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loose red-eyed white... advice needed

glossta1

Alpha Buck
The other day on the winding back lane home there was a small REW on the road ahead of me. I stopped and we eyed each other. I quietly got out of my car and we eyed each other. I made quiet conversation as I approached, but he bolted into the hedgerow, which is scrubby and about 8-10' wide at the point, and was quickly lost to view. I turned back to the nearest houses, where I know there are children living, but no-one there had lost a bun, and hadn't seen it either. I asked my neighbour's child to ask at the village school (2 miles away) but as far as we know no-one there has lost a bun either.

Another neighbour has also seen it on the same stretch of the road in recent days. Neither of us ever saw it before. I did think it could be a wildie - albinoism does occur naturally sometimes, yes?

Today I paused the car in the gateway of the field that wraps round the back of that thick hedgerow, and there he was, sitting at the base of a horse-jump. Around the edge of the field were lots of wildies, but he seemed to remain alone. Some of the wildies looked big in comparison (but we do seem to have some mega-wildies around us these days). This makes me think he has escaped or been dumped.

Any thoughts? I was two rickety padlocked gates and a horse-filled meadow away from him, so I didn't attempt to approach. I think I know who is the owner of a horsebox I've seen in that same gateway previously, so I will attempt to find out where they live to ask further.

My question is: how the heck do I catch a small fast bun that doesn't like the look of me, in an open field (if I can get into the field, even)?

Ideas welcome.
 
Sounds good. Where do I find one of those?

I'm guessing you mean a cat trap, but tbh I doubt there would be any food that you could put in it to tempt a bun surrounded by fresh grass and weeds!

If you were serious about catching it I reckon you'd need a fair few helpers.

Its difficult where it is though as he could escape anywhere - in a smaller area you can set up an open enclosure using a few of the fold away metal rabbit pens for gardens and try herding him there.

How frustrating though...
 
I'm not sure, maybe a farm shop if you have one nearby? I've seen them where we buy our chicken feed and my brother has them at work (animal feed centre)
 
I'm guessing you mean a cat trap, but tbh I doubt there would be any food that you could put in it to tempt a bun surrounded by fresh grass and weeds!
depends on the bun, but I reckon if I put some fresh basil or something fragrant in mine would hop on in. :lol:
 
hmmm

Maybe the rescue we got Sausage from has some kind of trap. If I can't find the horsey people it's worth a go. I've got some basil in the garden...
 
We hire out our cat trap at the Blue Cross - well we just ask for a returnable deposit so we ensure we get it back, so I guess other rescues may lend you one?
 
update

Today I found the horsey people, who actually weren't the people I thought they were, but that doesn't matter now! The daughter saw him for the first time a few days ago, in their horse field, where I've seen him too. The mum hasn't seen him yet. He isn't theirs. He wouldn't let the girl catch him either - ran away. They know there's a family with children living on the main road with a garden backing onto the other side of their field, so they'll ask them if they've lost a bun. The horsey people are up for trying to catch him, because he's at risk at the moment. The mum had a pink-eyed white as a child, and doesn't like to think anyone would abandon a pet bun to their fate in the wild. They will start to put carrots and herbs out, in readiness for an attempt in the coming days. Apparently the dad does most of the horse-care in the week, so they'll involve him too, and they all have my number. Tomorrow I'll contact the rescue we got Sausage from to see if she has a trap (I got back too late tonight). Fingers crossed.
 
still there

He hangs about at the foot of the pony jumps. There was a wildie with him tonight, but the wildie ran away, and he only half-heartedly followed for a few steps. Does he look a bit lost out there, or am I imagining that? Not sure. I have a big deadline at work tomorrow, but after that it is Mission Bun. Gotta borrow a trap. I haven't heard back from the horsey people about the family they thought it might've come from, so I guess it wasn't theirs. At dusk a white bun sure gleams out in a field - easy prey for a fox. Let's hope it'll let me trap it.
 
He hangs about at the foot of the pony jumps. There was a wildie with him tonight, but the wildie ran away, and he only half-heartedly followed for a few steps. Does he look a bit lost out there, or am I imagining that? Not sure. I have a big deadline at work tomorrow, but after that it is Mission Bun. Gotta borrow a trap. I haven't heard back from the horsey people about the family they thought it might've come from, so I guess it wasn't theirs. At dusk a white bun sure gleams out in a field - easy prey for a fox. Let's hope it'll let me trap it.

Where abouts is this lane? Might work better if more than one person comes to try and get it with you?
 
He hangs about at the foot of the pony jumps. There was a wildie with him tonight, but the wildie ran away, and he only half-heartedly followed for a few steps. Does he look a bit lost out there, or am I imagining that? Not sure. I have a big deadline at work tomorrow, but after that it is Mission Bun. Gotta borrow a trap. I haven't heard back from the horsey people about the family they thought it might've come from, so I guess it wasn't theirs. At dusk a white bun sure gleams out in a field - easy prey for a fox. Let's hope it'll let me trap it.

maybe he just can't see as well as the wildie bun which is why he's not as confident? I have seen lots of black wildies, the odd white wildie wouldn't be unknown, but albinism also equals very poor eyesight!
 
could be wild...

... but odd that everyone suddenly started seeing it Tuesday onwards last week and have seen it often since. I'm beginning to think he was dumped Tuesday. Hard to be sure.

It may well help to have a second person. Thanks for the offer. I'm hoping to bait a cat-trap though, if I can borrow one. The horsey people also said they'd help. They're going to start putting food out by the jumps so it knows it can go there for food as well as shelter.
 
I forgot the eyesight might be dodgy...

That would explain some of the confusion, wouldn't it. Poor little scrap. Actually not so little. It's the size of some of our biggest local wildies - and we do get some big ones around here.
 
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