The Diaries of Merlin Puffsbottom and Naja Seraphina

[whiskylollipop]

Thanks Jenny. I've lined the litterbox with newspaper but he had a good-sized pee in his regular wood pellet litter just before, so I'll have to wait a while. He didn't look to be in pain when peeing then though.

The drops have dried to a thick chalky white now. This is definitely not usual for his pee, his pee has always been yellow and barely chalky even when dried. There is an edge in the carpet where he and Sasha have passive aggressive pee-offs during their individual turns to come out, so I'm familiar with each one's pee spots on the carpet. I got a picture, one of the drops was smudged when I picked it up with my finger. It was powdery and smelled off. I'm pretty sure it's bladder sludge.

Could this be a one-off freak incident where he didn't drink enough water last night? There aren't any new dribble spots since the ones I found this morning. He's not showing signs of pain and he did have what I think looks like a regular pee right before I put newspaper down in the box. I also picked him up to examine his nether regions for sludge crust but couldn't find anything. Maybe the extra moisture he got from the veggies cleared his bladder?

 

[whiskylollipop]

Morning update. Merlin was very busy last night tearing up all the newspaper in his litterbox. I'm pretty sure he has peed in it, but since it's all shredded now I can't see any chalky residue. Curses.

I thought he seemed a bit lethargic at first as he was flopped over in his mancave, but the moment I let him out, he started bucking and binkying all over the place. Whaaat? This is rather unusually enthusiastic even for a normal Merlin day. What a little weirdo. I feel like he's going, haha gotcha mum! Punk'd!

No more pee spots anywhere, so I'm hoping for the best, but gonna keep an eye on his pees till I'm sure it's back to normal.

 

[JBun]

Just based on those little drops of urine, that is quite a bit of calcium sediment in just a few drops of pee, and it could have been irritating his bladder causing the discomfort and odd behavior yesterday. And now he may have managed to empty his bladder and got some of it out, and is feeling better. Have you added any new higher calcium veggies to his diet lately? What type of veg does he get usually and in the last week, and what hay and pellets do you feed?

 

[whiskylollipop]

His daily veg range hasn't changed since the addition of bok choy in May when Sasha arrived, and none are particularly high calcium. His pellets have though, he used to get 1/6 cup Oxbow and 1/6 cup Harringtons daily for the past year, but in the last 2 weeks we ran out of Oxbow so he's been getting 1/4 cup Harringtons. It is alfalfa based so higher in calcium I suspect. We're making the trip to get more Oxbow next monday, may try transitioning him back to 100% Oxbow.

He's in a box right now, with a towel laid down so I can hopefully get some decent pee samples. He hasn't left any more pee spots, but his poos are looking quite inconsistent, some big some tiny, so I'm gonna leave him in the box for a few hours and get a pic of what he leaves behind.

 

[JBun]

I've got a few buns that seem to have some bladder sludge issues. I switched them onto oxbow adult and feed lower calcium veg. It may be the switch to the other pellets may just have been a bit too much for Merlin. If it were me knowing he may be prone to this, I would put him on all oxbow, and just be careful about the veggies I give and try to stick with the lower calcium ones.

When I was figuring out the whole diet thing and what would be best, I just kept a close eye on the pee spots on the newspaper. I had the benefit of a grate being over it so it couldn't be shredded. If you put some hay in there and keep the edges from sticking up, it may keep him from getting too interested in it and wanting to shred it. Or the towel may be a better option for him, just a pain to wash So when it seemed like the spot my bun left was really chalky, I started making the diet changes, and it did seem to help some. I also switched from a bottle to a dish. Also staying active helps. It kind of churns things up in there so it's not all just settling to the bottom and making it difficult to pass. As you see what his urine is usually like, if it seems too chalky even after he's on all oxbow, you may also need to adjust his veg as well. You don't have to keep his litter box like this, just when you want to see what is urine is like and if the food changes have made a difference. So check his urine before you change a food, then check again after to see if there is a difference.

Bunnies! Who'd have um ullhair:

 

[whiskylollipop]

I'm glad Oxbow and low calcium veg helps your buns, that's good to know! I've finally got my hands on Oxbow and I'm going to transition Merls back to 100% Oxbow in a week or two hopefully.

Merlin hasn't been very cooperative with my efforts to monitor his pee. For starters, he wouldn't even pee on the towel when I had him in the box. He was surrounded by wet veggies which he ate, but apart from a few poos, he just wouldn't pee. After 5 hours I felt sorry for him cooped up in there and let him back out into his pen for the night. Next morning, 4-5 big pee spots in his litterbox. Go figure.

I'm just pushing lots of wet, low-calc veg now to try and flush his bladder out. Also letting him out longer than usual (sorry Sasha!) so he'll run around more and churn things up as you suggested. But he is a lazy little man. If I'm on the sofa he likes to jump up on the backing and perch there like a drowsy alcoholic at a bar. Snoozing with his eyes open.

Sometimes right behind me, like an ominous shadow.

"Dammit she saw me."

 

[JBun]

Lol, your little shadow. He's just too cute! I think somebunny loves you

I'm sure the diet changes you are making will make a difference. The change back to oxbow and the extra fluids from low calcium veg should all help.

 

[whiskylollipop]

I just caught Sasha awkward-grooming Merlin's head through the cage bars. She is such a sweetums! She still looks unsure of what to do with Merlin's pouffy fluff, she's probably only used to grooming her own sleek self. But still, she tried. And then when she put her head down for her turn, Merlin turned away and snubbed her. Little stinker.

 

[JBun]

Aww, what a sweet girl! I hope you gave her a little head rub to make up for Merlin's rude behavior

 

[whiskylollipop]

I did! I also decided to let her out for her run an hour early so she gets some extra binky time. :happyrabbit:
I have to calm Merlin down every time I let her out - he freaks out when she bounces by his pen, free as a bird while he remains mercilessly imprisoned. Is there no justice?? She knows how mad it makes him. Many a terse stand-off and many a petty taunt has been witnessed by these metal rails. *sigh*

I had a beautiful moment with Merlywerls while petting him in his pen to calm him down though. He vaguely enjoys being pet down his back (not his head for some reason), and when he's in the right mood he'll let me stroke him to sleep. Well he was in the right mood today. He settled into a bunloaf and his eyes slowly closed and fell asleep in minutes as I pet him. Then he started dreaming! At least I'm pretty sure it was a dream. His little face muscles were twitching, then his legs and body made tiny movements. I said his name, and his body tensed up under my hand. He started vibrating like he was running in his dream. His fluffy bunface kept twitching... and then suddenly his eyes flew open and his body went dead still. He realised I'd been there the whole time. He licked his paws and tried not to look embarrassed.

It was so adorable.

I left him to it and went to try pet Sasha to sleep too. But she gives off more actively-enjoying vibes when being pet, and I think my hand would be worn to a stub before she falls asleep. Or lets me stop petting her. Bunnies

 

[BunnySilver]

Awwww Merlin sounds cuter that ever today!

 

[whiskylollipop]

Have you ever had a kid-hating bunny? Merlin is quite cool with me being around, petting him (not always, but mostly) and will even do the flop when I'm sitting with him. But when the kid comes near, he tenses up and gets really unhappy. If she tries to pet him, he'll honk and lunge at her. Oddly he's never bitten her, while I myself am very well acquainted with his teeth. He just tries his best to scare her off, and even she can sense that he doesn't like her. I don't know why he doesn't like the kid, I don't think she's ever done anything mean to him. She is quite exuberant and forward, but what little kid isn't.

I would write it off as the kid, being loud and unpredictable, giving him the prey-animal heebies; but Sasha is perfectly fine with her. She'll let her pet her and be near her and is just generally unfazed about the little one stomping about. The man, she'll run at the sight of, but me and the kid are fine by her.

Merlin must just hate kids for some reason, though I can't figure out why as he grew up with us and the kid, so it's not like he has some traumatic history with little kids to explain his fear. At least he doesn't bite her, I guess.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Spring shedding is in full swing. I still haven't found a brush/comb that works well with Sasha's short, smooth coat. Her dead hair doesn't come off on its own, it sort of tufts up and her coat gets progressively more ragged-looking until I put her up on the bench and manually use my fingers to pull all the dead tufts out. Tedious work, highly offended bunny. Merlin's no better. He's on the opposite end of the spectrum, his fur goes everywhere. You'll just reach down to give him a quick pet and bam - wherever did you get those lush bunny fur gloves? The dark brown carpet is practically grey with his fur, and I just vacuumed yesterday. Luckily he is semi-okay with being groomed. The impression I get is that he secretly enjoys being brushed but won't admit it. Gotta keep up appearances.

In other news, I'm moving out in December! I found an apartment that allows small pets (you know like hamsters, the landlord said. Ayup, I said. I have a couple of biggish hamsters). I'm excited for the buns, the super neutral ground should make bonding much easier.

 

[pani]

The neverending horrors of Nethie/mini lop shedding. I feel ya. With Clemmie I plop her on my lap and spend a good amount of time plucking tufts of fur out and trying to loosen as much as possible, then run a brush and comb through it, and repeat until satisfied! Felix gets a plucking which isn't nearly as effective and some brushing, but I really need to get a Furminator or something similar for both of them.

Yay for moving out! It's awesome that you found somewhere that will let you have small pets. Way better than hiding them, which I did when I first got Felix (I'd only had him for a couple of weeks and hadn't gotten around to telling my landlord before our inspection, so I figured it was easier to have my friend take him for the night).

 

[bunnyman666]

Hooray for finding a place!!!!!

Trix is full in the midst of fall shedding- I feel your pain.

Oddly enough, I have had a couple of child-hating rabbits. Some hated children for good reason.

 

[whiskylollipop]

pani: Ohh I know, I've been wanting a Furminator forEVER! Such a shame they cost so much down in these parts, they're like $90 in stores and $80 online, and I can't justify that kind of money on a brush. Especially now that I'm on my own. How do you get Clem to stay restrained on your lap for that? My two would never tolerate such impudence. Sasha will escape if it kills her (literally, she has no sense of self-preservation), and Merlin the bunny bruiser will just bite, scratch and kick till you give up.

bunnyman: Whew, shedding buns everywhere! Must be a global conspiracy. Merlsy doesn't have any good reason to hate kids though - we got him when he was 8 weeks old and he grew up with her around. Sasha's the rescue with the shady past, and she doesn't mind the kid, so, Merlin, really side-eyeing you there you big drama mama.

 

[bunnyman666]

$90 for a Furminator!?!?!? Bloody hell- I should have bought a few to sell to Aus/NZ residents at 2/3 of the price. Seriously- I bought one 9 years back and it was all of $30 in the U.S. Wow...

I only said SOME- one I had peed on adults she didn't deem fit in my presence... AND she was even NEUTERED!!!!!

Some rabbits know that kids think of them as toys, I think. My Trix only lets ME pick her up and play with her. She isn't keen on many other humans; she slightly more than tolerates Mrs. bunnyman!!! She was never abused that we know about, either.

 

[pani]

I'm lucky with Clem! When she sees me coming to pick her up, she'll run for about 10 seconds, then just loaf up and let me grab her. Once I've got her, she just sits super still, probably because she's annoyed - she won't accept any food while she's being held, or on my lap, and she gives me several foot flicks when I pop her back down.

Felix is a whole other story - will run for HOURS, will struggle when held, won't let me put him in certain positions (which makes trimming his nails a pain!), etc.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Oh my gosh! I was just in Merlin's pen giving him a good thorough brushing (pens are great for this - nowhere to escape) when he and Sasha were having one of their usual nose-to-nose stand offs through the bars of her adjoining cage. I don't know if it was a triggered reflex from being groomed, but Merlin started licking Sasha's head! Actually licking, grooming Sasha through the bars! I never thought I would live to see the day.

This is so encouraging. I'm hoping this means he's finally willing to start accepting Sasha as his overlord (lol). Someone has to give, and I'm preeeetty sure it's not going to be the Rambo bunny.

 

[JBun]

Flopsy will do this when I scratch him near his backside. He'll start obsessively licking anything near, himself, the floor, or another bunny. I'll start scratching him back there if I feel bad that he isn't grooming Dakota. She LOVES it when he does this obsessive licking. Usually (without my help) he will only give her a few licks.

Maybe you are going to have to start having more 'grooming' sessions like this when they are next to each other through their cages