Monday, September 15th, 2008
Little bunny foo foo

So, here is exactly how my day started.

Was almost ready for work when I decided to take 10 minutes to let Emmy and Joey out to potty. I only went down halfway dressed, thinking it would be a quick trip downstairs and then back up again to finish getting ready.

I noticed neither of the dogs were coming back inside very quickly, or at least not half as quick as any other morning. I went to the patio door to look out and noticed Emmy lounging in the grass and Joey eating grass. Actually he was having a hay day nosing his way in the ground. I called for both of them to come in. Emmy looked up at me, Joey didn't stop for one moment and I just knew something was up. I knew it wasn't going to be pretty, yes, he found a nest of baby rabbits. I yelled his name, screamed for him to come in, hollered COOKIE! Anything to get him to take his attention away, even Emmy started to bark at him, giving him her "you are in so much trouble" bark. He turned at looked at me with the nastiest and grossest dead, gutted baby rabbit. OMG, I just about lost it.

Finally, after saying, screaming, COOKIE for about the 4th time and probably woke up half the neighborhood doing it, he dropped it and happily ran inside.

So, now I have the dilemma of what to do every time I or anyone in the family needs to let him outside to relieve himself. We have been leashing him to keep him away from the scene of the crime. I am just sick about all of it. I have heard stories from friends about their dogs or cats having this experience of rodent snacks.

I stopped in at my Vet office today and asked what they thought as far as his health and they just recommended I watch for any vomiting or diarrhea. He has been fine all day so my next thought has been. HOW MANY other times has he done this and I just didn't know????? EWWWW....

Letting him out will never be the same now.

sigh.
Tags:  Joey
9 Comments
lgrant
1) Linda, I can sympathize. A friend of mine back in MN had a similar problem with her young Brittany. I, years and years ago, had the same problem with my German Shepherd, only the one she decided to chow down on was quite dead and quite putrid. I was shocked. She never did that kind of thing and usually wouldn't touch anything on the ground without my approval. Bad enough to see that but she decided to get rid of it (yes, that way) at 2 AM. I awoke to the sound of her heaving and couldn't get her out fast enough being half-asleep.

I used to work at a kennel for years and saw many disgusting and smelly things but this was the worse thing I ever dealt with. I was gagging the whole time I cleaned it up--it smelled retched. I was upset with her eating the nasty thing but even more upset with her making me clean up the mess.

Why mama bunnies have their babies in the worse places--who knows?? Hope you get the problem resolved without the above problem and hope the baby bunny problem goes away soon too.
LGrant   Monday, September 15, 2008
lindagsings
2) i am guessing there are more in the nest and he only ate one of them, or at least part of one. blah, hate thinking of it all over again. Our Lab had caught a baby bunny once but only played with it in her paws and then let it go, but this was murder for sure. Darn it. The whole point of having a fenced back yard is so I don't have to take my lazy butt out every time too... grrr.
SA Tenor   Monday, September 15, 2008
lgrant
3) The funny thing with my friend is she lives out in the country with acres of pasture, wild fields, woods all around. Why a rabbit or bird would have a nest in the middle of a yard with all that available is a mystery. Maybe in some twisted way it seems safe from predators "out there". Sorry you are having to deal with it. Maybe you can put some repellent in that hole as soon as the bunnies leave.
LGrant   Monday, September 15, 2008
lindagsings
4) Maybe, or I was trying to remember why Peggy ordered the fox urine, was that to keep rabbits away from her plants? Thought maybe I could line my fencing with it.
SA Tenor   Monday, September 15, 2008
lgrant
5) Says squirrels but I'd think the fox would freak the bunny too. :)
LGrant   Monday, September 15, 2008
lindagsings
6) found more info

Fox Urine
This product is 100% real fox urine and makes varmints like rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks woodchucks & groundhogs think foxes are around. They react instinctively to their fear of this predator.

In the wild, Fox urine is a powerful communicator. It attracts a fox to its mate. It helps prey like rabbit, groundhogs, woodchuck, skunks, squirrels, chipmunks and other varmints tell whether an area is safe or dangerous. It marks a fox's territory and signals his dominance. Hunters, trappers ,and others who interact with wild animals have long understood how the selective uses of animal urines can trigger instinctive reactions. Now you can too.
An 8oz bottle should be enough for 3 applications to a 400 square-foot area.
$17.95

SOLD!
SA Tenor   Monday, September 15, 2008
lgrant
7) Hope you don't get any baby foxes. LOL

Sounds like a deal!!
LGrant   Monday, September 15, 2008
8) Hey Linda,
Good luck with the baby bunnies. I would go out there and check the nest to see if there are more or if the mom has moved them. A friend of mine had a nest right next to their pool and they have two dogs, but did leave them alone. They blend in so easily and DON'T MOVE so it is really hard to spot them.

Yes watch for the vomiting or diarrhea...no fun to clean that up for sure.

I am going to check into that fox urine too! As we have had a groundhog digging his burrow in our yard the past couple of years!! We haven't seen him this summer so maybe he has moved on...I HOPE!
Karen   Tuesday, September 16, 2008
lindagsings
9) I have NOT gone to check out the hole yet, I am way to chicken to see any remains. yuck! And he will be on the leash in the back yard until someone else maybe can check it out for me :)
SA Tenor   Tuesday, September 16, 2008
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