Special Bonds

[dajeti2]

I have been prompted to share a recent experience I had with Apollo.

Apollo has recently discovered the wonder of oats and dried papaya.Each day I put some in a special tupperware-like bowl that is just forthis treat. Well Apollo wants privacy when enjoying this delight. Hewill take his bowl to the far back corner of his cage to eat. NowApollo's cage is 4 feet long and 3 feet wide. Getting that bowl isloads of fun. We have to get down on the floor, climb halfway into thecage and get the bowl. Apollo is usually right in our faces the wholetime.

One night Apollo was begging for his treat. I was tired and didn't feellike getting that bowl. I loked at Apollo and said" if you wantyourtreat bring me your bowl". Apollo runs to the corner, gets the bowl,carries it to the very front of his cage and sets it down in front ofthe door. Needless to say My jaw was on the floor and my eyes aboutpopped out of my head. Even my son was in shock.

Once I could move again, I filled his bowl and put it back in his cage.He picked it up and carried it back to his corner where he happilymunched away. There are those who would say it was nothing but aprogrammed behavior. Nope-he never did it before and I never asked himfor it before.

I suffer from horendous leg cramps, especially if I'm cold. Jer and Iwere watching tv on the couch one day. I sat up looking for myslippers. I could feel a cramp coming so I asked Jer if he knew wheremy slippers were. Before I could move to look,Apollo jumpedup on the couch and layed down on my feet. again, he'd never laid on myfeet before.

So do rabbits understand us?

I beieve they understand so much more than we give them credit for. I have so many more examples too.

Does anyone else have any thoughts, theories or similar stories to share?

Tina

 

[Buck Jones]

We've touched on this topic oncebefore. It'll be interesting if anyone else since them hasmore examples, such as your own. I've watched individuals,like Carolyn, speak to theirs buns as if the buns understand, and oftenthe buns would react as if the did! I find it difficult toaccept, but find it hard to deny my own experiences on thoseoccasions. The Language of Lagomorphs shows howincredibly subtle rabbit-speak can be, so I guess I shouldn't besurprised.

I just recently said to the Missus that Ernestine exhibits thepersonality of a brick because she is so undemonstrative. Nosooner did I say that, than the bugger begins to circle around uspossessively, comes running for treats, sticks her nose inthe refrigerator, paws at our pants legs, let the Missus pet all thetime and me, sometime.

Guess she heard me insult her, eh? LOL

Buck

 

[LuvaBun]

Tina, that's really amazing - Apollo is more thana pretty face . My first rabbit, Fudge, used to love to sit on thewindow sill and look out of the window. I was saying to my hubby onenight about how neither Perry nor Pernod do anything like that. Thevery next day I came downstairs to find Pernod on the window sill. Icouldn't believe it - in the 2 years we had her she'd never done itbefore, and she hasn't done it since. It was like she was saying thatif Fudge could do it, then so could she!- Jan

 

[Carolyn]

Buck Jones stumbled upon an article or book about how rabbits canunderstand up to 50 words. (Isn't that true, Buck? Was it that high ofa number?)

Regardless, I definitely believe rabbits understand more than they likeus to believe. How many times do they pretend to not hear us whenthey're getting in trouble? With hearing like that, you know they canhear what you're saying. I think they're a lot like babies in that theyknow things, but they'd rather just lay back and watch us work for it.I expect it of my rabbits and 9 times out of 10, I'm not disappointedand they seem to know exactly what I say.

Was talking to a dog trainer last week about a friend of mine's dogthat jumps on me because she gets so excited to see me. I put the handup, say "Down", and the whole nine, but the dog's still a pup and can'tcontrol her emotions quite yet. The trainer told me to visualize thedog doing what you want as you're about to, or giving, the command. Itried it a few times last week and it worked like a charm with thatdog. Some might say it's crazy, but it's another technique.

-Carolyn

 

IT`S TRUE! Aboutthestory. Hedid all of it and i saw the wholething.:shock::shock::shock::shock:



JEREMY

 

[ariel]

I can only imagine your surprise at the whole situation, I honestlybelieve that our animals we take into our homes and share a life withus become part of the family, we build an understanding with them, weshare love and care and attention and trust and an amazing bond, Ithink Apollo knew what you were wanting.

You had an amazing thing happen and I think you are very blessed.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Aww how sweet they all are! Apollo is really "in-tune" to you.

I believe most (if not all) animals have similar "gifts" in variousdegrees and we can work to see them or choose to ignore them.

I also believe that those things are why I love animals somuch. I enjoy watching their "moods" and "attempts tocommunicate" on a daily basis.

How lucky you are to have a Nursing Aid bunny to help you when you needyour feet warmed! I'm gonna have to talk to Bo about this!

 

[RebeccaUK]

Wow, what a great thread! I haven't anyexperiences personally although it struck a chord with me because thereare often odd things that Benjamin does that make mesurprised. I would love to hear some more stories of ourwonderful psychic/understanding bunnies.

 

[cirrustwi]

Carolyn wrote:

Was talking to a dog trainer last week about a friend of mine's dogthat jumps on me because she gets so excited to see me. I put the handup, say "Down", and the whole nine, but the dog's still a pup and can'tcontrol her emotions quite yet. The trainer told me to visualize thedog doing what you want as you're about to, or giving, the command. Itried it a few times last week and it worked like a charm with thatdog. Some might say it's crazy, but it's another technique.

-Carolyn

Carolyn, I'm so glad you posted this. Harley is 9 mon andpart lab (really hyper puppies) so he needs a lot of work on thejumping thing. I definitely going to try this, something hasto help! LOL

I really do believe that animals understand us. If I am upsetfor any reason, my critters all seem to know and are more cooperativeabout everything. I feel that they can sense our moods.

Basil knows when I tell her to get back in her cage -- and she runsaway! Daisy is just the opposite, she is a good little girland goes right in when I tell her. With the boys, its 50-50what they are going to do, but I swear Sage knows the word "pumpkin" hegoes absolutely nuts when I as him if he wants some and attacks thebowl before I have the chance to set it down. Last night, Ihad to hold it for him while he ate his scoop.

Jen