Thumper AKA fuzzy butt!

[PaGal]

Finally I'm done. What a day!

earlier today while Thumper was out of his cage and luckily I had sat down for a few minutes to chug a cup of coffee to keep me going and check e-mail I heard a slight nose that just sounded unusual. I got up and found Thumper had managed to get between the two buns cage and the cardboard around it. I don't think anything could have happened as I got up like two seconds after I heard the noise plus Thumper was standing sideways to the cage. I immediately got him out of there and put him in his cage because I did not have the time to come up with a solution.

Later when I went to start cleaning the cages I first took the time to use new and thicker cardboard and have ziptied pieces around the outside of the new buns cage. I know they can eventually chew away at the cardboard but this is only for the short term. I then fashioned cardboard that can go around and attach to Thumps cage so I can also let the two buns out. I then let the buns out while I cleaned their cage and Thump was in his. He proceeded to make a racket tugging on the cardboard which made his cage shake and rattle. The buns had a good time running and binkying and just checking everything out. I did have to use one of the boxes from thumper Town for cardboard so his town is a little smaller but still gives them all plenty of playing.

The buns would come around often and sniff but they still run away when you go to pet them although they are getting better with it when they are in their cage. Maybe just because they feel safer there or because they are more used to me being in their cage. I managed to get them both back in with their bowl of pellets.

I then left Thumper out to run around while I cleaned his cage. I put him back not long after as he just kept pestering for pellets since he heard me get them for the other two and it was late enough. Setting up the cardboard around cages had me running pretty late. I told hubby if we ever wind up homeless all I'll need is some zipties and cardboard and I'll be able to build us a mansion.

I am thinking what I may do is get some NIC this weekend. I can then use that and the coroplast I am using now for their cage to make them a cage, maybe even one with more than one level. I can then use the X-pen for them to run around in when Thump is in his cage and when he is out I can set the X-pen up around their cage so he can't get anywhere near it. Or I can also put it around Thumpers cage when he is in it and they can run the whole room. I haven't had time to look into the NIC yet and will not be able to get any tomorrow but I might be able to on Sunday. I have no idea how many pieces you get to a box and what size cage you can build with them but I'll figure it out.

We picked a watermelon yesterday, All of the signs said it was ripe but when we cut into it, it wasn't very red but it tasted fine. We were wondering if it could have less color than normal due to all of the rain we have had all summer. We have never had so much rain over the course of a summer, we usually have periods where it gets dry and hot. I know they can be less sweet when they get a lot of water. Hhhmmmm.

We picked a few cantaloupes. Some we gave away as we can only eat so much fast but we are more than happy to share. Snaps were picked for the second time today. Picked a grocery bag full of tomatoes and have had corn on the cob a few times.

I cooked some fried rice yesterday which I have done before and everyone really likes. I also cooked up an Asian type chicken to go over it. One girl said " this is delicious and I don't even like Chinese". So I guess I'll be adding it to our list of recipes.

I went in to give the kittens and Isabelle some fresh water and everyone woke up and had sleepy eyes. I guess they were all sleeping good. Isabelle and the girl kitty were up about four feet off the ground and the little girl jumped right onto the grey male. It was like she didn't even look before jumping. He looked so pathetic being jumped on unexpectedly as he stood there with sleepy eyes. He's ok though.

 

[PaGal]

The animals are just too much lately. You could have never told me before how difficult it could be to keep one bun, add in two more and oh my! I never thought I would spend so much time, money or thought on just getting things right for them and so the set up works.

I'm thinking after looking at NIC that I'll just get another dog pen for the two and then place the Xpen around it so Thump can't get near. It seems when he gets to go nose to nose with them that is when he sprays. Plus they won't have the coroplast to chew on which is one way in which they make a racket, that and chewing the cardboard placed around the cage to keep Thump away.

My plan was to order a cage this morning but stupid computer did updates and then it got stuck restarting. I'm just now getting on my computer and am in no mood right now to order one. This is the first day I have had the house to myself in a month. Granted I love having hubby and the girls here but I did plan on taking some time to myself and some time to properly wake up before I got started on my day but that didn't happen.

We still have all three kittens. I am feeling pretty discouraged that we'll ever find homes for them. I am also starting to worry I'll be having to get a ton of animals spayed/neutered. I think we need to hit the lottery and then just build us a zoo. It's crazy! I love animals and always have but I am responsible enough to know that sometimes you can have too many. One person cannot save them all. Yet here I am in a situation with too many. It certainly wasn't my plan. It is just so hard to find decent homes.

 

[whitelop]

I know what you're saying about the animals. I had 4 dogs at one time, in a 500 sq. foot apartment. Two were our real dogs and two were fosters. The two fosters were from really crappy situations. The one was a boxer puppy, who was inbred and they wanted to breed her back to her uncle/father, I stepped in and got her. She was so sweet but so dumb! Then the other foster was a golden who lived her whole life in a laundry room. She ate the whole wall and a door in there. She was totally insane because she didn't ever get out of the laundry room other than to go on a porch to potty. It took me a solid year to make her into a real dog that didn't freak out all the time and to get her to stop getting on my counters. I found them both homes but it took me over a year to find the golden a home and like 6 months to find the boxer a home. It was SO hard. At first it was fine, then they broke our wiener dog's hip while playing, thats when it started getting rough.
But my mom always says "good intentions get you in trouble." Thats how people end up with 50 cats. We just met a lady who lives in my town who has 53. And the receptionist at my vets office has 35. Both those ladies spay and neuter the cats so the cycle ends with them. But for every one there is like 20 more that don't have homes.
Its really terrible.

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I totally get it. I've been there with all the animals. Growing up we had 12 cats that we fed that were strays from the neighborhood. Its been the only thing I've known my whole life. Now I have 4 and that doesn't seem like that many but sometimes people are like OMG THATS A LOT! No, 53 is a lot.

Take the time that you have to yourself and drink lots of coffee and get your head together. Do some yoga. Seriously, I just did some yoga poses and now I feel pretty good! Or watch something you like on tv.

I wish I was closer, because I would totally take one of the kittens. They're so cute! Because I'm pretty sure I could handle one more cat. haha.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Denise, breathe deeply, take a break, drink lots of coffee and then go back. You are doing so much for all these animals and it´s a big financial strain especially with spays/neuters.

Just really think about what you can manage and if you need to let some of them go, you really may have to. It´s a shame no one has called about the kittens and they are so lovely.

I know that I´ve got enough with my three buns so can´t imagine how stretched you are. You can only do your best so consider what works for you and go from there.

 

[PaGal]

Morgan...
Chris...

Thank you. It doesn't help that it has been raining since Saturday evening...dark , dreary and raining. I learned from watching my mother that there is such a thing as too many animals. She started off with a few cats, then got a few dogs. She then started taking in strays some of which were pregnant and had kittens. She did take every one of them to the vets. They all had all of the vaccinations annually, spayed/neutered and were treated for any illness they had or got. She worked full time, shopped for the animal supplies and groceries and cleaned. She wound up with like 30 cats and three dogs. She worked hard and you would never had guessed there was that many animals if you didn't see them but my goodness. I used to help her when she took them to the vets as she would take like seven at a time. Once I also was over there every day for a few days helping to give worm prevention medicine.

It wouldn't be so bad if I could get it all worked out. I'll feel better once I can order the cage. Worst comes to worst I'll have to put someone in the dining room to keep the buns in separate rooms. I know right now it is hard to find homes for kittens because all you have to do is look on craigs list and there are just a ton of them out there.

I did find some info on a low cost spay/neuter clinic today. I'll have to call them and ask some questions but for their prices we could get the momma cat and kittens all spayed/neutered and rabies for $50 more than what it would cost to just have the mom done at our vets. I'll also have to talk it over with hubby. If we did that I think it might be easier to find them homes. Once they have homes I can then take the mom for the rest of her vaccinations.

If I can get the buns set up so there is no chance of pregnancy and so I'm not dealing with the poop marking and spraying by Thumper for the time being then once the cat situation is taken care of I can then see about getting the buns spayed.

 

[whitelop]

It sounds like you've got a plan in place. Sometimes it just gets so overwhelming and difficult. I even get overwhelmed when something happens with my animals. I just lose my mind. haha.

Hopefully you'll get the new cage ordered and it will get to you soon!

 

[PaGal]

Morgan...yep, I go kinda crazy with the animals. It would be so much easier if I could just explain the situation to them and get them to understand. Also would be easier if they could tell us what is wrong when they are ill. Ha!

I do have a plan now so that is a relief. I have just been going over so many different options and trying to decide what would work best for all involved.

 

[PaGal]

I ordered the cage today. It is only two inches smaller than Thumpers and cost $49 which is not bad. I may add a partial level or a shelf to it once it is here and I see it. I may decide to put Thumper in the smaller one as he is not as active as the two lil' ones. We'll see. I will then use the Xpen to divide the room in half. I will then let Thumper out for half the time and the lil' ones out for half the time. Since I'm home most of the time they should get plenty of time out.

I did let them out today while I cleaned their cage and then some. The black one is calmer when I touch her out of the cage than the brown. In fact when I got her put away she was near the cage door and I simply gently pushed her in and she was completely relaxed while I did so.

So I need names for these girls. I'm tired of calling them the two buns or the little buns or whatever so feel free to throw out ideas. Hubby went in the room with them for a short while and went to tell Thumper to stop it as he was jerking on the cardboard I put around his cage when the lil' ones are out. Instead of calling him Thumper though he called him by his race/work buddies name. I told him if the buns were males I would name them after him and his buddy as they are together so much anymore.

 

[whitelop]

Thats sort of funny that he called Thumper someone elses name. haha. Sometimes if my brain isn't working and I'm trying to call one of my animals or yell at them. I go through all the animal names until I get to the right one. My husband just stares at me like I'm dumb because its like I have animal name turrets.

I have to go back and look at pictures of them to think about names. Maybe you could post another thread to ask people for name suggestions. I did that for Ellie and got her name! haha.

 

[whitelop]

I like Hazel for the brown one and Satin for the black one. The black one looked sort of shiny in the old pictures and I'm sure she looks better now, since she's been taken care of for a while now. So I bet shes shiny black, like Satin.
They're sort of hard to name though, since they're pretty basic colors! But they are so cute!

 

[PaGal]

Yah, they are basic colors. I seem to be unable to name bunnies. I don't know what it is. I have no problem with other animals. The black is a lot more shiny than she was when she first came here.

It's funny he called Thump his buddy's name. I have been teasing them about their bromance a lot lately. They race together and right now his buddy's ride is here at our house as he currently doesn't have the room for it plus they work together often. Hubby told me the one day his buddy texted him to let him know he would be packing his lunch for the next day and that just set it off.

 

[PaGal]

Why can't the bunnies let me have some peace and quiet in the morning? Ha!

I may let Thumper run around the den today. He hasn't been getting to stay out as long as normal the past couple of days due to the spraying. In the past he has burnt off a lot of energy though running through the den and dining room and into the bun room so I may try that today. I'll have to move a few things out of the room and bunny proof a little. Plus I don't leave him unsupervised. He gets on the couch which is fine but he always acts interested in getting onto the back of it. The couch is against our half wall between the den and dining room and I'm afraid he'll get on the half wall and fall off there and get hurt.

I really love my hubby. I was married to my ex for 20 years and all he ever did was complain about pets even though we never had more than four at a time and those were two guinea pigs and two lizards and he never did anything with the animals so there was no reason for him to complain.

I think that's one reason I have been stressing. I guess in a way I keep waiting for hubby to get fed up or something. But yesterday I brought up getting another cage and splitting the room in half. He had no problem with it. I guess I need to let that old baggage go because he has never acted in any way except to show he likes animals. Yah he can get frustrated at times like we all do but that's it. Like I saw our dog as a puppy on petfinder. It took me three days to bring it up with him. He knew I wanted to talk to him about something as I started to bring it up the first day and then chickened out. When I finally got up the courage he just said well arrange for us to go see him. I have always loved animals and have been interested in them from an early age and that's hard to have to shut a big part of yourself off because of someone else.

 

[whitelop]

Awww. A bromance. How funny!

I haven't been able to name animals properly in the last few years. We had a lot when I was younger, so I think I used all my good names up! haha. Plus, then I had to name my child and that was really hard! Its hard to name things, especially a kid because they have to have that name their whole lives and I didn't want to be the parent who named their kid a terrible name. I think I'm just named out!

My husband is sort of a jerk with the animals sometimes. Even though he doesn't do anything for them. But he allows me to buy things for them, as long as I don't bring anymore animals home! haha. Like he let me spend $32 on a vest for the dog! haha. I guess its as long as I don't get another dog! I think he just has a problem with the amount of the animals. But we really don't have that many! I think that its because of his parents that he has a problem, his parents are failures. I'm actually lucky he came out as normal as he is.

 

[PaGal]

I can agree on the too many animals though. I feel the same way and not just because it affects the humans having too many but it can get to the point the animals aren't getting what they need especially the interaction. It's funny though because before Frisky passed away, like two months before hubby said we have too many pets and will not replace them as we lose them. I guess maybe he was just feeling frustrated because not long after losing Frisky he brought home Isabelle and I know he has thoughts of keeping the striped male kitten.

I know it won't be so bad once we get the bun living situation sorted and find homes for some kittens and get Isabelle spayed.

 

[kmaben]

It sounds like your hubby as a long fuse. He has to with two girls! I kept waiting for Omar to freak out on me over Shya's eye. All the money and doctors visits. I fully expected to walk through the door one day and he'd be "enough just put her down." Nope turns out he felt just as bad about her eye as I did. Maybe even worse because he carried what I felt as well. You're probably not giving this one enough credit due to the previous ass you were married too.

Names, Names. You could go with a theme. Bambi and Flower. Or a thelma and louise. Hmmmm colors play on the word cinnamon, cece, seenie, cinna ohh or like chocolate torte (yum) torra. Or brown-Bronwin
Black-maybe like Coalie? shade? shazeah? haha vashta. The vashta narada live in the shadows on Dr. Who. There's always good ol midnight.
What are their personalities like? Is one more outgoing than the other? Is one more curious? Shya was so feisty from the first time we met her. I felt like she had an "S" personality because of it. Yes my husband thinks I'm weird also. Then I played around with sounds until I came up with Shya.

Something will come up. Just have to have a bit of a think. But it sounds like you've been thinking a bit much lately!

PS I keep thinking about one of the kittens as well. Seb is so friendly and would love a cuddle cat. Plus my cat is becoming ancient.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Kaley, those are some great names. I was thinking about Bambi and something else but I´m not very inspire today so I´ll have another think. The vashta narada, love that name and love Doctor Who. Quite like Thelma and Louise as well. I like Hazel and Satin as well.

 

[PaGal]

Kmaben...yes he does. We actually have three girls, they are my stepdaughters and love them to pieces. Plus my daughter and son but they are older and living on their own. I know I'm not giving him enough credit, guess it just takes time to get past something you dealt with for so long.

I have been thinking too much but you know how animals can be especially buns. Get something going you think will work for them and they show you how wrong you were.

It's a shame you all are in Texas. For the right home we would probably be willing to travel a bit as any drive of 3 hours or less is no big deal to us but Texas is a bit far. I think they would get along with other cats as well since they keep trying to get near our other cat even though she hisses and growls at them.

 

[PaGal]

Chris...don't hate me or you (Kmaben) but I have never seen Dr.Who. I am not a fan of what's her name in Thelma and Louise, politically she runs her mouth too much. Ha! Maybe Bambi since that's where Thumper came from but I would have to really think hard as I haven't seen that in many years. Maybe I could go with a cartoon theme. Maybe a name each from one of our fav cartoons from childhood.

 

[PaGal]

Their personalities are hard since they are still skittish. They both like their food but the black one is more pushy about it. She'll barge in front of the brown to get whatever. She is a little calmer than the brown. They are both more energetic than Thumper is. When I let him out he'll hop around, run and binky for a while but then he lays down. The other two just keep going. They might lay down for a little while but then there back up and on the go. Of course they haven't had as much time out as Thump either. They absolutely love Thumper Town. They spend most of their free time running through it.

The brown one honked a bit at first and still does on occasion but no where near as often. Seems to be the noise she makes when she is feeling threatened as she used to do it when I was in the cage and came near. Also when hubby picked her up.

Usually for me I pick unusual names for animals unless they had names already that fit or they responded to. My bull frog I just had to name Jeremiah and I would sing him the song when no one was around. Smaug was the bearded dragon but I'm a huge Tolkien fan. Also had a sheppard named Arwen.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Denise, have the girls come up with any ideas ? It is so difficult to put a name to them as you do really need to see their little personalities. I´m sure something will come to you when you least expect it.

Both Snowy and Houdini sometimes honk when I´m doing something they don´t like. It usually comes with a lot of pushing my hand away.

They do sound as though they´re really settling down there now.