What's in the large hole under my rose bush?

Oh, man!! I went out this morning for my usual look around and found a large hole under one of my rose bushes, right next to the house. This ain't no mole, I'm sorry to say!! The hole is about 5 inches across and there's dried weeds covering it about 6 inches down. Anyone have a guess about what this might be? We live in the country and I've seen all manner of critter around here, but never anything digging so close to the house.

My guess would be a bunny hole!

What you describe is pretty much what ours look like here (5b Colorado) and they'll come right up to our house, even dig a burrow right next to the foundation, anywhere that has a little bit of shelter (like a rose bush). --Christie

I stuck my foot in a hole like that last spring and found baby rabbits. The nest was right next to my pond in a 3 dog yard, but that bunny raised 2 litters there last year.

Oh, no!! I've been battling rabbit(s) all winter. I certainly don't want one raising babies under my rosebush!
Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can figure out how to get her to move somewhere else.

It sounds crazy, but I was able to get my wild bunny to eat prepared guinea pig food instead of garden plants. I just kept her dish full and she only nibbled plants, didn't eat anything right down to the ground. I have read that predator urine (dog, cat, fox) will convince her to move on to a new place.

sylvi74 - Oh my goodness! I was going to post something along that vein yesterday but was a little afraid I would get chastised for "encouraging" them. GOD BLESS YOU!!!!

We have dozens of buns living in our yard! A lot of my neighbors have problems with their gardens, but you know what? They nibble a "tiny tiny" bit at my daylilies and fescues (doesn't bother the plants at all though) AND THATS IT!!!!

Other than holes around my culverts, they don't bug me at all. One follows me around the yard (I don't approach him or anything, but I do talk to him). Whenever I'm out in the garden everytime I turn around he's sitting about 15 feet or so away, just watching me, he was born in a burrow under my front porch last year and has a distinctive red mark on the back of his neck.

My secret? I have goats, ducks, a chicken, and a goose whose yard is right on the other side of the fence, so the buns can go back there and eat whenver they want! There's always cracked corn and poultry pellets back there so I guess they just figure why scavange when they can visit the 24 hour all-you-can-eat buffet.

If a hole is "inconvenient" for us, I just fill it in with a little gravel and that seems to keep them out. You could also use a little used kitty litter - but maybe not around your plants :-)

Thought I was the only nut out here!! -Christie

Hi Christie! I'm glad someone else has a soft spot for the little furry guys. I know, they can be terrible. But I just love things with fur! And by feeding her myself, I know momma bunny got good nutrition while pregnant and nursing!! LOL! Hubby thinks I'm nuts, but he followed me home and I had to keep him!

"Hubby thinks I'm nuts, but he followed me home and I had to keep him!"

How funny!!! Wakin' up giggling is great!!!

Judy

BUMP!

An update: Remember how I said the bunnies don't bother my plants much?

Well, the big 'uns still don't but I noticed something was nibbling around new stuff I just planted on my new berm. When I went out yesterday - I found my "little" culprit - a baby bun has taken up residence in the drainage hole I built under the middle of the berm.

The little dickens apparently does not want to travel the extra 5 feet to get to the lawn to nibble, so he (or she) - has just been hopping around on his "roof" to nibble.

So I've had to spread a bit of fox urine around my plants to protect them and sent the kids down to the barn to fetch some corn and poultry food for him.

Lovely, huh? I'm irritated a bit, but he's sooooooooooo CUTE!
I'll try to find my camera and post a pic - his widdle ears are about half the size of my pinkie! -C