Here is Meemop, our new Smallest Smallholding resident. We homed her a couple of weeks ago because we felt very strongly that Snoopy, being only a couple of years old, needed another bun to live with. Rabbits are exceedingly social creatures that thrive when they’re able to interact with other bunbuns. Meemop (originally named Whispa) is a naughty, scatty, rascal but very loveable at the same time.
It took just a couple of days of slow introduction for them to get well acquainted; after a little dominance mounting, smelling and following about, they’re both in love now.
Rabbits are one of the most abused animals in the UK - often left hutchbound without room for exercise or enough shelter from extreme temperature changes. Sometimes the only interaction they get is when their foodbowl is plonked in the cage infront of them. It’s a miserable life. I wish I knew how to change attitudes to keeping rabbits. It’s far too easy for people to buy them and then after a while, neglect them.
At the moment, whilst Meemop isn’t vaccinated against Mixy and VHD, or spayed (she’s 3 months, a dwarf rabbit, and still needs to put on weight, and don’t fret! Snoopy is neuteured!) she’s not going outside for long periods of time. In the summer they stay outside in the day and can come in the evening. But at the moment on good weather days they can go outside (hutch and run, or if we’re there, free range), but otherwise have the run of the entire downstairs, and their indoor cage, which is always open. We bring in fresh grass for them everyday, as well as provide a tray with earth in for digging. Rabbits have a strong digging instinct, and this is one way for them to channel it when they’re not outside. They also have some applewood logs to chew on, a tunnel (and all the furniture) to rush in and out of, as well as pine cones to nibble and push around. Rabbits are busy animals and need lots of stimulation to avoid aggression and boredom. They love investigating new things.
Most problems with rabbits also occur due to an inappropriate diet. There are a few rubbish rabbit pellets on the market - but rabbits have an extraordinarily complicated and delicate gut, and can suffer from GI stasis and its fatal complications within hours. They need *lots* of hay - we feed ours the special Excel Timothy hay - as well as lots of grass, a few greens and the occasional treat such as some carrot or apple. We try and bring in any dandelion leaves we find outside, although at this time of year they’re few and far between. They also have access to clean, fresh water every day as well as some Excel pellets (approved by vets and stocked by our vets).
Bunbun has fitted in very well with Snoopy. We hope it’s a long and beautiful relationship!
December 12th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Meemop is so cute! and a very lucky bunny!
Celia
x
December 13th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Meemop is very cute. And it sounds like you have very pampered buns! Lucky them!
December 13th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Hi! I’ve been reading your blog for a while now, and love your style of writing and journey into self-reliance
I was wondering if the rabbits have a “creative” place in your smallholding (I’m fairly sure you won’t be eating them!) or whether they are more for companionship and love?
I like rabbits, but know that I couldn’t eat one that’d I’d loved and kept, so have held off keeping them as I can’t really afford a negative input into our finances at the moment. If, however, there was a way to justify a bunbun or two for us? Hmmm…
December 13th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Aw she is a gorgeous lil Lionhead (or Lionhead cross?) and im sure she will be very very happy in her new knowledgeable home. Lovely to ‘meet’ someone else who knows a thing or two about these lovely misunderstood animals. Good luck with her Lucy x
December 13th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Thank you all for your comments!
Annie: I’m a vegetarian and Rich is VERY selective about the meat he buys (it has to be as ethical as possible), so no, bunnies are not for eating! We originally rehomed two of them from a friend, and when Smudge died we felt Snoopy needed a companion. They do cost, BUT they are little compost machines - bedding, poo, etc. and help us keep on top of weeds like dandelions…
Karen: Thanks! It’s been a learning curve keeping them, despite growing up with rabbits as a kid. Meemop is a dwarf lionhead, I don’t think she’ll get much bigger but she’ll put on weight and grow a mane eventually. We think…!
December 15th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Hello Lucy,
This may seem strange but did you ever have the email address
(xxxx_xxxx@hotmail.com) edited
if not, ignore me and i will go away, though i love your site and hope you will check out mine.
it’s dedicated to a game based on looking after rabbits
http://www.runningrabbits.net
December 15th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Hi Dean
yes that is an old email address I have…so I guess somehow you knew me in the past?!
December 15th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Yeah i did!!
i knew you back in 2000, i just sent you an email there so you can see who i am if you check it, i was checking over my old mails and i saw one from you and i thought “ohhh i wonder if she still exists”
and lo and behold you do
This has made my day, you were 15 or 16 when i met you, then you moved house and lost the internet for a while….or didn’t want to talk to me lol
December 15th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Did you have a nickname or something back then? My brain is a bit fuzzy…I did move for a while but that was when I was 18!