Saturday, October 5, 2013

A New Addition to the Murphey Saga Family

No it's not another grandchild. I mentioned her in a comment response, but I didn't introduce y'all to her.

My grandson James, 22 months old, named her Babs.


She's a California and Angora mixed bunny rabbit. I've long wanted one to spin the rabbit's fur into yarn. As you can tell she's already getting long baby fur. As far as I can tell that their is any Californian in her is the she has a small black patch on her back, and several black patches on her leg and hind paws. She's two months old. Her eyes are not the standard blue with a pink lens like her ruby eyed breed but pure blue!

Her story...
My youngest daughter and I had been frequenting the Northeastern Florida Farmers Swap and Trade Market. I even follow them on FaceBook to chat with other farmers and urban farmers. You already know if you've read my various blogs or my book, I'm all about self-sufficiency. My goal is to be almost totally self sufficient by the year 2016. That is still my target date in spite of my stroke.

Jenn and I are all about doing it ourselves. She's been gardening and raising chicken for a couple of years now. Anyhow, we've been looking at the livestock trying to get a feel for which breeds would work best with the minimum of care for our area. I'm all about researching before jumping in with both feet. I don't want to be in a situation when my family depends on something and I don't know.

We saw a variety of animals rabbits, chickens, goats, turkeys, pigs etc. I walked up to a stall with these bunnies and was talking to the vendor. I really had no intention of buying anything last Sunday, I was just researching and browsing. I spotted this litter of five bunnies. My grandson, Triston (11) picked up one and I was explaining to him how to hold it and the care it would need. He had three says earlier lost 10 chickens to a neighborhood dog. Needless to say he was heart broken. He had raised these chickens since they were a couple of weeks old and they were now broody and hatching babies of their own.

The one he picked up was blue-black but still had the Angora long hair, when I spied this bunny. I explained to Triston that this sweet girl would be the one that I would pick if I were buying one today. Her fur would be easy to dye into a variety of colors. While the one he had could only be dye dark colors. Of all my grandchildren, this grandson has taken the self-sufficient mentality to heart. He loves building things and raising things be it pens and houses to growing crops and harvesting harvest, etc. The preserving and storage of goods he leaves to us womenfolk. <g>

We put the bunnies down to walk to the next stall. We walked all around the market examining and discussing the livestock. My daughter fell in love with the Frizzle Bantam she saw. This chicken was so ugly, it was cute. Black lacy feathers like a boa with white feathers that almost look like glitter in the sunlight. She wanted her as a pet not a livestock purchase.

It was close to the time when the market would close so we made our way up to the front.

The lady with the bunnies we had held rushed up to me. "Do you really want the bunny?"
"I haven't the $40 to pay for her today. I'll catch up with you in a couple of months," I told her.

I wasn't set up for an Angora rabbit. Sure, I had the meat rabbits outside in their hutches and runs but an Angora I wanted to house inside as a pet provider like my dogs and cats. Angoras need a lot more grooming than meat rabbits. I would need a cage, waterer, small feeding dish etc. My meat rabbits have a five gallon watering system outside and I mostly free range them.

The lady persisted. She explain that she didn't have the room for a rabbit with more new kits to take her place. That she could tell this bunny would be going to a good home. "Why don't we do this", she started bargaining.
But I was just as adamant against taking a bunny home today. Oh my hubby would have been proud of me had he been there because I didn't give in.
Finally she said, "I really can't take her home. Her and her brother have got to go today."
They were the last two in the cage. Both perfectly healthy just not a solid color. All the violet, black and white bunnies were sold.
Desperate she looked me in the eyes, "I can't take them home. I'll give you both of them for free."
My resolve about this just being a research trip faded when I looked into the bunny's blue eyes. So her brother went home with Triston and my new little girl came home with me.

I gave her a bath when I brought her home. She's so tiny without all the hair poofing out all over the place. I've managed her daily care and grooming even one handed. She's only nibbled at my hubby's finger once and much prefers carrots to fingers. She gives little snuffling bunny kisses and licks when held. She loves to tuck her head under my chin when carried and is a holy terror to my cats who don't know what to think of this funny looking animal Momma brought home. So far she chases them around the family room and lies in wait for one of them to pass by a hiding space so she can jump on them. I think she'll hold her own.


6 comments:

  1. The bunny was destined to come home with you. (Better than the chicken. It is rather ugly.) It's such a ball of fluff, I can't see the ears, although I assume they're there!

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  2. Yep they are there. When she is in unsure surroundings they lay back against her body like she's hiding. Pure Angora yarn sells between $11-22 an ounce.

    Yep, the chicken was ugly, but my daughter wanted her because she was different and a pomp pom.

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  3. What a sweet addition to the family! She looks adorable :)

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  4. Who could resist! It would have been hard for me and any other red blooded animal lover. :-)

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  5. She's a cutie and great with all the grandbabies too.

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  6. She's totally adorbs! Love the name your grandson picked too. =O)

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