The life stories of some very spoiled house rabbits
Grooming is very important – especially if you’re a bunny.
You need to groom all the way down your sides.
And don’t forget to groom the bottom of your feet!
Of course, after doing all that grooming it is perfectly acceptable to take a nap. Grooming is hard work, after all!
-Gus
Dad’s a big dope. He forgot to turn on the bunnycam today. Not that I would notice, since lately I’ve been spending my days out in our area, instead of in dad’s office (I need a break from Gus constantly trying to get me to groom him). But Gus told me about it. So, if you were looking forward to watching the bunnycam and watching Gus sleep all day long, blame dad. It’s all his fault.
Then, at the end of the day, he came out and cleaned my area – and I was not happy! I worked really hard to mess it up just the way I like it! How dare he clean it all up!
Just to show dad how mad I was, I didn’t even leave the area as he cleaned. I stayed there – even when he ran the loud vacuum cleaner. I think he knows I wasn’t happy, because he finished quickly and put out a big bowl of nice, fresh hay. (I waited until he wasn’t looking to come over and eat it, of course – can’t have him thinking that I appreciate what he did!)
Then dad came out and took some pictures – but he took them from the same spot he normally sits to give us treats. So, naturally, I came up for a look.
Do you have any treats, dad?
Please tell me you’ve got some treats there.
But dad tricked me. He had no treats – just his silly beeping camera.
I am not amused, dad.
I was not happy. Not happy at all.
Tricking me like that is not very nice.
How could you trick me like that?
I told dad I was not happy with him. Then I decided the best way to teach him a lesson was to ignore him.
Ignore him and spend some time grooming myself, of course.
But then dad fired that silly flash thing on his camera. I don’t appreciate the flash in my eyes, dad!!
Gus doesn’t like the flash either, dad. Why don’t you turn it off?
That’s better. Now stay there while I ignore you.
Then, to finish things off, I flopped down and gave him my most intense stare of disapproval.
He left just after that. I think he learned his lesson.
-Betsy
Mum and dad decided that since today was such a nice day, they’d dare to pick us up and take us outside and give us a brush-down. They even thought they’d be “nice” and take us out on the grass (in the shade, under a tree, right next to the house where it’s safe).
Gus went first, and like always he played the part of the “good bun.”
Ugh. Just look at him, acting like it’s not so bad. But I know better… I saw his legs shaking when he came back in. He tries to play it like he’s a rough, tough bunny that’s not scared of anything, but I know he was scared and didn’t like it either!
Next was my turn, and I didn’t want to go. I thumped and ran around when dad came to pick me up, but he and mom were playing together and managed to corner me quickly.
Then they took me outside, and not only did the brush me, but they trimmed my matted fur on my underside. How dare they! All around it was a horribly degrading experience.
But… I got the last laugh this time. In contrast to Gus playing the “good bun,” I always play the part of the “bad bun.” So, dad was trying to calm me down so he could keep brushing me, and I was sitting in his lap. I did not want to be out here anymore.
So I peed on him.
Dad quickly moved away from me and said (in a sort of surprised and confused voice) something about a warm feeling against his leg, and he very soon realized what I had done. I was then quickly brought back inside and left alone for the rest of the day. Mission accomplished.
Take that, dad!! That’ll teach you!!
-Betsy
Last weekend, dad took us to a “Bunny Spa Day” thing at a nearby pet store.
We got the full treatment – a “bunny massage,” fur brushing, nail clipping… the works.
Of course, it’s all fun and games until someone says “anal scent gland cleaning.” I’m just going to leave it at that.
Normally I don’t like people touching me for any reason (I make rare exceptions for when treats are being given out).
Dad will say he thinks I enjoyed it. But that is ALL LIES.
That is clearly concentrated disapproval.
Um, Betsy, you’re not helping. Don’t let them know you’re enjoying it!
Oh dear.
Well, don’t forget what else they’re going to do to you.
Yep, the dreaded toenail clipping. I warned you, Betsy!
And what’s up with the litterboxes at this place? Way too small if you ask me.
Betsy said the grooming was a bit rough and the stylist didn’t know what to do with her fur.
So she had to fix it herself.
I was just glad to have a moment’s rest – it was very busy. I did get to sniff a few other bunnies on the way out, but the space was soooo small… there wasn’t much room. Of course, it was raining out that day, so maybe that’s why it was inside.
Dad says that the profits from the bunny spa day go to help local rabbit rescue and shelters… so I won’t say it was a total loss. But I’m not doing another one of those things for a loooong while. You hear me, dad?
-Gus
I guess it should come as no surprise to anyone that since it’s getting on towards summertime now, Betsy and I have been shedding a bit.
The downside to this (and the reason why Betsy and I try to hide our shedding for as long as we can) is that dad notices us looking a little “scruffy” and … picks us up and brushes us!
Oh the HORROR!
Oh the INDIGNITY! Oh, wait, it’s all over for me now. I guess I wasn’t shedding too bad, but then again dad DID brush me last week as well.
Betsy, on the other hand, did not get off so lucky.
Betsy is really good at hiding her shedding, so when it starts to show, you know it’s going to be pretty bad. But honestly even I was amazed at how much fur dad brushed off of her!
Dad’s cruel instruments of torture grooming can be seen clearly in these pictures.
Dad said you could almost make a whole other bunny with the fur he brushed off of Betsy. I’m not so sure though; we bunnies have LOTS of fur!!
Betsy hates brushing time as much as anyone, but then again, Betsy tends to hate everything. Dad sometimes calls her an “emo bunny” because of the dark marks around her eyes (and the way she disapproves of everything – she’s a disaproval MASTER).
But in this picture, I think Betsy just wants to go back inside. All that brushing is rough going for such pampered bunnies as us!!
In the end of course, I got a papaya tablet from dad (which I didn’t eat until he was out of sight, of course – can’t let him think I appreciate the treat after such treatment) and Betsy got a cracker from mum (mum never picks us up, she’s so good). So it wasn’t a total loss… I guess.
I wonder how other buns are doing with this weather – is it making you shed, too? And if so, how do you hide it?
-Gus
Post-brushing depression: “I has it.”
Both Betsy and I got brushed today. It was a nice day out, but we don’t like being brushed!
While I will admit that we’ve both been shedding (you might even say “molting”) quite a bit lately, that’s no excuse for dad to come and pick us up! And… the brushing took soooooo long!
But we’ll have our revenge – our fur aggrivates dad’s allergies really badly when he brushes us, so we know that he suffers just as much as we do!
-Gus
Dad didn’t understand why we were both in the litter box at the same time. Dad just doesn’t understand me sometimes – I’m not a complicated bunny. I have simple needs.
Like being groomed.
“Groom me. Now.“
I will admit, this approach doesn’t always work. (It didn’t this time either; but I got the litter box to myself after that, so it was still a win for me!)
-Gus
Dad grabbed me (and Betsy) today and brushed us and clipped our nails.
Not fun!
But, he did give me some crackers afterwards, so it wasn’t too bad.
-Gus
Dad grabbed both Betsy and me last night and gave us a big long brush.
All of that fur came off of Betsy? Don’t brush me dad, there’ll be nothing left of me!!
Dad used both the regular brush (you can see it behind my ears) and the Furminator.
That is a LOT of fur! (The ear drops are for Betsy – she hates them, but the vet said she needed them cuz she’s got just a little bit of stuff in her ears – not much, but a little – better safe than sorry and all that).
On a good note, dad did give me a treat when he brought me back inside. He’s been doing that every time he picks me up. I guess… I guess it’s not so bad. But I won’t tell dad that!
-Gus
This morning after breakfast dad grabbed me and gave me a brush-down.
I am not amused.
Dad, we’ll talk later.
-Gus
