Tips for keeping the hoomin home

So we successfully started a pandemic back in 2019/20 with a view to getting more quality time at home with the hooms.

It’s fair to say that campaign exceeded out wildest dreams, with lockdowns and restrictions delivering the goods and then some in the snorgle/treat stakes. Lockdown = happy bunnehs.

There are reports of hoomins being back to their old ways of leaving the house in the morning and returning late in the day, sometimes not until night. In extreme cases, hoomins have been known to stay out for days, leaving only a skeleton staff in place to take care of our needs.

Obviously this undesirable regression of hoomin behaviour needs vigorous correction, so here are Maximus and Livia’s tips for keeping the hoom home when they get restless*.

Be extra cute

If your hoom is soft of heart and is easily emotionally manipulated, this one is for you. Do that cute trick you don’t often treat them to, so they decide on a WFH day after all to take pics for their socials.

Or, if this doesn’t seem to work, sit on their lap. We know, it’s labour intensive but the snorgles are usually good and they are physically unable to move.

Block all exits

Sounds basic, delivers the goods! Not only do physical obstacles work, there is the cute factor involved as well.

Rabbit pawrents are softies and heartstrings are easily pulled, but sometimes you have to literally throw yourself in their path to stop them from going anywhere but in the direction of the treat jar.

Fake a bout of gut stasis

Clearly this is doing an Oppenheimer and we recommend only resorting to this drastic option when holiday plans and pet sitters are being discussed. Even better if you coordinate your fakery with your OH, as shown above.

This method is doubly effective when postponed plans are then cancelled due to holiday funds being spent at the vets instead.

Do we speak from experience? That, dear friends, we do.

Always remain vigilant

We cannot stress this enough: never let your attention wander when monitoring restless hoomins. Keep an eye on them at high risk times such as after brekkers and dinner, when one or more of them might get some ill-advised ideas to step out.

The best hoomin is a housebound hoomin

*clearly the restlessness is a trait we’ll have to breed out of the hoomin race eventually