The Bunnies We Know

 Now that it's winter, the bunnies have changed from crepuscular to nighttime foraging. I just startled a nighttime bunny that ran away when I opened the door and our lights came on. I may stop checking for them late at night, in order to avoid startling them. When there's snow on the ground, we know they are around because of the tracks in the snow. Without the snow, we would not see them if they only come out at night time.

 We've been stepping outside late at night to look for the aurora borealis, and last night and this one, there was a rabbit in the shaded yard. Last night, I got too close to it and it ran away, so this time, we stayed away from it and it stayed. We want it to feel safe in the shaded yard.  When the snow came, we shoveled some of the snow off the grass in case the rabbits wanted it and perhaps they understood the message of welcome or were surprised to access the grass. Who can tell? 

 Domesticated animals try to communicate with you -- and most are good at it. But if you become interested in a wild animal, such as the Eastern Cottontail, the burden is on you to learn its language .  We have watched videos. We have observed. We have learned. Rabbits are territorial. They will claim land. They will also observe and listen. Rusty believes that I claimed the front lawn and forbid it to go there  (I was trying to ask it to move, not to leave forever). I still hope to explain otherwise. We had snow today and I uncovered the part of the front lawn where Rusty was sitting on that August day. I still hope to tell it that it's okay to go on the front lawn. The coming weekend will be warmer and we hope to see rabbits.  We will use what we have learned. We have learned from the Bunny Lady's guide to Rabbit Body Language . Here's a pet rabbit that knows when its owner has another fever . Predator animal pets like you to be excited. Prey animals are worried th...

 Now that Rusty's grown up, we don't see him so often, but we saw him a few days ago and were delighted. I saw a bunny and I said "hi bunny" and it bounded towards me. When Melissa came it, it positioned itself farther from me and closer to Melissa, which seems very much like Rusty. Here is a photo that Melissa took. We recently learned that cottontails have whiter fur in winter, so this is the start of the change to winter fur. Rusty's winter pelt

 We have not seen bunnies for over a week now. I went for a walk at night a few days ago, and a bunny saw me and ran away. That might have been Rusty, but of course it was dark and hard to see.  Tonight I made up a short rhyme or song: We think about you every day We wish we knew you were okay Rusty, Rusty, Rusty, Rusty Bunny  

 "Rabbits hold a grudge," sources say. Rusty came up to Melissa today to say hello when she saw it and said, "hello there!" We have not seen Rusty for two weeks (which is a long time in a rabbit's life). Then when I said hi to Rusty, it ran away, because of the time in August when I spritzed it  so that I could water the lawn. Rusty sticks to the shaded lawn because it is still obeying what it sees as me telling it to get off the lawn (and also to stay away from the raised beds).  Rabbits are smart!  And I am happy that Rusty is alive.

 A new bunny has appeared. Melissa calls it "Progeny." It's young but may have the coloring or Brindle and Rusty. I talked quietly to it for about 20 minutes and Melissa photographed it for 10 minutes. Then it hopped away. The rabbit pet videos say that your bunny will let you know when it has had enough, and that you should respect that. So we did respect it. We hope to see it tomorrow.

 We have not seen the bunnies we know for several days now. We have not seen any bunnies at all. We worry that they have moved away or been killed, perhaps by a hawk , or by a stray cat. There may not be many posts on this blog for a time. I think that if, next year, we have a chance to meet new wild bunnies, we will have to teach them fear. I saw a video in which a person who befriended a bunny is telling it to run from a hawk . But you have to use bunny language, not human language. The person should point their nose at the sky and stamp the ground in a three beat rhythm: thump-thump-thump thump-thump-thump. I do not know whether we will feed them, although people do . Note that the bunny in the feeding video mirrors the human's emotions -- calm when the human is calm, and upset when the human gets upset because of a strange noise in their air conditioner. We still dream of seeing Rusty or Daily again later this year.  But if we get to know bunnies next year, we will be sure...

 Rabbits have been visiting less often. Today, we took some water outside for the trees, and a large silent thing launched itself from a tree. It was a hawk with a tiny thing in its claws. It was definitely a baby squirrel. You cannot persuade me that it was a baby rabbit. The squirrels have been a bit agitated recently, throwing things, screaming at Melissa. We forgive them, of course. We love birds of prey but we would also like to see our rabbits again. No photos of the hawk -- we froze in wonder as it flew over us less than 30 feet over our head.

 We saw Rusty again this morning. We saw it before it reached its spot. Later, Rusty left. According to this video, rabbits like a steady, regular morning routine . So what happens if we greet Rusty every morning between 7:30 AM and 8 AM -- and then, daylight savings arrives on Nov. 2, 2025, and we arrive an hour later. Would that upset Rusty, or would Rusty adjust? 

 Where has Daily gone? We do not know. Rusty is visiting regularly, staying all day. I watched a video called 14 ways to tell your rabbit you love them . It said that domesticated rabbits like a schedule, like peace and quiet, and like you to respect their space, leaving them alone when they want to be left alone. We have done that with Rusty and Daily. Sometimes if we visit Rusty several times in one day, Rusty seems to say okay that's enough -- but just with mellow body language. Today, we were walking home, and saw Rusty and Brindle together. It appears that Brindle had her kits -- she's thinner. Rusty chased Brindle away and settled into its new spot in the shade of a pussy willow.

 Last night, when I said hello to Rusty, it took two exaggerated welcoming hops towards me. Which begs the question: how should I have responded? I took two tiptoe steps towards Rusty, but my steps were not exaggerated or welcoming. Interspecies communication is complex. Rusty is wonderful. I don't think the dance step called the "bunny hop" would work. I'm not good at it. It's for human communication, not interspecies communication. This afternoon, we saw Daily and Brindle. Melissa thinks that Brindle is pregnant -- certainly larger in the middle.  Daily let Melissa get very close. Brindle stayed further away. No photos today. They have not been edited yet, but there were lots of photos. 

Rabbits are always on alert and can even sleep with their eyes open. There's a lot in the modern world that they cannot understand.  We have not seen Daily for several days after streetwork set the ground vibrating. Melissa says that Daily was shaking in fear and ran away.   Rusty has taken some of Daily's spots and is currently snoozing (or not, with eyes open) in a bush.  The photo below is from August.  Melissa writes, "Attached is my favorite photo of Rusty greeting me on August 22. It was less than 4' away. Before saying "hi", Rusty was eating grass between the garages, near the fence. It hopped over, looked at me for about a minute then proceeded to eat Creeping Spurge near my feet." Rusty greets Melissa

 Yesterday morning, Daily was completely blissed out asleep.  In the afternoon, we saw Daily and Rusty. Both had run from the driveway into the shaded lawn because a small dog was straining at the leash to go after them. Then Rusty chased Daily who ran towards us before it saw us. It stopped, looked at us, and started eating, closer to us than it had been before. Rusty ate grass near Daily's favorite spots. In the evening, we saw three rabbits in the neighbor's lawn. This morning, Daily was at its usual spot until the rain came. Rabbits don't like water. They seem to get the water they need from the grasses and other greens that they eat. Here is Melissa's photo of a bedraggled Daily eating Japanese Spirea :

 Daily arrived today at about 8 AM. At about 10 AM, Melissa said she was not sure whether Daily was still there. I went to take a look and Melissa came out. I put a finger over my mouth in the "be quiet" gesture. In all the weeks of Daily's visit, we have never seen it this thoroughly asleep. Daily bunny sleeping Rabbits are prey animals. They are always alert, and have to be. Seeing Daily asleep in our yard feels like trust. Rusty Melissa photographed Rusty twice today. The first time was shortly after noon. The second time was around 3 PM and I was with her. Rusty was eating the grass in the driveway. Melissa took a step towards Rusty and the camera slipped on her arm and made a noise and Rusty fled. We hope to see Rusty again this evening.

 In the morning, Daily arrived again between 7:30 AM and 8 AM. It lets Melissa get close to take photographs. It keeps coming back to the same spot on our lawn. Melissa likes talking to it to keep it calm as it rests. It goes on alert for unusual sounds, but daytime should be sleep time for rabbits. Daily bunny -- alert on arrival and then relaxed Then at 3 PM, Melissa found that Rusty was in the driveway. I want to apologize to Rusty ever since the watering incident when Rusty felt I claimed the front lawn (or, Melissa says, Rusty thought I waved a snake-like hose at it). Rusty goes to our driveway but has not returned to our front lawn.  Rusty took several steps towards Melissa when it saw her.  Melissa had cut some carrot peels so that I could apologize to Rusty by giving it something. I put down my carrot peel. Then Melissa put down a carrot peel and Rusty ate the peel that Melissa gave.  We did not see the rabbits this evening. . 

 On our evening walk, Melissa spotted a shape on our driveway that was gone as we approached. But then we saw Rusty. Rusty did not react to me (ever since the watering ) but bounded towards Melissa when she arrived, staying a few feet away, perhaps expecting to be photographed.  Then we backed up and walked around, and when Rusty saw Melissa, it bounded towards her again. On the way home we passed Rusty, who said hello again and then bounded away. Melissa had tears in her eyes. Is this interspecies communication? What does it mean? Rusty recognizes Melissa and may even recognize its name.

We were worried about Daily, having not seen it for several days. But it came by this morning after 7:30 AM. Melissa saw it hop cautiously into the yard, and when I came down to look, it was in its favorite spot.  Daily on arrival at 8 AM / Daily foraging at 8:30 AM Melissa just stepped outside and saw Daily again! It's after noon. Rabbits are generally nocturnal. Melissa found a video about rabbit body language and another about how rabbits apologize  (to humans and to each other). When I was watching daily this morning, at one point it turned itself 180 degrees. Was this communication, or was it looking at a different piece of grass? Had I just turned 180 degrees?  I think rabbits are far more complex than most people give them credit for -- and they are individuals. 

We have not seen Daily for two days now. The nights are already colder, and neighbors' schedules are disrupted for Labor Day weekend. We hope to see the bunnies this evening. We saw one last night on a neighbor's lawn but could not identify it. This morning, I stepped outside to look for rabbits and saw birds instead. Some sparrows. And, hovering at the Coral Honeysuckle that Melissa planted, a hummingbird. It drank from one flower, then another flower, and then left. Nature's recompense for no rabbits.

 Daily was resting in the shaded lawn this morning. After it left, we mowed part of the lawn. Friends were flabbergasted when we told them that we would not mow the lawn if there was a rabbit on it or near it. We appreciate the trust that Daily puts in us by spending part of its daytime sleep hours in the shady part of our lawn. We would not change that. It is difficult to tell exactly what rabbits say without speaking , but we appreciate the trust.

 Daily was in our yard this evening, but looking towards our neighbor's yard, which has a short iron fence. We walked to the neighbor's yard and saw Rusty. When Melissa said Rusty's name, it bounded towards us but stayed on the other side of the fence. We are delighted that silent Rusty said hello. Rusty in clover

 Melissa and I have an ongoing debate about the proper method of approaching the rabbits. She likes to take small steps towards them while photographing them. Sometimes they move closer, sometimes they move away, and sometimes they don't move. I worry that the bunnies feel stalked. But sometimes they come to her (meaning within six feet).  She likes to talk to them -- reassuring them, for example, that a dog being walked on the sidewalk will not come onto our lawn. Sometimes she sings to them. I now think that they are reassured by the break in eye contact created by the camera. What do they think about being talked to? It's hard to tell.  Melissa is accustomizing the bunnies to flash photography. If they live for three years, then each month is two or three human years. They have grown up with flash photography since May. They do not mistake other humans for Melissa, but no other humans take their pictures while talking to them or singing to them. Daily was here this mor...

Melissa had gone out a few minutes before and came back, having seen no rabbits. But when we went out together, we saw all three: Daily, Meerkit, and Rusty. Rusty came bounding towards us and stayed about six feet away from us, eating contentedly. Daily ran to the shaded lawn that it prefers. Meerkit stood on its hind legs, which is does far more often than the other bunnies, and eventually followed Daily to the shaded lawn. I feel happy that Rusty now understands that it has permission to eat on our front lawn.

The bunnies were in the driveway (Daily and Rusty) and our neighbor stopped to talk to us. Rusty approached when we had our backs turned but then ran away when we looked at it. According to the Bunny Lady 's newsletter, rabbits will approach if you do not chase them. She recommends rewarding domesticated rabbits with a treat if they approach -- a treat for their bravery. We might bring out an apple slice in the future -- have not decided. I wonder whether the bunnies see the camera that Melissa uses as her breaking eye contact and therefore being not threatening. Daily was not there this morning, but we will look for the rabbits this evening.

 Daily continues to appear on our shaded lawn every day. Last night, Melissa dropped off some carrot peels for it. Does it know from smell that Melissa placed the peels? No more peels until winter.  Today, went she went to photograph it, she sang it a lullaby. Its eyes closed. Can rabbits understand tone of voice? Daily has known us for the entirety of its short life. Does it recognize us, or at least Melissa?  Melissa also talks to Daily, thanking it for choosing our lawn. 

 Rabbits do not speak to us. The rabbits that we know are wild. But they communicate without words.  When we speak to rabbits, do they understand? Interacting with a wild rabbit is not like interacting with a domesticated dog or cat. Even the least intelligent cat or dog has a toddler's language: want food, go to sleep, go away, I love you, I hate you (for 5 minutes or until the next meal), pay attention to me. Every pet owner knows that each pet is an individual. We do not own the wild rabbits but we have named some of them that we can identify as individuals. Daily Consider Daily . Daily has a favorite spot on our shaded lawn and visits it every day. We are delighted. Every morning we ask, "Is Daily there?" Daily is there. We are delighted that Daily feels safe enough to return to our lawn every day. Yesterday, Daily was on our lawn all day. Earlier in the summer, it would go somewhere cooler during the hottest part of the day (we don't know where). Yesterday was su...

 A small, young rabbit has been coming to a shady spot on our lawn every morning. You can see the bunny from the window. At first, Melissa named it Daily Baby.  Daily at about 3 months old, perhaps younger Then it grew larger in just a few days and it became Daily Bunny. Now, it's just Daily. It's there right now. It's sitting in the position that the Bunny Lady describes as "confident" in the rabbit body language guide , although it may be asleep. Melissa has accustomed it to her presence and to flash photography. We do not feed the rabbits and we do not touch them but we try not to upset them by getting too close. Daily allows Melissa to get closer than most of the other rabbits allow her, and therefore she has especially good photos. In order to show that we are not sneaking up on the bunnies, we talk to them quietly when we are admiring them. 

 Today, Melissa looked out the window and saw a rabbit by the grow bags, a little one. So we went out to look at it. Then I saw that there was a rabbit right in front of Melissa. She was photographing the little one. I said, "what about the one right in front of you?" She jumped. She says it was Rusty. Rusty was calmly eating just feet from her. Neither of us saw Rusty appear. I would be delighted if Rusty has returned.  Melissa says that after I left her photographing the bunnies, Rusty grabbed a plant, perhaps an Artemisia ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisia_(plant) ) and ate it. Melissa had been thinking of removing it. Rusty has always been with a smaller bunny. Does that mean that Rusty is female. 

 Last night we may have seen Rusty the bunny accompanied by a small rabbit. Rusty stayed on the driveway grass, but the small rabbit (named "Baby") went onto our lawn and stayed there overnight, much to the joy of some small children who got to see it on the way to church. 

Over a period of days, Melissa noticed that one rabbit had a distictive rust-colored path of fur around the neck, and named it Rusty. Going back through her pictures, she found that Rusty was a baby in May, an adult in July.  At first, we thought Rusty was male, based on no information. But we noticed that Rusty was always with one or two younger bunnies, meaning that Rusty might be female.  Rusty came to trust Melissa and was patient with long periods of flash photography. Rusty would lie down and rest near her. Rusty used to rest in the daytime in the shade around our home. Until one day But one day I went to water the lawn and had to ask Rusty to stay away from the sprinkler. The hose frightened Rusty when it was moving, but not when it was still. Rusty jumped over the hose and ran away. The next day The next time that I saw Rusty, s/he ran away, possibly flicking the back of his/her legs at me (see bunny lady ):  Have you ever noticed when you put your rabbit down aft...

 This summer rabbits have appeared on lawns across the Eastern United States. For us, the rabbits have been a message that life continues in times of trouble.  Melissa first identified Rusty by (his or her) reddish brown collar of fur around the neck. Bunnies appear in the morning and evening, eating grass and flowers.  They are alert but not frightened of humans -- they keep their distance from any dogs being walked, even when the dogs don't notice them. Bunnies don't speak. In order to learn about their body language, we have relied on a guide from The Bunny Lady . We were delighted to learn that when a bunny trusts you, it will lie down and rest. She said that the rabbit is resting -- not distressed -- when it does this.  We particularly enjoy watching bunnies interact with each other. Mostly we see them chase each other. This is either play or domination behavior -- we don't know. These days, Rusty is usually accompanied by a junior rabbit (does that mean that Ru...