Rabbits are some of the most beloved and benevolent creatures to grace our backyards and grasslands. Their long, pink ears, powerful hind legs, black button nose, and fluffy tail give them their distinctive, endearing appearance and have made them the subject of childhood fables throughout the past few years. century.
Source: Nat Geo WILD
About rabbits
During the warmer seasons, rabbits will eat grass, grass, clover, wildflowers, flowers, and vegetables. When the weather turns cold, rabbits will nibble on branches, buds, bark, conifers, and any remaining greenery.
Rabbits are famous for their fertility. They can give birth to several litters of 4 to 7 litters per year. However, rabbits will naturally lay fewer litters or will lay fewer litters when food or water is scarce. Wild rabbits have a relatively short lifespan (usually less than two years), but they mature quickly and have a short gestation period (30 days). Their mortality is based on food availability, the presence of predators, and the stability of the weather.
Rabbits are very selfless – meaning they are born hairless, blind and helpless. Mother rabbits leave their babies in their nests, visiting them only at dusk and dawn to avoid attracting the attention of predators. If you see an unattended nest of baby rabbits and want to make sure they are not abandoned or orphaned, stretch a thin rope across the entrance to the nest or burrow and leave the area. Return after 12 hour period. If the cord has been moved, you can rest assured that the babies are being taken care of. If the rope hasn’t been moved in more than 24 hours, visit our Wildlife Emergencies page to learn how best to care for orphaned rabbits. Rabbits that are more than 5 inches long do not need help unless they are sick or injured. A good rule of thumb is, if you have to chase a baby rabbit to catch it, the rabbit is okay too!
Rabbits and hares look similar, so people often confuse them with each other. The easiest way to tell them apart is by their appearance. Rabbit ears are longer and although both hares and hares typically have brown fur, the female rabbit’s coat has a black tip. Most rabbits (except cottontails) live underground, while hares live in nests above ground. Since their nests are often not well hidden, young hares need to be able to hide from predators. Thus, hares are preeminent – that is, they are born with fur and the ability to see. Most hares are able to jump within a few hours of birth.
Do you know?
- Rabbit communities can reside underground in spacious, elaborate, custom-designed burrows.
- When chased, rabbits will run in a zigzag pattern to confuse them, instead of outrunning their enemies.
- In the spring, several types of hares are seen chasing each other and there are frequent boxing matches. This behavior was once thought to signal competition between males. However, now scientists know that men are usually female boxers. The female is signaling that she is not ready to mate or is testing the male’s stamina and strength.
- Rabbits determine the range of “catch-up” locations before choosing a grazing site. Rabbits in open ground or open ground will sit completely still to avoid their predators and rush to their predetermined area when alerted.
- In arid areas, some rabbit species are known to climb steep tree trunks or iron branches to access verdant or dewy vegetation.
- Rabbits secrete two types of feces – one is hard, light-colored pellets, and the other is soft, dark, indigestible food. To get nutrients from undigested food, rabbits will re-eat these droppings to digest more matter.
Resolve conflicts compassionately
While many people enjoy watching these furry animals graze on grass and clover in their yard, some people dislike the rabbit’s tendency to graze on garden grass or ornamental plants. Humane, effective solutions to human-wildlife conflict are aimed at the things animals are attracted to in a particular area rather than the animals themselves. It is not necessary to kill or remove the rabbit and in most cases is not possible. In most cases, site aversion and exclusion methods alone will quickly resolve any perceived problems.
- Make sure the animal you suspect is causing damage is actually a rabbit: Rabbits have upper front teeth, so the plants they’ve browsed can be identified by their smooth, angular, well-trimmed appearance. neat, while the trees viewed by deer appear rough and tattered. Rabbits also leave light brown, pea-sized droppings scattered around the area. If you’re not sure what kind of animal is visiting your yard or garden, the best times to watch your rabbit are at dusk and dawn.
- Make Unwanted Areas: Plant or spread lavender or catnip around the affected areas. Planting marigolds is also an effective way to keep rabbits away from flower beds in some areas. Scary devices can be comforting for property owners, but they will help reduce the chances of rabbits choosing to graze in your yard.
- Exclude animals from the area: After you’ve used the methods above to discourage frequent rabbits from the area, the best way to prevent these animals from causing unwanted damage is to install Place well-built fences around the trees and plants you want. keep intact. To build a fence, tie chicken wire about 2 feet high around the tree and support it with posts or stakes. Dig stakes and chicken wire 6 to 8 inches into the ground to prevent animals from burrowing underneath. To protect the new growth, place blue tubing, chicken wire, or stiff cloth around the base and cover the limbs using a stiff cloth cylinder. Remember to take snow depth into account when considering what branches rabbits can reach throughout the season. If you plan to prune a tree, leave the twig on the ground for the rabbit to choose to eat rather than the bark.
- Never Move Rabbits: Rabbits spend most of their short lives in the same 10-acre area. Relocating rabbits confuses them, causing them to be hit by cars or killed by predators. They can also infect or infect other rabbits that already reside in the area. Relocating rabbits may also have difficulty finding adequate food and water or shelter in inclement weather. For the same reasons and many others, never release your pet rabbit into the wild. If you need to find a new home for your pet rabbit, please take them to a local animal shelter or rabbit protection group, such as House Rabbit Society (rabbits.org).
- Fatal methods are ineffective and unnecessary for control of property damage or rabbit populations. It’s easy to get along with resident rabbits if you use the methods described above to prevent unwanted damage to plants in specific areas, because rabbits will instead choose to eat weeds, overgrown plants, and other undesirable plants.
