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wild bunnies can live to over eight in captivity!!!

Beatrix Potter

Mama Doe
I contacted a very nice lady at the rabbit welfare association as she has a wild bunny who she hand reared and has been living as a house bunny ever since. He is eight and a half!!!!

She kindly sent me a few photos as well, he looks incredibly small so I really don't think my little Spusdey is going to get alot bigger.

Really happy I have wondered how long Spudsey may well live for seeing as its only about a year in the wild because of mxy and other dangers like foxes etc.
 
The reason I contacted her was re his behaviour. I read a few things on the net about people having wild buns that became very wild with age that they were no longer able to communicate with them and also that they were attacking their domestic buns. Apparently her bunny is fine, but they don't lose their speed once they get older!
 
My wild rabbit just turned 2 years of age and he is becoming less wild with every year. He is not bonded yet (I'm finding bonding difficult, my nerves don't handle it very well!:shock: ), but he grooms another one of my rabbits through a mesh divider, and they often sit side by side throughout the day and night. I find the more time I can spend with him, the happier and more relaxed he is. He particularly loves being groomed (with a hand or brush) and seems super relaxed after I do this!
 
My wild rabbit just turned 2 years of age and he is becoming less wild with every year. He is not bonded yet (I'm finding bonding difficult, my nerves don't handle it very well!:shock: ), but he grooms another one of my rabbits through a mesh divider, and they often sit side by side throughout the day and night. I find the more time I can spend with him, the happier and more relaxed he is. He particularly loves being groomed (with a hand or brush) and seems super relaxed after I do this!

Hi aussie bunny mummy!

Thanks for letting me know about your wild bun! How did you end up with one in the first place? Can I please ask how much room your bunny has to run around as I'm moving Spudsey into a 6x4 shed next week (which is going to have to be spilt as sharing with a newly neutered male) with just a 6x2 space outside. A little worried (ok a lot!) that its not going to be enough space for her.

Suzanne
 
Hi Suzanne,

I ended up with a wild bun because my (now ex) husband found him near a busy highway, caught him and brought him home. I don't think he put too much thought into why he was trying to catch him and what he was going to do with him.... but I'm glad he did. He brought him (Binky) home and I instantly fell in love and did hours and hours (and days and weeks and years) of research on rabbits. I've never had one before and knew nothing about them! I thought he was a domestic (he looked like some I saw in a pet shop) but my vet confimed he was wild. My vet also didn't try to talk me out of keeping him, he thought it would be great to keep him as a pet but he did advise me to give him a bolt hole to feel safe. No matter where he is I make sure he has somewhere to hide - very important! I've had to section off a room because I have four rabbits and none of them are bonded yet. Binky has a space that is 8x4 and he seems fine. I don't know what to tell you about how much space a rabbit (wild or not) needs because I have the exact same worries as you! Binky use to run freely through my whole house but as I keep finding stray rabbits his area becomes smaller. I am always worrying about my rabbits and whether they have enough room, but then I put it into perspective by thinking their lives are a lot bettter than if they weren't in my home! Oh, and a word of warning, wild rabbits can jump VERY high. Binky climbed the inside corner of a brick wall to the CEILING by using the bricks as steps when he was frightened by a dog barking! Just letting you know so you don't find Spudsy somewhere he shouldn't be! Best of luck with it all and let me know how you go! :D
 
Hi Suzanne,

I ended up with a wild bun because my (now ex) husband found him near a busy highway, caught him and brought him home. I don't think he put too much thought into why he was trying to catch him and what he was going to do with him.... but I'm glad he did. He brought him (Binky) home and I instantly fell in love and did hours and hours (and days and weeks and years) of research on rabbits. I've never had one before and knew nothing about them! I thought he was a domestic (he looked like some I saw in a pet shop) but my vet confimed he was wild. My vet also didn't try to talk me out of keeping him, he thought it would be great to keep him as a pet but he did advise me to give him a bolt hole to feel safe. No matter where he is I make sure he has somewhere to hide - very important! I've had to section off a room because I have four rabbits and none of them are bonded yet. Binky has a space that is 8x4 and he seems fine. I don't know what to tell you about how much space a rabbit (wild or not) needs because I have the exact same worries as you! Binky use to run freely through my whole house but as I keep finding stray rabbits his area becomes smaller. I am always worrying about my rabbits and whether they have enough room, but then I put it into perspective by thinking their lives are a lot bettter than if they weren't in my home! Oh, and a word of warning, wild rabbits can jump VERY high. Binky climbed the inside corner of a brick wall to the CEILING by using the bricks as steps when he was frightened by a dog barking! Just letting you know so you don't find Spudsy somewhere he shouldn't be! Best of luck with it all and let me know how you go! :D


Hello thanks for your message. Yes thats one thing I keep telling myself that Spudsey will hopefully have a longer and happier life living with me, although I do feel guilty that I didn't give her the chance to live out her life (although short)how it was meant to be.

But she does seem extremely happy and I don't seem to have any problems. Her entire area will be 6x6 but I do hope to try and extend this or give her free range in our lounge from time to time.

Yes they can jump high can't they!? Its amazing!

Thanks again!
Suzanne
 
As i have said before there are laws on keeping wildlife as pets be very carefull

isn't that in america raven rexs?

I have not chosen to have a wild rabbit as a pet, I rescued four of them as babies from our allotment and hand reared them. I contacted rabbit welfare association, another one I fail to recall the name of, rspca, wildlife trust and my vets and no-one has ever mentioned any law.
 
I'm not sure what the legal situation actually is. I called defra, who've given me another number and I'm waiting for a call back from someone who should know the answer.

It's illegal to release wild animals into the wild if they are unlikely to survive. I would think a very tame hand reared rabbit would come under that.

Tam
 
I'm not sure what the legal situation actually is. I called defra, who've given me another number and I'm waiting for a call back from someone who should know the answer.

It's illegal to release wild animals into the wild if they are unlikely to survive. I would think a very tame hand reared rabbit would come under that.

Tam

thanks tam
 
Hiya,

Yes, there is no law specifically against releasing them as they are indigenous. If they are unlikely to survive in the wild, e.g. because they are very tame or have a physical disability, then it would be illegal to release them under the Abandonment of Animals Act (the same act that makes it illegal to release domestic rabbits).

The, very nice, wildlife bloke said it would have to be a decision made on the rabbits particular situation and temperament e.g. if they were released into a big secure garden which was reasonably safe that would be okay but releasing them into a field if they didn't have the skills to survive would not.

Tamsin
 
Oh I thought it was illegal to release them cos they are considered a pest? A wildlife hospital I helped out said they were supposed to put them to sleep, but they never did...or maybe I'm thinking of grey squirrels? :?
 
He said grey squirrels weren't indigenous so you couldn't release them and you'd need a licence to keep them.
 
What on earth are you supposed to do with them then.....vets wont even put them down and I sure as hell wouldnt do it myself for no reason :?

My three were injured and we lost them all BTW.
 
I didn't really go into it as we were discussing bunnies. I don't know what's involved in getting a licence or possibly there are wildlife places that take them.
 
Apparently, animals that are non-idigenous, have to be put to sleep if they are taken to a vet. I had this experience when I took a Canada goose to a vet, he had nylon fishing thread wrapped tightly round his leg which was sweling and he was having difficulty walking (btw catching it, and having it sitting on my knee all the way to the vet was fun :lol:).

The vet said they could cut the thread off and treat it but they werent allowed to release it!:? Fortunately they had the sense to see that putting it to sleep when it would be fine, would be more of a crime than releasing one goose back with all his friends. It may have been against the 'law' but I think the only crime committed was by the idiot that left thick nylon fishing thread lying about.

Its illegal to deliberatley catch a healthy wild animal and keep it as a captive 'pet' but not if its been medically treated or hand reared.
 
He said grey squirrels weren't indigenous so you couldn't release them and you'd need a licence to keep them.

It is illegal to release them, yes, but is the first I have heard about needing a licence to keep them in captivity! :shock:

I kept a 'pet' grey squirrel :oops: - he died 5yrs ago. :( My vets at the time rehomed him to me - he was only a baby, but weaned, he was a cat victim and lost his tail. He was very tame and playful most of the time but if he was in a bad mood he would do a very good job of tearing my fingers to shreds! Temperamental was an understatement!!
He was 8yrs old when he died, I think he had a reasonably happy life, he had a huge aviary which adjoined the house where he had access in through a window. I done the best I could, and I don't regret having him - but I wouldn't do it again, nor would I recommend anyone else keeping one! :lol:
I believe there are 'squirrel sanctuaries' about, not all wildlife centres will PTS.

He probably sparked my interest in wildlife, and why I feel so strongly that where possible, wild animals should remain wild. :D
 
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