I asked the shopkeeper about her history. It turned out that she was about a year old and had been given up to the shop because her previous owner, a young child, had become tired of her. The rabbit's name was not known. There was also another rabbit, an agouti-coloured one of about the same age, which I didn't ask about but which appeared much happier in its current environment.
I got permission to have a closer look at her, and when I picked her up she was completely docile and did not even tense up. She looked so pathetic, unhappy and frightened. It also seemed to me that she was perhaps the rabbit I had decided not to buy at the time I got Bandit, but that was probably wishful thinking. Admittedly it was very unlikely but still the feelings of guilt came to the fore; if she was actually the one, then I was at least partially responsible for her current predicament...
Once I got her home it was necessary to keep her in the box while a temporary home was prepared -- the shower compartment in the spare bathroom. Line the area with newspaper, place a litterbox, food bowl and waterbowl, hay, cardboard roll for amusement. Introduce her to her new home. She found herself a corner and wedged herself into it.
The next morning it became clear that she had never been toilet-trained and didn't like the hay. Fresh grass was offered and eaten enthusiastically.
She was introduced to Bandit and Smokey. She would sniff them and then run away. Bandit tried to groom her, with the same result. Smokey would chase her all over the place. This went on for a week.
When they seemed to have become used to each other, Misty was allowed into the big cage. Again, Smokey chased her out at first but eventually left her alone. Bandit remained friendly. Misty remained nervous but nonetheless claimed the prime spot at the front of the upper level, with a manificent view of the room. This apparent harmony lasted for another week.
