I suspect there is a true reason that magicians of yore used white rabbits as subjects for their prestidigitations. White rabbits, in my experience, are quite canny.

Last spring, two young bucks came into our lives via a friend who's friend couldn't keep them any longer. The Wauna menagerie was shy of rabbits, so Hubby and I agreed. After all, rabbits are not much different than, say, goldfish for entertainment. Right? Little did I know! I know that some of you veiw rabbit as a food item, but keep in mind I live in America where pets are valued by many as children are.

These new additions were dubbed Merry and Pippen and we immediately set them free from their former 3' wide by 4 1/2' wide penitentiary wire existence to a spacious rabbit wire enclosure on the ground. The children were delighted and astonished at how much fun they had. The pen we created was a 6' round complete with three large rocks in the center to climb atop of or hide below and a weedy patchy garden for bunnies to nibble on.

We learned rabbits can do the bunny fling--a wild leap and twist in the air, followed by a race in circles. They would then throw themselves down when exhausted and bask flat in the sun. They would rather be on something (rocks, a recycled bottle recycling bin, each other...) than under something.

But for Merry (who turned out to be the grumpier of the two bunnies and not nice at all) the garden was greener on the other side of the fence. Within a week, he found a high spot in the bottom of the fence and wiggled under. Off he raced to check out the neighbor's barn and horses. I didn't find him until the next day!

We anchored the wire with big rocks and figured he wouldn't budge that. But we were wrong! For his next trick, he managed to push the bottom corner of the gate and slither through the crack to freedom. We placed a cinder block in front of the gate so you had to drag it out of the way to get in. Naturally, if we would forget once to replace it after going through, he was out again. Pippen, through this whole escape attempt was content to remain in confinement.

By this time, Pippin care down with "head tilt" (many bunny illnesses are weirdly named and fatal to bunnies, come to find out) Merry ceased his escapee ways and spent his day propping up Pippin's bad side and helping him to the food and water dishes. Bunnies have compassion?! Who would have thought?