Kits!!!

We have kits at Palazzo Rospo! This is the most exciting thing we've had happen here in a long time. I knew two of the three does were pregnant, and I knew they'd dug burrows. I thought this litter had died, though, because the doe pretty much sealed up the burrow for several days. I'd read that if a litter dies the doe will "bury" them in the burrow. So I was sad, but she's awfully young so I figured better luck next time.

Well yesterday I noticed the burrow was opened back up. And TODAY I saw kits in there! Their eyes are open and they came out and nursed a bit under the dog crate hutch.



After they'd nursed a bit, the doe hopped down to get a drink of water and nibble on some strawberry plants I'd brought up from the garden and put in their feeding hutch. She just left the babies there in plain site, and I got a couple of shots of them before they went back down into the burrow.

There are at least three live kits and one dead one The dead one is easily visible lying on the ground just inside the entrance to the burrow. I didn't mess with it. I figure if it's still there after the kits are well and truly out and about I'll dispose of it then. I didn't want to mess too much today on their first day out.