A pet of my own.

I feel so much better on my new food regime so I've been thinking of going outside for a look around. Just thinking about it mind you. I'm not sure what I used to do out here last year. There was my herb garden and lots of chairs to sit under but I can't see them there now. Nope, I've forgotten. It all looks too big so I won't bother. Although I think that's my dandelion.I was a bit worried about the reduction in my bought, pellet food. I only have 12 grams a day now. All the vitamins and minerals I need are there and I have a huge pile of greens to start the day to get my digestive system going in the right direction. Then it's hay, a few herbs mixed in with fresh grass for tea and finally my evening carrot with a taste of apple or pear. Not a bad day's supply all in all and I have put on a couple of grams in weight too. Just in case they forget the pellets I always give a few good tugs at M's trousers while he is having his breakfast until he gets the message. He's quite bright really. In fact they both understand my contact language pretty well -for people.
It didn't take nearly as long to train my dog, Willow when I lived with Joanne. A couple of bites on her nose did the trick and my control was in the bag. You can see her ear is raised so she doesn't miss a word I say. Good dog! My rabbit friends who live with Twigs have their own tortoise. A tortoise can be very useful for finding dandelions then all you have to do is grab the flower out of its mouth. It's quite easy because tortoises eat slowly. I might ask for a tortoise for my birthday in July.

Sad Goodbyes.

From Teasal for Twigs and Steve.

"And when I fall before his reaping
And when my stuttering speech is dumb
Think not my love is dead or sleeping
But that it waits for you to come."
Eugene Field

From Twigs in memory of Teasal

"Teasal was the most stunningly intelligent, gentle, handsome and mischievous house rabbit - my own favourite, who lived with us for over eight years after coming from Wood Green Animal Sanctuary. He had three girlfriends, Florence, Sage and Robinia each of whom fell in love with him at first sight. He is survived by Robinia."

We are devastated.

From Harvey

I know you will worry about your family Teasal. They will find it hard to manage without you.

Inwardly digest.

I'm going to have to change my eating habits. I had a long chat wiuth my vet about my sticky caecotroph problem. When we bunnies get older our gut can have difficulties dealing with bought pellets and that is what is happening to me now I am almost 8 years old. When I came to live with the older members of my family we reduced my pellet food very slowly from 45g to 22g but now it's time to go a bit further.

I love my pellet breakfast and get so excited and sing and dash about when I hear them getting my dish ready so I am a bit doubtful about the idea. I'm to have my vegetables first instead of later in the day and every day I will be given a gram less of pellets until things are just right. My dried grass and hay and my teatime will stay the same so that is something. I will also have some pro-biotics added to my drinking water and will need to be weighed regularly.

I've only been doing it for three days but so far so good. My family keep saying things like "Oh, joy!" and "It seems to be working." My vet says there is far too much promotion of artificial food for animals. All to do with making money I suppose and humans are so easily persuaded to spend. They think they are pleasing us but most of the time they are just pleasing themselves.

I feel so much more comfortable now I am a sweet smelling house bun. I wonder if this is one of the reasons why a lot of rabbits are just left in hutches, because humans don't bother to identify our problems. We are very complicated, special creatures.

The downside for me is having to be weighed every few days in this microwave tub! Do I look too silly?

Geriatric? Moi?

Just got back from the vet's. Quite a pleasant ride and plenty to watch in the waiting room. Weigh in, one and a half kilos, tummy squidge, toenail trim, bottom shave and then the dreaded tooth check. To add insult to injury, my vet, who has always been my hero until now said, "Very good for a geriatric rabbit. You will miss him when he has gone."

Gone? Where am I going? I'm not going anywhere. Huh, doctors. It's bad enough living with a pedantic, people doctor but I didn't expect any comments like this from a real one. Oh well, time for TV.

Just look at this. I had a bottle like that when I was a kitten but I've had my own bowl for years now. Don't human males ever grow up? Must check with George.

EASTER

Square eggs?

Well, I think I've heard everything now! There I was keeping a close watch on my space to make sure everything was put back in exactly the right spot on my mat as I do every morning while my second in command was doing a bit of a clean up when he suddenly said Why can't this rabbit make square droppings so they wouldn't roll around all over the place.
Well, to start with, the droppings as he calls them are not done on purpose. They seem to spill a bit when I jump out of my litter tray that's all and secondly this rabbit has a name! Anyway, I make them this way because it is more comfortable for me. Does he ask hens to lay square eggs?Of course he doesn't. How would he get his egg spoon into the corners if eggs were square?
In my opinion it's time my base station was put back in the utility room so I won't get so many complaints. This means the kitchen door would need to be left open for my freedom during the night and it's still a bit chilly in the back porch which they like to shut off in cold weather.
If I complain too much they might decide to get a sleeping cage for me and I wouldn't like that so it's best to suffer all the slings and arrows and pretend I don't understand what they say. I love sleeping under my kitchen table anyway. It's my eventing arena as well as my safe place.

This is my safety zone where I sleep, perfect my jumping skills and keep watch over everything in the kitchen. I'm ashamed of the dust on my table and chair legs but I can't reach very high.

A hutch is not enough.

I've been thinking a lot about other rabbits this winter while I snooze beside the fire. I wish they could all live like me or have comfortable garden homes like my friend Viola Rose. This is Viola Rose. She lives with her large family and every summer their lovely garden is open to raise money for less happy buns.

They each have a luxury pad and their own bonded partner for company as well as the garden to play in. This is how we bunnies should live. We need to be able to hop and run and binkie whenever we feel like it. We need company and someone to cuddle up to. We need everything other companion animals have. We need a life with someone to love us and care for us just like everyone else.The bedroom in this picture is for two Netherland dwarf buns. The bigger members of the family have bigger master bedroom suites but they all have their very own playground just like this one.
Parsley is another member of Viola Rose's family. He is a house rabbit and sits on a chair beside Twigs while she writes her books. When the garden is open he and his partner have a play pen so they can share in the fun.

If you read this page in my diary please tell as many people as you can that a hutch is not enough and please, please ask people to buy their human children a chocolate bunny this Easter instead of a real one. Unless you are sure they can live a life like Viola Rose.

Keep an eye on Dr. Twigs Way's website for open days if you would like to meet Viola Rose and her family. You can sit in their lovely garden and smell the roses. http://www.twigsway.com/