clutterydrawer
Wise Old Thumper
I’m not sure how to do this special rabbit justice in words but I will try. I volunteered at rescues for a few years so I’ve met hundreds of bunnies but none that came anywhere near him in terms of personality and affection.
I’ve shared a house, and usually a bedroom, with him for 7 ½ years, which is just over a quarter of my entire life. Since he turned up I’ve had five jobs, seven houses, and moved all over the country, and he’s always been there to share to adventure. What’s more, he always seemed to enjoy it – whenever I moved, he’d always bound out of his carrier at the new house and immediately start racing around, jumping on furniture, sniffing everything and generally making himself at home.
He was the cuddliest rabbit I’ve ever met and would often bound up to me and shove his head under my hand to demand nose rubs. He’d climb onto people’s knees, or lie in their arms being fussed and tooth-purring like mad, or come and snuggle up to me while I was reading on the floor. If Skye was eating, he’d put his head under her jaw, so that the chewing motion massaged the top of his head! But he was always a gentleman and after I’d given him his nose rubs he’d almost always spend a minute licking my leg or sleeve to say thankyou. He was also a good, if bossy, companion to his two wives, first my special girl Sorrel, then Skye, who really gained in confidence after bonding with Apache.
He was, shall we say, challenging as a house rabbit, but I wouldn’t change a minute of it. If there was any food in the vicinity, he would find it, and if he went quiet, you could guarantee he was slurping up an elastic band. His life’s mission in my last house was to get behind the fridge. I’m afraid that despite extensive barricades he eventually managed this and ate right through the cable, seemingly without hurting himself! I think his finest achievement of mischief was the night he escaped from his cage, jumped onto the bed, ran up to the top of the duvet and started at my boyfriend until he woke up terrified with a big furry face inches from his own.
He has a big fan club all around the country, particularly my friends and colleagues in London. I was doing a particularly stressful course/job there and most weeks one or other of my coursemates would come round to see the rabbits, particularly Apache as he was so affectionate that they considered him therapeutic! I always had to go over them with a lint roller on the way out though as he was such a fluff monster. When I announced his passing on facebook and immediately had multiple texts from people who’d known him in the past saying how sorry they were. I also remember one time I phoned the vets that I also used for boarding to make an appointment for Skye, and when I gave the nurse my name she immediately said “Oh, you’re Apache’s owner, he is the silliest rabbit ever!”
Apache has been around for so much of my life, and for so many of its important events, that I really struggle to imagine life without him. I will miss seeing his funny face every day. But mostly I feel amazingly lucky to have shared so much time with such a unique spirit, and so grateful that he lived a longish life free of any health problems. He was still frolicking around like a young kit over the last few months, bounding on and off the bed and causing mayhem!
I also want to say thankyou Angie at BARC for bringing him into my life and giving me over seven years during which everything seemed brighter because he was around.
Here is a huge number of photographs. I'm afraid he was so photogenic and got up to so much mischief that it was impossible to cut them down further!
Having his first dinner with Sorrel the day I brought him home:
In his favourite spot in my first house:
Playing in a labyrinth:
The day I freaked out and thought he had a weird orange nose disease then remembered he’d been eating grated carrot :roll:
Playing the didgeridoo with Sorrel:
Cheating on her with a stuffed racoon :shock:
Looking adorable
Playing outside:
Raiding a hay bag I’d forgotten :roll:
I’ve shared a house, and usually a bedroom, with him for 7 ½ years, which is just over a quarter of my entire life. Since he turned up I’ve had five jobs, seven houses, and moved all over the country, and he’s always been there to share to adventure. What’s more, he always seemed to enjoy it – whenever I moved, he’d always bound out of his carrier at the new house and immediately start racing around, jumping on furniture, sniffing everything and generally making himself at home.
He was the cuddliest rabbit I’ve ever met and would often bound up to me and shove his head under my hand to demand nose rubs. He’d climb onto people’s knees, or lie in their arms being fussed and tooth-purring like mad, or come and snuggle up to me while I was reading on the floor. If Skye was eating, he’d put his head under her jaw, so that the chewing motion massaged the top of his head! But he was always a gentleman and after I’d given him his nose rubs he’d almost always spend a minute licking my leg or sleeve to say thankyou. He was also a good, if bossy, companion to his two wives, first my special girl Sorrel, then Skye, who really gained in confidence after bonding with Apache.
He was, shall we say, challenging as a house rabbit, but I wouldn’t change a minute of it. If there was any food in the vicinity, he would find it, and if he went quiet, you could guarantee he was slurping up an elastic band. His life’s mission in my last house was to get behind the fridge. I’m afraid that despite extensive barricades he eventually managed this and ate right through the cable, seemingly without hurting himself! I think his finest achievement of mischief was the night he escaped from his cage, jumped onto the bed, ran up to the top of the duvet and started at my boyfriend until he woke up terrified with a big furry face inches from his own.
He has a big fan club all around the country, particularly my friends and colleagues in London. I was doing a particularly stressful course/job there and most weeks one or other of my coursemates would come round to see the rabbits, particularly Apache as he was so affectionate that they considered him therapeutic! I always had to go over them with a lint roller on the way out though as he was such a fluff monster. When I announced his passing on facebook and immediately had multiple texts from people who’d known him in the past saying how sorry they were. I also remember one time I phoned the vets that I also used for boarding to make an appointment for Skye, and when I gave the nurse my name she immediately said “Oh, you’re Apache’s owner, he is the silliest rabbit ever!”
Apache has been around for so much of my life, and for so many of its important events, that I really struggle to imagine life without him. I will miss seeing his funny face every day. But mostly I feel amazingly lucky to have shared so much time with such a unique spirit, and so grateful that he lived a longish life free of any health problems. He was still frolicking around like a young kit over the last few months, bounding on and off the bed and causing mayhem!
I also want to say thankyou Angie at BARC for bringing him into my life and giving me over seven years during which everything seemed brighter because he was around.
Here is a huge number of photographs. I'm afraid he was so photogenic and got up to so much mischief that it was impossible to cut them down further!
Having his first dinner with Sorrel the day I brought him home:
In his favourite spot in my first house:
Playing in a labyrinth:
The day I freaked out and thought he had a weird orange nose disease then remembered he’d been eating grated carrot :roll:
Playing the didgeridoo with Sorrel:
Cheating on her with a stuffed racoon :shock:
Looking adorable
Playing outside:
Raiding a hay bag I’d forgotten :roll:
