Sad news: the rabbits did not make it past their fourth night. After yesterday's photo session when all appeared to be going so well, I woke this morning to discover two dead bunnies. I cannot find the third but the two dead ones already had rigor mortis when I discovered them so they clearly expired some time during the night.
There are two explanations. One is that something happened to the mother because she did not return to feed them last night. The other is that something was wrong with two of the babies and she retrieved the third one and headed for a new nest.
I have no way of knowing which scenario actually happened and I can't believe I felt as sad as I did when I checked the nest this morning. I know it is the circle of life and that rabbits probably have so many offspring because not all of them make it past the critical two week phase, but I thought things were going so well.
One thing I do know is that my dogs were not to blame since the rabbits had not been moved and did not appear to have been physically harmed. We did the best we could and have to trust that Mother Nature knows what she is doing.
Still, it was amazing while it lasted. . .
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