CHAPTER 196 – Meet Me At Starbuns
Enzo had been living in the guest room for almost four months. The guest room was located down the hall from the living room, which was Abigail’s territory. Dad had kept the door closed the entire time. He wanted to let Enzo’s hormones settle down after being fixed and let Abigail recover from her brush with death before he tried introducing them.
One day, as he was petting Enzo, Enzo looked up and thought, “I like my new home, Dad. But can I go outside the room sometime?” Dad said, “Well, that’s up to Abigail. That’s her territory.” Enzo wondered, “Could I meet her? I know I can win her heart if I meet her!” Dad said, “OK, perhaps it’s time.”
Bonding rabbits is rarely easy. Dad decided to take it slow and let things unfold naturally. The first step was just to open the door between the guest room and the living room and let them see each other. He set up a double “fence” with a couple of inches between them so they could meet but not touch – in case one tried to bite the other.
Abigail knew Enzo lived in the guest room, but she had never met him. One day, while she was on patrol, she noticed the door was open and she could see through the fence into the room. Cautiously, she approached the fence and peered through the bars. There was Enzo, resting by his castle.
“Hi, I’m Abigail,” she said through the fence. Enzo got up and came over to the fence. “Hi, I’m Enzo.” Abigail took a step back. He was over twice her size! Being somewhat shy, she ran back to her spot. During the next two weeks, she visited him once in awhile, but always ran off.
One day, Enzo looked up at Dad and asked, “How am I going to get to know Abigail if she never comes over to see me?” Although conventional wisdom says rabbits should meet in neutral territory, there was no neutral territory left at the House of Buns. Dad came up with another plan. Dad replied, “Let’s get you out a little further into her territory so she’ll interact with you and get used to you.”
Using a couple of exercise pens, Dad extended Enzo’s territory down the hall and into the living room. Enzo could go out into the living room but still retreat to his room if he wanted. Conversely, Abigail was protected from him “invading” her territory. Dad put up a sign that read, “Starbuns Hay Café.”
Enzo strolled out to the end of the fence. He saw Abigail sitting in her spot and called out to her, “Hey cutie! Come on over to the café!” Curious, Abigail approached the fence cautiously and sniffed at Enzo. Dad watched closely as they sniffed each other. No lunging. No thumping. No biting. All good signs.
Dad placed their meal trays near the fence so they could dine together but at separate tables. For the next couple of weeks, the two buns got to know each other through the fence at Starbuns Café.
Abigail and Enzo meet over breakfast at Starbuns.
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