Update

Hello,
thought i would send you an update from my corner of Kent now Tia has gone.

Tor and i suffered a lot form shock after Tia had left us. Ever since Tor has lived with me Tia had been the main focus for us both. I got him when Tia lost her mate, he was here to keep her happy and it suddenly dawned on us both that neither he nor i really knew each other outside Tia.

So, after a couple of weeks of not really knowing each other and wondering what to do on our own i decided Tor needed a clean start and completely emptied all the bedding out of his hutch, and replaced with fresh shavings - something i could never do with Tia as she hated the smell of new shavings and refused to go in when it smelt new.
I also emptied the spare hutch which had got waterlogged so needed 're seating' to stop water running inside and had a good scrape around outside the hutches and a general tidy up. He had a lovely time 'supervising' it all and felt a lot better for it.

Since then, and on realising that i didn't actually know Tor outside Tia he and i have started 'getting to know each other' as individuals and not just through Tia. He now mostly goes by his nickname of Dillon, as it is him in his own right. He was named Tor to match Tia's queen name, but my other half has always called him Dillon as he says he looks like the stoned dog from The Magic Roundabout

He now sits on top of the spare hutch, or on his platform in the middle of the run. He will often come to the gate to see me when i pass, and if i open the gate to let him out to play, instead of now coming out of the run to have a look around, he runs back from the gate as if to invite me in to play with him . So i go in and he will jump up on the spare hutch and i will bend down and we have a 'chat' and take it in turn to nose rub each other  and share some bunny love.
Eventually i will get him another queen, but first i think he and i need to establish our own relationship. He is having fun doing exactly  the opposite to the way he lived with Tia. she always used the upstairs as the loo and slept down stairs - Dillon will go upstairs to sleep, and use the bedroom as the loo! He has adopted the opposite corner at the opposite end of the run as his outside loo. Now he hasn't got a woman to tell him how to do things, he does it his way

Hugs to all
Alice and Dillon

That's really nice to hear. Losing one of a bonded pair can leave the bereft bun very withdrawn and unwilling to start any kind of relationship, human or rabbit. But it seems Tor/Dillon as a positive take on life and welcomes the continuing and widening of your role in his life.
You and he are just what the other needs. May you continue in your blossoming love.

I'm so pleased to hear you are both doing well. Sunday like he is finding his own way in the world now too bless him.

Sending you both a hug as i expect you still need them now and again. Xxxxx

Thank you,
it is strange. To start al he wanted to o was to come out of the run and look round the garden. Now, he comes to the gate, but when i open it he invites me in to join him mostly.
I am wondering just how much he senses of Tias passing. She is buried just outside the run, the other side of the fence. There is a bench that sits there under the honeysuckle and backs onto the hutch, and Tia is buried just next to that. Last night when it was dusk and i went to put him to bed, he insisted he came out of the run, ran straight round to Tia's grave, had a quick scrabble then went back into the run to bed!
Probably just a coincidence, but it was almost as if he wanted to 'see' Tia quickly before he went to bed for the night! He did see me bury her, and whilst he may not understand exactly, i am sure he would have smelt/sensed something at the time... i wonder...

We are both getting to know each other and become a pair ourselves. In a few weeks/months when the time is right i will look for another Queen for him as he is quite lonely still, but right now we need to establish ourselves in our own right.

Alice

Oh bless him, he seems to know where she is buried too love him. It sounds as if he is starting bonding with you love, please keep us updated.

Hugs
Jo xxx

Thanks Jo,
It is fun getting to know him. He spends a lot of time sitting on one of his two 'lookout' posts but other times hides away out of sight. Today i was doing bits out in the garden and he was nowhere to be seen. I went into his run to 'rattle him' to get him to sit out so he could see i was out and about and at least enjoy watching. He went form being nowhere insight to suddenly under my feet .
So i sat him up on the spare hutch , gave him a good fuss and tickle and left him to watch me. He sat there for quite a while watching the goings on

You are welcome love, he sounds adorable.  I think you have one there who is going to adore cuddles and fusses.  I have to be really careful with Holly especially with my being disabled, she can suddenly appear at my feet and a couple of times I have nearly tripped over her.  My concern is for her in case I hurt her, so I am always vigilant.

Hugs
Jo xx

Yes, they appear so silently. I developed what I call the bunny-shuffle when I had Clawed .... it's almost fifteen years since she passed on and I have always moved round the house doing that shuffley walk; really weird. Jeez, the things we do for buns. John Cleese could have used the bunny-shuffle in his "Ministry of Funny Walks" sketch!

How are things going?

Ha ha Woodwench love, I think John Cleese would have loved it. Yes, she has nearly caused a few accidents for me so I am always aware now.  I shuffle anyway because I cannot walk properly but I am still mindful of where she is.

Hugs
Jo xx

It is good to hear you are bonding with Dillon and coping with your loss.
Sending you lots of love.

Haha! I love the idea of the Bunny Shuffle Yes, as you say, you have to be careful for them, not just you.
Dillon and i are becoming great friends, he loves joining in with things i am doing. If i am about doing things in the garden and can keep an eye on him, i let him out 'help'. He knows he isnt allowed too far away, and not behind my Partners workshop, and not towards the fence between us and next doors dog. It doesnt stop him from wanting to try, but as soon as i click my fingers or say no, he stops and turns round.

Its been a very hard time lately here. My adult son, to put it bluntly, has behaved like an idiot and he and his ex with whom he had a very volatile relationship are now on the verge of them both loosing thier daughter. She is in temporary foster care, pending court cases and decisions. My partner and i are trying to get assessed as carers for her if she cannot go back to either parent and it has caused a lot of stress as you can imagine.
Then, to add to it all one of my cats, who had appeared a little 'under the weather' for a few days suddenly dropped dead on Monday night ! She is now buried in the garden in her own little casket next to Tia, and Dillon came out to help me dig the grave for her . bless him.

So sorry to hear about your cat
Sending lots of positive thoughts your way for fostering
Xx

It doesn't rain but pour! Sorry to hear that you lost a kitty and all the stress caused by family affairs. Hope it plans out for you. Keep us posted.

Lots of love on its way hunni.

Hugs
Jo xx

Thank you Ladies, i will keep you posted.

Its not been a good year with pets this year. Back in March, my old boy cat died at the grand age of 18, leaving 3 shell shocked cats very clingy for a few weeks after and a great hole in my heart.

About the same time, Tia became ill and went down hill quite rapidly in the end, as we know, and i had a bereaved Dillon and one of the cats was quite confused too at missing Rabbit. He sat in the run every day for about a week keeping an eye on Dillon.

Now we have lost poor Podge Cat, and again have clingy, shell shocked cats left behind.

On top of all this is the problems with my Son and his family.

Hopefully it will all work out well in the end.

xx

Lots of love on its way hunni, I hope everything works out.

Hugs
JO xx