ORWIGBURG - Bluff and Starry Night had no problem keeping the children's attention Thursday at the Orwigsburg Area Free Public Library.
The rabbits were two of 11 that Brendin Freeman, 16, of Auburn, told children about during a presentation meant to introduce more people to the library.
Freeman shows rabbits and has won several awards for them. Bluff, a grayish Blue Silver Marten, won a prize at the Pennsylvania Farm show earlier this year.
Children sat at the edge of the multicolored carpet listening as the Blue Mountain sophomore displayed each rabbit on a small, square rug. They also got to pet Bluff and Starry Night after about a 30-minute presentation by Freeman, who has been showing rabbits for four years.
His first rabbit was named Snickers, a 2-year-old Mini Rex rabbit. That rabbit won first place in the pet rabbit category at the Schuylkill County Fair one year, he said.
His interest in rabbits started when he was in the 4-H Club at Blue Mountain and also because he wanted a pet he could hold. Large rabbits live about three years, he said, while smaller ones can live longer.
They get fed twice a day and exercise in a baby playpen, he said. He has 50 rabbits and each has its own personality.
"Some of them can get a little rowdy at times," Freeman said.
The children loved petting the rabbits.
Lauren Boyer, 3, of Tamaqua, gave the rabbits a bag of carrots before petting one " 'cause they eat them," she said.
