Something made its way UNDER the fence, which was pretty impressive considering that there is so little clearance. I brought the mower to a halt in just enough time to see a little bunny go darting across the yard and disappear. I soon discovered that he spends a lot of time under one of our bushes or under the neighbors’ pine tree. I started putting lettuce and some seeds at or near both spots.
Several weeks later, he’s now a regular – and getting bigger all the time.
This means, of course, that I’ve also had to regularly watch for and chase away Big and Bigger, the two neighborhood cats who do their own version of wildlife watch only the wildlife ceases to be alive at the end of it for them. These cats are two versions of the same creature, identical in features, except Bigger is about 75 percent bigger than Big, who is huge! (While I'd never hurt them, beyond pinging them with the occasional rock to get their attention, they don't need to know that.)The mother and I regularly report daily sightings of the bunny to each other and fret when there are none. We both diligently also watch for Big and Bigger. Then, when we came home the other night just after dark, I saw something in the yard.
“Look, it’s the bunny,” I said. Except when I looked, he looked quite small, only marginally bigger than when he’d first arrived. Clearly, this was not the same bunny.
We now have TWO bunnies and they apparently know each other. When I took the trash out yesterday, Bunny 1 was contentedly eating clover in the sidelot. In the middle of the driveway, about 10 feet from the first, Bunny 2 was standing on hind legs staring at me as I approached.
When I got home from work last night, Bunny 1 was eating clover near the neighbors’ pine tree.
As I opened the backdoor, I noticed some movement beneath the tree: It was Bunny 2! So, we are now the guardians of two yard bunnies for the summer.
Note to Big and Bigger: STAY AWAY FROM THIS D*MN HOUSE! They’re MY bunnies. MINE! Got it?
8 comments:
LOL it seems like there is an abundance of bunnies this year around here. We had quite a few little bitty baby bunnies this spring who have now taken over yard duty here as well!
Haha. While there are an abundance of bunnies in my neighborhood, the dogs have successfully "taught" them all to stay out of our yard. Now the bunnies just taunt the dogs from the other side of the fence. :)
Hosing the cats works better than rocks. Got rid of a neighbor cat that way. Or maybe the owners kept them in after they came home soaking wet!
P.S. I have 3 indoor cats
There's apparently been a bunny around the Habitat construction site in East Oakland. It's next to a park, so it's got some more natural area, but the construction site is pretty much bare ground and concrete.
Joanne is right -- a hose with a spray nozzle works quite well at discouraging cats. Our two are indoor with occasional trips to the yard on a harness. But a neighbor's cat from across the street has been coming into our yard to fight with another neighbor's cat (to the tune of several vet visits and lots of $$$), and kill birds near our feeder. He's been declared catus non grata, but still comes over. Alas, he runs off too quickly to turn on the hose, but he clearly knows he's not welcome.
Hey Nicole! Welcome to the Society of Bunny Guardians! You DO know don't you, that you have to name those bunnies now? It's the rule. :)
*grinning* If I write "Go cats!" will you edit my comment? Just another area where we disagree with opposite polarity. Bunnies = garden demolition. Cats = garden protectors. I would rather have a blacksnake in my yard than a rabbit.
I'm with kaypasa on this one. Bunnies are cute as can be but I hate what they do to my garden. But I don't loathe bunnies like I do squirrels. I miss my neighbors big dogs, they were free pest control.
Ty'smommy, Star -- Looks like we're outnumbered, but that's OK. SomeBUNNY has to watch out for them. :-)I'm loathe to name them since one that I did several years ago got gobbled by a neighbor's dog. (His name was Bugs.)
Joanne -- Great solution except rocks are a lot handier by the time I chase him and reach the alley!
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