owlsfriend
Well-known member
I gathered some fresh dandelion greens before heading out to the shed this morning. Flake was first, and I was generous--she's got at least five F2 kits in the box. The bucks got about 6-8 leaves a piece. I threw a BUNCH in to Danika--she's got 6 with open eyes bugging the heck out of her. Poor girl couldn't get a moments rest from the greedy snack snatchers. Between mouth fulls she was shaking kits from her sides and hopping over those on their way to the milk-bar.
I took pity. Danika looked like she needed "some time away from the kids", Maybe take in a movie, or stroll in the park? I scooped her out and tossed her in a neighboring cage that happened to be empty and moved her greens. All she did (once the cage passed a sniff test) was lay down and stretch out. She was at the spa! Eventually, she stretched a bit further and lipped a green within her reach. The decadent doe was as relaxed as Caesar being fed grapes by a slave girl waving an ostrich plume fan.
Meanwhile, the kits were looking shocked! What the heck happened here? Mom's been taken by the alien abductor! They huddled in the corner near Snip, an expectant doe in the neighboring cage, who must have been a reassuring presence. Mom was laid out as far from the chattering children as she could be. Flake nosed her through the wire, in commiseration. Danika basically shrugged her off, as Flake's babies were still nest bound. "What do you know about the minions?" I heard her ask....
I went on around the shed feeding greens, then pellets. then water....checked the nests, and finally,it was time for Danika to go back home. She begged me to let her stay in the spare cage until dusk, using the "that's how wild bunnies do it" excuse. I considered it. But what if I didn't get back before the babies got hungry. You would be quite upset to be caged away from them and watching them suffer....wouldn't you....okay, you may not think so this morning, but it would be terrible later....
She glumly allowed me to scoop her from the cage and return her to the ravenous hoard. I moved what was left of her dandelions into the cage. Already, the kits were nuzzling her sides. I stroked her ears....just 4 more weeks, mommy, I promised. Just 4 more weeks.
I took pity. Danika looked like she needed "some time away from the kids", Maybe take in a movie, or stroll in the park? I scooped her out and tossed her in a neighboring cage that happened to be empty and moved her greens. All she did (once the cage passed a sniff test) was lay down and stretch out. She was at the spa! Eventually, she stretched a bit further and lipped a green within her reach. The decadent doe was as relaxed as Caesar being fed grapes by a slave girl waving an ostrich plume fan.
Meanwhile, the kits were looking shocked! What the heck happened here? Mom's been taken by the alien abductor! They huddled in the corner near Snip, an expectant doe in the neighboring cage, who must have been a reassuring presence. Mom was laid out as far from the chattering children as she could be. Flake nosed her through the wire, in commiseration. Danika basically shrugged her off, as Flake's babies were still nest bound. "What do you know about the minions?" I heard her ask....
I went on around the shed feeding greens, then pellets. then water....checked the nests, and finally,it was time for Danika to go back home. She begged me to let her stay in the spare cage until dusk, using the "that's how wild bunnies do it" excuse. I considered it. But what if I didn't get back before the babies got hungry. You would be quite upset to be caged away from them and watching them suffer....wouldn't you....okay, you may not think so this morning, but it would be terrible later....
She glumly allowed me to scoop her from the cage and return her to the ravenous hoard. I moved what was left of her dandelions into the cage. Already, the kits were nuzzling her sides. I stroked her ears....just 4 more weeks, mommy, I promised. Just 4 more weeks.
Danika appreciated the break, I am sure. And she wouldn't have appreciated being milk-swollen tomorrow!
