• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Wildie attacked Cloud :(

G

georgie_f

Mama Doe
So, most of you know I've had a wild rabbit in my garden since april, when it just appeared as a little baby. I've just left it, it wasn't doing any harm and my buns are all vaccinated.

Mostly, it'll spend the day hiding. Occasionally I'll look out the window to see it sniffing my buns through the mesh, when my buns go out to free range it hides as I'm out there too and it's eaten quite a few of Mum's beetroots - but it's done nothing of major concern.

I let Cloud and Barley out to free range today whilst I swept out the playhouse and all of a sudden heard a big kuffuffle on the gravel - I looked out the door to see the wild bunny was attacking Cloud :shock: Cloud legged it, with the wildie in tow, which in turn I was chasing - all three of us ran round the shed half a dozen times (I hope no one was watching!) and then Cloud shot back in the playhouse like a little thunderbolt and the wildie shot off under the playhouse. There's grey fur all round the shed now. :shock::(

I'm not sure what to do now! I let the wildie stay because my garden's safe for it and I don't think it wants to leave anyway.

Poor Cloud :(
 
I didnt want to read and run.
I dont know what to suggest...except now I think its gotten more serious.Is Cloud ok?? No harm done????
I think personally, I would be more inclined now to try and trap Rocket humanely (i hasten to add) and remove him to more suitable accommodation.Like the woods.Hes not tame.He wouldnt mind.perhaps if hes close by you could take some goodies all the time.But its Cloud Im thinking of.
 
i'm no expert on rabbits, but as an experienced worrier, i'm a bit worried about this! is cloud hurt?
 
Think the wildie was being territorial about his garden or fearful. Can you block him in, when you let yours out. If not you will need to move him.
 
Sorry, I should have added Cloud is fine! I picked her up and checked her over, she doesn't have a mark on her. From the amount of fluff trailing round the garden, you'd expect her to be half bald but I can't find any bald patches or anything. She's been moulting lately so I'd assume the wildie has tried to grab her by her fur but it's just tugged straight out. :? She was panting pretty badly so I shut her and Barley back in and gave them an ice pod. The wildie didn't go after Barley at all.

This is the first time this has ever happened - I'm assuming it's because I was hidden from view in the playhouse so I wasn't enough of a deterrent. I'm wondering if the wildie is a doe now as Jess will chase it off (just chasing, no attacking) if she spots it and I know Jess can't stand other female bunnies. I guess perhaps it's reached the dreaded hormonal age. I'm guessing that happens in wildies as well as pet buns?!.

I did find a tunnel dug under the fence the other day so I think I might see if I can kind of herd little Rocket bunny out through that and block it up afterwards.

I think I'll worry if I boot it out of the garden though :oops:
 
Just thought...It didnt happen, but they might have bonded!! Wouldnt you have had fun then!!!:roll:
 
Oh no i'm sorry to read this. I'm afraid i don't have any advice other then what has already been suggested about trying to move the wildie. But i really hope Cloud is ok and no harm is done. xx
 
Awww, what a shame, I bet it was nice to have a little wee wildie in your garden...... although, I guess, because it is alone, its kind of missing out on its social life too..... what a sad situation..... :( Good luck with whatever you choose.
 
Sorry didn't want to read and run but I've not really got anything worth while saying.

Poor Cloud and hope you make a decision soon enough :)
 
Sorry you've got such a tricky decision to make. :( It's good that Cloud is OK.:):) Her picture is one of my favourites in the Funny Bunnies book. :wave:
 
Oh thats a real shame, I remember reading and speaking to you about the wildie when it first entered your garden. Do hope everything works out well, but I am sure you will make the right decision for both Cloud and Rocket. Its very stressful sometimes being an animal lover:)
 
Hmmmm... Decisions are hard.

My reasoning would be...

Cloud wants to be in the garden

Rocket wants to be in the garden

As long as they're okay when Cloud's in a run and Rocket is freeranging, that's a good start --also they can't hurt each other too much through the bars, maybe it will be okay?

I find it mine are freeranging and I'm cleaning out the shed then I pop out every five minutes and it keeps the cats away. Could you do that when you're cleaning the playhouse?

The only other option I could contemplate is catching Rocket, getting her spayed and then bunny proofing the garden and giving her a home freerange in the garden. I know it's a ridiculous option, but I'd be too worried about her if you blocked her out! :(
 
Thanks for all the replies guys :) I've just been back down the garden finishing re-turfing Cloud and Barley's run and she's been 'helping' me by lying right in the way :roll: She certainly doesn't seem too bothered by her encounter but I'll keep an eye on her anyway. I'm a little concerned she could have a bite wound or something I might have missed but I think that's just me being a bit dramatic!



I'm going to pop some tasty looking goodies round the tunnel under the fence tonight and hope Rocket hops through. It must of been him/her/it that dug it in the first place so presumably he's visited nextdoor before! :lol: If I see him go through, I'll block up the hole behind him. Nextdoor's garden isn't fenced, it just has a hedge, so he'll be able to hop off and hopefully he'll find his way to the field over the road as there's hundreds of wildies over there. If he won't go through the tunnel, I'll have to look into a humane trap again.

For now, I'll only be letting my buns out when I'm able to sit and watch them all the time. I don't think it would have happened if I wasn't hidden from view in the playhouse. :oops::(
 
How very difficult, I'm inclined to think like yvette. Either way it's a difficult decision, but a doe stands a much better chance in the wild cos she can dig a burrow.
 
Candiflare said:
Hmmmm... Decisions are hard.

My reasoning would be...

Cloud wants to be in the garden

Rocket wants to be in the garden

As long as they're okay when Cloud's in a run and Rocket is freeranging, that's a good start --also they can't hurt each other too much through the bars, maybe it will be okay?

I find it mine are freeranging and I'm cleaning out the shed then I pop out every five minutes and it keeps the cats away. Could you do that when you're cleaning the playhouse?

The only other option I could contemplate is catching Rocket, getting her spayed and then bunny proofing the garden and giving her a home freerange in the garden. I know it's a ridiculous option, but I'd be too worried about her if you blocked her out! :(
Click to expand...

I do kind of think it'd be ok for Rocket to stay if I made sure I was never out of view again. I also wonder if he'd come out from under the playhouse (that seems to be where he lives) as I was crashing about above him with the dustpan and may have startled him.

I've never seen him fight with my buns before. Jess will chase him across the garden but he's much too fast for her so she gives up after 15 metres or so! :lol: Rocket used to follow Brian round as if they were bonded when he was a littl'un.

Perhaps I'll see what happens when I let the other buns out to free-range. If it's just Cloud he's got a problem with then I'll just have to keep her shut in - she has plenty of space with the playhouse and run :)

Ooohhh, I hate making decisions!
 
Poor Cloud and poor Wildie.... sad situation all round.. I would try and capture/neuter the wildie and let him live free range in my garden... could that work?
 
I'm not sure I'd be able to find a vet that would be willing to neuter Rocket. I think, by law, they're not allowed to charge for wildlife. When I found a hedgehog, my usual vet refused to see him. I took the hedgie to the RSPCA vet in the end but they didn't seem to want to give him any medicine at all, even though his head was swollen up. :? I suppose I could try and get away with saying Rocket's a pet?! Depends how daft the vet is I guess! :lol:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

E
Rabbit attacked by fox
Replies
19
Views
451
bunny momma
bunny momma
MissMinnie
Bonded trio started fighting
Replies
1
Views
713
tonibun
T
A
Scabies in rabbits not being cured
Replies
1
Views
141
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
Back
Top