She’s Climbed Out at Last!
Honeybun, our timid new angora bunny, has finally left the cage of her own accord. Nearly a week of soft words, crunchy treats, and food placed outside the door wasn’t enough to make her budge. But finally today she did, on account of a PRODUCT.
I tend to be pretty much “anti-product,” something which drives my girls crazy, since they like to scour catalogs, pet care books and the internet in search of the “right” equipment we ought to be using with our animals. They’ve read me the riot act for not brushing the horses with the right combs in the right order. But I’m cheap and I tend to believe that if old-time homesteaders got along with not very much but their flocks and herds and some rock fencing, I ought to be able to get by on a lot less than what the books say. This drives our vet crazy, too, as he’d like to see the animals organized single-file in some fancy chutes and headgates on the rare occasions we call him out. Understandably. And we may get there someday if our spread continues to grow. For now, there is a lot done with corn in a bucket and some twine.
But I found myself yesterday in the relatively large metropolis of Monroe, wandering the aisles of Farm and Fleet in a weak mood. I ended up in the small pet aisle. Confronted with myriad tiny colorful packages of flavored wood chips, puffed vegetable crisps and carrot-shaped chew toys for rabbits, I became drawn in. I spotted what looked like a little rug, woven of sisal, 9 by 11 inches, with a picture of a happy bunny on the tag. This “Pet Welcome Mat” was guaranteed to provide safety and comfort to your little friend, offering them an attractive place to sit and chew.
To my great surprise, the Mat was just the thing. This morning, I found all of the food outside Honeybun’s open cage door eaten. When I added more food to her little bowl, placed just beyond the bunny rug, she came right out, plopped her ample bottom on it, and ate up her food. When I walk toward her, she scampered right back inside the cage, but we’ve certainly made progress, thanks to the attractively touted product.
Tomorrow, I’m going to see if I can get my unbroken filly, Breva, to play with the Jolly Ball peppermint flavored horse toy I bought on the same trip.
Jon said,
August 31, 2007 @ 7:12 am
I laughed out loud. Great punch line.
kriss said,
August 31, 2007 @ 8:08 am
Hey, welcome back home!
Laurie said,
September 3, 2007 @ 5:33 pm
Yay—I’m so happy to see pictures of Honeybun and hear that she is so well-loved! I’ve thought about calling to see how she is, but know how busy you are with everything you do. Now I can just read up on your website, and see pictures, too! She certainly looks fine and perky. I’m glad you bought her a mat. She had one her, too, and chewed a lot of it up. Maybe when we visit again someday, we can bring an extra throw rug for right outside her cage. She sure didn’t like her feet slipping on the wood floor, maybe concrete is slippery, too??? I’m glad your girls like her now, too. She really is a sweetie, and never bit at hands unless she thought your hand was food (and then she was nibbling). She nipped at my jeans when I was sitting on her rug, too, but don’t know if she was tasting my pants or what. Thanks for providing such a good home, Kriss!!
kriss said,
September 3, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
Oh, she’s just the sweetest thing. She’s off and running now, too, exploring the garage and finding her own favorite places. I LOVE snuggling her – she nuzzles right up into the spot under my chin. Thanks so much!