Beh & Yo Rabbitry Forum

Okay... maybe weekend. I'm quite busy this week at work...

Here is my story v1.0. May still need to fix the length and some other stuff though...   

      It all begins with one day, my life changed. I already had an idea of adopting a rabbit few years back when I took care of my friend's rabbit when he was away. Mr.White (as I call him) is a ordinary local red-eyed white tabbit and is usually inside his normal cage and always wanting to see the outside world...and so I frequently lets him out to explore around my house...and had a hard time catching him back! But even if he gave me trouble, I still let him out almost daily, for 2 weeks before he is being returned to my friend.

    After that I already had some idea of keeping a bunny for my own. But it was not easy to look for a pet that I will stick for a long time, cause I'm mainly afraid that I might not give enough attention to it...I see/heard/read many news that owners start giving away their rabbits cause it's not easy to take care of, passes away quite easily and blah blah. I thinked long enough, do research online and heck...I'll just give it a go. Was kinda lucky that there is a specialized rabbit breeder in Beh & Yo Rabbitry in Malaysia, so I'm kind of thankful! Initially I was going to settle down with a Holland Lop after discussing with my girlfriend. And so we set out a day to meet Beh in PJ.

    After going through all the Holland Lops the feeling is still not there. The feeling that I'll bring one home...until I met this little fella. A chocolate otter Netherland Dwarf. He was kind enough to let us hug for a while...and from there onwards I decided to keep him! His eyes are just telling me some story...it's mysterious...there's also this funny feeling in my heart telling me that there are more to come from this little fella. So what about his name? The first word that sparks in my mind is...Alvin. Cause he looks like Alvin the Chipmunk!

    So Alvin goes with me home. He was actually rather cool at first, chilling in my car in front of the aircon...whole lying on one of my car pillow. Upon reaching home, I had to transfer him to my cage. It was chaotic at first...he throws around his bowl in anger/sadness (I think) when he realize he has parted with his previous home. What makes it even worse is the Deepavali fireworks in my area...so I accompany and petted Alvin to sleep to make him feel safe.

    Day by day goes by and he starts to be brave and accept the fact that he has a new home now. I feel that he doesn't actually trust me 100% yet, so I didn't force him to. I brought his cage to my garden and let him out. Boy, was he so happy! He went around chewing on my grass, chinning and smelling everywhere, and thats when I first saw his binky. I just felt I did the right thing. He loves open spaces. Thats how I decide to extend his house, since I don't think the cage is enough for him to stay. And so I went to get a 8-panel playpen to extend his house. I saw Alvin and see smile in his eyes...he knows he got his new house and he's shaking his head, doing half-binkies. I then continue to bring more toys for him to play with, such as a Red Dome house, a House made from hay, balls with bell in them, hanging wooden chews, etc.

    The thing that I haven't done is to actually carry/hug him. He was kind of scared and startled by leaving the ground, so I had a hard time carrying him. But slowly he started to get the hang of it. I frequently brings him out in my car to meet my girlfriend after her class, so that we can spend more time with him together. Then after time, we started from petting him into hugging him full time! He starts to climb around me and my girlfriend's shoulders, and hides his head beneath our necks. Thats when we started to hear him chew..."chut chut chut chut" it sounds like a very soft mouse voice...and of teeth grinding.

    From that day on, Alvin started to get playful with me, and he let me chase him around my house. Sometimes he plays hide and seek as well. Alvin is starting to get the hang of my house...where he digs earth in my garden, eat fresh grasses, periscoping into all my flower pots, running around with binkies along the way. My family, who before this is not really keen into animals is beginning to accept him now. My dad lets him out for a run every morning. He also gives him fresh carrots to chew on every 2 days. It's kinda wierd how little Alvin can capture the hearts of other people that easily.

    I also witness wierd stuff like how he stumbles when he tried to tiptoe too much while periscoping, yawning, and also the dead bunny flop! Nowadays he does the flop almost everytime he wants to sleep. Sometimes he does other weird stuff too…like digging soil and pushing them back into place! He also treated his previous cage as his toilet now. Somehow he knows that he needs to poo in the cage/toilet area now. Everytime when he goes out for a walk or play, he knows how to go back to his home too. No need for me to carry him back all the way in the first few weeks. He knows he's at home now, and feeling very comfortable with it. Now almost every morning when he's not doing anything, he runs to the main gate and waits for me to leave the house for work. I'm really proud of this little fella. I've seen him grow through these few months, by the changing of his hair and size. There is no reason for me not to abandon him now, everytime I see him...or even think about him, it just lightens up my day!