My Cottontail Sidey
(Ottawa)
My pet rabbit literally dropped into my life four months ago, May 2014. I work as a letter carrier and was surprised when a crow flew by and dropped a young bunny in the middle of the road. While I realize the rabbit was the crow's dinner and nature can be cruel, I was horrified at what I was seeing. I scooped up the dazed bunny and put her in my shirt pocket. She was the size of a hamster. The vet I took her to glued shut a quarter size wound. I decided to bring her home.
After two weeks we moved her from a hamster cage to a large cage that sits on our credenza by a north facing window. We have identified her as a cottontail. I feed her Timothy hay, rabbit pellets and supplement vegetables, with the odd piece of fruit as a treat. She loves chard from Farm Boy. As she is my pet, I spoil her.
I am enjoying watching her grow into a insolent youngster. I move her cage onto the floor every morning and allow her an hour run. In the evening she is exploring for hours. She goes in and out of her cage to grab a snack and use her washroom. Yes, she is toilet trained all on her own!
I have watched her over the last few months gain confidence. She use to hug the walls but now rips around the family room and kitchen. She lays on me for a pet. She loves her head stroked. As friendly as she can be, she is very independent and does not like to be picked up. I let her come to me. When cleaning her cage, as I am in her space, she grunts and challenges me.
Everything I have read suggests she will need bunny companions to be truly happy so we have play dates planned with a friend's neutered rabbit. Plans to build rabbit runs that run behind our couch and love seat so that she has more space during the day are in the works.
I had considered releasing her back into the outdoors but fear for her welfare, simply because I have come to know her. I know her personality, likes and dislikes. While I understand she will never truly be domesticated, I believe she is happy. Since she was a crow's dinner when I found her, any type of life has to be better than the alternative. She amuses me with her antics and I believe trusts me.
I love my Cottontail.