I got to hold a two week old baby bunny
Apr. 22nd, 2016 12:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smallhobbitBack at Brownies last week, with the traditional opening games night. Two new girls and no leavers, so we're back to 20 Brownies. We could take 24, but 20 is much easier. We won't take any more in until the autumn now.
And this week was our long anticipated and much looked forward to trip to Pets at Home. Which went incredibly well. We gathered the girls together outside the building beforehand and impressed on them the need to be quiet, because otherwise the pets couldn't be brought out. And they did very well - of course the noise level rose on occasions, but quickly quietened again when we reminded them - they are after all 7 to 9 year old girls, it's hard not to be vocally excited.
All 20 of them were squashed together on packaged hay bales forming a tight semi-circle and listened attentively whilst Ash talked to them about pet care in general. Then he brought out the two baby bunnies from their box, amidst lots of quiet oohs and aahs. Having talked about care of rabbits, he moved onto guinea pigs, a dwarf Siberian hamster and finally a bearded dragon.
Then those who wanted to got to hold the little dragon before he was put back into his warm tank. After which came the bunnies. They don't normally have animals that young, but these had been brought in because a family had two rabbits, who turned out to be male and female and did what rabbits do. At least at the age of our Brownies they accept the arrival of baby animals without further explanation. The bunnies were a little nervous and some of the girls weren't confident handling them, so I came to the rescue and picked up the little black rabbit and held her against my chest, where she instantly calmed down. She was very sweet.
After which they got to hold the guinea pigs, which were about eight weeks old and more confident being handled. The hamster remained in her cage, as she would definitely have escaped given half a chance.
And then it was a case of washing hands and going home. We were also given a booklet for each of the Brownies to work through to gain their Pets to Animals badge, which we shall be doing next week. It was a great success. And one of the girls, who had refused to hold any of the animals, took her mum to see the bearded dragon afterwards and was telling her all about it, so they clearly took things in.
And this week was our long anticipated and much looked forward to trip to Pets at Home. Which went incredibly well. We gathered the girls together outside the building beforehand and impressed on them the need to be quiet, because otherwise the pets couldn't be brought out. And they did very well - of course the noise level rose on occasions, but quickly quietened again when we reminded them - they are after all 7 to 9 year old girls, it's hard not to be vocally excited.
All 20 of them were squashed together on packaged hay bales forming a tight semi-circle and listened attentively whilst Ash talked to them about pet care in general. Then he brought out the two baby bunnies from their box, amidst lots of quiet oohs and aahs. Having talked about care of rabbits, he moved onto guinea pigs, a dwarf Siberian hamster and finally a bearded dragon.
Then those who wanted to got to hold the little dragon before he was put back into his warm tank. After which came the bunnies. They don't normally have animals that young, but these had been brought in because a family had two rabbits, who turned out to be male and female and did what rabbits do. At least at the age of our Brownies they accept the arrival of baby animals without further explanation. The bunnies were a little nervous and some of the girls weren't confident handling them, so I came to the rescue and picked up the little black rabbit and held her against my chest, where she instantly calmed down. She was very sweet.
After which they got to hold the guinea pigs, which were about eight weeks old and more confident being handled. The hamster remained in her cage, as she would definitely have escaped given half a chance.
And then it was a case of washing hands and going home. We were also given a booklet for each of the Brownies to work through to gain their Pets to Animals badge, which we shall be doing next week. It was a great success. And one of the girls, who had refused to hold any of the animals, took her mum to see the bearded dragon afterwards and was telling her all about it, so they clearly took things in.
