| I came to discover later that day, how I disrespected my dear wild friend. He gave up the one thing so vital to a wild rabbit to live in my home........his natural instinct not to trust anything. He trusted me, and I betrayed him. Betrayed him by scooping him up and holding him when I knew he wasnt fond of being held anymore. Buddy had really been dropping his guard with me by taking treats right out of my mouth. I loved that this wild rabbit gave me his trust in doing such a thing with me. Lets face it, to come so close to my mouth, shows how much trust he had in me, for we all know a wild rabbit doesnt let anything get THAT close to it. So, later that day when Buddy came back out, as he lived like a wild rabbit that lives outside by only coming out of hiding a couple of times a day, I grabbed the Capn Crunch, popped a piece in my mouth, got down on the ground and offered it to my baby like so many times before. But this time, he crouched low, ears back, and gave me a dirty look!! He still to this day can deliver a dirty look like you wouldnt believe!! He walked up to my face, smelled the piece of cereal, and honest to goodness he backed up and turned his head as if to say 'I dont want it!' I tried several times that evening, but he wanted nothing to do with me. I had made the bunny I loved ferociously, very upset with me. As I tried to reach out to him and stroke his fur, tears streaming from my eyes, I made him a promise.........." I promise I will never EVER pick you up again Buddy, I'm so sorry, please forgive me'. Well, seems the next day things were back to normal, but I made that rabbit a promise that I have kept to this day. He gives me the honor of sharing his life with me. My living room is his forest, my couch his bush. How could I disrespect him when he has given up so much to be with me. When Buddy wakes up and comes out, you've never seen anyone move as fast as I do to greet him. I scramble for treats to offer him, I wait patiently until the frightened bug eyed look(when you can see the whites of their eyes) is gone to reach out and stroke his fur. Sometimes he runs off like wild rabbits will do, and it makes me sad that with me being the only thing he has known since before his eyes were open, that he sometimes cannot completely trust me. But sometimes I chuckle too. I have to respect that hes wild. I defend him with every ounce of being I have in me. If someone berates him for running off frightened because they walked by him, or reached out to touch him, you are going to be reminded that he is a wild rabbit and he cannot help his natural instincts despite growing up here. Maybe that I have respected him being wild so much, has led to him keeping so much of his natural instincts intact. My plan in the beginning was to let Buddy go when the time came, when he wilded up. I never considered keeping one. I believe it is such an injustice keeping a wild rabbit. They deserve to run and frolick in the green grass. They dont deserve to be caged, and it infuriates me when I hear that people do, or when people say they found one, can they keep it as a pet?? They are not pets, they are beautiful wild animals and I have never considered Buddy a pet. Hes not my 'pet', he is my friend that graces me with his presence and his trust. I dont touch him whenever I want too, he ALLOWS me to stroke his incredibly soft fur. I have never in my life felt anything as soft as what Buddy does. What a pleasure that he allows me to touch him. If I ever felt Buddy wanted to go free, as much as it would break my heart into a million pieces, I would have to do what I could to make him happy. He never as of yet has shown a desire to leave tho, even trying to coax him out the front door onto the porch for a little bit of fresh air doesnt seem the least bit interesting to him. Consider all the times he could be making a wild dash to the front door everytime it has been opened all summer. But considering how long he has lived in my care, I'm really not certain how he would fare in the wild now. The only forest with trees and bushes he knows are what is in my house where he roams. Would he be looking for his couch or my bed to hide under for his naps?? Would he wonder where he is and why I left him outside in a place he knew nothing about?? I wonder how frightening that may be. He has never known what it is like to be wet or cold, never known what it is like to have parasites crawling all over his body biting him and sucking the blood out of him, never known what it is like to be chased by a predator, altho at times I think he thinks I'm going to sprout fangs and gobble him up!!! Buddy has full run of my house now that I've no wild babies to raise that I need to block him off from. He uses a litter box in the dining room......YES REALLY!!!!!!!! And when the house bunnies are having their play time in the dining room with the gate closed, he will sit on the other side of the gate and wait for me to put the bunnies away so he can come in. He just wants to know that hes KING rabbit and loved the most.........And he sure is and more.............. |
