The Chainlink

Do you see more Rats or Rabbits?

I swear I see more rabbits than rats.  I see rabbits living in bushes on traffic islands and in smallish green corners of parking lots. The thinnest most obscure strips of green will have a rabbit. This seems 'newish' to me, as in more rabbits in the last couple years.  I know this is highly anecdotal, still.  Rats will eat baby rabbits right? So how are rabbit population numbers going up?

I do wonder when a urban 'Watership Down' moment will occur and the rats and the rabbits will square up and settle it in strange pitched battles.

Alas H/

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on June 2, 2013 at 1:56pm

We have basically no wild rabbits here in Little Village (you have to go to non-residential areas, like the nursing home at 28th and Cal, to spot one.)

It is also much harder to spot a rat here than on the north side.

I suspect various factors, but the stray cat population is definitely one of them.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on June 2, 2013 at 2:04pm

In Wicker Park, I have never seen a rabbit but the rats are always evident no matter what the City does.  We also don't seem to have many stray cats.  

Permalink Reply by pceasy on June 2, 2013 at 2:44pm
Well recently I've been seeing more rabbits, and spotted some babies for the first time since moving here. I see them in residential areas. I always spot them on Cornelia between Broadway & Halsted. I saw way too many rats last summer but have only seen one so far this year. I actually saw one in the bike room in the basement of my building last year. Yikes. I was traumatized. Bunny rabbits are so cute to me but rata creep me out!
Permalink Reply by Ken Gray on June 2, 2013 at 7:41pm

Hardly ever see a rat, once in a while see a rabbit, but often see racoons. Yes, and lots of cats too. Any relationship there? Cats kill rabbits, cats kill rats. Racoons kick ass?

Permalink Reply by Jeremy on June 2, 2013 at 8:22pm
We used to see a ton of rats out with the dog in lakeview/Lincoln park. Now thankfully it's way more rabbits in Lincoln square. Especially in temps like this.
Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on June 2, 2013 at 8:43pm

And I have two west highland terriers.  Westies are bred to be "ratters", and mine are true to their heritage.  Actually, they will go after anything in the rodent family, including squirrels.

Jeremy said:

We used to see a ton of rats out with the dog in lakeview/Lincoln park. Now thankfully it's way more rabbits in Lincoln square. Especially in temps like this.
Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on June 2, 2013 at 9:13pm

Rabbits, mostly. Unless there's a tear-down construction lot nearby I rarely see rats.

When I lived near the river in Albany Park a few years ago I would see raccoons and the occasional possum as well.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 2, 2013 at 9:27pm

I can fix that for you. I have 3 in my yard right now. I've been catching them and releasing them at the lake. I could drop them off at your place too. Just let me know.

http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/she-had-the-weight-of-the?...

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

In Wicker Park, I have never seen a rabbit but the rats are always evident no matter what the City does.  We also don't seem to have many stray cats.  

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on June 3, 2013 at 6:31am

Before I clicked on the link I thought you were going to bring cats. ;-)  I think the golf course is a better place for the bunnies.

Duppie 13.5185km said:

I can fix that for you. I have 3 in my yard right now. I've been catching them and releasing them at the lake. I could drop them off at your place too. Just let me know.

http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/she-had-the-weight-of-the?...

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

In Wicker Park, I have never seen a rabbit but the rats are always evident no matter what the City does.  We also don't seem to have many stray cats.  

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on June 3, 2013 at 9:20am

Lots of rabbits in my 'hood, and raccoons, possums and squirrels.  We get regular visits from hawks, and I've heard that folks have seen them catching squirrels.  Between them and coyotes, I guess that explains the decrease in the local squirrel population.

Permalink Reply by Rich S on June 3, 2013 at 10:05am

In front of my building I see tons of rabbits. Sometimes 10 in my neighbors front yard. When I look out my back window into my alley I see rats the size of rabbits! 

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on June 3, 2013 at 10:10am

In Northcenter we have lots of rabbits, a rat or two (ugh), lots of squirrels, and most importantly, a number of Possum.   Right now the Possum are down one, however,   a baby possum was in our backyard, saw one of us come out, ran into the yard next door... where the neighbor's Jack Russell Terrier was outside for some exercise.   One can see why these terriers were considered to be such good rat killers.   He took out the Baby Possum with cold professional killing skill.  Too bad it wasn't the rat....

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