Tuesday, July 14, 2009

All Ready?

I have had my share of stressful times, busy schedules, harrowing events, but I can assure you I do not think I have ever been as busy and hopping around like an energiser bunny as the last couple of ...well.....weeks really... It was not only preparing everything for Bendigo (which is going to be HUGE this year I promise!!!! judging by the prepared fibres, yarns and Batts that now live in our spare bedroom and take up all the space !) but ofcourse it was also an amazingly super stressful time with the two litters that we are trying, so desperately, to save after poor Mojos death just five days after giving birth to 5 gorgeously beautiful babies.

On top of all this Paul, who plays with the Australian Rules Football team veterans of Warburton , decided to "play hard" last Sunday and......tore his ankle ligaments! ouch! his ankle is all black and blue now...he got himself some crutches to hop around with and tells me not to worry about me being away and him having to feed all the animals....let's hope it won't be hailing or raining that much or he'll slide down the hill , crutches and all......oh well ...

Topping has proven herself to be an absolute grumpy mum (only towards me and Paul I might add..lol) who is not only super protective of ALL her babies but gives them such an amount of care and feed that it is no wonder she is continuously eating like a bunny pig :)
There have been some heartbreaking moments though: two of her little ones did not survive (2 chocolate coloured tim tam bunnies) and the hardest loss was the agouti coloured baby of Mojo who was the gentlest, most sweetest kit but unfortunately also the tiniest. It died this morning. Its eyes were supposed to open today....

The other four babies of Mojo are doing fine, with the big white Pink baby being the winner of the litter! it is a red eyed white! and so special...cheeky too :) It was the first to open its eyes today! and all the rest of Mojos litter followed tentatively.

We did have to help the opening of the eyes along a bit and Paul is doing a very good job with that. As soon as we handled the last of Mojos babies, I let Topping sniff it and immediately she started to clean its eyes and lick its face. So precious! and then the baby got all exited expecting to get fed? and it was at that moment that Topping jumped out of her "powder room" and onto the nestbox to feed her babies ! I just sat and looked at the amazing scene and had to smile listening to the sounds the babies made while getting a much needed nutritious feed from mum Topping. She is feeding them for longer than I have ever seen any other bunny feed her kits: standing there over the nest gently and very patiently waiting until she thinks that the babies have all had their fill. Normally a feed takes about 1 minute, but Topping feeds them for about 5 minutes !..and then goes back to her greens corner and nibbles on some fresh broccoli, cabbage, curled parsley (very good for milk production) and bok choi.

One more day before I leave for Bendigo sheep and wool show and there is still so much to do, but then again : there is always more to do , isn't there? So at one point tomorrow I will just have to say to myself: this is it and have a breather, a drink and a good rest ! before setting off on Thursday morning with a wagon full of fluffy fibre :) See you at Bendi! or on line :)))

1 comment:

Marg B said...

The little baby bunnies are growing so fast - it's amazing to think they are the same ones that were just little pink and grey and brown splotches not so long ago.

Bendigo was amazing - great to catch up!