Friday, December 19, 2008

Silver Anniversary

Silver has been here one year now. I have enjoyed her. Joseph wanted a rabbit really bad. I wouldn't have agreed to the rabbit if I hadn't wanted it too. So we went to Oakland Animal Services and selected a bun from many many unwanted buns.

When we got Silver home, she was one stressed rabbit! Joseph thought she would be cuddly and affectionate right away, even though he had said he understood that rabbits were not very cuddly and were pretty independent. So now she is my rabbit. Mostly. He enjoys her sometimes, now more that before. I gave her a year to get really settled after the shelter. That's how long it took Whiskers to really settle in to be the cat she is.

Rabbits are natural chewers and diggers, so life with a rabbit is pretty much a story of damage control. That is why she has her own towel pile and phone book under the chair. She has a plum branch by the TV and a rolled up towel stuffed behind the sofa. The towel did not prevent the customary burrow behind the sofa that most rabbits have. That is what all the newspapers are for. That's the picture, newspapers stuffed behind the sofa. They distract her and get in the way. Now she is dead set on newspaper removal. This is messy but harmless.

She's really great. Playful and opinionated. She spends most of her time in her cage by the chair where I sit to be on the computer. She pays very close attention to wherever I am. Sometimes, it I leave the room, she will come out looking for me. It's funny. She can hear the skin being peeled from a bannana across the room.

People have always asked me about horses in comparison to dogs. Now they ask me about rabbits in comparison to hamsters. The best comparison for horses and rabbits are rabbits and horses. They are more alike than different.

They are great pets for people with patience who can tolerate a bit of a mess.

Silver likes to be petted. She never seems to get enough. This is a pretty individual thing with rabbits. Some like it more than others.Rabbits groom each other. The dominant bun is usually on the receiving end.

As a 4 year old, Janow was not particular to being groomed. He tolerated it, but I like to do it, so he got used to it. Now he really enjoys it. Lately though, he wants to move our relationship on to new levels. I do not. I want to remain friends but keep it platonic. I need to get myself a squirt gun. Anybody else ever have this problem with their horse?


This is the trench with pipes in it. Dave and Joseph got all the exposed part done before it started to snow. Ew.

Today I was doing the last part of a saddle pad and I noticed a mistake. Up until this point, it has been very subtle, but......the pad is no good and there is nothing I can do. Ten+ ours of work and $40 in materials. Poof!

I wanted to get Joseph a bean bag chair for Chrstmas, but they were either too small or too expensive. I can sew one, so I priced the fabric. I think I have a line on peanuts to fill it, but with Craigs list, better to have them in hand before you make any real plans.

4 comments:

Melanie said...

Happy belated birthday, Cara!!!! Oh, and happy anniversary, Silver!!

You have been busy, and I have been Christmas shopping...lol!!! I am almost done now, which is a good thing as it is currently snowing again (we now have about nine inches out there!).

OnTheBit said...

JANOW! You can't do those sorts of things with your mother! hahaha...I can honestly say I have never experianced that...but I also only leased mares until I got Genny and he is a very shy boy. haha...that just makes me laugh!

Piggy said...

Cute bunny! I never had one.. partly because of the patience bit I guess.. But I love them! Funny comment about the horse :) Love to hear more :) Thanks for sharing

Anonymous said...

We had an indoor bun when I was kid...and then he started chomping through wires and dad said "Outside, you bad bun!" So, no more indoor bunny for us.

So, is Janow "dropping" his boy bits when you groom him? If so, just ignore him, it's normal. You don't want to punish him for a normal, natural behavior, especially a harmless one. He doesn't think he's being "naughty" he's just being a horse who is really comfortable, relaxed and happy with his grooming session. If, rather than just dropping he's getting pushy, he's testing your dominance. Don't let him. You are the boss mare, so push back. In a herd the boss mare is frequently tested by other herd members...and if she doesn't stand her ground and prove she deserves to be boss mare, she will loss that position. As a mere human, you don't want to lose that position, ever! Good luck!