1. Watch carefully for signs leading to bedtime and ask for a piece of carrot. This gives them confidence and they think you are ready for bed.
2. Eat carrot quickly then dash past them and make a run for the stairs.
3. Hide where they don't expect you to.
4. Keep as still as possible, any movement can give your hiding place away. Don't make a lump under curtains or bedspreads.
5. Try not to get impatient. They sometimes pretend they've stopped looking for you, so stick it out.
Three things can now happen so get ready to use following tactics.
a) You may be found and they'll try to chase you downstairs. Easy to manage, dash under the nearest bed and keep moving just out of reach of groping hands.
b) After about ten minutes they will be so annoyed they'll put all the lights out and pretend to go to bed. Stay where you are until things go quiet then stamp your foot as only rabbits can, several times, until one of them gets out of bed to see what you're up to.
c) Worst scenario, they'll grab you and carry you down to your basket. Not a lot you can do about this. I usually act cute, stand on my back legs and tell them I haven't had my bedtime carrot. Usually works. George or Smudge might have some better ideas for me here.
Still not sure about budgies.
We made up one or two new names for Harve last night. Poppet wasn't one of them.
