Bunny Tragedy (Not for the Squeamish)

parallel · May 18, 2010

I am bumming! I accidentally hit a rabbit's nest full of tiny baby bunnies with a string trimmer this evening. I was finally getting around to trimming some of the tall grass (about 8" high) on my property when I hit something and I seen something bleeding and writhing around. As soon as I realized that I had hit something alive I stopped, but I had already hurt two of the three little rabbits. My neighbor called his veterinarian who advised us to simply put he bunnies back in their nest (which had basically been destroyed). I did as the vet suggested, but I am torn. Every instinct that I have says I should have ended the poor things' suffering. But the vet seemed to think that they might survive. I don't know... I just HATE to see living things suffer so.

The hardest part was explaining to my four year old boy that his daddy didn't mean to hurt the baby bunnies. He said that he understood... but from the look in his eyes I'm not so sure.

Bam Bam · May 18, 2010

Parallel,

Don't feel too bad, you're not alone. I'm in a similar situation with some stray cat that had kittens in my race car. One in critically ill and needs to be put down, I'll have to take care of that in the morning. I was hoping it would be OK, but shes going down fast. Poor thing, not something I like doing, but necessary.

About the rabbits, if they only have minor injuries, then I would let "momma" handle it, but if they have serious open wounds then I would have to do the "humane" thing. Just my .02 cents.

Bam Bam

Quickdraw22 · May 18, 2010

Yeah, where is the mom??

Speedlace · May 18, 2010

How deep are the lacerations on the middle rabbit?
Looks like the ear of the rabbit to the far right got taken off. Were there any other wounds to the head?

03GeeTee · May 18, 2010

that'll buff out

JadeRaven · May 18, 2010

There's lots of rabbits in the world

Plus unless you're leaving something out it doesn't look too serious. They'll most likely grow up just fine, maybe a little scarred.

joshuades · May 18, 2010

I'd check on them again in the morning. If the wounds aren't life threatening and they don't catch infection they should live through alright, albiet a bit traumatized. From here the main worry would be if "mommy" will take care of them after a human handled them.

stinkysix · May 18, 2010

I use to be a rehaber and still do it on a case by case basis, from the pics the wounds do not look that bad and the mother should care for them. If the mother does not return put neosporin on them and get some kitten replacement milk and a nurser from a pet store and feed them and they should be fine, also keep them warm.

XD-GEM · May 18, 2010

You wouldn't be the first.

To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough

Robert Burns
1785

Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murd'ring pattle!

I'm truly sorry man's dominion,
Has broken nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An' fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
'S a sma' request;
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,
An' never miss't!

Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane,
O' foggage green!
An' bleak December's winds ensuin,
Baith snell an' keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,
An' weary winter comin fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell-
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro' thy cell.

That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,
Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter's sleety dribble,
An' cranreuch cauld!

But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men
Gang aft agley,
An'lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me
The present only toucheth thee:
But, Och! I backward cast my e'e.
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!

Paintball · May 18, 2010

From the picture they look like they will survive those injuries. It is rare that the mother would reject them over human scent. The mother will most likely relocate them now.

Praesul Presul · May 18, 2010

Hell I figured this to be the classic lawnmower vs rabbit scenario. That's not too bad.

jimdana1942 · May 18, 2010

I commend you for your compassion. Things happen sometime. More than likely they will survive.

dwr461 · May 18, 2010

I hit a rabbit nest in about 1986 with a lawnmower. I put them back in the nest (except the dead one) and continued about my business. I guess if I wasn't raised a hard as$ed old school American, I could've taken pictures of it and lamented the terrible incident that surely scarred me for life. But no matter what I did all those rabbits are dead now.

Dave

scooterj · May 18, 2010

Green chopping millet on my uncles dairy farm, and hit a new-born calf. Do I have to say what the inside of the wagon looked like?

03GeeTee · May 18, 2010

Should see what a baby deer looks like when it gets run over by a combine.

yamatitan · May 18, 2010

Dont some people on this board keep boas/pythons? I think I saw someone on here awhile ago. Anyway if have to put one down it might as well not go to waste.

parallel · May 19, 2010

dwr461 said:
I hit a rabbit nest in about 1986 with a lawnmower. I put them back in the nest (except the dead one) and continued about my business. I guess if I wasn't raised a hard as$ed old school American, I could've taken pictures of it and lamented the terrible incident that surely scarred me for life. But no matter what I did all those rabbits are dead now.

Dave

Wow Dave... you are just so uber macho. You seem to have missed the point. My four year old witnessed this. Maybe you and your clan were out skinnin bear when you were four... you know.... being the "hard as$ed old school American" that you are. Douche. :rolleyes:

Mr_Willson · May 19, 2010

if the mother doesnt come back, i'll raise em

my-rifle · May 19, 2010

parallel said:
Wow Dave... you are just so uber macho. You seem to have missed the point. My four year old witnessed this. Maybe you and your clan were out skinnin bear when you were four... you know.... being the "hard as$ed old school American" that you are. Douche.

Yup. Some guys just have to make a point. Blow it off. I think the vet made the right call. It'll give your four-year-old a chance to see how nature cares for its own when the momma relocates the little ones. If she doesn't return he'll get a chance to raise a few bunnies! How much fun can that be?

SirIsaacNewton · May 19, 2010

If you don't end up putting them back in their nest this can always be an early project for your 4 yr old to learn about respecting nature and responsibility. I think my interest in medicine was spurred by my mother bringing home random injured animals. Turtles, squirrels, raccoons, opossum, rabbits, birds, etc. Life is life there are no if, ands, or buts about it.

I don't know how many turtle/tortoise shells I have duct taped together.

And don't mind dwr641's comment he probably got cut off in traffic or something.

I know for a fact that both my grandfathers where hard ass old school americans and they both loved animals.

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