Make it Chocolate. . .

It's time for my annual post on the joys (and realities) of owning a rabbit. Easter sees a huge bump in rabbit-buying by well-meaning but ignorant parents. The weeks just after Easter see a huge bump in the number of rabbits abandoned at shelters. You do the math.

Rabbits are wonderful animals to have around the house: they are highly intelligent, relatively neat (yes, they can easily be litter-trained), and very quiet. They don't bark at strangers, yowl for food, or need to be walked. They can be sweet daily companions: they love pats from their human, lick the ones they adore, and anyone who's ever seen a rabbit do a binky knows what rabbit joy looks lie.

But, rabbits are advanced pet-ownership.

Some quick facts:

-Rabbits' teeth are always growing. Always. They must chew on things to keep them filed down, and they will not just chew toys you provide for them. Rabbits will chew anything with an interesting texture, including: wires, books, plastic bags, shoes, the legs of tables and chairs, cardboard boxes, mail left lying about, even clothing. If you leave it near the ground where a rabbit can get it, expect it to be chewed. Every wire in my house is taped to the wall, out of harm's way. A house with a rabbit must be bunny-proofed.

-Rabbits need fresh greens and timothy hay to keep their bodies happy and healthy. A steady diet of pellets is fattening and not good for them. Fresh greens can get expensive, but they are the best, healthiest way to feed them.

-Rabbits have complex and often delicate digestion systems, and when they begin to go wrong they go wrong very fast. If a rabbit stops pooping, even for a few hours, and seems listless or lies hunched up in a corner, get them to the vet immediately. A rabbit with GI stasis, a common rabbit ailment where the intestinal tract stops, can die within hours. Exotic vets are not cheap, and a rabbit owner can look forward to spending thousands of dollars on their rabbit during its lifetime.

-Rabbits do not live happily in hutches or cages. They are quick-thinking and inquisitive and need a lot of stimulation, and unhappy, bored bunnies are destructive and moody. The happiest rabbits have the run of the house, like a cat or dog.

-A rabbit will live eight to ten years. Some live even longer. That means that buying a rabbit for yourself or your children is making a commitment for a decade of care, feeding, and love. This is not something that will be amusing for a year or two, and then disposable.

Please, please, please: if you are looking at that cute little bunny in the pet-store window, on sale in time for Easter Sunday, and your child is begging you to buy it, think twice. A real living, breathing rabbit is a creature with complex needs and feelings. Not a toy. Not something to be discarded when the novelty wears off. More rabbits die in shelters every year around this time, and many are simply abandoned outdoors on the erroneous belief that they will be fine in the park or on the streets. You would never buy a dog on a whim, so don't think a rabbit is an impulse-buy. Unless you're ready for the committment, pass that pet-store window and take your child to get a stuffed rabbit, or a chocolate one instead.

If you are ready to be become a rabbit-parent, consider getting your new companion at a shelter:

House Rabbit Society has links to shelters all over the country, and a lot of very good information on raising a happy rabbit. For those in the Chicago-area, think about adopting your bunny from Red Door Shelter.

I will never regret my decision to become a rabbit-mom twelve years ago. Alfalfa, Sebastian, and Viola have so enriched my life, and I hope many of you can find that kind of joy. But, only if you know what you're getting into.

My Little Buddy. . .

My Sebastian passed away last night. It was very fast; I came home from work and he was dying. I rushed him to the Emergency Vet, but there was nothing they could do. I drove all the way there with him on my lap, talking to him, knowing he wasn't going to m,ake it and dtermined that if he died before we reached the vet, at least I was holding him, petting him. He knew I loved him.

I know mothers aren't supposed to have favorites, but he slept on my bed. He laid on my chest while I watched movies and petted him. He was my fuzzy faced boy. I miss him so much already. I know Viola is going to miss him too; she doesn't know it yet. They were finally, at long last, together. Bonded.

He's gone, and my heart is broken.

New Items in my Etsy Shop!

Aphrodite Mini Top Hat

The Seamstress of Avalon had a very busy weekend (so busy I ended up getting sick!) I had my most ambitious photoshoot yet, with two themes: Goth Princess and Vintage Circus! it's amazing what you can do with some fabric, lights, and a fake trapeze;)

Alexia Steampunk Mini Topper

There were several new collections represented: The Steampunk Collection, The Goddess Collection, Wednesday's Child, and of course, more Bridal! Look for more items in the Steampunk Collection in the months to come; I only had time to finish two before this shoot!

Gigi Steampunk Octopus Fascinator

The octopus and raven skull on these pieces are hand-sculpted by me, baked in the oven, and then painted. They're my favorite pieces, I think!

Hester Raven Skull Fascinator

Cheri Pink Satin Mini Top Hat

Yes, I had to model one of the pieces myself! I couldn't resist;)

Natasha Bat Goth Fascinator

Hera Peacock Headband

Even Sebastian got in on the fun! He was so well-behaved too;)

I'm gearing up to apply to the Renegade Craft Show in a few weeks, so these pics are just the boost I need to get fired up, finish my lookbook, and get a stellar application out there. Wish me luck!

What do you think of the new pieces, dear readers?

Make Mine Chocolate!

My Viola and Sebastian were adopted from Red Door Animal Shelter. Viola was found outside, and Sebastian was surrendered.

Every year, pet stores around the country are flooded with rabbits in the Spring, hoping to capitalize on the scores of parents who think it's a good idea to get their kids real bunnies for Easter. They hop and flop and look fuzzy and cute, and parents and kids oooh and ahhh through the cages at them, plunking down $30 to bring home a piece of the holiday.

But, rabbits are not toys, and these are not stuffed animals.

After Easter, shelters are flooded with these "gifts", surrendered by parents who thought they could stick the animals in a cage in the corner and forget about them. Many of these rabbits are traumatized and eventually euthanized, shelters overcrowded and rabbits usually not as popular and adoptable as puppies and kittens. And, those are the lucky ones; many are simply released into the wild, under the false assumnption that an animal raised in captivity can somehow "take care of itself". These rabbits die of exposure, are killed by predators, or are struck by cars when they run terrified onto busy streets.

 A rabbit is an 8-10 year commitment, and they are just as much work as a dog. They require special vets that can care for exotic animals and need constant maintenance of teeth and claws and digestive tract. If kept in a pen it needs to be cleaned regularly, and they crave interaction and stimulation with their human and animal companions. They are lively and boistrous, but can also be nervous and excitable and startle easily. They chew everything, including power cables, and must be kept on a good diet of Timothy Hay and fresh greens to stay healthy. They have personalities, likes and dislikes, quirks, and they can be the most intelligent and loving of pets. But, they are not disposable.

My Alfalfa was from a pet store. I got her at Easter, but she was one of the lucky ones. I kept her long after the holiday.

This year, before thinking of buying that cute ball of fluff in the pet store window, think about spending the next 8 years with him or her as your bunny companion, and then head over to your nearest shelter and adopt a bunny waiting for a home from there. Rabbit-parents will tell you: it is totally worth it. But, if all you want is something cute and furry for your kids to play with, get a stuffed animal to put in the basket.

Some rabbit rescue foundations and shelters:

Red Door Animal Shelter

Make Mine Chocolate

The House Rabbit Society

ASPCA

MIA Yesterday . . .

Source: Saylisk

Sorry about the dearth of posts yesterday; it was a bit of a crazy day. It's been an interesting week, actually. For a small recap:
-Sebastian is doing very well after his abscess incident. Only one more very expensive cab ride to go before he gets a clean bill of health.
-Faeries are not waterproof. Hello precious behavior: I can sit in a pile of wood chips and dirt in my white silk dress, but a few drops of rain sends me running--running--for the shack.
-My sister is now hooked on Avatar. Cue evil laughter (mwah, ha, ha, ha!) We started viewing Book 1 this week, and are about three disks in. Last night, the conversation went something like this:
"So, do you want to watch another episode, or stop here?"
Extremely tiny voice and large eyes, limpid as with some sort of manga character: "Another episode, please." My work here is done.
-I used to love "Thriller". Perhaps someday, after we have had time apart to think over what we've done, I will again. But, I'm not making any promises.
-It's just about time to start the next crazy, out-of-the-blue project that has no practical applications to my life. I'm thinking of becoming a master of Tai Chi, or finally starting that fabric-sculpt 30" Temeraire. Why not, right? My life was missing some pointless self-gratification.

We're heading into 7th weekend at Faire, and the end is in sight. As tired as I am, I am going to miss it more than I ever have, I think. Still, I'm starting to look forward to sleeping in. Like, ever. Yawn. . .

Bunny Update . . . .

So, my Sebastian had surgery on Friday. It was very minor; they knocked him out and removed the abscess on the side of his face, most likely from a cut or bite courtesy of Viola. I was at the vet with him from 11 to 2 in the afternoon, but I didn't mind it one bit; I was so glad to be told it wasn't serious, and they could fix it.

Of course, he isn't too pleased with me now; I have to give him medicine and treat the wound twice a day for two weeks. But, he's such a little warrior, that I thought the picture of Usagi Yojimbo was appropriate, in his honor.

Worries . . .

There is no fear like that of a mother for a sick child, especially when you don't know what's wrong. I remember the all-encompassing terror I felt when I found out that Alfalfa, my friend and companion of eight years, had a tumor growing in her chest that would eventually cause her death. Now, I'm afraid I'm about to go through it all again.

Last night, my sister discovered a tumor growing on Sebastian's face. It is just to the side and slightly under his jaw, and hidden by his bushy fur. A month ago, when we brought him in to the vet for his regular checkup and teeth filing, it wasn't there. Now, there is a knot of lumpy skin the size of a walnut there. He doesn't seem to be in any pain from it; he's eating and behaving normally. If it hadn't been discovered by chance, I probably wouldn't have known until the next checkup.

He's hopefully going in to the vet today at 4pm to be checked out. I feel this shaky, panicky feeling in the pit of my stomach, radiating out to my fingertips. I just don't think I can go through this again, so soon after losing Alfalfa.

The Bonding Chronicles 5: Caught in the Act!

Yes, you are seeing this. I know I said I caught her licking his head the other day, and here is the proof.

She's licking his head.

The Bonding Chronicles 4: This Time It's Personal

No humans were harmed by the disapproval in this picture.

So, after nearly two months of worrying, fretting, pulled hair, and nearly-ripped out throats (and that is just from the people involved), the bonding process had a little triumpth this morning.

She was licking his head.

SHE WAS LICKING HIS FRIGGING HEAD.

I know I sound like a lunatic, but this is a very big deal. Yes, it was separated by bars, and yes, grooming is a form of dominance, but it is not aggressive as, say, charging and growling is. Believe me, I was growing very discouraged about whether or not they would ever get along, so this is a monster-sized deal.

I woke up this morning to the usual sounds of Sebastian running around his cage, ready for greens and pets and ready for mommy to get up. It got rather quiet, and I opened my eyes and looked towards the cage to see Viola in front of it; not an unusual site. She usually comes to see him in the morning, does her morning pee next to the bars, and then follows me out to the kitchen for her own breakfast. Except this morning I saw her doing something at the bars, so I grabbed my glasses to get a better look.

They have a habit of sniffing each other through the bars; in the beginning, she would only tolerate this for a few moments before growling at him, and he would hop away. Lately, they have been sitting together more often, sniffing each other through the bars, and she has not growled. This morning, I saw her head moving, and he had his head down to her, and I realized: she's licking his head. She would lick for a few seconds, stop and look at me, then lick a few seconds more. She did this until I got out of bed and went to tell my sister (I was too excited/astonished to keep quiet). When I came back in she was lying against the bars, which she has been doing a lot more lately.

Is it possible she has finally realized he is a permanent fixture, and kinda nice to have around? Believe me, this is not an overnight thing; there is still a lot of danger in their being together without bars. I will put them together this evening in their neutral space and she will probably still be fairly aggressive towards him. But, I am very encouraged by this sign. Maybe by the end of the summer, I can actually let him out of his cage when I'm home and can supervise. I'm not holding my breath for miracles, but maybe there's hope!

After all, she was licking his head.

The word of the day is: Chai

Specifically, Starbucks Iced Vanilla Chai Tea Latte. I need an intravenous drip of this today.

Seriously, I love Sebastian, but he needs to stop waking his mother up at 5am every morning. It's like, "Mom! Mom! Mom! The sun is up! Mom! Let me tear up the newspaper in my pen to make sure you don't miss it!" He does this every morning. I've tried squirting him with water, calling his name, yelling unintelligible things . . . to no avail. The early wake-up call (usually I'm up at 6:30) is really starting to get to me; I'm just dragging today.

Did you know you can even get Starbucks to deliver the Chai concentrate to you on a regular schedule, like a subscription? Dangerous . . . .

The Bonding Chronicles 3: Bond Harder

(Dramatic music. VO: famous trailer guy Don Lafontaine)
In a world where two rabbits need to learn how to coexist peacefully . . . you have: Bond Harder! (cue: large background explosion with two bunnies hopping away from it in the foreground. You just know these bunnies are about to start some shit.)

Yes, the bonding continues.

I have finally gotten them to the point where there is no fighting or ripping out of fur; Viola is now willing to sit within two feet of Sebastian, as long as I am petting both with my protective gloves on. Sebastian is actually more alert in her presence now than the reverse; he is waiting for her to charge at him, and is a little afraid of her right now. I'm hoping that a few more days like this will begin to relax him around her.

She also seems willing to sniff him and be sniffed by him through the bars of his cage, though she still grunts at him from time to time when he lingers a little too long. I also saw her nosing the stuffed surrogate the other day, and sniffing it repeatedly without showing any nervousness or aggression.

Yes, these are admittedly very small steps, but I am willing to go as slowly as I need to in order to get them together. Rabbits are very smart and have very long memories; all it takes is one bad experience to sour them against something or someone for a very long time. I intend to continue to go gradually and keep the experience as positive as possible, and hopefully in a few weeks they will be to the point where I can let him free in the apartment without worrying that they will fight.

Next up: forced intimacy. While they are both together and fairly relaxed, I will put Sebastian down right next to Viola, and see if they will stay this way without getting freaked or growling and snapping.

Stay tuned!