Early Bunnies

"LAst Year on the Farm 06-06-2007"

We think it was the fire ants that took away all the rabbits that used to be in our fields. When I first moved here nearly 30 years ago there were MANY MANY jackrabbits. Just recently, we have had a growing family of cottontails living near our barn. They scoot out of the way when we come home at night, darting through the headlights to safety.

Last week I changed my routine and decided to paint from the back of the house, perched on the playscape (to avoid the fire ants). As I painted this early morning our Great Dane, Romeo became busy under the slide and I heard the faint but familiar scream of a bunny. I knew it was in Romeo's mouth, so I persuaded him to "give me the toy"...and he dropped the baby bunny in my hand, just as I stepped on another one....apparently he had dug up a whole nest, and while I picked up the one I stepped on, Romeo made a quick "hors d'oeuvres" out of another one...no time to get mad at him, so I rushed the little refugees into the house and took them to Wildlife Rescue, in Austin. They told me what to do to care for them, but warned me that thye probably wouldn't live...the mom bunny never came back into the yard...I hope Romeo did not hurt her... Look how precious these two are, though they did not live long...