The Ecstatic Bunny — Hickory Ridge Hollands

Did you ever have a friend that you would describe as super extroverted? You know, the kind of person that makes an entrance, and literally fuels the energy at the party. Keep that in mind as you read about the Ecstatic bunny. We will describe this bunny identity as:

The Ecstatic Bunny: This bunny is a charmer! It rarely meets a stranger because everyone is a potential friend or audience. As hinted about, this bunny has tons of energy, that can often be described as explosive. An Ecstatic bunny will often jump right out of its cage and into your arms. It eagerly runs TOWARDS you when you call, or even when it just sees you. The ecstatic bunny seems to be void of prey instinct and typically acts like an optimist - as if it assumes that it will always be safe, loved and happy. The Ecstatic bunny is all joy and sunshine.

Hayate was our first Ecstatic bunny. She was happy and sweet. Her boundless energy meant that she was constantly bugging her mom and sibling, who in turn, had endless patience with her. She loved attention and she loved life. She seemed curious, but even that was obscured by her sheer enthusiasm. Like most Ecstatic bunnies, Hayate was amiable and content.

As she grew, Hayate's fun side constantly surprised us. She was quick, and during photo sessions, was known to jump off tables when we took our eyes off her. She would run, and stay just a little out of reach, drawing us into a game of tag. Her energy was like laughter - happiness and fun wrapped together. It was very apparent when she had kits. Yes, she was sweet and patient, but instead of just tolerating their tumbling and antics, she joined them. She was a fun mom. Hayate was like a kit at heart.

Graham was my second Ecstatic bunny. He was friendly right out of the carrier. He absolutely loved attention and would bound to the front of his cage as soon as someone walked into the rabbitry. It wasn't just in anticipation of a treat either. He just wanted you to notice him, to be pet, to be loved. He was a kisser too. He would lick your hand, or your cheek if you let him. His energy was irrepressible. We frequently caught him pacing in the pen, running back and forth for long periods of time. As soon as you pulled him out, he would sit in your lap, completely content to be loved on, and suddenly calm. Graham never held a grudge and was perpetually happy. He was a real sweetheart and any time that you spent with him left a smile on your face. There was not a manipulative or unkind bone in his body.

Sometimes, when you are breeding, you see patterns. Some rabbit pairings tend to produce certain types of kits. This was very true of Etesian and Spring. Etesian is Machiavellian and Spring is Sweet, and together they tended to produce one or two Ecstatic kits. This was always a lot of fun for us. Once their eyes opened, they would test their legs by tearing around the cage, running into Spring, each other and the walls. Opening the cage door needed to be a team effort because they would jump out with abandon, right into your hands. You couldn't pet just one because they would climb on top of each other to get your attention. They produced constant activity and were always invading each other's space. Why wasn't it frustrating? Because it was just sheer joy exploding everywhere.

So, the Ecstatic bunny is adorable and sweet. It blasts you with love and keeps coming back for more. If you own one, you will be harassed. Harassed with attention and love. It may occasionally do something naughty, but it will probably be an accident - something that happened when it was trying to get your attention. The Ecstatic bunny won't hold a grudge, so you can't either.