It’s been over a month since I lost Baxter. I’ve had a multitude of feelings since then, but at the end is acceptance with a twinge of longing. I miss that connection I had with my bestie and I (well… Felix AND I) decided it was time to start looking for a new best friend for me (and Quincy of course).
When we adopted Quincy from Red Door Shelter in 2009, I was only focused on finding Baxter a partner. This time around, I went to Red Door Shelter aiming to find myself bun-partner, who will hopefully then get along with Quincy. So for the first visit we decided to leave Quincy at home.
Quick note about Quincy:
Since Baxter’s passing, I’ve come to love Quincy much more than I did previously. I always liked him of course, but I like him even more so now. Perhaps it’s because he’s decided to let me pick him up and cuddle with him on occasion… which I could never do with Baxter. I even think he likes it! :)
(Just showered, pardon my wet hair.)
Even though snuggling with him makes my face and neck itch and get rashy, I can’t help myself since it makes me all warm & fuzzy inside.
Red Door Visit:
Felix and I trekked out to Red Door after work on Wednesday night.
I was aiming to visit with some of the does I saw online, but it turns out they had many more buns available than what they have listed on their site. It’s such a treat walking into the shelter to be surrounded by so many fun & happy buns.
While you do see some in cages, the place was a bustle with volunteers setting up the x-pens for them all to get some attention & exercise. Even being in the shelter, these buns have it pretty good until they find it to their forever homes.
On our drive to the shelter, Felix asked me what criteria I was employing to find a new bun friend. I giggled and then gave a very long answer. But the gist of it is that I want an outgoing bun, someone I can bond with like I did Baxter; a bun who seeks me out for pets and love. Baxter did this and that’s what I’m looking for once again.
How to assess this when visiting with potentials is difficult.
When each bun came into the ‘visiting area’ they all behave differently. Some are checking out their surroundings and really have no time for you (until later), some come right for you, and more…
These are some of the buns we met with.
Shelly Winters:
She was an awesome bun and so large & sweet. I love big bunnies since they do tend to be a bit smarter and more docile; they make wonderful friends. But her personality was too similar to Quincy, and not very outgoing. She loved getting pet, but only when I approached her. She never came towards me for attention. So sadly she didn’t make it in my top 3.
Fancy Pants:
With a name like this how could she not be in my top 3?! I do love lops and she is a sassy lady to be sure. But she was very friendly with new people, which my Baxter was not. Ms. Fancy Pants was a lovely bun all around. Not as outgoing as the other two buns in my top 3, but I think that she would make a wonderful best friend on closer acquaintance.
Once buns are in your home, their respective personalities flourish. I think it was like 6 months after we brought Quincy home that he really started to shine. He’s an old man bun that only had pellets to eat (no greens and such) and I’m pretty certain he never got free roaming like he does at our home.
Moving along…
Zelda:
Zelda is a dutch rabbit, known for their curiosity and independent personality. Being on the independent side, I didn’t think I would find myself liking dutch rabbits as much. But she was wonderful to hang out with and made it in my top 3. She was one of the most curious does that we visited with and after she checked everything out (5 times over) she came for some petting. If we were to take her home, she would be such an entertaining rabbit to watch.
Just an FYI, doe is a female rabbit (similar to a female deer being a doe). So I’m not saying does, as in “does she hop?”, but as a plural doe.
Margarita:
I met with a mini rex bun named, Margarita. If you’ve never pet a rex rabbit, put it on your life’s to-do list. They are seriously the softest animal you will ever pet in your life! Seriously! They’re softer than a silk charmeuse fabric. I know chinchillas are really soft, but rexes…. they’re softer IMO.
This bun was okay. She was nice and all, but wasn’t really interested in me or the love I wanted to bestow on her. I made Felix come in the pen just so he could pet her a bit since he’d never pet a rex. He was really surprised at just how soft she was. :)
Britt:
She is a mini lop was quite skittish; you could tell she was very timid and unsure about things. But once I was able to calm her down, she loved getting pet. But every time I went to pet her, she was still unsure once again. She’d make a lovely pet once she got more confident in people, but it made it difficult to put her in my top 3 favs. While it’s nothing bad… she looks a bit too similar to Baxter for my liking. I kinda felt sad just petting her, remembering my Baxter.
Then there was Gum Drop:
Gum Drop is a Californian rabbit breed and is only 6 months old. (She’s still growing.) They found her and her brother when they were just babies and she was the only one who pulled through despite a severe respiratory infection. I really loved gum drop as soon as they brought her in to hang out with me, despite being bit by her. heh
She bit my leg, through my pants, and luckily didn’t ruin my pants. She hopped around me, and then I put my hand on her head and she instantly yielded to me, laid down for some petting from me. She was the first rabbit to relax instantly and loved getting pet! Major biggie! In the image above, do you see how she’s just laid out?! Totally awesome.
As soon as I stopped petting her, she was running all around checking things out. She’s 100% a young, curious bunny who loves to chew on things. She was chewing my pants several times along with my shoes.
Felix went in to visit and he couldn’t get her to stop chewing on his tasty leather shoes. She is totally in my top 3 because she would make an awesome forever bun. Felix is more hesitant because she’s so… bitey. heh
Little does Felix know, most young bunnies are like this. Baxter was like this when I got her as a young, 3-month old rabbit too. He just wasn’t in the picture yet to see it. Gum Drop is like that kid you keep telling *no* to but just can’t help themselves. In time she’d mellow out, but I love that she’s so young and frisky.
I met other buns such as Amelia Harehart, Kiki, and many more but the buns above are the ones I really spent some quality time with.
Sadly, most of the buns that I hung out with were all found roaming around the city, and have been rescued here to Red Door. A lot of the people who get bunnies do so around Easter time and don’t know the proper care for them. Most of these buns are just set outside, left to shift for themselves. But really… what kind of domesticated animal is able to find food and shelter from the harsh Chicago winters??? It’s sad. But obviously, I’m more than happy to help them out and take a bunny home with me. :)
Conclusion:
My top three favorite buns I met (in no special order) are: Gum Drop, Fancy Pants, and Zelda.
After writing this post, I found that I’ve written much more about Gum Drop than the other two in my top 3 list. I relayed this information to Felix and he was like “Of course you do.” I’ve nicknamed her Bitey McBiterson already.
I can’t get too attached yet to any of these lovely ladies, since ultimately it’s up to Quincy. I just wanted to narrow down the playing field to buns I love, first and foremost.
I’m hoping to go back this Saturday with Quincy in tow, in order to see which of these three buns he likes (if any.) We call it bunny speed-dating.
Aaaand perhaps, if all goes well… there may be a new bun hopping around our apartment next week. *Squeeee*
Thanks so much for reading in my bunny escapades. While this is kind of a sewing-knitting blog, it’s my place to chat and talk about all things I love as well as the happenings in my life– like bunnies and searching for houses. So… if you don’t like bunnies or reading about bunnies or looking at cute bunny images. You now have fair warning that there will be more bunny posts in your future. :D
Have a great weekend everyone!
In: Bunny
Love hearing about your life, and seeing into the life of a bunny owner. I have a fluffy cat called Maple =]
The only comment I have is this: I want Fancy Pants!
I think it’s pretty awesome that they’ll let you bring in Quincy to let them bun date (and that’s very awesome of you as a bun mom, too). They’re all such cuties. Good luck making the right connection! :)
How exciting :) I love bunnies- and yes, I have petted a Rex (I once worked in a pet store and loved to love on the bunnies). They are absolutely the softest thing ever… like velvet! We had an English that looked like Margarita… love those spots and stripes.
I also had a lop like Britt- he was a mini-lop I rescued from the pet store because he had fits.
Zelda totally looks like our Mocha that we have now. Mocha is the sweetest bunny ever- because she was hand raised by a couple of boy scouts for a scouting project. She was handled so much that she happily tolerate cuddles :D
I hope you find that forever bun for Mr. Q there!
Kids seem to raise the most tolerant bunnies, I’ve found. With all the handling at petting, the buns as a result seem so laid back and chill about everything. Have you found that the case with your Mocha?
Oh absolutely :) That poor bunny just kind of hangs there as my daughter carries her around… she actually seems to enjoy being cradled upside down like a baby too ;) She’ll scrabble around in the cage when you go to get her, but as soon as she is in your hands she just hangs out lol
She is such a sweet natured bunny!
Aw, how exciting! I’m sure your new bunny will be a wonderful addition to your little family. They all seem wonderful!
They are all DARLING! I’m sure you will find the perfect addition to your furry family. Also, thank you for your help with my baby bunny situation. The bunny, unfortunately, didn’t make it more than a couple hours before passing away. I’m upset with myself for not getting to it sooner, so that it could have had a better chance. But, I feel good knowing that it was safe and comfortable. I was knitting with Meg when it happened. And, we gave it a little burial.
Was so sorry to hear about your little bun rescue. :( Glad he was safe in your home as he went over the rainbow bridge.
I have just lost my cat Scamp on Tuesday. We had to let him go as he was hit by a car and could not move his back legs. I miss him so much we got him at 8 weeks old and he was a healthy 5 years old cat. The house is not the same without him…I can only cry at the moment.
I hope you find another wonderful bunny.
I’m so sorry for your loss Tania. :( Having lost Baxter not too long ago, I know the pain you must be feeling and I hope you eat plenty of chocolate and get lots of hugs.
I love this! Bunnies are so cute. Who doesn’t like to read about them.
chat at much as you want about these cute bunnies! i loved reading about them and seeing the cute photos!
Oh, Lord. I want to just keep Zelda. I’m sure you and Quincy will make an awesome decision. You really can’t go wrong, with that top three.
SO MANY BUNNIES!!! Can’t wait to see who Quincey chooses :)
Good luck on Saturday!
I love learning about buns! What a treat to have a peek into “dating”! All the best as you add to your family.
[…] // Note: if you’re curious, you can also read Liz’s recap on her blog. […]
Wow, there’s something to love about each of these! They’re all so cute! I know you and Quincy will find the right companion soon. :) I always had Dutch rabbits growing up and I really loved them. They’re small, so were really easy for me to pick up when I was a kid. But I love the mini-lops– their ears are so cute!
Oh Liz, I’m so glad that you are bonding more with Quincy and that you’re seeking out a new friend for you both! It’s so wonderful that there’s a place like Red Door in Chicago where you can do both human bunny meets and have the bunny speed dating as well. Those buns all seem like completely delightful companions; best of luck with introducing your top three to Quincy!!
(I for one am delighted to read as many bunny updates as you want to write!)
P.S. Reading through your post, I noticed that Zelda sounds somewhat similar to a my bunny–a little black girl. I’d never heard anyone call her a Dutch, but her personality sounds similar! (And obviously she is my favorite bun in the world.)
“Bitey McBiterson” looks so confortable in this picture! I hope Quincy will find a new friend among those lovely bunnies and I’m sure that it will be a very happy and loved bunny.
What an amazing shelter! I love that you can take your current rabbit to meet with a potential new flat mate. They all look so lovely and cuddly. :D
Oh yes! With buns & bonding two buns together it’s really best if you can get them to meet before you bring anyone home permanently. It would be awful to have to return a bunny to the shelter because they didn’t get along.
Bunny speed dating!!!! LOVE it :) I have always wanted a bunny, but we never had pets growing up so I’m not sure how I would do – Zelda is pretty freaking awesome though!
Also, speaking of bunnies you might enjoy my friends Etsy shop – she sews bunny clothes :) LOL!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnieElleBunnies?ref=top_trail
Heh those outfits are hilarious! :) I don’t think I could subject poor Quincy to an outfit, but I debated during the holiday season for funny family portraits. hehe
ah, didnt know all this about bunny dating – wish you all luck that your familly will be happy with whichever lucky bunny is picked!
Oh the emotions.. When I was eleven I finally could choose two rabbits to call my own after years and years of begging. I already went to the pet shop three times a week for two months to see which two I’d like to take home. I’m not sure what made me to pick the two I picked but my rabbits where awesome. :) One was the most beautiful Dutch I’ve ever seen which I called Stupsi (*stoopsee*) in german stupsen means to nudge s.o. and she did that a LOT. :) She nudged me to tell me she was there when I brought her into the house to play (we had a big “cage” set outside in the garden), or when she was hungry and wanted some greens. She was a strong girl and loving and caring, always licking me and later even our old english sheepdog who is the biggest hairiest thing you’ve ever seen! ^^
Flöckchen (an affectionate form of Floke means Flake because of the small white spot he had on his nose) was calmer. He was a bright brown lionhead who was quiet, smart and very friendly. He liked to lay down and just watch but did everything you told him. He could understand the words food and goodnight (he hopped into a small basket so we could bring him outside again). They were such good and well-behaved rabbits!
There was a time though when we thought it wasn’t such a good idea to get rabbits.When we got them no one knew Flöckchen was actually a boy! A few days after we brought them home they started to behave really weird. And as the weeks went by a bit of fighting happened between those two. Just as we thought we would have to seperate them into different houses one evening my Dad went outside to bring them in to play and returned without the rabbits and pretty pale in the face. As we asked him what’s wrong he just said we should come outside and look for ourselves. There in a tiny nest were tiny tiny baby rabbits so small and aww.. :)
In the following days we had Flöckchen caponised and divided the cage because we heard of the vet that male rabbits usually try to kill their little ones. In the end nothing happened and as the little bunnys got older we took them all together out to play, Flöckchen even showed them what to eat and where the litter tray was! :)
After they all found a nice and save home Stupsi gave birth once again. It was as surprising as the first birth because we had had Flöckchen caponised!
It’s fun to see that all rabbits in both littermates all have a different personality. Some were really brave and jumped up and down couches and chairs, some were always hiding, some always sticking with their brothers and sisters eating.
As my mom said it wouldn’t be right to give her away we kept one of the babies. She was named Schneewitchen or snowwhite as she looked exactly like Gum Drop as far as I can see from your pictures. She was white, had black ears, a black nose and mouth, black feet and tail and really had a personality combined of the ones of both of her parents.
After a few years Flöckchen and Schneewitchen had died. We suspected the RHD but the vet wouldn’t say if it was true. We looked for a rabbit to keep our strong Stupsi company and found a black one we called Sponge in a shelter. He was fun even though a bit strange. Ate a LOT, slept a lot, didn’t bother about anything. Jumped up on the couch and nudged partly even violently to get petted. Then wanted the whole couch for himself. He was too old to teach him good manners. God knows what happened to him in his previous home.
I loved every single one of my little rabbits.
It’s been a few years. Lately I’m thinking about getting new ones. But as they were my first pets it’s still difficult not to compare. We’ll see. Maybe one day.
I’m glad you may have already found a friend for Quincy but still let him choose the right one. I’m rooting for Zelda by the way. ;) My Stupsi had everything under control, even kept the cage clean and tidy if someone jumped into the food again.
Hey Nani, thanks so much for writing to me about your lovely bunnies. It’s always fun to read about other people and their bunnies and personalities.
I for one think you should get another pair of bunnies. There always seem to be many bunnies in shelters that could really use a loving home, such as yours.
Zelda is a very close second to gum-drop. :)
This was such a fun post to read! You met some very cute bunnies, though yes, it is funny how much you wrote about Gum Drop. Is she resting her head on your leg in that picture, or just trying to find something new to gnaw?
Zelda is pretty too, but I must say, I think I’m somewhat partial to that name, plus it fits her so well.
I look forward to reading the Saturday update!
Hey Jen. Gum drop is resting. She just plopped down to snuggle and receive some pets. This is what sold me on her. :)
Zelda is a great bunny. Really inquisitive and friendly. She’s a close second to gum drop… very close.
I love reading about your bunny adventures. I just lost my 12 year old mini rex Turbo this past fall. He was a biter, so I enjoyed reading about Gum Drop. I had a special sweatshirt that I would wear when cuddling Turbo so he could nibble at the collar to his heart’s content. I look forward to reading about Quincy’s bunny dates and I hope you all find a new friend soon!
Hey Sally, did your Turbo ever stop biting? I worry that I would really have to bunny-proof my home from Ms. Gum drop. Did Turbo just nibble on you or was it all around the house as well?
Good point about the bunny proofing. He nibbled on everything. He preferred fabric, though. He always had his own piece of cotton fabric that he would chew to shreds and it would have to be replaced every few months. He would go for electrical cords though too. He had to be closely supervised on his outings outside his pen.
If you have not seen bunnyshaming.tumblr.com or eddyrambo.blogspot.com, you must do so now!
LOVING Gum Drop! I would have melted away if she had laid out in front of me like that. Good luck.
Yes! I melted and you would too! :) She’s young so I would hope she’d grow out of her biting in another 6-months to a year. Totally a sweet, sassy girl who loves attention.
I know I’m super late to comment, but I wanted to squeal over the bunny pictures and wish you (and Felix & Quincy!) the best of luck with finding your forever-bun! My hope is that Gum Drop makes the cut, she’s sooo pretty and she sounds perfect for y’all :)
Thanks so much Lauren! GumDrop is really cute (and soft). She’s only 6 months old and still has some growing to do. I love me some big bunnehs! hehehe