.
I went out, a bit after dawn, to open feed to the birds. First, they weren't interested. Second? Brrr! So I headed to check the temp. It was 32 again this morning. This side of freezing, there wasn't even a thin sheet of ice on a smaller dishpan of water I have out for Sam... if the ducks clean their dirty beaks in it. Bleh.
I had turned the furnace up, and closed the one window I had left open. It was 64~66 in here. Just too cool, but not bad given there had been a window open and the furnace was off, plus now knowing it was 32 out there. Ugh. It's difficult to believe it is 32 nearly halfway through May.
I checked the waterers and food for the rabbits while out there, shivering. Yes, I've been out, barefooted, doing chores at 0 F, but that's not every day. Anyway... A few waterers had to be changed. But they have been there a day. And all the food was good. The thing about having a single rabbit per cage is, it looks like they eat a lot less? Odd, but it seems so.
I am not sure the rabbits are which sex, though. She had sexed them, but when they were young. I'm not very good at that. I'm not sure, actually, which is which. I am really not sure she did them right. You would think kits would have happened, but, if it's too stressful... a female in with several males, or a mix, maybe not? I've got to figure that out. I may have to ask her to show me, I'll do my best, but...
I'll tell you, raising animals you learn some dark truths. I know some, from a more human perspective. But it is darker still in the animal kingdom. One thing I am mostly sure about is, that while males are brutal in their pecking order thing, females are absolutely murderously vicious. I am amazed at how harsh the females are, to each other, and to some males. The strongest female becomes a bull dyke cannibal. Yea. Though ducks kill their own with abandon as well. The animal kingdom, domestic or wild, is absolutely brutal. I'm... fixing some of that. Live and learn.
So cold! Just get out there, and doing a little, sapped every ounce of momentum I had going. I may go on back and nap just a bit. Brutal, hard, cold, for this time of year. More so after reaching 60 yesterday. Such large drops. Well, good morning, and day. Have a good one. Later.
"One thing I am mostly sure about is, that while males are brutal in their pecking order thing, females are absolutely murderously vicious. I am amazed at how harsh the females are, to each other, and to some males."
ReplyDeleteI began seeing "girl fights" in full bloom when I started seventh grade, and I was admittedly taken back at the displays of utterly ruthless combat. One time I witnessed a fight between two girls . . . fought "alone and afar,
Lest others take part in the quarrel, and the Pack be diminished by war" . . . and it soon reached the point where even male members of the Senior Varsity were backing away, rather than trying to separate the fighters.
As a bouncer, most others wouldn't wade in. In part because they were afraid to hit a girl, and some feared that nasty nature of the feminine. I... would wade in. And, when I did, girls, even drunk ones, would note the gleam in my eye. My boss... appreciated my... particular skills. Not just with women. I could also usually get a mean drunk calm and out, and even break up women spats, and usually with no blood. But only because when I came in, I made no bones about breaking some.
ReplyDeleteNothing personal. But, yes. You know one guy who can deal even with these. But with rabbits, I didn't see it happening. It was too late by the time I saw it. Horrendous.
Truth told, one of the meanest girls I ever saw in a fight was going at it. Pretty wasted, but fighting like a cat. When she noticed me closing in, then looked up? She peed her pants. *grins* I am that big, and look bigger in shadows of a dance club going at full tilt. I've always fancied she said "Daddy!", in fear. Can't swear to it, but her lips were mumbling something as her eyes became saucers.
ReplyDelete