This is Robby

Robby, short for Robin James Walton, is my newly acquired rabbit! The best part about my new pet? He was free, I don’t have to clean up after him, and he doesn’t shed his beautiful, silky, allergy inducing, rabbit fur in my house. Robby is a wild rabbit and I have become quite attached to the little rodent.

A few days ago I saw a sweet little rabbit sitting in my front yard munching on some grass. Is there anything cuter than watching a rabbit eat? He didn’t startle as I walked by, I was impressed. He must be used to humans in the neighborhood, I thought. That night I left out a bowl of carrots and parsley to see if he would return to the same spot. Within 24 hours, Robby returned and ate the entire bowl of food.

I immediately began to imagine Robby and I’s future together. I would come home from work and he would come hopping out of the bushes, ready to play with his best buddy. We would go on walks together. Robby would be waiting outside the door for me in the mornings, and watch me drive away for work with the saddest, big, black eyes. Essentially, I romanticized our new relationship into a human/rabbit version of Lassie. I have attachment issues, especially when it comes to animals.

Today at work I received this picture message from Isaac:

"Look What You've Done"

Robby was sitting by his empty food bowl waiting for treats! After just two meals, he was hooked! You would think I had laced the carrots with bunny crack. Note to self: can you buy bunny crack? Must look into it. Must make Robby dependent on me like a hooker is to a pimp. I was giddy and showed off the picture to all my friends at work as though he were a newborn baby. I, the new mother, was beaming! A few thoughts ran through my head.

1. YES! Robby is waiting for me! He is starting to become attached to me!
2. Don’t kid yourself Courtney. Robby doesn’t love me, he loves my carrots.
3. Uh oh, is this bad? Is Robby going to stop eating grass and other normal rabbit things and only want to eat the evenly cut carrots and hand washed parsley I feed him?
4. Who cares? This is awesome!

Sure enough tonight I got home from work to find Robby happily eating out of his bowl. I’m not sure where things will go from here. I am trying to remind myself that he is still a wild rabbit, and things don’t always end well for wild animals. There are cars, dogs, raccoons, birds, and a lot of other elements that could end his fragile life. I shouldn’t get too attached.

The reality is that I am head over heels in love with my little rabbit pal. I think about him on the way to work, at work, in the shower, while eating dinner, and while watching TV. I can’t stop looking out my window, hoping to catch a glimpse of his cotton ball tail.

Who knew a wild rabbit with a taste for fresh carrots could bring so much joy into a person’s life?