Introducing Maggie

[Bianca]

Seeing as Terry is alone due to the passing of Ogg, I have been keeping an eye on the rabbits at the RSPCA. A few weeks ago I put Cherub on hold pending vet treatment on her eye. She is still undergoing that. 

But there was one other rabbit who has been at the RSPCA for a while. She is a neglect case, an angora who came in with horrible matted fur and they have had to clip half of it. She is confident being held but shy around too much noise. Nobody wanted her because she is 2, her adoption photo was not flattering and she needs daily grooming – and the RSPCA were insisting experienced home only.

So I couldn’t resist. I have the space for 3 rabbits even if they have to be kept separate. She was named Clarice, but husband and I name our rabbits after Terry Pratchett characters, so we have renamed her Magrat – aka Maggie. 

I brought her home today. Below are two photos of her when she first got home. I had her and Terry separated (after these photos I reinforced with chicken wire). They had a few scuffles at first, but then stayed near each other (despite lots of room to move away). 

Okay, for some reason I can’t get the photos to work. Just imagine fluffy white rabbit with blue eyes and lots of shaved patches. I’ll work on the photos later.

Then we had the oopsie. I walked in to check on them, and Terry must have done a flying leap off the study desk to get in with her. Thankfully they hadn’t fought, and as I watched, Maggie approached Terry and he started grooming her. I have a photo of that too, which I will try to upload. 

I am about to separate them though because obviously I don’t want to just leave them alone unsupervised. I’ll find a way of stopping Terry using the desk to get to her. They aren’t fighting at all now but he is chasing her a bit and seeing as she only arrived today she does need a chance to settle! It does look like they will be able to bond though, which makes me happy.

I’ll try to get those photos up soon. She is a very sweet rabbit who is happy to be held and groomed and sit on laps.

[Bianca]

Here we go, I changed the file name and the photos worked. There are two photos just after she arrived. Then the one after Terry managed to get in with her. I have prevented it from happening again. But I just found Terry flopped on the window sill where he can spy on her without her really seeing him. I haven’t seen him flop like that since Ogg passed.

 

I look forward to seeing how this bonding process goes. I do think they are off to a good start – if slightly unplanned (thanks Terry!). 

[Gina.Jenny]

Fingers and paws crossed here for a hoppy bonding success x

[Bianca]

Ha!

After posting this I went to check on them. Terry had found a new way to get in with her. -sigh- Will block that off tonight.

But they were getting along so nicely. Just as I walked in Maggie was approaching Terry again and he started grooming her. Now he has moved on to sniffing her bum but she is not having that yet. She stomps and moves off and he waits a bit before trying again. He keeps throwing all his favourite toys her way now which is lovely to see because he hasn’t been playful for a while either.

At the moment they are eating near each other. I will separate them again tonight and block any possible entry for Terry (jump points basically), but I don’t think it will be long before they are bonded! How am I getting so lucky with fast bondings? Ogg and Terry were bonded in 24 hours, and it looks like Maggie and Terry won’t take long now!

[jerseygirl]

Hello Maggie !
Lovely Bianca She’s a lucky bun to have found a forever home with you, Andrew and Terry.

[Bianca]

I don’t own an Andrew – perhaps you are thinking of someone else there? But I do own a Terry, and thanks.

Tonight’s update before bed:
I haven’t separated them yet. Terry was very upset when I took Maggie out the room to comb her. As soon as I bought her back he rushed up and started grooming her. She still isn’t allowing him to mount her, but will tolerate bum sniffs. Then will turn around and ask for a head scratch/groom from him instead.

Funniest thing ever was watching Terry try to do a binky directly over her back, but trip. He knocked a leg on her and landed awkwardly next to her and sort of wandered off like nothing happened. Good job Terry.

Maggie seems to be settling in well. She is very curious, and is already more confident than Terry when it comes to exploring new things. It took him weeks to get on the old scratch post (to be fair, it would have smelled strongly of my cats) but she is already all over it and checking out the rest of the room. Hopefully she will inspire him to be more confident.

I feel like I should separate them for the night to be safe. But they haven’t had a single scuffle since that first one hours ago. And Terry seems very reluctant to have her leave him. And she seems fine with him provided he doesn’t try to mount her. So I’m undecided. But I feel like night one is too soon! But they have now spent 8 hours together without a single issue. Oh gosh, I don’t like this decision!

[jerseygirl]

My gosh, yes! I had thought it was your partners name but Im thinking of another member, GeorgietheBunn. Sorry!

I feel like I should separate them for the night to be safe. But they haven’t had a single scuffle since that first one hours ago. And Terry seems very reluctant to have her leave him. And she seems fine with him provided he doesn’t try to mount her. So I’m undecided. But I feel like night one is too soon! But they have now spent 8 hours together without a single issue. Oh gosh, I don’t like this decision!

How do you feel about bunking down on the floor with them tonight?

[Bianca]

Haha not enough room. But I’ve decided to leave them together but not shut them up in their section like I usually will. That way they have a bit more space. The study is next to the bedroom and sound travels annoyingly well so we will still hear anything. I just fed them and they ate really happily together – I have a photo I’ll share tomorrow of them having a lady and the tramp moment but with kale instead of spaghetti. Then they had another cuddle and grooming session. Then ate some more food together. They share a love of banana.

I’ll be listening out for any noises during the night and will probably be up to check on them occasionally. So far so good though.

Seriously how am I so lucky to have bonding happening this quickly and easily twice? Maybe it’s Terry?

I’ll share some cute photos I have of them in the morning, along with updates.

[jerseygirl]

I think it’s Terry. : )

If you have any sheets of cardboard around, lay them on the floor as it’s easy to hear if there is a scuffle when on that. The downside is if they decide it’s fun to tear up strips of cardboard all night and you have to listen to that.

Good luck with their 1st night!

[Azerane]

Oh goodness me, how cute! She is so lucky to have you and I think it’s just gorgeous that they’ve bonded so quickly (with thanks to Terry), he was just trying to tell you that he just wanted to be with her, not fight her

Am interested to hear how the night goes.

[Bianca]

Night went well. For them. Can’t say the same for me.

I said sound goes through that wall well. I mean it. They discovered a few places to be really loud. I woke up at 2am and checked to find that Maggie had jumped up on Terry’s drawers next to him so he had hopped into the desk next to it and looked super offended that she was on them. But those drawers make a super loud noise when a rabbit jumps on it. So after that for the next hour I heard them jumping on and off it. It also sounded like they were attempting to get to the skateboard, which my husband confiscated just after we went to be because they started crashing it into the wall!

I just checked them after typing that paragraph. Found them napping together on the rug on the window sill. (The rug is there because Ogg wasn’t big enough to jump up onto the desk and get up there. She liked chewing the rug.) I have a photo. I’ll put lots of photos up when I’m on my laptop.

[Bianca]

  

I think these guys need an Instagram account. And to be shut in their area of the study overnight in the future now that they are bonded. No more night time crashes thank you trouble makers! 

[LittlePuffyTail]

Awwww…..they look just too adorable together!

[Q8bunny]

Rascals.

[Bianca]

Thanks guys!

They have spent most of the day so far napping on that rug on the window sill. Tired from causing trouble all night!

That rug isn’t meant to live up there though, but a friend just suggest one of those cat window beds that attach with suction cups. So guess what I’m buying off ebay!

…not that I spoil rabbits or anything.

[jerseygirl]

Ohmygoodness! Wonder Woman gatecrashes their wild party and ends up passing out in the food?!! Wild times.
Glad to hear they are still doing so well togther. Terry has turned her into a rebel. Or maybe she was one all along?
The pics made me smile big time.

[Bianca]

Posted By jerseygirl on 6/27/2017 11:52 PM

Ohmygoodness! Wonder Woman gatecrashes their wild party and ends up passing out in the food?!! Wild times.
Glad to hear they are still doing so well togther. Terry has turned her into a rebel. Or maybe she was one all along?
The pics made me smile big time.

I know right? I dread the trouble they will get into when they get confident around the house! 

I also dread the mischief they will start if I am able to bond Cherub with them as a trio when she is ready to come home! From what I am told she already likes to rearrange and destroy her tiny cage (due to being under vet care) at the RSPCA every time they clean it. 

[Rolton]

What a cute, fluffy bun!

[Azerane]

Posted By jerseygirl on 6/27/2017 11:52 PM

Ohmygoodness! Wonder Woman gatecrashes their wild party and ends up passing out in the food?!! Wild times.

Lol 

[LittlePuffyTail]

Lol, Jersey…….I was sort of wondering about Wonder Woman. Thanks for explaining.

[Author]

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