Ocean's Story

Ocean has been adopted!

Ocean was adopted through:

The Littlest Rescue, Bristol.
http://boardingbunniesathome.co.uk/rescue-and-rehoming/
Tel: Bev on 0117 956 1981 or
Email: sharon@boardingbunniesathome.co.uk


Ocean came to us from The Littlest Rescue, Bristol. She'd been handed into the rescue with her buddy Pearl but suddenly they couldn't stand the sight of each other! Bunnies often get hormonal and territorial when they reach puberty, but at 18 months old, we thought it strange that Ocean was suddenly so stroppy! It was decided that Ocean would be spayed, which significantly reduces their aggression and therefore stress levels, but also their risk of uterine cancer, which can affect up to 60% of bunnies.

Ocean's behaviour has improved while she has been in foster care. At first we couldn't pick her up or touch her head for head rubs, but she's gradually getting used to hands. She will still struggle once she's in your arms, but that's bunnies for you! Their instincts tells them that they're being swooped up by a bird of prey and that they must wriggle free to escape!

Ocean's spay is this week. We hope that after a few weeks, her hormones will die down and she will start to accept cuddles etc. Then she will be ready for her forever home. We have seen bunnies go from Hyde to Jekyll from the op, and given Ocean's super intelligence and progress so far, we've no doubt she'll make a fantastic pet very soon. Watch this space for updates.

Update on 18/07/2012

Ocean was spayed on the 12/07. She is recovering really well but the extra time spent in her hutch has made her a bit crabby! We hope to spend lots of time with her over the next few weeks gaining her trust and working on her issues.

Update on 23/07/2012

Bunnies like to do things in their own sweet time. I decided to be as patient as possible with Ocean because she improves a tiny bit every day and she has so much potential. I am delighted to report that I had a major breakthrough with her yesterday. We let her out to run around and she did her usual game of hiding under the sideboard when it was time for bed. She will scratch you to bits if you put your hand anywhere near her so it's very tricky to get her out from anywhere. But something told me to keep trying to touch her head. She scratched and grunted and moo'd but eventually she just...sat...and accepted head rubs. She didn't look comfortable in the slightest, she was sitting on a wonk and looking confused but I could tell she liked it! I got her out to have a run in the garden today and she was a lot calmer and less thumpy and considerably easier to catch when it was time to go back inside! It won't be long before Ocean forgets to have a tantrum altogether! *fingers crossed*.

Update on 26/07/2012

Another breakthrough today! Ocean let me put my hand in the hutch, give her head rubs and pick her up! There was a little grunting but I didn't have to resort to any bunny wrangling! I would now feel confident giving her to someone else without worrying that she would hurt them. Wasn't sure I would ever get to say that!

Update on 07/08/2012

Ocean is still making great progress. I will really miss her when she's gone! She's so well behaved when you pick up and hold her and she's the most litter trained bunny I've ever seen! We're going to try to bond her with a buck soon so she can get out of her thumping and grunting habit.

I made a video of Ocean last month showing how averse to head rubs she was. As you can see here, she's in attack mode and does not trust my hand at all! Ocean does not want head rubs!

I made this later video last week and it just shows her progress. You can see she's not very submissive or even looking like she enjoys it but it is a massive improvement and my hands are still intact! Ocean likes head rubs much more.

A note on head rubs.

Head rubs are important because it's the closest way humans can emulate how bunnies groom each-other.
All bunnies are different and their approach to grooming says a lot about their character.
These are some of the different reactions to head rubs:

1. Some bunnies think head rubs are your way of saying 'you are my master and I live to serve you' and take all they can get.
2. Others seem to think 'I will not be submissive to you!'.
3. And then there's the bunnies who live to serve you and love nothing more than giving you a good clean.
4. This behaviour can also mean that the bunny thinks you are the submissive one!
5. And then there's the bunnies who are just plain scared of human contact. It is so worth persevering to get them used to being touched. Once they get used to head rubs, you will quickly bond with your rabbit and secure their trust.

Update on 17/08/2012

Ocean is still waiting to find a husbun to spend her days with. We will try to pair her with another rescue bun soon.

Update on 25/09/2012

Ocean is now on suitor no.2! The first, Dennis came from the rescue and we tried to get them to like each-other but it wasn't to be. Dennis was quite young and very docile and Ocean just did not like him at all! We were reluctant to try again as the bonding process made her very agitated. However, we need to make sure that Ocean can't be bonded with another rabbit before we try to rehome her as a solo bun. If she can find friendship with another rabbit then brilliant as that's how it should be. Suitor no.2 is called Fred and he's an older, bigger bun. Ocean seems more relaxed around him and so far bonding is going quite well. No face to face meeting yet, we're taking this very slowly!

Update on 23/10/2012

Unfortunately Ocean and Fred didn't get on. We can safely say after trying to match her with 3 rabbits (the first being her own sister!), that Ocean does not like other rabbits! It's sad that she won't have a rabbit friend but she is much more relaxed as a solo bun. Now that we're not spending time trying to pair her up, she is getting more individual attention. She doesn't show it very well but she loves getting attention from us! We love having her in the living room when we're watching TV and waiting until Ocean jumps up and sniffs our faces :)

Update on 01/12/2012

Ocean is still with us! Fortunately it has given us the chance to spend more time with her and work on her issues. She is still improving all the time. For example she has just started rushing to the side of her run and sticking her nose through for nose rubs! She is a lot easier to catch when she's been out and her thumping and growling has reduced significantly. In fact, she is turning into a real softie. The central rescue currently has in quite a few 'difficult' bunnies and I would love to foster more and give them the special treatment - but there's no room at the inn! I hope Ocean and Acorn and Chestnut find homes soon so we can start working with more rabbits who need our help.

Update on 15/01/2013

Yes she's still here! If you are looking for a single bunny who is happy with human rather than bunny company, then please consider Ocean. She is an excellent pet, intelligent, playful, gives good cuddles and does something new every day. OK she is a bugger to pick up once she's in her hutch (classic hutch aggression that will wear off with time and is already so much better than it was) but - once you've got her in your arms she's so calm and loving. She absolutely loves nose rubs and will sit and wait for your to perform your duties every time you go near her run. She's very clean and 100% litter trained (best I've seen) and is in rude health. She loves her toys and treat balls, boxes, tubes, coke bottles, blankets you name it can turn into hours of fun for her. She does love to nibble and I would recommend a plastic hutch rather than a wooden one for her. She also has a thing for rugs... But the positives far outweigh the negatives! Let's hope she finds a loving home soon - she really does deserve it.

Recent video of Ocean -



Updated on 15/5/2013

Ocean has been adopted! She was taken in by a lovely couple on 26th April and Ocean has quickly made herself at home.
Here she is flopping out after a doing a few laps around the room!

I must admit I have found it tough without her. I guess we got attached as she was with us for so long. But as a foster home, we simply couldn't offer her the time and space she so deserved. May Ocean's future be filled with nose rubs, space to sprint around in and undivided human attention (with no other smelly bunnies to bother her!)