December
12, 2009 - After seeing a deer interested in sunflower seed
spilling from a feeder sitting on a make-shift paver stone table, we
began putting out apple slices, pieces of other fruit and carrots. It
didn't take long for the fruit to freeze completely to the table
(Oops!). While we never saw the fawn return for a snack, we did
capture an eastern cottontail dining out one evening.
Apparently he really also likes the sunflower seeds as he foraged a week
later under another feeder that had sloppy bird spill-over.
Rabbits-
Cute as these guys are, there's a good reason Mr. Mc Gregor chased
Peter Rabbit out of his garden. New to vegetable gardening, Food Guy
decided to build a raised vegetable patch in the manner of square
foot gardening ( more on that later). The first seedlings were
destroyed by a May frost (no critter was at fault). The second
planting was gone after reaching a 2 inch height (some critter had a
great buffet. Here is a rabbit waiting for Farmer Food Guy to
do a third planting.
I love rabbits. I went through a phase in the '70's and started
a collection of bunnies- ceramic, wooden and nature sketches. I tole painted, embroidered and sewed bunnies. But my very favorite
kind never made it into the collection- chocolate rabbits. They
still are the best candy ever.
I think I'm so fond of these animals because as a child I was allowed
to play with the neighbors' new baby bunnies. There was nothing in
the world softer and more cuddly than these little guys. They were
sometimes white , but mostly
grayish brown and always adorable. We
didn't pay too much attention to the adults because they weren't allowed
out of the cages. It wasn't until I was an adult that I can sadly
guess they were being raised as a source of food.
Every morning and evening we have several rabbits who nibble their
way across the yard following the clover and other volunteer growth in
the grassy areas. When startled they make a run to the raspberry
briar patches. That always reminds me of the Uncle Remus stories
my Dad read us. "Do what you want to me, just don't fling me in that
briar patch!" clever Br'er Rabbit would say to Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear.
And of course they always did. Thus that tricky rabbit was saved again.
From cartoons, to children's classics, to spring time traditions,
rabbits and bunnies are the favorites of many. Of course, there's
always the Farmer McGregors out there protecting their gardens and crops, who think differently.
| Size:
|
Head and Body Length: 14-19
in Tail Length: 1.5-3
in Ear Length:
3 in Hind Foot
Length: 3-4.25 in Weight:
2-4
lb |
|
ID:
|
Male: Grayish brown fur
grizzled with black hairs on upper body; nape is rusty orange;
underbody and feet are whitish; tail is white and puffy on
underside and top is grayish brown; large dark eyes and excellent eyesight;
cream colored eye rings; legs deep orange; ears edged white with
black tips
Female: Same as male
Juvenile: Similar to adults
|
| Habitat: |
Edge of woodlands, fields, thickets and
bushes, tangled vines and tall grass |
| Diet: |
Herbivore; grasses, clover, weeds, fruit
and vegetables; twigs and bark in winter; eats own scat for
nutrition |
| Family Behavior: |
Mating Habits: Polygamous; mating
dance called cavorting involves chasing, leaping, boxing; 3-4
litters; breeds from February through September
Nests: Shallow depression (about 5 inches)
lined with plant material and fur doe pulled from her own belly
Young:
Born naked with eyes closed; average 4-5 babies per litter; mother gives all the care and feeds
babies only in morning and evening; weaned at 3 weeks; doe
teaches what to eat; leave nest at 5-7 weeks
|
|
Activities: |
Hides in brushy areas
and dense vegetation; mainly nocturnal but seen at dawn or dusk;
lives in brush piles or burrows; moves by hopping or zigzag
running when alarmed |
| Predators and Dangers: |
Raccoons, fox, hawks, owls, crows, snakes,
opossum, coyote, and domestic dogs and cats |
| Sounds:
|
Generally silent; makes shrill cry when
scared, trapped or while fighting; female calls to gather her
young; large hind foot may be stomped for attention |
| Lifespan: |
1-3 yr in wild; 8-10 yr in captivity |
