📅 Sunday, 19 July 2026 · No. 115

Conked After Cheek Massage: Snuggleupagus Down

💤 Behavior Diaries · ✎ 4 min · by Azmi in Meknes

Azmi's note My personal log from Meknes, not vet advice. Just what I did and saw tonight.

I am Azmi, writing late from Meknes, and I have breaking news from the rug: Snuggleupagus is down. Full conk achieved tonight after a nice slow cheek massage. My cosy napping snuffleupagus lies utterly snuggled, breathing deep, resisting nothing. How could anyone resist that sweet little man. I am typing this with one hand because the other is on guard duty, keeping the blanket exactly where he likes it.

Interview with the keeper: what is a cheek massage

Ask me what I actually do and the answer is gloriously boring. I wait until he is already drowsy, I sit on the floor beside him, and I rub slow small circles along his cheeks with two fingertips, no pressure at all. I follow the direction of the fur, I pause often, and I let him lean into my hand or away from it. If he leans in, I continue. If he shifts, I stop. If he grinds his teeth softly in that pleased humming way, I keep the rhythm steady and quiet. The whole method fits in one sentence, which I logged alongside my evening rest notes in my flop diary of evening rest photos.

Interview with the rabbit: stages of the conk

If he could answer questions, I think he would describe the conk in four stages. Stage one: supervising, eyes open, ears tracking every sound in the flat. Stage two: considering, head lowering, weight settling onto one hip. Stage three: melting, eyes half closed, breathing slower, whiskers still. Stage four: conked, fully on his side or loafed flat, paws tucked, ears at rest, gone to whatever rabbits dream about. Tonight he moved through all four in about ten minutes, which is a personal best for calm. I stopped rubbing at stage four and switched to admiring quietly, because a conked rabbit deserves an audience, not a disturbance.

I should add the keeper’s footnote here. I am not a vet and gentle stroking is all I ever attempt. Anything like head tilt, loss of balance, discharge, appetite change, or unusual lethargy goes straight to my rabbit vet instead of getting a massage. I also keep handling minimal and brush only as my grooming notes and brushing log describes, short sessions with lots of breaks. Calm petting is comfort, not care, and knowing the difference keeps trust intact.

Exhibit A: the napping snuffleupagus

He earned his nickname honestly. When he sleeps deeply he makes tiny snuffling sounds through his nose, little puffs of breath that move the blanket edge. His whiskers tremble, his feet paddle once or twice, and his ears flop into whatever position gravity suggests. Tonight one ear draped over like a blanket corner while the other stayed upright on sentry duty. I took the photo, then sat still for a long time because getting up felt like a crime. The room went quiet except for the snuffles and the distant street hum through the shutters.

Exhibit B: why cheeks first

Cheeks first because that is where he invites me. He presents his head low, nudges my fingers toward his jaw, and holds still in a way he never does for paws or belly. I keep sessions short, two or three minutes, and I always end before he asks me to. Ending early is the secret. It leaves him wanting more tomorrow instead of tolerating me today. After the massage I offer a sprig of hay or a quiet word, then I leave him to nap undisturbed. No lifting, no rolling, no waking for poses. The photo of the comfy happens once, fast, then the camera goes away.

Post-match comments: snuggle him for everyone who asked

Friends always write snuggle him for me, so consider it done. Tonight I gave him one extra gentle stroke on behalf of everyone who asked, then let him sleep. One comfy rabbit, fully conked, deeply loved. His breathing stayed slow and even, his body stayed warm and heavy against the rug, and his dreams looked pleasant from the outside. I will take pleasant and call it a win.

What I love most is how predictable the ritual has become. He hears me settle onto the mat, shuffles closer without opening his eyes fully, and parks his head where my hand can reach. No coaxing, no lifting, just a small creature choosing company at the end of the day. Those quiet minutes reset my whole evening. The city noise fades, the worries loosen, and there is only warm fur, slow breath, and the soft weight of trust.

Cheek massage license: renewed nightly, conk rate holding strong, keeper happiness at full. Tomorrow I will do exactly the same thing: wait for drowsy, sit low, circles light, stop at the conk, admire quietly. Some nights he will stay alert and that will be fine too, because consent is the whole method. Tonight, though, Snuggleupagus went down soft and sweet in our little Meknes flat, and I get to end the diary with the best sentence I know: he slept well, and so will I.

🐰

Written by Azmi

I track my rabbits' diet, weight and naps to see what works. Photos are mine, mess included. Say hi on the contact page.

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