It was extremely naive of me to believe there was a single rabbit visiting my sunflower patch. The other day, I glanced outside and discovered six of them.
The rabbits assumed the position of Goya’s naked maja, turning their fat white bellies to the sun and stretching themselves luxuriously. My appearance outside did not arouse much of their interest.
I have now covered my sunflowers with a net because the rabbits have taken to surrounding the patch and eyeing it greedily.
Cats are wonderful companions and excellent at clearing the yard of rabbits and squirrels (if you plant veggies, the latter are a major problem).
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[puts on my monocle again …]
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A SUCCESSFUL ESCAPE FROM STALAG SUNFLOWER
🙂
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There has never, ever been only one rabbit, not anywhere! I suggest you look into rabbit pie recipes – it was a favourite in the UK for many years, still is in some rural families. Also rabbit fur makes lovely soft cushion covers. How you reduce them to pie meat and pelts I don’t know. You do live in the land of the free so I’m sure your local gun enthusiasts could help out, although you might just prefer to have the rabbits in the garden.
I wish good luck and long life to your sunflowers.
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Clarissa probably lives in an area where there are city regulations against discharging firearms within the city limits …
Which is to say that Clarissa could use a crossbow, which is much, much more stealthy. 🙂
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“probably lives in an area where there are city regulations against discharging firearms within the city limits …”
by “against” I assume you mean “requiring”
But firearms vs rabbits seems like it could spoil too much of the meat. Rabit traps would seem to be a better option (though with the other critters in the area there might not be much rabbit left in the trap by morning).
I will mention here that rabbit meat is pretty good when cooked right (I like it either cooked with red wine or with vegetables and generous portions of lovage (also great with duck).
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I have great rabbit recipes that I’ve been making for years. But since I met these rabbits who live in my backyard, I haven’t been able to eat any rabbit. My conscience isn’t letting me.
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Without precdators keeping herd size in check rabbits would overrun any environment they’re in.
If the local varmints like foxes and coyotes (do you have bobcats up there?) and feral domesticated cats aren’t up to the task then maybe you’ll have to step in with your recipe book for the rabbits’ own good.
It’s the ciiiiiirrccclllle of liiiiiiffe!
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Oh, wasn’t there a time when rabbits were imported to Australia but then started breeding like, well, rabbits and destroying the grazing land that was normally used by the sheep? And then there was a whole huge issue made out of it?
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We have foxes for sure because I’ve seen them here. Maybe there are coyotes because I’ve been hearing some coyote-like sounds. And the area used to be known for cougars, hence the university mascot.
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Or a lasso. That would be even more fun. For the observers, at least.
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Do city regulations actually prevent Americans from shooting things? It’s not the impression I’ve got. Sorry to be cynical. As for the crossbow, that’s a bit Swiss. How about a catapult?
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Yes, regulations restrict when and where animals can be hunted, and there can be a fee for shooting an animal without a required license (and the fine for that can be quite substantial).
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[imagines your cat-a-pult being full of cats, and now realises the conversation has gone full circle]
🙂
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Yes, just imagine me traipsing around with a shotgun and a bunch of pelts hanging from my waist. 🙂
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“The rabbits assumed the position of Goya’s naked maja, turning their fat white bellies to the sun and stretching themselves luxuriously”
It’s called “Cute furry privilege” they know that if you do anything mean to them that other people will look at you as if you were a monster.
They’ve got all the time in the world to wait for you to leave your sunflowers unattended and then BAM! rabbit attack!
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Just in case, Clarissa needs to have at least one Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch ready to use in case she comes face to face with the Angry Bunny of Caerbannog … 🙂
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A bit late for this concern. BUT … Rabbits are more a positive for your property than they are a negative. We had rabbits in our pretty small back yard for some time. They just ‘appeared’. One was Harvey. He and I got to know each other. He took food (apple pieces in the winter) from my hand. But not too much of that. He did like to “lay out” in the yard on summery days. When I took my Brill out to mow the back yard, I would mow the north side first. (Harvey would be on the south section.) Then I would start to move to the south side. Harvey would rouse himself to move to the area I had mowed (with my Brill). He would lay down and stretch out — I never knew rabbits were so long and lean. I have more rabbit stories. I have rabbit pics — including the “Rabbit Diner” and “Lunch with Mom” et al. (After Harvey, we had Rascal, Little Guy {Little Guy???: she had three litters in our backyard one summer) and Scooter — then a population implosion — an implosion throughout our community.) More positive for your property …??? Consider rabbit poop. That will need your scientific research. (Rabbit poop is a really good fertilizer straight from the source — e.g.: the rabbit.)
My point is that rabbits are really OK in your yard. Keep in mind that the can’t jump higher than 2 feet. They can get through the average Home Depot fencing with ease. Consider your barrier. Eastern cottontails are not major diggers. You don’t have to worry about them tunneling. Rabbit are essentially grazers. Their preferred diet is low greenery. In the winter they are force into browsing — twigs and such — which can be trouble if the snowfall is below average.
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This is such a great story! My rabbits and I have learned to coexist quite peacefully. They are not afraid of me at all and let me come very close. 🙂
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