Charliesangel
Warren Veteran
What is your bunny routine???? What time do they come out to play? What time do they eat? Do they do anything silly? The more detail the better your routine will be
I know there have been a few posts like this before, but I just love hearing the stories about what you do everyday!!!
The idea for this thread came from this. It is SO cute, its a must read!!
So, now that you've read what the routine is at her house, whats yours??
xxx
I know there have been a few posts like this before, but I just love hearing the stories about what you do everyday!!!
The idea for this thread came from this. It is SO cute, its a must read!!
What It's Like At My House
Mary Alexander
Alabama EARS volunteer
Story Editor: Laura L. Barnes
Editor's Note: This story originally appeared in the Alabama
EARS newsletter. For more information about Alabama EARS, visit
http://www.alabamaears.org/. For those who don't know what a
binky is, see
http://www.paperglyphs.com/rabbits/rabbittalk_binkies.html
for a definition and descriptive video.
Most people are surprised when they find out I have house
rabbits. "You've got to be kidding!" is usually the standard
reply. Followed by, "They actually use a litter box? Like
a cat?"
The Easter holidays presented many opportunities for me to
talk to people about having house rabbits as pets. After
getting over the shocking revelation that bunnies can and
will use a litter box, many people wanted to know what they
are really like as a pet. The common perception is of a
bunny sitting in a cage, nose twitching. You feed him a
carrot, scratch his ears, close the cage door, and move on.
But rabbits can be as fun, interactive, and entertaining as
any dog or cat you've ever known. All you have to do is
bring them inside and spend some time with them. A friend
asked me, "What's it really like at your house?"
So I told him.
I usually get up at 6:30am, and there's no need to set the
alarm. Sophie, my three year old dwarf black and silver
female, will rattle the door to wake me if I'm not up by
7:00 am. She and JJ, her 5 year old, chocolate brown,
dwarf male companion, have their own bedroom, next door
to mine. Answering my "wake up call," I'm greeted with
some nudges, perhaps a few tugs on my socks or pajamas,
before we venture to the kitchen. While I start the coffee,
JJ and Sophie dance in the kitchen doorway, waiting for a
slice of banana. Then I take my coffee, and sit on the
stairway, with a clear view of the living and dining rooms,
and "let the games begin."
Each of my bunnies has their own morning routine. Sophie
prefers to run wide open, making a figure eight pattern around
the dining room table and through the living room. This is
punctuated with sideways binkys and "cannonballs" when she
explodes out of her cardboard tunnel. She frequently kicks
out while binkying, effecting a 360 turn that completely
disorients her. After a few figure eights, she comes,
still running wide open, to sit by me on the stairs.
There, she "presents" for her morning petting session.
JJ's routine is slightly more subdued. He hops along at a
slow pace, slows to a stop, and then calmly pops straight up
into the air. He loves to get behind the living room chair,
and run as quickly as he can to the armoire and back. This
is only about a 5-foot space, so he frequently crashes into
the wall before finishing his morning work out. Then JJ,
followed closely by Sophie, return to their room for their
breakfast of pellets. Since rabbits mostly sleep during
the day, both JJ and Sophie begin a grooming session before
settling under the bed for rest time. Sometimes Sophie feels
the need to pitch in and help me with my own morning routine.
She'll come hopping into the bathroom, nudge me on the ankle
(very helpful when applying mascara), and beg for a raisin.
At times she helps me with housework by grooming the toilet
or bathroom cabinets before returning to her room.
JJ's territory is under the bed, and he guards it ferociously.
That's the interesting thing about JJ - somehow, somewhere in
the grand scheme of things no one informed him that he's a
three pound, six ounce, cute-as-pie bunny with short stubby
ears. Interred in that little body is the heart and soul of a
Rottweiler, intent on protecting his territory (along with
any broccoli florets and banana slices he can find) from the
evil empire. I tried to explain JJ and his territorial wisdom
to a friend who offered to bunny sit for me: how, when you're
feeding his greens in the evening, when you least expect it,
he'll lunge at you from under the bed and bite you on the
ankle, and run back under the bed to hide. She rolled her
eyes in exasperation and said, "Come on, he's a bunny!
How bad can he be?"
Her conclusion, following the bunny-sitting event, was that
we should all be like JJ. She said, "He did just what you
said – he ran out and bit me. And you know what? I actually
ran from him. He weighs three pounds, and I ran from him.
Which just goes to show you: if something's important to you,
go after it, no matter what. It's all about attitude."
But JJ has his softer side, too. When you pick him up and
cuddle him, he'll close his eyes and purr with contentment.
He loves to help out with my Pilates workout, by being underfoot
and looking for an opportunity to dig or tug on my sleeve,
then he'll take off and binky all the way back to his favorite
chair. During a bad thunderstorm, he'll hide in my lap –
so much for the big, bad Rottweiler!
Most people are surprised to know rabbits can learn tricks.
I taught Sophie to go on piggy-back rides, so she'll crawl
on my back, or shoulder, at every opportunity for her "ride."
I also taught her to sit up on a small stool. It's amazing
what you can teach them with a little patience, repetitiveness,
and a slice of banana or a raisin!
Sophie is as sweet as they come. She never meets a stranger
and goes to great lengths to ensure all guests in my home
are properly groomed and chinned. She even groomed the phone
company repairman, while he was troubleshooting my phone
problems! I'm sure he appreciated her efforts. When I was
sick with the flu, it was Sophie who would come in to check
on me, and give me a nudge and groom me a little.
For all her sweet qualities, there's a devilish side to Sophie.
She's been known to gather all her favorite chew toys and
hide them from JJ. While JJ's territory is under the bed,
Sophie's territory is the bed itself. That's where she naps
during the day. One morning recently, Sophie didn't greet me
at the door. I couldn't find her anywhere, but became
suspicious when the pillow sham began hopping towards me
on the bed. Sure enough, Sophie had crawled inside.
In the evenings after work, I let the bunnies have the run of
the house. My home is bunny proofed – all electrical cords
are covered in plastic tubing, there are cardboard "corners"
taped to tempting furniture pieces, and plenty of bunny
chew toys and cardboard boxes scattered about for entertainment.
Sophie and JJ usually come downstairs around 7 pm. They
each have a favorite spot they go to for their evening
"salads," then they have to explore the house to ensure
nothing has changed since that morning. Usually, Sophie
joins me on the sofa while I watch TV or read. At times
JJ will join us, but often he's too busy dragging around
a basket or toy. Then it's upstairs for bedtime, where
they get a slice of banana and a few more pets before
evenings' end.
That's what it's like at my house. Quite different from
the "bunny in the hutch" scenario, and much more fun.
Yes, it can get messy dealing with hay, litter boxes,
bunny fur, and bunny proofing the house, but they're
well worth the effort. The companionship and entertainment
they provide far surpass any inconveniences. Besides,
how can you top having bunny personal trainers
for Pilates?
So, now that you've read what the routine is at her house, whats yours??
xxx