Tale of Flopsy, the collapsed bunny

It was one of those weeks......totally hectic, busy and to top it all off: full of drama.....

Wednesday when I went and checked on the little baby bunnies (now 4 weeks and a bit old) I found Flopsy (the agouti coloured bunny) lying on its side in the nestbox...totally paralysed or so it seemed. Horror...what had happened? Everything just seemed fine just two hours ago ! Did it break its back? neck?

I quickly took it into the house and tried to figure out what was going on, while comforting a baby bunny obviously in distress...

You know, I can cope with falling down, breaking anything myself really, but when it comes down to kids and defenseless animals I am as soft as they come....tears were flowing down my face as I kept on trying to see what had happened to Flopsy (now so named because of her collapse and flopped state). No broken bones, nothing! Just this floppiness, unable to move and eyes wide open in amazement. Breathing was erratic and it was obviously in shock. What was going on????

Okay, here it is...bunnies are very sensitive...when they eat too many pellets and not enough roughage like hay or straw or maybe a bit too much green , they can develop gas or blockage. It can mean that their GI (gastro intestinal tract is in stasis-doesn't move- so no growling of the tummy can be heard). This whole thing can send a bunny into a collapsed state of which it can die very quickly. Flopsy was feeling cold, so I warmed it up (always have warm water bottles at hand) , started a drip so she could recuperate the fluids that she had lost and try and put some recovery food in her (called critical care) to get her bowels moving..all the time giving the bunny tummy rubs and comforting her.....

Flopsy started to respond: By peeing on me, so I though that was a good thing.....(not that I am into that kind of thing...lol, but at least I knew something was working)....

Now after two days she has some movement back and she accepts the handfeeding more and more , but we are not "out of the woods" yet. She has lost 50grams in weight since ger collapse happened and only weighs 599 grams (the other in comparison are about 200 grams up on her!)It have been some terrifying , sleepless nights.....Please send your good thoughts to Flopsy.

Because of the amount of time taking care of Flopsy, the dyeing of the new batch of angorinos has been a bit delayed, but I am dyeing some today, so keep a look out for them on this blog very very soon!

New Hand Painted Angorino & Cashmerino Yarn

Here they are: the new hand painted fibres! I have been reading "The Lady & the Unicorn", about those famous tapestries, made in around 1480!!!! You can see them in the Cluny Museum in France. By the way, if anybody is going....I am more than willing to carry your luggage, lunches, be a tourguide and translator in exchange for a trip to France...lol. Anyway, the tapestries are amazing, all the yarns were hand dyed with natural dyes and the weaving alone took probably about 2 years to finish. Seeing there are 6 HUGE tapestries, I think that is quite a feat. Oh, have a look at the cute little bunnies in the tapestries!.....:-)

So, now you know why this weeks batch is kind of "Medievally" inspired...lol...Well, there are some more "modern" sidesteps.....and .....RAINBOWS!!!!
Remember: They can be picked up at the market where I will be tomorrow (arts Centre in Melbourne) or I can send them to you by mail. Let me know quick by email so I can reserve them for you....the angorino tops have a tendency to be adopted to good homes really fast! lol

HAND PAINTED ANGORINO TOPS

The Lady and the Unicorn

Da Vinci Blush2

Michaelangelo Blush

Boticelli Velvet

Wuthering Heights

Kingfisher

Raspberry Rainbow

Dingo Rainbow

Tasman Rainbow

CASHMERINO LACE YARN

I have dyed some new cashmere/merino 1ply yarn. Remember: 1 skein of 50 grams is enough to make a lace shawl!!!! and you get a free pattern with it as well...

They make a great Christmas pressie (wink...)

Spice3

Kookaburra Blues

Raspberry Dusk

Alfalfa Fields with moss

Zen2

Angora Bunny Baby update

I finally made it ! Took some photos of the babies who have somehow grown very very fast! So without keeping you waiting any longer: here are the 29 days old bunnies!

Eowin having a rest with her babies jumping around her

Spot the Bunny!

Hmmmm very nice wheat and Dandelion!

This is the little one we saved out of Jasmines' litter. It has got a gorgeous silver grey coat and a white spot on the top of its head!

Hello! Can I come and play?

More bunny photos are coming soon!

NEW !!!! Haramaki range now available !

Okay, what is a Haramaki? it is a belly/kidney/back warmer, that can also be used as a top, headband, belt and scarf! It is amazing to wear it , especially over cropped pants to keep your bare bits warm and it is extremely fashionable at the same time! I just finished making several ones in small, medium, large and extra large (to fit perfectly over pregnant tummies!) Colour range varies from dark blue/brown, fern green/blue, dusky pinks, purples and reds. More colours coming soon! I use alpaca, bunny, merino and silk boucle fibres, but more fibres are constantly added to the list!
Prices are AU$60 and every Haramaki is handmade by Ixchelbunny. I am taking orders at the moment so please let me know in what colours you are interested. You can contact me by email or message me at the Ravelry site as well.

Angorino tops and Spindlemaker spindles!!!

See what's come out of the dyepot this week!

Just have a look at the new angorino ! I am extremely happy with this new batch, not only because of the colour but also because of the supersofrtness of it! Even I have a hard time NOT drooling...lol. the angorino tops are still AU$19 per 150-160g> Give me a buzzzzzzz when you want to adopt one or hop into my market stall this Saturday the 15th of November at the Steiner School Fair !in Warranwood (213 Wonga Rd, Warranwood) or at the Southbank Market on Sunday. You can also reserve one (or more..) by sending me an email. Here they are:

hand dyed Angorino; 150-160g, AU$19. Colour: "Phoenix rises"

Dingo Summer

"Renaissance"

"Da Vinci Blush"

"LichenAngel"

"Borealis"

"Walnut Leaves for Nuts"

"Moonglow"

Spindlemaker Spindles have arrived !

John has been very busy making these wonderful spindles: every one of them is a work of art and spins like heaven. They perform extremely well spinning the angorino and pure angora fibres and more ! They are all hand turned and made from Australian exotic woods (they even smell nice!). If you are interested in one just let me know !

Whorl: Australian Inland Rosewood, Shaft: Tasmanian Blackwood, weight: 44g

Whorl: Cooktown Ironwood, Shaft: Mulga, weight: 52g

Whorl:Eucalypt, Shaft: Tiger Myrtle, weight: 28g

Whorl: Blackheart Sassafras, Shaft: Gidgee, weight: 33g

Whorl:Bull Oak, shaft: Tasmanian Blackwood, weight: 39g

Whorl: Mulga, Shaft: Mulga, weight: 59g

Whorl: Huon Pine, Shaft: Tasmanian Blackwood, weight: 48g

Bunny NEws

All four bunnies are growing like cabbages and I will post some photos of them this week when they are playing and hopping around ! they do not want to stay in their nestbox anymore and instead are hopping all over their mum and getting into her food, having a nibble here and there! Eowin is very patient with them and they get lots of nice bunny kisses from her..sooooo cute!

Better hop 2 it ...lol and do some more work! See you at the markets or on line!

Angora Bunny babies and new angora yarn!

What an exciting time it is! USA Elections (will there be "Change" for the better?), Economic turmoil (Recession or Recovery?), Climate Change (will we in Australia still have a colourful Barrier Reef in 2050?) and ............new baby bunnies just opening their eyes to see their new world! I am soooo happy to say that the four angora bunny babies are all doing well and have opened their eyes and are taking their first wobbly steps! Eowin their mum, is eating like a horse to keep up with their appetite! All is well in Bunny world.

Very happy with the colour of this cute angora bunny, with it swhite belly and chin and a mix of brown, grey and dark brown coat. Hopefully this will be an Agouti coloured bunny and that is sooo special!

The biggest baby bunny out of the litter: the gold medal winner....lol Just after opening its eyes and taking its first wobbly steps in the big world.

Tineetim is still the tiniest member of the angora baby bunny litter but has the darkest coat I ever saw: it will grow lots lighter the older it gets.

This is the Baby bunny of Minne, that we had to put in the nest with Eowins babies to survive since its sibling didn't make it. The most silky silver coat I ever saw.

This is Eowin, the proud bunny mum, enjoying a little wheat !

New Angora yarn!

I have been busy spinning and dyeing again and these are the new skeins that came out of the dyepot! All skeins are available for sale (AU$14/25grams) so if you love a colour contact me and I can keep it aside for you ! Whether it is 1 skein or all of them....:-) I am at the Arts Centre market every Sunday where you can pick them up and have a cuddle...:-) OR they can ofcourse be sent to you by mail: it's easy to get your angora bunny fix!

Kangaroo Autumn

Indigo Bunny

Spice Bunny

Spring Flower Bunny