Mehreen Alberts
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This year, the rabbit population is running wild! It could be due to the extra precipitation we’ve been having 😉 More water leads to more growth in vegetation and creates more food for these furry little guys 🔥 The number of litters they have will rise if their food supply is high 😁 Each litter can contain up to six babies. Rabbits usually have 2-6 litters per calendar year. Rabbits use grasses and weeds to not only provide shelter but food as well. These furry friends spend the entirety of their life on less than 10 acres total, so there’s a good chance that once they’ve made a home out of your lawn, without deterrent, they’re here to stay.
Having five rabbits, I like to ensure that the three outdoor ones have 24/7 access to their play area because they don’t keep the same circadian rhythms as humans (the thing that makes animals and people They like to be awake or asleep, so they are happy to go out during odd hours of the day. Our lawn, which is about half of the garden, has been turned into a bunny community since last August when the bunnies were given the opportunity to play on the entire lawn. The two biggest outdoor bunnies have over winter had two thirds of the garden because the house rabbits haven’t wanted to go out at all. Katie is a larger than average (but not gigantic) and has now overgrazed the lawn. The grass is dead.
We are in the holiday season! People don’t know that winter is a time when humans gain some weight. Not all animals hibernate in winter. However, some animals adapt to the colder weather by changing their behaviorpatterns. From dietary changes to novel survival strategies, wildlife’s winter time reponses can easily go unnoticed. Here are some surprising facts about wild animals throughout the winter: Annual fur changes – While some animals rely on fat stores in order to survive frigid winter temperatures, others completely regrow their fur. Deer will have thicker and darker fur, along with a stronger undercoat. The thicker fur of deer will look darker than their spring and summer hairs, unlike the snowshoe Hare. The medium-sized species is brown and gray in the warm seasons. However, the winter coat is thicker and longer, making it easier for the animal to blend into the snowy environment. Bears are not true hibernators – While probably pop culture’s favourite hibernating animal, bears do not meet the threshold of bodily-function-reduction requirements for true hibernation. The animal’s heart rate and oxygen consumption will drastically decrease, but bears are relatively easy to awaken during their winter rest. Bears are not true hibernators. Instead, their bodies will use the nutrients from these bodily wastes to make food. Hibernation is not spent completely asleep – Animals that do hibernate will not spend the entire winter in a deep sleep. The hibernators have a lower metabolism, but they need to wake up every once in a while to eat, drink, and dispose of waste. You will find a hibernating animal in the winter if you are lucky enough to see them. They are likely healthy, just needing a snack. Simone Nix (Erbil, Iraq) for the tip!
Shelli Kincaid says at havahart.comOne rabbit is often just one of many. There are usually many other rabbits around. A single rabbit can make all the difference in a well-managed garden full of vegetables or a garden with too few vegetables. Worse than frost or strong winds, those unassuming bunnies can mow down an entire row of beans in one night – and they just keep coming back! Plus, your plants aren’t the only thing to worry about. These tiny, fluffy-tailed creatures will chew the bark from your trees. Randy Thomas (Calamba, Philippines) edited the above text on 8/08/2021
