Blogger is not my friend. I had an informative expose written on rabbit bot fly that just went poof! and disappeared.
;-(
Probably a good thing because a discussion of rabbit bot flies is probably not what you were expecting.
So instead I offer this old pic of Freckles, Missy and Mr. Bean. I tried to bond the three of them after little Peanut died. They made an adorable threesome and Missy loved Mr. Bean, but Freckles was not happy with the arrangement. She doesn't seem to like boy bunnies. So, for a few months after Peanut died and before Mr. Bean passed away, the three would visit together. Mr. Bean would get it into his head that he wanted to play and would sprint out of his homebase in the bathroom and venture onto the sun porch where the girls live. I'd open their pen and the three would play together peacefully for a little while. Missy washed Mr. Beans ears which he looooved! Before long, Freckles would get jealous and pick a fight with Mr. Bean, who was at least twice her size. Mr. Bean always looked all wounded and confused that this girl bunny didn't just melt for him the way Missy did. Soon enough he'd wander back to his spot beside the bathtub, the rejection forgotten until the next visit.
10 comments:
What sweeties! They look so huggable! Mr. Bean sounds like he was a pretty easygoing guy. What a shame they don't live forever. Or at least as long as we do.
A pet's life is way too short.
(Case in point: Rats only live 3 or 4 years... :-(
So, how much of the house do they have to run around? Is it bunnies, bunnies everywhere?
bunnygirl: you're right - Mr. Bean was my heart bunny - my first Flemish and he stole my heart - miss him dearly.
susan: they do have terribly short lives. Missy and Freckles live in separate pens on the sunporch and get out once in a while; not as often as they should, but they require a lot of supervision - they'd be into everything! Their pens are like 3 X 6 - plenty of room for mischief! Peeper lives in a cage in my office, and is allowed run of the room when I'm in here at the PC. Boomer and Cricket also live in a pen on the sunporch, but are *loose* when we're at home and overnight. In theory, they have run of the house, but never venture further than behind the couch in the living room.
Mr. Bean used to live in our bathroom and had run of the house, but he was comfortable with that and wasn't scared of the dog - he was great with his litterbox, too. Depends on the bunny - all of mine have plenty of living space in case they don't get *exercise* every day. If everybody got along with everybody else it could be fun to let them all loose sometimes, but that is not reality - and bunny fights are not pretty!
you must be on the same blogger server that supplies my site :)
Sending you l-o-o-t-t-s-s- of sympathy.
Ah, Mr Bean is missed by all. I was talking to a friend today, and commented that although I adore Tinkerbell, some bunnies are just *extra* special and Hazel was one of those - of couse my main man Chops is too :) I hope Hazel and Mr Bean are having a blast.
I am in constant amazement at people that can let their buns run loose 24/7. Chops and Tink don't have a cage but they do get confined to their room at night. The others get their exercise time, but I can't trust them in the whole house, not to mention the potential for a fight.
Oddly, a friend on another list is having a time with bot fly - she took in a stray, who had several warbles, and apparantly one of the ghastly things fell out and infected one of her bunnies. She has since posted a lot of info. I would be happy to send the links if you are interested. Hope no-bunny there is having an issue!
Endment: Blogger is really a pain lately.
Michelle: Please send along the links you mentioned! Missy and Freckles had bot flies last summer (yuck, remember?) and I had trouble finding much info.
House bunies can get bot flies???
Noooooo!!!!
really-they can?
I just did a search on "bot fly".
OH. MY. GOD.
I can handle alot of grossness, but that actually make my stomach lurch.
Yes House Bunnies can get them - and yes it it gross!!!!!!!!
Laura, I will send the links. For some reason I thought what you experienced was fly strike and not bot fly - and I was horrified that it could happen like that. Makes more sense to know it was Bot Fly because what I found interesting about the discussion is that fly strike and bot fly were discussed and put my mind at ease a bit about the random fly we get in the house. It was a good discussion (though yucky) You know me - ever paranoid :) and that the bot fly is less dangerous than fly strike. Bottom line Bot Fly larvae are true parasites and a true parasite doesn't kill it's host. Blech. So nasty.
People can get bot flies too - did you find that on google Susan? Somewhere I have a link to pics of a lady having one removed from her scalp. Gross! Think those bot flies are only present in the tropics, thank goodness!
Lynne: I used to bring my bunnies out on the screened patio all the time for play - think that must be how they got them. Even scarier to think they might have picked them up in the house.
Michelle: I have no mercy on flies in the house - I hunt them to the death! Don't know about yours, but certain bunnies here (Missy) don't have the cleanest bottom always and I'm paranoid too. Freckles was in a state when I brought her to the vet and he found the bot fly larva on her - I'm not convinced that they can't kill. I remember Tina on PB had a really bad time with her bunnies and bot fly a while back.
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