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Galinda ~ b. Jan 2010, d. Jan 2016

tlcwrites

Mama Doe
My beautiful blue dwarf lop, Galinda, passed away last night, aged 6. I discovered her body in the morning, with her head in the hay rack and her sister, Elphie, on top of her. As this has happened so soon after Lelantos's passing, I am quite devastated, but not so much as Elphie is.

I have had Galinda since she was 12 weeks old. A tiny thing, virtually undistinguishable from her sister. It took me a good couple of years before I could confidently tell them apart. She was a tiny scrap of blue perfection, her ears already lopped and utterly charming.

Since I first acquired Elphie and Galinda, I have learned so much about rabbit care and the better for it. Each year, the care got a bit better, and if it weren't for her and her sister being the sweetest things, that would never have happened. They have gone from being in a shop-bought hutch, being separated because of fighting (two unneutered does and not enough space. It was always going to happen! Galinda was injured by Elphie, so Elphie was spayed first), to being reunited in her last year of life.

The vets were always amazed at just how good condition Elphie and Galinda were in at the vets. They were soft as anything and well-behaved. The vet was always convinced they must be indoor rabbits, but Galinda never has been, apart from the one week of bonding with Elphie and the deceased Archimedes, and of course, her spay. Spaying was not a problem for Miss Galinda. She bounced back like it was just a really good sleep. She loved the fact she was getting the most delicious of all things - metacam. Banana and kiwi were her other favourite sweet treats, but she only got these few and far between of course.

Galinda always had the most docile and calm temperament possible. She was easy to handle, enjoyed cuddles, enjoyed food, and attention. She loved digging, so snow was one of her favourite weathers. All the opportunities to dig! She escaped from her run several times by burrowing a hole out and under the edge. It was something I had to fill several times over before I put down mesh (and covered it with dirt so she couldn't develop sore hocks.) Even so, I lost count of the number of times I was chasing her around the garden as she was a rabbit on the (unsupervised) loose.

On a couple of occasions, I took her to a local care home, for the residents to spend time with her. She was such a good girl that this was an experience that she took in her stride. She was a brilliant rabbit and good therapy for anyone who needed it.

She lived alone for a long while. Having always managed to somehow have three does in my care meant I was always at a loss as to how to bond them again, even though I knew it would be for the best for them. It took adopting Archimedes to bridge the gap between Elphie and Galinda and thus, sisters were reunited. And they looked like they belonged together all the while. As they did, really. I'd hoped that they would get a good few years together - their twilight years, as it were - but it wasn't meant to be.

It was only in the last year when Galinda started developing problems. For a while, she was overweight and had to be put on a strict diet. Then, she had an infection in the autumn of last year, but this was cleared up with septrim. However, she never really rebuilt her fat reserves, but not without trying. She never lost her joy for food and would happily scoff anything from pellets to forage to rose petals to banana to veg to hay. If you ever dared walk past her hutch and run, she would be there begging, even right up to her last weekend. As I said, she died with her head in the hay rack - not trapped; she just liked to bury herself in it to get as much hay as possible.

I was away this weekend just gone, at a Magic prerelease. I stayed around a friend's. The hutches outside didn't get covered and as it has turned bitterly cold at night, I wouldn't be surprised if that was what finished her off. Again, I feel the intense guilt at having abandoning her in her hour of need, but at least I can draw comfort from the fact she wasn't alone. She had Elphie.

Elphie isn't alone now, either. She was clearly broken and pining for her sister. Elphie was sitting on Galinda's body before pellets. After she finished pellets, she returned to her sister's side. When it came to removing Galinda's body, Elphie would not move until I picked her up to give my OH space to be able to bury her.

As she was clearly pining, I've spent much of the day trying to find a buck to go with her. In the end, I somehow acquired two young adult rexes, a buck and a doe, brother and sister, devoted to one another. And already very fond of Elphie. Both groomed Elphie within the first hour of introduction. Elphie, I think, is struggling with the fact there are two new interlopers who are not her sister and the fact she is inside with a bit less space than usual. But she will come round. She won't be lonely, and that is the most important thing for now.

But this is Galinda's thread and a goodbye to my beautiful, dorky blue dwarf lop, who was speckled with white. I love you Galinda, and I miss you too. You're reunited with Archimedes now and Elphie is not alone. Please watch over her until she is ready to join you (hopefully not for a good many years though!) You've taught me so much about rabbits. I've made so many mistakes along the way, but thank you. Because of you, I am a far better rabbit custodian than I once was. Thank you, my love.
 
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Elphie - Galinda

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As babies. I can't tell you which was which!

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I'm so sorry you lost her. Sounds like she had a peaceful end, which is all any of us could hope for our pets. Thinking of you and Elphie. x
 
I read this this morning but didn't know what to write. I still don't so I'm just going to say I'm sorry, especially with Lela too :(
 
Thank you all.

I still can't believe the rollercoaster the past 24 hours has been. Elphie is doing a lot better today. Helios and Selene couldn't possibly have taken to her better. I like to think Galinda made sure of that.
 
Sweet dreams Galinda xx. I'm so, so sorry you lost your special friend. Life sucks sometimes.
 
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