Meet Harriet the Lionheart - er, head

The 'what strange thing did you do?' comments have it!

Meet Harriet, my new Lionhead bunny. She's 8 weeks old, loves hay, water, and my friend Nathan's lap, and is apparently supposed to get cuter once she's fully grown. I call her Hattie for short.

They're called Lionheads because of the mane of fur around their face (and legs) that is separate from their main mane. Yes, she's two-maned. As she gets bigger the longer mane will become even more pronounced. She'll also probably put on about 1 more pound, rounding out at an even 3 lbs. She's actually a 'show bunny' with an official pedigree and all, which might sound expensive but I assure you was not.

People say bunnies are often mean and smelly, but Lionheads are known for their sweet temperament and for potty training themselves, and so far no offensive smells have permeated the place.

During the day she stays in her cage, but when I get home I let her out to roam. She likes hiding under my toilet and my side table but does a fair amount of exploring as well. If she's really digging life she'll do what's apparently called a 'binky' which is literally a jump for joy in which she hops up in the air and kicks her legs which causes her whole body to twist around before landing again. It's pretty ridiculous.

To get her used to me I put her in a 'bunny trance' once or twice a day which involves flipping her over and cradling her like a baby. She'll stay in that position indefinitely, but not voluntarily. Apparently it takes weeks for bunnies to bond with you... unless you're Nathan (and/or wearing a gray sweater) in which case she will actually LEAP OVER A TABLE to get to your lap, which I unfortunately missed seeing last night. She stayed put for a good 30 minutes.

So, there you have it. I am a pet owner. I'm working on getting attached but if it doesn't take for one reason or another I have a coworker with a house full of kids she's promised a 'cage pet' to once they move in November as a back-up plan.

Special thanks to Mike - without you this never would have happened! (Time will tell whether or not that is a genuine or ironic thanks...)