Cybergarden Open Day

[Nilgiri]

Hi all.

We realised there were people on the MH threads asking what on earth the cybergarden was, and could they "join".

The short answer is, Yes, come in and have a !

The cybergarden was started as a support thread for one person, and a bit of an escape from grim reality for those of us housebound one way or another. We just wanted somewhere peaceful and pleasant to relax and enjoy things we couldn't always do in real life.

It's generally a pretty positive place, although everyone needs a moan now and then. And we do lots of small, personal visualisations when the spirit moves us. It can get a bit whimsical, so if imaginary stuff makes your teeth itch we're probably not for you!

But if a large garden with companion animals and a sandpit for the children suits your needs, do come in and have a cuppa. The kettle's almost always on.

They are all doing really well. I just get lots of cuddles right now from the poorly one, and even if I am just easing her passage then it's worth it.

You're right of course, Rabbits and it's touching that little one seems to appreciate your presence. I grew up with a house-rabbit, as well as a dog, which got on with it amazingly well, but never had guinea-pigs and would really like to meet some.

I am sorry to say I don't think little Tuck is going to make it through the night, she has weakened greatly despite my best efforts. She will be passing over the rainbow bridge some time tonight at my guess. If not I will take her to get PTS tomorrow. I'd like to plant some lavender in her memory, both here and in my own garden, it's my favourite flower.

Lavender's a good idea, and sure we've lots of space in cybergarden, but such a shame - must be upsetting. Adding hugs to greentrees (((Tuck&Rabbits&Violet)))

Hope both families are bearing up and not too upset.

hugs rabbits

Thinking of you

She's made it through the night. Had the shock of my life coming down, expecting her to be gone, and she is actually up and feeding from mum. I think she may have a chance yet guys. Although lets still plant the lavender because I do like it lots. :D

Thanks for the good news, and hope she continues to get stronger. Plant lavender by all means, and why not leave enough space nearby, just-in-case. Cybergarden doesn't yet have special place for pets, but might as well have scented plants nearby?

Hope all's well chez Rabbits, and Tuck is still with us.

It is easy to kill off lavender, greentrees, so don't feel bad about it. Personally, I think it's just borderline in this climate, so I actually have two, one of which grew from seed in a fancy touristy-pot-package reduced to 99p end-of-season, so if I see one this year, you're welcome to it. Never managed to grow it from cuttings, but am happy to send you a few if you'd like to try..

Rescuing animals is dangerous work. The rabbit I took on appears to have also been pregnant. Something I am only aware of because I went to clear the hutch out and found her little nest with five babies in it!

So we now have nine baby animals born within a week of each other. Rabbits are not cute yet, hairless and eyes closed still, but will grace you all with pictures soon.

No idea how I am going to afford this, lol. Gonna need to get a new run and at least another hutch.

And Tuck is still with us. Weighed today at 71g. All of her brothers and sisters are 104g, 111g and 119g, so obviously Tuck is small, but she seems to be getting there. I even think she has some sight and hearing.

Thanks for news of Maternity Hospital at your place - so pleased about Tuck, and if she has some sight and hearing it's more likely she'll be able to survive.
Are you planning to keep all the rabbits too? Of course, you'll probably have to guess about the breed, but I do hope they're pretty enough that people would like to take some home and give a donation.. Had not realised they were rescued animals, and assumed children had lost interest in pets. Are they interested in having any?

The animals are all mine, I adopted one and realised how nice it was to have something in my life at home, and that looking after the animals actually has a really good impact on my mental health, so took on a couple more that we being gotten rid of. Then I did that a couple more times and ended up with pregnant females, so now I am a maternity ward.

I can't keep five more rabbits, that would just be too expensive. I have plenty of grazing, but need to keep them vaccinated, wormed, flea'd, feed them hay and pellets and fresh fruit and veggies. Then there's finding the accommodation for them as they will need to be kept separately boys from girls and boys from other boys once they hit puberty.

The guinea pigs should live as a herd okay once my male is neutered, and if I pass the boys on as a bonded pair hopefully. I have just about the right amount of space for them.

Wonder if it would be okay to do some sort of garage sale on my front garden and try and raise bunny money? Would that be okay morally do you think?

Don't see why you can't have a sale - we had one at home, more of a coffee morning for friends and neighbours, and asking for donations for local female who re-homed animals, being exRSPCA. It was just cash in an envelope, but arrived in time to pay newspaper-advertising bill, so we were pleased we'd bothered, and unsold stuff went to another friend who had storage space, as we planned another sale (but moved away).

Why wouldn't it be ok morally? People do that sort of thing all the time to raise money for themselves, you'll even have a good cause, rather than "I'm broke and have too much stuff"

Have the baby bunnies out, too- maybe you'll get a taker ;)

I'm up and down, and off work for another 2 weeks prob more ho hum. Visited the office today, was super stressed about the idea last night and this morning (had even decided to just drop the form off and not say hi to people), but it didn't go badly at all... now hopefully I'll feel ok and still be starting to phase back in in a few weeks as planned.

That's good MrsMuddyPuddles, things are often worse in our heads than in reality. We build them up. Hopefully it has given you some confidence to take with you to your phase back in.

I think I shall knit some cute little creatures and sell them for the cause, Maternity Ward is a busy place - the baby pigs went out into the run today, but it is too big and they could get out of the gaps, so I had to babysit.

Calling them Honeypie (DD named), Tuck (I named), Rosy (DD's best friend) and Mr Grey (my mates). Obviously when I get a definite sex I may have to rename.

All gaining weight nicely, barring Tuck who seems to have lost a couple of grams. Still preparing myself for bad news every morning when I get up and check the cage, but she's fighting and I am making her as comfortable as I can. The vet is in again on Monday, so I shall definitely make it there this time, feeling really under the weather right now with my kidney pain, so didn't make it when I had planned to.

Good for you for making visit to workmates, MrsM, and hope people who know you were sympathetic about health problems and glad to see you again.

Thanks for letting us have names Rabbits, however temporary. Do these animals know their names when older, do you think? Sorry to hear about Tuck's possible weight loss, and your own pain of course, which I hope will improve over the weekend.

Hope you're feeling better Rabbits, and that Tuck is doing well too.

Another lovely sunny morning here, but rain due, so am pleased I managed to hack down huge weeds (then remembered to bag them before deluge arrives).
Hope everyone had a good sleep and can face rest of weekend feeling refreshed (including Tuck of course).

Tuck has just had her first proper pellet meal, softened with water. She loved it, it was rather cute to watch her get so excited. Hoping to manage a weight gain today, as she has been maintaining her weight after a teeny gain following her loss, but no gain since.

I counted the baby bunnies and there's seven of them! Seven that I could see anyway, they huddle together in a nest for warmth and I am trying not to disturb it too much as mother rabbit watches and the concern is palpable on her face. Feeding two nursing mothers is constant work, lol. Two bowls of food a day, plenty of hay, lots of fresh veggies and lots of grazing for both of them.