Cant get Poppy back in her cage :(

I have been trying for the last 40 mins to get Poppy back into her cage for the night and she's having non of it

We have had her for about 3 weeks now, she was a stray bunny who was found in October, the lady tried and tried to find her owner but nobody came forward:roll: While in the ladies care she chewed through a cable, was electrocuted:shock: and taken to the p@h rehoming centre as they felt they could no longer look after her.

She's not particularly tame, but is friendly and inquisitive...

She has her own fenced off part of the garden which she is out in from 7am until bedtime......not tonight:shock:

I just cannot catch her/coax her into her cage. Carrots...parsley...non of it....

She has dug herself a bit of a burrow under her cage where she has been going to at points during the day. She is happy and very nosey. We have no predators except a cat from next door which is terrified of her (Poppy is bigger than the cat and probably twice as fierce:lol No foxes around here

Do I just let her free range all night or does anyone have any rabbit catching tips?

I was going to buy her a playhouse but I'm now wondering if she would be happier in a extra large do kennel so that she can access the outdoors all night? Has anyone used them before?

Would love some advice please:wave:

Where do you live, cos I'm coming to live there too if there aren't any foxes!

To quote another Forum Member 'the first time you see a Fox will be the last time you see your Bunny'..................

In other words just because you have never seen a Fox does NOT mean that there are not Foxes about.

I am afraid I would have to stay up and out all night if I could not get my Rabbit into the safety of their hutch.

Can you corner her at all ?

Been trying to corner her and she is one determined bunny I'm quite lucky as we back onto garages and the garden is completely enclosed. There are foxes locally but not near to us We even have them under the portakabin at work

I will keep trying as really dont like the idea of going to bed with her out:roll:

Silly question but have you tried rattling her pellets in a bowl?

^ I was going to ask that. Oggie recognises all the sounds linked with being fed (rattling of the pellets, food being put into the cage through the bars etc) sometimes you just have to wait it out and move back once you put the food in.

Sounds like she loves being outside though, will she be getting a run attached to her hutch? That way, she can still enjoy being outside.

I would persist, because that is how I lost Steffi. She wouldn't go back to her walk in run as it was approaching dusk and I thought "just 10 more mins" while I get kids to bed etc. within half an hour, she had been "got".

How big is the area? Is there any way you can create a smaller "pen" and round her up into a more managable space?

Ive just been out again and tried the pellets, but everytime I go to catch her or herd her into her cage she darts ander the cage where she has made a kind of burrow

Do you think she has spent so long as a stray that possibly she wont become domesticated? I dont mind as I like her character but I do need to be able to keep her safe

I really dont want to leave her out alone

This is her run/enclosure. I can do a lot to it over the next few weeks to change it to keep her safer. Just going back outside to try again

helen01 said:

Ive just been out again and tried the pellets, but everytime I go to catch her or herd her into her cage she darts ander the cage where she has made a kind of burrow

Do you think she has spent so long as a stray that possibly she wont become domesticated? I dont mind as I like her character but I do need to be able to keep her safe

I really dont want to leave her out alone

Click to expand...

Could you block off the part she keeps running under?

You could try throwing a blanket over her. I had to employ this tactic when my bridge bun Ash would escape and go and let the others out by chinning their door catches (think 1990's naff hutches) she'd do it at roughly around 4 am, and I'd have 5 of them all over the big garden. I'd get woken up by the others thumping, I was so tuned in to their sounds! :lol:

Never underestimate the foxes either. I lived somewhere with loads of houses and a fox got my boy bun Stripe, the fields were quite a walk so it must have traveled a fair way. Again I got woken up to the noises of the others and a local cat was screaming at it. Luckily I scared it before it took him for food, but as I picked him up from where he was laying sprawled on the floor he either had some sort of fit or heart attack and died in my arms with a bite wound to his neck. I'm still traumatised all these years later

Hope you manage to catch her so you can get to bed soon!

She's back in her cage Thanks so much I wasnt very nice though and probably have made it twice as hard to catch her tomorrow:shock: I took a torch out, blocked under her cage and shone the torch on her to stun her It worked and I caught her...but feel awful

At least she is safe tonight though

I hope you do get her in, because I still can't forget the image I have of Steffi, and that was two years ago. Also, foxes can open hutches with "swing" type catches - they are clever. that's why my bunnies are now in "Fort Knox" walk in run with double layered meld wesh when I'm not around!

I agree, block of hole try a blanket - it may stress her temporarily, but less than if a fox does come.

Yes, as above, I have had to throw a towel over one of mine once before.
When you throw the towel over them, thy slow/stop cos they are disoriented and that's the moment to pick them up wtihin the towel.
It isn't very nice and I didnt like doing it but I think it's more important to get her in her hucth safely overnight.
And tomorrow have a look at a way of blocking off the underneath of her hutch when it's bedtime.

ETA: oops sorry posted as you did. Glad you've got her and she's back in her hutch safe.

Glad you got her!

I'm glad you have got her back in safely

Here is a link to some information about keeping bunnies safe from predators, specifically foxes, http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/rabbit_foxes.asp

But remember that birds of prey are also a risk, especially lately there have been reports of buzzards, who like to take rabbits.

ETA: just re-read your first post about planning to upgrade accommodation There are different ways of going about it, and there are a number of threads on here with people's outdoor housing and set-ups on. We have a 7x5 shed with an 8x4 run attached for one pair, and for the other we have a purpose-built kennel with run attached (both 8x4). I think there are pros and cons to both.

Maybe try getting her in an hour earlier than normal. Even my pellet mad bunnies will play up occasionally. Both Poppy and Bugsy gave me the run around this evening -not responding to shaking food, and they know they can run round and round the patio table quicker than me :lol:

Glad she is in

Next time, try getting a net, I have had to do this before, and it works well!

Ah just popped back to see how this was going! - Glad she's back inside safe and sound. I was going to suggest the careful deployment of a laundry basket to catch her with!

Joking aside, please don't take the fox threat lightly - I don't beleive any garden is secure enough to keep them out, unless perhaps you have razor wire and electric fences - a good way to think of a fox is to say that they are as agile as a cat (so can scale a wall/fence of 6' easily) and as strong as a dog (so can scratch and tear at wire or push it inwards to gain access, can bite at wood, dig under wire etc)

My rabbits are pretty good at hopping in to their carriers after being in their runs on the lawn as there is always a treat in there for them, sometimes I put down the carrier and walk away as if not to care while they hop in, then I pick up the carrier turning the open end to my tummy so there is no escape and carry them back to their enclosures.

helgalush said:

I'm glad you have got her back in safely

Here is a link to some information about keeping bunnies safe from predators, specifically foxes, http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/care/rabbit_foxes.asp

But remember that birds of prey are also a risk, especially lately there have been reports of buzzards, who like to take rabbits.

ETA: just re-read your first post about planning to upgrade accommodation There are different ways of going about it, and there are a number of threads on here with people's outdoor housing and set-ups on. We have a 7x5 shed with an 8x4 run attached for one pair, and for the other we have a purpose-built kennel with run attached (both 8x4). I think there are pros and cons to both.

Click to expand...

I know about her hutch and am in the process of sorting out either the summerhouse for her or getting her a play house I must admit I am wondering if a huge kennel would be better for her though as I dont think she would go in the summerhouse. How do yours cope with a kennel??

I could possibly mesh over the top of her enclosure using Avary panels and then she wouldnt have to be locked up on a night at all