Nolan and Blip

If you have been a reader of my blog for awhile then you will remember Pipsqueak, the wild cottontail rabbit that lived in our yard for 7 years. Our dog Daisy and "Pip" were buddies.  We lost Pip and Daisy within a month of each other.  Pip had two kits in her final litter and one of them, probably a female, stayed close by.  We named her Blip.  Blip and Nolan met last spring.  This past year I have been feeding Blip the same rabbit feed that my domestic rabbits get for dinner.  Blip goes under the door in the rabbitry and eats on a wooden platform. The other morning I caught her coming out under the door and Nolan saw her at the same time and gave chase. He wanted to play!

Summer Yard

Our yard looks better this year than it ever has. Fifteen years in the making we've finally got the landscaping the way we envisioned it back when we bought the house. Also this year a much awaited addition was the appearance of Royal Catch Fly- Andrew planted some seeds several years ago and we had pretty much forgotten about them.  We also added a memorial garden for our departed rabbit friends,  a tiny yellow rose bush that my aunt Patty started off of a cutting from my grandma's yellow rose bush, and a mister, feeder and bird bath for hummingbirds. The rain this year has really helped things along. We've had a variety of birds visiting both baths and our feeders. We also have squirrels, chipmunks, opossums, raccoons, and a pair of red shouldered hawks who stopped by one afternoon while they were house and of course Pip and her various suitors.

 

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Pipsqueek is Injured

For those of you who have followed the stories of our wild cottontail Pip for the past 6 years I wanted to let you know that Pip was attacked by something last night and appears to be badly injured. She's had her tail torn mostly off, has a big gash on her right flank, and has lost the use of her right hind leg. Good news is that she did hobble out this morning to get her breakfast and her eyes still have a sparkle. She also came out a couple other times this afternoon and other than the lame leg she doesn't seem to be fazed. Don't know whether she will recover or not. Right now I am worried about infection. She had a dust up with something a few years back but the wounds were not as bad. Good vibes and animal prayers would be appreciated. After consulting with a friend of ours who has a wildlife rehabilitation center in northern Ohio we have decided to let nature take its course.  Pip has had a good life here in her little backyard kingdom and if she is going to succumb to these injuries we'd rather her last memories be of her home and not some sterile center indoors and afraid.  Here's some photos of the injuries. If you'd rather not see stop here.

 Tail askew

 Wound and limp

Favoring the leg

Busy Girl

Our Pip was a busy girl last evening. First she came out for supper, then she helped Andrew prune the tall sunflowers that he mentioned yesterday were in need, then she groomed herself and then she plopped down on the nest that she dug out a couple days ago and had a baby while Andrew took some photos.

Ground Level

Neat perspective from down here don't you think? Pip seems to like it better when I am down at her level when I am conversing with her.  She's still eating from our hand whenever it is offered. Haven't seen her for a day or so but other than that she's been very active out and about in the yard.  Usually in the morning she comes out to the rabbitry door to be fed.  Funny bunny.

Pip Updates!

Pip's got a new nest!  There are four kits in it.   She made the nest a couple weeks ago and then did nothing with it (the little sneak).  Andrew saw her feeding the babies the other night so we knew they had arrived.  This evening Pip's friend was in the rabbitry.  S/He let me get close enough to get some decent photos and then went on to have a close encounter with Pip of which I was also able to get photos. Not my best work due to lighting/rain etc. but you get the idea.

The little sneak herself

Another Pip

Look at Pip's posture as the other rabbit approaches...

Head on a swivel...

These are my people!!

Hello My Friend

Pip's been out and about again now that the extremely hot spell is over.  She was especially friendly and interactive yesterday.

The Sweet Sound of Rain

We haven't had rain for weeks. The ground was cracking and the flower gardens looked like July-all yellowish and wilting.  Today we got a full day of much needed steady rain fall. I actually wore jeans and a jacket outside.  The cloudy sky was a wonderful reprieve from the scorching sun.  And this I am complaining about in May already. Pipsqueak spent the entire day alternating between digging a new nest and dodging rain drops by hunkering down in the rabbitry. 

(lower left corner of photo)

Rabbit Antics

Daisy and Pipsqueak are friendly with each other have actually played chase and lounged together in the yard.  I know-crazy-but nothing about Pip's behavior is standard for a wild rabbit. The other night Daisy must have startled Pip because Pip vaulted over Daisy and even pushed off of Daisy with her hind legs to get leverage and put distance between them. I laughed out loud as the entire incident was very comical. Daisy didn't seem to know what hit her and continued sniffing about in the yard. Eventually Pip came back over to Daisy. This evening Pip had two friends over and one of them accepted a hand out, while keeping a safe distance, from Andrew.  Both of the visitors seemed unfazed by us. We figure Pip told them we are ok.

 

Pip (foreground) and a friend.

Another friend

 Daisy says, "Hi Pip-let's play!"

Chillin'

A Hand Out for a Friend

Well I got my wish. Pip ate from my hand today.  I offered her a bit of bird seed and she came forth and accepted it.  Andrew got her to do this yesterday for him and I got her to do it this morning too so when I offered her a hand out this evening I had my camera ready.

Monday

 Edited to add Tuesday evening photo:

Edit to add Wednesday evening photo:

Accepting A Gift

Pip took a dandelion from my hand yesterday. It was a really neat experience.  She said to me I will take this gift on my terms.... I held it out and she came at me with a posture similar to the photo below.  She put both her paws out way in front of her body and  with a bounce-stomped the stem to the ground and grabbed it with her teeth.  Then she backed up and ate it while I sat and talked to her.  I just want her to touch my hand once. The aforementioned may be the best I get. I'll take it. What an enchanting little creature.  Her 2 youngsters from an early spring liter and a single bunny from a later litter plus her mate and another female were all in the yard yesterday running around through the rabbitry and having a good old time. Today the cardinal were in and out of the rabbitry getting food for their babies.  We've got so much going on in the yard. Its fun to watch.

Pipsqueak in the Garden

Pip was out and about with us in the yard today as we weeded the flower beds, had a bonfire, and made foiled dinners. She was quite the the socialite posing for photos and coming forth for a handout.

 Investigating the garden

 This is her I'm looking for a hand out pose.

 Andrew is feeding her sunflowers seeds from the bird feeder above.