Hey guys,
I figured with all the hunters and outdoor people here, someone might be able to explain the unusual behavior of a rabbit outside my mother's house here in Maryland. My father noticed a rabbit about 3 days ago lying / sitting under a bush behind the house - the bush is about 3 feet from the back wall of the house next to the large back deck. He first noticed it about 9 AM, and when he came back at noon, it was still there.
I went out on the deck a few hours later, and the rabbit jumped up and ran about 10 feet away (looked normal and healthy), but about 30 minutes later, it was back under the bush again, but this time lying on its side. An hour or so later it was sitting upright again (by sitting, I mean upright on all fours with its stomach on the ground, not sitting up on its hind legs).
I'm not sure if it was there yesterday, but it's back again today, in the same place and same position. It seems to sit there and do absolutely nothing - I haven't seen it clean itself or eat or anything.
I would have thought maybe it was pregnant, but although there's a bit of a depression where it's been sitting, there's very little cover - the bush has no leaves on it yet after the winter, so it's certainly not hiding the rabbit, although it might be blocking some of the wind.
Is this rabbit diseased? Injured? My mother keeps worrying about it being rabid - I'd just like to put her mind at ease, or take action if we should get rid of the thing. Thanks!
Dave