Both bunnies were at the vets today. There is nothing wrong, but it’s time for their myxomatosis vaccinations. They have them every six months, and now is a good time to have it done as the insects that carry it will become active with the warmer weather. Vaccination time is also a good chance to get an MOT. My vets are doing a free checks ups all this month, and £5 discount, as part of Rabbit Awareness Week.
Both bunnies got a clean bill of health. The little spur Gypsy had on one tooth a couple of months ago hasn’t reoccurred. She’s got a little extra padding but that’s normal this time of year as I feed a little extra to keep her warm outside over winter.
Scamp has decided it’s spring and is moulting like crazy. Instead of the usual ‘go faster’ stripes he gets along his sides he’s going for a top down approach. He’s moulted out a big saddle over his back. It feels like velvet at the moment, so soft, where his undercoat has come through but not his guard hairs (the thick rougher ones). It also means he’s chocolate on top and instead of brown speckles like normal.
We tend to think of house rabbits as being a new approach to rabbit care but we have a bit of a family tradition of it. My mum has often told me about her house rabbit Rodney. So today we dug out the photoalbum and I asked her to tell me all about him…
“We got Roderick, known as “Rodney” or “Rodders”, from a pet shop in the mid 60s. He was brought to be a magicians rabbit as my mum was a magicians assistant, but he grew to big to fit in the top hat, cutting his career short.
“He had a hutch under the kitchen sink when we first had him and freerange of the downstairs – quarry tile floors with a rug. He was partial to a cup of tea and frequently found with his head stuffed in visitors teacups when they left them on the floor. One of his favourite places to rest was on the rug in front of the real coal fire, stretched out with his ears folded flat. He often surprised visitors when he popped his ears up and they realised he was a rabbit, not a cat!
“He also liked to sit on the window sill and wait for me to come home from school. He knew what time I got home and would jump up to wait, if I was late he’d get bored waiting and nibble the plants. He was also partial to the television cable, which he ate on several occasions whilst the telly was on – he obviously thought he wasn’t getting enough attention. He did it so often the TV repairman would comment: “It’s that rabbit again” when he visited to fix it. That was the only thing he really chewed though apart from nibbling books a little.
“He was an uncastrated male but we didn’t have any problems. He was house trained – we trained him by putting a newspaper in his preferred corner then moving it closer to the back door. Once he was trained, he used to ask to go out like a cat when he needed the loo. On one occasion a medium sized dog broke into the back garden, I opened the door to let him out for the loo not realising and he growled and launched himself at it, grabbed it by it’s throat and kicked it with his back legs. I had to pull him off the dog and which ran off with its tail between its legs.
“He ate all the household vegetables, bran, crushed oats, and a few commercial rabbit pellets as a treat. He had free access to grass outside. We collected him dandelions and other weeds too. He used to visit neighbouring gardens for additional supplies, but he always came home again. Sometimes at high speed with the neighbours hot on his heels.
“In later life he lived with my German Sheppard, Sheba. They were good friends and Sheba used to wash his ears. He had a low pen which he could jump over, but the dog respected that was his space and didn’t intrude. When Rodney died (he must have been around eight by then) Sheba howled all night.”
Finally a bit of warm weather. The last few days have been lovely (it will probably rain tomorrow now I’ve said that). The 240 crocuses plus a few snowdrops we planted last autumn before returfing are putting on a good show.
Gypsy assisted with tidying up outside by trying to eat the stray bits of hay whilst we swept up. Why is it that bits of hay that have been totally ignored for ages suddenly becomes a must have piece as soon as you go anywhere near them with a dustpan?
Scamp was equally helpful inside whilst I planted seeds. I’ve sown over 200 in the last couple of days, a mix of veg and flowers.
Is any one else enjoying a bit of spring gardening? If you’re feeling a bit green fingered (and are in the uk), the BBC are offering free vegetable seeds again this year: BBC Dig In.
In the quest for more leafy greens I’m experimenting with a bit of window sill growing. Two weeks ago I sowed timothy grass, dandelion and carrots seeds to see which would be most productive. The grass is off to the best start with quick germination and 3 inches of growth already. The carrots are slightly slower and the dandelion (the weeds that will grow anywhere) haven’t even shown their heads yet!
Poor bunnies, still a bit of a wait before there is anything to eat. Later on this month I’m going to be starting my proper carrots off and I’ll post some easy instructions in case anyone else wants a go.
