This project is posted in the houses section.
Bunnies
This is just some cool video we shot one day while mowing the lawn. Grab a chair and chill for a couple of minutes – it's a reminder that no matter what's going on in the world there are some things that will never change and that's a good thing.
You just can't wipe the cute off of these little guys. Jeff got a little too close to our bunny-hole with a lawn mower and the next thing you know we had bunnies running everywhere. Other than the fact that they set up their little rabbit hole in the yard there isn't much DIY to talk about here. They're just cool little animals and we were able to catch some video and pictures of them.
We eventually calmed them down, convinced them to stay in their hole and they grew up to be big bunnies.
Check out the Bunny Factoid the end of the page if you want learn a few things about baby rabbits.
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Bunny Factoid (for Cottontail Rabbits):
- For years we had few or no bunnies; in the span of two years we had dozens of them. There are four of them in this hole - they breed like rabbits.
- Once the bunnies showed up so did the hawks and other similar birds – we'll try and catch some video of the circle-of-life if we can get it.
- They are nocturnal, mother-bunny shows up at the bunny hole to give the little guys a milk-bottle once in the early morning and once in the late evening. She hangs around for about 5 minutes during each feed. Other than that she hides out somewhere else during the day.
- Bunnies only live for about 1 to 2 years. Their purpose in life seems to be food for other animals and tearing up your yard.
- They are born helpless, hairless and with their eyes closed tight. They are self-sufficient at a very early age; we'd guess these guys are close but not quite ready to go it alone. That's the reason we took some time to get them back into their hole.
- They aren't like birds eggs – the nest/hole will not be abandoned if you touch them. We do not intentionally disturb or handle them but if they scatter like they did in the video we will intervene to get them back into their hole. The hole is life for them, in any other scenario they will die – it depends on their age. They may be somewhat self-sufficient but they have no experiential wisdom and do dumb things like hang out in the open with hawks flying around. They know nothing of large birds, snakes, streets, cars or lawnmowers.
- A bunny hole in your lawn is more like a bunny trough. It's about the size of a sandwich plate and really isn't a hole so much as it is a depression. It is very well camouflaged and we usually find them by noticing the dirt that mother-bunny kicked out during the big-dig. The hole itself is invisible unless you part the grass for a better look or step on it. She will pluck her own fur and line the hole with this fur.
- Since the hole is actually a trough we have no idea how they survive a big rain shower. By looking at the hole you'd guess that it would just fill with water – they seem to deal with this problem somehow.
- If they scatter and you can get them back in their hole their hearts will be pounding and they'll be amped up. Just try to keep them from bolting until they calm down and they'll stay put.
- They are very destructive - starting with the hole in your lawn, continuing to your ornamental plants and ending with your garden produce.
