Operation Happy Rabbits, phase 1.
Remember our foster bunnies? Lulu, the shy and traumatized one?
And Pepper, the adventurous & soft one? (shown here standing in the cage, between LuLu and us crazy people.)
So, my plan was to have them stay in the garage. The Naturalist thought that was cruel and unfair to the bunnies, who need “fresh air, sunshine, and lots of room”. I put her in charge of the bunny habitat, which incorporated the entire back deck, a mesh fence encircling their small rabbit cage, and lots of toys.
The problem is: the rabbits are a little shy and a lot freaked out by the change of scenery. They won’t leave the tiny rabbit cage, and don’t look particularly happy where they are. LuLu’s little lop ears are lopping even further down, if you can imagine it. She hides behind Pepper who leaves the cage temporarily to stand up on his back legs, look around, and then scamper back inside to let her know that the crazy people are still out there watching them. When LuLu does manage to take a few seconds to come out, she strategically hides under a shoe box so we can’t see her.
It doesn’t help that I need to administer antibiotics to them. I have to say, it is MUCH harder trying to stick a syringe of medicine down a rabbit’s mouth than it is down a toddler’s mouth. Who knew? I mean, toddlers put up a fight, but the open screaming mouth actually helps get the medicine in. But bunnies? They are quick. Quick as rabbits you might say. Pepper snorts, runs to the farthest corner of the cage, and buries his head in the hay. LuLu, for as shy as she’s been, becomes rather aggitated and actually tries to attack the syringe (with my hand on the end of it!) with her rabbit teeth.
Our goals: To get better at giving them medicine. To get them comfortable with us. To get them to come out of their cage and enjoy the backyard. To get them to snuggle up and play. (That last one is all my daughter. These rabbits freak me out as much as I freak them out.)
The Naturalist has already made progress with Pepper and can actually handle him:
Let Operation Happy Rabbits begin!
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