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Ruled By Rabbits

Tanya Vollans



  Ruled By Rabbits:

  The Adventures of Hopper, Dusty, Cola, Duster, Ruby, Zoomer & Belle

  By Tanya Vollans

  Copyright © 2015 by Tanya Vollans

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage the piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  These blogs can also by found online at www.bunspace.com under the profiles of each rabbit – Hopper, Dusty, Cola, Duster, Ruby, Zoomer and Belle. Please note that some of these blogs were originally written in the first person tense and when compiled for this book were changed to a third person tense. These blogs are all the original work of Tanya Vollans.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  INTRODUCTION

  THE BUNNY BOSSES

  HOPPER'S BLOGS

  A Happy Hopper

  Hopper's Hostage

  Birdie Buddy

  Belly Battles

  Kiwi Loves Hopper

  Hopper Meets Duster

  Hopper's Habit

  Unhappy Hopper

  DUSTY'S BLOGS

  Fly on the Wall

  Dusty's Dilemma

  Musical Chairs

  COLA'S BLOGS

  Cola VS the Curtains

  Grandpa and Grandma's First Visit

  Weekend Warriors

  Cola's Fur

  The Growler

  Ooga Booga

  Bunny in the Bathtub

  Bunny Bodyguard

  Maybe She Does It On Purpose

  Cola Puts Her Foot Down

  The Door

  Pillow Fright

  The Dog House?

  Curtain Chaos

  Cola's Confession

  The Hiccup

  Meep

  Cola Wants A New Mommy

  A Hole Lot of Trouble

  Coach Cola

  Lessons Learned

  Curtains of Mass Destruction

  The Drawer That Ate Duster

  Secret Pets

  So Close!

  Hoppy Thanksgiving

  Foods That Change the Colour of Fur Rule

  The Return of Cola's Fur

  Costume Chaos

  Daddy's Days Off

  Menu Madness

  Nap Negotiations

  “Fir”ious Cola

  Just Desserts

  Curtain Catcher

  Bunny Boulevard

  The Day the Curtains Took the Treat

  Treat Imposters

  Counting Colas

  When Bunnies Dream ...

  Cola-Copy

  The Curtain Crop

  The Curtain Farmer Intervention

  Cola's Curiosity

  Weather Woes

  The Mayhem of Moving

  The Curtain Caper

  The Curtain Whisperer

  Cola's Calamity

  Daddy's Double Life

  Mourning Mornings

  Hopping to Conclusions

  Litterbox Lurker

  The Igloo Idea

  The Morning Mix Up

  The Fleeing Fabric

  The Bear Facts

  Two Weeks Notice

  Reverse Psy”Cola”gy

  Fur Follies

  The Cola Complex

  Treat Talk

  Can Cola Forget the Vet?

  Mixed Up Messages

  Flying Fur

  Cola Has the Answer

  Scrapbooking Success

  To Trick A Bear

  The Commercial That Caused Chaos

  A Cola Crisis?

  Caught on Tape

  Catalogue Conspiracy

  Crafts With Cola

  Spa Surprise

  Dinner With A Diva

  A Perplexing Problem

  Fur Surplus

  Explaining Erased

  There Can Be Only One ...

  Forlorn Fur

  Parents – Ya Gotta Love Them

  Fictional Fur

  Halloween Hijinks

  Gotta Get Groceries

  White Noise

  The DPA

  Fur First Aid

  Picture Proof

  Bunnies Say “It's Gotta Be Mommy's Way”

  The New Nemesis

  Out In the Cold

  The Water Whisperer

  The Muffin Mystery

  Alas An Alias

  “Lettuce” Enjoy

  Refund Requested

  Cola and the Confetti

  Grizzly Bunnies

  Brain Freeze

  Breakfast Battles

  Shredding Success

  Life Before Bunnies

  Rainy Day Reasoning

  Treat Revenge?

  Tail Twin

  Rabbit Radar

  Allergy Allegations

  Bun-E-mail

  Bunny Bear

  Cola's Cloud Concept

  DUSTER'S BLOGS

  Triple Threat of Cuteness

  Happy Valentine's Day

  Re: Bunny Bodyguard Blog By Cola - Duster's Side of the Story

  Duster Had to Do It!

  And So It Continues ...

  Oh Mommy

  Sock Shock

  Happy Bunny Mommy Day

  Much Ado About Shoes

  Movie Madness

  Determined Duster

  Disappearing Duster

  The Lurking Lop

  Can't Stop A Lop

  Duster's Dilemma

  News To Mom

  Flop Like A Lop

  RUBY'S BLOGS

  Uncertain About Curtains

  Reflections of Ruby

  Skirting Danger

  Fridge Fascination

  Cutely Continued ...

  I Help!

  Ruby's Inquest

  Undercover Bunny

  Cute Insurance

  Medicine For Mommy

  Getting Ready for Santa Paws!

  Ruby Meets Santa Claus!

  Cute Contest

  Ruby's Rules

  The Dreaded Shed

  Litter Lessons

  Saved By the Fridge

  Camouflage Caper

  Ruby's Reasoning

  Reunion at the Rainbow Bridge

  For All of US Who Have Lost A Beloved Bun

  ZOOMER'S BLOGS

  Silly Shadows

  Feet Facts

  Over-Zealous Zoomer

  Know No

  Blossoming Bunnies

  Laundry Laughs

  Baby Bunny Boycott

  Bunny Bedtime Breakfast

  Fur Frustrations

  The Paws-abilities

  Bunny See, Bunny Do

  Christmas Curiosity

  Treats for the Feets

  Zoomer's New Year's Resolution Solution

  Hay, Mom!

  A Hare-y Experience

  Cooking Calamity

  The Tale of A Timeout

  Remote Control Rabbit

  The Lettuce Letdown

  Toe Troubles

  Stuck in the Middle

  Casualty of Cuteness

  The Bunny Collection Convention

  Double Dutch

  The Hole Truth

  Baby Bunny Toy Taker

&
nbsp; Identity Inquiry

  The Bowl Boycott

  The Treat Transporter

  Shelving the Issue

  Snow Stopper

  BELLE'S BLOGS

  On the Spot

  Couch Capers

  Spot Cleaning

  Breakfast Belle

  Vacuum Vindication

  Lost in Translation

  Better By Belle

  The Non-Night Time Nap

  Christmas Thoughts for The Spots

  A-Door-A-Belle

  Spot Party

  Spotless

  Birthday Belle

  Belle's Beau

  Sleepless Spots

  Belle-icade

  Shutter Bug

  Shadow Surprise

  Spooktacular Spots

  A Puzzling Problem

  Christmas Creativity

  School for The Spots

  The Dropped Spot

  The Bunnies and the Blemish

  Party Pooper

  Hide and Go Spot

  The Boogeybunny

  INTRODUCTION

  Enter Hopper. Exit life as I knew it.

  I write those words because I never could have guessed how that little brown and white Dutch rabbit would change my life.

  How you ask?

  I became a bunny Mom!

  And anyone who has had the privilege of being a bunny parent knows how these wonderful animals enrich your daily life.

  Please read on to see how the seven rabbits that have shared my life inspired me to write these stories.

  THE BUNNY BOSSES

  Hopper

  Breed: Dutch

  Color: Brown and white

  Sex: Female

  Joined our Family: November 2004 (from a pet store)

  Favorite Toy: Toss toy, toilet paper rolls

  Favorite Foods: Anything she could eat

  Nickname(s): Hops, Belly, Hopper-doos

  Hobbies: Eating, chewing, flopping, begging for treats, noserubs

  Pet peeves: Having to stop to breathe when she eats, other bunnies, nail trimmings

  Became an Angel Bunny: January 3, 2009

  Dusty

  Breed: Holland Lop

  Color: Light grey

  Sex: Female

  Joined our Family: August 2005 ( from a pet store)

  Favorite Toy: Towel, toss toy

  Favorite Foods: bananas, carrots, timothy hay

  Nickname(s): Dust Bunny, Baby Bunny, Sweet Girl

  Hobbies: Flopping

  Pet peeves: Things that are where they shouldn’t be (the fly on the wall, for example), other female bunnies, nail trimmings, being picked up

  Became an Angel Bunny: March 3, 2009

  Cola

  Breed: Dwarf

  Color: Black

  Sex: Female

  Joined our Family: February 2007 (adopted from the Humane Society)

  Favorite Toy: Toss Toy, Crumpled Paper

  Favorite Foods: Banana, timothy hay, raisins

  Nickname(s): Bear, Care Bear

  Hobbies: Reminding her parents that bunnies really are in charge

  Pet peeves: The curtains, the vacuum cleaner, nail trimmings, other female bunnies, being picked up, the vet that stole her fur

  Became An Angel Bunny: July 11, 2013

  Duster

  Breed: Holland Lop

  Color: Grey

  Sex: Male

  Joined our Family: August 2007 (the pet of a lady who worked at a pet store, when she was leaving her job, she needed to re-home Duster)

  Favorite Toy: Toss Toy

  Favorite Foods: Bananas, timothy hay, carrots, apple

  Nickname(s): Dude, Good Boy

  Hobbies: Spending time with his ladies, flopping, noserubs

  Pet peeves: Not having enough time for all his ladies, nail trimmings, being picked up

  Became An Angel Bunny: November 26, 2014

  Ruby

  Breed: Unknown

  Color: White

  Sex: Female

  Joined our Family: June 2010 (adopted from The Humane Society)

  Favorite Toy: Toilet Paper Rolls

  Favorite Foods: Bananas, timothy hay

  Nickname(s): Wuby

  Hobbies: Being cute

  Pet peeves: Not having cute insurance, being picked up, nail trimmings

  Became an Angel Bunny: December 22, 2010

  Zoomer

  Breed: Dutch/Dwarf

  Color: Brown and white

  Sex: Male

  Joined our Family: May, 2011 (Adopted from The Humane Society)

  Favorite Toy: cardboard condo

  Favorite Foods: Anything he can eat

  Nickname(s): Zoomerang, GumBall, BabyBunny

  Hobbies: Eating, chewing, flopping, begging for treats, noserubs, hanging around Cola's cage

  Pet peeves: Having to stop to breathe when he eats, nail trimmings

  Belle

  Breed: Dwarf

  Color: White and grey

  Sex: Female

  Joined our Family: August 2012 (Adopted from the Humane Society)

  Favorite Toy: toilet paper rolls

  Favorite Foods: Anything she can eat

  Nickname(s): Little Bunny

  Hobbies: Eating, chewing, flopping, begging for treats, noserubs

  Pet peeves: Not getting her breakfast on time

  Became An Angel Bunny: September 5, 2014

  HOPPER

  A HAPPY HOPPER

  Mom and Dad looked at each other and then at Hopper.

  She was sitting in her cage, facing the wall, with her back to them.

  “Hopper!” Mom called her name.

  Nothing, not even an ear twitch.

  “Hopper, want to play with your toss toy?” Dad asked.

  Again, no response.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong,” Mom said. “She’s using her litter box, eating and drinking.”

  Dad was at a loss too.

  Then it was like a light bulb went off over their heads!

  “The Internet!” they exclaimed. As new bunny parents, the internet was a great place to find info about bunnies.

  While Dad searched the world wide web, Mom paced back and forth.

  “OH NO!” Dad hollered, making Mom jump.

  “What? What’s wrong with Hopper?” Mom asked.

  “It’s worse than we thought,” Dad motioned for Mom to come close so he could whisper to her what he had discovered. Mom looked at Dad, not believing what he had revealed to her.

  “Can you please repeat what you just said?” Mom asked.

  “She is ignoring us,” Dad said for the second time.

  They turned to look at Hopper, who still had her back to them.

  Mom and Dad left the room, they had to regroup, come back with a strategy.

  A few minutes later, they walked back into the living room. Hopper had been grooming herself, but when she heard them return, she made sure her back was to them again.

  “Time for Hopper to come out and play,” Dad said and opened her cage door.

  Hopper didn’t acknowledge the open door.

  The bunny parents sighed, not sure what to do next.

  “We have to figure out why she is ignoring us,” Dad said.

  Mom looked at Hopper. “Did we do something to make you sad?”

  Nothing.

  “Did we do something to make you mad?” Dad asked.

  Finally, an ear twitch.

  “Hmm, OK so we ticked her off,” Dad said.

  Mom and Dad paced, wracking their brains to think of what they did.

  “Wait a sec, maybe it’s something we didn’t do!” Dad exclaimed.

  Hopper turned her head slightly.

  “Hopper, we’ll stand in front of your cage, you need to hop to which one of us made you mad,” Mom said.

  As Mom and Dad stood before her, Hopper still didn’t turn around but moved … towards Mom!

  “AH-HA! I knew it wasn’t me,” Dad cheered.

  Mom was
at a loss … what had she done … or not done to anger the Dutch bunny.

  Again, it was like a light bulb went off.

  “I had veggies and didn’t offer her any!” Mom exclaimed.

  Hopper spun around, and to this day her parents will swear she was smiling.

  Mom and dad high-fived and raced to the kitchen to get Hopper some veggies.

  In a minute, Hopper was sighing happily as she munched on her carrots and lettuce. “Looks like I have a lot of work to do with these two … but they’re learning!”

  HOPPER’S HOSTAGE

  Rip.

  “What are you cutting?” Mom called to Dad from the kitchen.

  “That wasn’t me,” he replied from the bedroom.

  Rip.

  There was only one other individual in the apartment … and it was bad news if she was tearing something up.

  Mom and Dad made a mad dash for where Hopper was sitting.

  The brown and white Dutch rabbit paid no mind to them and yanked up another line of carpet fibres

  “Hey Hopper, how about we stop doing that?” Dad asked.

  Hopper looked at Dad, twitched her nose and sunk her teeth into another line of fibres.

  “Hopper, stop!” Mom ordered.

  Hopper turned to look at Mom, carpet still clutched between her teeth. “And if I don’t?”

  “Let go of the carpet or no treats,” Mom said.

  Hopper rolled her eyes. “You can’t deny me treats forever.”

  Dad took a step towards Hopper, hoping to ease the carpet free.

  Hopper saw him out of the corner of her eye and spun to face him. “And where might you be going?”

  “Um, nowhere, just standing here,” Dad tried to move a bit closer.

  Hopper pulled on the carpet. “Stay where you are or I’ll pull …”

  “OK, OK, you have us … what do you want in return for releasing the carpet?” Mom asked.

  Hopper’s eyes grew wide - awesome!

  “Two leaves of Romaine lettuce at 2 pm, three pieces of carrot at 3 pm and 4 minutes of noserubs at 4 pm … everyday, “ Hopper stated her demands.

  Mom and Dad huddled, discussing the options.

  “We don’t have a choice … it’s what she wants or the carpet gets it …,” Mom sighed.

  Dad agree. “She’s a smart rabbit …”

  Mom and Dad faced the Dutch bunny.

  “Alright, we agree to the terms of release for the carpet. Now please hop away from the carpet,” Mom said.

  Hopper bunny shrugged and released the line of fibres and hopped away, flopping in front of her cage, waiting for her two leafs of Romaine lettuce to arrive.

  “I swear I heard her whisper ‘suckers’ on the way by …,” Mom sighed and Dad went to get the lettuce.

  BIRDIE BUDDY

  Mom and Dad got home from shopping and finished putting the groceries away.

  A few minutes later is when Mom noticed the budgie (named Bird) wasn’t in his cage. He must have squeezed through the bars.

  “Uh oh, Bird escaped,” Mom said to Dad.

  And they began to search the apartment.

  No luck, Bird was AWOL.

  Mom and Dad sat on the couch … where could Bird be?

  Dad looked around the living room and he noticed that Hopper was being awfully quiet. He got up and walked to her cage.

  Hopper didn’t move.

  “What’s wrong, Hops?” Dad asked.

  Then he saw what the issue was - there was Bird - in Hopper’s cage.

  “I did not invite that winged thing in here,” Hopper muttered.

  Bird tweeted at Hopper, apparently trying to be friends.

  “He tried to eat my food,” Hopper said.

  Mom rolled her eyes, Hopper was a belly on 4 legs. If there was a bunny buffet, Hopper would be banned for over-eating.

  Dad held out his finger and Bird hopped on, tweeting good bye to the bunny.

  Hopper finally moved, heading to check on her bowl of pellets.

  Dad put Bird back in his cage and closed the door.

  A few minutes later, Bird was squeezing through the bars and on his way back to Hopper’s cage.

  Hopper watched in disbelief as Bird made himself at home in her cage.

  Hopper froze in place – she had no interest in being friends with Bird, she just wanted her cage to herself again.

  Dad retrieved Bird a second time.

  “There is no welcome mat at my cage! Stay out!” Hopper muttered and Bird tweeted happily.

  The bird breaking out of his cage and breaking into Hopper’s cage sequence would have gone on all day but Mom and Dad knew they had to resolve this. They put Bird in the bedroom and closed the door and went out to get a cage with bars that Bird couldn’t squeeze through.

  That evening, Bird settled in to the escape-proof cage and Hopper sighed with relief, no more uninvited guest.

  But Hopper’s adventures with our fine feathered friends weren’t over yet …

  BELLY BATTLES

  Hopper was stretched out in her cage, the door was open and she was free to roam around.

  She just didn’t feel the need to use any unnecessary energy at that time.

  She watched as Mom and Dad went in to the kitchen.

  Her ears perked up.

  Every bunny knows there are great treats in the kitchen.

  Mom and Dad must be planning on giving treats to her, Dusty, Cola and Duster. As the “Alpha Bunny” Hopper knew she’d get her treat first.

  Hopper sat up and readied herself to receive the wonderful food that Mom and Dad would present her with.

  And she waited.

  And she waited some more.

  The humans were in the kitchen, but no food was appearing.

  Hopper twitched her nose and looked at the other bunnies – they were anticipating treats too.

  Finally the fridge opened.

  Four bunnies were so excited. The fridge door stayed open and Mom and Dad remained in the kitchen.

  Hopper’s patience ran out.

  BANG!

  Hopper wasn’t exactly graceful as she exited her cage and bee-lined for the kitchen.

  Hearing the noise, Mom and Dad closed the fridge door.

  “Hi, Hopper,” Mom said.

  Hopper was on her back legs, looking from Mom to Dad, seeing who had the treats in their hands but their hands were empty!

  “Why would you come in the kitchen, open the fridge, leave the door open and then not give us anything?” Hopper demanded. “What kind of parents are you?”

  Mom and Dad looked at each other, not sure what to say.

  “No treats, no Hopper!”

  And the Dutch rabbit went right back to her cage.

  She sure showed them.

  “Trust me, “ Hopper whispered to the other bunnies. “Any second now …”

  Mom and Dad scurried out of the kitchen and into the living room, carrots in hand, apologizing to their rabbits.

  The bunnies and their bellies were happy.

  KIWI LOVES HOPPER

  Birds flock to Hopper. Not just the budgie named Bird, but a Lovebird named Kiwi took a shine to the Dutch bunny as well - much to Hopper’s chagrin.

  “Incoming!” Mom called out.

  Hopper looked around. “Incoming what?”

  And then it kind of bounced across the carpet in front of her.

  “Are you kidding me?” Hopper sat up and looked at the bird.

  “Hopper, this is Kiwi,” Dad said.

  “No, kiwi’s are sweet fruits that people can eat,” Hopper corrected. “That is going to try to be my new best friend - that I don’t want by the way.”

  Too late, the green Lovebird was toddling over to Hopper.

  “Tweet! Tweet!”

  “Not interested,” Hopper said and turned her back to Kiwi.

  Kiwi hopped around to Hopper’s front.

  Hopper turned the opposite way.

  Kiwi flew over Hopper and bumped to a landing.
br />   Hopper’s ears went back. “I only like people, specifically only those two people.”

  She nodded at Mom and Dad.

  Kiwi happily sang that she liked Mom and Dad too.

  “No, they are my people,” Hopper said.

  Hopper proceeded to go back to her cage.

  Kiwi flew along behind and landed on the doorway.

  “No soliciting,” Hopper stated and flopped over.

  Kiwi made her way to the top of Hopper’s cage and sang to her new friend.

  “Uh, can’t take a hint,” Hopper bounded out of her cage and towards Mom and Dad.

  She found a nice spot to lie down and put her head on the floor so Daddy could give her noserubs.

  And then along came Kiwi.

  Hopper glared at the bird.

  “Tweet, tweet.”

  And then Kiwi took a small leap and ended up on Hopper’s back.

  Mom and Dad weren’t sure what was going to happen next.

  Hopper sighed. “I give up. We can be friends, not like I have a choice.”

  Kiwi tweeted in triumph and Hopper adjusted to the idea of her new best friend.

  HOPPER MEETS DUSTER

  Duster had introduced himself to Dusty and Cola, now it was Hopper’s turn.

  The brown and white Dutch was used to new bunnies coming into the family, but Duster was the first boy bunny.

  “Hi, lady!” Duster exclaimed. “I am Duster and I love ladies. I love you, lady!”

  Hopper looked at him, twitched her nose.

  “Lady, you are so pretty!” Duster sat handsome in front of Hopper.

  “Hopper, say hello to Duster,” Mom said. “He’s going to be your new friend. Isn’t that exciting?”

  Hopper rolled her eyes. “About as exciting as you or Dad without treats in hand.”

  “Hopper!” Duster said. “Pretty name for a pretty rabbit.”

  Hopper sniffed Duster through her cage bars. “Hmm, another bunny.”

  Duster smiled. “We can be bunny buddies.”

  “Probably not,” Hopper said.

  Duster was confused. “Why not? I love ladies.”

  “I love humans,” Hopper replied. “I don’t associate with other rabbits.”

  Hopper looked at Dusty and Cola. “I am sure they will be your buddy.”

  “But …,” Duster said.

  “OK, we can be friends,” Hopper said.

  Duster binkied.

  “Let’s talk about what you can do for me as a friend,” Hopper said.

  “Alright!” Duster was so happy.

  “Can you get me treats out of the fridge without help from Mom or Dad?” Hopper asked.

  “Hmmm, probably not,” Duster replied.

  “Can you get me treats off the shelf without help from Mom or Dad?” Hopper questioned.

  “No,” Duster said.

  “Can you clean my litter box?”

  “No.”

  “Can you get me fresh water?”

  Duster shook his head.

  “Can you get me fresh pellets and hay?”

  “Nope,” Duster said.

  “Well, then what does this friendship have to offer me that my humans can’t do for me already?” Hopper asked.

  Duster smiled. “I give you bunny kisses!”

  Hopper rolled her eyes. “Not interested.”

  Duster was heartbroken and opted to sit outside Hopper’s cage and stare at her.

  And Hopper stared back.

  Mom and Dad watched the two rabbits having the stare down of the century.

  “OK, Hopper and Duster, that’s creepy,” Mom sat beside Duster and started to pet him so he stopped ogling Hopper.

  “Hopper likes people and not bunnies,” Dad said. “It’s OK though, Dusty and Cola will be your friends.”

  Duster binkied, two lady friends were wonderful!

  Hopper flopped, two humans were wonderful!

  HOPPER’S HABIT

  “Oh, carrot!” Hopper thought as her eyes zoned in on the orange item.

  Hopper made her way closer to what had caught her attention.

  The Dutch rabbit was pretty sure she had just found the largest carrot that had ever existed.

  Hopper nosed the “vegetable” and nibbled.

  “Huh?” she wondered, continuing to chew.

  Hopper stopped munching and dropped the item. “Yuck. Not a carrot.”

  And Hopper went on her way, trying to track down other treats.

  The next morning, Mom decided to wear her orange t-shirt to work and pulled it out of the laundry basket.

  As Mom was giving the bunnies their bunny breakfast, Hopper’s eyes got big when she saw the shirt.

  “Not a carrot,” Hopper commented as Mom gave her the treat

  Mom was confused as bunny breakfast was obviously lettuce and she dismissed what Hopper had said.

  Later that day, one of Mom's co-workers approached her.

  “What happened to your shirt?” she asked.

  “What do you mean?” Mom questioned.

  Trying not to smile, her co-worker pointed to the left shoulder of her t-shirt.

  Mom looked and saw the hole. “What the heck…”

  And then she remembered her t-shirt had been hanging out of the laundry basket and Hopper’s comment.

  “Oh, one of my bunnies thought my shirt was a carrot and then found out it wasn’t,” Mom explained.

  “Sure, blame your bunny,” her co-worker laughed, knowing that one of Mom’s rabbits liked to chew on anything and everything.

  Mom sighed. “Oh well, it’s an old shirt anyways.”

  UNHAPPY HOPPER

  Hopper likes her personal space.

  Hopper does not like other bunnies.

  Hopper was not happy when another bunny got into her personal space!

  Mom came around the corner, hearing all the noise coming from Hopper’s cage.

  And what did she see?

  Hopper pacing back and forth, stopping to chew or scratch at the cage bars.

  And what was the cause of Hopper’s anger?

  “Dusty, why are you laying right in front of Hopper’s cage?” Mom asked.

  The baby bunny tilted her head so her ears flopped. “Because I like this spot.”

  “It’s a very nice spot, but you have the whole apartment you can flop in. Remember the talk we had?” Mom reminded Dusty.

  “Oh, the talk that Hopper is grouchy and she doesn’t like other bunnies?”

  Mom cringed, Dusty was so young and so honest. “Yes, that’s the one.”

  Hopper frowned, she wasn’t grouchy! She just liked other bunnies to keep their distance from her.

  Mom ushered Dusty up and pointed to the spot in front of Dusty’s cage. “Let’s try laying there.”

  Dusty shrugged. “OK.”

  And Dusty flopped in front of her cage. Hopper calmed down and Mom went back to the kitchen to finish what she was doing.

  A moment later, she heard Hopper having another meltdown.

  Mom returned to the living room and Dusty was back in front of Hopper’s cage.

  “I like this spot better,” Dusty explained.

  Mom sighed. “Well, I am going to move Hopper’s cage over a bit and you can still lay in that spot.”

  Mom shifted Hopper’s cage, the Dutch bunny settled down and Dusty seemed content to stretch out where she was.

  “Perfect! Good bunnies,” and Mom went back to the kitchen.

  Then Hopper started to make noise.

  Mom ran back in, Dusty was again in front of Hopper’s cage.

  Mom folder her arms across her chest.

  “This spot is better,” Dusty reasoned.

  Hopper was mumbling something Mom couldn’t understand.

  “Dusty, why don’t you come with me and we’ll get treats for you and Hopper?”

  “OK!” and Dusty followed Mom to the kitchen.

  Mom and Dusty reappeared with carrots for the two bunnies. Mom made sure she put Dusty’s carr
ot on the floor away from Hopper, hoping for some peace.

  Mom watched the two bunnies happily munching away and then made her way back to the kitchen.

  Bang! Bang!

  “Now what?” Mom wondered and went back to the living room.

  She couldn’t help but chuckle.

  There was Dusty, on top of Hopper’s cage.

  “You said I can’t lay in front of her cage,” Dusty said, stretching out.

  Hopper was not impressed. “But you didn’t say anything about on top of my cage.”

  Mom lifted Dusty off Hopper’s cage.

  “We have a no harassing Hopper zone starting now,” Mom said. “You have to stay a cage length away from her cage, OK?”

  Dusty nodded. “I can do that.”

  Mom smiled and left the room.

  Then she heard the familiar noise …

  The lop had squeezed behind Hopper’s cage this time.

  “Dust bunny, really?” Mom asked.

  “I said I could stay away from her cage, I didn’t say I would stay away from her cage,” Dusty replied, squeezing out from behind Hopper’s cage.

  Mom sighed and decided it was time for Dusty to go back to her cage.

  Dusty hopped in and flopped beside her bowl.

  As Mom was leaving the living room, she heard Dusty say to Hopper. “I love spending time with you, Hopper!”

  Hopper muttered something in reply.

  Mom couldn’t help but smile even though she knew Hopper and Dusty would never be bunny buddies, Dusty sure was going to try for a little while.

  DUSTY

  FLY ON THE WALL

  Dusty knew something just wasn’t right.

  She looked around her cage, everything was properly bunny feng shui'd.

  She looked into Hopper’s cage and all was well there.

  Dusty started to scan the room and that’s when she saw it.

  About half way up the wall that divided the kitchen and the living room – the intruder sat, looking awfully comfortable with being there.

  “Hopper!” Dusty whispered.

  Hopper looked up from her food. “Huh?”

  “We have an unwelcome guest.”

  Hopper looked to where Dusty was pointing with her paw.

  Hopper shrugged. “He’s not near my food- as long as he stays away from my food, I don’t care.”

  Dusty sighed.

  She monitored the fly for a few more minutes and then he made his move.

  The fly was above her cage.

  That was just too close for comfort.

  Dusty had to warn Mom.

  *thump*

  And you have to understand when Dusty thumped her foot, it was like a minor earth tremor and as loud as a sonic boom – it pretty much echoed in the apartment.

  But Mom didn’t show up.

  Now Dusty was worried the fly had done something to Mom.

  *thump, thump, thump*

  Dusty heard the bedroom door open and Mom stumbled into view.

  “Huh? Hi. I’m up? What’s wrong?” Mom mumbled trying to find the light.

  Hopper was busy munching but it was obvious that Dusty was agitated.

  “Hi, baby bunny, what’s wrong?”