Texan Tales (& Tails) - by TinysMom

[TinysMom]

All I know Paul is that if that had been any of my girls with the apple in front of them for that photo - they'd be off the table with apple in mouth to find a place to go hide and eat it. They LOVE apple and I'll sit on the floor with a small apple and share it with them as a treat when all three girls are out playing.

 

[wabbitmom12]

TinysMom wrote:

I just did something really hard - but I know it was the right thing to do.

I emailed Juan and told him that I'd decided that it would be best for me to only take ONE doe for the rabbitry (at this time).

Even though it hurts - I think I really made the right decision. I have to think about ALL of my rabbits - the space I have - and so much more.

So I'm sorta disappointed and sorta pleased that I was able to make a tough decision.

A hard decision to make...but you show a lot of wisdom. Isn't it amazing how often we have to make changes in "The Plan"? We just never know what circumstances will come along.

It reminds me of the Proverb, "A man plans his way, but the Lord orders his steps."

 

[TinysMom]

wabbitmom12 wrote:

TinysMom wrote:

I just did something really hard - but I know it was the right thing to do.

I emailed Juan and told him that I'd decided that it would be best for me to only take ONE doe for the rabbitry (at this time).

Even though it hurts - I think I really made the right decision. I have to think about ALL of my rabbits - the space I have - and so much more.

So I'm sorta disappointed and sorta pleased that I was able to make a tough decision.

A hard decision to make...but you show a lot of wisdom. Isn't it amazing how often we have to make changes in "The Plan"? We just never know what circumstances will come along.

It reminds me of the Proverb, "A man plans his way, but the Lord orders his steps."

Karen - since I know we share the same faith - I'm sure you can understand what I'm about to say.

I really did a lot of praying over this - especially since it was such a hard decision to come to. However, I found that as I prayed about it and thought about it - I found myself drawn more and more to the picture of this gal and I felt a real peace about only getting her and not both girls. (As crazy as it sounds - I've been praying the other girl goes to a great home).

Now for a short update on Cyrano- he had a HUGE tummy this morning. I'm not sure if he got nursed or ate a lot - and I'm a bit worried he might be too full - so I didn't give him any formula. I'm going to make sure he pees by this afternoon though - I did notice he had poos so that is good.

I'm thinking maybe he finally got a good feeding from mama.

 

[fuzz16]

bunnys ears crossed for Cyrano...the fact hes still fighting means hes worth it

 

[TinysMom]

I am completely devastated right now - we lost the MOST PROMISING BUCK in Athena's litter - to enteritis I think (he had yellowish/green liquidy poops).

He was alive and healthy last night when I put them back i the cage - and he was alive earlier today but I just went in to say goodbye to them - and he was dead. It looked as if he'd just died a few moments earlier.

I think I'm gonna go cry and then get to work.

 

[Fancy77]

OH huni I am so sorry this is a hard loss for u

 

[SweetSassy]

I'm so sorry Peg. :hug:

 

[irishbunny]

:tears2:

That sucks so much! I'm really sorry

 

[JadeIcing]

I'm so sorry one of the down sides to breeding.

 

[paul2641]

TinysMom wrote:

All I know Paul is that if that had been any of my girls with the apple in front of them for that photo - they'd be off the table with apple in mouth to find a place to go hide and eat it. They LOVE apple and I'll sit on the floor with a small apple and share it with them as a treat when all three girls are out playing.

Ahh that is so cute, It just proves your Rabbits aren't just breeding mules to you there individual creatures, They each have there own Characters and them characters have been carved out and formed from the love and affection you show towards them, All the playing you do with your bunnies gives them the playful spirit to go steal the apple instead of taking the pictures lol!

I'm so sorry to hear that you've lost the buck that showed the most potential, I really hope the rest do well!

 

[TinysMom]

paul2641 wrote:

TinysMom wrote:

All I know Paul is that if that had been any of my girls with the apple in front of them for that photo - they'd be off the table with apple in mouth to find a place to go hide and eat it. They LOVE apple and I'll sit on the floor with a small apple and share it with them as a treat when all three girls are out playing.

Ahh that is so cute, It just proves your Rabbits aren't just breeding mules to you there individual creatures, They each have there own Characters and them characters have been carved out and formed from the love and affection you show towards them, All the playing you do with your bunnies gives them the playful spirit to go steal the apple instead of taking the pictures lol!

I'm so sorry to hear that you've lost the buck that showed the most potential, I really hope the rest do well!

Paul - I'm sitting here in tears right now - partly over the loss of the baby (I'm on lunch break) and partly because your words mean so much to me - its like you captured the heart of who I am as a breeder.

For instance - Athena LOVES to periscope and until recently she rarely left the rabbitry. She loves to sit by the back door up against it so she can feel the breeze from underneath the door.

Sophia used to love to sleep by the front door or in the hallway - but now that an old comforter is on the floor under a table by the fireplace - she loves to lay there and spends most of her time there. She thinks nothing of going up to the dogs and bumping them if they're in her way.

Nyx is sorta all over the place and she loves to pull stuff out of the trash - banana peels or apple cores especially. Whenever I sit on the floor with a treat - I can guarantee you that she will be the first one to come running if she's close enough to smell it.

And my boys?

Mercury is "puppy" and he loves to follow us around like a puppy. He especially loves to follow Art if he's heading towards the office or bathroom. He stands up in his cage to beg for out time when I'm putting the girls back or just getting in the rabbitry in the morning.

Hermes is my happy-go-lucky little guy. Athena is currently in a different cage sorta in the middle of the rabbitry floor and he spent at least half an hour the other day doing laps around her cage and flirting with her. Is it any wonder that when he got put to bed - he did a dead bunny flop and slept for HOURS? (Mercury was thumping a lot when Hermes was running around Athena...).

My point? Each is so individual and has their likes and dislikes. They even prefer to be petted different ways and I have to approach them differently if I want their attention or to pay attention to them.

But I love them all.

I still wish that baby had lived - I was thinking about naming him "Pan"...

Oh well. I have to move on. Right?

I still have other babies here that need love and a home.

But he was just running and binkying a few hours ago...and I was telling him just how handsome he was.

I guess bunny heaven needed one more handsome flemish giant.

 

[paul2641]

The thing that I like about you Peg and what keeps bringing me back to every thread you make is the fact you see your rabbits as actual living creatures and equals to yourself, and not just money making machines with the logic of the more they breed the better, You care enough to not worry about the money aspect just the happiness that these bunnies will bring to many people, Keep it up, Hopefully more breeders like you will be born and we will have a very happy bunny world!

 

[wabbitmom12]

And how is our Cyrano doing today?

 

[wabbitmom12]

TinysMom wrote:

But he was just running and binkying a few hours ago...and I was telling him just how handsome he was.

I guess bunny heaven needed one more handsome flemish giant.

I'm so sorry! It has been a rough couple of weeks. How are you holding up? :hug:

 

[TinysMom]

wabbitmom12 wrote:

TinysMom wrote:

But he was just running and binkying a few hours ago...and I was telling him just how handsome he was.

I guess bunny heaven needed one more handsome flemish giant.

I'm so sorry! It has been a rough couple of weeks. How are you holding up? :hug:

Honestly? Not well at all.

I love Cyrano and I hope he makes it - but this buck was showing promise even though he was so young. I mean - even when he was born - Alicia noticed that his head was large - and as I watched him grow - his paws were big too. I could tell he was going to be big like his daddy and in fact - his head and face were like Mercury's so much. I was laughing at him and saying, "I can't call you Mercury II but you are sure gonna look like daddy...".

Now he's gone.

I almost called Juan to cancel buying the doe - and I almost decided to just pull out of breeding altogether.

These last three weeks have been hard - very very hard.

I know I'll make it through - but right now - I almost want to throw in the towel.

I'm sure once I play with the babies some more - I will feel better.

But there is another baby now that I'm worried about (besides Cyrano) - so I'm going to work on formula feeding it in a bit.

 

[wabbitmom12]

ray: Hang in there. Hopefully the babies will soon be getting past the stage of "infant mortality". So heart breaking!

 

[paul2641]

Ahh I hope you stay strong Peg and hope that the kits do too!

 

[Wabbitdad12]

I am so sorry you lost the buck.

 

[TinysMom]

Wabbitdad12 wrote:

I am so sorry you lost the buck.

Thanks Dave - and everyone else.

I don't think it would have hurt as much if it was a doe...but this buck - because he was a buck and I really felt he had show potential...well...I don't know.

I do have to share that the next smallest buck was a HAM today. I had the door to the cage open while I was checking babies, etc. He'd jump out - I'd put him back in. He'd jump out - I'd put him back in. He'd go to jump out - I'd say "no" - he'd still jump out - I'd put him back in.

He probably jumped out "8" times with me saying "no" the last 5 or 6 times...the last time I said no - he turned around and gave me the butt...then when I turned my attention to the other babies...you've guessed it...right?

HE JUMPED OUT.

With his stubborness I asked him if he'd been talking to his "Auntie Nyx"...

I just got done feeding three of the babies. Oh wow - it is so much easier now that they know how to eat and they WANT to eat.

The little one I was worried about took 15 ccs. Cyrano took 12 and would have taken more - but I told him I'd be feeding him again in just a few hours and I wanted his tummy to settle since it still looked like he had some in it. Then I fed the next smallest baby - who BIT my finger when I turned to shoo Athena away from my leg because she was trying to nip at the spot where formula fell on me. I guess I wasn't feeding the baby fast enough - but they took 12 cc also.

I am going to start making even larger batches of formula. (This time when I made it - I added a tiny bit of pro-biotic in it).

I gotta say - these babies are bringing me joy....I guess that it is better to have loved and lost - than to have never loved at all...

even if it hurts when you lose them.

 

[wabbitmom12]

TinysMom wrote:

I do have to share that the next smallest buck was a HAM today. I had the door to the cage open while I was checking babies, etc. He'd jump out - I'd put him back in. He'd jump out - I'd put him back in. He'd go to jump out - I'd say "no" - he'd still jump out - I'd put him back in.

He probably jumped out "8" times with me saying "no" the last 5 or 6 times...the last time I said no - he turned around and gave me the butt...then when I turned my attention to the other babies...you've guessed it...right?

HE JUMPED OUT.

With his stubborness I asked him if he'd been talking to his "Auntie Nyx"... LOL

I just got done feeding three of the babies. Oh wow - it is so much easier now that they know how to eat and they WANT to eat.

The little one I was worried about took 15 ccs. Cyrano took 12 and would have taken more - but I told him I'd be feeding him again in just a few hours and I wanted his tummy to settle since it still looked like he had some in it. Then I fed the next smallest baby - who BIT my finger OUCH!! THOSE LITTLE ONES HAVE SHARP TEETH AND NAILS DON'T THEY!