Our bunny herd just got a little larger! This past Monday, our amazing and generous volunteer Sylvie donated two baby bunnies from a litter her pair of older rabbits recently had. The two new Barn bunnies are Gizmo and Gadget. Gizmo is a little ball of fluff with very long hair who could easily be confused for an untrimmed Yorkshire Terrier. Gadget has short hair and the coloration of a Siamese cat. We tried to identify their genders, and we’re fairly certain they’re both girls.
Gizmo and Gadget have adjusted wonderfully so far. Sylvie and her family hand-raised the bunnies so they’re not only used to human interaction, but they even enjoy it. We have already used the pair for several groups and they have been rock stars in every single one. Gizmo loves cuddling up in our people’s arms while Gadget enjoys coming up and sniffing our students until she receives pets.
Whenever I clean the hutch, I let them out so they can explore and stretch their legs. They’re very curious and playful, zipping from using the upturned trash lid as a seesaw to hopping on top of the plastic container that holds their food bag. I was thrilled to have seen both of them binky, which is when they jump in the air and twist their head and hips. Binkying is commonly perceived as a rabbit’s happiest form of expression.
Taco and Lemonade seem to enjoy the new company as well. Lem has even come out of her shell a little more, as she has let me pet her while she eats. They still tend to stick to one another more than the newcomers, but they’ll sniff Gadget or Gizmo when they come nearby.
Obviously, we’re very excited about the two new editions to our herd. They’ve already contributed to several lessons so far, and all of our students who have met the pair have loved them. If you’d like to meet Gadget and Gizmo, feel free to ask a staff member if they have a moment to accompany you to the hutch. If none of the staff are available don’t worry, as I’m sure these bunnies will be used in many future lessons!
-Connor