Re: [gardeners] Rabbit in my garden
Duane Campbell (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Wed, 15 Apr 1998 23:03:12 -0400
At 04:44 PM 15-04-98 PDT, you wrote:
>I have this cute little cottontail living under my air conditioner and
>eating all of my flowers! Is there a humane way to deter this little
>bunny? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
What a heartless attitude, to want to deprive a harmless rabbit the
occasional heuchera, lily, impatiens, begonia, rose, sedum, geranium
(scented and zonal), lettuce, spinach ... just to mention what Eton has
eaten in the last few days.
I would suggest putting enough savory food near the air conditioner --
greens and carrots and even rabbit food (which is dirt cheap) -- near his
home so he is too full to eat your garden.
Now, if anyone wants a lop, and is really quick, I have an offer for you.
Yesterday morning when we got up, Eton didn't immediately rush to us and
greet us. Very unusual; he is generally very excited to see us in the
morning. Two hours of looking in all his favorite places ... nothing.
Looked in all his favorite haunts outside, thinking he might have snuck out
... nada.
Finally I went out to do some gardening. In one of the plastic tunnels in
the vegetable garden I found one totally sacked out lop eared bunny. Took
him inside and he flopped out in the kitchen and didn't stir until after
lunch. He must have had quite an adventure.
Skip forward to late this afternoon. Out gardening, Eton buzzing around my
feet, and suddenly he was gone. Looked around and eventually looked over
the fence into Farmer McGregor's garden, the next door neighbor. And Farmer
McGregor (aka Bill) was coming across his yard holding my prodigal bunny.
We talked, as neighbors do, and he mentioned that he often looked out at
night and saw as many as five rabbits in his yard at a time. In fact, last
night he thought one looked like a lop, but it was hard to see, and he knew
we kept Eton in at night.
So now we know why Eton was so tired. And I am anxious to see what the next
crop of wild rabbits looks like.
Duane Campbell dcamp@epix.net
http://www.epix.net/~dcamp/