NAOMI WILDWOOD AND LITTLE NUTBROWN HARE
AKA: THE TWINS, THE SLIPPER SISTERS, DOUBLE TROUBLE

We already had 3 rabbits, which is plenty, but it was just before Easter, the sign said “Easter bunnies for sale”. My husband stopped in spite of my protests. “NO! NO! NO!” My brain had been taken over by my sinuses and I was under the influence of cold medicine. I sat in the car, but from my viewpoint I saw my daughter snatch a tiny ball of fur out of a cage. I stormed out of the car and said, “Put that back!” “Oh, but, Mommy, this one gave me bunny kisses!” I looked at the impossibly adorable little creature snuggled against my daughter’s cheek. I looked down at the cage where many other impossibly adorable little furballs and one guinea pig resided. Before I knew what had happened I was possessed by the spirit of the Easter Bunny. “If you’re going to get one, you might as well get two.” Whose mouth did those words come out of? My husband appeared from inside the feed store grinning. “We get a discount if we buy two”—he loves a bargain. Thus Naomi and Nutbrown joined us two years ago this Easter. The tiniest of our bunnies grew to be the largest. We held them and snuggled quite a bit when they were little to get them accustomed to being handled, but they are a different bunny experience altogether as they are bonded to each other, not us.

These sisters are inseparable. They love to snuggle, groom each other and play together. When they’re on the loose they are into everything. It’s hard to keep up with them as they leap into, out of, over, under everything in the room. They are two furry flashes, full of personality and curiosity. And they are hilarious! Sometimes Naomi will enter one end of the cardboard tube at the same time Nutbrown enters the other. It’s always interesting to see which end they’ll both come out. Feeding time is always fun. The twins are always hungry, and though they don’t fight over their food, they do share. If I offer two baby carrots to them at the same time, they both grab the same one. Naomi is faster at snatching a treat and running, leaving Nutbrown looking somewhat lost. Nutbrown is more shy about taking a treat from my hand, but when she sees Naomi with the gold, she gets the idea. If I place a pile of greens here for Naomi and a pile of greens there for Nutbrown, I can guarantee they will both find the same piece of parsley and munch it from opposite ends.

They love to manipulate slinkies and sturdy cat toys with bells. Nutbrown loves to burrow in a box of towels. Naomi dances wildly, jerking her head about and kicking up her heals. Nutbrown can leap vertically to amazing heights. Both bunnies shake their tails in a sassy manner when we try to round them up. It’s nearly impossible to catch them, but they do understand “Hop in the box.” If we sit very still, their curiosity gets the best of them and they come over to check us out. They are very stealthy about it and quickly dart away from a friendly pat. They do tolerate being held and patted, though, when we do manage to catch them. But when we put them down they wash fastidiously as if to get the people smell off. These “impulse buys” have brought us much joy and entertainment.

Note: We did not realize when purchasing these rabbits how very many are in shelters and rescues after having been abandoned.  We no longer condone purchasing rabbits from stores, and are members of the Lowcountry House Rabbit Society to promote their rescue efforts and help to educate others about the numerous homeless rabbits that we were also once unaware of.  Adopt a rescued rabbit instead!