Sunday, May 25, 2008

new member of the family


Meet Rootbeer, so named for the box we brought him home in.

We had pretty much ruled out a rabbit; while they are adorable and cuddly, David and I have a very heartfelt aversion to keeping animals in cages. That has always been my "out" with Anna, regarding anything like gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs etc; "But remember, we don't keep animals in cages. They don't BELONG in cages."

And then, we went to the local Feed and Seed type store. Big mistake. This place is one of Anna's favorites, and I HATE it. Don't get me wrong, I love farm stores and the like, but this place also sells chickens and snakes and mice and guinea pigs and rabbits and dogs and pot-bellied pigs...and the conditions they are kept in makes me sick. It's dirty, smelly and as soon as I leave I want to go straight to the car wash for a power-scrub (ME, not my car.) It's BAD. Furthermore, they have a cotamundi, which is this South American anteater type thing that is in a very -small little cubby-hole and it paces around and around and around...and they even have an alligator. I don't know (or want to know) how they came to own these exotic animals, but the whole place just gives me the heebie jeebies.

Anyway, we were in the neighborhood buying some home-improvement supplies and Anna talked us in to stopping at this place.

We walked in to the pet area and this little black and white bunny was in a pen with several guinea pigs. He just looked so small and helpless and sweet...it was love at first sight. Anna knew better than to push it, but I couldn't stop thinking about him all the way home. Once home, I cornered David and asked him if he'd divorce me if I went back for that bunny. Thankfully, he said he wouldn't. I know how adamant he has been about getting another pet, especially a caged one, but for some reason (maybe it was my pitiful face) he didn't hesitate. Once more proof that this man really IS a saint.

I'll never be comfortable owning an animal that we keep in a cage, but I guess I realized that if we didn't take him, someone else would, and at least now I know that with us, he'll have a good, life-long and loving home.

He's a Netherlands Dwarf baby, and he is sooooo cute.

9 comments:

H said...

Aww, he's adorable!

Linda said...

Pearl (Andrea's Bunny) is a Neatherland Dwarf. Sweet bunnies. If she holds him a lot and carries him around he will be a loving little bunny. But if he's left in his cage, he will be shy and even nippy. So let him roam around her room (supervised) and the cutest thing, is get her a fanny pack or small front pack to snuggle him into on bike rides and walks and he will truly enjoy his time with her. Pearl just LOVES Andrea, and genuinely misses her when she is away for a day or two. It's cute. ENJOY!!!

Linda said...

P.S. Pearl is 8 years old. Apparently nobody ever told her that Netherlands only live 5 to 7 years. Power of love and friendship I guess.

Jodi said...

How sweet! You can also cut the bottom out of a big box and put her outside in the summer so she can eat the grass. The LOVE being outside!

kate said...

Jodi, David is in the garage right now, building him an outside house. The guy who didn't want a bunny... :)

Lala, that is a great idea, the pack for bike-rides. Anna will LOVE that. She just keeps saying, over and over, "I can't believe we got a bunny!" There will be NO problem with her ignoring him. I put his cage (ew I hate that word) in the TV room so that he's part of our activity.

He is adorable. Now I need to find a vet and get him fixed; also one of his eyes is kind of weepy. Any suggestions??

Jodi said...

Well, at least his eye doesn't look off to the left...

Dee said...

Rootbeer is soooo cute ! I can't believe she didn't name him Spot. But she is way too creative for that. Anna will LOVE having him and he will entertain her for hours on end.
Good for you and good for David ! Way to go Mom and "Pop".

Anonymous said...

Rootbeer is the best name ever!! He looks adorable.. I love bunnies..

NH Yocal said...

Adorable!!