Friends

[KarenSoCal]

The totally adorable relationship I've discovered...

Sulafat, my Burmese Star, is mostly nocturnal. He sleeps all day outside in his enclosure, under a corner of black shade cloth that dangles down onto the ground. I take him his dinner around 7:00 PM, so most of the heat of the day is gone.

This evening I went out and looked for him. He wasn't in any of the other spots he likes, so I went to the corner of shade cloth. Sometimes when he wriggles under it, he lays on another piece that hangs down, so I'm careful to not dump him over.

Sloooowly, I raise the shade cloth, ever so carefully, hoping Sulafat is under it. Higher it goes, an inch at a time....there's my tort's leg! I raise it more to push the cloth out of the way...
there's something else there. Sulafat had made himself a cozy depression in the ground, and next to him, snuggled up right against him, was a tiny baby rabbit, maybe 3in long!! 🐇

I was astonished. I stood there looking at the baby, and suddenly he ran and was gone.

I took care of Sulafat, who had been sound asleep, and started to head for the house. I wanted to find Sulafat, who had disappeared again. I checked one of his hangouts...who do I find already hiding under the brush? The baby rabbit!

I managed to get a couple pictures. I hope you can see how small this baby is. He is very comfortable with Sulafat, who walked all around the baby in hiding. He thought I couldn't see him, so didn't run even though I was only inches from him. I am concerned about this baby's welfare, so I hope he stays in the enclosure. He'll have fresh greens daily, and a pan of cool water. All he needs to do is avoid being seen by the roadrunner that visits every day.

 

[Tom]

The rabbits mother will come back and tend to it. Don't disturb it.

 

[KarenSoCal]

The rabbits mother will come back and tend to it. Don't disturb it.

Oh, that's wonderful news!
I wonder if mom tucked him in with Sulafat? It was so cute! The rabbit was near where Sulafat sleeps at night, so maybe they'll snuggle during the night. Keep that baby warm.

 

[wellington]

Except that it's hard to tell actual size in the pic, it looks the size of the ones I have around here several times a summer.
That looks to be the size mine leave the nest to explore on their own.
They are very small looking when this time comes. Either way it looks big enough to survive on its own if that is the case.
They are so darn cute.
I have a nest now right out in the open in the torts yard. Hard to find, its covered so well. I love when they get the age they can explore. The mom usually moves them from their birth nest to another area once they get big enough to come out of the nest for just a quick look. At least here they always seem to move them

 

[KarenSoCal]

Except that it's hard to tell actual size in the pic, it looks the size of the ones I have around here several times a summer.
That looks to be the size mine leave the nest to explore on their own.
They are very small looking when this time comes. Either way it looks big enough to survive on its own if that is the case.
They are so darn cute.
I have a nest now right out in the open in the torts yard. Hard to find, its covered so well. I love when they get the age they can explore. The mom usually moves them from their birth nest to another area once they get big enough to come out of the nest for just a quick look. At least here they always seem to move them

He's about 3 inches long. It would be great if he stayed in the enclosure til he's bigger. He'd be well fed and watered.

And I think cottontails are pretty much the same everywhere. Maybe I could sell tickets for a reenactment of "The Tortoise and the Hare"? 🐇

 

[Cathie G]

He's about 3 inches long. It would be great if he stayed in the enclosure til he's bigger. He'd be well fed and watered.

And I think cottontails are pretty much the same everywhere. Maybe I could sell tickets for a reenactment of "The Tortoise and the Hare"? 🐇

I don't know if you feed Timothy to your Tortoise or not but that's a really good hay for baby rabbits too.🤗

 

[Maro2Bear]

Crepuscular, vice nocturnal. During our 100 degree days here our Sully acts the same way - up & active early with sun rise (full breakfast & basking) then back to her enclosure to ponder what tortoises ponde all day. Later, as the sun approaches the horizon, back out for dinner & walkies.

Cute lil bunny…..the kind that works its way into your garden & munches all of your veggies! 🐰🐰🐰

 

[wellington]

I just seen my bunny babies from the nest thats in the bad place. Looks to be same size as yours. First day seeing them out. The one was wondering very far from the nest. Mom was in the yard too. The first nest we had, seen babies out twice, within 3 days, then they were gone. Not sure if mom moved them or they were left to go on their own. I guess this is the week for bunnies to explore

 

[KarenSoCal]

I don't know if you feed Timothy to your Tortoise or not but that's a really good hay for baby rabbits too.🤗

Thanks for that info.
Sulafat is supposed to eat grass, but he won't touch it. I haven't tried him on hay.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Crepuscular, vice nocturnal. During our 100 degree days here our Sully acts the same way - up & active early with sun rise (full breakfast & basking) then back to her enclosure to ponder what tortoises ponde all day. Later, as the sun approaches the horizon, back out for dinner & walkies.

Cute lil bunny…..the kind that works its way into your garden & munches all of your veggies! 🐰🐰🐰

You got that right! After he grows a bit, he'll probably tell all his relatives and friends about this place. Poor Sulafat will have to fight them for his food.

I also have a flock of about 30 broad tailed grackles that visit every evening. They all have a bath in Sulafat's water pans and drink their fill.Once they leave, I can go out.

 

[wellington]

Thanks for that info.
Sulafat is supposed to eat grass, but he won't touch it. I haven't tried him on hay.

I have tried feeding the wild rabbits a bunch of stuff, they won't touch it. Don't waste too much time or money trying to feed them. They likely won't touch it either.

 

[KarenSoCal]

I just seen my bunny babies from the nest thats in the bad place. Looks to be same size as yours. First day seeing them out. The one was wondering very far from the nest. Mom was in the yard too. The first nest we had, seen babies out twice, within 3 days, then they were gone. Not sure if mom moved them or they were left to go on their own. I guess this is the week for bunnies to explore

It seems that it is this week. The first challenge this baby will have is getting over the enclosure fence. I haven't seen a hole, but I don't know how she got him into the enclosure if a hole isn't here. All the bigger bunnies just jump over.

 

[KarenSoCal]

I have tried feeding the wild rabbits a bunch of stuff, they won't touch it. Don't waste too much time or money trying to feed them. They likely won't touch it either.

They do get into Sulafat's greens a bit, but nothing major. I won't be trying to feed them. I get so many, entire families come in...rabbits overrun this place. Plus, my new shepherd mix races out the door at 100 mph and circles the outside of the enclosure, just to see if he can get a rabbit or bird. It's about 30 x 20. He's really fast...I dread the day he catches one.

 

[wellington]

They do get into Sulafat's greens a bit, but nothing major. I won't be trying to feed them. I get so many, entire families come in...rabbits overrun this place. Plus, my new shepherd mix races out the door at 100 mph and circles the outside of the enclosure, just to see if he can get a rabbit or bird. It's about 30 x 20. He's really fast...I dread the day he catches one.

My place is rabbit heaven too. My Bull Terrier never bothered them. They wouldn't even run from her when she would go out. But the little yappy ankle biter Pom I have now chases them out of our yard into the tort yard every time. Luckily the rabbits can get thru the fence and the dog can't. As bull headed a Bull Terrier is, she was much easier to train then the Pom I have now lol.

 

[Cathie G]

Thanks for that info.
Sulafat is supposed to eat grass, but he won't touch it. I haven't tried him on hay.

My little house rabbit (that has done the best) won't eat anything but Timothy hay and Katees Timothy complete. If I try to give her veggies at all, she turns up her nose and shakes her ears with a definite NO!!!! Even though most rabbits would never refuse it. I managed to get her before she was truely weaned and was able to watch carefully the effects on her digestive system. I really think that's what has kept her healthier. Wild rabbits and pet rabbits only have a life expectancy of 2 or 3 years. Some pet rabbits live longer but it may be not typical. I used to have a wild rabbit that greeted me every morning in my yard. He would run past me and brush his body against me as I walked to my van for work. It was a pretty nice feeling.🤗🐇