Hallson Gardens

I didn't clean up my gardens last fall because we had a death in the family and I didn't get around to it.
The day before yesterday I was picking up the dead leaves and stems from a row of hostas along a fence when I got a ball of fluff that had baby rabbits under it. They were very young, black skinned, no fur yet. I put the fluff of fur back on top of then and some of the leaves. My dog later found another nest. I heard a squeal and yelled no at the dog then moved the dog out of that part of the yard. There's were older and had fur. Later that day I showed my daughter but we never touched any of them.
I went out today to show my other daughter today real quick and found the younger rabbits all dead. The furred ones were alive.

Do you think the mother abandoned them because of seeing or smelling us peek at them? I feel terrible about finding them now. If I didn't my dog would have been able to get to them. I make sure the gate is always closed to that area now so she won't get to them again. It's the ones the dog found that are still okay.

It's possible - but I doubt that's what happened to them. More likely, something happened to her - and they got too cold overnight. Touching young birds and animals doesnt really cause their parents to abandon them. The danger is actually in us leaving our scent near or on them - which will bring in predators that associate human smell with food. This would include raccoons, foxes, etc. Obviously - that's not what happened in this case. It's not your fault you came across them! Sounds like they were newborn. Gating the area is a good idea - dogs will naturally pursue them. Hope you have some baby bunnies hopping around soon

Thanks for the reply, Snow. I feel better now.

ahh poor babies, but I agree with Snow, I think something must have happened to the momma rabbit. glad u are keeping the area gated, you are a very kind hearted person. *S*
Debbie

GT, ditto what Snow said. It's an old wives tale that says the birds and critters will stay away from their nest if the babies are touched. Probably started by a mom who got tired of her kid bringing home all the critters. I never did fall for it when I was a kid.
Cottontails only come back to the nest a few times a day to feed the babies. To counteract a very high mortality rate the dern things breed like rabbits.

You might also keep in mind that if some of those baby bunnies DIDN'T die, we would be up to our eyeballs in bunny wabbits! My first thought is mama got hit by a car.... tis the season for roadkill, I'm afraid. Besides, later this summer, when they start munching on your gardens, your sympathies might change!

I knew birds didn't smell our touch because they have a lousy sense of smell, but I wasn't sure about other animals.
They usually nest behond our fence and still come in my yard to eat. All my gardens are rabbit fertilized.

I have over 200 daylily clumps and over one hundred hostas so a few chewed plants don't bother me.
The only one that has bothered me so far is a grafted 2 in 1 pear tree that got chewed this winter above the plastic chew guard I put on it.
I always plant more greens and other veggies than we use. I throw a lot of leftover salads in the compost all summer too that they get.

I finally got my pictures on the 'puter.

aww lookie how cute they are!

Debbie

Precious photo, GT. My gosh....they are so sweet.

Awwww, they are cute, but they make me mad....AGAIN, this year they must have chewed on these little plants that Brian gave me one time when I was up at their place...I can't remember what they are, but they are a bulb, and the cutest flower.....Anyway, I always forget about protecting them, and then all of a sudden, they have no leaves.... ....Sure, those rabbits are cute, but they always get my most precious plants it seems....I wouldn't hurt one ever....Cute picture!

Oh my gosh, aren't they darling!

They look sooooo tend.......er...er...cute! Yeah!..........That's what I ment...cute.

awwww I LOVE discovering baby bunnies! It always reminds me of when I was a kid. We used to raise them for the freezer. When ever a doe would have babies, my grandpa would always pull out the nest box for me to see them.