He's the most demonstratively affectionate bunny ever.
He had a really bad start, found wandering trying to cross a busy dual carriageway in rush hour in early Jan & he's jet black. We also think he'd been attacked by something because there's a semicircle of tiny scars at the end of his lop ear.
It's not surprising that he was a bag of nerves when he came to me, & had a rough start with me cos he Had snuffles with the complication of 2 abscesses. We'd no chance to get to know each other before I had to do "nasty things to him"
Benjie took to the bedroom which Thumper & I had shared & I made all sorts of hidey holes to help him feel safe.
We made some progress. He lost his fear of traffic noise inside the house. It took much longer to lose his terror of my tummy rumbles, coughs & sneezes but we got there.
But Benjie just stayed in the bedroom in his hidey holes, or lay up on the threshold, rarely coming downstairs although I'd taught him how to manage them. As soon as I went into the bedroom he'd shoot out of hiding, & even start licking my ankles in a request to be stroked.
I couldn't understand why progress had stopped cos I'm used to caring for very fearful animals.
I seemed to enjoy a sniff of fresh air when I opened the french doors but wouldn't set a foot outside, or just make a quick expedition along the path round the house.
For the last 3 weeks he's suddenly found confidence to go into the lower end of the garden.
It's always the same routine, a quick venture out with lots of head bobbing the run back to the safety of the house. Within a minute he's out again & does a couple of binkies then back to security.
3rd time out he binkies non stop & has a whale of a time.
He's really good too, staying reasonably close to me & comes in immediately when I call. It's taken 18 months
He's done brilliantly with the snuffles too. Fingers crossed, no sneeze or discharge since we "went for it" all guns at Christmas. I'm so proud of him for overcoming his fears. He's such a darling too.
He had a really bad start, found wandering trying to cross a busy dual carriageway in rush hour in early Jan & he's jet black. We also think he'd been attacked by something because there's a semicircle of tiny scars at the end of his lop ear.
It's not surprising that he was a bag of nerves when he came to me, & had a rough start with me cos he Had snuffles with the complication of 2 abscesses. We'd no chance to get to know each other before I had to do "nasty things to him"
Benjie took to the bedroom which Thumper & I had shared & I made all sorts of hidey holes to help him feel safe.
We made some progress. He lost his fear of traffic noise inside the house. It took much longer to lose his terror of my tummy rumbles, coughs & sneezes but we got there.
But Benjie just stayed in the bedroom in his hidey holes, or lay up on the threshold, rarely coming downstairs although I'd taught him how to manage them. As soon as I went into the bedroom he'd shoot out of hiding, & even start licking my ankles in a request to be stroked.
I couldn't understand why progress had stopped cos I'm used to caring for very fearful animals. I seemed to enjoy a sniff of fresh air when I opened the french doors but wouldn't set a foot outside, or just make a quick expedition along the path round the house.
For the last 3 weeks he's suddenly found confidence to go into the lower end of the garden.
It's always the same routine, a quick venture out with lots of head bobbing the run back to the safety of the house. Within a minute he's out again & does a couple of binkies then back to security.
3rd time out he binkies non stop & has a whale of a time.
He's really good too, staying reasonably close to me & comes in immediately when I call. It's taken 18 months
He's done brilliantly with the snuffles too. Fingers crossed, no sneeze or discharge since we "went for it" all guns at Christmas. I'm so proud of him for overcoming his fears. He's such a darling too.
