Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit
Dec. 1st, 2023 09:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jakebeWe noticed Biscuit is doing a shed yesterday. His behavior gets really interesting when he's shedding; it feels like he's coming up to you for pets but then he fidgets the whole time, shakes his head and hops away. It's like he's a moody teenager or something, at once needing you for something and also wanting to have nothing to do with you.
I'm still learning how to interpret his body language so I can ease his suffering, the poor thing. :) I think he'd like to have the shed fur groomed out, but he doesn't like when you try to pinch it out. He also doesn't like combs, though it's possible we were just not gentle enough the first time. I try not to press too hard when it's clear he's done with an interaction, so it takes a lot of patience to try something new with him.
Biscuit has been a lesson in patience and humility for me. It's been a joy learning how curious and social he is, and how he expresses his rabbit nature as an individual. He has a strong prey drive, so the appearance of any housecat or dog will freak him the heck out -- but he's relatively chill with people, especially if they come bearing treats. He loves sleeping on one of our dining room chairs in the middle of the day, and he wakes up at noon to eat lunch with me -- a diet of fresh dark greens and a lot of head-petting on the chair. It's his favorite time of day.
He also loves dinnertime. I'm cooking in the kitchen, so there's all kinds of interesting new vegetables to be foraged there. R. is reading to me from the dining room, and he heads over to love on the husband and be loved in return. He even watches TV with us! He'll flop out close to R.'s recliner, and we'll head over for treats and pets during breaks.
I really dig the little guy, but it's clear he sees me as a subservient bun in the pecking order. He only licks R., and actually holds still to be picked up! He boxes me a lot more often, and does the "I'm licking this spot to show I like you, but I won't lick you that's gross" thing that buns higher in the social order do with their lessers.
And I won't lie, at first it was a bummer that Biscuit so clearly likes R. more -- I'd at least LIKE to be considered an accommodating equal. But you just meet people where they are, and don't try to force them to feel feelings they don't. You can only find out their preferences and work with that. So that's what I've been doing, trying to set aside my ego and learn how to "listen" to Biscuit so I can get along with him better.
So the work continues. I'll see if I can bring out the comb again and use it gently, slowly, to get out the shedding hair. And I'll pay close attention to his reaction. :)
I'm still learning how to interpret his body language so I can ease his suffering, the poor thing. :) I think he'd like to have the shed fur groomed out, but he doesn't like when you try to pinch it out. He also doesn't like combs, though it's possible we were just not gentle enough the first time. I try not to press too hard when it's clear he's done with an interaction, so it takes a lot of patience to try something new with him.
Biscuit has been a lesson in patience and humility for me. It's been a joy learning how curious and social he is, and how he expresses his rabbit nature as an individual. He has a strong prey drive, so the appearance of any housecat or dog will freak him the heck out -- but he's relatively chill with people, especially if they come bearing treats. He loves sleeping on one of our dining room chairs in the middle of the day, and he wakes up at noon to eat lunch with me -- a diet of fresh dark greens and a lot of head-petting on the chair. It's his favorite time of day.
He also loves dinnertime. I'm cooking in the kitchen, so there's all kinds of interesting new vegetables to be foraged there. R. is reading to me from the dining room, and he heads over to love on the husband and be loved in return. He even watches TV with us! He'll flop out close to R.'s recliner, and we'll head over for treats and pets during breaks.
I really dig the little guy, but it's clear he sees me as a subservient bun in the pecking order. He only licks R., and actually holds still to be picked up! He boxes me a lot more often, and does the "I'm licking this spot to show I like you, but I won't lick you that's gross" thing that buns higher in the social order do with their lessers.
And I won't lie, at first it was a bummer that Biscuit so clearly likes R. more -- I'd at least LIKE to be considered an accommodating equal. But you just meet people where they are, and don't try to force them to feel feelings they don't. You can only find out their preferences and work with that. So that's what I've been doing, trying to set aside my ego and learn how to "listen" to Biscuit so I can get along with him better.
So the work continues. I'll see if I can bring out the comb again and use it gently, slowly, to get out the shedding hair. And I'll pay close attention to his reaction. :)
