I shot this through a back door window, so please pardon the slight glare. This rabbit is having her second litter this year in this hole about 3 feet from our back door. Another rabbit (daddy?) comes by several times to check on her and hop around her in circles (nervous dad?) In the end, she covers the hole to hide the babies and the 2 adult rabbits hop off together. I’ll post a video soon of her nursing one of the babies.
This is one of the little bunnies at 14 days old. He was one of 3. One was killed by a cat 2 days prior to this video. A second sibling was found dead the next day – don’t know why. But the temperature had dipped into the thirties that night so maybe he was too cold. This third little guy survived. His mama comes every day once or twice to nurse him for about 5 – 7 minutes (that’s normal for rabbits).
New camera! Now you’ll see what she really looks like.
Go here: http://www.vimeo.com/1032234
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oh how cool is that?!!! You did a great job of filming them Pamela! I am so surprised that she just had them out in the open. She has to know that she is in a relatively safe haven. I can also feel how compassionate and loving you are. GOD bless you!
You know of course that this means we will want the next episode of Bunny Moms, the reality show. lol Great way to keep the creativity flowing like a river.
Elizabeth
Wow !!!!!!!! that is great. Thank you for sharing. What a neat thing. THere has been a decline in bunnies here the last few years. Those and monarch butterflies that used to come by the hundreds. I am not sure of the cause. Great video. Thanks again.
Cute! That’s so lovely to know they feel safe enough to have them nearby. I have to admit I know very little about bunnies… in fact, Michael has inadvertently answered a question I had. The state of Queensland in Australia, completely bans rabbits as pets. The reason for this is they have previously reached plague proportions and destroyed crops. Most farming in Australia is done several hours inland, away from the popular coastal areas, where rainfall is far less and the living is hard. When rats, rabbits, mice and kangaroos reach such proportions that they destroy a livelihood and an income for hard working farmers, they are not well looked on. Both rabbits and kangaroos are considered pests, especially as many years ago myxamatosis (hopefully I spelled that correctly) also was very prevalent. So I have to say I was rather surprised at your having bunnies nearby, as they’re such successful breeders, I would have thought you’d be overrun and have the same problems that have been had here in Australia. I believe it is only the state of Queensland which has bans, as I have seen rabbits kept as pets in nearby states. Not that I think a rabbit in a hutch is a happy thing, either. For that matter, I would hate for you to get the wrong impression and think I am “okay” with the destruction of anything, even when they’re considered a pest. I don’t even like seeing fish being caught! However, sometimes, the greater good has to be considered. Again, here, many native animals and birds have been severely limited in numbers, due to the introduction (deliberate or accidental) of animals and birds which attack them. I’ve heard jokes about how Australia must be one of the only countries which eats its national emblem (the kangaroo) – however, I have been to the outback and seen the numbers of them and the damage they can cause to cattle and sheep! It’s a delicate balance and requires viewing all sides before understanding can be reached.
On the same line, there is a movie (I haven’t seen it) called “Rabbit Proof Fence” – this really exists, it’s apparently the longest man made fence in either the world or Australia, and once again, same principles apply, the rabbits had to be kept out to protect our native wildlife.
So it’s interesting to see how things can be, don’t get the impression I don’t like rabbits, it’s just an adjustment given what I’ve grown up with of them in the state where I am. I’m glad they’re obviously not a pest there! They look very cute.
Hi Susan
We’ll never be over-run with them here. They have too many natural predators (coyotes, owls and snakes mostly). We have all of those in abundance. I found a 4 foot snake hanging out in the garage last year. I also have a koi pond which regularly has snake skins floating in it. Apparently some snakes use water to help them shed their skin. They haven’t eaten any of my fish however.
Same with bunnies here. I guess that may be why we have so few…the coyote population has exploded the last few years. We see them walking across the yard in daylight and you will almost always find them if you go into the woods.
A KOI pond, too. My ‘koi’ story. lol. We have a pretty big pond behind the house ( about 50 x 20 and maybe 14 feet deep). I thought the koi would do great in it so I got four. They doubled in size the first year and doubled again the second. I got up one morning to see a big heron, and that day I found only 3 fish. The next day he was there again, and I only had 2. lol. He got them all eventually.
Very interesting about Australia, Susan. but everyone says “kangaroos….how cuuutteee”. I guess only in some instances.
MIchael
Ahh! You need to know about Robo-Owl. I have had my pond for 7 years now and never lost a fish to the many egrets and herons because I have a fake owl whose head bobs in the wind and eyes glow. I think I found it at a garden supply store. Get the one with the bobbing head.
http://www.provenrepellents.com/products.php?pid=38
What’s a KOI pond? Sorry, let’s edit that, I know what a pond is…:) What’s the KOI bit mean? 🙂
After I left the internet cafe I was concerned about the comments I’d made, I really hoped I’d conveyed correctly the way things are, and not made out that I had an aversion to bunnies. When I thought about it, I realised I have found them to be tremendously cute. And ironically, as the bunny topics had begun, I was startled to look over my balcony last week and see a rabbit in a hutch on the ground below. It was there all day (though it got moved) and as I studied it I felt it didn’t have very much room at all, my heart bled for it! It was a very lovely bunny too, cream with chocolate nose and feet. Late that night and early the next morning it was still there, that did bother me, as we’re moving into winter now and I worried it would be cold!
Anyway, I think I managed to convey accurately a bit of the situation here, just as your comments, Pamela and Michael, have opened me up to the situation you have in the US. We don’t have coyotes here, dingoes, yes, but not all that many these days and none in suburbia that I know of…
Michael, I haven’t eaten kangaroo, and I do think they’re very cute and lovable…it’s all about perspective once again. I’ve seen them and petted them in a nearby sanctuary, and I really do love them. But once again, I do know that sometimes they can be considered a pest in the outback. Again, not saying I sanction the idea of destroying anything. And as for eating kangaroo, well, it doesn’t stop there, I think you can find Crocodile steaks in some restaurants. No, I haven’t tried that yet either!
I think we’re getting a bit of a crash course lesson in culture here! (now try saying that several times fast!)
Thanks for the perspective guys, this is always interesting. Pamela, I forgot to say your bunnies look so cute, no, I did say that, but I meant I’ve never seen those sorts of rabbits before, the really cuddly looking black and grey ones I’ve only seen depicted on Easter cards. Lovely!
Hi Susan
koi are a type of fish (carp family) originally from China and Japan.
Here is a photo of my pond:
Here is the wiki on koi:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koi
That’s a gorgeous pond! How beautiful, I’m such a water loving person I know I’d spend many hours with a cup of tea and a good book (and my mobile phone with its MP3 capabilities, listening to your music) by such a feature.
Lovely!
And thanks for the information about KOI too 🙂
Beautiful Koi Pond Pamela! I could easily sit for hours writing, reading, or meditating near a pond like yours. So soothing! You give me hope for my Texas yard. lol