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This blog is a second, shorter version directed to the audience in my community.

Budgie[image error]bennington

I knew nothing about rabbits as pets, but when rabbits came into my life, my entire perspective changed as to what kind of pets they could be.  It didn’t take me long to realize that rabbits are fun!   My three rescue rabbits (Snoopy, Budgie and Bennington) certainly dispelled the myth that rabbits are boring pets. Since rabbits are prey animals, they do not give their trust lightly and may need time to let their true personality shine through.   For this reason, rabbits have taught me patience.   To gain the trust of a rabbit is a great gift, especially if the rabbit came from an abusive environment.

House Rules; Their way or the Highway

As I look over the past 17 years of having rabbits as pets, I can say that their antics and behaviors kept me quite entertained.  I failed miserably trying to establish ‘house rules’.  In an attempt to show who was the boss, I decreed what rooms the rabbits could enter.  Well, they totally flaunted “house rules’ and showed their disapproval by making themselves comfortable on the couch or the bed.

Personalities

Rabbits have unique personalities. Snoopy and Budgie’s  personalities were as different as the color of their fur.  Snoopy was grumpy and neat as a pin and Budgie was a slob and always wanted to play.   Personality-wise, they reminded me so much of The Odd Couple that I would call them Oscar and Felix. 

I only had Bennington with me for a few years and I suspect he came from an environment where he did not feel love or was abused. He cringed at human touch, and I spent many days sitting on the floor with him, so he could get used to being around a human.   I was slowly chipping away at his walls and my patience was rewarded!  He eventually did come to me on the floor, and he would put his paws on my legs or jump on my back if I was lying down on the floor.  You could not possibly imagine my delight at these small signs of trust.

Bun-struction

When Bennnington was working on a ‘bun-struction’ project (usually involved cardboard chewing), he would become noisier whenever I was taking a Zoom yoga class. He would stare at me with a guilty look on his face, when I entered his space to quiet him down, the quiet l for a few minutes and, just like a child craving attention, he would go back to his ‘bun-struction’ project, making more noise than before.

Other Interesting Bunny Behavior

Rabbits are a lot smarter rhan many people think. When a bunny thumps its hind leg, it is most likely a warning, or the bunny is afraid.   My friend had a rabbit who was thumping wildly when she came home one night.   She didn’t think much of the thumping, but a man had broken into her apartment and was hiding behind her shower curtain.  The rabbit sensed the man had bad intentions and was trying to send a warning.  Both my friend and the rabbit were okay.

Bunny 500s or zoomies are done typically when a rabbit is let out for run time and there is a lot of space for a rabbit to perform bursts of speed, sometimes accompanied by binkies. A binky is how a rabbit expresses pure joy and excitement. It is almost like a dance when the rabbit leaps in the air and contorts their body while kicking their feet out. Next time you are on the Internet, google ‘rabbit binky’ and you will find some wonderfully entertaining videos.  Anyone who has watched a rabbit binkying knows that rabbits are anything but dull! 

I miss my bunnies and their quirky personalities.  My home is much emptier without them. They never ceased to make me laugh at their antics which had a way of making me laugh and lift me out of my doldrums.