Just had a fox try to attack my buns :(

Sitting indoors at the computer i had Honey my foster bun out in the run i heard a massive crash and went running out and there was a massive fox up at the run, Honey had thrown her ceramic water dish which made the crash she is petrified but all ok, it didn't have a chance to get in thank God i made my run extra secure!
I was given a run at the weekend and had she of been in that she would have been dead needless to say i wasn't going to use it anyway but some people really do risk their buns lives!
I brought her inside for some cuddles and she has calmed a bit but is shaking like a leaf its funny how the biggest buns are the softest! Little Fritzi was in her hutch just staring at it liked she wanted to have a go at it :shock:

Please make sure your runs are secure people!

Oh no - poor you and poor bunny
Glad you're both ok.

Omg, what a fright. I hope Honey isn't too shaken up. xxx

Oh goodness Katie that's awful - hope you & all bunsters are ok xx

awww hun what a scare glad they are ok

after seeing that UKs worst pets the other day i reckon Fritzi would of whoooped ass :shock:

hope the fox dont come back xxx

The other important thing to keep in mind relating to foxes is a panicked rabbit will bolt for cover and if they can't find cover they will throw themselves around the run looking for it and can do themselves damage even if they are safe from the fox. So it's really important than every run has access to somewhere to hide (like a hutch in this case).

Tamsin said:

The other important thing to keep in mind relating to foxes is a panicked rabbit will bolt for cover and if they can't find cover they will throw themselves around the run looking for it and can do themselves damage even if they are safe from the fox. So it's really important than every run has access to somewhere to hide (like a hutch in this case).

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thats true, even house bunnies need a bolt hole... im sure Alvin is deaf so he dont hear my approach but when he sees my shadow in the doorway, true panic, he bolts to the carrier

Tamsin said:

The other important thing to keep in mind relating to foxes is a panicked rabbit will bolt for cover and if they can't find cover they will throw themselves around the run looking for it and can do themselves damage even if they are safe from the fox. So it's really important than every run has access to somewhere to hide (like a hutch in this case).

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Yes she bolted for cover and went into one of the pet carriers, i leave them in the run as they like to play in them!
Do you think its best to have an actual hutch or are things like pet carriers, boxes, plastic arches (if you get what i mean), tunnels and tables and chairs ok?

Good post Katie.

Only this evening I have had an inquiry from someone wishing to adopt a friend for her rabbit as his partner was munched by a fox two weeks ago (was free ranging at the time as it had got out of it's unsecured run). It's so common in every town and city to have foxes looking for an easy meal.

Hope Honey is okay.

Hope you are okay too!

Glad Honey is OK.

Katie if you want any 4 foot hutches to put in your runs as shelters please shout and I will sort some out for you.

katie7 said:

Do you think its best to have an actual hutch or are things like pet carriers, boxes, plastic arches (if you get what i mean), tunnels and tables and chairs ok?

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It just needs to be something to hide in so doesn't need to be an actual hutch. I would say something with solid sides like a carrier/box/tunnel would be better than a table, for example, as that would feel more secure.

Rabbit's concept of what's secure if a bit different to ours. A rabbit will panic in secure mesh run but feel safer in an enclosed cardboard box. I had a dog get in the garden once and one of mine panicked and bolted out of a 2" gap in their run and down behind a wall. They'd have been perfectly safe in the run but they don't get the concept of mesh barrier = safe. To them it feels like they are out in the open.

Tamsin said:

It just needs to be something to hide in so doesn't need to be an actual hutch. I would say something with solid sides like a carrier/box/tunnel would be better than a table, for example, as that would feel more secure.

Rabbit's concept of what's secure if a bit different to ours. A rabbit will panic in secure mesh run but feel safer in an enclosed cardboard box. I had a dog get in the garden once and one of mine panicked and bolted out of a 2" gap in their run and down behind a wall. They'd have been perfectly safe in the run but they don't get the concept of mesh barrier = safe. To them it feels like they are out in the open.

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This is so much what I've found. Even as a "house rabbit" he needs his "bolt holes" around the house, even though danger is outside & has never got in. His favourite place is the least secure of the lot - under my dressing table with only material around it. S'pose the room smells strongly of "human", he's several exits if disturbed there, may even think that if I sleep there it must be safer. He's so outgoing & friendly with people, but got so many "wildie" instincts. Trying protect him from "predator stress" is very difficult indeed.

:shock:

Are Liam and Niamh OK ?.....................

Wow! Bet that frightened you both! Glad the bun is safe!

My rabbit free ranges the garden. Yesterday my sister heard a commotion in the garden - looked out of the window and saw a big cat chasing Smudge round the garden. We all ran out and chased the cat away. Poor Smudge was breathing sooo heavily. I calmed him and put him away in his playhouse. It's such a shame as I like him being able to run around not cooped up in a pen.

thumps_ said:

This is so much what I've found. Even as a "house rabbit" he needs his "bolt holes" around the house, even though danger is outside & has never got in. His favourite place is the least secure of the lot - under my dressing table with only material around it. S'pose the room smells strongly of "human", he's several exits if disturbed there, may even think that if I sleep there it must be safer. He's so outgoing & friendly with people, but got so many "wildie" instincts. Trying protect him from "predator stress" is very difficult indeed.

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Ditto - mine are 24/7 free-range balcony buns (not out/not in) and their favourite place is under our balcony chairs where the fleeces are bunched up. They have a very pricey 2-storey 5ft hutch but do they ever use? Do they heck. I should have just got a little box for the corner and used the space for a dinner table...

I am glad the buns are safe and secure and the fox failed! I hope they have no shock!

Emma

How scary Katie, hope you and all the bunnies are okay xxxxxxxxx

So glad your buns are ok.
:shock:

It seems as if I'm reading this sort of thing more and more. My bunnies are free range in the day with access to hutches and a shed but I'm seriously thinking of a [big] run but I think they would hate it.Do you think its safe to let them free range if I am at home but not necessarily in the garden? We have a cat living next door but ever since Fluffy "attacked" her,she doesnt come in the garden-she wont even sit on our fence [mind you she wont sit on the fence the other side as a conti lives there!]-poor Kitty scared to go out because of scary rabbits :shock:
Hope you and the buns are ok

It's scary isn't it? I've had a cat 'visiting' my bunnies recently. I caught him stalking the run on Monday evening, although the rabbits had the sense to leg it back into the shed. I managed to open the back door really quietly and I let my dogs out to chase it away - I thought if they scared it then it wouldn't come back. I don't want to hurt the cat but I don't want it in my garden either.

Last night, after cleaning everyone out, I left the run door and shed door open so that Pea and Pod could free range in the garden. I went back indoors and about half an hour later one of my dogs went ballistic. I rushed out, thinking there was a fox, but the same cat was doing a 'wall of death' about 5ft up around the inside of my run. The buns had again legged it into the shed and to be honest, the cat was petrified that it couldn't get out. It kept trying to squeeze through the weld-mesh!!! I ended up having to scruff it and carry it outside (risking teeth and claws in the process:lol

I often let my buns out to free range but I don't always sit and watch them. Perhaps that should be a lesson to me but there's a fine line between me wanting them to have as much freedom as possible and them being safe. Although in the 20 years I've kept rabbits, they've always free-ranged and I've never had any problems. Where do you draw the line?