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When do you call it a day catching a stray buny??

Lil & Ron's Mum

Warren Scout
I have been trying to catch a stray bunny for over 12 weeks now.
Every night I have been out running around after this bun, and now in a morning as it is too dark at night since the clocks have changed.
I have tried everything...nets, towels, blankets, small animal traps and for the last 3 weeks I have had my rabbit run (the ones that are like puppy pens) built up in a a lady's garden, who I didn't know at first, but now I do, Wendy.
When I first set it up the entrance was wide, and I made it smaller every day, but it is very smart and carried the veg out, so then we moved on to huge veg that it couldn't carry as fast so that Wendy could run out and close the panels.
Poor Wendy now has rats due to the food that we are leaving out.
I have had a spare dog crate set up in my garage for all the 12 weeks so I can keep him/her dry until I get him/her to BARC
The RSPCA will not have anything to do with the bun (don't get me going....)
You never know, it could be pregnant if a doe from a wild bun
Its not getting tamer/trusting us.
And no one has reported a missing bun, so it must be dumped.
It is a quite road with live on, and all the gardens are huge and when you try to catch it the bun runs thru the trees into a farmers field, it stays out of the enclosed gardens.
What would you do??
I don't want to feel like I am deserting it, but it is eating lots of grass (I think it is enjoying the freedom)
But its not fair for Wendy with the Rats.
 
Do you see it every morning. Do rats eat pellets? Maybe try that instead of veg. What about a fenugeek crunchie which no rabbit can resist. If you can start throwing one near to it and then gradually get it to come over more, or at the weekend put a couple in the pen? I think food is the answer but something that rats don't eat!
 
Before I caught Hoppla (the white rabbit in my SIG) she gave me and everybody else the run around for 4wks.
When it started getting cold and food scarcer it was suddenly really easy to catch her.

You may find the same thing happening with your stray rabbit ;)

Don't give up.
 
dont give up! I was involved in a stray rabbit capture that the lady had been trying for weeks - again as it got colder the rabbit got more intersted about feed and we caught her.
 
I've only caught a stray once but it took me about 2 hours, as he was getting more used to me and would let me get nearer I managed to get hold of him and didn't let go! Not sure if this is a particularly good method, as if you're not confident and miss you may lose any trust you've built up and be back to square one. I guess it depends on the bunny.

Someone recommended a washing basket to me, that seems like a good idea if he lets you get close to him :thumb:
 
Thanks for the replies:-
Cpayne, the rats are eating everything, I have tried everything my buns can't resist. Wendy is sat in her window morning and night, and stands hidden around corners when she see's it but Ive never seen bun run as fast (hence why the local cats have not been able to catch it, believe me they've tried)
Lucy-Lou, I forgot to put on my post that I have tried a washing basket
Hoppla and Parsnipbun, hope you are both right with it getting colder and less food, I just hope that the cold doesn't get to him/her 1st
Ill keep persevering , everyone knows me now, strangers stop me in the street or shout from their houses for updates, they all know my name! :oops:
 
Have you tried a rabbit trap? I'm not sure how that would work with rats around but it might be worth looking in to.
 
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