Irrigated Rabbits

For the second time this season, I irrigated some baby rabbits.  Back in March, I wrote two posts about baby rabbits found under a chocolate flower just after my irrigation system timed on.  I'd discovered a small nest dug underneath the plant, and the rabbit kits had emerged to keep from getting too wet.   This past Friday, it happened again, though this time the rabbit babies were in my back courtyard near a blue mist spirea. 

My tiny, wet, irrigated rabbit kits after being
rinsed clean of mud.

I was testing the irrigation system after adding a couple of new plants.  When I checked out back, I found an emitter squirting entirely too much water.  I was making some adjustments to it, when suddenly, I heard shrieking from someplace nearby.  It was coming from underground!  I quickly pushed back our rock mulch and began digging gently into the wet soil.  About two inches down, I found a tiny, furry body making an outrageous racket.  I pulled the diminutive bunny from the wet soil and continued digging.  I found a second kit.  Knowing that rabbit litters usually come in threes, I kept digging around until I found the wayward sibling.  Just in case, I searched the area to be sure there were no more muddy little kits. 

In my hand, I was holding three fussy, squirming little mudballs.  I gently rinsed them off with clean water and then sat with them in the sun, covering them with my T-shirt, so they could dry.  I have to confess that it was rather pleasant cuddling with the tiny beings.  They settled down and nestled together, soon snoozing in the shaded warmth of both my body and the sun.  About 30 minutes later, I returned to their nest area, lining the depression I'd created with several layers of Spanish moss.  I placed the now dry babies into the nest and covered them with more Spanish moss.  I moved a broken shard of pottery over the area, to keep the full strength of the sun off the little cottontails.  The shard was large enough that Momma Rabbit could still get to the babies when she returned later in the evening.

On Friday and Saturday, the brood was still in the nest, and it was obvious that Momma Rabbit had made her rounds.  By Sunday, one of the kits had left the nest, scooting off to feed on its own and take shelter elsewhere in my garden.  Today, only one baby remained, and I noticed that not long after I'd checked on it, it too had left the nest to intrepidly explore its new world.   Articles I've read assure that baby rabbits can fend for themselves at an amazingly early age.  But they will likely still hang around the original nest vicinity for another week or so.  And it is likely that I will enjoy watching them, albeit from afar.