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[Bunny parents]

wabbitmom12 wrote:

Bunny parents wrote:

awwwww they're finally best friends I really like the second pic of them, the little black boy on the right is so cute It's like he wanted to say " what dad ? We're friends now ? Why so surprised ? They're really cute

Well, I have a question..sorry if it bothers you.The Mini lop boy ( If I'm right ), he's on well- weight ? How old is he ? I don't know if my Kimiko is too thin or too fat ? :?

Rudy the Mini Lop IS a bit on the pudgy side. For a rabbit, he just doesn't get that into exercise, lol.

Don't worry, I think my girl is on pudgy side too. Rudy has a friend lol. I'm trying to urge her doing some exercises., but she just turns and looks at me ( if she could speak) and says with her look , " momma, how about you start exercising first, then I'll consider that ! ". :thud:

 

[Wabbitdad12]

The one thing about not having the boiler working is with the house being much cooler then normal, the buns molts are going very well.

Tonight, during cage cleaning, I gave the buns who didn't have any before some carpet.

Mr. Handsome is letting me know when he wants his run time. He goes to his cage door and shakes it hard. If I don't open within time he has allotted, he does it even harder.

I've been helping my nephew, his wife and daughter with the bun they got this summer. Tomorrow we are going over to their house and drop off some hay that I couldn't fit in my tubs and trim the bunny's nails. Their bun Lilly is a beautiful lavender lop.

 

[Flash Gordon]

looks like i got some reading to do over here huh?....
ill start reading ur blog from the beginning and u can start looking for a pic of that Mopar u had......leaseplease:

 

[Bassetluv]

The one thing about not having the boiler working is with the house being much cooler then normal, the buns molts are going very well.

I hope the (non-furry) humans aren't too cool!

One thing I do with the rabbits is keep their room a bit cooler than the rest of the house in the winter; I've found that they seem more comfortable in cooler temps. than the higher ones I love. Moulting is always an issue with Anna and Yofi. Seems they are always losing hair! (Yofi especially; he is constantly shedding.) Wish I could get them to coordinate their moulting too; when one is going through the end phase, the other is just beginning.

 

[wabbitmom12]

Bassetluv wrote:

The one thing about not having the boiler working is with the house being much cooler then normal, the buns molts are going very well.

I hope the (non-furry) humans aren't too cool!

Moulting is always an issue with Anna and Yofi. Seems they are always losing hair! (Yofi especially; he is constantly shedding.) Wish I could get them to coordinate their moulting too; when one is going through the end phase, the other is just beginning.

Consider that on a larger scale...of say, 14 rabbits or so...:shock: We always have a house full of not only hares, but hairs. :biggrin2:

I am with you...the buns actually do better in a cooler temp. Seems like when the house is very warm in the winter, some of them start to have breathing problems. Their coats are much nicer with the coolness, too.

RE: Are the humans keeping warm? Yes, indeed, we are. So far God has blessed us with a "relatively" mild late fall. Very little snow. Day temps vary from 25 - 40 degrees, and the nighttime temps are below freezing. It seems like we can get the fire good and stoked up in the evening to warm the house, and it might be cool when we awaken, but not too bad. (I actually LOVE sleeping a "cold" bedroom...so much better than stuffy!) We've had some sun, here and there, to warm up the house during the day. (Our largest windows are in the living room, and face the South...nice warm, afternoon sun.) During the Summer we melt in the late afternoon, but the sun coming in the windows sure has been nice during this cooler weather. The days we had a bit of trouble keeping it warm were when it rained 3 days in a row, and the temps hovered above freezing, with no sun, and strong winds.

I am a little nervous about the bitter cold we usually experience in January, with temperatures near or below zero, and wind. Our house is very drafty. But we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

I'm also looking forward to seeing how keeping the furnace off affects our gas bill! So far we haven't had to spend $ on firewood, as we had some, and were given some, so we are "ahead" cost wise. Within another month or so we'll probably have to get a cord of wood...which easily costs as much running the gas furnace for a month. But maybe the cord of wood will last more than a month? I don't know...We've never used wood this consistently. I guess it will be a good experiment. Perhaps we will be using the woodburner every winter from now on, if it is cost efficient.

 

[Bassetluv]

Wow...I didn't realize just how much wood costs! A few years ago I was thinking of putting a small wood stove in my living room (partly to save on heating bills, partly because I love the smell of a wood fire ), but finally conceded that I just don't have room. But if you can get a cord to last, then that would be a great way to save some $$ during the winter.

Your daily temps seem to be on par with the weather here too. So far we've only had snow once, and it's barely enough to keep the ground white. Cold in the mornings, but then it warms up (usually around 0C to +2C or so). I'm hoping we all get a mild winter this year...I think everyone needs a break from high energy costs as well as cold wintertimes. My house is old and the basement is unfinished, so it gets really damp in the cold, and the floors are like ice when the temps drop. One good thing though; the rabbits' room stays cool year-round, and the two of them love it. So long as I keep a dehumidifier going, they're fine. (Can you believe that I don't have A/C, but the rabbits stay comfy even when it goes as high as +31C? The most they need in those temps is a fan to keep the air circulating. However, the rest of the house turns into a sauna!)

And I couldn't even imagine having that many rabbits (or animals of any species) to care for! I'd be exhausted! With only 2 rabbits, 1 cat, and 1 dog, my place is constantly full of hair, bunny balls, wood pellets, etc. Mind you, I'm terrible at housework, and I have a talent for killing vacuum cleaners, so that doesn't help. Oh, and I have Yofi, who must equal at least 4 rabbits with his messiness. (Then again, you have Daisy, so I can't use Yofi as an excuse either...:biggrin

Here's hoping for a mild winter, bunnies who don't dig up their litter boxes, and wood logs with long burn-times for you.

 

[Wabbitdad12]

Lately Karen has been refering to me as "caveman". Go get a fire going "caveman". I guess it is a guy thing. My arms a getting a work out, I lift heavy stuff at work all day and lately, I've been carrying wood down stairs 2-3 times an evening.

Last night before I started the fire, the house was at 50F, by the time we went to bed, it was up to 60F.

Yesterday evening I dropped off some excess hay at my nephews house. His daughter got a bunny from his ex a couple of months ago. I've been helping them out with litter and when I get a new bale of hay I give them what I can't fit in my storage containers.

The bunny's name is Lilly, she is a holland lop, broken lilac color. Just beautiful! I have also been told she is a diva. She has the house to herself and only goes in her cage at night. Last night she hopped on the couch next to me and soaked in all the pets. She also marked me as hers, when I got home I had to put my jeans in the wash and clean my coat. I'd bunny nap her, but his daughter and step son would not be happy. The bunny has been great therapy for his step son who is autistic. She has everyone in his house wrapped around her little paw.

Well time to clean cages in a little while, get some more wood and hopefully get a hold of my brother in law and get our kerosene heater to warm up the house on really cold nights. Still like to have the boiler working, but so far things are working out. The buns are enjoying the cool house.

 

[TinysMom]

So how is everyone doing now? Are all the bunnies getting excited about Christmas?

Is the house getting any warmer now? (I'm assuming you're using the wood?)

 

[wabbitmom12]

The bunnies are all trying to stay on the "Nice" list, so Santa can bring them some Craisins next week!

Yes, the Caveman has been keeping his Cavewife and Cavekids warm with his wonderful fire! :biggrin2: Right now, it is 12 degrees outside (yes, folks, that is FAHRENHEIT)...and a snuggly 67 degrees indoors.

In all seriousness, it is a LOT of work to keep the house warm with wood, but it is saving a ton of money right now, and we seem to be pretty good at keeping a comfortable temp, even as the really cold weather is setting in. Our wood burner is in our finished basement, so we are bringing in wood by the armful and carrying it downstairs. About 2 great big armfuls of wood will burn in about 6 hours...so do the math and you see that is a lot of trips out in the cold and snow, and up and down steps. Plus, we are checking on the fire every hour or so during the waking hours and adding logs. Many times the fire is out when Dave awakens in the morning...so he's up in a cool house (59 degrees is not unusual), and having to bring wood in from the cold to build a nice fire - before caring for buns and getting ready for work. Add to all of this, he had to move, by SLED, wood from the back of our lot up to the porch, a job which took several hours. Load the sled, drag it up, stack the wood, then hike back and get some more. We were also been given wood by some friends, so he had to load it up at their house, then unload and stack it up at home. Some of our wood, and some we were given, wasn't split properly, so he's been outside with an axe, splitting logs. So now, he is both a CAVEMAN and a LUMBERJACK!

My poor hubby is pooped! :yawn: Thank goodness he has some vacation days coming up during the holidays next week.

 

[Momto3boys]

There's nothing like wood heat though.
We burnt wood our first year here but we need a new chimney, we haven't been able to afford it so we've been using electric heat the last 4 years but now with me working we can afford to have our chimney rebuilt, I CANNOT wait until next year when we can burn wood again, it's more work but it's awesome heat, plus it's like a free air exchanger and we need that desperately!

Hopefully Santa brings all your crew some craisins

 

[MILU]

I hope all your bunnies get nice presents from Santa, it seems like they've been really good and cooperative. I bet they even make you run after them, or jump on your lap just to make you feel warmer!

 

[Bassetluv]

Must admit, I prefer heat from a wood stove as well, rather than electric or gas. My family used to own a *cottage* on a lake (an old fishing camp that my dad purchased when we were kids), and when I was in my early 20s, my husband and I - and our cat Snooch, of course - would sometimes go there in the winter and stay for a day or two. At one point we went down there for a week during one rather frigid January, and discovered that someone had stolen the main wood stove that served to heat the entire place. However, we made do with the kitchen woodstove, blanketing off the living room and pretty much living in the tiny kitchen. The heat from that stove was so wonderful....there's just something about heat from a wood fire that is so comforting. We cut down trees and split the wood ourselves...a ton of work, but it just felt so rewarding at the end of the day to come indoors to a warm, cozy room and to know that we did it ourselves.

I admire you guys for what you're doing! And come Christmas day, how nice it will be to be gathered around together, with the wood fire blazing, snow gently falling outside, bunnies, humans, et al. all snuggly and warm. :biggrin:

 

[Wabbitdad12]

I've been crazy busy, work, keeping the fire stoked and constantly bringing in wood.

The bunny's have been good, except for, Miss Daisy. She's was a good girl until Sunday when I cleaned cages. Daisy made a big mess and I had to do a lot of cleaning. Normally she goes about her business in the bunny room. The little stinker kept getting in my way, forcing her way into her cage and blocking the litter box and generally making herself a nuisance.

Mr. Handsome is just about as big as his daddy, Titan, I have plans to get pictures of him and a few other buns soon. I need just a few more pictures to put together my collage of the herd. When I get that done, I will give updates on them all.

Please send get well prayers to Wabbitmom. She has come down with something and is having a rough time of it. Christmas festivities coming up really quick, there is so much to do.

Well gotta go, need to go get more firewood.

 

[Nela]

A very merry Christmas to you and yours! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

 

[myheart]

:hug: Hope you feel better Wabbitmom. It's no fun feeling sick when Santa is supposed to make his visits.

Have a great Holiday time!!

myheart

 

[wabbitmom12]

Yep, I got to feeling better right before the holiday! Thank goodness. I had a million things to do, but it came together, with a good dose of flexibility from the family. We had a beautiful 3 days of Christmasing at home and at extended family gatherings. Today, the 26th, is our Christmas Boy's birthday...he is 19, and a fine young man. We are very blessed indeed!

Happy Belated Christmas to all.

 

[Wabbitdad12]

Here is a collage of the present herd:

First Row: Baby (Nethie Himalayan), Blueberry (Mini Rex), Carmel (Lionhead), Daisy (E-lop), Duchess (Dutch). Second Row: Handsome (Flemish Giant), Moo Moo (Hotot mix), Nibbles (Holland Lop), Oreo (Dutch Mix). Third Row: Pudge (Mini Lop), Rudy (French Lop), Sweetie (Flemish Giant), Tiny (REW Nethie). Fourth Row: Titan (Flemish Giant)

Here are the ones that have crossed over the Rainbow Bridge:

First Row: Barney (Flemish Giant), Lilly (Flemish Giant). Second Row: Mr. Muffin (Holland Lop), Skippery (Lionhead), Mr. Smores (Dutch). Third Row: Mr. Thumper (Flemish Giant), Velvet and Lil Blue (Flemish Giants)

Sorry it took so long, but since the furnance went out and we have been burning wood, I spend a lot of my time bringing in wood or splitting it. When I am done with that I am exhausted. Our cat Buddy has been enjoying the wood burners warmth. This is how he spends most of his time nowadays.

The holidays have been crazy like normal. Wabbitmom and I have our little family's Christmas on the 23rd, then her parents on the 24th, my parents on the 25th and my son Josh's birthday is the 26th.

We did have a very nice Christmas's. We started doing our Christmas on the 23rd when the kids were little. It was always hard for them to get new toys and play with them for a couple of hours then leave them behind to go to Grandma's. We lived a couple of hours a way. So we started doing ours on the 23rd and that would give the kids a whole day to play with their new stuff. After we moved to the city we are in now, we started going out to Applebee's for supper. Now that has become a tradition. But it was a very hectic few days.

Our tree before the carnage of unwrapping presents began.

Here is picture of Daisy looking for her presents under the tree. Buddy our cat was thinking of pouncing, then Daisy came around the stack of presents and Buddy took one look at Daisy's size and heran back down to the basement.

I finally got my big screen tv! My son Josh also got me a Xbox 360 for my belated birthday present, my birthday is in April.

Josh and I gotthetv mounted on the wall Christmas night. Now I can watch Chicago Bears football in HD!

Miss Daisy has some special pictures for Yofi.

Here is picture of her as a present for Yofi.

Here is another of her under the tree for Yofi.

 

[Momto3boys]

Looks and sounds like you guys had an awesome Christmas!!
I love Daisy so much, she is just beautiful and WHOA you sure got spoiled this Christmas!!

We got the boys an Xbox 360 as well with Kinect, it's a blast.

 

[myheart]

Dave, your collage looks great!! So many beautiful fur-babies!! This just makes it a bit easier for me to put the bunners I want on my bun-nabbing list. **Let's see, I'll take....**

What a nice looking tree with all of the presents under it! Which present was mine? I apparently didn't receive it yet. I guess someone else took it, so I think I'll take me a little baby Tiny bun instead.

Was Daisy the only one who was allowed to see the tree? At least kitty knows who to try pouncing-practice on, and who not to mess with. My cats are pretty much to the point of only messing with each other, finally.

Sounds like you had a good Holiday. Are you staying in tonight for New Years? I usually leave that sort of silliness to those youngsters who are used to indulging like that. So it's going to be a quiet night for me, which is a good thing.

myheart

 

[wabbitmom12]

We usually make a family party out of it...any excuse for a party you know! (To clarify, no alcohol We are "total tee-totalers". :biggrin2:

My sister hosts us all and we eat and play Dominoes, Euchere, or Skipbo. It's a good time. Even the young adults usually join us, at least for awhile. Last year was my "baby" brother's 40th birthday, right on Dec 31, so we added ice cream and cake to the fun.

I do feel blessed that we enjoy one another's company. There is an occasional bump in the road where someone butts heads or gets their nose bent out of joint, but for the most part we are very close and spend a lot of time together. We did not live in town for the first 16 years of our marriage, so these past 10 years of living close by have been really special.