Suzi's 2nd HTML experimentation page!

Okay, I got really really bored typing in all that HTML stuff... :) So I've created this page, which will probably be a lot more free form, as I had originally intended. If anyone was actually following that page, it has moved to here. It has been updated to include the color tables that were previously part of this page. You can reach them directly by clicking here for the unspecified background and here for the black background.

This document currently consists of the following sections:

  1. A collection of poems demonstrating some basic text manipulations.
  2. An article on bunny play with Scamper photos demonstrating basic image manipulations.
  3. A clickable image map of the solar system.
More items will be added to this list as I get to them.

A few other links I visit frequently:

Be sure to check out these legends that are actually true: And some true sap stories: And some false ones that are just toooooo funny to pass up! If you find others you'd like me to add to this list, just send me the URL.

And now for something completely different...


Patterns

In my hand are three white pebbles
        picked earlier today
        from the sand.

Warm they are now
        from being held by me today.
But now in moonlight's foggy glow
        I shall let them go
                one
                        by
                                one
        into my lazy stretch of river.


Plop................plop...............plop


Concentric Circles
        creating infinite patterns 
                of moolight broken
                waters ripple.

Weaving an endless tapestry of design
        my warm hand
                pebble--sand
                        the water
                                and the moon.

--Carolee Erickson


One day when walking down the stair

I met a man who wasn't there

He wasn't there again today
I think he's from the CIA?

If the Earth
were only a few feet in diameter,
floating a few feet above a field somewhere,
people would come from everywhere to marvel
at it. People would walk around it marveling at its
big pools of water, its little pools and the water flowing
between. People would marvel at the bumps on it and the
holes in it. They would marvel at the very thin layer of gas
surrounding it and the water suspended in the gas. The people
would marvel at all the creatures walking around the surface of
the ball
and at all the creatures in the water. The people would
declare
it as sacred because it was the only one, and they would
protect it so that it would not be hurt. The ball would be the
greatest wonder known, and people would come to pray to
it, to be
healed, to gain knowledge, to know beauty and to
wonder how
it could be. People would love it and defend
it with
their lives because they would somehow
know
that their lives could be nothing
without it. If the Earth were only
a few feet in diameter.

--by Joe Miller, an artist who lives in Washington State


                Dusk
              above the
          water hang the
                    loud
                   flies
                   Here
                  O so
                 gray
                then
               what            A pale signal will appear
              when        Soon before its shadow fades
             where      Here in this pool of opened eye
            in us     No upon us As at the very edges
             of where we take shape in the dark air
              This object bares its image awakening
                ripples of recognition that will
                   brush darkness up into light
even after this bird this hour both drift by atop the perfect
sad instant now     already passing out of sight
                 toward yet-untroubled reflection
               this image bares its object darkening
              into memorial shades scattered bits of
            light      No of water Or something across
            water        Breaking up no being regathered
             soon          Yet by then a swan will have
              gone              yes out of mind into what
               vast
                pale
                 hush
                  of a
                  place
                   past
         sudden dark as
             if a swan
                sang
                               _____            _____    _       _   _
                            O |  __ \          |  __ \  | |     (_) | |  O
                           /\/| |  | |  _ __   | |__) | | |__    _  | |\/|
                          /   | |  | | | '__|  |  ___/  | '_ \  | | | |  |
                         /\   | |__| | | | _   | |      | | | | | | | | /\
                        /_/_  |_____/  |_|(_)  |_|      |_| |_| |_| |_|_\_\
                                                            drphil@bihs.net

More Than Just a Chew Stick

Margo DeMello, PhD

(The original version of this article can be found at the House Rabbit Soceity homepage. I have made a few small changes in wording and titles. Photos are of our rabbit, Scamper)

Photo of Scamper in her cage As a House Rabbit Society fosterer, I often receive calls from people who are trying to find homes for their rabbits. Except for those who didn't really want a rabbit in the first place, the number-one reason for discarding the rabbits is destructiveness. Even more frustrating are the calls from people wanting to adopt a rabbit as a house pet, even though they already have a rabbit, who lives out back in a hutch. When I ask why they can't bring their outside rabbit in, the answer is always the same: "Oh, she chews on our furniture. We're looking for a rabbit that won't do that." These phone calls are particularly heartbreaking because many of these lives could be saved if the callers provided the proper environment for the rabbit, an environment which centers around toys.

Why Playthings Matter

Toys for rabbits are necessities, along with a proper diet, a well thought out living set-up, and excellent medical care. Why? Toys are the key to three fundamental aspects of life with a house rabbit:

Scamper exploring Mental stimulation.

Without challenging activities, your rabbit will get bored, especially if she has no nonhuman friends to keep her company. This feeling of isolation often leads to depression and/or destructiveness. Even senior and disabled rabbits need an environment that gives them things to do besides eating and sleeping.

Physical exercise.

Your rabbit needs safe activities to keep her body in shape as well as her mind. She needs things to climb on, crawl under, hop on and around, dig into, and chew on. Without outlets for these physical needs, she may become fat or depressed, or may create jumping, chewing, or crawling diversions with your furniture. My foster rabbits have used carpeted ramps for years, to enter and exit high cages, to get from one floor of a cage to another, and to enter--via the window--our rabbit-proofed back yard to play. These days, they have a Little Tykes playground with a ramp (actually a slide) whose only purpose is to climb on, and the rabbits appreciate the extra exercise.

Bunny proofing for your home.rabbit raiding trash can

Toys are not just for your rabbit; they also keep your house safe. By providing him with a selection of toys chosen to meet his age, sex, and temperament, you will fulfill most of the requirements for bunny-proofing your home. When people call me to complain about their rabbit's destructiveness, I always ask what they have done to bunny-proof their home. While many have done the obvious--covering phone and electrical cords, eliminating poisonous plants--they have not provided safe chewing and digging alternatives. It is not enough to remove all dangerous chewables from the premises. These must be replaced with safe toys; otherwise the rabbit's needs will not be met.

Important as toys are, they are no panacea. A rabbit who is frustrated because he never gets out of his cage, never gets any attention, or because he craves the company of a rabbit friend, is going to be a destructive rabbit. Make sure that you provide lots of stimulation, in the form of exercise and social contact, as well as toys.

How to Choose Toys

If you have ever bought a new toy for a cat, and, after removing the wrapping (and price tag!) found that Sweet Pea would rather pee on than play with her new ball, tunnel, mouse, or fishing pole, you know the frustration of having your toy rejected. Because all rabbits are different, all will not like the same kinds of toys, and some rabbits will use a toy differently than others. Rabbit toys can be extremely elaborate or very simple and can cost anywhere from nothing to hundreds of dollars.

Peter's favorite Scamper pic Luckily, rabbits don't care whether you spend your daughter's tuition funds on their toys or if you build them yourself out of discarded wood, cardboard and paper. Your rabbit will tell you what her own toy needs are. Does he like to hide in the stuffing under the recliner? Does she like to climb on top of the desk and poke around the printer? Does she dig furiously in the corner of the carpet? Does he run up and down the stairs with abandon? Have you ever noticed that the minute you let him out of the cage in the morning, he races to the refrigerator or the couch to continue the redecorating job he left off yesterday? HRS fosterer Holly O'Meara has pointed out that many rabbits are project-oriented and are only interested in an activity if it is going to occupy their mind and body for quite some time. I imagine it must be very satisfying for a bunny to finally complete a major architectural or interior-decorating job with which he has been occupied for a period of days or weeks. All of these behaviors warrant different kinds of toys.

Providing a lot of toys to an untrained or young rabbit doesn't mean that you can leave him loose for 8 hours and come home to an intact apartment. Don't give too much freedom too soon. Work with your rabbit and his personal tendencies, to set up a schedule of freedom that suits both of you. As he gets older, and after he's been neutered, he won't need as much discipline and he can be left out alone for longer periods of time, but don't rush it!

Toys and Temperaments

Here are some ideas based on types of activity. These are natural behaviors that need an outlet. By providing safe, non-destructive opportunities, you ensure that the rabbit will not be forced to improvise.

Scamper at the end of a tunnel Tunneling
Scamper opens tunnel and Burrowing
Scamper chews tunnel

Rabbits are burrowing animals, and most enjoy digging tunnels, or digging at the end of pre-made tunnels. You can get cardboard concrete forms from building suppliers (or from contractor friends), which make great, inexpensive, chewable tunnels. You can also stuff newspaper into one end of the tunnel, providing lots of digging opportunities. For rabbits who like to lie in, rather than dig in, a tunnel, you can buy cat tunnels made of nylon and synthetic sheepskin. These are extremely comfy, and one or another of our three bedroom rabbits occupies ours at all times. You can give your bun a long, narrow cardboard box, open at both ends, or just open at one. You can create a tunnel by setting up a running space between your couch and your wall, just big enough for Phoebe.

Scamper ready to dig in her favorite box
Digging

Along with tunneling goes digging. Some rabbits enjoy digging at the end of a tunnel; others will dig wherever they can. World-class diggers need lots of opportunities to dig, and fortunately, these are easy to provide. A cardboard box, large litterbox or dishpan, or even a large wicker basket filled with hay, shredded newspapers, old magazines or junk mail, and any other safe shreddable, should do the trick. If there is a particular spot on the carpet that your rabbit likes to dig, you can cover it with furniture, a carpet scrap, or a piece of grass mat, but make sure to provide a digging box as well.

Shredding

Does Zippy peel the wallpaper or sheetrock? Rabbits who like to shred need to have paper products aplenty. An urban Yellow Pages is one of the best shredding choices. Unless your rabbit eats a great deal of the paper, shredding itself is not harmful, except to your house and possessions. You can give him the Yellow Pages on their own, or in a box or basket, with other shreddable items. Like many other rabbit activities, unfortunately shredding is not particularly neat, so keeping the shreddables in a box may keep your home a bit neater. A whisk broom, or full size broom (made of straw, not plastic) also provides a fun shredding toy.

Throwing

All kinds of rabbits, from aggressive to mellow, like to throw things. [Suzi adds, all except ours. *sigh*] Baby toys, keys, batta balls, and slinkies are all throwable alternatives to the food dish or litterbox. Make sure the toys are made of hard plastic or metal and have no edible parts. Some rabbits will even play toss with you, if you start the game.

Climbing
Scamper in a cardboard castle at the bunny sitter's

Outgoing, rambunctious rabbits like to climb furniture, challenging the general statement that rabbits are happiest on the ground. Like mountain climbers, they enjoy both the thrill of the climb and the view from the top. Set up a series of boxes which are stabilized at the bottom, so that your rabbit can safely climb from level to level. Some commercial cat trees are great for rabbits as well, as they provide perches at the top of each level. You can use ramps to help your little explorer get onto the tops of things (his cage, for example, covered with a rug), or you can use a ramp and perch combination as an end in itself. And you can easily build a little condo, out of wood or (for temporary use until it's destroyed) cardboard, with holes in the side for lookouts, ramps connecting the floors, and a "sundeck" on top to view the world.

Chewing seagrass mats Chewing!
Chewing cardboard Chewing!
Chewing hay goat Chewing!

This is perhaps the central concern of most bunny caretakers. Rabbits need to chew, both for physical and psychological reasons. Wicker baskets, non-poisonous logs and sticks, cardboard, paper, straw, and pine cones are all good choices. If Potato enjoys chewing holes into the back of the couch, give her a closed cardboard box filled with paper or straw, with a small hole in it to start, and let her finish the job. Be imaginative! Provide a toy box of untreated wicker or cardboard full of different sizes and shapes and textures of wood, dried-out pine cones, cardboard tubes or other safe items.

Chewing hazelnuts

Do not give just a chew stick! People often buy these strange orange-and-green wooden sticks from the pet-supply store for their new rabbit, and are surprised to see that Thumper barely sniffs his before starting in on the baseboards. Especially for a young rabbit, or a particularly chew-conscious rabbit, chew-toys need to be interesting (which a chew stick is not, even if it's dyed orange and shaped like a carrot) and plentiful. The more toys, and the greater variety, the better. A rabbit who has only a stick, a log, or a piece of two-by-four to chew on, is going to be a bored rabbit. And a bored rabbit is a naughty rabbit.

Bunching
Scamper bunching the kleenex

Some rabbits like to "organize" rugs, bedding, pillows, or towels. If your rabbit spends a lot of time on the bed, pushing, pulling, and biting the sheets and blankets until they're just right, he will probably enjoy his own towel to bunch around on the floor. This could be an old hand towel, preferably with low nubs, or it could be more extravagant, such as a pillow or two. Make sure that he's not actually eating the towel, which would be dangerous, and is just biting, pushing, bunching and pulling it.

Hitting

Aggressive rabbits who lunge, growl, threaten, snort, and box often enjoy having toys on which they can take out their aggressions. Anything that is partially immobile, yet is flexible enough to move when hit, is fun. Hanging parrot toys (don't get the small-bird toys, like those made for cockatiels, because the plastic can be easily chewed apart), hanging baby toys (a mobile is the best!), or plastic rainbow slinkies which have been hung on the top of the cage, all provide a high-energy rabbit with a suitable outlet for her emotions.

Rolling, nudging

Some rabbits like to play with balls. The large, rubber balls work the best, the ones that you find in large baskets at drug/discount stores. Some people like to give their rabbits balloons, but these are too dangerous, given the loud noise when the balloon breaks, and the small pieces of plastic that result.

When it comes to toys, always give too much, not too little. Observing your rabbit's preferred activities, and devising toys that will engage him, can be a mutually enjoyable experience, a game within a game. And always remember: A bored rabbit is a naughty rabbit!

When Bun-Bun got bored, www.sluggy.com


Solar System Facts at your "fingers"

Simply click anywhere on the image below to link to information on the objects in our solar system and beyond.

Clickable image map of the solar system

You may note that Pluto and it's "moon" Charon do not appear in my image map. That is because Pluto is not quite a planet (and also because there are no pretty pics of Pluto out there!). It can be more appropriately thought of as the largest of the Kuiper Belt objects, a second asteroid belt that never quite formed into a full planet because the Kuiper belt is in a 3:2 resonance orbit with Neptune. Pluto can most accurately be though of as a "protoplanet".

Earth's moon Earth Mercury Venus Sun Solar Flare Mars Uranus's moon Titania Uranus Uranus's moon Oberon Uranus's moon Ariel Uranus's moon Miranda Uranus's moon Umbriel Surprise! You win the prize! Hey you!  Over Here! Jupiter's moon Ganymede Jupiter's moon Io Jupiter Jupiter's moon Calisto Jupiter's moon Europa Saturn's moon Rhea Enter here... The Death Star Moon Saturn's moon Dione Saturn's rings Saturn Saturn's moon Iapetus Saturn's moon Titan Neptune Neptune's moon Triton Merry X-mas! Deep Sky Galaxy Gallery

This page created by Suzi Anvin on 6/27/01 and last updated on 7/14/01.

Valid HTML 4.01! Sluggy Freelance, from the beginning!