This makes them a question for the ages which can be answered in two ways. At childhood, squirrels and rabbits may be friends. However, as a squirrel grows, instincts do take over, such as, the squirrel, thus, deciding that what he or she wants to eat is more crucial than being friends with a cute little bunny.
Both the squirrel and the baby rabbit can be placed in the same cage as they are young, they will cuddle with each other and treat each other nicely.
“Squirrels in Gardens”
While the rabbits are making their way through the garden chewing on anything that comes in their sight, it is the squirrels you do not wish to catch sight of around the garden. The same goes for rabbits which are not necessarily your friend when it comes to being in the garden as well.
As to protect your garden there are few things that you can do. The first is to put in a cage or a cover over the garden bed so that no pests such as snails and slugs gain access. Another one is bird netting, this is made of plastic either way it will also prevent the birds from getting in.
The ground cover as well as the hardware cloth can spare most animals so they do not even get close to the plants. Early day’s chicken wire has been in use for the prohibition of rabbits and squirrels in gardens.
Keeping squirrels away from rabbits
In simple terms, when you have domesticated rabbits, it is very critical that you rule out any possibility of a squirrel gaining entry to the rabbit area, and then chasing the rabbit to death.
Once more, hardware cloth, chicken wire, and plastic bird wire are some of the ground cover that needs to be used in order to keep off squirrels as well as other predators from penetrating the rabbit area in your compound.
FOR MORE INFORMATION about Rabbit’s
Related: Keep Wild Rabbits Warm in the Winter
Reasons why
The reason that you work so hard to protect those furry little bunnies is that as domesticated creatures, they make superb pets. A rabbit is not known as the aggressor and will eat a strict herbivore type of diet. This means, grasses, hays, vegetables, fruits and other acceptable plants.
Squirrels hunts for food
Squirrels on the other hand are gluttons for anything that they can lay their paws on. A squirrel in particular can go for a baby rabbit and that is especially so when there is very little food around. If this means they eat and they do not starve then this is business as they call it the circle of life.
Squirrels chase rabbits
You will most probably notice two mice running around and this can be considered as a kind of playing. The only time this backfires is when they are watching bunny rabbits do this, to the squirrel, that food is there and the hunting begins. The squirrel does not view this a game, but pottering around they are in pursuit and they are determined to be the hunter.
Squirrels chase, kill and eat
In Fact rabbits do not play in the same way that squirrels for example play while climbing trees and jumping from one branch to the other. Such squirrels jump on other animals or in this case, the rabbit feels as though it is going to be killed.
When a rabbit is playing they move in circles, they jump and they bound. This when the squirrel sees this they consider it as a chase and would begin the chase and then jump on the rabbit.
As mentioned, the squirrels feed on meat when there is scarcity of the other food products in their environment. When they are aware of a chance to strike baby bunny rabbit, then they take the chance and the bunny.
Squirrel diet
The squirrel is not usually one that will run after other animals in the expectation of making a meal out of them. However, it does happen. Squirrels are not vegetarians only but also carnivore and so in their diet list they may include rabbits.
Most often, nuts and berries are top priorities for squirrels. Ince the squirrel likes to store food away for the colder months, it is not feasible that they would attack and kill a rabbit for this purpose. The meat would go rancid and the squirrel would likely become sick from eating it and die itself.
Squirrel speed is greater
Animals, especially those which are commonly are seen, one would be able to realize that the squirrel is not a slow animal. They are characterized by their ability to run, they can jump and appear to be flying round the various entities of trees. This does however place the squirrel in a better position when it comes to a game of tag.
The squirrel will be able to out-distance the rabbit with no issues.
Squirrels are not the aggressor
As already stated, in fact, neither the bunny rabbit nor the squirrel is the actual attacker. But when it comes to who is superior between the two, the squirrel, will reveal its true nature and become hostile.
Keeping rabbits safe
Keeping your baby bunnies safe is a priority when it comes to protection from predators. A rabbit hutch should be sturdy and have plenty of room. There should be a roof and doors. If your rabbits are kept outdoors, or you have a rabbit run, this run should also be quality built. Again, chicken wire is one of the best deterrents against squirrels.
But please don’t forget that it is also possible to make your bunny feel safe and protected in different manner. In the exercise run that you have creed for your rabbits, make sure that there are different stacks of hay or straw piles available to them at some point of the run. If a rabbit feels threatened in anyway the best it can do is to bury itself under the pile.
rabbit defend itself against predators?
In the wild a rabbit has so many adversaries who are willing to make a meal out of them. It is therefore shocking to think that a cute little squirrel is one of the animals that are considered as a rabid predator of rabbits. More specifically, you are most likely to be dealing with horned owls, barn owls or any other type of owls that is out in the search for a meal and your rabbit is a delicious option.
But when it comes to food, other animals turn to be the hunter and even hunt rabbits as well.Their food habits, their shelter and nesting. Indeed it entails all the species of the squirrel.
When a squirrel becomes aggressive it is usually for a reason. These reasons include:
- Territorial
- Scarcity of food
- Protection of young
- Playfulness
A rabbit’s line of defence
What does a rabbit do to protect himself in this vast environment? Thus, they have an in-built advantage, the fur of bunny rabbit is typically grey or brown in colour. In the vast field this serves as a disguise which helps the bunny not to be spotted by the many a predators.
There is another advantage of a bunny: It has big ears and can, therefore, hear something from far away. This let them time to escape and escape from the predator. Sometimes if a rabbit sees that it has been seen by a predator the behavior it will exhibit is not to move in straight line but in arcs. This pattern of running makes the predator run around in circles hence affording the prey a greater chance of escaping.
A rabbit, if in fear or feeling threatened will also bite. This nipping motion is done to protect itself and its family. A rabbit will not hesitate to take a bite out of the predator if it means it will give them a few seconds to run.
Unless you are a herder, better not disturb such animals as they remain a great threat to the lives of humans even if one of these species is domesticated. They have their feelings and understand how to avoid danger, how to get the food which is necessary for their existence and what to do if they got into trouble.
