# Natasha Rabbitova's 2014 Blog



## MikeScone (Jan 1, 2014)

It's a new year, so it's time for a new blog. If you'd like to see Natasha's earlier blogs, here they are:


Natasha's 2010-2011 Blog
Natasha's 2012-2013 Blog


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## MikeScone (Jan 1, 2014)

It's New Year's Day 2014, and Natasha and I have had lots of nice together time since Christmas Eve, since my office has been closed for the holidays. Tomorrow's a work day, but for now it's still bunny and Daddy time. 







"Nothing, Dad. What did you think I was doing?"






I'm doing some computer work for a talk I'm giving to our local Aviation Explorers about flying my Cessna from Ithaca to Mack, Colorado, and back in May and June. 

Natasha's been in and out of the computer room to see what I'm doing. She likes to play in her two digging boxes near the computer, where she can browse and watch me type. 






No better fate for credit card offers than to run through the digestive system of a rabbit...


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## MikeScone (Jan 1, 2014)

We've got a Scout Winter Camporee coming up. It's on a science fiction theme - _Ice Pirates 3D. _You see, the Ice Pirates live on a planet where the oceans are warm Diet Coke, and they hate warm soda. So, they've come to Earth to steal our ice... 

At one of the stations at the camporee the Scouts will be able to explore the planet Mars and identify Martian Fauna. In other words, they'll be using a remote-control truck to search out stuffed animals scattered around the mess hall at the Scout Camp. Being Scouts, and ready for nature study, they'll be identifying the Martian animals in their trusty Field Guides:







Each animal is identified by common and scientific names, of course...






To make things more realistic, they'll be doing it by watching a video feed from a miniature camera mounted on the truck. I'd made the original Scout Mars Rover for the 1997 National Scout Jamboree - it was based on a Radio Shack car with the body removed, with a ham radio TV transmitter on top:






The original Rover has received a lot of use over the years since then, but technology has moved on. The ham TV transmitter and black-and-white camera and big battery pack were replaced by a tiny combination color camera/transmitter some years ago. I thought it was time to update the system with a new Rover, which, typical of technology, was a fraction of the cost and more controllable than the old one. 






Of course, I had to try it out...






Running it around the house gave me a real rabbit's eye view of the world...






... with a rabbit's-eye view of a real rabbit...






Natasha seemed more interested in the Rover than scared of it. She'd jump away when the tracks were running, probably because of the noise, but as soon as the Rover stopped she'd hop over to investigate it more closely. 

Lots of fun for a kind of grey day - Winter Storm Watch in effect for a foot of snow tonight... I love upstate New York weather...


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## Imbrium (Jan 2, 2014)

Aww, man, now I want a little video camera to spy on the bunnies with!


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## MikeScone (Jan 2, 2014)

Imbrium said:


> Aww, man, now I want a little video camera to spy on the bunnies with!



They're actually surprisingly cheap - I found them on eBay for about $25, complete with camera/transmitter and receiver. You just need a TV set with a standard NTSC video input to look at the receiver output.


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## Imbrium (Jan 2, 2014)

Yeah, but I'd rather spend the $25 on power tools and we don't have a TV, lol. Well, I have one at my house in San Antonio, but that's 3h away and we won't be back there until next summer.


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## PaGal (Jan 2, 2014)

Love the pics of Natasha as always. She's such a beauty!

That sounds like a lot of fun for the boy scouts. Funny I was always a tom boy. I went to the brownies for a short time but really wanted to be in the boy scouts.


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## pani (Jan 2, 2014)

She's a beautiful rabbit! Her fur looks sooooo soft and velvety. :weee:


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## MikeScone (Jan 5, 2014)

Yes, Natasha's fur is the softest I've ever had the pleasure of petting - even Scone, who was also a mini-rex, didn't have fur as soft as hers. 

We had the day together today, so I got a chance to take a few more pictures. 

Natasha seems to be pondering something, here...





"What's up here, Dad?"


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## MikeScone (Mar 2, 2014)

It's been a traumatic week for Natasha Rabbitova. I'm having the house painted, for the first time since I moved in 22 years ago, and there are all sorts of new people in the house making all sorts of new smells. Worse, she's been locked out of the computer room, since it's mostly been emptied into the spare bedroom, so her world is both unfamiliar and smaller than usual. 

I'm not sure she approves of my choice of paint colors, either. 

"Balmy? You actually picked a color called Balmy??"





Natasha has her own concept of interior decoration, and she decided to help Borders Bunny with his space...





There's always a time for an Oat Hay break, of course...





...and time for a little nap - always keeping one ear pointed toward Dad, of course, just in case a food word should pop up.





A bunny girl's got to keep up with her grooming - it's starting to be Spring moulting time, and one doesn't want to look scruffy.





"There, that's much better."





I'd made a few quarts of Tom Yum soup for a Soup Supper a few weeks ago, and wound up with some cilantro left over. I decided to try it on Natasha, and it turned out to be a new favorite. Now, I just say "cilantro" and sit down on the floor, and Natasha's run over to have a snack. I feed her one stalk at a time, and if I'm not fast enough with the next stalk she gets quite annoyed.






"Now that is what I call a yummy snack!"


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## qtipthebun (Mar 2, 2014)

Aw! I adore Natasha!!


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## Azerane (Mar 3, 2014)

Haha, she is too cute! Bunnies can be quite the demanding little guests when it comes to a tasty treat! Hope all the painting is going well


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## Chrisdoc (Mar 3, 2014)

She is such a pretty bunny. What is it about cilantro that bunnies love


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## MikeScone (Mar 16, 2014)

Scone MacBunny had a huge stuffed yellow bunny friend my mother named "Margerine" (because Scone's smaller yellow bunny was "Butter"). 






Not long after Natasha first came to live with me, I set Marge down to see what she'd think about her - and Natasha freaked out. I realized that I'd run Scone's other stuffies through the wash after he passed away, but because Marge is so huge, she wouldn't fit. Natasha evidently thought she'd finally found the other rabbit she'd been able to smell since she arrived, and decided to show Marge that SHE was the top bunny now. Marge was instantly relegated to the back of a closet. 

It's been nearly four years since then, so I thought that it might be time to take Marge back out again. This time, Natasha was fascinated. 











She immediately knocked Marge over started to hump whatever part of Marge she could get herself around. 






With that done, Natasha decided Marge was part of The Warren, and started to groom her. They're fast friends now. 






One more picture for today, Natasha in her litterbox.


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## MikeScone (Mar 27, 2014)

I saw a rabbit playing with the Teach'n'Treat toy in a video, and decided to get one for Natasha. 

Basically, it's a flat box with eight small wells, into which you put small treats. The treats are blocked off, and the bunny has to figure out how to unblock the wells to get the treats. The box has suction cups on the bottom to prevent the rabbit from just dumping the lot. 






There are three "levels" - level 1, where there's a big disk, which can be slid around to expose a few wells at a time; level 2, where the wells are covered by individual covers for the bunny to pick off; and level 3, where there's a blocking square in the middle, and the individual covers have to be slid around a square track to expose one well at a time. 

I started Natasha at level 1 - a single baby-cut carrot was sliced into six slices, and the other two wells held dried banana chips. Natasha very quickly got the idea and slid the disk around to eat all the treats.







Today I set the toy out for her the second time. She remembered how it worked, and quickly emptied the first few wells. Then, you could see her think, "the heck with this!", and she pulled the disk completely out and discarded it so she could get at all the wells at once. 







I guess Level 1 was just insultingly easy...


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## Chrisdoc (Mar 28, 2014)

Some rabbits are just too smart. She obviously thinks you´re insulting her intelligence by providing such an easy toy lol.


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## pani (Mar 28, 2014)

Aw, Natasha! You silly, clever girl. :laugh:


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## MikeScone (Apr 5, 2014)

I left Natasha in the capable hands of a bunny sitter for a few days this week, and escaped to Florida and the Sun'n'Fun Fly-in. It was great to see all the planes and I got to do something I've wanted to do since I was a kid - ride in a B17 Flying Fortress!


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## kmaben (Apr 5, 2014)

That's awesome Mike! I'm a bit jealous at the moment. Good to see you back on though. Was thinking about you and Natasha recently.


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## Chrisdoc (Apr 6, 2014)

Wow, that is something. I just love the old planes. We usedto go to the annual air display near to where we lived and I used to love seeing all the old planes from the second world war plus the newer ones. The red arrows display team were always there but I was always fascinated watching the Harrier jump jet take off. Flying fortress was really something, don't make them like that any more.


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## MikeScone (May 24, 2014)

I got a new lens for the Nikon - their new 18-300mm zoom - so of course as soon as it came out of the box, I had to try it out on Natasha (and the birds on the feeder, but that's another thread...)

Natasha, just sittin' and thinkin'...







Snacking on the yummy oat hay Dad put in her hay basket...






Natasha and her large friend, Margarine ("Marge" for short)






Completely relaxed, lying in Marge's lap






Marge doesn't stay upright for long. Natasha likes to knock her over so she's more Natasha's height.






As a status report, Natasha's in the middle of her Spring Molt, so she's been very grumpy lately. Her backside looks like a poodle, all poofed out with nearly shed hair. She wants attention and loves petting, but as soon as I start plucking out the shed hair she hops away in indignation. Oh well, it can't last much longer and she'll be back to normal.


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## pani (May 25, 2014)

Aw, my favourite picture there is Natasha spread across Marge's lap! How sweet!


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## Chrisdoc (May 26, 2014)

Great pics, love seeing Natasha with her stuffie, she does look so relaxed stretching right across, such a lovely shiny coat she has.


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## Nancy McClelland (May 26, 2014)

Great pics--Bambi, our dark brown mini Rex is on the last stage of her molt and I got to brush some of it last night.


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## MikeScone (Jun 3, 2014)

A few pictures I took of Natasha tonight - playing with a new lens (18-300mm Nikkor) and the external flash I really should use more. 

"Dad.. what's with the flashy thing again?"





Natasha's favorite resting spot, right in front of Dad's recliner, where she can keep an eye on Dad... you never know, there could be a treat on offer...





Love that face...


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## pani (Jun 4, 2014)

Beautiful pictures.  She's stunning!


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## Azerane (Jun 4, 2014)

She looks like such a character 

Forgive me and I mean no offence by this, but is she a little bit chubby, or is that just a rex thing? Or something to do with the way the camera flash reflects off the rex fur? I can't decide. Can't recall ever having seen a rex rabbit in real life, so just don't know much about how they're supposed to look.


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## Aubrisita (Jun 4, 2014)

She is gorgeous, her fur looks so glossy and soft. I have a soft spot for black bunnies.


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## MikeScone (Jun 4, 2014)

Azerane said:


> Forgive me and I mean no offence by this, but is she a little bit chubby, or is that just a rex thing? Or something to do with the way the camera flash reflects off the rex fur?



She's not overweight. She weighs between 4.5 and 5 pounds, which is just about right. Rex fur stands up, so they naturally seem about 3/4" fluffier in each dimension than they really are.


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## Azerane (Jun 4, 2014)

Ahh, that's what it is, it makes them look more filled out that way  Thanks for that. She looks like such a character


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## MikeScone (Jul 9, 2014)

For some reason known only to her, Natasha has developed a taste for wallboard. I'll never understand why rabbits will suddenly become obsessive about something they showed no interest in for years. 

I had the house painted this Spring, and everything was fine. Then, within the last week, I caught three spots where Natasha had nibbled the top paper layer of the wallboard off. I repainted them and blocked them off - and last night I caught her making two more. Scone never even looked at the walls, and up until now Natasha's restricted herself to the odd gnawing on the baseboards. 

I don't really want to mount some sort of baseboard along the bottom of every wall to completely bunny-proof, but that might be necessary. It's not that she's just bored (although I have to admit I've been more distracted than usual this Spring, so she might be feeling a bit neglected). She's got lots of toys to play with, and I just put out a couple of yellow pages and some lumber strips across corners of her cage to chew on. She's been happily destroying them - but still she comes back to the walls. 

Aaargh! Rabbits! She's lucky I love her and have low standards of domesticity...


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## pani (Jul 9, 2014)

MikeScone said:


> Aaargh! Rabbits! She's lucky I love her and have low standards of domesticity...


I know how you feel - my guys started nibbling at a bookcase when I expanded their play area... couldn't figure out an effective way to block it off, so they kept eating until my boyfriend decided they shouldn't get access to that part of the room anymore.

The things we put up with for these guys.


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## MikeScone (Sep 22, 2014)

Here are some new pictures of Natasha Rabbitova, taken tonight as we relaxed after dinner. 






Natasha has always been a great hay eater. She loves timothy hay and oat hay, but I keep trying to interest her in more variety. On my way home tonight I picked up a bag of Organic Meadow Hay and put some in her hay box in the living room.






Natasha hadn't been particularly impressed by Meadow Hay in the past, but I've noticed that she's often skeptical of new foods the first time, and will scarf them down the second time - after all, they're not new any more...

"Hmmm... what is this new smell?"






"Not bad, Dad! I think this hay can be officially considered 'yummy'"






Natasha loves to sit between the stretchers of this table, which is next to my recliner. I'll reach down and stroke her head while I'm watching TV or reading, and she just soaks it up. Tonight she melted down and let me pet her for a nearly an hour while I watched an episode of _New Tricks._


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## MikeScone (Oct 26, 2014)

I was away for a few days, but Natasha seems to have survived nicely in the hands of her favorite bunny sitter. Here are a few new pictures I took this evening.

Natasha loves her Organic Meadow Hay - all I have to do is say, "yummy hay" and she binkies and runs to her hay box for some more. 





She seems very satisfied with herself in this picture. 





"This is my good side, Dad..."





Natasha sitting proudly next to her house.





A bunny makes a house a home... with lots of shredded paper and hay everywhere.





After all that, Natasha was ready for a nice long nap. In all the years we were together, I don't ever remember Scone sleeping with his eyes completely closed, but Natasha relaxes completely...


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## pani (Oct 27, 2014)

She's such a beautiful girl.  I love that second picture, and the one where she's sleeping!


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## bunnyman666 (Oct 27, 2014)

I'm with Pani- the smiley pic and the sleepy pic are my favourites, as well.


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## BunnySilver (Oct 29, 2014)

Yes! The picture of her all wide with that smile is priceless! She looks so happy!


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## MikeScone (Nov 11, 2014)

I took Natasha to the Cornell Clinic Wednesday for her annual checkup and nail trim. She was given a clean bill of health, and was a big hit with the vet and her student. Natasha's weight was 2.1kg, only a few ounces heavier than last year. 

I don't think she enjoyed it much, particularly being poked and listened to...





Still, it was over in no time, and we went downtown to spend the rest of the day (and most of the evening) at my office. Everyone had to come in and make a fuss over Natasha, and she got lots of treats. Any time someone stopped in she'd run up to them in hopes of a handout, which was a big hit. 

The only problem for the day was having to play "chase the bunny" to get her back into her carry-cage for the ride home. However, by the time we'd been home for half an hour or so Natasha had forgiven me, and was demanding pets while I watched TV.


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## JBun (Nov 11, 2014)

Yeah, she doesn't look particularly pleased with you in that pic, but I'm sure a day of handouts and treats more than made up for it


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## MikeScone (Nov 15, 2014)

She was named the "Daily Bunny" for November 12, 2014..

Here's her page: http://rabbit.org/meet-natasha-rabbitova-and-her-stuffed-bunny-friend-butter/


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## Wabbitdad12 (Nov 15, 2014)

That's definitely "I'm not happy face"


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## Sugarbread (Nov 20, 2014)

MikeScone said:


> She was named the "Daily Bunny" for November 12, 2014..
> 
> Here's her page: http://rabbit.org/meet-natasha-rabbitova-and-her-stuffed-bunny-friend-butter/




Natasha is a diva.


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## bunnyman666 (Nov 21, 2014)

OMFG!!!!! I think Natasha is freaking awesome!!!!!!


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## MikeScone (Nov 28, 2014)

Natasha enjoying a nice tip-in card while Dad watches a movie...


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## MikeScone (Dec 7, 2014)

Natasha's addiction to latex paint on the walls has been a real problem. I blocked off the walls with page protectors, and she learned to pull out the pushpins to get at the wall. Double layers of page protectors weren't much better - still she could pull out the pins. 

I finally gave up and put up wainscoting in the hall where she likes to chew. 











Fingers crossed... I chose paneling with a hard shiny surface, so that little bunny teeth couldn't get any purchase on it. We'll see how it works.


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## Wabbitdad12 (Dec 7, 2014)

Looks nice, good luck!


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## MikeScone (Dec 30, 2014)

Natasha got a new wicker basket as a Christmas present. I don't know how long it will last, though, as she's already nearly severed the handle. 






Natasha spent some time with her stuffed friend Marge this morning.


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## Wabbitdad12 (Dec 30, 2014)

Cute


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## MikeScone (Mar 5, 2015)

With the new year, this blog is closed - come visit Natasha Rabbitova's 2015 blog!


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