The Adventures of Tiny R
A Bunny's Taleby Betty Ann Cassano
If You Scratch My Back...........
Tiny R is not a bunny who spends a lot of time sitting on laps. He doesn't even care about getting cozy with us on the couch unless there is a treat involved. It isn't that Tiny R doesn't like us or trust us, it's just that he is very independent. And since we control quite a bit of his life already out of necessity, we try to give him freedom to choose how he spends his personal time, when it doesn't affect his safety or our personal belongings. We wait for Tiny R to let us know when he's in the mood for a little fur stroking or nose rubbing.Sometimes Tiny R comes over to where we are and stands up on his hind legs to get our attention. Then when we put our hands down, Tiny R holds his nose up so we can rub it. "Right above my little nose, please. Scratch just a little. Ummmmm. Yep, that's the right place, keep petting, eye lids drooping .......... ummmmmmmmmmmm!"
Pure bunny contentment.Sometimes when Tiny R wants his back rubbed, he hops over to Eric and gives him a nudge with his nose. Then he turns around, and sits with his back to Eric and waits for the petting to begin. When Tiny R points his nose upward, that's his way to let Eric know that he would also enjoy having the area above his nose rubbed a little. After a few minutes, Tiny R is satisfied and hops off on his way to new explorations and adventures.
100% Pure Cotton, Plus a Little Bit(e) More When Tiny R was young, his communication techniques weren't nearly so polite and well developed. Some of his early attempts to make his needs known involved nipping with his sharp little teeth.
Tiny R only nipped skin once and that was an accident. Eric was playing with him on the floor. Tiny R grabbed a piece of Eric's shirt in his teeth and came away with more than material. I don't know who was more surprised, Eric or Tiny R.
Now that Tiny R is older, he seems to know about avoiding contact with skin. But he still tries to grab a piece of Eric's tee shirt whenever he's feeling playful and wants to stir up a little action.
And Tiny R is quick! Poor Eric doesn't have any tee shirts left without at least one hole somewhere.
Forget the Easter Candy. I Just Want the Basket. Easter is almost here and it is time to think about getting Tiny R an Easter basket. A very small basket. Preferably with a handle. And no candy or that green plastic "grass". Just a plain, unfininshed, tiny, woven reed or twig basket suitable for flinging about and chewing.
Tiny R has had baskets in the past and he loves them. He finds all sorts of games to play with them. He takes other toys and places them inside the baskets. At various times he has put his bell, toilet paper tubes, and smaller baskets into his big basket. Sometimes it seems like he's on a housecleaning spree as he tries to pile as much of his stuff in there as possible.
When Tiny R isn't filling his baskets up with toys, he pushes them around with his nose. If the basket has a big enough handle, he slips his nose under the handle and hops around with the basket hanging off his nose until he finds a good place to put it. If the handle is small, he uses his teeth to grab onto the handle and gives the basket a toss.
Of course, after Tiny R has grown tired of filling, pushing and throwing, he settles in for a little chewing. Usually the handle goes first. Then he starts nibbling on the sides like a kid eating an ice cream cone. Eventually, all that's left of the basket is the bottom. And even then it makes a good bunny frisbee.
So that is the reason I buy tiny baskets for Tiny R. He really does love them. I only buy the ones that are completely natural. Plain old blond color. No colors or protective coatings applied to them. Then I know that they won't make Tiny R sick when he chews them.
Easter is fast approaching. I guess it's time to take a trip into town and visit Pier 1 to check out their supply of tiny baskets. Baskets just big enough for Tiny R.
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E-mail address: bettyann@cassano.com