Here is Driftwood, with Daisy and Sugar in the edge of the photo. They have to be confined to the shed sometimes because Driftwood will attack the other bunnies (Louie and Lily) if he gets a chance. Driftwood is the cutest bunny to look at, beautifully patterned and often running about, lop ears flopping. He rarely stays still and is very difficult to photograph. Driftwood was found abandoned on a beach a couple of years ago and then when he's settled down with a pretty little bunny wife, she had baby bunnies, only to eat them in front of him.
So Driftwood has had a traumatic life and its not surprising that he has a few personality problems. Luckily he loves Sugar and Daisy and they are all happy in each others' company and Gorgie City Farm is a lovely place to be a rabbit.
The SSPCA Animal Rescue Centre is currently overflowing with rabbits and we're seriously starting to think about getting another bunny (or two!). But we have a problem, there are mice in our building (quite normal in an old Edinburgh tenement!) and in the last year of Anya's life they cottoned on to the free food supply in her cage and became real pests - any advice on how to mouse proof a bunny cage?
11 comments:
looks so cute. :O with those floppy ears, and those sad eyes. :O
great name too.
i can't think of anything to advise though. :(
Is there such a thing as a cat that doesn't want to eat bunnies? You characterisation of Driftwood was just wonderfully written, irresistable.
Poor guy, he really has had it rough.
All my mouse-proofing techniques involve Rodent Death, not sure if you're interested in that — putting castor beans where the mice can get them but the rabbits can't would do the trick, for example, and is at least natural.
Gingatao, a cat that's grown up with rabbits in the house usually won't see the rabbits as food.
Maybe Driftwood would attack mice...but seriously we have a problem with mice and rats, too, though not in bunny zone. Boyfriend has trapped a few (they were frighteningly huge, but had a quick death). Finding out where they come in is part of the trick and there are herbal rodent deterents. Ingredients seem to be strong mints and the like. Though I'm not sure how well these are working. How exciting you are thinking about getting a rabbit or two!!!!!
driftwood looks really cute and deserves a better life after all he'sbeen through.
no advice about the rodents, though
It's interesting how parallels in an animal's life can be drawn to a human's. Driftwood is a sweet looking bunny.
It's sad to think of a rabbit being abandoned. I will never understand indifference like that. Sometimes I wish I had an enormous garden or farm where I could bring as many abandoned animals as possible and just let them live out their lives in peace.
I'm not sure what to do about the mice although I wonder if there is a herb or plant they don't like that wouldn't be harmful to your bunny that you could plant near the cage. Just a thought!
Driftwood is a beautiful bunny, I love his markings! He sounds a little like Buttons, the part where he attacks other bunnies, LOL! Buttons is still not happy with Hans' presence and she will definitely attack him if given a chance.
How exciting that you're thinking of rescuing a bunny or two! I hope the mice won't keep you from getting the bunnies.. would it be possible to locate and block all openings which allow the mice entrance into your home? Or perhaps you could attach wire mesh/chicken wire to the bunny cages so that the mice can't squeeze through the cage bars?
Were the mice really a nuisance around Anya, or just an irritation? We generally have mice, too – they seem to be included free of charge with every tenement flat – and apart from cleaning meticulously and keeping our various vegan foodstuffs well concealed, as well as our store of hay and straw and buny pellets, we came to accept that we just have to live with them. Our bunny is free range, so her cage is open all the time, and the mice don’t seem to bother her; in fact she doesn’t even appear to notice them! Mouse droppings in a rabbit cage should be harmless enough, and will tend to get scooped up along with the bunny poo each day. So my advice would just be to live with the mice. Besides, I don’t think it would be possible to mouse-proof a cage, as a lot of tenement mice are so tiny that they can fit through most gaps.
As to adopting another bunny – we adopted ours nearly three years ago now – I’m sure you need no reminding that having a rabbit can be a huge pain when you need to go away. You may know someone reliable and local who can bun-sit for you, in which case you’re lucky!
If you do go ahead and adopt a bun, I shall look forward to seeing lots more bunny photos and news on your blog!
Poor Driftwood. He has issues. Like a lot of us.
Kouji - yes, sad eyes, but when he's dancing he looks happy...
gingatao - farfeetched is right, but otherwise it can be difficult...
farfetched - castor beans might be an idea, thanks...
d.moll - yes I'll look into finding herbal detterents, we know rthe main place where the mice come in but blocking it off might be a challenge and there are probably other places (see golebnik's comment!)
Polona - yes I think Driftwood was lucky to end up at Gorgie Farm with new friends
Selma - I think people think if they abandon a bunny it would just find a warren of wild rabbits to join, which isn't true at all of course...
janice/norma - yes just like people...
furrybutts - I think as Golebnik says, the tenement mice in Edinburgh are so small they'd crawl through chicken mesh, thanks for the idea though
Golebnik - I don't think Anya cared, but as she lived in our bedroom, we cared, the noise of mice in her cage was totally irritating. I know rabbits can be a pain when you go away, my partner's parents are happy to look after a bunny if we go away for a few days. Also bunnies can be boarded at Gorgie Farm, when the owners go on holiday...
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