new fort!

Whew, the end of March has been a whirlwind of work and celebratory gatherings, not least of which was a "bunny-warming" party where Bonnie and Clyde, didn't exactly warm up to the guests, but were at least warmly entertained by veggies, toys, and awws all around. Then their benefactor from across the country sent them this awesome cardboard maze/fort! Bonnie wasted no time trying to climb up the sloped roof so now it is roofless for their safety. Silly Bonnie.

The buns go through so much timothy hay in a week - about 2 lbs worth - and it's not exactly the most convenient thing to buy in bulk. Bunnies are supposed to be grazers by nature, and their diet should ideally consist of 75% hay to keep things moving in their digestive tract. Unfortunately I neglected to order more hay before we ran out so now I'm stuck making hay-runs in the middle of the week. I just ordered a 9 lb box of hay online... hmm I guess that is going to take up a fair bit of space so I'm going to do the first thing that comes to mind - shop for a hay hamper! Teeheehee.

Escape!

This evening I came home, a little flustered from celebratory birthday events, to find my bunnies looking all guilty behind the pen. Their pen toys and box were all shuffled around, and their water bowl was completely empty, which was strange since I thought I had filled it in the morning. Not thinking too much about it, I continued to feed them their nightly dinner. It was only after I started to climb into bed did I notice things were astray. My boots were lying on the floor instead of on their low shelf, my area rug was shuffled and there was a wet spot on it. Immediately I realize it was rabbit pee. But how did they get to it? The pen was closed and they were still inside, the boots and rug were right next to the pen through so I figured maybe one of the just sprayed outside the cage and made a lot of disturbance to knock over the boots. Then I walk over to my closet were a couple boxes had fallen from their shelf and some bags were on the floor. Still not believing bunnies could have gotten out I blamed it on the wind coming in, although my window was close to bring closed. It wasn't until I went into their cage did I comprehend what had happened.

There was a small gap between the pen cage and the frame which it is against, just barely wide enough for a bunny to squeeze through. I could hardly believe it! I'm sure it was Bonnie since she is the more adventurous curious one. I was happily surprised to find that nothing was really disrupted or chewed through, and overall she had not caused much ruckus before crawling BACK into the pen. I zip tied a few more places to make sure they couldn't sneak out again, but man, I am impressed with their clever sneakiness!

we're up on youtube!

In honor of a birthday post, here's our first video. Hello World!

Since I am trying to watch Clyde from getting fatter, I've taken to feeding them pellets by hand when I can. They are a little ravenous in the morning though so I let them have at it from the bowl in the morning. At the same time I'm trying to train them to stand on command, though I'm not sure the "Up!" would work without the prospect of treats :P.

to the vet we go

Was woken up early like every other day of the week - by the rustling scurrying sounds of B&C in their pen. Today was our first visit to the vet, a routine checkup and nail trim. I bribed the bunnies to go into their new carrier with some cilantro and carrots , then promptly zipped them up and we were off to The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine to see Dr. Wilson, the resident rabbit specialist. She gave Bonnie and Clyde full checkups, looking in their eyes, ears, feeling their bellies and feet. "Bonnie has a nice silhouette," she remarked, "however, Clyde... I wouldn't want him to get any fatter." Clyde may have been hogging more than his fair share of the pellets, since he's quite round around the middle. I don't want to have to put my bunny on a diet! Oh Clydey. I may just have to figure out a way to feed them separately, garrrrr. The upside was that the assistant helping out with the nail trimming said to me afterwards, "you have very well behaved rabbits!" Teehee. It made me a little proud, almost like a pseudo tiger-mom.

Here is a frazzled looking Clyde getting his toenails trimmed at the vet. (It cost $21 for a nail trim - that's more than a manicure!)

On the way home SOMEBODY had a little accident in the carrier... I won't/can't say who XP. All I know is that I had the carrier on my lap on the subway, and when I got up there was a wet spot on my leg, lol.

I tried to pick them up out of the bag to put back in the pen, but Bonnie gave me a deep scratch with her newly cut (jagged) nail. Next time I cut their nails I am going to try to emery board them a little! After a busy day at the vet, the pair just wanted to come home and "loaf up" in their favorite spot.

Beg beg beg

Clyde: Maybe if I stick my nose out of the cage far enough, she'll give me a treat! Look! Look! Look at how cute I am!

Destruction!

Well, it was gonna happen sooner or later. Yesterday I came home to find my charging cord for my cellphone had accidentally dropped into the pen, and they gnawed it into pieces! Here's what was left...

I am very glad that there was no current running through it, or else they would have been in for a nasty shock. I spent more time in the pen with them yesterday, and lo and behold Bonnie actually hopped into my lap for all of 3 seconds. Woohoo! Progress!



This morning, shortly after demolishing their pellets, I witnessed Clyde's daily run - about 6 laps at full bunny speed, desperately slipping on the cardboard/wood floor at times, making a racket, and concluded with a few twisty leaps in the air. It was quite the show :)

Lies!

Attack the lettuce! One of the few vegetables that Clyde will deign to munch on (so far he's rejected celery, watercress, bok choy, mint, and broccoli). Sheesh. So picky.

By the way, this is what having a bunny is *supposed* to be like. Or at least so I was led to believe. Low stress, carefree, and instantly turns you into a 50-year-old woman. It's definitely one sided, and doesn't mention anything about what to do if your bunny doesn't want to cuddle and be a mellow lump on the couch with you. But, if there's anything this video has motivated me to do, is to get a BUNNY SLIDE (see clip at 1:13)!

yummy camera?

I'm trying to take a photo of Bonnie & Clyde so that we can use it as a cute poster for this month's office birthday celebration (haha, just like The Office), but it's been impossible to capture both of them in one shot, looking in the same direction. Though I think this one of Clyde is a keeper.

Edit: 12:15AM - Trying to catch up on work but I find myself staring at B&C instead. This photo of Clyde is so cute I think I'll make it into the header. I can't really tell for sure, but I think that I've fattened my bunnies up compared to when I got them from the shelter. Clyde is definitely looking a little chunkier and Bonnie's no longer quite the slim gal she used to be. Hmm. Perhaps will cut down on pellets and feed more hay. More HAY! They sure go through a lot of the stuff.

Made an appointment for their first vet visit on Sunday! I hope I all goes well and I don't get sticker shock at the bill (I'm anticipating $160? $200?). Ahh... to have the life of a bunny - eat, sleep, poop, and beg for treats. Wouldn't it be nice?

And the real story begins

So, now that we've all settled in... the real story begins!

I really thought that bunnies would be easy pets. But being a pet owner is no picnic, no matter what kind of pet. The research I did on house bunnies says they are smart creatures that can be playful, affectionate, and wonderfully personable. So far, I can only attest that they are entertaining to watch. As for the other traits...

B&C have lots of toys at their disposal, but they choose instead to chew on their cardboard mat and at the floorboard (Noooo! that's my security deposit!). I just bought them a fleece lined pet-bed today and instead of curling up in it like in the product stock photo, they proceed to dig, claw, and nibble at the lining. Sigh. I just want to see one of them curl up and nap in it, but I'm afraid it's only going to get torn to pieces in the morning.

Maybe I'm not giving them enough love? I have to admit I haven't spent much time on the floor with them, and they run away when I try to pick them up. Boohoo. All I want is for my bunnies to love me back, is that so much to ask??? Ungrateful furballs :P

Hello, Bonnie! Hello, Clyde!

Hello, World! Welcome to my blog dedicated to my two adorable, quirky, spoiled bunnies. Bonnie & Clyde are a pair of two grey bunnies, adopted from the NY animal shelter when they were approx 10 months old. They were described as 'short-hair' so I'm not sure what official breed they are, but they are about 4 lbs each, with cute upright ears and white bellies. They are my first real pets ever, since my parents weren't into raising pets in the house when I was growing up, so it's quite an exciting time for me! I will be documenting their adventures as we all get to know each other and hopefully become a happy bunny family.

Day 1 - Saturday, 03.05.11
Headed to the animal shelter with my roommate, not really expecting to adopt but rather look around to see what was available. I arrive in the "bunny room" at the shelter and immediately see Bonnie & Clyde playing in the playpen, taking advantage of their designated playtime outside of their usual cage. They are just adorable little furballs, and I remember feeling relieved that they were not going crazy chewing on everything, leaping around, or acting like "neurotic bunnies" (quote from skeptic friend). They were relatively calm, curiously peering at the new visitors, sticking their quivering noses through the wire gate and standing up on their hind legs. I melted a little watching them, but I really wasn't planning on adopting 2 bunnies. I had been raised an only child, and the thought that flashed through my head at the time was, but then I'd have to split my love and attention between them! As I peeked at the rest of the single bunnies though, it quickly became apparent that they were 1) not as cute, and 2) not as fun to watch. The ladies at the shelter insisted that pairs were the way to go, especially since I'd be working during the day and they would be able to keep each other company. "Just like humans like having a companion, so do they!"

After spending several hours at the shelter, I decided to adopt Bonnie & Clyde that day, even though I was not prepared at all at home. There was another girl surrendering her pet bunny that she had previously adopted, due to financial reasons. She was nice enough to donate to me a bag of new litter, some toys and accessories. I made plans to shop, prepare, and return for B&C the next day.

Day 2 - Sunday, 03.06.11 - Bunnies are home!
It was a miserable rainy day, but I couldn't let the bunnies down. As I ran about the city picking up a puppy exercise pen, litterbox, food, hay, rugs, and the like, I started to feel a sinking uncertainty in the pit of my stomach. Was I in over my head? Did I just make a huge mistake? I steeled my nerves and trekked back up to E. 110th animal shelter to carry the two furballs home. It was pouring by the time we got home but we managed. When I first introduced them to their pen it was pretty hectic. They started pooping and peeing all over the place, especially in this play tunnel toy that I had inherited. Now, bunnies are supposed to be great at using their litterbox, just like cats. However this was definitely not the case the first day. I became a little distraught at how brazenly disobedient Bonnie and Clyde were getting. I later realized that it was because they smelled the other bunny's scent all over the place (thanks to the inherited toys), and were trying to "claim" the area as their territory.

Days 3 thru 7 - Settling down
During the first week I worried constantly, and also talked constantly, about my bunnies to anyone who would listen. They were definitely more rowdy than I had seen them at the shelter, keeping me awake that first night with their dashing around the pen, munching on hay, thumping and grunting. Yes, bunnies thump and grunt, mostly as a sign of warning or displeasure. Clyde, determined to make the most sound possible at 3am, was standing on the cardboard box I had put in the center of the pen, and thumping with resolution for a good 5 minutes. He then proceeded to go into the box and make "huffing" like grunts that sounded like a child going "hmrph!" That was a long night.

Everyone asks, how do I tell them apart? Well, Clyde is larger in size and has a broader face, and he looks a little cuter from the side because of his rounder nose. Bonnie is more adventurous and curious, always first to beg for a treat or explore new addition to their home. They both go nuts at the sound of me scooping their rabbit feed, and hover excitedly over the empty bowl as I pour out their food. They've also established some of their preferences for fresh veggies: carrots are a favorite (though I'm not supposed to feed carrots too much), then cilantro, lettuce, celery and dandelion greens. Bonnie especially has taken a liking to celery, while Clyde will sniff, scoff, and pretend he is not interested, until Bonnie starts eating her celery. Then Clyde will hop over and try to steal the celery straight from Bonnie's chompers. They like to fight over veggies like this, in the true spirit of sibling rivalry. I wonder if I am spoiling them too much though, as they recently turned up their cute noses at bok choy (only nibbled the leaves not the stems), watercress, mint, and collard greens. I even caught Clyde on a number of occasions with his nose buried in the bowl of vegetables, digging for the few carrot slices I had hid on the bottom as a treat. After picking out the orange stuff, he'd ignore the rest of the bowl and go back to his favorite spot to flop out on the wood floor. Clyde also does what I like to call "the loaf" where he tucks his legs under his belly and forms a shape that looks like he just slid out of a bread loaf pan.

Exactly one week after I brought B&C home, I rearranged my room so that I could give them a proper play area. I bought a lofted bed frame, and gave them the space under my full-sized bed. It's a much better layout than their previous long skinny pen, and they were dancing with joy soon after introduction into the new space. "Dancing with joy" is described by bunny owners as "blinkies," a sort of jumping, twitching, twisting movement that reminds me of those somersaulting toy dogs from the 80's. What I'm amazed at is how fast my bunnies move, especially when they chase each other or get really excited for food. I guess that is why my friend says bunnies are "neurotic," because blinkies really do look like the bunny is twitching and spazzing out!