Carson, a.k.a. "Hare-y Houdini"

This morning, I awoke to the sound of thumping. It sounded like it was coming from a bun on carpet. Well, I figured that Jenna or PJ must just be in their house in a way that just made it sound like that, since no buns are out when I'm sleeping and the only bun living in a pen close enough for me to hear is Harrison, and he's on newspaper-covered vinyl flooring.

Then I hear something that sounded like PJ and Jenna fighting. It happens again about 30 secs. later, so I say, "Guys, come on. Stop it." Then I hear more thumping.

So, thinking that I have 20 mins. or so before I have to get up anyway, I wander over to PJ and Jenna's house and can see they're just sitting there. I hear thumping, and squint towards the hallway. Hmm, why is there a blur that looks like Carson in the hallway? I wander back to put my glasses on and look into the hall again. There is Carson sitting there looking at me and thumping.

"How in the world did you get out?" I asked him, then wondering if he chewed any cords whilst on the lam. He freaks out and runs back into the study, behind his cage.

The cage he's in has doors on the side and on the top. I always lock the side cage, since he could push on it and open it, but I only secure the top door lightly. Well, the top door is wide open, so he had to have some how gotten that door open, jumped out of it, and jumped onto the floor. He was then unable to get back into his house. His water bottle was knocked off, too.

I moved his house out and opened the side door, eventually getting him shooed inside. I gave him a headrub, and he immediately relaxed. His breathing was still fast and shallow, like hyperventilating. He started to eat his salad right away when I gave it to him, and he seemed to have calmed down when it was time for me to leave for work.

Needless to say, I fasted the side locks on the top door, and if he gets out again, he'll have had help. I've never had a rabbit escape from his house since Calvin did it way back in 2003, so the title "Hare-y Houdini" gets passed to Carson.

Mama

PS Carson was thumping all during playtime last night. I don't know whether he was freaked out that there was a huge white rabbit downstairs, that we were getting another earthquake, or what. Maybe he was giving me some sort of ultimatum and I failed his test so he "escaped."

New Foster - Harrison

I drove down to Ft. Wayne last night to take in one of the 4 rabbits the IHRS pulled from a kill shelter there. All are big buns - 10+ lbs. - and I took the guy who seems a bit down on his luck. Harrison is a big, white guy, who is very underweight and has rough fur and some weepy eye discharge. He's got pink eyes - the first pink-eyed bun I've had at my place, and he has a very "old soul" look to him. I think he was kept in tough circumstances, crowded with other buns, and that they weren't given enough food and water. I think he was lower on the totem pole dominance-wise, so he probably got the least of everything.

He doesn't seem very perky or very aggressive, though hopefully he'll start showing some spunk when he fills out a little more. He's going to the vet on Friday, and he'll get a good going-over. We think he's a Flemish Giant (his ears are big and either floppy because of their size/his not able to control them well because of being week or (I think) that he's crossed with a lop and is sort of helicopter-lop-eared). I'm sure his personality will come out as he settles into foster care and realizes that he's on easy street.

Anyway, he's the poorer off of the 4 rescued (they were all in one hutch at the shelter), so he'll be able to relax and recover in my nice, quiet home, where the pellet bowl never empties and water is plentiful. Here's hoping there's not much wrong that clean conditions, good food, fresh water, and a little lovin' can't fix
:-)

Mama

Empty Nest

I drove down to Indianapolis this morning with Marja and Greta, who were going on a date with a guy-bun named George. I had Cassandra with me, too, for she was going to move into the Greenwood Petco.

Marja and George hit it off really well. She was the first girl he dated, and when Greta, Mae, and Arwin didn't hit it off as well as she did, Marja went on a second date. George's Mom and Dad picked Marja, and I'm really happy. Marja really made great strides this last week or two, actually kicking her feet out and relaxing fully when getting a head/cheek rub. George's parents are thrilled, especially since you can actually pick Marja up without too much fuss (while the same can't be said about George). I feel horrible that I never got pics of her, but anyone interested can see her pics on the IHRS website:
http://www.indianahrs.org/adoption-details.aspx?id=356

All three of Marja's babies had already been adopted, so I'm so glad that she finally got a home, skipping the Petco digs altogether. It was really funny when it was time for George and Marja to leave. Since George doesn't like being picked up, I put the carrier in and we hoped he'd hop in. Well, Marja went inside of it instead, so George got to ride home in the cardboard carrier that had Marja's pellets, some hay, and salad in it. I know Marja is really happy with George, and this just goes to show it.

I drove Cassandra to the Greenwood store after leaving the Speedway store where the date was. (I'm going to make a list of all the Petco stores I've been in and see if I can visit all of the ones where we have buns up for adoption.) Her hexi that she'll be living in might not be as much square footage as she's used to, but at least the top is high enough that I don't think she'll hit her head if she stands up. It was harder leaving Cassandra at the store than watching Marja go home. Marja is my first foster bun to be adopted, with Kristie and Nadia still in Petco awaiting those special bunny parents. I hope Cass doesn't think I abandonned her or that she did something wrong.

So now I'm down to 6 buns from an all-time-high of 9 (Mario transferring to Robin's house a few weeks ago). I'll actually have time for my own rabbits now. Wow, now there's a thought! :-)

Mama

Pics of Cassandra

Here are some photos of Cassandra, the big (7+lbs) girl. She's so goofy, and you just have to love those ears!








The last one isn't well lit, but I loved her getting tired of having her picture taken and trying to hide under my book.

Mama

Pics of Mario

Here are a few photos of Mario, another foster bun. He's now at another foster home, freeing up some time for me to work with Greta, the new foster bun who is still really shy.






I'll miss this little guy. He has such energy, and he'll be sure to entertain whomever adopts him with his antics.

Mama

Pic of Lil' Miss

Here's a photo of Lil' Miss, the foster bun that I took back to her old foster home.




She'll await her forever home in foster care instead of a Petco store. She just wasn't settled or calm enough to do well in a store, so hopefully someone will fall in love with her through the IHRS website.

Mama