October 1, 2013 – Bunnies and Ellies and Gardens, Oh Sty!
I have a friend, Ess (not her real name,) who loves bunnies and elephants. When I was at a doctor’s office recently, I saw a “Hello Canada!” magazine with a story on Kenya’s elephants - and actress Kristin Davis’s work on behalf of them. I asked the staff if I could put my name and phone number on the mag so that, when it was about to be recycled, they could call me and I’d come and pick it up. No problem – they wanted me to take it right then – one less thing for them to recycle. We all had a good chuckle about me walking out with a “Hello Canada” magazine, because the lives of the rich and famous are of no interest to me. In fact, such things usually sadden or disgust me. But this article was an exception. See www.officialkristindavis.com
Next stop, dropping “Hello Canada” off in Ess’s mailbox. It’s very easy to find her house in my neighbourhood. It has large bunny pen in the front yard so that her children’s bunnies can come out and play without being picked off by local cats or dogs, foxes or coyotes. (We live near a conservation area.)
I thought, as I saw the bunny pen juxtaposed with the elephants’ article, that bunnies and ellies have a lot in common. They are both herbivores. And … well, I guess that’s where the comparison ends. But they both would have their advantages (and disadvantages) as companion other-animals. Here is my summary.
Bring-Your-Pet-To-Work-Day:
Bunnies – can take to school or work in a carrier and they can sit on your lap
Elephants – could ride to school or work, but not so easy to accommodate in the office
Gardening:
Bunnies – produce small amounts of poo that can be easily composted
Elephants – produce 500 pounds of poo daily that can be sold for profit
Exercise:
Bunnies – love to go for a hop on a harness and leash – good for short fast walks
Elephants – need to range 20 to 30 miles per day – but watch where you step
Population Control:
Bunnies – a male and female – theoretically – can produce 1,000 in a year. Need to spay or neuter.
Elephants – only one calf every four or five years, but you really don’t want a bull elephant hanging around
*****
Spayed or neutered bunnies actually can make very good pets. They are very clean, and will use a litter box. You need to have a large indoor and outdoor pen so that your bunny can have lots of safe adventures. Because they are vegans, you do not have to feel bad about ending the life of one animal to better the life of another. (I’m a cat lover – cats are pure carnivores. I think about these things.) And bunny poo does make great compost.
Naturally, I’m joking about having an elephant as a “pet.” Even the largest and best funded zoos in the world struggle to keep their pachyderms living to half the age that Babar and Celeste would live to in an idyllic African forest. Note I’m using the adjective “idyllic.”
I’m not telling you anything you haven’t heard before when I say that one African elephant is killed every 15 minutes – just for their ivory tusks. Thankfully, there are safe havens like the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya - www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org - and it’s easy to donate to them.
Closer to home, if you are in search for a fixed herbivore companion, look no further than your local SPCA. If you can’t adopt, you can sponsor; if you can’t sponsor, you can volunteer at the shelter and groom and exercise Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny. http://www.ontariospca.ca/adoptions-small-animals-sudbury.html
****
It’s neat to know that you can improve the quality of life and quantity of years for another being just by volunteering your time, talent, and/or treasure.
Plus it doesn’t hurt at all that the folks who study this stuff, tell us that volunteering for a good cause or many will also improve the length and quality of our lives too.
And, depending on the cause, your garden may thank you too!
Next stop, dropping “Hello Canada” off in Ess’s mailbox. It’s very easy to find her house in my neighbourhood. It has large bunny pen in the front yard so that her children’s bunnies can come out and play without being picked off by local cats or dogs, foxes or coyotes. (We live near a conservation area.)
I thought, as I saw the bunny pen juxtaposed with the elephants’ article, that bunnies and ellies have a lot in common. They are both herbivores. And … well, I guess that’s where the comparison ends. But they both would have their advantages (and disadvantages) as companion other-animals. Here is my summary.
Bring-Your-Pet-To-Work-Day:
Bunnies – can take to school or work in a carrier and they can sit on your lap
Elephants – could ride to school or work, but not so easy to accommodate in the office
Gardening:
Bunnies – produce small amounts of poo that can be easily composted
Elephants – produce 500 pounds of poo daily that can be sold for profit
Exercise:
Bunnies – love to go for a hop on a harness and leash – good for short fast walks
Elephants – need to range 20 to 30 miles per day – but watch where you step
Population Control:
Bunnies – a male and female – theoretically – can produce 1,000 in a year. Need to spay or neuter.
Elephants – only one calf every four or five years, but you really don’t want a bull elephant hanging around
*****
Spayed or neutered bunnies actually can make very good pets. They are very clean, and will use a litter box. You need to have a large indoor and outdoor pen so that your bunny can have lots of safe adventures. Because they are vegans, you do not have to feel bad about ending the life of one animal to better the life of another. (I’m a cat lover – cats are pure carnivores. I think about these things.) And bunny poo does make great compost.
Naturally, I’m joking about having an elephant as a “pet.” Even the largest and best funded zoos in the world struggle to keep their pachyderms living to half the age that Babar and Celeste would live to in an idyllic African forest. Note I’m using the adjective “idyllic.”
I’m not telling you anything you haven’t heard before when I say that one African elephant is killed every 15 minutes – just for their ivory tusks. Thankfully, there are safe havens like the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya - www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org - and it’s easy to donate to them.
Closer to home, if you are in search for a fixed herbivore companion, look no further than your local SPCA. If you can’t adopt, you can sponsor; if you can’t sponsor, you can volunteer at the shelter and groom and exercise Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny. http://www.ontariospca.ca/adoptions-small-animals-sudbury.html
****
It’s neat to know that you can improve the quality of life and quantity of years for another being just by volunteering your time, talent, and/or treasure.
Plus it doesn’t hurt at all that the folks who study this stuff, tell us that volunteering for a good cause or many will also improve the length and quality of our lives too.
And, depending on the cause, your garden may thank you too!