That ONE Moment…

[jackikal]

Hey there,

I was remembering back to when I first got my rabbit Evelyn, brought her home, and showed her the new cage. It was all great, but during that time you’re more worried about the bunny’s well being than you are excited. Only when you know he/she is comfortable and has his/her own routine can you really relax and take a look at your accomplishment in bringing up a happy bunny. I think there is definitively one, crystallizing moment that you see your bunny hop across the room or jump up on your bed and it hits you (metaphorically, of course ). Anyone care to share their moment?

I remember mine. I had just come home to Evelyn and let her our of her cage to run around. She did exactly what I expected her to do. She ran under the desk and sat for a minute. Then she ran over by my shelf (another usual spot) and sat for another minute. Then she jumped up onto my bed and demanded to be pet. In that moment, while I was petting her, I felt a huge smile come across my face and I had to lean down and give her a kiss on the head. Then it was treat time!

I’ll be looking forward to your stories!

[lwayne]

We brought Arduina home as a baby.  As soon as we opened up the carrier she was in, she came out and started running the perimeter of the room to see what exactly was “her’s”.  On day 3, she jumped her pen (I didn’t know baby bunnies could jump that high!) and in the process knocked the heating vent cover off and squirmed down into the ducts in our house.  I broke down crying and we could hear her running through the ducts on the ceiling of our basement (it was summer so the furnace was off).  S.O. had to pry back the metal plating on one and she poked her head over and he snatched her up.  She was covered in dust.  We screwed the vent cover securely and I put her back in the pen.  She then tried to jump out and do it all over again!  (That’s when I knew she was happy and I could relax). I guess she was born for adventures..

Leo came from the shelter.  When we first brought him home his fur was really oily, greasy, and course like a dogs’ fur.  But once he came home and realized he had to impress the lady bun (Arduina) he started grooming constantly.  Within a month, his fur was almost as soft as Arduina’s rex fur!!   That’s when I knew he was happy.  It was a few more weeks before the two were completely bonded though.  And then a few more weeks for me to know they were set as a pair.  

[Silly Sungura]

lwayne, my goodness, Arduina was a little handful right out of the carrier! Cute story, though… in retrospect, at least. I would’ve cried, too! I’m glad she was okay.

 

Hodari was a baby when we got her, too, but she was more circumspect. She’d let me pet her and kiss her as much as I liked, but it took about a month before she seemed really to love the attention and to feel at home. I don’t remember which was first, her starting to kiss me, or deciding to lie down next to me without me having to reach out for her. I was ecstatic over both!  When she practically pinned me down so she could lick my face, I cried because it was so sweet and I knew that she considered me her friend.

 

I like to share pics of her  – (proud mama ) – so here are a couple of her when she had just started relaxing around me enough to lay beside me and stretch out. She was around four months old.

 

 

 

[lwayne]

Silly Sungura, Hodari is beautiful!! So precious. I wish I could let my two up on the bed, but they love to dig in the blankets and nip holes in them. Also our bed is made of wood, so I can’t even let them in the bedroom..

[Stickerbunny]

Powder came to us at about four years old, a year of it spent in a tiny little cage at the shelter with little interaction (they even admitted they had no time for him due to his red eyes making him a low adoption chance, so they asked if we were sure we wanted him). We brought him home and I had made this nice LARGE x-pen type cage for him and he freaked out about being in it, escaped multiple times, we put a roof on it and he nearly hurt himself jumping into the roof. So we decided to just let him be free roam. As soon as we let him stay out the first night, 3 days after we got him home, he flopped out on the A/C vent in a full on dead bunny flop and from that moment on was just the happiest, most well behaved little bun you could ask for. <3 He still prefers to just loaf than get into mischief and he's content to just flop out on your feet so you can pet him.

Stickers we got at four months and it took a LONG time for her to give us any happy bunny signs. She spent her first nearly a year with us running from us every time we got in her hearing/sight range (rescue from a bad home). *sigh* But a few months ago she broke up with Powder for a little bit and she was used to him grooming her every night before bed, without fail. One night after a few weeks living alone she came over to me while I was setting her up for bed (changing litter boxes etc) and she sank down and asked me for grooming. From that night on, she let me take over the nightly grooming. Now she’s not as skittish and is a lot more relaxed, though Powder has taken back his grooming duties, she will let me pet her finally.

[Silly Sungura]

Thank you, lwayne. I used to put her up on the bed a lot when she was little; it was a good way of bonding with her, I think, and of keeping an eye on her. I would just spread out a bunch of towels for her up there so she wouldn’t mess up my bed clothes. She liked to do zoomies all around me; I was just a big piece of playground equipment to her. Lol.

 

Stickerbunny, I hadn’t realized you got Stickers when she was still a baby. I’m sorry it took her so long to show signs of real happiness. Her early life must’ve been really scary for her. I’m glad you have her now and that she is finally enjoying attention from her humans. Powder sounds like a sweetheart and a perfect friend for her, despite their disagreements. 

[CinnabunMom]

I’d say it was the first time I got a bunny kiss. Cinnabun and I had been together about 2 weeks, so she was now about 10 weeks old. We were on the couch watching a movie, and as a young bun is wont to do, she was trying to climb on everything…including me. She eventually made her way up to my shoulder where she perched herself. I reached up and pat her head a few times, and she started making the happy bunny grinding teeth sounds and then put her nose up to my cheek and gave me a few little licks before bounding off to the other side of the couch. I was stunned at first and then started giggling and realized that my tiny bunny and I were bonded. 

Here we are a short time later, engaging in our favorite activity: couch sitting. 

[jackikal]

Such good stories! I’ve read them all a few times over. And what great pictures. I just started my account on this site a few days ago, but I’ve been on every day to give and receive advice. I’m so glad I found it.

Thanks for sharing everyone!!!

[LittlePuffyTail]

Awww….those are some feel-good stories.

[Stickerbunny]

Sungura – Stickers was a pet store purchase by a family for their child, who had I believe it was autism. The child was left to care for her. So I would imagine that was pretty scary, kids of any type are pretty scary for bunnies. I got her after the volunteer who helped with the child’s behavioral concerns convinced them to let her rehome the little bun. She’s now fully capable of bossing her slave around. haha

[jackikal]

@Stickerbunny 

I’m so glad you were able to adopt her! Children should not have bunnies unless they are responsible enough to care for one, which is rare to find. Adding in the possibility of a behavioral disorder makes it much worse. It makes me so happy to hear that she’s finally learning how to be a bunny. Keep up the good work! 

[Silly Sungura]

Posted By Stickerbunny on 06/10/2012 07:36 AM

Sungura – Stickers was a pet store purchase by a family for their child, who had I believe it was autism. The child was left to care for her. So I would imagine that was pretty scary, kids of any type are pretty scary for bunnies. I got her after the volunteer who helped with the child’s behavioral concerns convinced them to let her rehome the little bun. She’s now fully capable of bossing her slave around. haha

 

Ditto Jackikal. We all know rabbits often aren’t suitable for kids, and one with a developmental disorder can just make things worse. I knew Stickers had been a child’s pet before you got her, and that she’d been mistreated to some degree, but I hadn’t realized she was still just a baby. Kudos to that volunteer for finding a great home for her! And I’m glad Power is finally out of that darned shelter and being properly loved. Red eyes are pretty, imo.

 

Jackikal, your siggy is great. Evelyn looks so satisfied and cute!

[Furface]

Well, Bugsy picked me up in a pet store. She had me at the first chin marking & I’m sure she was happy right from that moment. It took her a few weeks to get kissy with me & she stayed a kissy bun right up to the end. She also slept with me for the past 2 years. I miss her a lot.

This new adoptee came here last Sat & Sun she binkied over my 55 pound dog. I knew right then that she was happy here.

[alexa]

Spooky and I met in a pet store as well. He was about to be bought by a family of 3 very small children who were already yanking him around. My boyfriend and I saw it and when they walked away to do something, we snatched him and bought him very quickly. We had no idea what we were doing, ha ha. We went to another pet store to buy supplies and then we took him to my dorm. He had to be hidden with me in my room because I was not allowed to have animals. After about 2 weeks of that, he moved into my boyfriends house and the first thing he did was flop out on the bed with me. I took a photo. 

He started to become so attached to me and my boyfriend. We would spend so much time with him. We would like to make dinner, and then make a salad for Spooky and eat on the floor with him. It was like a little family dinner time. 

But after a while, my boyfriend had to go on a really long tour because he is a musician, so I moved home with Spooky back to my parents house. It was kind of a emotional time. I didn’t want to move home, but I know it was best for Spooky. He would get to be in a air conditioned room, and it would be quiet. This one time, I was laying in my room there on a little pallet that I had been sleeping on, and Spooky came up to my and snuggled up against my leg. 

Thats when I knew, even though I already knew he was happy, but that was when I knew that it was me and him forever. We had bonded completely and we are going to be together forever. He is my best friend, and my number one man. He only lets me hold him, only lets me clip his nails, only lets me wipe his eye boogers. He has so much character and I am so glad I rescued him that day. Even though he was a pet store rabbit, I still consider it being rescued. 

Spooky does a lot of things with me. He likes to go to school with me too. All the staff at my college love having him around and let him run around the classroom during class. I have opened the eyes of so many people about rabbits, and even a few of my friends have rescued some of those “easter” rabbits that get dumped. Spooky changed my life, and the lives of so many other people. 

We recently adopted another rabbit, since I live in an apartment and have two bedrooms. I am trying to bond him with Scully. I can’t wait until they are bonded and I can share the love with both of them. 

[alexa]

Writing that made me tear up…. haha.

[jackikal]

@Silly Sungura

Thanks! She’s obviously not camera shy! Lol.

[jackikal]

@alexa

That’s such a great story, and wonderful pictures. I’m happy to hear that you are showing people the true side of rabbits. He looks very happy to be with you.

Good luck bonding him with Scully (great name, btw). Nothing bonds rabbits faster than treats!

[Cupcakesmom]

Dizzie came to us from a local rabbit rescue. She had been left on the rescue’s doorstep in a cardboard box. (the nerve!!!) So they took her in, fed her and made her “at home” until she could get spayed. They named her Dizzie because she likes to run circles around her “mommy’s” feet and watching her makes you dizzy!! I saw her online while trying to find a friend for my first bunny. The two met and became fast friends, but we didnt bring Dizzie home until after her spay. During her spay, she stopped breathing and almost died. The vet and techs had to recessutate her. They said she just didnt want to live anymore…but little did she know, there was a loving family, waiting with open arms to welcome her into their home. Needless to say, she stayed at the rescue until she was feeling better. In a few days, she came home with us and it has been wonderful. She did however, stop using her litterbox for awhile, but we have that under control now. I think the original people gave her up because of her stomach issues. (everything BUT hay gives her mud butt!!) We are working on it and she is doing really well. She is the cutest little thing (as well as my other bunny, Cupcake) and she is an absolute joy to me and my husband. I love my two bunnies and I would do anything for them. Cupcake came to us after my mom found her in a pet store. She was “on display” there from the loca; animal shelter, who didnt have the resources for a bunny. I took her home as soon as I heard about her and we have been quite the pair ever since! Cupcake is since become my husband’s shadow and absolutely adores him. (even thought i am the one that feeds her!!! what gives!?!?!) But I know that she loves me. I know they both do…and I tell them I love them both too, everyday.

[Elrohwen]

I think with Otto it must’ve been when he flopped out in the living room for the first time. He’s not a touchy bunny, but just knowing he was comfortable in our house was a good sign. It happened quickly, as he’s super adaptable and can get comfortable anywhere. It was also a big moment for him when he first let us kiss and pet him and he actually enjoyed it – we had him for 8 months at that point. He’s back to “no touchy” but it was nice while it lasted.

I can’t remember a moment with Hannah. At first I was so afraid I made the wrong decision in bringing her home (we had a short time to meet her, and had to decide right then if we were taking her). Once we decided to keep her and I stopped freaking out so much, I still didn’t like her very much – she was crazy and I was stressed from bonding them. I think she and I really started to bond once she was bonded with Otto. She’s really very sweet and very in tune with people and once I saw that side of her I was in love. She’s still crazy though! Haha

[alexa]

I feel that way about Scully too! I love her but its still very stressful. I still think if I made a wrong decision by bring her home. I also just love Spooky so much that it is hard to share the love. I think I will feel like you did when I get them bonded and love her more. Its just hard now because all I see is a cute little bunny that is crazy and spunky, but also beats up my boy. 

[Madrhy]

Beefa had been here a few days when he discovered he could jump up on the couch and he was so pleased with himself he started to binky and zoom about, right off the end of the couch lol but he wasn’t hurt and hopped straight back up and flopped down flat on his tummy. It was nice to know he was settling in and just over the last week or so (we’ve had him about a month) he has started giving us kisses and climbing all over us so I guess it loves us and has decided he likes the place

[Elrohwen]

Alexa, she does sound very much like Hannah! Now that the stress is long passed, I do love her so much. She’s such a contrast to Otto and I love having both personalities. Otto is laid back, which is easy, but Hannah is active and is always up to something new (jumping on furniture, trying to sneak up the stairs) and it can be frustrating, but it’s usually just hilarious. She keeps me on my toes! Otto is also a no-touchy bunny, but Hannah loves nothing more than attention from her people and will snuggle forever. At first she was nervous around us and I didn’t see that side of her, but now she’s extremely affectionate and endearing. I’m very glad we kept her! I’ve never been in the position of having one pet and getting another (even as a kid we had two dogs, but always got them at the same time), but I’m learning that it’s normal to go through an adjustment and a “what the heck did I just do?!” period.

Hannah also beat up on Otto which was hard, because he was my baby. She actually liked him and wasn’t aggressive, but she was just too excited around him trying to hump and nip him and be near him all the time. He just wasn’t interested in her and she was so into him that she came off too strong I think. Even now she nips him in the bum and chases him, and I feel bad for him sometimes, but then they’ll turn right back around and snuggle and I know I made the right decision. It’s so cute to see how much they love each other even when she drives him crazy.

[jackikal]

Evelyn does that to my sister’s rabbit Ody. She gets so excited and he just want to relax, lol.

I’m hoping she’ll calm down when she’s spayed.

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