Hello. It's Belinda.
Today is Part 2 of the blog I started last week.
It's about rabbits who get into "heated arguments."
Maybe you live with this at your house. Two rabbits who are perfectly fine one minute and the next minute you hear thumping and bowls being flipped.
You might think they fight "over nothing."
Or that one rabbit is too "hyper" about being first for bedtime treats. While the other is too "selfish" to share the litter box.
But that’s not how it works at all.
I'll explain what I mean with a story. It's about me and the English and it happened right here last week.
As you may remember, the English usually stays on the bottom level with me and Little Fang.
He's set up in one big exercise pen. Two pens put together actually.
And Little Fang is right next door to him, in another double-pen setup.
They whisper and giggle a lot. None of my business.
What is my business is the way he "eyeballs" my stash from across the room. As far as I'm concerned he has no reason to look over here. At me or my property.
Anyway back to the "incident."
It all started about an hour after sundown. The light was coming in through the window over the dryer. It was too bright for bedtime, but I was settling down for the night anyway.
I had a big day ahead of me, starting bright and early the next morning.
Hay reports were due. "No excuses."
I was relaxing on my sleeping rug, chewing my way through a "side" of orchard hay. I had my back to the window and was dozing off.
That's when it started.
“Are you eating orchard hay?”
It was the English. I ignored him.
“Is that your research?”
I stopped chewing. I didn't want him to see the back of my head move.
Didn't want to give him the satisfaction.
“I mean for your hay reports.”
My ears were getting warm.
And I'm going to tell you something. Nothing ruins my sleep like getting worked up at bedtime.
"I like orchard hay. Put that in your notes.”
This was getting out of hand.
“I could help you with your hay report.”
I bit into my orchard hay so hard. Just to keep from snapping at him.
“That’s a good idea.” It was Little Fang.
"Let him help you with your hay report.”
Oh brother.
I could feel her looking at me.
“Let him help you. He likes to eat hay.”
Now it’s two against one.
“I’m a hay expert,” said the English.
Little Fang giggled.
Then for a few minutes nobody said a word.
All I wanted was to go to sleep.
Not to be "badgered” by the two of them. Especially about my job.
Then he said it.
“I know more about hay than you do.”
Are you kidding me right now.
I jumped to my feet and spun to face him.
The last bit of hay fell out of my mouth but I didn't even care.
I ran across the room. I don't remember jumping toward his pen but suddenly my front paws were pushing into the bars.
The bottom of the pen made a loud scraping noise against the floor.
The English didn’t move a muscle but his eyes were wide. Little Fang ran into her sleeping box. She didn't come out all night.
I hit into the pen again. I don't know what I was thinking.
Just then, I heard footsteps move across the kitchen floor.
Oh no. My roommate.
I froze.
“What’s going on down there bunnies?”
She was yelling from the top of the stairs.
“Did someone escape?”
If only I could pull the English's pen back the way it was.
Now she was walking fast down the steps.
“Belinda, what are you doing?”
I turned to look at her. She stood with her hands on her hips.
“Why are you standing there and why is his pen smashed in?”
I didn't know what to say.
I turned and walked back to my sleeping rug. I flopped with my back to her and the English.
Almost immediately she started "cooing" over him.
"Was Belinda mean to you little baby rabbit?”
Here she goes.
"I'm sorry she messed up your pen.”
The metal panels made a clanging noise as she pulled them back into place. Then I heard a bag crinkle.
"Here's something to make you feel better."
You have got to be kidding me.
She was giving the English a loop.
“I don’t understand why you rabbits can't get along.”
And that's the end of my story.
I hope it "sheds some light" on why rabbits argue.
Sometimes it is about their stash. Or "property lines."
But sometimes it’s because one of the rabbits refuses to mind their own “beeswax.”
So my advice is don't pick sides. You just never know.
By the way if you're wondering if my roommate gave me a loop, the answer is yes.
Sincerely,
Belinda
Spokesrabbit, Small Pet Select
Inventor of the First Chew holiday
Word for 2025: "Ask"
Belinda@smallpetselect.com
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