So, finally we have success! While our friend was over this weekend, we decided to try Deuce in the Rabbit Room again.
Last time she flew around in there, it was disaster. The rabbits flipped out, the parrot flipped out. They both shot away in different directions, everyone was breathing heavy and in general looking traumatized.
We've spent the last few weeks letting the parrots fly around in other rooms so that the rabbits got used to hearing the sound and occasionally bringing a parrot over to the doorway so that everyone got used to seeing everyone else. Of course, Elton makes regular raids in the grey room so they're used to seeing him hopping around here and there. The greys are a little bemused but otherwise undisturbed. The cockatoos still make a huge racket and even Elton has decided there are other, more interesting, less noisy rooms to check out.
Since the rabbits were intrigued with their new "best bud", the treat dispensing guest we thought that maybe (just maybe) they wouldn't focus on the sound of wings since they were too busy investigating. It worked!
Deuce perched and watched and then eventually decided she needed to fly to our guest and find out what exactly was so interesting about him! After all, the rabbits were fascinated, there must be something to all of this.
Deuce flew across the room, directly over the rabbits and they didn't even flinch. Deuce didn't notice the rabbits because she was too busy looking for treats that might be hiding. The rabbits didn't notice Deuce because they were too busy looking for treats that might be hiding. And our poor friend was suddenly surrounded.
He took it all in good humor once he got over the weirdness of a bird flying over to sit on him. It's always funny to see people fumble to figure out how to provide a landing pad. Eventually we got everyone straightened out and they had a nice visit. Deuce still hasn't quite decided what a rabbit really is... she calls them cats, or toys, or food. It's funny seeing her try to fit them into what she knows of the world.
For their part, the rabbits could not have cared less about the parrot. And that's just the way it should be. As far as the rabbits are concerned, parrots are furniture... flying furniture.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Happy Bunny Incarnate
This weekend I finally got proof that Ellie is the root of all evil! No, I didn't get it on film. She's far too smart for that. In fact, she's really quite smart in that evil, blame your brother for something you did sort of way.
But let me back up. There's vital information missing.
I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but Elton always gets a bad rap. He's sort of spastic, he's pushy and he's incredibly nosy. (To the point that he's earned the nickname "Mr. Nose") He's always into everything. In short, he's the sort of rabbit you expect to wreak havoc upon things. Ellie, in contrast is quiet and unassuming. Whenever you look in she's doing something cute in the "I'm painfully shy" genre. It doesn't hurt that she looks like a plush rabbit come to life.
So, when someone decided that the contents of the litter box belonged on the floor instead of in the box, you can guess who got blamed. Then I caught Miss Ellie Mae (who I am going to start calling "Happy Bunny") red footed, scooping the large corner litter box contents onto the floor.
Did Danny believe me? Noooooooo... then again, who can blame him. She's so cute and quiet and cuddly wuddly. He didn't see it and insisted that I was framing her. This weekend I finally got the break that I deserved.
We had a friend over and introduced him to the bunnies. Of course I was cleaning up the hay and poo that had been scooped out of the litter box and he sat on the chair and petted/watched the bunnies doing cute rabbit stuff. Danny was also in the room giving him relevant rabbit info. Of course, the buns were miffed at me for cleaning up and rearranging all their stuff, but it didn't bother me. I changed out a few liter boxes and then refilled all the hay containers. I left the ceramic pellet bowls on the top of their play structure until I was done sweeping so they could go back onto a clean floor.
Danny left the room... and EVIL Ellie came out to play. As soon as he was out of sight, she raced to the top of the bunplex, grabbed the *full* container of hay, emptied the contents onto the floor and then threw the container as hard as she could. But that was not enough to demonstrate her wrath... oh no... Ellie did NOT appreciate me messing with her stuff and she was about to show me exactly how much she didn't like it. She hopped over to the two ceramic bowls.
She glared at me, she glared at the bowls and promptly lifted and heaved them over the side onto the floor. Once the destruction was complete she sat there with her little beady eyes scorching holes through my head. I died laughing. I managed to gasp out how Danny was convinced that all the destruction was due to Elton and that he didn't believe that Ellie would do anything like that. Then our friend died laughing.
Danny came back into the room to find out exactly WHAT was so funny. I was rolling around on the floor giggling hysterically and our friend was slumped over helpless from his mirth in the chair. We were surrounded by utter and complete destruction.
I glanced over and there was Elton sitting in the middle of the mess looking guilty as sin. Finally I had back up as I explained exactly who framed Elton Rabbit...
It was Happy Bunny in the Bunnodome with a Ceramic Crock. Game over.
But let me back up. There's vital information missing.
I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but Elton always gets a bad rap. He's sort of spastic, he's pushy and he's incredibly nosy. (To the point that he's earned the nickname "Mr. Nose") He's always into everything. In short, he's the sort of rabbit you expect to wreak havoc upon things. Ellie, in contrast is quiet and unassuming. Whenever you look in she's doing something cute in the "I'm painfully shy" genre. It doesn't hurt that she looks like a plush rabbit come to life.
So, when someone decided that the contents of the litter box belonged on the floor instead of in the box, you can guess who got blamed. Then I caught Miss Ellie Mae (who I am going to start calling "Happy Bunny") red footed, scooping the large corner litter box contents onto the floor.
Did Danny believe me? Noooooooo... then again, who can blame him. She's so cute and quiet and cuddly wuddly. He didn't see it and insisted that I was framing her. This weekend I finally got the break that I deserved.
We had a friend over and introduced him to the bunnies. Of course I was cleaning up the hay and poo that had been scooped out of the litter box and he sat on the chair and petted/watched the bunnies doing cute rabbit stuff. Danny was also in the room giving him relevant rabbit info. Of course, the buns were miffed at me for cleaning up and rearranging all their stuff, but it didn't bother me. I changed out a few liter boxes and then refilled all the hay containers. I left the ceramic pellet bowls on the top of their play structure until I was done sweeping so they could go back onto a clean floor.
Danny left the room... and EVIL Ellie came out to play. As soon as he was out of sight, she raced to the top of the bunplex, grabbed the *full* container of hay, emptied the contents onto the floor and then threw the container as hard as she could. But that was not enough to demonstrate her wrath... oh no... Ellie did NOT appreciate me messing with her stuff and she was about to show me exactly how much she didn't like it. She hopped over to the two ceramic bowls.
She glared at me, she glared at the bowls and promptly lifted and heaved them over the side onto the floor. Once the destruction was complete she sat there with her little beady eyes scorching holes through my head. I died laughing. I managed to gasp out how Danny was convinced that all the destruction was due to Elton and that he didn't believe that Ellie would do anything like that. Then our friend died laughing.
Danny came back into the room to find out exactly WHAT was so funny. I was rolling around on the floor giggling hysterically and our friend was slumped over helpless from his mirth in the chair. We were surrounded by utter and complete destruction.
I glanced over and there was Elton sitting in the middle of the mess looking guilty as sin. Finally I had back up as I explained exactly who framed Elton Rabbit...
It was Happy Bunny in the Bunnodome with a Ceramic Crock. Game over.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Ellie and Scary Danny
Something really strange happened the other day. After a little bit of bun petting Ellie suddenly decided that Danny was scary. Even when he was holding her favorite veggies, she would hop up, sniff his hand and then run and hide.
Now, we knew Danny hadn't done anything to Ellie. Since it seemed to be scent related, he washed his hands, no dice. He was still terrifying. So, we spent a few days with me doing all the stuff that the rabbits don't like and Danny doing all the stuff that they do. That seemed to work and Ellie was back to her normal self in short order.
Now, we knew Danny hadn't done anything to Ellie. Since it seemed to be scent related, he washed his hands, no dice. He was still terrifying. So, we spent a few days with me doing all the stuff that the rabbits don't like and Danny doing all the stuff that they do. That seemed to work and Ellie was back to her normal self in short order.
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