Not too many apple trees grow here in Queens. Even if they did, I probably wouldn't feed anything grown in the city to my bunnies, considering the kind of air those plants have been breathing.
But we LOVE apple branches!
And the ones we've bought places and online just don't have the same appeal as the real deal.
So we were very excited to hear that our friend Alice over at Potentially Nervous found a new batch of apple branches near her new West Coast home!
The box arrived in the mail Monday night. When I got home from my internship at 1am last night, I cracked open the box. I was nervous. These were much slimmer than the ones we had gotten last time. Would the buns still be interested?
I offered a fistful on the floor, then held one out to Biffy.
He ate it like a piece of spaghetti (or in rabbit terms, a piece of hay).
When I got up this morning, only remnants were left over. So I replenished.
Biffy prefers me to hold out each piece for him, and when they get too small to be of much interest to him, he throws them around like a toy.
And Sogna? She doesn't care. She just wants to eat! In true Sogna form.
(I did not weave the heart-shaped basket in the photo above. It's made of willow. I bought it over a year ago, but for some reason they only chewed the top off of it then never touched it again).
I think this is a great fiber-rich snack/toy, especially these days when shedding season is in full swing. While Sogna sheds heavily and almost constantly, she gets "feathers," so I know when she needs some de-furring. In fact, we call her a ragamuffin. And she's pretty cooperative about being petted, plucked, and tolerates some brushing in very small doses with lots of pets mixed in.
Biff on the other hand... you would never know just by looking at him that he's shedding in the least. But run your hand over his body (if he'll let you, he's more of a head/face-scratch kind of bun), and clumps of fur come out. Seems like they come out of nowhere. I tried to brush him this morning because he needs it desperately. The mission was a massive failure. For my efforts I will go to work trying to explain away four deep, parallel gashes on my collarbone.
Hope everyone is staying cool.
I've never had apple branches. Are they nummy?
ReplyDeleteMr. Mick turned up his nose at apple branches the last time I offered them to him. He is a 24/7 shedder, and those little tufts of fur sticking out make me absolutely nuts. He hates it when I pluck them, although he's good about being groomed.
ReplyDeleteI have tried apple branches and they just arent popular. I think I may have to order some from PN. Maybe hers are tastier.
ReplyDeletegoodness Lisa - I always have tears running down my face when I read your stories!! you are so funny :)
ReplyDeleteI wonder too why some toys only get half eaten then ignored!! and sit there gathering dust!
and my goodness - 4 gashes! cripes! I only had to deal with 1 huge forearm length gash that looked awfully self inflicted! made by Wes when I took him in to see Margot a few weeks ago, and he decided, nope, he did not want to go after all. Needless to say - no-one looked at me, nor made a comment! ha ha!
Sounds like a wild place there in the city! We have lots of apple sticks at pruning time and they go like hot cakes - usually just the bark, but some do go like spaghetti - twirling around and around and down!
ReplyDeleteBertie and Mercedes are not consistent in their treatment of apple branches, even those coming from the same place. Sometimes they eat the entire twig, other times they leave a chewed piece around for weeks, until I throw it out.
ReplyDeleteSounds yummy! Aren't buns strange with willow? Some willow toys Mario DEVOURS in a day. And others can sit in his cage for years and he won't touch it. Must be something to do with the taste but I never know if willow will be a hit or not.
ReplyDeleteMy kiddo's don't like them either. Must be an aquired taste of sophisticated city buns! :)
ReplyDeletexx, shell