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Post by lilolpeapicker on Apr 26, 2021 10:57:38 GMT -5
I have seen a rabbit at the base of the birdfeeder before and was surprised as I did not know they went after seeds. Jesse gets all excited and saying mom let me get that rascally rabbit! Rabbit gone .
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Post by binnylou on Apr 26, 2021 12:08:10 GMT -5
Considering that our yard used to be over run by rabbits, we never see one around here. Last year, I gave credit to the fox family, but we haven’t heard nor seen them since possibly last summer. I think the last time they were seen, the kits were still around. But, there’s multiple Barred Owls visiting our property, so they may be doing rabbit patrol.
I was at the kitchen sink late yesterday afternoon, looking out the window. I saw an owl at the edge of our mowed yard...he/she swooped in low and perched in a smaller tree. He sat there for at least half of an hour. It was obvious he was hunting...watching the ground. They have such beautiful faces. Is there a way to identify males from females?
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Post by breezygardener on Apr 26, 2021 14:47:41 GMT -5
Foolish me - I thought this was about domestic/pet rabbits. Maybe this thread should be moved over to "Pests - lol!
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Post by Mumsey on Apr 27, 2021 4:39:08 GMT -5
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Post by binnylou on May 6, 2021 16:11:03 GMT -5
Well eat my words. We haven’t seen a rabbit for ages. But, while puttering around the veggie garden this morning, I noticed that the straw mulch in the garlic bed looked disturbed. I poked around that area with a stick and something moves. I pulled back the straw and find bunnies...everywhere. There must have been 8 to 10 of them. They scattered in all directions. Where is the owl when you need him? I never caught them...didn’t try. I assume Mother Nature will take care of them. One way or another.
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Post by Wheelgarden on Jan 7, 2022 14:26:06 GMT -5
Came across this by Beatrix Potter, author of "Peter Rabbit", written after she had moved to a farm and taken up gardening in earnest:
"But now that I’m a bit too hoary To lose myself in a bed-time story, I’ve slightly altered my firm conviction Regarding my furry friends from fiction; And might not weep at a grim autopsy Of Peter, Cotton-tail, Mopsy, Flopsy. All of whom plus countless dozens Of nameless ravenous rabbit cousins, Pay frequent calls on my straggling garden – Mr. McGregor, I beg your pardon."
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Post by binnylou on Jun 20, 2022 10:14:49 GMT -5
The rabbit has crossed the line in the sand. I planted 2 Nyagous tomato plants…hubby favorite. Yesterday evening one was bitten off and dying. The day before, the celery had been pruned. She’s a goner…her kids better leave also. ~Mrs. MacGregor
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Post by breezygardener on Jun 20, 2022 11:49:06 GMT -5
I've actually been enjoying our resident bunnies. Normally before & sometimes after dinner I sit out on the deck with a glass of wine & watch the various critters out & about, & the bunnies are the most entertaining. The come out & roll & dust-bathe in a couple of patches of bare ground, chase each other around, & the babies appearing now are so adorable - no bigger than hamsters. Since all my veggies are on the deck & my new strawberry patch is row-covered, there's little to no damage they can do.
I have to admit to having a soft spot for rabbits. Had a "House Rabbit" a few decades ago who was housebroken & real hoot to have around. Then bred some absolutely beautiful rabbits for fun & surprisingly was able to home them to wonderful rabbit-friendly homes. In the right setting, rabbits can make wonderful companion animals.
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Post by binnylou on Jun 22, 2022 22:47:13 GMT -5
A word to the wise….when bunny rabbits are a problem in the garden and shootin’ is involved, be sure to know where the garden hose lies.
🤭
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jul 3, 2022 8:38:52 GMT -5
My girl found 2 baby rabbits last night before coming in for the night. We were playing frisbee in the back yard and she stopped. She was picking them up in her mouth and put them back on the ground like she was playing with them. It was time to come in for the evening so I left them there hoping the mom would retrieve them. Checked a little while later and they were gone.
This morning I saw Jesse found another or one of the same as she was rolling on the ground around it.
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Post by breezygardener on Jul 3, 2022 12:55:48 GMT -5
If the bunnies are old enough, the mother will usually move them if the nest is disturbed. Sometimes if they're close to being on their own, she'll just leave them, as she also will if they're way too young (as in hairless with eyes closed).
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jul 5, 2022 16:35:51 GMT -5
Sunday evening when we got back from an outing I checked the yard before Jesse went out there. There was a dead baby and disposed of it before I let Jesse out. Another baby under the garden mulch fabric, just a hollowed out spot, it was moving, stretching so I covered it while we were doing work out there and so my pup could not see it. It was under again this morning but we went out.
These babies are so small they were creeping around not hoppin just pushing themselves around. I'd say they were as big as the frogs I have back there.
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Post by Wheelgarden on Jul 5, 2022 17:09:35 GMT -5
Rabbits, although out and about, haven't been much of an issue in the garden this year. lilolpeapicker , Some years ago, I noticed Sharpie pawing and digging as usual and didn't think anything about it. A few minutes later, she brought over a little lifeless baby rabbit. I scolded her, and she dropped her tail down and hung her head low. She was so ashamed, and never did it again.
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Post by breezygardener on Jul 5, 2022 17:28:02 GMT -5
Another baby under the garden mulch fabric, just a hollowed out spot, it was moving, stretching so I covered it while we were doing work out there and so my pup could not see it. It was under again this morning but we went out. These babies are so small they were creeping around not hoppin just pushing themselves around. I'd say they were as big as the frogs I have back there. That's sad. It sounds like they weren't ready to be out on their own & mama has abandoned them.
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Post by lilolpeapicker on Jul 6, 2022 9:30:06 GMT -5
Well it was missing from that spot last night after the rain we had. Maybe mom was tending to it. Maybe another animal got it. I don't understand why they were in different places in the yard though relatively close rather in 1 nest. Would they have crawled there?
Also I had a 5' and growing sunflower that looked like it was eaten at the base. It was laying on the ground when I came from in the evening. Would a rabbit do that?
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