My Early Morning Stress

The Great Escape: A Tale of Two Crafty Rabbits

If you're a regular here, you already know I'm head-over-heels for my two rabbits, Thumper and Clover. You've seen the sweet pictures of them chilling in their fancy enclosure, looking like fluffy angels. But what those pictures don't show is the pure mayhem that happens when they decide to let their inner wild rabbits out.

It all kicked off with one little slip-up. I was cleaning their area and, thinking I would be right back, left the gate open for just a sec while I grabbed hay. One measly minute! That's all it took. In that tiny bit of time, my two usually timid pets morphed into escape artists. When I got back, the gate was swinging, and the pen was empty. My stomach dropped.

The next few minutes were a total panic. I ran into the living room to find them—not hiding under furniture as I thought they would—but boldly checking out their new playground. Thumper was checking the taste of my baseboards with his teeth, while Clover was doing laps around the couch. They weren't scared; they were having a blast!

My first plan—stay calm—failed quickly. A gentle Come here, bunnies! got me nothing but a quick ear twitch and a sprint in the other direction. They weren't being mean; they were just having a good time. I was no longer their beloved owner; I was just something standing in the way of their big day.

I soon learned that a loose rabbit is a force of nature. They can go from still to super-fast in a flash and make turns that shouldn't be possible. My slow self was no match for their hops. So, I went to plan B: a trap. I put their favorite treat—fresh cilantro—in a trail back to their pen. I hid behind a chair, holding my breath.

Clover gave in first, her nose wiggling like crazy. She followed the green path, hopping carefully into the pen. I grabbed her, locking the gate behind her. One down! Thumper, though, was smarter. He walked up to the cilantro, gave me a look like he knew what was up, grabbed a piece, and went back under the bookshelf.

It took another ten minutes of putting cilantro in the right spots before he gave in. As soon as he was all the way inside, I locked the gate, falling back against it, totally done.

They're now back in their pen, acting like nothing happened and probably planning their next break out. It was scary and funny all at once. It just goes to show that no matter how tame they look, they still have that wild side. And from now on? I'm checking that gate twice!