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Escaping rabbit

hydrides

New Kit
We have one rabbit within a large group who is outwardly happy but approximately once a week she is jumping (or climbing) the fence into our neighbours garden. Looking for twofold advice why would she be doing this? And how to prevent?

Thank you
 
We have one rabbit within a large group who is outwardly happy but approximately once a week she is jumping (or climbing) the fence into our neighbours garden. Looking for twofold advice why would she be doing this? And how to prevent?

Thank you

She's probably doing it just because she can, the grass is always greener etc. I recommend getting a large secure run at least 8ftx4ft and 3ft high made of wood and weldmesh and either lifting the grass and meshing under to prevent digging out, (or predators digging in) or slabbing the bottom, and attaching this to the hutch.
 
She's probably doing it just because she can, the grass is always greener etc. I recommend getting a large secure run at least 8ftx4ft and 3ft high made of wood and weldmesh and either lifting the grass and meshing under to prevent digging out, (or predators digging in) or slabbing the bottom, and attaching this to the hutch.

Their summer set up includes between 28ft and 35ft length of run, in different sections which are swapped around/angles changed (hence total length changes depending on where in garden it is ending up). However they are used to and like having the free range time even if they spend half the afternoons snoozing under favourite bushes.

Do rabbits climb wire? I can make it higher along the fence she seems interested in but if she is just free climbing it then that probably won't help. I can bend it over at the top if that would help.
 
I'd spy on her or set up a camera to see how she's getting out then work around sorting it out.
Rabbits don't really climb but can jump quite high fences and are very good at finding weak spots in a fence (any areas she could lift up for instance), and I agree if they can get out they will.
One of mine is obsessed with trying to get out of my garden in to the car park even though the garden is much nicer (grass, safe, etc). They just like to explore!
 
Their summer set up includes between 28ft and 35ft length of run, in different sections which are swapped around/angles changed (hence total length changes depending on where in garden it is ending up). However they are used to and like having the free range time even if they spend half the afternoons snoozing under favourite bushes.

Do rabbits climb wire? I can make it higher along the fence she seems interested in but if she is just free climbing it then that probably won't help. I can bend it over at the top if that would help.

One of my boys climbed nearly 4ft up the vertical weldmesh side of the aviary :shock: then sort of kept off sideways. None of the others have though. Mine outdoor quad are great at digging holes too. It would be virtually impossible for me to let mine free range as the fencing is not secure enough and would be nearly impossible for me to make it safe. Plus I can't be around all the time to watch them! So as a compromise we built an aviary run which is weld meshed roof sides and floor, it's 17ftx10ft, they have permanent access to it.
 
:shock: I retract my statement about rabbits not climbing :lol:

I don't think they normally do :shock: :lol: and Dandy is pretty "wild" :shock::oops: Dandy and Beano like to run up the outside of the runaround pipe leading into the hutch in the aviary, so that they can use it as a ramp to get on top of it :lol:
 
I don't think they normally do :shock: :lol: and Dandy is pretty "wild" :shock::oops: Dandy and Beano like to run up the outside of the runaround pipe leading into the hutch in the aviary, so that they can use it as a ramp to get on top of it :lol:

We have checked along the fence line repeatedly she isn't going under (the wire is buried under and I can't move it), she was jumping before but we'd put a part of the run too near the fence line and she used that as a springboard (clever minx). Since blocking that up she has only gone over once so maybe it was just a fluke (sadly I doubt it she's just waiting for us to relax our guard again). Neighbour thinks she is climbing but we're all guessing.

The rest of the herd luckily don't seem to have any interest in exploring beyond the fence line, we're going to experiment with toys/cardboard built things to see if she just needs more mental stimulation to keep her out of trouble.

She is also then of course a pain to catch but once caught is all happy and snuggles.

Maybe she needs more rabbits to play with (any excuse another my partner is now talking about fostering rabbits as if we didn't have enough chaos with our own).
 
They can jump pretty high if they feel like it, most bunnies just don't use all their potential. I know my rabbit can clear a 4' baby gate if he wants, because he's done it in a panic previously, but he doesn't do it normally even though he'll sneak past the door at any opportunity. They can go higher if they can find something to climb on first - even going up the centre of a bush/plant near the fence for example, doesn't have to be very solid :lol:

Bending the top of the fence in may help climbing/jumping. Depending on the height it might be better to add to it, rather than bending the top of the existing mesh - you don't want to make it easier for anything predator wise trying to jump in the opposite direction.
 
I used to have a climber too! She didn't when she turned into an adult, but when she was young she used to climb wire as if it was a ladder :shock: Ash was a really special bunny, I absolutely swear her fur used to change to be a shade of purple. I've never seen anything like it. She also used to pull wire up from the corner of their cage, let her sisters out at about 3am and then go and open the latches on the other hutches. We nicknamed her Houdini. This was way back in the early 90's (so less aware of proper hutch safety!), & way before it was easy enough take photos/videos quickly. I so wish I could have caught her climbing on film!
 
They can jump pretty high if they feel like it, most bunnies just don't use all their potential. I know my rabbit can clear a 4' baby gate if he wants, because he's done it in a panic previously, but he doesn't do it normally even though he'll sneak past the door at any opportunity. They can go higher if they can find something to climb on first - even going up the centre of a bush/plant near the fence for example, doesn't have to be very solid :lol:

Bending the top of the fence in may help climbing/jumping. Depending on the height it might be better to add to it, rather than bending the top of the existing mesh - you don't want to make it easier for anything predator wise trying to jump in the opposite direction.


I'm informed that so far today she has stayed happily on our side of the fence (hurrah) however she's also had human company spying on her the whole time. Yes the aim is another layer of wire with it bent over at the top so it's both higher and more awkward to climb. I'm sure that whenever we fix one option she'll find another and won't be long before they move to their winter home now and there she'd need to grow wings to get out of the free range area (I know I'm tempting fate saying that).

Thanks for the stories about other escapees, I think my main worry is that she's doing it as unhappy but doesn't seem like really wants to get away and she's very much part of the group.
 
:shock: I retract my statement about rabbits not climbing :lol:

Hahaha :lol:
I didn't know they could climb until my litter two years ago - I used to have the only double storey hutch in the shed and I stored their hay and food on top of it, they would climb up between the back of the hutch and the shed wall and I would find the little rascals in the hay bag :lol:
 
I agree she is not doing it because she is unhappy. I think rabbits that are inclined to explore/escape just will try everything until they find a way. I had one rabbit who was a real escaper. She found every gap/weak point. She had plenty of space in a shed/run set up and a lot of free ranging time but I think she just would have always wanted more, no matter how much space she had.

Little monkeys are a worry though :roll:
 
When mine started digging he WAS bored, but he does still climb the more substantial hawthorns the OH brings home to get to the leaves he can't reach easily from ground level, although he can reach the full 23" height of his current run! He'll also climb into and onto anything to 'get a better look'. Also, is it just me or have I noticed that all the 'escapees' mentioned here are female? Searching for new warrens, too, maybe? The females are supposed to be the explorer-type, I think.
 
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