Bunny Identity Series
I know I've lost a slew of you with just the title. We could quibble here about perceptions of animals - whether I am anthropomorphizing too much or not. But let's leave it at this: if your rabbit feels safe around you, it will inevitably begin to show behaviors that trend in a particular direction. Those behaviors can alter in intensity or expression, but they will share a core similarity much the same way that a single color can vary in density of pigment, shade or hue. It is this consistency that I am attempting to identify and label in this series.
Why bother? I can hear some of you asking this question because it would be the first question out of the mouths of some of my family members. Because as a breeder, I did not view my bunnies as expendable or disposable, and I hoped that they would never be treated that way. I understood that just as we gravitate towards some people and not others, we also gravitate towards some animals and not others. Giving my bunnies their best chance at a happy home meant taking the time to sort that out for them, and for my potential customers.
Give me an honest example. Sure! After breeding for a while, I began to notice that my daughter and I had completely different favorites. This went far beyond whichever bunny was acting the sweetest at the time. She viewed my favorites as boring, and I viewed hers as unpredictable and challenging. If she were a customer and purchased one of my favorites, she would care for it, but would eventually fall into a pattern of detachment instigated by boredom. If I were a customer and purchased one of her favorites, I would become frustrated and fall into a pattern of latent annoyance and avoidance. In both situations, the bunny in question would be cared for, but likely not enjoyed or appreciated fully. I'm not one for doing anything less than 200%, so I can't let that go.
Does it really make a difference? Of course it does. Does it really make a difference if you add ice to Coke? Does it really make a difference if you make your bed everyday? And now I am turning this around on you. Maybe you are one of those people that tolerates a wide spectrum of details. Or, maybe you are one of those people who have a place for everything and ten shirts you love are better than thirty you like. In any case, you still have a spectrum that reaches from abhorrence to affinity or tolerance to preference. Better to err on the right side, no?
How do I figure out my bunny's identity? Mostly by observation. Watch how your bunny reacts in a variety of situations. Study your bunny. Make sure your bunny feels safe, so that it can relax into being itself. You will be surprised at how pronounced it's identity will become. The remaining articles in this series will describe prominent bunny identities, as well as tips on how to live with them.
Articles in this series