Baby Bunny Rescued!

Have a little visitor for the night. A baby bunny. 

Heard the worst prolonged screams - thought it was a strange bird. Heard pitiful cries again. Saw a cat staring intently at something in the yard - when I went out the cat (with collar) scrammed. Heading back in I looked in the direction it was focused on and saw this little brown bunny. I went to pick it up and it screamed (probably in shock by then) and hopped a few hops under my blackberry bush. Saw that its fur was fully pulled back from one hind quarter but no apparent open wounds, no blood. 

It was after 7:30 pm so no vets would be around, and there are no rehabbers near. Spoke to one and left messages for many. Have in a box with towel in quiet, next to window for air and hearing familiar crickets, though box is mostly covered. When I put grass and clover in, the bunny, who had been cowering with eyes shut and barely breathing, moved right on top of the grass. 

I dressed the exposed "skin" with pain relief Neosporin as the rehabber directed and put the fur back over it. Zero struggle (but I am very quiet, slow and gentle). 

Bunnies are low on the food chain and I learned when I did baby bunny rehabbing at the Wildlife Center of Texas that they are blessed with a system that lets them die quickly and easily rather than be aware while in the jaws of something. I thought for sure that would kick in. 

Bunny has perked up quite a bit, so I have hope it will live through the night so I can get it help. Send out a little prayer pls!

AM Baby Bunny Report

This morning I dreaded lifting the towel covering the baby box but I was met with a bright eyed little one and lots of poop pellets. I think that's a good sign. Can't tell if any grass or clover was eaten so put a little lettuce in and some water in a shallow saucer. It began to pour and early birds were singing so I was hoping at least the sounds of nature were helping balance the not-natural environment of a plum colored bath towel. 

It's staying in the corner, of course frightened of me and looks smaller today than it did last night. I do hope that the Nevins Farm SPCA where I take kids a few times a year to teach them about animal rescue and rehab can take this baby -a vet might just put it to sleep. 

Will report back. I don't know if they can stitch fur back on or what, but I do want it to get antibiotics if needed and hopefully be released back into the wild, which is always the hope.

Cold, Hard Reality

So, I was driving home from work past the same little stretch of park I've mentioned before and at the very end, on a little strip of green sandwiched between a parking lot and the fast moving, 4 lane road I was on, I saw something black. And big -- about the size of a high top sneaker. Sometimes I spot moss in a bundle and think it's a squirrel until I get closer but there is nothing jet black like this in the park. I knew in a second something was off, and as I got closer it was confirmed: what I'd spotted was a large, back rabbit with very long ears, munching on greens sprouting out of a faded flower patch.

I was planning on hitting the treadmill at home, but instead I parked. I figured if I walked up to it slowly and it didn't spook, it had been owned by humans. He moved as I approached but didn't go more than one hop, or lose interest in the tender greens.

It was obvious someone had dropped their former pet off. I thought through the scenario of putting him in my carrier and getting him to the Wildlife Rehab Center, a few times. They were closed. Would I have to do this in the morning, then be late to work? I guess I could go on my lunch time. But, I'm terribly allergic to bunnies, and I'd be paying for a week to do this... BUT I remembered I knew a spot in the outdoor mews at the Center where I could place the carrier and he'd be safe for the night, so I could drop him off. I'd have to put lettuce and water in with him, so I'd have to go home and get that first. BUT that was OK. So I went back to the car, opened the carrier, got my large net, and went back.

Where the bunny had let me get very close before, now he was uncomfortable. He eyed me, stopped eating. I was not moving any faster or erratically, and had the net flush to my body so it was not poised above him; maybe I was emitting a different scent...

I waited for him to relax and start nibbling again, but when I got close enough he'd hop. Because of the lay of the land, I was in a pickle. If I positioned myself in front of the dense bushes that lined the parking lot (a perfect rabbit hideaway), his only choice was to head into traffic. If I kept him from traffic, he'd of course end up in the bushes, where I couldn't reach him. Torn between the two, I stood between him and the traffic and long story short, I eventually lost him to the leafy cover.

I could have sat down and waited much longer so he could get used to me again before I'd tried to reach out for him. I could have waited for him to come out of the bushes. But I figured the temps have dropped so he'd be comfortable by day and through the night. He had food nearby, and though there was no water, he'd be OK until I came back the next day to try it again.

I admit, some of why I didn't succeed in catching him is because I was grappling with doubt that crept into my head when I told about the duck or they see the carrier, net, gloves and all kind of food and water in my car. If I were on Animal Cops, no one would blink an eye. But without a badge you get a few, boarder-line- crazy animal-lady looks. As a result, I wasn't as patient as I could have been with the net, and I didn't wait at the bushes to see if he would come out. I tried to think about it like other people might -- he'll be fine.

24 hours later, I was driving back and didn't see him. I parked and went to the flower patch by the bushes. A quick visual scan made it obvious he wasn't there... but as I looked up into the road, I saw something flat and dark. I probably said aloud what I was thinking, as my steps quickened. It was too flat and seemed too big to be him. I was sure it was someone's hoodie crumpled and flattened by tires.

But I was wrong. He wasn't fine. I'll spare you the close up.

I try to keep it happy here but nature has many sides, and all aren't always happy or fair. I've had to take those things in, process and accept them in my own way, if I wanted to work and play in it. I even try to respect it. But this is one example of man's failure, though, not nature's.

Lessons learned:
1. I will never feel doubt again when I see an out-of-place animal and try to do something about it. I am a sub-licensed wildlife rescuer and rehabilitator.

2. People who can't take care of pets (not to mention those who only want bunnies or ducklings --whose feathers they dye in pastel colors --for a few weeks after Easter), should NOT take animals on. When they don't want it anymore, they should not drop animals off in the park and hope for the best. They aren't necessarily able to adapt to the wild. If folks are going to do it anyway, then at least drop them deep within, away from traffic.

Maybe they tried to find someone to take it, maybe they thought it'd get euthanized if they gave it to a shelter, maybe in these hard times they had to decide between pet care and food on their own table. Maybe.

FUNNY BUNNY LIPS!

OOOOH, are you ready for a chuckle? A little glee? Recently I did a day long animal handling class at the zoo, as a part of being a docent. We learned how to handle everything from a goat (that's THIS GENTLE ONE, who I now can take around the zoo on a leash for the children to pet) to a ferret and everything in between -- a chicken, a rock dove/pigeon, a lizard, a snake, a pretty white rat, a gerbil, a Welsh Rabbit, a Running duck.... I'll stop now.

All the while this giant Welsh Rabbit was sitting there in a cage at eye level, doing hysterical bunny things with his soft, gray bunny lips. I caught a few moments of him drinking and knew it would be fun to post here.

(Unlike photos you can enlarge with a simple click of the mouse, you are forced to see a reduced version of these mini-movies on blogger. If one of you knows a trick I don't to make this happen, do tell!)

Turns out I am terribly allergic to bunnies, so my lungs closed up, my eyes watered and I coughed and wheezed for three days after! I was in an enclosed room with several of these while we trained on the other animals. I guess I won't be taking one of them out to greet the public. 

Are any of you animal lovers also allergic to animals? Which one(s)? Do any of you have or ever had a bunny?

Bits and Pieces

A quick thank you for all replies on my last post. I'm on the road, sending this pre-written post from an iphone.

I do have a net and proper pet carrier and food and water if I were to catch the chicken and would have a person who could take her set up before I did anything... And I would take the hen there immediately after catching her. I can always take her to the professional comfort and care at the wildlife rehab center I volunteer at in a pinch. A vet tech there alredy offered to take her but I'm still looking for the best fit for her new home.


OK---Close to sunset baby and adult bunnies are found everywhere along the edges of the reeds and thicker patches of tall flowers in The Park. They are the only animals there that aren't used to people, scampering away as soon as you get near. I'm glad. As much as I enjoy the fact that the animals there are so tame, it's not the best thing for them.... because plenty of people out there do bad things to animals if they can get their hands on them. I was able to snap a pic before this one hightailed it to safety.
All the ducks I've seen sleep with their heads turned back and their beak resting in the feathers, tucked under their wings. This guy looks like he passed out and his beak is holding him up... exhibiting the same fine sense of balance as when they sleep on one foot. Maybe he had a tough night out with the boys. I got closer to see if he was ok. He looked up and said AFFLACK, so I moved on.

I call the one below Three in a Tree. I had given a nice juicy walnut to three different squirrels and they all managed to run up into the nearest tree and perch on a branch stump, as they are wont to do, to eat it. Usually if two squirrels go up the same tree there is a squabble and a comical chase by one after the other. This was an amazing sight, so I tried to get a quick shot. Unfortunately it doesnt show up so well here... but it's enough.



Hope you can see them all. There's one way up on the top left whose tail is facing us.

The Snow White Effect

... captured badly on film:

I took a sunset walk with lots of food in my bag. I stopped by a little bridge that crosses a hidden finger of the lake, where very few people walk by. This is where some smart mothers have their babies, as they will be somewhat protected. But what can protect you from a mother who decided that she'd had enough?

I went hoping to see that an abandoned baby duck I'd noticed the day before had made it through the night. Happily, she had. Seems she's been left by her mother, which happens more than you'd think. Last spring it happened in this same spot with a set of five babies. They were a little bigger than this guy when orphaned and at least they all had each other. I watched them grow into teenagers and at that stage, you know they are OK.

I'd first noticed the errant mother and her sole remaining baby last week together, in the same shallow reeds by this bridge, but I haven't seen them together since. Once I saw the little one alone I knew it was for good. Of course I woke up several times in the night with worries that she'd be pulled under by a snapping turtle (probably the fate of her many siblings) or something else. So I made a beeline back as soon as I got the chance

And there she was, eating insects of the surface of the water. She eagerly scooped up my breadcrumbs which I'd broken into the tiniest of pieces for her tiny beak. It was nice and quiet, a moment for just us two...

All at once there were rabbits coming out of the underbrush, a squirrel or two running up for nuts, bluejays screaming from the branches above me, 6 ducks swimming over for bread, a few long tailed grackles cawing for a morsel and a common sparrow spiriting away with the crumbs. A trio of frogs I couldn't see started singing in the distance and a Nutria surfaced and began to clean himself with his front paws before noshing on the reeds.

I did a bad job of getting movies, but I did it to try to capture why I feel like Snow White when I come to this place. Animals of all kinds come out of nowhere, but as soon as a dog or other people come along, they scamper, hop, fly and swim away.

Continued...



I'd already fed her plenty but I wanted to give her some more as the bigger she gets the less she will seem like easy prey. As you can see, the other 6 ducks dominated. The trick is to feed the big ones to distract them and then get something to the baby at the same time.

I went to the feed store and bought some actual chick feed for her for next time. Let's all say a little prayer she's there. All she needs is another week or two and she'll be well on her way to a nice long life.

One day I'll have a videographer with me so I can feed all these animals coming at me without trying to also get pictures... Or, since I do have a film degree myself, I might take the expensive HD movie camera I bought for this purpose but never bring with me... Shoot the amazing things that go on around me with a camera that doesn't rack in and out of focus because I zoom in too fast... and I will be able to edit out the bad parts and splice things together. Until then, thanks for bearing with me!

Ode to New Life

Sweet little bunny securely in my hand. Helpless but trusting, as he must be. Tiny tiny baby, full of the promise of life.

Look at the cute white marking on his head! Precious little one.

And I call this Hang Ten Bunny. Every toenail, his nostrils, whiskers, tail and ears... each soft hair, every tiny bit of this little creature illustrates utter perfection, brought to you by Mother Nature in all her mystery, majesty and power.

(Don't forget that you can click on each picture and they will open up in a larger window)

Early Easter Part Two

As promised, here is the next part of feeding the baby bunnies this week at the Wildlife Rehab Center (If you're wondering what I'm talking about just scroll down past this to see the previous post -- caution: video to make you swoon is included).

The women who run the center, who are experts, taught me how to do this. You hold the baby's head gently between thumb and forefinger and go in with the milk at the side of the mouth at first, because even at this stage the bunnies have front teeth! They squiggle more than any squirrel, rambunctious as they are. I was amazed at how strong their arms and legs were as they pushed against the inside of my hand. The babies are just so small!

Did I mention how humbling it is to have this little life squirming around in your hand? This was my last feeding of the day with the last of the three bunnies so I asked another volunteer to take a little footage... For that reason, held him a bit loosely, allowed his head to move. It takes a minute for him to get it right and then my coworker zoomed so you can see a little better.



(if you listen closely you can hear both me saying it's a bad hair day and the constant cock a doodle do's of a large bunch of chickens who are being held in an ajacent building. They were confiscated by the SPCA -- maybe it will be on a future Animal Planet show)

Even at this age they chew with that cute wrinkly nose action instead of suckling. It's a trick to get it into their mouths. I tried to start out with a drop of milk on his lips (do bunnies have lips?), hoping he would just open up, but apparently that's not how bunnies work. Baby squirrels smell the milk on your hands from the second you pick them up and even with their eyes still closed they start hunting for the source.

I know that was short but again, they are the priority. I just wanted to have a little of this on film to let people know of the wonderful work that is being done out there, by the people who set up places like this and work tirelessly for the well being of animals. I just get the privilege to make a tiny contribution. The joy I get in return is immeasurable.

Easter Arrived Early

As promised, here are some videos of what I did yesterday. There were some newborn bunnies, to add to the larger babies we have been caring for. I have never seen baby bunnies, and certainly none this small. Their eyes open in about 8 days, so we figure these might be anywhere from 3-6 days old.

How to describe. SOFT. Little folded back ears. REALLY squiggly and strong. Not so easy to feed. Here's how I first saw the squiggling little bunch of three. They are all curled together inside a small kleenex box. They have a little flannel in there and look how much room there still is with THREE bunnies.



I took one out to feed, which is a trick because my hand was larger than the hole on the kleenex box they were kept in. And it is a humbling sense of responsibility to handle something so tiny that is a living being. I put him on my lap for a moment while the milk was warming up.




Ooooh I just keep pressing play to watch these again and again. They're just too short but I don't want to take away from the job I have to do. I will post the video of me feeding this little one tomorrow. For better or worse, I've largely been a city girl so I have never seen bunnies like this. Have any of you seen bunnies this small in your yard?