Post by sues on Aug 25, 2014 13:10:14 GMT
If you know me on Facebook, you know I love the wild rabbits that visit my yard. We have had a few burrows in the yard over the years. When we find one, DH usually marks it with a stake so he's careful when he mows the lawn. Apparently we missed one. Yesterday when my sister was over with her Goldendoodle, we noticed him sticking his nose in the grass, then jumping back - over and over. We went to see what he was doing, and found the burrow with a tiny little nose sticking out.
We shooed the dog into the house and I told DH about it. When he came out to mark the burrow, Jack (the dog) got out with him- and ran right to the burrow. Total mayhem. We're yelling for him to get away. He sticks his nose right into the burrow- and pulls out a bunny. :oHe takes off with it- we're chasing him. The dog next door gets riled up by the yelling, breaks off his stake and runs to our fence, barking at Jack. That turned out to be a godsend- because it made Jack put the bunny down to address the other dog. I grabbed him by the collar and put him back in the house. My sister picked up the bunny with a paper towel - and he was unharmed, just shocked. As soon as she closed the paper towel around him, he snuggled in and poked his head out. (Cute overload.)
He was close to the size he needs to be to be out of the burrow- furry, eyes open, size of a fist or a little bigger, ears back- but that was fear, I think. We found the burrow and put him right inside the opening, and he went the rest of the way in on his own. We covered the entrance back up with the grass and fur that was there before.
So here's the question... I know the moms leave the babies for periods of time while they forage. I usually wake up to a few in the yard every morning...but not this morning. They obviously aren't put off by the general smell of Jack because he's spends a lot of time at my house. And though we tried to make sure we avoided contact with the bunny so it doesn't smell like us- it was in the dogs mouth for a little bit and it undoubtedly smells like him.
Do you think that's enough for the mom to abandon the nest? Is she likely to be OK with the bunny who had the adventure? Or- since he wasn't hurt and was where he should be, picking up the smell of the other bunnies and the burrow - could it be OK?
We shooed the dog into the house and I told DH about it. When he came out to mark the burrow, Jack (the dog) got out with him- and ran right to the burrow. Total mayhem. We're yelling for him to get away. He sticks his nose right into the burrow- and pulls out a bunny. :oHe takes off with it- we're chasing him. The dog next door gets riled up by the yelling, breaks off his stake and runs to our fence, barking at Jack. That turned out to be a godsend- because it made Jack put the bunny down to address the other dog. I grabbed him by the collar and put him back in the house. My sister picked up the bunny with a paper towel - and he was unharmed, just shocked. As soon as she closed the paper towel around him, he snuggled in and poked his head out. (Cute overload.)
He was close to the size he needs to be to be out of the burrow- furry, eyes open, size of a fist or a little bigger, ears back- but that was fear, I think. We found the burrow and put him right inside the opening, and he went the rest of the way in on his own. We covered the entrance back up with the grass and fur that was there before.
So here's the question... I know the moms leave the babies for periods of time while they forage. I usually wake up to a few in the yard every morning...but not this morning. They obviously aren't put off by the general smell of Jack because he's spends a lot of time at my house. And though we tried to make sure we avoided contact with the bunny so it doesn't smell like us- it was in the dogs mouth for a little bit and it undoubtedly smells like him.
Do you think that's enough for the mom to abandon the nest? Is she likely to be OK with the bunny who had the adventure? Or- since he wasn't hurt and was where he should be, picking up the smell of the other bunnies and the burrow - could it be OK?
I will see if I can go out there and peek later. 
