Dramatic day in bunny world

Flopsy and Mopsy are becoming affectionate.  Unfortunately this makes it sooooo much harder to think about the fact that we will have to release them once they're weaned.  Last night I put my hand in their cage and they hopped right over to it and started nuzzling, and licking it.  Flopsy went so far as to put herself right into my palm and wait for me to pick her up for feeding.  Talk about tugging at the heart strings!

Flopsy

 Today, however, our two baby rabbits have had a very dramatic day.  Last night we noticed a large black blob on Flopsy's neck, which we thought was either a growth or an abscess.  Tonight we realized that it was a monstrously large, bloated tick which fell off and has since been disposed of (eeeew!!!).  Flopsy is looking alert and feisty as ever and no worse for the experience.

Unfortunately the same can't be said for poor Mopsy.  At first I assumed that she was hiding under her favorite piece of fleece and went ahead and fed Flopsy, who eagerly hopped into my hand and ate like she'd never had food before.  I noticed that her black bulge was gone and, realizing that it was a tick, I called Dave in to search the cage for it.  He moved the blankets, and the grass, and the water bowl, and the fleece, and he found the tick.  What he did not find was Mopsy.

Mopsy - after her fall

 I was stunned, how could we be missing a bunny?!  Apparently, sometime today, she managed to squeeze through the bars of the bunny cage, which was sitting on a chair in the office.  It's quite a drop from the cage to the floor and when we found her we could tell right away that it hadn't done her any good.  She didn't run or hide when Dave picked her up.  I barely even had to hold her, she sat without protest in my cupped hand, her eyes half closed.  She ate a little but doesn't look well at all.  She is not feisty, or inquisitive, as she usually is.  I am broken hearted.  I'm very afraid that when I come in to feed them in the morning we will have one less bunny.

Dave fortified the cage to prevent further escape... Clear packaging tape is covering the area that looks like a gap below the cardboard.