Coineanach
Wise Old Thumper
Vinnie, 2007 - 24.04.09
Well baby girl, here's your life story! I didn't write it when you died as I was so devastated you'd gone I couldn't bear to think about it.
Well, after I moved into my new flat with Kelly and Em, we had enough space to have a bun and the girls were happy for me to nick our living room. I bought a cage and bits and bobs with the intention of finding a rescue rabbit eventually.
One day I popped into P@H to look at the cute animals and as usual headed straight for the adoption section. You were stuck in that little glass box looking pretty sorry for yourself. I asked about you and was told that you'd previously belonged to some rather nasty people who'd cut off your ear and abused you, and you'd been taken away from them. They'd come to try and get you back so you were shunted around different rescues for a year and a half and labelled as aggressive. I don't know how much of this was true but I couldn't bear to leave you so you came home with me that day. After being told you were a boy, I called you Vincent, after Vincent van Gogh. After you were calm enough to handle, we discovered you were in fact female and shortened it to Vinnie!
I soon developed a good sense of when to move! You were certainly a fiesty madam, boxing, grunting and going for me on many occassions. You seemed more scared than aggressive, hiding in a box for weeks after you came home, and only coming out to say hello at night when you thought no-one was around. I was sitting in the corner behind the sofa waiting to see you - I don't think you ever knew I was there!
I came in and talked to you, I used to sing through the bars, do you remember? I think Em thought I was a right nutter - her bedroom backed off the sitting room and she used to hear me reading books to you and talking nonsense. I was dubbed the mad bunny lady amongst my friends, especially because I bought better food for you than I did for myself :lol: Remember those spring greens? Mmmm, you used to sit with a big leaf the size of you and munch your way though.
After about six months or so you definitely improved, you were less boxy and although you still grunted, had relaxed enough to tolerate a nose rub. After that it just got better and better. I remember the day you first licked me - I cried, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. It was a true sign of how far you'd come. Although you stil grunted and boxed occasionally, you were much calmer overall and began to accept other people too.
Andrew you saw a lot of, especially in the second year you were with me, after we moved about. Remember when I took you down to Edinburgh? We'd gone down for a short holiday and to visit my parents, and thanks to their menagerie they had a spare cage for you. You were hiding under a chair and Andrew stupidly stuck his hand under it - unsurprisingly you bit him. I don't blame you, daft man! :roll: He NEVER stopped going on about it, but truly he had a soft spot for you. He was so upset when you died, I never expected it. He was so gentle with you even though he was reluctant to pick you up!
You had a soft spot for Kelly, she was the only other person you'd willingly take food off and clamber on. She was always bringing you bits of her tea too. Being a vegetarian maybe she felt an affinity with you :lol: She's a real cat-lover and had never really known rabbits so I was surprised she took such a shine to you.
And Em too, it was her room you liked best, forever hiding behind the bed and running under the desk to sit on her feet! When we moved, she found a chewed cable, you monster! We thought they were all tucked out of the way but obviously you had a special talent for hunting them out.
Oh yes, the phone charger cables! I remember them. Lucky that Andrew worked in a phone shop or I'd have spent a small fortune on replacing them! Although it was my fault for leaving them within bunny-munching distance once I'd taken them out. Second only to dried banana, which was a very special treat, reserved for vets and when I wanted a cuddle
Sadly, just as you were settling into your new life, you developed EC in November 2009. I didn't know what was happening to you, you suddenly started dragging your back legs so we were off to the vet in a jiffy, who said you either had EC or a spinal injury. He treated for both but it soon turned out to be EC. You went downhill very quickly and I was warned that you were a very severe case and that the outlook was bleak. Despite this we kept on with the treatment.
One of my favourite days during that very bleak period was when you gave me a good kick when I was giving you your panacur! :lol: Odd I know, but you lying passivley letting me give you your meds was so out of character. We went back to the vet at the end of your treatment and he was surprised to say the least. He said he'd thought you wouldn't make it. You were my wee miracle bunny! Another course of panacur and metacam with baytril and we were off again.
This was your real perking-up period, you really got your energy back and started playing with your toys, jumping on me and generally going about like a nutter again. You were a really joy to watch, we had sheets on the floor so you could get a grip for your mad dashes! You took to sitting under my exercise bike and flopping out - even when I was on it!
Once again we went back to the vets for more baytril as you hadn't totally cleared up. This was just a formality as you'd improved so much we just wanted to give you a final checkup and finish off the course of meds. You were back to your grunty self.
I remember the day you were really mad, you were full of energy and actually running. I let you out in the hall (a rare treat as the phone was in too easy reach and I had to keep a constant eye!) We had a game of 'chase', when I got down on my hands and knees. You used to stop and look at me as if to say 'well, come on then!', while I was scrabbling round getting carpet burns on my knees. We had a lovely cuddle that night and you got some of my melon, I sat with my head in your basket and got a lovely snuggle. You peed on my rug and I picked you up and put you through in your room, I felt bad as we'd had such a nice night, but you got extra noms to compensate!
Andrew let you out the next day as he was the first one up. I was in a rush to get to work that day so didn't see you until I went to put you in your room when I headed out. That was when I found you behind the sofa, it was your favourite place to hide. I think you knew you were going and went to your favourite place to die.
It sounds awful but I'm glad you went this way. At least I know we gave you the best care you could have had and that you at least had a couple of years of happiness and being loved more than I can ever tell you. At the end you were out of discomfort and free at last from the disease which riddled you. I think your burst of energy the day before was your last goodbye to us, it's the best present I've ever had.
Andrew and I buried you in a lovely spot, overlooking the river and with lots of noms, and we'll visit you soon. You will ALWAYS be my special bunny, you helped me through some really bad times. I know you are now at the bridge with Fuzzball, Smudge, Fudge, Patch, Fidget, Polly, Fred, Smartie, Fudge, Flash and Speedy. I'll see you again one day beautiful, until then,
Love and Snuggles. x xxx xxx xxx
Well baby girl, here's your life story! I didn't write it when you died as I was so devastated you'd gone I couldn't bear to think about it.
Well, after I moved into my new flat with Kelly and Em, we had enough space to have a bun and the girls were happy for me to nick our living room. I bought a cage and bits and bobs with the intention of finding a rescue rabbit eventually.
One day I popped into P@H to look at the cute animals and as usual headed straight for the adoption section. You were stuck in that little glass box looking pretty sorry for yourself. I asked about you and was told that you'd previously belonged to some rather nasty people who'd cut off your ear and abused you, and you'd been taken away from them. They'd come to try and get you back so you were shunted around different rescues for a year and a half and labelled as aggressive. I don't know how much of this was true but I couldn't bear to leave you so you came home with me that day. After being told you were a boy, I called you Vincent, after Vincent van Gogh. After you were calm enough to handle, we discovered you were in fact female and shortened it to Vinnie!
I soon developed a good sense of when to move! You were certainly a fiesty madam, boxing, grunting and going for me on many occassions. You seemed more scared than aggressive, hiding in a box for weeks after you came home, and only coming out to say hello at night when you thought no-one was around. I was sitting in the corner behind the sofa waiting to see you - I don't think you ever knew I was there!
I came in and talked to you, I used to sing through the bars, do you remember? I think Em thought I was a right nutter - her bedroom backed off the sitting room and she used to hear me reading books to you and talking nonsense. I was dubbed the mad bunny lady amongst my friends, especially because I bought better food for you than I did for myself :lol: Remember those spring greens? Mmmm, you used to sit with a big leaf the size of you and munch your way though.
After about six months or so you definitely improved, you were less boxy and although you still grunted, had relaxed enough to tolerate a nose rub. After that it just got better and better. I remember the day you first licked me - I cried, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. It was a true sign of how far you'd come. Although you stil grunted and boxed occasionally, you were much calmer overall and began to accept other people too.
Andrew you saw a lot of, especially in the second year you were with me, after we moved about. Remember when I took you down to Edinburgh? We'd gone down for a short holiday and to visit my parents, and thanks to their menagerie they had a spare cage for you. You were hiding under a chair and Andrew stupidly stuck his hand under it - unsurprisingly you bit him. I don't blame you, daft man! :roll: He NEVER stopped going on about it, but truly he had a soft spot for you. He was so upset when you died, I never expected it. He was so gentle with you even though he was reluctant to pick you up!
You had a soft spot for Kelly, she was the only other person you'd willingly take food off and clamber on. She was always bringing you bits of her tea too. Being a vegetarian maybe she felt an affinity with you :lol: She's a real cat-lover and had never really known rabbits so I was surprised she took such a shine to you.
And Em too, it was her room you liked best, forever hiding behind the bed and running under the desk to sit on her feet! When we moved, she found a chewed cable, you monster! We thought they were all tucked out of the way but obviously you had a special talent for hunting them out.
Oh yes, the phone charger cables! I remember them. Lucky that Andrew worked in a phone shop or I'd have spent a small fortune on replacing them! Although it was my fault for leaving them within bunny-munching distance once I'd taken them out. Second only to dried banana, which was a very special treat, reserved for vets and when I wanted a cuddle
Sadly, just as you were settling into your new life, you developed EC in November 2009. I didn't know what was happening to you, you suddenly started dragging your back legs so we were off to the vet in a jiffy, who said you either had EC or a spinal injury. He treated for both but it soon turned out to be EC. You went downhill very quickly and I was warned that you were a very severe case and that the outlook was bleak. Despite this we kept on with the treatment.
One of my favourite days during that very bleak period was when you gave me a good kick when I was giving you your panacur! :lol: Odd I know, but you lying passivley letting me give you your meds was so out of character. We went back to the vet at the end of your treatment and he was surprised to say the least. He said he'd thought you wouldn't make it. You were my wee miracle bunny! Another course of panacur and metacam with baytril and we were off again.
This was your real perking-up period, you really got your energy back and started playing with your toys, jumping on me and generally going about like a nutter again. You were a really joy to watch, we had sheets on the floor so you could get a grip for your mad dashes! You took to sitting under my exercise bike and flopping out - even when I was on it!
Once again we went back to the vets for more baytril as you hadn't totally cleared up. This was just a formality as you'd improved so much we just wanted to give you a final checkup and finish off the course of meds. You were back to your grunty self.
I remember the day you were really mad, you were full of energy and actually running. I let you out in the hall (a rare treat as the phone was in too easy reach and I had to keep a constant eye!) We had a game of 'chase', when I got down on my hands and knees. You used to stop and look at me as if to say 'well, come on then!', while I was scrabbling round getting carpet burns on my knees. We had a lovely cuddle that night and you got some of my melon, I sat with my head in your basket and got a lovely snuggle. You peed on my rug and I picked you up and put you through in your room, I felt bad as we'd had such a nice night, but you got extra noms to compensate!
Andrew let you out the next day as he was the first one up. I was in a rush to get to work that day so didn't see you until I went to put you in your room when I headed out. That was when I found you behind the sofa, it was your favourite place to hide. I think you knew you were going and went to your favourite place to die.
It sounds awful but I'm glad you went this way. At least I know we gave you the best care you could have had and that you at least had a couple of years of happiness and being loved more than I can ever tell you. At the end you were out of discomfort and free at last from the disease which riddled you. I think your burst of energy the day before was your last goodbye to us, it's the best present I've ever had.
Andrew and I buried you in a lovely spot, overlooking the river and with lots of noms, and we'll visit you soon. You will ALWAYS be my special bunny, you helped me through some really bad times. I know you are now at the bridge with Fuzzball, Smudge, Fudge, Patch, Fidget, Polly, Fred, Smartie, Fudge, Flash and Speedy. I'll see you again one day beautiful, until then,
Love and Snuggles. x xxx xxx xxx
