Something happened today. I was sitting on my porch watching my boys zooming around on little pushbikes when I noticed a ball of fluff bouncing on the grass. Scoop’s looking so white and clean for a busy bunny who keeps chasing Tanglefoot out the yard. It took me a few seconds, but I did realise that my mind was playing tricks on me. It wasn’t Scoop. It was a tiny, fluffy, sweet baby bunny that had just popped out of the ground from an unknown location. The garden rabbits have had babies!
The next few minutes were a whirlwind of excited shouts. Awe followed as we watched the cutest little rabbit explore its new world in the sunshine for the first time. We didn’t want to disturb our free-range bunny baby so we tried to tone down the whooping and keep the toddlers enclosed while we watched the little nose wiggling. How else would we be able to find the burrow to see whether there were any other fluff balls around?
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The next moment, a giant green snake appeared right next to the bunny. Okay, it was only a biggish Western Natal Green Snake (about one meter) but the little mammal in its path can fit into your palm, so the situation seemed a lot more urgent. The brave bunny didn’t seem phased at all by the snake, but it was easy to pick up the rising anxiety levels by looking at the rest of us. We were too slow. The snake cruised toward the baby bunny, and then zipped past it in pursuit of a tasty, much smaller lizard.
I believe everyone breathed an audible sight of relief as we watched the slithering intruder coming toward the porch. It veered away when it realized there were bigger problems waiting for it beyond the balustrade.
That shiny (harmless) snake appeared on and off during the afternoon and I don’t think the white bundle of cuteness even sniffed in its direction. It slept in the sun, chewed on a few grass blades, and then went back into the burrow (which coincidentally, happens to be directly under the porch! Clever mommy rabbit.)
So far, three fluffy balls have made an appearance and I’m sure that more will follow in the next few days. For now, it’s enough to watch them discover new and exciting morsels and nap spots while my sweet boys discover the excitement that baby animals can bring to a home.
We will continue to keep half an eye on the resident Western Natal green snakes that have apparently decided it is warm enough to hunt – I should have known because I have my very first snake lily (or paintbrush lily) in full bloom for the first time since I planted the bulb three years ago.
The warmer season is going to be good this year.
Are you ready?
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