Meet Percy!

Percy is a 3 lb. Polish rabbit born in August 2019. He stole my heart when I saw him alone in a cage in a small pet store in Boston. The owner of the store put him in my arms. This little, tiny black bun all alone! I couldn’t leave him, so an hour later he was happily hopping around my kitchen in my little studio apartment. Shawn was… open to the idea of a rabbit, but the hour between “I’m thinking of getting a rabbit” to “here’s the rabbit, he’s mine now” really threw him off. Luckily for everyone involved, Shawn and Percy are obsessed with each other. I’m the third wheel now.

 

Percy has E. Cuniculi (from birth) and lost his eye when the infection, starting as a small, white cataract, broke apart, expanded across the eye, and eventually developed an abscess. He had emergency surgery just after Thanksgiving in 2020. He is now a healthy boy and his doctor and the vet techs love him!

Our plan to travel across the US would not be possible if not for Percy’s confidence and overall easy-going demeanor. He has good litter habits, tolerates being held, adapts to new environments in a matter of hours, and just loves being with his humans getting pets. He is generally unfazed by traveling in the car and, as long as he has his pee pad and hay, he’s good to go just about anywhere.

Regardless of how “easy” Percy is as a rabbit (which are notorious for being timid or scared or stressed by travel), we still must prepare for months on the road. Over the 4^th, we took Percy to the trailer with us for our “trial” week. This trailer has been used for several years as a guest space so there were a lot of new smells to explore. It has also sat in the same spot and the tires had deflated, destabilizing the trailer a bit. Percy was not a big fan of how it shifted as Shawn and I moved around. It reminded him of the car and he doesn’t like to eat in the car.

We were concerned when our usually outgoing boy loafed in the corner and refused his favorite treats and fruit. Slowly over the course of a few days, he warmed up to the new space and eventually was sprinting around, binkying, chewing his toys, and flopping under the dining chairs. We were so happy! He also transitioned easily back home and I’m confident that when we return to the trailer he won’t have any issues.

So, that’s the biggest hurdle conquered! We’ll have to be flexible on the road, but we are doing our best to plan ahead. We have several other items to bring on the road to make Percy’s stay the best it can be:

 Automatic feeder: We use an auto feeder for Percy’s pellets which he gets very excited for. We will be bringing it on the road.

      Cardboard tunnel: Like most rabbits, Percy LOVES being in a small, dark area. We’ll be bringing along his favorite box to keep him a happy boy.

      Toys and treats: ALL the toys and treats. So many toys. He’s so spoiled.

      Fresh HAY: Shawn’s parents hay and make small “Percy” bales of 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd cut hay for us. Certified organic and locally grown! It’s incredibly fragrant and Percy goes crazy for it. We’ll keep a bale of 1^st cut and a small amount of 2^nd or 3^rd in the main storage area under the trailer and have a smaller mixed bag in the trailer to put in his litter.

          Smaller litter box: We’ll be downsizing Percy’s litterbox but he’s very good about using it so we are not worried about that change.

·       Bun First Aid Kit: I keep Percy's first aid kit pretty simple. We have Critical Care (for statis), Simethicone (baby gas-x), and Meloxicam (pain meds). I'll be following up with the vet to see if he has any recommendations. 

      Grooming tools: When grooming Percy, Shawn holds and pets him while I Furminate with one hand and vacuum with the other. We try to brush his excess fur right into the vacuum. 

We are really looking forward to exploring the states with Percy! Hopefully, all goes well. He really is such a good bunny and I'm sure we will have fun.