photos and cropping is...I can't play with the babies.

I've even not played my addictive online game in about 4 days because I've been so busy playing with babies.....

But I will make myself upload them later today....after I get another play session in.

 

[TinysMom]

A quick update - one of the larger babies weighs 1 pounds and 4 ounces (at 5 weeks of age).

Cyrano weighs 6.5 ounces...

 

[TinysMom]

I still have a BUNCH of photos to upload that are more current than this...but here are some photos of Cyrano (and another bunny) that we took the other day.

There is a video that is uploading that is of Cyrano getting fed....these pictures are of him after his tummy is full.

Unfortunately - Cyrano doesn't realize he isn't "normal". In fact - he's a climber - he will climb to the highest location he can and then sometimes fall...but he'll get put in a person's lap and then head for their shoulders ...

The first five photos are of him - the rest are of another bunny that was getting some leftover formula...

[align=center]

[/align][align=center]

[/align][align=center]

[/align]