The Rabbits Are Coming!

Just when I thought I had seen it all Pip gave birth to three kits in my presence about an hour ago. I was a foot away with my camera. The images of the baby were not taken with a long lens-I was literally right beside them. Pip did not seem to mind me one bit. Andrew came over while all this was in progress and she didn't even flinch. Pip was in and out of her "compound" all evening long and spent the time in between lounging in the yard. I told Andrew that I thought she was getting ready to have her litter as her abdomen appeared to be heaving with contractions when she was lying close to the ground.  There were two other rabbits in the yard tonight also. At least one of them was a male (body parts observed); the other we aren't sure about.  One of them seemed to be watching/protecting Pip-staying nearby until after she had her babies.  The watcher spent quite a bit of time chasing the other rabbit away. Not sure what was going on there.  Anyway here is a series of photos. Not great; lighting was low; rabbits were fast; couldn't use the tripod-but you get the idea.

 Pip resting in the grass with the defender rabbit nearby

 

Pip under the peony bushes.  Her buddy is behind to the left sort of peeking in. 

 Chasing away the interloper.

 

All three rabbits are in this photo. Pip is digging in her compound-far left; you can see her buddy to the right of her and the other rabbit is on the far right near the edge of the photo.

 

Starting to give birth.

 

Draw an imaginary line lengthwise down the center of this picture and you can see the baby nursing.

 

Cleaning up after birthing.

Click on the photos to make them larger.