The Giant Beardies!
If you've read my write-up on the Metz Trip of November 2015, you'll know that in addition to the Red Satin Dwarfs that we planned on purchasing we also brought home a surprise addition to our bunny gang. This was Bigwig, a gorgeous, soppy, teddy bear of a bunny. He came from Germany but the breed originates from Belgium, called the Ghent Bearded after the village where they were first bred. However we call him a Bearded Giant because in comparison to the rest of our bunny gang he is massive!
A month after his arrival and the night before he was due to be neutured, Bigwig had an unexpected visitor to his enclosure. Cassandra the Red Satin had escaped her cage overnight and found her way into Bigwig's shed, and were happily snuggled up together when we came to feed them the next morning. At the time we were groaning in despair, so worried about Cass and whether she would survive what would undoubtedly be a very traumatic birth.
A month after his arrival and the night before he was due to be neutured, Bigwig had an unexpected visitor to his enclosure. Cassandra the Red Satin had escaped her cage overnight and found her way into Bigwig's shed, and were happily snuggled up together when we came to feed them the next morning. At the time we were groaning in despair, so worried about Cass and whether she would survive what would undoubtedly be a very traumatic birth.
On Boxing Day 2015 we watched with trepidation as Cass gave birth to three babies right in front of us, then proceeded to have a good long rest afterwards! The first baby was stillborn, which isn't unusual in first-time mums, but the second two looked to be absolutely fine. Cass raised them alone until they were four weeks old, then we moved her and her little ones (a girl and a boy) into Bigwig's shed to live as a complete family.
Bigwig bonded with them all instantly and the babies loved their giant dad, loving to sit between his front paws during dinner time and take naps lying on his side. I spent far too many hours sat in the shed with them as they were just too cute to resist! In line with Bigwig's Watership Down name we named them Pipkin and Nildro. Little Pip was absolutely tiny, whereas Nilly was so much bigger like her dad, but they both had the beautiful Red Agouti colouring that was a perfect mix of their parents.
Bigwig bonded with them all instantly and the babies loved their giant dad, loving to sit between his front paws during dinner time and take naps lying on his side. I spent far too many hours sat in the shed with them as they were just too cute to resist! In line with Bigwig's Watership Down name we named them Pipkin and Nildro. Little Pip was absolutely tiny, whereas Nilly was so much bigger like her dad, but they both had the beautiful Red Agouti colouring that was a perfect mix of their parents.
Now it's just Bigwig and Nildro in the shed, but I still sit in there most evenings with Bigwig sprawled out in my lap and Nildro sitting on his back like she used to do when she was younger. They're both great friends with our dog and our cats, and it's hilarious to watch them all playing together in the garden and the house. Bigwig's been coming out to Pet Shows with us since February and has racked up several seconds, but hasn't quite squeezed a win just yet! He always causes quite a stir wherever he goes though, with everyone admiring him on the table and as I carry him around (because he always sticks his head under my chin and looks adorable). When Nildro's older she could end up accompanying us, and we hope to take them both camping with us when we go to the New Forest this year!
So although we wondered for hours over whether to bring Bigwig home from Metz, and wished for so long that Cass had never become pregnant, both incidents ended up being the best decision and mistake we've probably ever made.