Well, the bunny kits survived the massive thunderstorm we had last night.

[HopeHoops]

I just went out to check on them and they're all fine. One of them's feisty. I suspect the mother spent the night covering them (and nursing) to keep them dry. They're about the size of a full-grown mouse now. They'll be ready to leave the nest in about a week and a half.

Is it pathetic or good that I was awake throughout the storm worrying about them?



I'm a softy.

[Bertha Venation]

1. Definitely good. Not pathetic.

You rock. Please continue the bunny updates.

[turtlerescue1]

2. It is NOT pathetic,

human kindness is not as strong as it needs to be in our world.

Glad the little hoppers made it.

WE actually had storms, mostly storms very little rain. Started a novel, James Patterson, and just when the lightning began heard a small kitten crying outside about 1 a.m.. Couldn't find it, of course. But my kitten repeatedly mewed back to it. Told Petey if he can call it in and I can find it, guess he'll have a new roomie. GROAN-I always hated litterboxes.

so wile you were worrying about tiny bunnies, my job was to do the same about a tiny kitten.
It makes me nuts, but rather be nuts than not care eh?

[HopeHoops]

8. Our cotton tail self-potty trained himself. That's a MAJOR accomplishment!!!

[turtlerescue1]

15. It certainly is.

One of the reasons there is The Brat after Max's name, the chi-rat terrier and Jack Russell mess, is for almost five years he has refused to use potty pads in the house at night. He will stand on the pad and poop on the floor. I've no idea why, other than watch my b/p rise rapidly.

You get a cottontail that is potty trained, and I get this pint-sized cute little dog that absolutely refuses to even accidentally get poop on a puppy pad.

[HopeHoops]

16. Yeah, we had a cat that would climb in the litterbox and poop over the edge onto the floor.

THEN he would spend 20 minutes scraping litter that didn't have a prayer of getting near the poop. He was a weird but wonderful cat.

Unfortunate medical condition led to his early demise. His brother is still with us.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

3. Rabbit Moms will only -

visit the nest early mornings and early evenings to nurse. If you ever think the babies are truly in danger, they can safely be brought in during the day and evening. My sister is a wildlife rehaber specializing in rabbits. Here's a 911 page with lots of info, including how to protect the babies if need be:

http://rescuedrabbits.org/help-ive-found-abandonedinjured-wildlife/911-for-wild-rabbits/

[HopeHoops]

9. I don't think they are. She must be a good mother. I think I know which one she is.

She has similar markings to the kits and I've never seen her on the nest, but yes, they only nurse them late at evening and early in the morning. We're voice training the kits so they won't be afraid of us when they leave the nest. We like bunnies.

Oh, and the "black one" I mentioned earlier is only black from the shoulders down. Weird.

[applegrove]

4. Good for your soul to care about little critters. Makes you one with your environment.

[HopeHoops]

10. How can you not? We don't own the earth, we're the caretakers.

[applegrove]

11. Exactly. I miss having a garden to share with critters.

[HopeHoops]

12. I've given up on growing peas or beans. They all get gnawed off. They still need to learn.

Teaching the kits from early on that we're not going to hurt them and appreciate them will help in the long run. A lot of the kits we've done that with aren't afraid of us and actually stay out of the garden. We also have a yard that's more dandylions and clover than grass, so they don't complain. We don't poison our lawn so the bees are everywhere. We don't own the earth, we are here to protect it and all of the creatures on it.

[applegrove]

13. We'd love to see pictures of the kits if you can.

[HopeHoops]

14. I have to figure out which camera was used and upload them from the card.

I'll post what is within decent standards for images.

[Flaxbee]

5. Softies will inherit the earth. Or something like that. Thank you

for caring; I do too and it makes me so happy that there are others out there who value all life. Especially incredibly cute tiny baby bunny life.

Not to get all flakey here, but I think the universe knows who loves her creatures, and who doesn't.

[HopeHoops]

7. (I think it's the "meek")

[HopeHoops]

6. UPDATE: We took some pictures. I'll upload some (if they turned out well) when I get a chance.

They all seem healthy. Bunnies are SO cute. Unfortunately, many of them are purchased at Easter as babies and then they get older and more demanding. That's how we ended up with our first bunny (a lop) when two kids came around with a bunny they "found". He was clearly a domestic breed. I made a cage on my own and he lived about 3 years. I'm pretty sure he died of pneumonia, but I'm not sure. He was weezing for a long time and was just dead one day. I cried.