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Self-indulgent pet thread

existentialist said:
Rabbits successfully rebonded for 24 hours now, and no flying fur. This is a huge relief, as I don't have to hurdle the baby gate to move around the flat, and it is lovely to see them back interacting so happily again.

But that's the practical aspect. Having a flat that doesn't have a DMZ in the middle of it, even after this short time, and where, when I go to do something, I am followed by two eager bunnies on the constant ear'ole, is proving a constant delight.

Not quite so delightful is their 2am foraging amongst the quantities of unsorted stuff in my bedroom to find ways into the dark corners they like to lurk in: I got up in the small hours to turf them out and I shut the bedroom door, just so as I could actually GET SOME BLOODY SLEEP :D. But it's worth it when I get up to two rabbits doing cartwheels and top hat'n'cane routines to persuade me to feed them. Priceless :)
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I just want to give you a virtual high five or a fist bump or whatever it is the younguns do these days (glaring at each other over the top of their mobile phones while keeping a 2m distance most likely) - you had those rabbits for what seemed like 2 minutes before hitting a hiccup in the relationship they had and you persisted and persisted and if you are getting back to them being bonded friends then that is absolutely fantastic. It strikes me that a lot of folks might have just given up and rehomed one of them, or both of them - you are doing a fine job by both bunnies and I have utmost respect to you for that.
 
Epona said:
I just want to give you a virtual high five or a fist bump or whatever it is the younguns do these days (glaring at each other over the top of their mobile phones while keeping a 2m distance most likely) - you had those rabbits for what seemed like 2 minutes before hitting a hiccup in the relationship they had and you persisted and persisted and if you are getting back to them being bonded friends then that is absolutely fantastic. It strikes me that a lot of folks might have just given up and rehomed one of them, or both of them - you are doing a fine job by both bunnies and I have utmost respect to you for that.
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TBF, they were such a lovely little unit when they arrived, it would have broken my heart - and felt like a real failure - if I'd had to split them up. It was about striking a balance between the risk of them beating each other up (expensively), and the need to get them together again. I'm quite pleased that I seem to have come up with an approach that worked - separate them, but allow them to see/sniff each other, then allow them to meet up, break up the inevitable scuffle, rinse and repeat.

I guess the trickiest judgement call was making that decision just to let them get on with it, without hovering around like the stereotypical helicopter parent :D

But thank you: I really appreciate your recognition of the challenges this little episode has brought!
 
One of the farms I volunteer at just got two kunekune piglets (they are basically pets rather than livestock so this seemed like the best thread for them). They're really friendly, if you're anywhere near their enclosure they'll follow you around like puppies. The pink one's called Snowdrop and the orange one is Pumpkin.

IMG-20210421-111637.jpg
 
I've come into the living room on a few occasions to find the "spare glasses" cupboard open, and some of the boxes inside chomped by rabbits. I solved the problem by sticking a bit of insulating tape across the doors - they're the sort that you push in, then they pop open on the spring in the latch.

Sitting here this morning, I've just been watching Trwffl repeatedly standing up and pushing the door with her front paws, then being quite confused by its failure to open. I might have said "clever girl!" as if she was a velociraptor who'd figured out hunting people... :D

She is definitely the "brains" (I use that word advisedly) of the partnership: chonky Pwdin tends to explore his environment by biting it, trying to dig holes in it, or picking it up in his teeth and flinging it noisily around. Or, where Trwffl is part of the environment, trying to shag it. She's very patient, and just ambles off when he starts.

Who'd have thought I'd end up getting up at 6am most mornings to watch a pair of bunnies cavorting around the living room?
 
Here's Styx the polecat. I caught him a few years ago when he was trying to break into someone's guinea pigs cage. He was only a few months old at the time. With his narrow face he's probably a ferret-polecat hybrid which is why he hasn't been released back into the wild. Polecats being the wild cousins to the domesticated ferret. Behaviour wise he's very much a polecat. Skittish, afraid of humans and will bite hard if you scare him, but very good natured and devoid of ferrety politics, absolutely fine with the rest of the gang.

A couple of months ago he managed to climb up the curtains and jump out of high window. He was out and about for over six weeks but someone a few roads away who feeds hedgehogs managed to catch him and return him. Hats off to them for managing to catch him with their (gloved) hands! He was in good condition if slightly underweight so he'd been doing alright. Here he is with me fattened up again and looking relaxed (though honestly, there was still tension in those muscles). So glad to have him back.

WIN_20210828_16_11_00_Pro.jpg
 
This is Pewter when he was a young thing about six years ago. Had him put to sleep yesterday as his lymphoma had spread to his stomach and had wiped him out. Very sad but he was happy until the end.

Forgotten how stunning he looked back then.

Got found walking down the street by someone who took him back and their husky took him on as a small, smelly puppy. Got bought from a pet shop one day and then dumped/escaped the next. Ended up with us.

Pewter1.jpg
 
Knotted said:
This is Pewter when he was a young thing about six years ago. Had him put to sleep yesterday as his lymphoma had spread to his stomach and had wiped him out. Very sad but he was happy until the end.

Forgotten how stunning he looked back then.

Got found walking down the street by someone who took him back and their husky took him on as a small, smelly puppy. Got bought from a pet shop one day and then dumped/escaped the next. Ended up with us.

View attachment 289561
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Very sorry for your loss. :( What a beautiful creature!
 
not exactly pets, but not sure there's demand for a fox thread.

i have been at mum-tat's house (a couple of streets outside the south circular road in SE London) most of the last week. i knew she had foxes in the garden. one of them likes the step outside her back room windows for a nap, especially when it's been warmed by the sun

fox.jpg

thought i'd try taking a photo out the upstairs window, to avoid reflections

foxes-nap.jpg

(not sure if this is mr and mrs fox, or one parent and young fox - there was a cub in spring this year)


🦊 🦊 :)
 
4 foxes on the street near mum-tat's at 7pm this evening.

🦊 🦊 🦊 🦊

unfortunately too dark for photographing.

what with the foxes, and the parakeets, i feel closer to wildlife in what's nominally inner london than i do in what's theoretically a rural bit of berkshire...
 
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