Thumper AKA fuzzy butt!

[PaGal]

Morgan...there were some that were mostly black with some blue the same size as those out there as well. They were just in the grass. There are no flowers of any type right there but who knows what goes through the mind of a butterfly. Ha!

Chris...I still love seeing butterflies although now I know they are not such a good thing as they are the reason for so mayn of the caterpillars and worms that infest our garden.

 

[whitelop]

Don't kill them though! The Monarch butterflies are on a serious decline because of deforestation in the Rainforest. Their numbers are way, way down.

 

[Chrisdoc]

I know there´s always a downside but they do look so pretty and colourful and I love seeing them in the garden.

 

[PaGal]

I don't kill them. As I said I still enjoy seeing them just now know there is a downside to them being around.

 

[PaGal]

Such a handsome kitty but it took till now to get a decent photo...

 

[PaGal]

Still not great as his color is washed out in the photo.

Such a sweet little girl. She is so much smaller than her brothers...

 

[Chrisdoc]

Denise, what a lovely kitty, she´s a lovely colour. I must post the photo my sister sent to show me what mom´s new carpet will look like. I thought she was posting a cute photo of her cat haha.

 

[whitelop]

The top picture of the cat, he's really handsome! He looks like a lion in the face! I love that one! haha. They're so cute though. I hope they find great homes.

 

[PaGal]

Chris...I only wish the pics would really show their coloring better.

Morgan...He definitely brings to mind a tiger when I look at him. The pic doesn't show it well but his fur is an orangish color.

 

[PaGal]

Not a good morning. trying to decide what is best with the new buns. I'm also wracking my brain trying to figure out some way for at least now if not long term to have all these animals together. Thumper is spraying now which he never did before. Seems to have started since the buns have chewed enough cardboard away from the outside od the new buns cage that he can get his face groomed. Before then it was just poo marking.

The new buns kept me from getting to sleep till late. I got up to give them more hay which will usually distract them and after they eat they seem to get quiet but there hayrack was full. I put like seven paper towel rolls in there along with the phonebook, a wooden spoon and another piece of wood in the hope they would stop making a racket and chewing the coroplast. At the same time I was yelling about strangling the neighbor. Only to be woken early by the buns as well. And now they are at it again.

I also need to go tell the girls to turn the tv down. Why must kids have TV's up loud like the stupid yelling cartoons aren't loud enough to begin with? Oh and my dog is scratching at the door to be let in. Since the grass is wet I left him in the garage so his feet could dry. Do it all the time of course today he is impatient to come in.

I was thinking of trying Thumps cage in the dining room so at least he won't be spraying. He can run around in there but only so much since he's used to carpet and not crazy about hardwood but then what to do with the dogs water and food. The dog does show some food aggression so I wouldn't trust him with Thump as you never know and I wouldn't want to take a chance.

The den isn't bun proof and I don't have what I would need to get it there. Can't have the dog bowls there since the dog drools water after drinking and it's carpeted. There is no room in the garage for the new buns or any bun for that matter. Plus it is too hot and outside is out of the question due to the heat and hurricanes and I don't have an outdoor hutch anyway.

There is not enough of me or enough hours in the day to do everything that needs done.

 

[whitelop]

Maybe you could put your dogs food bowls in the kitchen? Or get a mat or something to put the food bowls on and put them in the bunny room?

I'm thinking though that they're all going to have to be fixed and as long as they all like each other, you could be looking at a trio of buns. If one is grooming Thump, then thats a good thing. Especially if they're girls, because girls are mean! But getting your cat spayed first, is definitely priority! Could you do like one a month with getting fixed? Well, the rabbit spay/neuters might be expensive up there. Its only $190 here, so its not terrible, but its still a lot of money.

If you do put him in the dining room, then maybe you could get him a cheap rug. If he won't eat it. He will get used to the hardwood though, sometimes it just takes a little while. Or if you didn't want to get a full on rug, you could get runners. That might help him. I think if you keep his nails on the shorter side, he might do better with the hardwood. I've found that when I can't hear Ellie's nails click then she walks better! haha.

I hope you get it all figured out. I know its horrible when something doesn't work out with the animals. It was like that for months with my chickens and I was constantly stressed out. Then we fixed it and it was like instant relief.

 

[PaGal]

There is no where in the kitchen to put them that they wouldn't be in the way. I have a rug that's about 3' X 4' that his bowls go on but it doesn't help as he walks away dripping large amounts of water. The kitchen is also open to the dining room so like one large room so no real way to block him off in the kitchen and Thump in the dining room.

The cat is. She is definitely the type not to wander but it is hard keeping her in the garage at times. It's so hot having all the doors shut to keep her in while working out there and of course our neighbor has an unneutered male that will come over here. I will check into how much it would cost to have everyone spayed/neutered but not sure we can afford it. We do ok but are not swimming in money. There is only so much extra available every month and of course with kids and animals there is always something extra.

Yah, they are stressing me out. Like I said it's a bad day and especially since I did not get much sleep which is not helping me try to figure out what to do either temporarily or long term.

 

[whitelop]

Yeah. I know what you're saying about the money. We're the same way, we stay at a pretty level amount, where we're fine if there is an emergency but god forbid we actually WANT to buy something. haha.
Where I am, we have low cost spay/neuter for cats and dogs. When I had my outside cats done, it was $75 for her with shots and $65 for him with shots. My dog/cat vet will also spay/neuter "strays" for like $60. Maybe you could look into something like that, like a low cost something. A lot of times places have clinics for the cats/dogs. My mom got her dogs neutered in Tenn. at a clinic and it was MUCH cheaper than the regular vets up there.
I know with most rabbit spays/neuters though, its upwards of $400 per rabbit. I was SO lucky to find my vet at $190 for a spay, because its the cheapest in the area. Sometimes vets let you do payment plans, like if you pay half at the time and then the next half when you can.
Personally what I would do, is get the cat fixed one month. Then wait a month. Then get a rabbit fixed and do it like that. Like, alternate months. So you're still spending money, but its not like you're spending $2000 in one month on animals being fixed. But thats just me and thats the way it would work out with our finances.

Honestly, today, I think you should just leave them alone. You're upset and tired and stressed and its not the right time to mess with them. I mean, clean up where Thump has sprayed, but don't mess with them. I think if it was me, today would be my little break day from messing with them too much or trying to figure out what to do with them.
Sometimes I have to step back and take a breath to clear my head. Then I can usually figure out the problem better.

 

[PaGal]

Exactly on the money. I know I could not have everyone done at the same time. Financially it would be too much as well as too many animals to watch too closely and worry about. I'd be a wreck. Ha!

I need to call my vets for pricing but I think the cat would be around $130.00. I think I'll ask my husbands one buddy too. He lives in a smaller town and they may have something there. I know my vets is in a different town then me. That town is a more depressed area so they cost less than the vets in my area. I love them though because they have more than one vet and they are all good. Plus the receptionist and everyone else are helpful and friendly. The problem is apparently my area is not big on pet rabbits. No vet on my states list of rabbit savvy vets is anywhere near me. There are no rabbit rescues around either. I also don't see or hear to much about buns around here so adding it altogether it's just not usual here.

I have already decided today I have to be a little selfish and just let it go for the moment. I used my spot bot and got the spray cleaned. I cleaned last night but did a more thorough job today. Maybe hubby will have some ideas when I get to talk to him later.

 

[PaGal]

I was really hoping someone with experience living with intact buns might give me some tips since I posted to the general public knowing not everyone reads my blog.

I think what I may try for at least the next several days unless hubby has an idea is to let Thumper have free run of the bun room for the first half of the day and then try letting the other two have the last half. Thumper has only ever sprayed in the evening for whatever reason. This may help to eliminate that for the time being. Although, I'm aware he may just start spraying in the day.

Hopefully this will help to tire out the new buns so that maybe they will stop making such a racket at night and maybe even in the morning. Plus if they do it out of boredom more mental stimulation may help.

I'll talk to hubby and maybe we can move Thump into the dining room and figure out something else for the dog bowls. It would be better to move the new buns because then their racket would be less but their cage is too big for anywhere else.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Sounds like you´re having a tough time at the moment, I saw your other post. Rabbits spraying is not good and I have experience and mine is only really small. He´s started doing it again when he´s chasing Snowy but there´s not much I can do about it and I really don´t want to separate them again so it´s something I´ll be living with and hoping that when they get really comfortable again, he´ll stop.

With Thump, it´s for a different reason and with his size, it must be worse than mine, I just found that it was everywhere, luckily I have leather sofas and marble floors so it was easyish to clean.

Maybe as Morgan says, you need to stand back from it for a few days, work on the costs of all the spays/neuters and then see if it is feasible to keep them all and if you can move them about to accommodate the new circumstances. It´s a shame that they cost so much, I got my three boys done at the same time for 135 Euros, if I´d have had to pay what you do, I´d have probably had to do them separately, can´t believe how expensive they are over there.

I take my hat off to you Denise with all you have and all you do. I´ve only got me and my three boys and find it tiring and difficult at times fitting everything in so I don't know how you manage.

If you do decide to rehome the two girls, I´m sure you´ll make sure they go to a good home but I know you´ll look at all your options before going there.

We´re always here to listen, give advice and encouragement if you need it.

 

[PaGal]

Chris...again thank you for your kind words they are much appreciated. The spraying and noise is a problem but the most important thing is whether or not they are getting what they deserve here.

 

[PaGal]

I am sitting in the bun room now and have been for the past hour. Thumper is in his cage while the little buns are out. I do have basically a cardboard fence around Thumps cage so there can't be any accidental pregnancies. Thumper was acting pretty interested at first and the two buns have been over periscoping to see in his cage but they seem more interested in everything else.

They are on alert more than I ever see Thumper but have become a little calmer than they were for about the first 30 minutes. There is less thumping from them than at first and they are now starting to come near me to check me and the laptop out and to chin me. The black one was just on a wooden box I am leaning against. They have both spent a little time zooming about and binkying. I have seen the brown lay down stretched out a few times but mostly they are just on the go.

The kids have daily chores. One does the dishes, one takes out trash and one is on animal duty. Basically animal duty means they do whatever is requested that has to do with an animal. So the one on animal duty gets to babysit the loose buns if I need to leave the room. I have only left for five minutes at a time ay most. I want to first watch them to see if there is anything they can get into that Thump can't or something they may be interested in that they shouldn't be that Thump wasn't. There shouldn't be anything but you never know what a bun will get up to.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Yes, rabbits can get up to all sorts when you´re not looking lol. That´s good for the girls to get to spend time with them and take responsibility if only for a short while.

Looks like your little ones are starting to get used to their surroundings and inquisitive about you. Sounds like they are happy little buns. Thump sounds like he may also be getting used to them and seems to be enjoying the company.

I don´t think you need to be worried about if they´re getting what they deserve. If they´ve landed in your house, they are real lucky. I think we all ask that question from time to time. I do it when I have to leave them all day when I´m working or I have to go out in the evening (which isn´t often now) and they don´t get as much out time as I´d like them to. But, you have to look at the care you give them, a loving environment and the quality time you spend with them, I think that they indeed are lucky buns.

 

[PaGal]

Just a quick update as I am busy, busy, busy. Wednesday I let the new buns out of the cage in the evening. Somebunny peed both in one box of Thumper town and behind the two large sheets of wood we have leaning against a wall. Don't worry they are too heavy for anyone to knock over. I guess I'll have to block off the area behind the wood when the buns are out. It's Thumps fav place to lie when he is sleepy and their is extra commotion in the house. The box may just have been peed in because there was a lot of shredded paper in there. I have noticed the buns occasionally pee outside the litter box in there cage when they have made a mess with paper or cardboard.

I didn't let them out yesterday as I got a terrible headache after grocery shopping. Then to top it off I was going to do a quick cleaning of Thumps cage and found that he didn't get his big fuzzy butt in the litter box enough and peed outside it. Grrrr.

We still have three kittens. I have talked with about seven people and not one has made it out to even meet them.