Around 9 in the evening Rory’s mood seemed to change. He would not eat, or hop about. He just sat there shaking with his eyes half closed. We thought it was perhaps nothing and it would pass. We were all up late and around 1:40 in the morning fear set in to our warren. Rory was most likely ill. He still would not eat or drink or hop. Even his mate Hunny couldn’t cheer him up.

After a phone call, I got them into their travel carrier and carefully placed them into the back seat of our car. Kristen sat with them and we drove up to the hold neighborhood and it’s emergency pet clinic.

The veterinarian was a pleasant older lady who was quite perplexed by Rory’s state. He seemed to be in good health. despite his temperature being 5 degrees lower than normal, he showed no signs of illness. We were sent outside to the waiting area. So I tried my best to comfort Hunny who probably had no idea what was happening except that her mate was still in the other room.

I’ll admit I was very worried, in fact scared that something terrible would happen at that moment. I couldn’t help but think of my first rabbit George, who at the age of almost 10 years old, showed the only signs of sickness in his life. It was a tragedy… within 48 hours of looking ill we had to put him down. My mind couldn’t help going back to that moment in time and thinking how unfair it would be this time, if that was indeed his fate tonight. We’ve only had these rabbits for 2 months.

Soon he was brought back to us and he sat safely in his carrier cuddling with Hunny. He had been given a shot of fluids… some vitamins, and something that would keep him hydrated as well as retain body heat. Soon after we were home and they were back in the safety of Rabbit Castle. And this is where this tale of late night apprehension ends. This morning at 7am I went to check up on them and all was well. The same silly hopping around when I brought out the bags of hay. The same bopping of my hands with their foreheads and noses.

So with that episode over, we are now preparing to meet our tax lady and deal with doing our share to bail out the country. Wish us luck!