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Rabbit Rescue

September

Young Bun
First a long winded overly detailed intro, then questions. (Tl;Dr at bottom of intro)


So I went to help some family move their shed today (as in the whole building. It was interesting, to say the least.)

They have a rabbit, a few years old (all I know for sure is it can't be older than 4) that they got as a present for a little girl (6 now, which is how I know it can't be older than 4, because she was talking coherently enough to want a rabbit) They built a 3' (tops) cage out of wood and chicken wire, put it on top of a wooden stand, set it beside the shed, and there the rabbit stayed.

Almost a year ago, the grandparents of said little girl got divorced, and left the rabbit behind for their neighbor to feed. Forgot about it mostly.

Tonight, in the moving of the shed, it snagged on the wooden stand of the rabbits cage, and started to pull it down. They were just going to let it get crushed. I, a meek person who does not ask for favors or state my opinion, would not let them continue without moving the rabbit, so rather than face the 18 year old animal obsessed girl getting crushed and having to explain it was because of the rabbit, my aunt/little girls grandma came and helped me move the rabbit over to the ground.

Which is where they would have left it, in a cage that was falling apart, with coyotes and foxes running unchecked, if I hadn't spoken up again. So they put the cage inside a dog kennel (empty of dog) and put tin over it. This is the most I was getting, despite offering to take it home with me.

Bear in mind that I am a meek person, as stated above. But I pushed past it as best I could for a third time in one night, and weakly offered to take the rabbit off there hands. Nope. (because it would apparently have a heart attack if I tried to make it an inside rabbit) They're going to try and take it to their new place, if the person they rent from will allow it. Thankfully, I've gotten my moms permission to offer once more to take the rabbit on permanently if they get turned down. And I feel horrible saying it, but I hope they do.

Not even sure it'll survive the night though, so this could all be pointless. Our rigged up cage probably won't keep out any very determined predators. Just having to cross my fingers and hope for the best, really. I would just go get the rabbit right now and plead ignorance, but these family members are very close to us, and I don't want to lose them over a rabbit.


TL;DR--Some close family have a rabbit that they take minimal care of and I'm trying to get it from them.


Questions!

1) Does anyone have any suggestions for convincing my aunt to let me have it?

2) Would the rabbit really ''die of a heart attack'' if I brought it inside, having lived it's whole life outside?

3) This is not a rabbit used to people. At 4ish years old, could it ever learn not to bite? (I'm not too keen on bleeding every time I try to fill the food dish)

4) How could I rabbit-proof my room, or how could I section off a piece for it? Which would be better?

5) What do I feed it?
 
Well done you for offering this bun a home :)

1) Does anyone have any suggestions for convincing my aunt to let me have it?

I would just harp on at her, family can cave in and agree, here's hoping that is the case!

2) Would the rabbit really ''die of a heart attack'' if I brought it inside, having lived it's whole life outside?

No, bun should be fine coming indoors, just check that the temperature difference is not too great....couldn't have him really cold outside then in with a heater inside or something like that.

3) This is not a rabbit used to people. At 4ish years old, could it ever learn not to bite? (I'm not too keen on bleeding every time I try to fill the food dish)

Yes, you might well find that once shown love and attention that bun reciprocates :)

4) How could I rabbit-proof my room, or how could I section off a piece for it? Which would be better?

Rabbit proofing the whole area is often best. Probably good to have a dog crate or similar as a base, where the littery tray and hay would be, then make sure any wires are hidden behind furniture or behind a sheet of wood / plastic etc.

5) What do I feed it?

Basically bunnies should be mostly fed on hay with a small amount of veg and some pellets. I would ask what bun gets fed just now and try to keep to that if the pellets are decent, if not then you can change to any commercially available rabbit pellet, but make the change gradually.

Oh, I hope it works for you and you give this bunny a new life :)
 
Perhaps, as they are moving,you could offer to look after bunny for a short time until they are settled? Then hopefully they will not want it back
 
They're already moved, and settled, and I honestly think they forgot they owned a bunny until last night (I actually offered to take the bunny last November, when it all started, and was turned down then too.) The neighbor is my aunts brother, so he has no problem dropping in some food every day and filling up the bottle when it's empty. It probably would have stayed right there until dead if the cage hadn't come down in the moving of the shed (and if I hadn't been there, it probably would have died there then)

I just got through all my morning animal chores, about to go see if it's still alive. I guess they'll be asking today if they can take it. Or who knows, maybe they'll forget again.

Basically, I was planning on sitting the gross old cage in my room for a little while, letting it get settled in there, moving it to a playpen or letting it settle in a sectioned off piece of room, then opening it up to all of it. It's a quiet room, because I don't spend a lot of time in there, and none of the other animals are allowed in there because of my mice. And I guess I can turn off the ac for a few days.
 
Pic of bunny!




My aunts fiance was down there continuing with the moving of the shed, and when I left I told him to tell my aunt (once more) that I'll take the bunny if they can't. He laughed and said ok, so at least I don't think they're annoyed with me (yet)
 
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