New Zealand/Lop Rabbits

Charlotte Solo

| Flower Roberts

When Barley was alive, he got most of the attention.

He was photogenic, needy, cuddly and babyish.

Charlotte was all about Barley and busy.

She only had eyes for him. I was just her source of food.

Things have changed.

Charlotte is alone.

She runs to greet me when I enter her yard. She bows to be petted before eating. She shares her food with a tiny chipmunk.

Yesterday, she climbed a fence to eat passion vine and stood on her hind legs to eat Turk’s Cap.

Sometimes I wonder if she even remembers Barley, and then…

She will break my heart by lying down beside his grave.

Does she know he is under there? I am going to tell myself she doesn’t.

We both miss Barley.

Charlotte is carrying on. She is staying busy and being a brave bunny.

FLOW

Ode to Barley

| Flower Roberts

I truly hope this is my last sad post for a long, long time.

Barley my precious, brown bunny had to be put down on August 4, 2020.

He had many health issues. It broke my already broken heart to let him go.

I first saw Barley when my family went to a pet store to purchase fish.

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It was love at first sight. This was December 2014.

I did not want him to be lonely, so I had Rose pick out a girl bunny.

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Barley and Charlotte have been like two peas in a pod.

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Always together. Always entertaining. Unbelievably cute.

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Here is my last photo of my precious Barley.

His back legs no longer worked, but he happily continued to eat and scoot.

Charlotte has been in mourning, but seems to have finally forgiven me for taking her boy.

BELOW are links to my favorite bunny posts.

https://floweralley.org/2016/01/07/bunnies-in-the-doghouse/

https://floweralley.org/2017/05/05/bunny-secrets-revealed/

https://floweralley.org/2016/05/11/busy-and-not-busy/

 

You can see from these posts why I love them so much.

My world is small.

Losing my daddy and Barley this summer has made it painfully smaller.

I have written many posts about my daddy.  Type “my daddy” in the search box to see them.

Hopefully Flower will get back to her flowers.

FLOW

 

Waiting for the Lights to Come On

| Flower Roberts

I end my days with the bunnies, waiting for their lights to come on.

I quietly sit in the black chair with my feet up on the bench.

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I listen to their munching as the light in the sky dims.

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The two solar globe lights blink on first.  IMG_1712

Moments later, the garden glows with a warm yellow light from the of Market bulbs.

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That’s my signal that the bunnies are safe and my day in the garden has ended.

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I pause just a bit, in the glow, in the quiet.

It’s a peaceful way to end a day.

Flow

 

Bunnies Back Inside

| Flower Roberts

Well that didn’t last long,  twenty-four hours tops.

When we arrived home yesterday evening, Barley and Charlotte were at the French doors looking in.

I cracked open the door and Barley wedged his fat little fur-ball self through.

Why such weak resolve Flower you ask?

I would rather WORK than WORRY.

I was awake several times during the night wondering how much the temperature had dropped.

Then I heard noises outside and wondered if it was some predator breaking into the pen.

About dawn,  when I was awakened by Mr. Bluebird pecking at the window,

He’s BACK : ‘To Kill a Bluebird’ may be a future post title

I had the thought that if Barley’s bottom was all ready wet he would get chilled and then $ickne$$ would follow…

So they are inside where it is warm and dry.

Anybody want to assist in a Bunny Brazilian over the holidays?

A FOOL and her bunnies are not parted.

FLOW

 

 

Bunny Trouble

| Flower Roberts

It is not easy being a bunny mommy.  If they weren’t cute they would be of no use.

It’s Barley’s bottom again.

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Or is it his bladder?

He pees where ever he pleases.

If he is inside, that usually means on the floor, not in one of the litter boxes.

This morning I discovered it also means in the bunny bed.

This had to be washed an hung out to dry.

Don’t get me started on the vet bills and expensive electric razor for his monthly Brazilian…

I think Flower has finally decided that the bunnies must reside OUTSIDE

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in that pen that I spent months constructing to keep them safe from

raccoons and coyotes.

Who is going to protect me from my own stupidity?

That’s what I want to know.

FLOW = FOOL

Foiled by Two Photos

| Flower Roberts

I had big plans for the bunnies.

They were moving outside.

I have spent months working on a pen inside the bunny yard.

There are now two barriers between them and danger.

It has fence, hardware cloth, mesh,

plexi glass, polyethylene and metal.

(Shower curtains will be replaced by metal when Mr. Flower has time to help.)

There are boxes, tunnels and a hutch.

They even have market lights on a timer!

It is quite elaborate and a bit messy. (Sorry neighbors)

But it was all for naught.

My plans have been foiled by two photos from the neighbors’ critter cam.

The first is of three raccoons. I was aware of one, but now feel outnumbered.

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The second is the hind end of a rather large coyote.

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Years ago one tore down some fence and left a dirty paw print on the window screen.

THUS, those two messy bunnies will continue to come inside at night.

We can’t have them partying with these wild ones.

Mama needs her sleep.

Flow

 

 

The Green Patch

| Flower Roberts

I made a trip to the green patch today.

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I was happy to be snipping in the sunshine.

I got a basket full.

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Not enough to cook up a mess.

They aren’t for me.

They are for the bunnies, of course.

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There is nothing more yummy to a bunny tummy than fresh greens.

See that smile?

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FLOWER

Throwing Snow

| Flower Roberts

While most folks are shoveling sidewalks and driveways,

the Flower is diligently digging snow off her deck.

Why would I make a path to nowhere?

The bunnies, of course.

Their yard in under the deck. They have not been out for days.

They dislike snow, but more than that, they hate to be dripped on.

Before they can leave the comforts of their bunny room in the basement,

the snow must be removed.

Melting will not do, because melting means dripping.

It’s been a tough week inside for the bunnies.

Barley seems depressed.

It could be indigestion. He ate some bristles off the broom while my back was turned.

Charlotte is bored. She has been throwing the hay pan in protest.

They have been keeping busy inside. But they need to get back outside.

That’s why I shoveled a path to the deck railing.

So I could throw snow over it to the ground below.

It’s all about the bunnies here.

If you don’t believe me, ask Mr. Flower.  He’ll tell you.

FLOWER

 

 

Barley’s Bottom

| Flower Roberts

I promised Barley I would not share photos of his bare bottom.

It was not pretty.  He seemed ashamed and hid in his box more than usual.

It all started on a trip to the mountains.

Barley urinated in his crate and had a wet bottom when we arrived.

It tried to clean his fluffy rear with wash clothes and wipes.

Bunnies hate to be wet, so we both ended up soaked and I got bitten twice.

Barley has never bitten me before, so I knew this was not going to end well.

The fur on his cute,  little rear end was soon matted and dirty and clumped into locks.

It was time to visit our specialty vet.

This woman is amazing. Anybody that can hold a giant rabbit with one hand and shave his bottom with the other is my hero.

I must add that if this had been Charlotte, the attack rabbit scene from Monty Python would have been reenacted.   She is a beast!

We came home with an antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory and sulfa cream to slather on his bare rear.

Yes folks, Barley had diaper rash.

Charlotte had to be isolated during this period, because she would have licked off the cream.

I am happy to report that the crisis has passed and his bottom is back to its former cuteness.

All’s well that ends well.

FLOWER/ BUNNY MAMA