Tuppence’s tale

[Coelinhos]

It was the end of winter but still bitterly cold. I had started a new job so had to leave my best friend, a blind minilop called Casper, at home alone. I knew he needed a friend so I spent my lunchtimes scouring rescue sites for an unwanted, spayed doe. I clicked a link to a breeder who was rehoming some of his rabbits. That was when I saw her; the most beautiful rabbit I had ever seen. A Netherlands dwarf, about 2 years old, with peach coloured fur with black and grey speckles. “Very friendly”. “Easy to handle”. I phoned the man immediately. She was a pure Netherland Dwarf who had circulated around a few amateur breeders because of her gorgeous colouring. She’d had 2 litters in her current home but had abandoned the second litter. He didn’t want to keep a rabbit that couldn’t breed and thought she’d be better as a pet rabbit. She was £15 because advertising her as free to a good home would attract people who might abuse her. The breeder was professional and very friendly and I was absolutely in love with the rabbit. Sure I’d have to pay to get her spayed, but Casper was neutered so there was no pregnancy risk.

I drove with my friend to collect her that evening.

As we pulled up to the address it started snowing heavily which made the small London streets around the address look like a postcard. I was shaking with nervousness as I knocked on the door. A friendly gentleman answered and ushered my friend and I into the warm. 

There was a cardboard box on the dining room table with 2 young children staring at it. The man shooed the kids into the next room and beckoned me to the box. I peered over the edge and there, nestled in the hay, was that beautiful rabbit.

 Well, kind of.

There was a tiny, shaking, peach coloured rabbit. Every breath was a squeak. Her nose and eyes lacked any fur and the peach fuzz covering her body was dull and scruffy. I instinctively reached to pick her up and she squeaked loudly as I lifted her. Her eyes were bulging in fear and her breathing was rapid and uneven. Her ears were stiff and pointing backwards.

“She’s just getting over a cold” the man reassured me. “See how friendly she is? She’ll let anyone hold her!”

I wasn’t that naive. Rabbits don’t get colds; they get potentially life threatening pasturella infections. And this rabbit wasn’t being friendly; she was petrified and had completely given up. 

“She really likes her pellets so I give them to her all the time” the man said “I suppose I spoil them a bit” he laughed.

I forced a smile and put the rabbit back in the box. As I watched her shrink back into a corner something clicked; I didn’t care how hard it was going to be, I was going to give this rabbit the best possible life. Casper would be at risk, but he was very healthy and hopefully wouldn’t contract the snuffles. I handed the man a £20 and grabbed the box then left without saying anything. 

In the car my friend looked at me sideways “you just tipped a man for a sick rabbit.” 

I nodded and stuffed a spare fleece in the box to keep the rabbit warm on the drive, then called the RSPCA and left an anonymous tip about a neglectful breeder.

The vet trip the following day revealed claws that were long, curled and painful, plus red raw hocks and permanent damage to her upper respiratory tract from a prior infection (causing the constant quiet squeaking). She was, incredibly, otherwise perfectly healthy. My rabbit specialist checked her very carefully and gave her vaccinations and some de-wormer and antibiotics to clear up the rest of the infection. I took her home with renewed confidence about the future.

Meeting Casper went better than expected. The new rabbit (now named Tuppence) completely ignored Casper as he circled her grunting. She focused instead on the fresh hay in front of her. Eventually a very excited Casper tried mounting his new friend, but was quickly chased off. They slept in adjacent cages at night and during the day I let them have supervised contact. Tuppence hated me; she’d lunge and growl and bite whenever I tried to go near her, but she seemed to warm up to Casper; following him around and accepting most of his attempts at grooming her. 

On the third night with her Tuppence attacked my feet and I shooed her away. I did not like this new rabbit very much and was only really making an effort because Casper was so happy. Casper sensed something was wrong and bumbled over. He flopped next to me and started licking my hand until I stroked him. He flattened completely and started chattering happily as he always had done with me previously. Tuppence eyed him suspiciously, then waddled over and flopped next to me as well. Casper alternated between grooming me and grooming her. Everytime I stroked her, he’d groom her too. Slowly he was teaching her that I was safe!

That evening at bed time Tuppence ran into Casper’s cage and refused to move. I felt safe letting them share a cage and went to bed.

The following morning they were snuggled together looking happy so I left them to go to work.

That evening everything changed. For all of us.

Upon arriving home I was horrified to find bloodied bedding in the cage. There was blood on the floor and the sides as well. 

My heart sank – They had fought.

 I separated them immediately and studied each rabbit for damage… but both were completely fine. Dazed from being grabbed, but fine. I turned my attention to the cage and tracked the clumps of fur and blood into Casper’s favourite hidey – hole. 

This was unforgiveable; that sad and angry rabbit had hurt my Casper. She would have to go! 

I cried as I cleared out the bloodied bedding. I didn’t want to give up on this poor wretched rabbit, but I had put Casper at too much risk already. Maybe she had bitten his tongue? Maybe his fur was hiding the wound. My mind was racing, what on earth stupid thing had I done?

Then my hand closed around a warm, moving lump. I screamed and dropped it. After regaining composure I began to dig gently in the bedding. To my utter surprise I found three tiny baby rabbits. I knew I had adopted a sick rabbit, I had no idea I had adopted a pregnant rabbit! That explained the blood and the complete lack of bunny injury! Casper had let her give birth in his bed! I cried even more as I thought about how I had instantly blamed the new rabbit – she had been so scared and ill and now had finally felt comfortable enough to have her children! She definitely needed us and from the way Casper behaved with her, he needed Tuppence.

Tuppence and Casper made amazing parents. At first I tried to separate Casper because I knew that male rabbits can be aggressive towards babies, but he threw such a fit when he couldn’t meet the tiny wiggles that I begrudgingly let him meet one. He immediately started licking it and from that moment on he stood guard at the edge of their nest (he even thumped to get my attention when one of them crawled out!). Tuppence would nurse and Casper would lick her face while she nursed. As the babies grew older they would just sit on Casper or play under his ears and he would shower each of them with undying affection. (They also weed on him a lot which was less adorable.)

Eventually I rehomed 2 of the babies (one went to a family friend whose 10 year old house rabbit had just died, the other went to a colleague who was looking for a mate for her house rabbit) and I kept the runt and named her Batatinha – she was so endearingly ugly that I named her “Small Potato” in Portuguese. She is now a truly gorgeous rabbit and everyone who meets her comments on how beautiful and graceful she is.

With my final warren number at three and the time to really focus on building my own relationship with Tuppence it soon became clear that she had never stood on her hind feet before or been able to stretch out fully, so she was extremely wobbly. She’d never binkied or zoomed and didn’t really know how to interact with rabbits or humans. 

Over the next 2 years Tuppence made incredible progress.

Myself and the three rabbits moved in with my fiance, where Tuppence quickly blossomed from a shy and disinterested rabbit into the most curious and playful darling I have ever met. The hocks still lack fur (we don’t think it will ever grow back there now) but are no longer red or painful. She still squeaks and grunts and snores (and always will) but her breathing is much better and the vets are really happy. 
She no longer bites or shows any form of aggression, and if she’s not with Casper I can guarantee you she’s following me or my partner! She’s the first to greet us when we come home and adores being held (especially where she can feel a heartbeat). She’ll throw toys back at you, investigate everything that you’re doing and aggressively headbutts humans if she wants attention. She’s not only learned to stand on her hind legs, but now she can do it on command! She’s such a bossy little character and will think nothing of throwing your hand out of her way or forcing you to stroke her. She pushes the other two around and organises the cage exactly to her liking. She’s really grown into her own lively personality and we are so proud of her and love her so much.

Why am I writing all of this now? Well, because my darling rescue rabbit, who had never really learned to rabbit,  has just this week learned how to binky! It was messy, it lacked grace and composure, but it was a definite binky! And now she’s learned that, she is refusing to stop! 

We could not be happier!  

Here she is! Showing you how good she is at standing up now! 

[Q8bunny]

Tuppence’s tale brought tears to my eyes. It’s amazing how the universe can conspire to enrich our lives, even when it seems that the opposite is true. And may I wish you all many more binkies?

Oh. And you are a born storyteller. Take it from a writer.

[Whiskers]

Wow! What a true life event. It is amazing how animals know what is wrong and how to fix it. Casper loved you and Tupperence souch that he helped your bonding.Amazement, love, and compassion at it’s finest. Thank you Casper for bringing these two hearts together.

Thank you for giving Tupperence a chance for a better life.

Wow, three bunnies. Tupperence you earn a medal for going through the abuse you went through. Sicknesses and all those babies. I proud of you for learning to trust again and for learning to be a rabbit. Keep on growing. Put the emotional baggage behind you and have fun enjoying being a rabbit. A true rabbit.

Wow! Thank you for not giving up on this poor girl. Thank you for reporting the breeder. May you continue to enjoy these wonderful joys we call bunnies.

[Azerane]

What a wonderful story. Tuppence is very lucky to have you as her new owner. Welcome to binky bunny

[Gordo and Janice]

Just WOW! I saw this before and started to read it but didn’t have the time. I am a slow reader. I savor every word. Reread lines to fully absorb the meaning, the picture being painted, the whole environment. So I would come back to it when I had more time. Forgot about it. Then found it again. Such a wonderful story told by such a really good story teller. It is like reading a book. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I sounds like a fairy tale story. Beautiful for everyone involved.

And the picture….just adorable…..a thousand words!

[Author]

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