To add to what Jessi said; rabbits need to have food available _at all times_ Rabbits need to eat constantly. And by that I mean if they don't eat for 12 hours, they have a good chance of going into GI stasis (which is often fatal). After 24 hours of no food, they need immediate medical attention. Make sure they have good hay available at all times. Give them as much hay as they will eat, this helps them grind down their teeth, and tons of fiber is _crucial_ to their digestive system! Since rabbits eat constantly, that also means they poop constantly! The best way to know if your rabbit is eating is to watch if they're pooping. Their poops should be little dry pellets for the most part. If you see some that look like a bunch of grapes, those are called cecals, and they're supposed to be eaten (eww!). If you see a lot of those lying around, they aren't getting enough fiber. Cut back or remove the (food) pellets for a couple days, so they're forced to eat more hay. Other types of runny or mushy poops are signs of GI problems. Cut back on the veggies and treats for a few days, again hay is what they need. Occasionally you'll get a 'string of pearls', or a bunch of normal poops with hair stringing them together. They need more fiber, and you need to brush them! Rabbits can get hairballs like cats, but rabbits can't vomit, so a hairball can cause a (fatal) blockage in the GI tract. One other thing: Rabbits don't do well with heat. They don't sweat or pant like other animals, so they're very susceptible to heat stroke. They're usually okay up to 80 degrees F or so. If they're hot, they'll usually stretch out on their stomach to try and cool off. Try giving them a frozen 2-liter bottle to lie against, and you can put a ceramic tile in the freezer for them to lie on. There's also a product called the ice pod that rabbits tend to like. In an emergency, you can dab rubbing alcohol on their ears with a cotton ball or paper towels. Their ears are where they dissipate heat the most, so keep that in mind if they're overheated. If anyone has more questions, feel free to ask me :)
+Brant Martin They do not need pellets at all times though, that can make them very sick, and even obese. A 1/4 cup per 3 lb of rabbit, in the morning, then fresh veg and hay at all times.
Just because they're built to survive winter doesn't mean they have to like it! Like all animals, they'll hang out near easy heat sources when they get cold. Normally that means huddling together in a warren, but radiators work just as well
I had two rabbits for quite a while, but had to rehome them after my son was born. We just didn't have the time to take care of them properly anymore. I miss them terribly, but I still get regular updates on how they're doing. Also, I love the fact that domesticated rabbits have their origin in Catholics trying to find their way around the restrictions of Lent. Rabbits aren't really meat, right? The same thing happened to beavers when they were discovered in the New World. According to the Catholic Church, beavers were officially fish.
Even though I do not have a rabbit myself, I love seeing clear, easy to understand, and fully encompassing information for rabbit owners. Thank you AnimalWonders Montana for being there for rabbit owners, and thereby, for rabbits!
Growing up we had two mini lops and two cats who adored each other. They would lay on our carpet in the hall and the cats would groom the rabbits and sleep with them and it was too cute for words.
I have a Netherland Dwarf too! She's a Black Otter Netherland Dwarf (possible mix). She's a total sweetheart. She's in a 8 square foot C&C cage. I love her to bits! She just turned a year old on May 23rd lol
I love rabbits so much. I've had four, but none of them are with us anymore. Buttercup, Oreo, Toffee, and Sophie. There is a rescue in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that is specifically a rabbit rescue. That's where I got the last three. They were my loves. 💗
I absolutely love this channel! I found it when I was googling guinea pigs (got my two little girls last weekend!!) and I just love Jessi's personality and all the information she provides. Keep up the great work!!!
Cheeks is the calmest Netherland dwarf I have seen. Our Netherland dwarf tolerates it when you pet her but does not like being carried. Very different from our mini rex.
I love rabbits but have to admire them from a distance because I'm VERY allergic to them. I can't even be in the same room as one for long :( Rabbits in video form are nice and safe though :) and so cute!
I had a rabbit for several years. Her name was Sunchip and she was a dwarf lop. She originally lived in a hutch in our Californian backyard with a few visits a week inside the house but when she was a little over a year old she got sick. She had somehow contracted E. cunniculi. She had severe vertigo and was unable to hop or even lift her head. I dropper - fed her water and diligently provided her medication (I cut and ground non-drowsy dramamine and gave that in her dropper too, along with her prescriptions). While she was ill she lived in a small cage with a lot of towels for stability and padding (her attempts at hopping usually looked like seizures). Once she was in remission we moved her permanently indoors in a rectangular play pen with a quilt for a floor and particle board for a roof. She and one of our cats would sit next to each other on either side of the play pen's fence. She passed a few years ago from unknown causes. It may have been renal failure or perhaps cancer. I'm just grateful I had cuddled her that night so she passed away knowing she was loved.
A good note for trying to get your rabbit another rabbit friend: Rabbits choose their friends like people do. Sometimes they'll love each other right away, sometimes they'll need to learn to like each other, and sometimes they'll never get along. The MN Companion Rabbit Society recommends putting them on play dates before you buy them a friend: put them in the same room and see how they get along. If you want to keep trying even though they fight, put them in seperate cages right next to each other. Give them a week or 2 to get used to each other's smell. Once they get used to the other rabbit's smell being associated with their territory, they are more likely to get along. My rabbits needed to do this, and eventually they moved into the same cage together and are best friends. Pretty different from a dog! They love everyone.
Hopefully you won't BUY a rabbit or any pet since there are millions of healthy, friendly dogs, cats, rabbits, etc. who are exterminated / executed every year simply b/c they are homeless.
You mentioned that rabbits were bred down in size from domestic and wild rabbits. I was wondering if this gave rabbits health defects, like the way "teacup" animals are just runts of litters bred together. I really love what you do and you inspire me everyday to work with animals.
They're such neat animals, and I'd love to spend time with a rabbit or two, but based on what I just learned, I would never adopt one for myself. Great video, Jessi.
I'm not sure about other parts of southern Europe but in Spain rabbit is still quite a popular meat, particularly in paella. It's somewhat like chicken meat, but a bit more flavorsome.
Thanks for this! I'm adopting a rabbit from someone whose unfortunately had to leave due to emergencies. This is great information to help me because even though I've had a rabbit before I was younger at the time and it was mostly my mom who did the work. Glad to know cardboard boxes are good because the previous owner has already stated the rabbit adores them!
Thanks for this video! I've wanted a rabbit for a long time but based on this information they may not be the right pet for me. I love that you're educating not only on your more exotic animals but on the animals that can be pets as well. :)
Yeah, I was thinking I'd like to have a rabbit, but as much as I love animals, this video made me think of things I'd never considered before. I know I could not provide for a rabbit's needs so no rabbit for me!
I love love love rabbits! I had the most wonderful rabbit who lived nearly 13 years :) Her name was Mickey, but I usually called her Moose. I'd love to own another one someday, but right now I've got a greyhound who is cat friendly, but sees the bunnies on our walks as tasty treats. No bunnies in this house for the foreseeable future!
We have a rabbit, a cat, and two dogs. One dog is a greyhound and great dane mix, the other is a jack russell and boston terrier mix. Our big dog hates the cat, and the little one likes to follow his lead (she's fine with her alone). We keep the cat and rabbit in a separate part of the house, I let the rabbit hop around with the cat, although the cat just looks at her and when she gets too close she'll move to a different part to keep looking.
Loved this video! Could you do another on rabbit handling and restraint please? I have heard that rabbits can kick out and accidentally break their backs, so I get nervous when I have to handle a scared rabbit. Most of them are not as well behaved as Cheeks!
You gotta support the butt! Make sure the rabbit knows you're coming; don't approach them from behind. Hold their chest with one hand, and their butt with the other. For large-ish breeds like Dutch, it's best to cradle them in your arm, with their head tucked into your elbow. Support their butt with your lower hand, and keep your upper hand on their back so they don't squirm away. For smaller rabbits like dwarfs or Lionheads, the easiest thing to do is hold them against your chest. Again, one hand on the butt, the other on the back. And you're right, they can kick out and break their spine. Unfortunately, this often causes permanent paralysis of the back legs, but sometimes bunny rehab can get them hopping again. If you need to restrain a rabbit to trim their nails or give medicine, the best thing to do is to wrap them up in a towel. If you absolutely have to, most rabbits will go into a sort of trance state if you flip them on their back (it helps some rabbits to cover their eyes). This isn't recommended, as it's really stressful for them. I think that's it, any more questions?
Hey that video with the Biologist and your rabbit was not linked on my computer, not sure if it is also not working for others. Thanks for this video, very helpful. My criticism: I was hoping for a bit more information about behaviour and the perspective of a rabbit and their social dynamics. Do you worry that if you have your rabbits outdoors they could become prey for birds of prey? We have plenty here and I've even seen medium to large hunters across the street resting on top of a large pine tree. I've sat there watching it them with my binoculars, beautiful, but worrying for my bunnies. We also have foxes in the neighbourhood but a proper fence can stop them. We use a water 'bowl' that is really a heavy and wide but shallow ceramic so they can't knock it over and don't have to learn how to use a water bottle. Recently got up close to a taxidermed hare, is was huge! Bigger than a jack russel and then some.
I got confused a bit after first mentioning that Cheeks does not like the company of other rabbits and then that she don't like the company of canines. In Swedish "kanin" (pronounced similar to canine) means rabbit. It's a fun little coincident.
I love these videos! I just took in a rabbit from a friend and had no clue cedar could hurt them. I've had rabbits in the past but wanted to get new information this time. Very glad I did. :)
Wonderful video as always Jessi! Can you make a video on chinchillas next? I got mine a couple of months ago and I'd like to learn the best way to take care of them!
Heya AnimalWonders! I had heard that guinea pigs and rabbits should never be together due to rabbits' tendancy to be quick, dashy and all hoppy as they are and guinea pigs having really delecate backs - so a hop or a kick at the wrong place can be really dangerous to a guinea pig. Is this wrong? Or can they only be with eachother for short amounts of time under surveillance? If you, or someone could clarify that'd be awesome! Thanks for the wonderful shows! Greetings from Iceland!
MissAngelcatt Rabbits and guinea pigs should not be life time companions; the guinea pig can get kicked by accident, they have different needs when it comes to food and your rabbit can make your guinea pig sick. On top of that they do not communicate in the same way; so neither of them will really get what they need out of that friendship.
In the 90s we got two Rabbits, we were told they were both female, until one gave birth to a litter, she killed the first bunch but the second group went fine, we got rid of the male and after the babies were old enough we kept 2 female ones and gave the rest to a guy who takes care of rabbits. We used to give them free reign of our back yard. and our dog used to play with them but we were afraid he might kill them by accident because he was 4x their size. So we made a nice run for the, we found that they loved eating dandelions and tumbleweeds and they were good pets. except for a few escapes from the run. We had to give them away though because there was construction in a big field behind us, and we were finding clumps of fur missing on them and terrified looks on their faces... Field mice moved in and we going into their cage and ripping off fur for nests. So we gave them to that guy and he took good care of them...
3:38 Do use a water bowl, it's much easier for them to drink out, so they can get the fluid they need. Use a heavy bowl. You can give a water bottle as well as second source of water. Clean the bowl at least once a day.
My Rabbit likes to eat bamboo, not just the leaves but the stems as well. She always has a 3FT or longer stem of bamboo that she "trims" off my bamboo plant and eats the whole thing. I have heard bamboo is bad for them, but she is 9 years old now and in perfect health, so I guess not all rabbits like the same diet.
Dear Jessi, could you please talk about turtles as pets in a future video? I am wondering whether a life as a pet is appropriate for turtles. And if so, which sort is the right one and how to design a good environment for it. I would love to have one "running" around in our house and garden. But would never get one, if it is not a good thing for the animal. Could you also talk about how to be sure, they were bred as pets, and not taken out of nature?
We have a pet turtle but he stays in a large aquatic tank with places to bask in the light. You probably would not want him running around the house, since he likes to be in the water and will eat there, sleep there, etc.
The organization that stopped your rabbit from being in the large enclosure and the species also is weird. My family have had rabbits growing up, our 1st rabbit slept on the chesterfield in the living room during the day when we were at school. The fun was when he heard us coming in the back door home from school. His name was Bugsie, he jumped off the chesterfield on to the hardwood floor (it was a miracle he never hurt himself) ran to the kitchen and sliding to the door at the landing to the back door. He was so excited to see us and wanted to play with us. Bugsie knew his name, came when he was called and our Mother got telephone calls from neighbours telling us our rabbit was in their garden. One of would go and retrieve Bugsie to bring him home. Rabbits bond with personalities and not the species; they do not care how big or type of animal species. The bonding creates protection for each of them, they slept and eat together. Animal Wonders has that education and the organization is out of order. The USA between the different States have some wonderful human and animal laws than any global country, so to hear what happen to your rabbit is a bit weird (I want to use the word with similar meaning starting with 'hyp...') To Animal Wonders: keep up the good work, I love watching all your organization's loving animals of all species.
I live in Queensland, the only state in Australia where you can get a $44,000 fine and 6 months jail for owning or selling pet rabbits. The only rabbits I see around are feral ones (they're apparently why the pet ones are illegal) so whenever I travel interstate or see people overseas with pet rabbits it weirds me out a little bit. There's still a "black market" trade in pet rabbits here (if you could call it that haha) so I guess it's strange to see people so open about owning them. The pet ones look so lovely and fluffy though, I can definitely see the appeal :)
you should have mentioned the proper way to hold rabbits. i've seen so many people handle rabbits incorrectly, and it breaks my heart. support those bunnies' bottoms!
yep. my cousin just gives her free reign of the house. her 'cage' is occasionally getting shut into a room if there's some sort of larger party going on. tons of new loud people stomping around are just too much stress for her.
Hey! Thanks so much for your great channel. I really enjoy watching all your animals and get so much good info on them. I myself have bunnies and I'm wondering something about their diet. I frequently (daily) make juices with my centrifugal juice maker, and the pulp I have left I just discard. But today I tried giving our bunnies a spoonful of the pulp, and they instantly devoured it. I'm wondering if this is good? The pulp still has tons of fiber in it and isn't entirely deprived of moisture. Can I keep giving them this? It's mainly kale, different salats, carrots, beets, spinach and broccoli. Thanks!
USDA was built on regulating rabbits fur/meat farms and dog breeding kennels, so their rules on both of these species is sometimes illogical. It straight up says rabbits are not allowed to be housed with any other species. Pet stores often get dinged because they have guinea pigs and rabbits together. Non-regulated private owners don't have to worry about USDA.
MopedOfJustice I'm not surprised. Animal-related laws tend to be based on misinformation and bureaucratical convenience rather than the reality of the situation.
AnimalWonders Montana That's just completely nuts... Guinea pigs and rabbits get along so well. =( I know the pet store in my town has them together, but then again I guess there's different and hopefully better rules here in europe.
The cat part literally made me laugh when I had my bunny Kisses, who was a dutch dwarf, her best friend was my cat and the two of them tormented our dog who was very much afraid of Kisses.
3:06 Always have had male rabbits indoors, they do not stink. Use wood pellets and scoop out the once which are peed on, ones a day or more. What do stinks are their cecotropes, which they usually eat again. If you see a lot of them, cut down your pellet food/sugar.
I've heard mix information on this, but what is the ruling on rabbits getting wet? I've seen people say a rabbit should never get wet and will go into shock and die from water exposure, but I've seen wild and captive rabbits swim of their own accord.
It depends on the rabbit, but I think most people forget that wild rabbits are very different from domesticated rabbits. My old bunny didn't mind small amount of water, and even jumped into his water bowl while we were outside on a hot day. My current bunny would easily go into shock if he was soaked. If you are unsure of your rabbit, I would suggest not bathing them. Rabbits don't need to be bathed, and are capable of cleaning themselves. The only time we've had to clean our rabbit was when he peed outside his box, and then stepped on it. Even then, we were careful to not get his belly wet, and just gently wipe down the soiled feet. Bathing a bunny can actually be bad for their fur if done too often. And once again, domestic rabbits are meant to swim, and get wet- they become scared easily and can die from it.
hi i was wondering if you know any information regarding if it is safe to have a scented candle in a room where a bunny is. the room gets lot of ventilation but i just want to make sure it's not too overpowering and that it is safe for their respiratory system. i love all the info, thanks!!
Hello ma'am, this is Deepsri, studying in grade 8, in INDIA I just love you and other people who love animals, and those who have a keen for nature !! Let me say u that u deserve a 10M subscribers I just hate the fact that people don't prefer channels like yours.... I have budgies and I really want to tame them... pls give me some tips and tricks to bond with budgies and some healthy recipes to feed them coz I heard u can mix seeds to feed them and also the names of seeds and treats budies love. And how to deal with common budgie sicknesses Pls ma'am kindly help Bcoz u r professional I request u to answer my question and in my locality - Viskhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India there r no good vets at In my locality they call budgies - love birds !! this is the condition here.... Pls keep making more videos on birds... PLEASE !!! Pls show other animal lovers like me the right way of taking care of these little creatures who deserve to be loved. Pls answer ma'am !!!
just a word about what you said about keeping them outside with a lot of space. tons of things eat rabbits, or will at least kill them like domestic cats and dogs. my little brother had a rabbit, and we had about a 15ft diameter area surrounded by a 3ft tall wire fence. one day when we let it out of its pen to run around the enclosure, a fox, or coyote, or something got in, and somehow managed to kill and eat the rabbit, leaving nothing but a piece of its intestine, and not even a drop of blood on the snow. so be careful, and always keep an eye on your rabbit, and definitely don't leave it outside at night alone.
Hello Jesse. I have a Rhodesian ridgeback mixed with Labrador retriever named Zoey. She is about to turn 6 years old and she likes to play but she is not overly active. How much food should she have per day?
It depends on how big she is and what type of food you're feeding her. There should be a general guideline on the back of the food container you buy. Start with this recommendation and then adjust as needed. She should have a well defined upward slope from her chest to be belly, a slight indentation defining where her ribs end if you're looking from above, but you shouldn't be able to see definition between each rib. Labs are known to eat and eat and eat and gain weight quickly, which can lead to stress on her joints especially her hips and knees. Keep her trim, but not skinny :)
That got me thinking that a merch store could be a great addition for this channel (I mean, messages like "I love kemosabi" or "Cheecks for the rescue" with a drawing of the cutest rabbit you'll ever see)
Hiya Steph. I have a 6 year old French Lop. I would like him to have a bit more interaction with my female cat but my rabbit isn't neutered and behaves inappropriately anytime he comes in contact with the cat. Would it be too late at this point to neuter him being that he is 6 years old?
Another great video Jessie, except for one point: rabbits should NOT be kept with guinea pigs. This is a historical habit left over from before it was safe and commonplace to neuter rodents and lagomorphs. They do not make suitable companions for several reasons: 1. They have different dietary needs - specifically with regards to vitamin C; 2. They have different behavioural needs and express and communicate things differently, a rabbit will almost always be dominant and cause a lot of stress for the guinea pig; 3. Rabbits may injure guinea pigs both accidentally with a kick or through bullying or trying to mate with them; 4. Rabbits carry bordetella which they can pass to guinea pigs who are far more susceptible to the disease. However, if a rabbit and guinea pig currently live together and get along ok, they should not be separated because of the stress that should cause them. Getting the rabbit neutered should be a priority.
Here's the Guinea Pig: What, Where, How video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AGVkGhtsjIk.html Best diet: timothy hay, fresh high quality guinea pig pellets (oxbow or mazuri), fresh leafy greens, fresh vegetables (carrot, yam, broccoli stem, squash), little tomato (1 daily), red or green bell pepper, at least 50mg vitamin C tablet (crushed and sprinkled on produce or given whole if they think it's a tasty treat).
From experience, I would say its best to give your rabbit a super small amount of honey rather than pure sugar. Ideally local honey as rabbits can get respiratory allergies during summer and local honey helps. Also, rabbits don't always mix well with predatory pets such as cats, dogs and ferrets so be careful who you're housing them with.
Can you talk about salmonella poisoning and diseases and other such dangers and how to prevent them? And also talk about caring for chameleons, because I kinda want one
When I was young my sisters and I showed high quality rabbits and we pretty much always won best of show, best of color, etc...we basically walked away with every blue ribbon and made all the grown men who bred rabbits as a job VERY angry 😂😂😂 but now I know how many rabbits are brought into homes then neglected due to their special care that pet stores will gloss over to make a quick buck so my current rabbits are rescues. I'm really having trouble litter training my black and white lop, Juliet though and this is my first time bringing them inside(my show rabbits had a nice large hutch outside with separated cages) so any advice would be nice!
Off topic, but I was just wondering. Ive seen the red fox you care for and I was wondering if native red foxes have problems hunting in the winter because of all the snow, I feel like they would have trouble with camouflage.
Winter is definitely more difficult for our native red foxes. Not only do they not camouflage well, but most of their live prey is well hidden and the edible vegetation is scarce. That's where caching (saving leftovers) comes in handy :)
Hi Jessi, Can you explain why the USDA made that regulation change to stop rabbits' cohabitation? Are they worried about transfer of diseases or is it more to do with stress levels? I had a quick look at www.aphis.usda . gov/animal_welfare/downloads/Animal%20Care%20Blue%20Book%20-%202013%20-%20FINAL.pdf But can't find the specific reasons.
She answered this in a comment earlier from Jabberwockxeno. She said "USDA was built on regulating rabbits fur/meat farms and dog breeding kennels, so their rules on both of these species is sometimes illogical. It straight up says rabbits are not allowed to be housed with any other species. Pet stores often get dinged because they have guinea pigs and rabbits together. Non-regulated private owners don't have to worry about USDA." Hope that helps.
I have a question unrelated to rabbits. I now live on my own with just my dog but we used to live with roommates and theirs cats and while they didn't love each other I know my dog was glad to have other animals around. Now that we live alone I'm worry that he's feeling lonely especially since I'm at work all day. I can't afford another animal right now. And while I've given him situation toys (cardboard boxes are his favorite) I still worry that he's feeling lack luster. Also I can't really exercise him to wear him out with fun because he's 9 with a bad knee. What else can I do?
You could try taking him for multiple short walks where he is able to meet and interact with other dogs? Dogs are sociable animals and do enjoy company, but its responsible for you to understand the financial commitment of getting him a companion. Giving him a ten minute walk before and after work on a route he might encounter other dogs could work well. That or maybe look into a "doggy day care" once or twice a week where he can go and be around other people and animals while you're at work.
I remember reading, on regards rabbit domestication, the youngs were thought as "not meat" and categorized as fish. Those pesky monks were not keen on taxomy...
My buddy's name is mr. Fluffy bunny he loves to play and cuddle and he even has a stuffed bunny but he likes to play with best friends with my dog molly. me and my mom give fluffy fresh vegetables we also try and get him exercise as much as we can. But where I live it is fall and he is getting a bit sluggish should I be worried about that
So any reason you don't neutere cheeks and give him a female friend? Is he old? I know older rabbits are prone to not waking up from anastasia when performing neuter/spaying so is that the reason?
I have 2 rabbits one I recently gave away to a good home the problem is I have a quote large rabbit and I don't know her breed or anything she HATES being handled but I have to in order to take her to her run or other cage what could I do to prevent her from injuring me of herself also I have a smallerish rabbit and he tends to scratch ALOT or move ALOT when being handled how do I prevent this from happening thanks - Morgan xxxx
+Morgan Foord Small breeds like dwarfs and such do tend to scratch and be more skittish, I recommend only picking him up when you absolutely positively need to, just where a long sleeve shirt/jacket and maybe some gloves if he does do it a lot, again, i recommend stormy rabbit or rabbits 101 for a video about how to hold them safely.
Hay is the most important part of a rabbit's diet because the fiber keeps their gi tract from getting blockages. It can't be skipped, but there are some condensed hay blocks that might be less irritating to you guys. Offering fresh grass (from a safe clean source) is also a great alternative.
I have a bunny and sometimes he digs on my bed when I let him out it's weird because he never digs when we take him outside with his harness can you please do a video explaining why my bunny won't dig outside but he will dig inside🐰
Great video, super informative! However I wouldn't stand behind the housing of rabbits with other species unless you are very experienced. Rabbits can bully guinea pigs, disease spread would be a worry of mine, and most animals will have very different nutritional needs. Nonetheless good video, just weighing in. :)
You can offer them clean coconut shell, but make sure it doesn't have leftover flesh or it could cause diarrhea in your ratties. I do plan on covering domestic rats in a video! But I'm not sure when that will be.
My wife and I have our Rabbit for almost 4 years from the shelter. He's not being cage and free to roam around our house. But his prey instinct still very active and will only allow us to pet him on his own terms or he will allow me to pet him if he is under the coffee table. And he will only come when we do have treats for him hehehehehhehe.
Cheeks was handled a lot from a youngish age. He's also been properly handled which prevents any emotional or physical trauma being associated with being picked up. And he's been an ambassador in front of large audiences for most of his life, so being with me is his comfort zone.