Even after a lengthy "discussion" with St. Francis about what to do with the four bunnies that had come into my care, I still looked about for some sort of suitable housing for our "harey" critters. Jim finally found an advertisement in Craig's list for a "large rabbit pen." On my first day off, we took a little drive to see the "pen." It was indeed fairly large, but it was still a cage, and my heart fell down to my toes. I just couldn't put those sweet little critters into a steel cage.
"Well," said the farmer, "I do have some other pens I'd like to get rid of." So we looked at his other offerings, and finally settled on a large wooden, divided "house" that had once held small fowl. We took the appratus home. It languished in the back of the truck for two week while I agonized if I could really put those rabbits in THAT contraption.
It was then that I remembered the discernment process that had taken place with St. Francis as my guide....all those many weeks ago. The only REAL solution was to liberate the rabbits and let them be free as nature had intended them to be. GULP! What if something happened to them? What if it rained and they couldn't get under some cover? What if a hungry, larger critter spotted them? To each "what if" Jim had a reassuring answer. "Mary...they're rabbits. They are meant to live outdoors. There are lots of places for them to get under and to hide in for protection. They will be fine!"
Finally, I decided to liberate the rabbits. Jim and I agreed that we would only feed and water them in their "safe place" in the chicken pen. I'm not sure who was the most frightened, me or the bunnies. We left the door to their pen open, and just watched to see what would happen. At first they just sort of "hung out" in the chicken pen. Well, except Paulito, of course, who scurried out as soon as the rabbit door was opened. He seemed to revel in the fact that he had escaped and that Mary hadn't noticed!
For the first week I hovered. I made numerous forays to the chicken house. I checked the food and water to see if they were eating and drinking. ("Mary, they have acres of fresh green grass. They aren't interested in dry pellets and hay!" said Jim) Peter seemed to cling to the relative safety of the rabbit pen. He was always there when I checked on him. Daisy would sometimes join him, but the other two were less attached to the indoors. They spent most of the time outside. Every evening and morning I would go outside and "count noses." If one was missing, I would ask Jim to be on the lookout as he worked outside during the day.In time they all became aclimated to being outside rabbits. They freely came and went as they pleased.
Now, many months later, they are almost exclusively outside hares. They no longer run and hide when I go out to talk to them. They just sort of "hang out" near the house, as if THEY are checking on US to be sure we are still around. It is a joy to watch them hop and play freely in the great outdoors. It is a comfort to see how attached they are to Milagro Acres!
If this sounds like a happy ending, let me assure you that it is not a TOTALLY satisfactory solution. Before long, Mary found out that liberty does have it's responsibilities. The rabbits are free, but Mary is kept busy trying to rabbit proof the growing things that bunnies love, but Jim thinks is off limits to them.
Next project...rabbit-proofing Mr.Kaineg's garden. Sigh!
No comments:
Post a Comment